Kieana Owens
Pd.1

How much land does a man really need?

A man needs enough land so he can be content with the things he have. Why should a person be greedy when god has blessed them with so many things already? Being satisfied is never enough in our world today. You have to have more of this and more of that and for what reason at all? I feel it is because of the movies we watch, the television shows, magazines, posters, etc all of this has an affect on why people want to be as high as they can. I'm not saying its a bad thing just don't become GREEDY and INCONSIDERATE.

For example with the man in the story his first big move was enough, he was happy his family were in good living. As soon as he saw he could get more that's exactly what he did and look what happened to him, he died. He was being INCONSIDERATE because now his family has to deal with his death and GREEDY because he wanted more land, for no reason at all!

If people don't stop being so selfish they're going to end up dead or with nothing at all. Happiness is the key to life. So again I say a man needs enough land to take care of his family, responsibilities, and most importantly himself.

The ending of the story I feel Pahom got all that he deserved! Greed never gets any person far in life.

You should love your life and live it to the fullest!

My plan after graduation is to go to Virginia Union University and live on my own. I have received the acceptance packet and I have to mail them my final transcripts after I get my diploma. I have so much to do within two months, the biggest challenge being able to convince my mom to let me go out of state. My mom really wants me to go to Kennedy King because it’s close by my home and it doesn’t cost more than an out of state university. I told her that I want to go to Virginia Union University because it gives me a chance so see what it really is like in the real world and to live in a different state other than Illinois.
If I don’t go out of state then I want to get my own apartment and go to Malcolm X College. I think I’m ready for the real world. I want to be independent just like other people; I look forward to having a job, getting a degree, and paying bills that are in my name. After high school I want to do something with my life. I want to make something of my life unlike other people that don’t want to do nothing after they graduate from high school. I want to see myself ten years from now being the next Bill Gates working with computer and technology. I know my mom and family would be proud of me for doing something with my life. Ashanti Wilson April 30, 2008 P-2nd

From School to home, teens walk perilous lines
Reading from school to home, teens walk perilous lines. It’s sad to me because we live in a world that not safe to go any where. I really think about that everyday because I’m the only girl my Mother has four kid’s three boys and one girl. By me being the oldest I have to look out for the younger one everyday. And now and day how every thing going I have to think about what if some thing happen to me or one of my brother what would the others do or what would my Mother do. In the old days guys was always a target but now everybody is a target now old people, young people, and even little kids people just don’t care any more and that is sad. It’s sad that we have to live in a world that’s so cold and you would that black people would look out for each other but they don’t. Black people talk about each other and do things to hurt one in other every day and you would think all the things we have been though with each other we would be as one. Gangs are taking over the world now it’s sad to say but it’s the truth. Every day that you walk out them doors of your house you have to think about if today is your last day here in earth and I know that it hurt to think like that everyday but you have too. People are getting killed everyday I say about 10 to 20 people a day some time more than that, that just on a good day. I’m not even worry about myself because I know if I go today or tomorrow I’m okay with that because it’s my time go I really think about my brothers I know that sound crazy but that just how I feel. My brothers are every thing to me and I can’t see myself here on earth with out them and only like that people that I really do care about and it’s not a lot of them. My Mother, my brothers, and I have been though so much together but we have over came it all. And I feel we could over come war that we are in now we can overcome any thing. The days that we are in now is war it’s like going to war with people you see everyday because you ever know when one of them will take your life.

KaDaisha Burrell
04/30/2008
Per#02

I believe Tim Wise has a great point. There is no reason why Obama should be held accountable for Jeremiah’s actions. Everything that came out of Wright’s mouth was his beliefs and opinions. Even thought this is true many of African Americans agree with Obama’s former pastor including Bill Cosby. Wise stated the same Bill Cosby that white America loves. The difference between these men is that Wright said what he had to say bluntly while Bill’s statement was the American way to say it. I guess they feel as Wright stepped out of line by stating the truth.
It does not make any sense that Wright’s words are such a big controversy. The real problem is not what he said; it is the fact that it has been said. White America does not want to stand up and accept the truth including the destruction that they took part in. They aren’t able to look back on history and see hat they were in the wrong. Instead they feel it’s best to hide it and act as if it never happened. That truly that sickens me.
How can you expect for a man to sit there and not say how he feels? He sees his people stuffer because of America. The same America that is supposed to be the big brother of other nations. It’s about time that someone spoke out about the problems that we are facing. I believe it was just too much for White America to swallow.




Tiffany Lewis

Karl Mables Paper....

From School to home, teens walk a perilous line

By: Karl Mables

 

 

            I found this article to be very interesting. I am a teen growing up in Englewood, so I can relate to the trials of fellow teens in high violent communities. I think that this school year is the worse one yet. According to the article, 22 cps students have lost their lives due to violence. The latest kid was beaten to death with a bat. That's just the murder, that doesn't even include the students who were shot and didn't die.

            It's at the point that I'm almost scared to walk down the street. The article also talked about turfs. In my community, we called them blocks. We fight to defend the pride of the block. Sometimes there are friends fighting friends, cousins fighting cousins. It's a sad situation. The article mentioned that kids would fight over something as little as a dollar. In my neighborhood, kids would fight just about anything. It's to the point where u can't even look at someone.

            I am most afraid for the girl. They seem to fight more than the guys. Girls at my school will fight their friends over a boy. I don't know why these girls are fighting about things in which they have no control. You cannot control how someone else feels. According to the article, girls and boys seem to fight because of jealousy. I feel that we are all in the same situation. There is no need to fight about who has new gym shoes or new clothes. School should be getting a education, not getting hurt or killed.

 

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Scot Ferman
The things I like most about Mrs. Beyoncé Giselle Knowles Carter. First and for most I like the way she dances, sings, and acts. The main reason I wanted to do this assignment on Miss Del’Sheena’s book about Beyoncé is because as soon as I open the book, the pictures caught my eye. I mean if I didn’t open up the book and see those pictures I would probably be writing about the 24 kids in Chicago public school that just recently got killed. So I figured why not write about something that I really like. Personally I never liked writing about bad news that wasn’t interesting to me. But let’s get to the book about my baby Beyoncé. In the book there were mostly pictures that I was staring at, because my girl looked so good in the book, especially when she had that bathing suit on. But one thing I found out about Beyoncé while reading the book made me mad. I found out that Beyoncé was getting married to hip-hop star Jay-Z and not only that but she was also pregnant by him. I promise I was so pissed off. I mean as fine as she is why would she want to go and do something like that? I just don’t get it. If I would have known Beyoncé before she got married I probably would have tried to talk her out of it. Seeing that I don’t know her, I just have to live with the fact that the young pop star the one and only Beyoncé Giselle Knowles has thrown in the towel for an ugly dude like Mr. Shawn Carter. That’s crazy and I don’t believe it.

Kids are being killed everyday like its nothing. It seems like every time I turn on the TV, I hear some thing about some CPS student has been killed. Along with many other of the Chicago citizens feel that it is not safe to stay in this city. This article makes a lot of sense about the violence that is going on around the city. This article also touches many key points to things that are contributing to the violence level in the city of the Chicago. Trying to stop this violence will take lot of time and lots of work, by both the Chicago Police Department and the CPS student body and administration. Without help from all of these people nothing will happen, the violence will continue to climb at an alarming rate. I myself will put forward my best foot to help stop any violence that I witness or take part in. Many teens here at Harper have already signed a document that says they will not use any guns to solve any problems or disagreement. Kids these days do not understand that a gun can take more then just a life. It also takes away your freedom, somebody’s child, grandchild, cousin, etc. Teens today have a lot more to fear, then teens from 10 years ago. So I believe that with lots of help, support, and love these killings will stop. We have already lost 24 CPS students do to violence. Every CPS Students does not want to become number 25.

My top five greatest WNBA players. Lisa Leslie is number one. I picked her to be number one because she has accomplished goals that other WNBA players haven’t. She’s the first player to reach the 3,000 plateau. She’s the firs to garner regular season, WNBA Championship and All-Star Game MVP awards in the same season, and she’s the first WNBA player who has ever dunked.
Tamika Catchings is my number two. She plays for the Indiana Fever. She has accomplished many goals in her career also. She was rookie of the year in 2002. In 2004 she was a Olympic Gold Medalist, and in 2005-06 she got the WNBA defensive player of the year award.
Sheryl Swoopes is my number three. She also has accomplished great goals. As a member of the Houston Comets, she has accumulated over 2,000 career points, 500 career rebounds, 300 career assists and 200 career steals. Her extraordinary scoring and defensive ability have made her the first three-time WNBA MVP 2000, 2002, and 2005.
Theresa Weatherspoon is number four. She was a great player too. She has been awarded through out her career also. Up until the 2003 season, she held the distinction of being the only WNBA player to start every one of her games. In 1997 she was the first winner of the league's Defensive player of the year.
My number five is Cynthia Cooper. She was a great player too. She earned great awards too. Cooper was voted the WNBA’s MVP in 1997and 1998 and also won four WNBA Championships with the Houston Comets.
Shawntell Taylor

“She’s a genius” I thought to my self when I read the words on the cover of the book. She’s my kind of girl. She loves movies; she has a man who she’s obviously in love with, and on top of all that she’s smart as hell.
This brilliant young lady’s name is Tiarra Pryor. She’s so organized and creative. She has a table of contents so you can see what you want and don’t want to read. She has all types of genres: poetry, lists, short stories, and more.
One of my personal favorites is a story that she wrote called “My first REAL Valentine”. This guy sounds like a keeper. The way she describes him is like a prince out of a fairy tale but with a sense of humor. She’s one lucky lady; she’d be a fool not to keep him.
Now here’s where her creativity comes in. She has a poem called “Time for School”. She has the whole poem written in scrabbles. Why? Because the poem is provocative and she didn’t want to give anyone the wrong impression that she was a “Girls gone wild” type.
She’s intellectual because she’s interested in her culture and her history. She has a web on lynching. She’s showing how it traces back to her. She must be firm on how she sees her self as an African American in today’s society. Talking to her made realize that you must be successful in this world in order to make it.
Not only does she write well but she also has a little bit of art skills up her sleeve. She drew a street block and it was unbelievable. She must be a bright girl because there wasn’t a page that didn’t have color. That means bright colors, a bright future. You can tell what type of person she is by reading and looking through her book. You can tell that she’s happy, successful, creative, bright, and knows where she came from and knows where she’s going.

Tiarra Pryor
World Lit. 8th

BY Darius "Atamisk" Bright.

Response to bell ringer 30-D newsletter.


In response to the newsletter, of bell ringer 30-D, I believe immediate action should be taken. When I walk, through the halls at school and, through the neighborhood, I notice many things aren’t what they are supposed to be. It is obvious that that many of the cess pool spawn, that inhabit these schools and neighborhoods should have, long ago, been aborted. They are making chances for decent living and successful lives, almost impossible to experience and achieve.

It would have been more convenient if the trash took out the trash. However, many precious lives are being thrown away with them. Some who are pure lose their way in the confusion and desperation. They find themselves stepping in to the tracks of filth left behind by the spawn, Becoming stained by them.

I may be an extremist but I do have, what I believe, are solutions to the mortality rates and dangers:

Guns

There needs to be stricter gun laws. I don’t think it really matters what pro gun activist argue. They may say “guns are not dangerous! People are.” That statement became a cliché very quickly. It’s true that if a gun is left alone it’s harmless but what is a gun used for? It’s used for hunting, games, and in war, it’s used to kill the enemy. Now it’s used too frequently to kill civilians. Guns seem to be the choice of weapon to kill and it gives the wielder the power to do so easily. If people are dangerous, why grant them this power? It’s used for other things; however it’s used for killing mostly.

Cough syrup is supposed to be used to stop a bad cough but there is a restriction on the amount you buy because of how people may use it. If guns aren’t that big of a problem then why can’t I go through the airport with a gun to protect myself against terrorist? I believe we can say the same for bombs. Why can’t I own a bomb or make one? Bombs aren’t dangerous! People are! Let’s say the same for nuclear bombs. They aren’t dangerous! People are! So why does America police the world, putting restrictions on them? I have the answer to those questions. The answer is that they are trying to stop potential threats to safety. However, anyone with a gun is a potential threat to the safety of others around them. There is a serious hypocrisy that often plagues America.

Is there anyone who is pro guns that live where they must constantly lie on the floor, frequently, and pray they are not hit by a stray bullet from an outside conflict that has nothing to do with them? What about being afraid to let their children go outside or play, on the playground, because there are drug dealers and gang members carrying guns, playing Russian roulette with there lives, just by being there in a potentially dangerous area? How would they feel then? Stricter gun laws are needed and that’s the bottom line!


Community

There are too many liquor stores in my neighborhood. The only thing the neighborhood has too much of is churches and liquor stores. On my way to school I pass 6 liquor stores. One of them is on the next street, at the corner of my school, tempting the rogue teens to intoxicate themselves before and after school. That leads to them becoming more and more reckless. To think that no owner would sell minors some liquor for a profit would be naïve. It would be more foolish to think that the teens wouldn’t find other means to get the liquor.

Along with getting rid of some liquor stores, more things such as skating rinks, grocery stores, bowling alleys, and arcades should be built in the neighborhood. This solution may give people something else to do besides get drunk and high.

People

Parents need to know who their kids hang out with, where they are and what they do outside of home. People speak freely in school about what types of weapons they have, what crew they hang with and what they plan to do at the end of the school day. I believe there should be anonymous tips giving to prevent future danger.

Government

If these violent offenders need an outlet then send them to war instead of rotting in prison. Put them on the front lines. They would make excellent shields and great fertilizer. Perhaps they should all be put in a quarantined area and a bomb should be dropped in the center obliterating every thing in the set area.

I believe all my methods are effective and should be considered.

DeAnte Montgomery 4/17/08
8th Period


The Chicago Public School (CPS) shootings are getting way out of hand. There should not be one reason in the world why a student should be afraid to commute back and forth from school everyday. School is supposed to be a place of safety and an environment for learning. This school year alone 22 CPS students have been killed. Just yesterday as I was watching the news, it was reported that another student was murdered on the Westside of Chicago, making the list 23. We as a community should be ashamed of what’s happening. Students that really want to learn and graduate shouldn’t have to fear for the lives everyday. I as a CPS student sometimes worry about my going to and from school every morning.
Every single day you have to watch your back because you never know what’s going to happen. Everyone should get involved in order to find the solution to this crisis. If we can’t solve it we will only lose more students. Not only to the gun and gang violence, but also to the drop-out rate due to the fear of our students. CPS students who want to learn should feel free to walk home from school without fearing someone’s going to rob them, beat them up, or even worst kill them.
As a CPS student I feel like there should be constant police surveillance around these schools and their areas. Police vehicles should circle each block and secure the safety for our students. What we’re doing now isn’t working. Each community needs to have and stick to new plans for our upcoming school year. Next years students should not have to face this. Let’s all pitch in and make our neighborhoods a safer for our students. So that we can all live a little better and keep the CPS Student death rate down to a minimum.

DeAnte Montgomery 4/17/08

8th Period





The Chicago Public School (CPS) shootings are getting way out of hand. There should not be one reason in the world why a student should be afraid to commute back and forth from school everyday. School is supposed to be a place of safety and an environment for learning. This school year alone 22 CPS students have been killed. Just yesterday as I was watching the news, it was reported that another student was murdered on the Westside of Chicago, making the list 23. We as a community should be ashamed of what’s happening. Students that really want to learn and graduate shouldn’t have to fear for the lives everyday. I as a CPS student sometimes worry about my going to and from school every morning.



Every single day you have to watch your back because you never know what’s going to happen. Everyone should get involved in order to find the solution to this crisis. If we can’t solve it we will only lose more students. Not only to the gun and gang violence, but also to the drop-out rate due to the fear of our students. CPS students who want to learn should feel free to walk home from school without fearing someone’s going to rob them, beat them up, or even worst kill them.



As a CPS student I feel like there should be constant police surveillance around these schools and their areas. Police vehicles should circle each block and secure the safety for our students. What we’re doing now isn’t working. Each community needs to have and stick to new plans for our upcoming school year. Next years students should not have to face this. Let’s all pitch in and make our neighborhoods a safer for our students. So that we can all live a little better and keep the CPS Student death rate down to a minimum.

I would like to talk about the violence in the community. I personally think that guns should be off the street because it’s killing most of the kids in the community. People would pick up a gun and shoot innocent people, but they wouldn’t pick up a book and educate themselves. It breaks my heart to turn on the 9:00 news and hear that a young and innocent kid was killed. Children can’t even walk to the store or the park safely without someone on the streets acting a fool. The Board of Education should have more programs where teens and children should go to right after school; that’s a must. I would also like the Chicago police to put 100% effort in trying to get guns off the street. Even though they try to get guns off the street, somehow or somewhere it keeps coming back. The world is not full of perfect people; we have some dangerous people that need to be in jail and not in the streets killing our youth. School safety is very important to me because the principal should have several exit plans where children and teens should go to get out the building. Everyone should be able to know where to go when its’ an emergency. Our schools have to be safe as well because the criminals are finding a way to get in the schools. I truly believe that we can get the bad guys off the street and in jail that way we can live our life happily. Ashanti wilson
April 17-2008 p-2nd

It's sad that now the world seems to belong to ruthless uncaring people who think that your life is not important as theirs.I believe that people who think or will do that,don't deserve to live themselves.Because it's them who bring everybody down and
make it harder for everybody to live. I knew a friend, Daniel McCullough his whole family had got killed,his older brother, Allen McCullough the 3rd, his father Allen McCullough Jr, and his mother Denna Mccowen McCullough and Daniel McCullough is in jail for arm robbery. It's mess up that gun violence is aiming at CPS student on a younger generation who will be leader of our future. it's hard to raise a child positive, in a negative neighborhood and police is helpless to our community and they are useful after the crime scene. I think if all the goodness that come out of the community come against the bad or evil,we might can take it back over and we, the community need to come together as a family I think that guns should'nt be sold period. Martin Luther King march for our rights and know we have are rights we jeopardize and take advantage of it its mess up that someone died for what we now sabotaging. innocents dying from what ingnorance doing to us.

Emanuel Cammon

Michael Jordan was one the best player to player in the NBA. Michael Jordan was one of the people that I like in the NBA. I thing that Michael Jordan could not be stop in NBA. Michael Jordan made an impact in college for North Carolina. Michael was ACC freshman of the year. Michael Jordan decides to leave North Carolina to enter the NBA draft. Michael Jordan was selected with the third overall pick by the Chicago bulls. Jordan rookie for bulls he made an immediate impact averaged an amazing 28.2 point. He had a six game where he scores 40+ points for the Chicago bulls. Michael Jordan went to the all star his rookie year. Jordan win six NBA champion with the bulls .Michael Jordan father murdered while sleep in car .Michael Jordan retired at the age 33 in 1993 . Michael Jordan went the baseball and signs a monior league contract with Chicago white sox. In the 1994. Jordan went back to the NBA and them beating the New York knick. He lit them up for 55 point on March 29th. He would go to lead the bulls to three more NBA championships. Then Jordan became part owner of the Washington wizard in 2001-2002. Jordan return. To the NBA as a member of the wizards. He was dismissed as president of the Washington wizards. In June 2006 he became part owner of the charlotte bobcats. Michael Jordan flied for divorced from Juanita. His wife of 17year in 2000 he was name part and director of basketball.

Reginald Saul

I think that this article is making a great point about the violence in the city of Chicago. I think that there are many reasons why are city is becoming the most terrible place to live in. One the reasons why I think that is because the police spend to much time trying to follow, and arrest innocent people for petty thins when we have people walking up and down the streets with guns every day. Another the reason why our city is becoming the most terrible place to live is because teens are looking up to drug dealers, and gang members and wanting to be like them, instead of looking up to people like Lebron James, Barock Obama, or Oprah Winfrey. Another reason why is because schools aren’t having enough activities like open gym on weekends, or school dances. Another reason why is because of the guns that are being brought into our neighborhoods. The guns are getting passed down to teens that want to act tough and get respect so they take others lives. One of the main reasons why Chicago is becoming the most terrible place to live is because the parents are not strict enough. The parents have knowledge that their kids are in the gang and selling drugs, and instead of trying to guide them and give them knowledge they kick them out on the streets without giving it their all. Those are the reasons why I think that Chicago is becoming the most terrible place to live, and the ways that we could make it better.

Reginald Saul
I think that this article is making a great point about the violence in the city of Chicago. I think that there are many reasons why are city is becoming the most terrible place to live in. One the reasons why I think that is because the police spend to much time trying to follow, and arrest innocent people for petty thins when we have people walking up and down the streets with guns every day. Another the reason why our city is becoming the most terrible place to live is because teens are looking up to drug dealers, and gang members and wanting to be like them, instead of looking up to people like Lebron James, Barock Obama, or Oprah Winfrey. Another reason why is because schools aren’t having enough activities like open gym on weekends, or school dances. Another reason why is because of the guns that are being brought into our neighborhoods. The guns are getting passed down to teens that want to act tough and get respect so they take others lives. One of the main reasons why Chicago is becoming the most terrible place to live is because the parents are not strict enough. The parents have knowledge that their kids are in the gang and selling drugs, and instead of trying to guide them and give them knowledge they kick them out on the streets without giving it their all. Those are the reasons why I think that Chicago is becoming the most terrible place to live, and the ways that we could make it better.

I think that it isn’t safe anywhere in Chicago. It is bad that some mothers and fathers have to think about if their child is safe. They carry their burdens of their king and their kids still lose their lives over something stupid or an accident. The police are not doing anything about it; all I want to know how and when are the police going to stop this insanity. I mean every time you turn on the television someone has lost their mainly high school students. The mayor of Chicago Richard Daley is doing more talking about the killing of teens then really taking action about the thing. I really think that the mayor don’t care about what going on in the Englewood community. He sees this as a minor issue and not a major one this should be on top of his list not those pot holes in the street o, the CTA money problem or the Olympics, but the death of 24 Chicago public school student that have died and people seems to be getting away with.
The police, do we even have police in this city if we do they are not making there self seen in the streets. The police don’t be out enforcing the law like they should. They need to get out in the street and make a statement to the violence that is going on in the streets. I feel like the police don’t do anything because they fear for their life, but if they don’t do any thing people are just going to run all over them.
Some of the kids that died have died for wrong reason. Sometimes I don’t feel safe walking to and from school and that should not be.



Douglas Brown
1st Period
4-17-08

I agree with the passage about violence in this neighborhood. The violence is getting way out of control and I think that it’s that way because the people in this neighborhood are really taking their problems out of proportion. It’s like the only way to handle a situation is to shoot someone and I don’t think that that’s the best way to calm things down. People are not realizing that shooting only makes the situation worse on both sides of the gate. They’re not realizing that hurting someone in another family only resolves to someone being or getting hurt in their family. I think that if someone can introduce a better way of living to those people with reckless minds, this will be a better environment to live in.

I also feel that even though we are living in one violent neighborhood that we can avoid getting ourselves hurt. I ‘m assuming that because there are some people that act as if they don’t have enough since to walk away from an altercation going bad. I think that is one of the main reasons this place is so violent. The people in this community are feeling themselves too much. It’s as if they can't avoid a bad situation. Everyone just has to be the best and can’t be beaten and I think that’s what’s bringing our black people down. I have been in a bad situation before and I handled it in a mature way because I know what the outcome would have been. I may act as if I can’t be taken down but I know who I would act like that against.


Kadar Bell
8th Period
4/17/08

Corderrius Gray My response on the book call Living the life by
Johana Vizarrage



My response on it book is that I had a friend that die because of gang violence. I can feel were she is coming from with it story, I felt the same way about went I hear that my friend got shot because he was in a car with one of his friend that was in the gang and the person that the other gang wanted to shot unstill of shot the person that was in the gang they shot my friend. When I found out about that I went crazy. I was mad I wanted to be in any gang to try to find the person that shot my friend and show they how is feels to loose someone like a friend. For about 2 months past and I was still in no gang because I said to myself “if I join a gang what would be differ from anybody” so I did not join any gang. I knew that my friend wanted to go to high school and go to poem, so that is why I do it for him so we both can be happy. Now it has been 9 years I had not join any gang at all. I am now in my senior year in high school and I’m about to graduation on June 9th 2008, and I still alive. I go to church every Sunday to make my life a living vine. When I started going back to church I did not know about the bible, now I know more then I know. This is the why I can response to Johana Vizarrage on her book.


Psalm 100

Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye land.
Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing.
Know that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth all generations.

This article that I read was crazy, but true at the same time. It’s not like this stuff is fake or anything because it’s not. But it’s taking as a joke because instead of young teens death rate decreasing its increasing fast. Right now too this day we have 24 CPS student’s deaths already and we still have at least a month and a half left in this school year. They shot almost everyday when I’m walking home from school. This is ridiculous. It’s a shame that we can’t even walk home from school without hearing gun shoots and seeing gangs fights. Most of the time when they are shooting an incident by-stander is killed in the process. These murders are killing little boys and girls, mothers, fathers, and grandmothers too. They don’t even care about the incident people they are killing. I have friends that experienced the same thing as Ezell “in the article.” My friend who stays on the west side is so nervous about visiting me on the south side, because one of his friends got jump on coming over here from the west side one day. Because he has gangs tattoos on his body that can’t be cover up very easy so he just keeps his distance from over here. I personally don’t experience any problems with gangs and I believe that’s because I’m a female. Believe it or not the females in my community are involved just as well as the males are. The females gangbang hard just like the dudes do. The violence is taking a big affect on our community because it’s killing our future.

Christopher Chapman
4/17/08






Ashley Mitchell a self titled book written by Ashley Mitchell. Ashley Mitchell is the book I choose to do my two hundred fifty word response to. Her book is about a bunch of poems written by her (Ashley Mitchell). The poems are about many different life situations that occurs in your normal every day life. Ashley’s poems have very deep meaning to all of them. Her poems also are very easy to relate to and are comparable to your own personal life experiences. I really liked this book written by Ashley Mitchell because of its very pure expression of words, and because of reality it has to it. While reading the book I also learned that the author really has a very deep passion for words, she really makes you feel it real. She uses a word that leaves you no choice but to have felt the joy or pain that the author has to offer in the poems. Ashley’s book of poems is very interesting to read because it really doesn’t hold back on real life truth. The poems also give good advice on the situations it may be explaining to you or the reader. All and all I would happily give Ashley Mitchell a un deniable one hundred percent on her book and would also recommend her book to be read by all of our Harper students, they could really use some of the knowledge that is provided in Ashley’s deeply passionate poems.

Bell Ringer Response on the article

Well, basically what I think about this article is that it is so much going on for us students these days it is very dangerous. Kids are getting killed trying to go to school to get their education or sitting in school. The teen population is going up higher and higher every year of teen’s getting killed. It really is a shame how this is going on in the world today. As I was reading the article it was very interesting I didn’t know that so much was going on out there in the teen society as much as it is today. One part that caught my eye in this article was a boy name Martin Calderon a 11th grader at Roberto Clemete when he said he watched one of his best friends get beat up by another student. The whole situation was just crazy I just couldn’t believe it. The only reason why this had happen was because the boy had accidentally spilled milk on his book bag. Another situation that had really caught my eye was a young boy stated in the article saying kids now days will kill you or try to fight you over a dollar which is true. It’s so dangerous out here in the society today that’s why you really have to be careful who you hang around with or who you associate with in this world today. In the world today I keep my distance from these crazy kids out here. I feel as though I am not going to get in no trouble and I’m not going to let these crazy people out here kill me. The whole situation is just sad though, so many young people is just dieing and dieing not having got far at all. Also, I always hear young kids today talk about these old people out here it’s good to live that long they need to keep praying and wishing and hoping everyday that they can see the day for them to live that long. These kids today they just don’t know and will never know before it’s all to late for them.


Morolina Holmes 2nd pd

The article that I read was about the violence and how it has become an unavoidable part of life for children who want to just go to school and learn or even a place to live and lay their heads. Well, I’m one of those teenagers that live in the Englewood area and are faced with walking down the street of violence. Every ten seconds I’m watching my back to make sure a fight hasn’t broken out and the gangs haven’t begun to shoot. It’s not a day that goes by that I’m not worried about my family or me. They have to walk down the same path as me. I’m worrying that I will be the next person on their list to have my life taken away before it even starts. Not only do I have family, but I have friends, best friends that live around me and face the same things I have to face. So far there have been 24 public school kids killed from a gun shot and one from getting beaten. So for every time a teen, a little girl or a little boy has been shot in my neighborhood, I wonder if that could’ve been me, my little sister, one of my cousins, one of my classmates or even just someone off the block that I know. The killings that are going on in the Chicago area, especially in my area, are having a big effect on all of us including parents. You might wonder what effect that is, it’s the effect of fear.





Teonna Chism
1st period

I think that it isn’t safe anywhere in Chicago. It is bad that some mothers and fathers have to think about if their child is safe. They carry their burdens of their king and their kids still lose their lives over something stupid or an accident. The police are not doing anything about it; all I want to know how and when are the police going to stop this insanity. I mean every time you turn on the television someone has lost their mainly high school students. The mayor of Chicago Richard Daley is doing more talking about the killing of teens then really taking action about the thing. I really think that the mayor don’t care about what going on in the Englewood community. He sees this as a minor issue and not a major one this should be on top of his list not those pot holes in the street o, the CTA money problem or the Olympics, but the death of 24 Chicago public school student that have died and people seems to be getting away with.
The police, do we even have police in this city if we do they are not making there self seen in the streets. The police don’t be out enforcing the law like they should. They need to get out in the street and make a statement to the violence that is going on in the streets. I feel like the police don’t do anything because they fear for their life, but if they don’t do any thing people are just going to run all over them.
Some of the kids that died have died for wrong reason. Sometimes I don’t feel safe walking to and from school and that should not be.



Douglas Brown
1st Period
4-17-08

24 That’s the number of Chicago public school student that have died this year. These kids are all from the Englewood community. This community has just getting worst and worst as the years goes on.
Englewood is starting to turn into the wild the way people are dying. Its like there are really prey and predators and the young kids are they prey and violence is the predator, kids running and hiding like a deer running and hiding from a lion.
As time pass it looks like its will never get better only worst. Everyone is trying to get out of the Englewood community, leaving the gangs and thugs to just kill each other not young kids. If that happens Englewood is slowly turning into the projects, shooting everywhere, dead body in the allies and wars between gangs.
The mayor of Chicago Richard Daley is doing more talking about the killing of teens then really taking action about the thing. I really think that the mayor don’t care about what going on in the Englewood community. He sees this as a minor issue and not a major one this should be on top of his list not those pot holes in the street o, the cta money problem or the Olympics, but the death of 24 Chicago public school student that have died and people seems to be getting away with.
The police, do we even have police in this city if we do they are not making there self seen in the streets. The police don’t be out enforcing the law like they should. They need to get out in the street and make a statement to the violence that is going on in the streets. I feel like the police don’t do anything because they fear for their life, but if they don’t do any thing people are just going to run all over them.
Some of the kids that died have died for wrong reason. Sometimes I don’t feel safe walking to and from school and that should not be.

Me Personally

Today’s society couldn’t use enough words to describe the vile tragedies our students are suffering. For a long time now Chicago has been one the highest murder capitals. Now, it’s as if we are targeting a certain group of victims. Teenagers, teenagers come and go like day and night. There are so many times I can’t help, but feel uncomfortable because I’m surrounded by so much death. I’m 18 years-old and my own mother fears for me to take the bus to work because she’s not sure what kind of obstacles I will face on my way there. Chicago started out as a beautiful place of residence, first choice for vacation, and source of phenomenal scenery and features. However, Chicago has become another Compton driving so many residents out to relocate, find a new way of life, or just start over. So many of my little sisters, brothers, cousins, and my future children will have to grow up in this mess, unless we fix this very big problem soon. Things are just awful how so many students are turning up missing or dead over NOTHING! Over absolutely nothing, and then forcing so many parents to bury their children first. There’s no doubt in my mind that the summertime will be a complete bloodbath, unless drastic action is taken and something is done because I’m a senior and I’ll be wanting to spend the last of my time with my fellow graduates. But right now, something is just pushing me away. So many people asks me why I want to go so far for college and I tell them all that I want to get as far away from Chicago as possible because it’s nothing here. It’s simply nothing here but excess death, poverty, and depression, so why associate myself with any of it you know? Finally, I’ve outgrown Chicago for some time now so it just doesn’t feel like home to me.

By: Eddie B.
5th period World Literature

Cameron Currie
4-17-08
3rd period

On December 24, 1989 I was born Cameron Currie. I grew up on the south side of Chicago, Illinois in the Englewood area. I am the youngest of seven kids it would’ve been eight but, my twin died the day he was born. As a kid in a rough neighborhood with all the gang violence like drive-bys, shoot outs and drug dealing it was hard growing up in that type of environment. Also when I was younger I liked to play basketball all the time but no one really took me serious at the time because I was short but, once I showed them what I could do they stopped treating me like a little kid and realized that I can really play ball. I went to Sir Miles Davis Academy but, I didn’t play basketball for them because I didn’t know at the time that schools had basketball teams. So when I went to Vernon Johns I played for them seventh and eighth grade year but, I really didn’t play hard because I never knew about high school scouts and things like that. So when I got to Harper High School I tried out for the team but I didn’t make it because I wasn’t good enough at the time. Since I didn’t make the basketball I tried something knew and played baseball I didn’t know I was good until I tried it out and now I am really good at it. So now at Harper I play short-stop, second base and pitcher and I think I might try it out at the collegiate level and really test out my skills on the field and who knows maybe I’ll be good enough to make it to at least the minor league in baseball.

Life in the streets is getting harder and harder young people getting killed from left and right for innocent reasons not just killed shot,robbed,and even raped for example im on my way home from school I was walking down Ashland when I decided to stop in the dentist and make an appointment. I walked in the lady who worked there was on the phone so I patiently waited until she got off while waiting a 23-25 year old looking man came in he sat there like he was about to make an appointment or something so when she finally got off the phone I made my appointment. So I left out the dentist he left right out behind me I thought nothing of it so im walking down Ashland when I feel someone put their arm around me neck like they knew me put something to the side of my stomach and said “ keep walking where the money at?” so me just being me I thought he was playing I looked down and seen a gun I instantly started shaking and said “ ooh my god not again” pushing and pushing he guided me to an abandoned house in a alley and told me to take off my pants and shoes and searched them he found some dice and grabbed my shirt and said “ nigga where the fu** the money at u got some dice you got some money” me steadily shaking saying I don’t got no money and him not believing me did nothing for both of us he threw my pants and my shoes into the front room and started walking towards the back of the house to the back door I walked to get my pants and shoes and put them back on I walked to the back door scared to open it with the thought of him standing back there waiting for me to walk out so he can him me with something I peeked out no one there I ran down the alley home.




by jementae johnson

Stephanie younger
Period 2
4-17-08
The Response
I feel that nothing will change if we don’t change first ourselve. Some people just want all the drama to stop, but it won’t because there are some adults out there that make up gangs and tell these boys that it’s cool to hang with them and then get them to start selling his drugs. It’s like it’s a repeating cycle that will never end. If something starts in the home you bring it outside if something start outside you bring it to school, and if something start in school it never ends.
This boy Ezell getting arrested will never end Chicago has bad police that is to me ‘’only for show’’. They don’t help us that don’t care just as long as they get there pay check and go home to there nice houses there cool. Thinking they did the city some justice. The police are just another gang. Martin Calderon that goes to Roberto Clemente school watch his friend beat somebody up, did go get help didn’t stop it that is the problem there is no help.
I was fortunate I had a good mother who took me from the ‘’WOOD’’ because if she did not I would be like some of my friend who have passed because they thought there was no way out. People like Michael Mack is everywhere just look at Derrick Rose we grew up together. We surround ourselves with people who loved to play ball and stay focus with your work in school and we made it.
Yes it’s hard to survive and the police are on your back sometimes for no reason at all, but we have to keep our head up even though it’s rough out here. People always gone to try to bring you done but like Nathaniel Hayes we got to just walk away from that fight that just was caused just because you do your work. I was born in Cook County.
When I tuned 8 we moved and was traveling the states, I learned who to love myself and how to be diverse. When I came home Chicago’s Englewood had the highest crime rate and deaths in America period. Like I said before it starts in the house first. Some of the kids don’t want to be in gangs but if they don’t have a family who clothes them and feeds them, then they will do wrong because they have to eat. What does she or he has to do to eat get a job? They are too young. So the hustle that is the second problem.
They are trying to survive because they had to grow up a little faster because they had to eat. We all need help some just other then me I think, this article is everyday life for some people. In the beginning it was for me. I even had to walk a new route just like Michael did because I did not want any problems. It’s hard when you don’t feel safe going to school or being in school, thinking that I’m going to get jumped. I feel that there will be no change no matter how many people get shoot, jumped, beat, or killed it’s going to stay the same.

Chiamaka Mogbo
I did a summary on a student’s book called My Book Of Poems, and the title is self explanatory.

She has a poem called Sometimes, this poem is about people not thinking about her feelings. I feel that every person should be held accountable for the way they treat people. I know that people get attitudes and that they probably don’t mean what they say at that time but sometimes we should think of other people feelings too.

I Wonder is a poem stating what she thinks about everyday. She states all the how’s and what’s of her life. In a since, she’s complaining. I complain too but she and I feel the same at the end of the day, were very thankful.

My favorite poem is Smile it shows her different attitudes. It gives explanations about the way her expressions change and why. The quote that a stick to my heart is,” I smile when I think about everyone and everything that I love. Especially God, the mightiest one up above.” Now that’s the truth!

I couldn’t really relate to her poem drama even though there are a lot of people that would like to give it to me. I don’t feed into it. I make my life enjoyable in every way possible. She thinks she’s just a drama queen but I think she has allowed the drama to take her.

The poem Love makes me appreciate the special somebody I have. Even though he’s a dummy sometimes I still love. He makes sure I’m safe and he’s so real. He also doesn’t spoil me I would like him to but he doesn’t. He gives me love without a touch. Aw, I miss my Bay Ba already!

I gave her a ton of cool points for the poem Best Friends. I have three best friends now and they are the greatest. We argue, we fight, and we hate and love each other. They tell me when I’m wrong. They cut me off in the middle of a sentence. We make sure each other is doing great in school and most importantly we have fun together. The poem was a good reflector on my best friend and I.

Safe Passage


My personal opinion is that more kids have been getting killed in this neighborhood on their way home. To me when kids get killed in front of their school, close to their schools, and a block away from their school. It shows how un-safe it really is for students both male and females to travel home. I think that’s the reason why, we have so many missing children; in not just this area but in Chicago period. It’s not just coming home from school that’s dangerous now, but it’s going to school also. So many kids have gotten beat up, murdered, and kidnapped on the way to school; that it has gotten to the point that most parents will just take their kids to school and pick them up after, this in it self is a problem especially for parents that have jobs. I as a student remember seeing kids that have even gotten hit by cars on their way to school, I happened to be one of them.
By viewing all the negative things that happen, with the drive-by shootings, the hit and runs, the senseless bearings, the killings, and last but not by far the least rape; I have come to acknowledge the fact violence, has been escalading, and it seems to be directed towards the youth. There have been girls getting raped while they were on their way to school and on their way home from school, that it’s becoming a bigger problem every day. But what’s even more shocking is that the kidnapping and raping is not just happening to the girls, its happening to just as many young boys as well. Some people would like to believe that its because of the neighborhood, that we live in is the reason we have so much violence, rape, murder, and kidnapping; And while I cannot ignore the fact that it is and important factor the truth is that the area really doesn’t matter when it comes to violence because that is every where. There’s more than enough violence everywhere, and everyone is affected by it. These reasons have lead me to believe, that there really is no safe passage there have been too much innocent blood shed from the ones who weren’t as luck enough to make it to there if it is one.


Linda Moore
April 17, 2008
World lit

Adriana Alexander
04/17/08 3rd. Period
World Literature

With 22 students killed this school year, violence has become an unavoidable part of life for kids who just want a safe place to learn and live. Chicago Public School students have died because of gun violence, homicides, and gang violence. About twenty have been shot, (some were drive-bys), one was stabbed, and one was beaten to death. Usually this happens because of someone having an altercation with someone else and a young person just so happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and catches a bullet. All of this happened this school year of September 2008. Some were on their way from school, some were on their way to school, and some were going to do other activities. Nine times out of ten, the student that is going on about their regular day life ends up in a position I feel they never wanted to be in. There are two many of young people dying and so far, no one is doing anything about it. This is not a typical teen’s life. I believe that all of this is upright ridiculous. How can we kill our own future because we are constantly making the mistake of killing our target or killing someone in the way of our target? How do we even expect to have a future if the future is dying? When will the world stop and see that this is not what is suppose to be going on right now? When will they see that this is not the way to live? These are the questions that popped up in my mind when I was writing this article. I just hope that the main ones who are doing these harsh murders inquire themselves these questions. This is not necessary for this generation.

Trikaric Crawford
World lit 3rd per







With 22 students killed this school year, violence has become an avoidable part of life for kids who just want a safe place to learn and live because of street gangs roaming the streets of Chicago. Different kids are getting killed because they are involved with gangs. Many kids are not involved, they are just getting killed by stray bullets and because some gang members are their loved ones. So they have to suffer for what is supposed to happen to the person who is involved in the street gang. I feel that if the kids that are in gangs just go to school and do their work and drop all of this beef that they have against each other maybe they can succeed and live a better life. I feel that if you any beef against any one you shouldn’t pick up a gun and shoot at them because people don’t have any aim; bullets don’t have any name on them. I think they should just at least box it out with one another if they don’t want to squash it. Like Tuesday late after school a guy named Jax that used to go here to Harper high school was shot in the leg. I bet you it was over something stupid. Here at Harper high school gangs roam the halls everyday here looking for trouble, but some don’t. Being here at Harper high school is like being on a battlefield. If we do what we are supposed to do we can succeed here at Harper high school.

barbara butler
3rd period


What I had read was from school to home, teens walk perilous line. What I think about this article is that it does not make sense that kids can not go and get an education without warring about getting killed. There were 22 Chicago Public School students that got killed this school year. And it doesn’t make any sense that these parents should have to lose their kids over bull shit. These kids that had said a few words in this article made me think about my 1 year old daughter. These young boys and girls are afraid to go to school. They say when they get out of school they just look around and see where they friends and their best friends got killed at and its hard for them to come to school. One boy said that he could not go and visit his cousin in who happen to live in the northern buildings. One time he went to visit his younger cousin he got beaten bloody by gangster disciples. The things that are happening in these years now are outrages. I am a teen and I am afraid to get on the bus to go to school. The shooting have gotten out of control we are losing our friends and our classmates.

I think this article was a very good one. They need to start writing more stuff and give it out to the Chicago Public Schools students. Sometimes when I watch the news I think this stuff is unbelievable. The things that go on in the world just don’t seem real. Everyday another child is being gunned down. These kids today don’t even have a chance to live their lives. The ones that are doing the shooting are about to live most of theirs lives behind bars. Things like this just make you want to move far away and never come back. The reason why I want to move is to get away from all the craziness. With all these kids dying and it isn’t even summer yet when all the troubles come. So you can just imagine what this summer will be like. Then you will hear about more kids getting killed in one day. I think the death rate percentage will go up this summer. When will things get better for the ones who are growing up today? This stuff really doesn’t make any sense that you can’t even sit on your front porch and enjoy the weather. It was warm outside yesterday and do you think it was a good day? About 3:30 yesterday shoots rung out from the 6500 block of South Winchester. Somebody had to get shot because when the police came the ambulance came too. Really all this trouble is coming from the new group of kids. It’s not even the grown people that are gang banging. It’s the new generation. The younger people have taken over now. The only thing they think about now is going to get a gun. I just hope things get better so this world will be safer to live in.


Denisha Brown
2nd period 4-17-08

Johnny Davis
4-17-08

I really like how my book came out because I worked very hard for that. It took a long time for me to come up with a title for the book. The reason I like the book because it really tells about the beginning to the end. The book also tells you how I improved as a player and as a student. The book is well written and the pictures are tight as well. Our team came a long way from 4-5 to a 9-3 season. Everybody stepped their game up so we would not go out like we did the last season. Even the coaches stepped up their coaches methods. I have to give it to our coaches because they our team learn that this could not be a one man show and we had to work together so we can strive for the best. Many people told me they like the book because they said it really get into details. I think that more people could have done a book about us so the parts I missed somebody could have picked where I left off at. I think our coaches really appreciate how we always came prepared and the effort we put into our season. We had a rough start but we work through like any great team would do. Our goal was to win a title before we left but we came short of our goal. I think we showed our community what Harper Football team is all about!

Kwame Patterson
3rd period


I like my book because it was about me. It described me when I entered high school and started to play football as a freshman. It described how I came in as a short, fat slow dude that played on the offensive line. Then my senior year I had developed into an athlete. My sophomore year I had moved from the offensive line to cornerback which was my position that I chose to play. Then it talked about the games I played in my senior year. The first game I played in we won 40-0. The second game I played in was the first game of the season that I was challenged and we won 34-8. The third game of the season we played Dunbar and we won 8-0 the first time we beat them in cardinal history. The fourth game of the season we won 38-14. The fifth game of the season was when we received our first lost we lost to Robeson 18-6. The sixth game of the season we won 28-8. The seventh game we won 50-0 at homecoming. The next game we won 50-0 at Corliss homecoming. The ninth game of season was a playoff game we won 34-0. The tenth game of the season was a state playoff game and I had to take the ACT test the same day, we lost 45-0. The next game was the city playoff and we ran into a team that we played during the regular season we ended up beating them 34-22. The last game of the season we lost to Curie and the season was over. That’s the reason I liked my book because it was about me and my senior football season.

Contrelle Wright
04/15/2008
3rd period






I
I like this book because I box and I been boxing since I was 7 year old. That’s all I know is boxing and I like boxing because I’m very competitive with other people like if somebody working harder than me I got to push myself harder than that person I like attention. I like the glory. I like people talking about me saying that boy is a beast he is going all the way. It’s like when you make it everybody love you and all the attention on you. As I was growing up the main person I focused on is Roy Jones. I love him so much. He is the best pound for pound boxer ever. Everybody say I look like him. Me and him fight just alike. I’m fast just like him we, both show off, and we both like looking pretty in the ring as we fight. When Roy Jones started falling off I didn’t like him anymore like I used to because he started losing. He started messing up his record like he didn’t wont it anymore. I like to be at the top and stay at the top to show the world I can’t be beat. He started to party with the girls and he lost his focus. So now I like May weather because he fights pretty, talk’s trash, got money, and everybody love him. May weather stays focused at what he does. He doesn’t let girls mess up his focus. May weather proved to the world that he can’t be beat. He is the best. People say I act like him too. It’s all about us. I know I act like that, but I can’t wait until it’s my time to prove to the world that im the best boxer in the world.

Desmon Haywood
Per 2

I can relate to most of the stuff the kids are saying in the story. A lot of kids have to deal with gangs and people messing with them every day. People today have this thing about them that they think they have to beat up other people and show no fear so that no one will mess with them and that’s were it start’s . You see one boy not being messed with because he has beat someone up so they go hang around him and then in it’s a group think they are hard than they start messing with people and beating up people until one person gets fed up and they make there own group so they can stop being messed with. I can admit that kids my age fight over the littlies thing he looked at me funny, she was talking to my man, that hat not turn the right way it is all just another way for kids to so how hard they are. No one can stop it kids get killed every day of week you just don’t hear about it. The news only report the one that they think is a big story .My friend got shot just last night but you didn’t hear about him in the news .People cry about the kids that have been killed but they still do nothing about it have. Still sitting around doing nothing. I hate to say it but once the news stop talking bout the kids that was killed no one remember them. I am sorry that they got killed but that’s the word we live in

Bell ringer



On the article about the teens being killed at schools was a good article. I like the article a lot and could feel for the family’s that lost love ones. But I feel that the numbers are crazy one the lost of life’s on CPS campuses this year. This year alone 22 students were killed and that is ridiculous. I think these things happen because kids get grudges over any and little things, first they fight somebody loses that one comes back and shoot. These days drama the young ones have too much dignity and pride to back down or walk away for a problem they have. CPS schools should some way some how crack down on the violence in schools because in school the violence is beginning there and should be solved at school. If it’s not stopped at the school point, when they see each other after school or whatever the problems just escalade from there because they bring friends and sometimes even family into it. I think teens don’t have to be involved in these things its just they want. In some cases you will bump into trouble but some things are avoidable. The things that are going on are not the parents fault because some kids are brought up better than the way they act and they want to have a certain image and certain way they want people to perceive them. Also in some cases its peer pressure and finding a way to fit in. But if things are going to change the police have to do a lot of working and patrolling. Because the summers here and kids drama is just beginning.



Mitchell Jenkins
World lit. per.2

I understand how the CPS students feel about their friend’s getting killed. I would go crazy if anything happened to my best friends or family .I think that this all crazy because in the past 2 school years we have had 22 CPS students who got killed. I don’t understand the way things are going because school should be safe, but now it is not safe at all. I know the mother and fathers of these children are losing their mind because they lost a child so young. People should know that no body life is safe in these streets. You don’t even have to be out side to get killed like Starkishia Reed she was at home getting dressed for school and was killed .Sometimes I wish they could have lived to make something of there self and become one of the doctors and nurses we have and need today. It’s bad that so many young people are dying because they are in the right place at the wrong time. M any just get killed because they are in a gang and want to get out but can not. I am so glad that we have the Chicago police out side when school lets out. We feel a little safer because we know that they are out side for us. M any people say why is blacks always killing each other ,but other should understand that we are not the only one do the killing .I don’t understand why we all just can’t get along and help one another to succeed in life.


TASHAREL STEVENSON 2PER

ALL ABOUT MY BOOK OF POEMS! Latricia Redmond
4-17-08




My book is about poems. My poems express how I feel and what I think about most of the time. Most of my poems are dedicated to people. They are dedicated to people because it is a way of expressing my thoughts and feelings to them. It may seem strange, but sometimes writing is the only way that I can say what I truly mean. I feel that these poems are the only way that I can get a point across.
In my book I dedicated one of my poems to my biological mom. It mainly asked her questions that I had wanted to ask her for the last ten years and it also let her know that I am doing fine and that everything will be alright with or without her. Another poem I wrote was to my boyfriend, Antonio Jackson, and it was telling him how much I loved him and letting him know how happy he made me just being by my side.
I also wrote a few poems dedicated to the people who do not know me and try to talk about me behind my back. It let them know that I am struggling and that I have a lot of things on my mind. It let them know that I am who I am and I will not change for anyone! A few of my poems that I wrote was for me to have faith in myself and to try to stay motivated and to continue to tell myself to stay in school and to tell myself to keep my head up because I can make it if I try.

Domonique Fisher.
After reading this article I feel like all the teens death was not right although people get it to it for all the wrong reasons over something stupid. I also think that it was truly wrong for the girl Erica Delatora to feel the way that she feels about loosing some friends that really meant alot to her and what makes it so bad the friends that she lost all were murdered on some recent field trips that they were on and if you think about it, well there’s nothing really to think about but how can a human being act or be that way to another person you will never guess or think a person would act that way. And as I was reading this passage I couldn’t help but notice that a boy got beat up just for milk being spilled on another boy book bag and it was a accident, people now days fight over stupid stuff even a dollar or if you look at somebody the wrong way and I feel that’s messed up for people to act like that towards each other but that life and you will always have someone that will hate or have something to say about you or something that you have done. And I thought that it was stupid for people to be in gangs that stuff is so old and most people don’t realize that they think that its new but people has already been though that way before they been born and they think that they are ruling the world or whoever steps on there grounds but that’s not true all that do is keep you in a lot of trouble and if they don’t realize it now they will later and that’s when its going to bite you in the a**.

Today in our society things have turned for the worst. There seems to be no protection from the devastating actions from our peers. It seems as if our peers have no morals. It is truly a shame that a person can’t walk to the store or sit on the porch fearing that they may be involved with some type of conflict that could’ve been prevent or shouldn’t started in the first place. It’s even scarier that your child, friend, sibling, etc. may go to school and never return home. These are the new fears that we as a community have to worry about. There seems to be no source of direction. What makes matters even worse is that we have no one to blame up ourselves. It is our mindset that got us in this situation. We as African Americans feel like we have to be the best at everything and we fear no one. In that sense we feel as if we are superior individuals and that who ever come in our way should be taught that and believe that as well. The reasons for these deaths are stupid and pointless truly they make no sense and we can only look at our selves for the blame of this. If we as a community change our way of thinking more lives will be saved and we will be able to over come anything. Although this may seem simple, it will take a long time for us to realize that this is what needs to be done and all of that other unnecessary stuff means nothing at all.




Tiffany Lewis

My opinion about the book I read is that it was a great non-fiction book about the NBA greatest player Lebron James. In last year playoffs Lebron James did something know one thought could be possible. He led his team to the NBA finals where they lost to the Spurs in 4 games. It all started in the regular season where he almost averaged a triple-double with 27 points 8 rebounds and 7 assists per game he was second in MVP rankings behind Dirk from the Mavericks. He carried his game over to the playoffs where in the first round his team destroyed the Nets in six games Lebron didn’t need to do a lot to win this series but the next series would be different. Next Lebron James Cavs had a tough assignment against the Washington Wizards an there three stars Gilbert, Butler and Jamison. But Lebron didn’t back down from the challenge. In the seventh game the Cavs was up three points with twenty second left but that changed when Gilbert hit a long distance three pointer. It was enough time for the Cavs to win with six seconds Lebron drove and layed the ball in for the games winner. Lebron had a tougher team ahead of him the Pistons. The teams series was tied 2-2 in the next game the coach but a rookie in the fourth quarter Gibson were he scored twenty one points off seven three pointers and the Cavs won the game. The next game would be even better for the Cavs Lebron game went to another level by scoring twenty nine of the last thirty points to send his team to the NBA finals were they lost to the Spurs.
BY LESLIE BOULDEN

My stance on this whole situation is I think this issue is getting out of hand.
I believe the violence is escalating too much among a lot of the Chicago youth.
In my heart I feel something needs to done for a better solution to this growing problem.
I look at this growing abnormal trend as a cry for help from the urban youth.
This new everyday harmful situations now dictate the whole CPS.
Upon reading this article it hit me these scenarios are starting to play out more the same.
It’s a shame you pick up your local paper or the tribune and the top story reads another slain Chicago student.
This issue of school violence is going up and down the educational scale.
Now it’s ranging from grammar school, up to college, our highest institution of learning.
Everyday I now find myself screaming at the television “when is something going to be done!”
I hope in my heart it won’t take another class room full of slain students to get the message.
I have one huge question, “If the present is killed, how will there be a future?”
Is violence all we know in our way of life?
I strongly disagree with that statement.
The important thing to remember is it takes more than one person to cause a movement.
I believe that’s just the same as you can’t open a door with one finger.
I know we can strongly learn from these everyday experiences.
The key thing is that we must break this violent cycle of living.

By Michael Harris

Jessica Sabbs 4/17/2008


In my opinion I feel that everything that was said in this article was true. It makes no sense why people are dying so much now, especially young boys. If you are not dying over bumping into somebody then your dying from what block you live on. It just doesn’t fit into my head at this point. Most of the time many boys aren’t even in a gang and they’re messed with. It’s gotten so bad now we can’t even go to school and feel that we’re protected because of who might walk in the school. And if they don’t get into the front door then one of their friends might be the idiot and let them in some other way.
I understand that the schools provide enough security but that doesn’t adjust the fact that when the security guard is on one end of the hall someone might get attacked on the other end. Most of the time it might not be the person they were aiming for. That’s another one of my concerns and agreements to the article: the fact that someone can get approached and hurt badly and that might not even be the person that their looking for.Once they finally realize it then it may be too late to turn away; now you’ve just taking someone’s life. I have always thought about the fact when they’re hurting someone do they realize that’s a women’s gift from God. In fact I have seen this so many times when someone is in a gang and they play the tough guy and get killed. Then everyone looks stupid afterwards and swears up and down that they’re going to change their life after seeing their friend in a casket about to be buried in the ground and will no longer see them again. Then about a week later they’re back to the same crap they did before that person was killed, I just don’t understand it and I never will.

From School to, Teens Walk Perilous Lines

I think the prompt was very good and I was real. I think that the most common thing for a person is to walk into another man’s neighborhood. So to respond to this prompt I would have to just say that each and everybody does this walk once in their life. I think that the fact that some people in this world are just so cruel bewilders me. I mean think about it, you walk into a neighborhood you have never been in before and someone asks you are you folks? What do you think you should do? Or even better, how do you answer that question?

Now for a normal non-gang banging person they might answer, “No I’m not one of those”. For another type of person they might answer out in hatred and say” Nope I’m a BD.” Then when this is said here comes the drama.

Gang fights start out like this sometimes, but lately kids have been getting killed over the stupidest reasons. Like a couple weeks ago a kid was killed over a hat. Now tell me what type of a real human being would kill someone over a hat they can buy in the store. For some reason, I guess this particular guy wanted something someone else had. He was trying to act like what they call “tough”. So now this kid has thrown away his life all because he didn’t want to spend any money on this simple materialistic thing. So in all actuality some people do dumb things to fit in with the wrong crowd.

Dennis Harris
April 17, 2008
Per 2nd

Brittany Taylor

It’s hard for teens now and days to just go outside and hang with there friends. There is so much violence going on people are scared to go outside. In Chicago you have to worry about walking to school and not get shot.You have to worry about somebody coming up to you and beating you up or stabbing you. They will find anything to use to hurt other person just because they don’t like you. People have to watch there back every chance you get because you never know if you are the next victim. Also people are killing incident people and not caring about what they did the person. In the CPS school system there have been 22 students killed this year. More teens are getting shot and little children are the targets. The more teens get involved in gangs the violence will get more out of control then it is now. It’s like if you do something wrong towards another person and that person don’t like it. They will try to get you to fight or get you to the point when they will just shoot you. It was all about fighting now it’s taking to the point when they will shoot instead. People are getting shot while just having fun with friends or just looking out the window. It’s hard growing up in Chicago for teens because of all this violence. I hope all this come to stop people needs to understand they are killing incident people and there is no need to kill somebody.

The blogger I did was based on the article from “school to home teens walks perilous line”. The things the people in the article were talking about are so true. There is so much violence in the world today. So many people are getting killed over senseless acts of crimes. It’s now to the point where people are afraid to go to school.

The principal of Banner was talking in the article. He stated that he goes to the bus stop and walks kids to school. He also stated that the gang members stand there but they show him respect. I feel the police should be outside in the morning and should make them move. The police are supposed to protect and serve.

Some police officers are useless because instead of them trying to stop the gang members they harass other people. We need the police to protect us not just stand back and act like they’re afraid. I’m not quite sure what we should do for this to stop happening. These gang members and random people need to stop. Parents need to step up and pay more attention to their children. We all need to come together as one and get this madness to STOP!

The world we live in is considered a mess

Where throughout life you’re put through a test

The anger, the violence, peer pressure and sex

Where one day we’re all here and gone the next

The beatings, the shootings the aggression with venom

How people get shot cuz of a pair of denim

When will it stop who will make the change?

From the insane, deranged, inflicted life of pain

When we as a community grow

Where’s the next stop? nobody knows

Open your eyes and see the world

Stop the killing of our boys and girl

Give us a chance 2 live our lives

And not make us part of your sacrifice



AHLEY MITCHELL

Monique Steward






There have been twenty-two students killed this school year. Violence has taken over the streets in Chicago. The police have been harassing Black teens in Chicago because they think all teens are alike. When kids see the police they take off running because of the way the police are going to treat them. When the police catch the running teens, they instantly put them in handcuffs just because they made them run. Parents see their kid get locked up and they only thing that they can say is that my teen is a good teen but inhabits a violate world. It’s a classroom worth of students that is dead. Arne Duncan compared the disaffected young men pulling triggers to suicide bombers in the Middle East, saying all have last their fear of death. As killing scenes repeatedly fade in and out, what remain in the shadows are the jarring circumstances that exasperate these teenagers and destabilize their worlds. Michael Mack, a Dunbar student says he avoids trouble on his way to school, only to spend each day in classrooms where a dispute over a dollar can be like a spark in a gas can. Ezell another student is stuffed in a squad car and grilled by the police then tries to play like it’s another day. Erica Delatora, a senior at Farragut Career Academy walks the blocks of Little Village and South Lawndale where many of her friends have been murdered, she sees it as a list of field trips she’d been on. On Homan, on Drake, and on Damen seven of her friends were killed.

Demeisco Ford

Teen death seems very common in the Chicago area. To begin with, Chicago was once a place that I could call home. Now it seems like a war zone. From September to now, over 24 students in the Chicago Public School district have been killed this school year. I often wonder what is the world coming to. Death at an early age is never a desire. Gang violence is the number one component causing these unfortunate deaths. As I read the news article, it came to my attention that gangs play a significant role. Twenty-two of the death were from gun-shots, one brutally beaten, and one was stabbed. Half of the deaths dealt with gang activities. Chicago Public School students live in fear of knowing that anytime of the day you could be next. Personally, I feel that the Chicago Police Department should take a stand. We, as a community, should come together and stop the violence, keep guns off the street, and keep our up-and-coming generation alive.

Johnny Davis #5 video.

A link to Johnny's website.

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