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College Admissions Limbo and the Home Stretch

February 2, 2017 by lpahomov Leave a Comment

Aaron Watson-Sharer

Editor

Column-

We all know the first half of your senior year is when you have to prove to colleges that your first three years weren’t a fluke. Some courses become more demanding and you have more outside of the classroom responsibilities. Between assuming major roles in all your activities, you have the very important task of applying to college.

I used to believe applying was as easy as finding your top choices, paying a fee, and clicking submit. It’s nowhere near that. Going into junior year, I could only name a handful of colleges which weren’t premiere athletic schools. Of the ten schools I applied to, I knew only three before this past summer. By the end of the application process, I wrote north of 15 supplemental essays; which are often required by moderately selective to very selective universities.

But now I stand here in what I like to call, the college admissions limbo, waiting for ten schools to reply back so I can make a decision. Two schools have responded thus far, and I’ve been admitted to both, which is a confidence booster. With my semester grades written in stone, what do I do now?

I have courses and a capstone that need my attention. But there is the feeling that the rest of the time between now and decisions is going to be a mellow experience. There’s a stigma that now we only have to pass. I’m experiencing a mild case of “senioritis”, that doesn’t reflect in my classes, I just don’t want to stay up until 2 A.M anymore doing schoolwork. I just want to put in one more semester and it enjoy it while it’s here.

February I’d like to learn a new skill in my classes or gain a new interest, I tried my best to have courses that would benefit me senior year. Part of me wants to take double history classes to keep an interest of mine strong but the other half in me says there’s no need and I should just rest easy.

This time of senior year is mentally exerting. It shows your dedication and care about something besides a statistic. Those teachers who wrote a recommendation vouching for me shouldn’t regret that because I’ve chosen to be lazy.

So for these next months, my mind will be in another place, college applications limbo. Where I hope I get into my top choices but I will do my best to keep up my grades along with making sure the baseball team is ready for the season. All I want to do is enjoy the end of my high school career, in and out of the classroom.

Album Review: Culture by Migos

February 1, 2017 by lpahomov 1 Comment

Mekhi Granby

Staff Writer

Migos is an American hip hop group from Lawrenceville, Georgia that formed in 2009. The group consists of three members, known by their stage names Quavo (Quavious Marshall), Takeoff, and Offset (Kiari Cephus).

Migos got lots of attention in 2013 for their first charting-song “Versace” from the mixtape Y.R.N. (Young Rich Niggas), which featured Drake. They later released several successful singles such as “Fight Night” (2014), “Look at My Dab” (2016) and the chart topping hit “Bad and Boujee.” The group released their debut studio album, Yung Rich Nation, in 2015, through Quality Control Music and 300 Entertainment. Their sophomore effort Culture was released on January 27, 2017.

Because Migos have established themselves as a part of hip hop royalty, expectations are very high for this new album. Does it live up to the hype? I will be giving an in-depth-review of Culture, track by track.

Culture (feat. DJ Khaled)

The intro is very well executed, it sets up the mood for the whole album. It’s high energy but not very fast paced at the same time. There’s a laid back beat playing as Migos lay 4 verses. DJ Khaled is featured although he doesn’t rap at or sing at all on this song, he speaks. Khaled introduces the album and closes out the song praising Migos. Culture covers usual topics such as the Migos wealth and spending habit, with snippets of DJ Khaled hyping up the Migos with some of his famous Snapchat quotes.

2. T-Shirt

This song is the first single appearing on the album. T-Shirt was released prior the album to surround and create hype for the upcoming album. T-Shirt isn’t my favorite from the album because I already listened to it a million times prior to hearing the album, but nevertheless it’s currently #43 on Billboard’s Hot 100. On the hook, Quavo says “Seventeen five same color T-shirt” which is repeated throughout the song. “Seventeen five” is a reference to cocaine prices, $17,500 is considered a deal for a kilo which infers that one is high up in the drug game.

3. Call Casting

Track 3, the second single to appear, also released before the album and it showcases Migos’ usual flow over a smooth beat produced by Buddah Bless, the man behind 2 Chainz’s “Big Amount.” This track talks about selling drugs and driving nice cars, not too surprising coming from Migos.

4. Bad and Boujee (feat. Lil Uzi Vert)

Track 4, the third single to appear on the album, is currently #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100. This track has gained Migos a huge amount of attention and created a spotlight for them which makes now the perfect time to release an album (which they did). Migos actually performed this song on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” meaning they reached even more of an audience. What makes it stand out Offset. He does the chorus and the first verse which topped everyone else on the track. He created a catchy chorus which sets up both Lil Uzi Vert and Quavo’s verses. For some reason Takeoff isn’t on this track for some unknown reason, Migos were asked on The Breakfast Club “what happened to Takeoff’s verse on Bad and Boujee” and they responded with “we’re working.” Bad and Boujee is making money and hanging around women with an expensive taste.

5. Get Right Witcha

This song is one of my favorites. The instrumental is crazy on this one, it’s very distinguishable from the others. There is a flute like sound added to the background of the beat which makes this instrumental different. I think the way the tracklist is set up is really important. From track 4 which is #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 to Track 5 there is a smooth transition in my opinion. For people who don’t know Migos I would recommend this song to them because it represents Migos’ sound well and reflects what their other work sounds like. Each member of the Migos deliver excellent verses and collaborate properly, which they tend to do often on other records.

6. Slippery (feat. Gucci Mane)

Another great instrumental plays as Migos lay 3 verses with the addition of a verse from Gucci Mane. This track is a more calm and laid back one but that’s what amazes me, Migos makes music that gets me hype but calm at the same time. I have no clue how they provide such high energy but remain calm in their delivery. Slippery discusses the common topics of jewelry and drugs.

7. Big On Big

Track 7, is ehhh. This isn’t a track I feel like is one of the best, it could’ve been left off the album in my opinion. Not that it’s a bad song or anything, it’s just not as good as the previous ones. I think the chorus should’ve been better because it’s so repetitive. I understand that making a song better than the last can be difficult especially if the previous song was fire. Big On Big covers the Major success of Migos as of recently.

8. What the Price

Track 8, this song showcases Migos executing a different sound, I don’t blame them for trying new stuff but this song is not for me. It’s more vocals and singing than rap but I’m pretty sure someone else will like it. I don’t like this one because it doesn’t sound like the usual MIgos I know and love. I don’t like that it sounds more like an experiment than a song. I don’t see the effort in this track. Migos discuss the fluctuation of drug prices and their spending habits on this one.

9. Brown Paper Bag

Track 9, back to the basics as Migos continue to provide their well known flow and adlibs. This song reminds me of track 6 which is one of my favorites so it’s definitely a good one. Similar instrumental and flow which I would say wasn’t expected after the previous track. Riches and wealth are the highlights of this track.

10. Deadz (feat. 2 Chainz)

This is not good. The instrumental throws everything off. It sounds like some weird piano type thing, and the chorus is trash . This song features a verse from 2 Chainz which leaves me puzzled, overall I don’t like this song it’s a skip for me but I salute Migos for trying different sounds, I know that can be risky. This song is about counting money which Migos do very well.

11. All Ass

I can get down with this one. The title is funny but the song is hard. It’s a little more vocal than usual but I like it, it’s not too much. The instrumental is what brings this song together, it has that classic boom bap feel. Migos do a great job over this one. The theme of this track is beautiful women with a lot of booty.

12. Kelly Price (feat. Travis Scott)

Track 12, focuses on the usual Migos’ topics: drugs, women, and material possessions. This song features Travis Scott, I feel like Migos adapted to his sound on this one. A lot of singing and adlibs. Once again, not one of my favorites. This track gives insight to Migos’ women, materialistic, and drug filled lifestyle.

13. Out Yo Way

Track 13, more singing. I like the vibe of this one for some odd reason, it’s really similar to the songs I don’t like but I seem to like this one kind of. For the outro it could’ve been better but it makes for a good closing song. It ends the album on a cool note leaving listeners (or just me) satisfied with this album. For the outro, Migos takes the time out to give praise to all the women who go over the top to make them happy.

Readers should listen to this album because it is well put together and Migos bring the energy so if you need an extra boost of adrenaline you should give this album a listen. I would recommend tracks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, and 13, anyone who has not heard of the prior to reading this article because they have different vibes to them and showcase Migos’ versatility. If you have the time to listen to the whole album, you should. Although I don’t like every song as much as I like others, you might.

The Splitting of SLA Center City and SLA Beeber Sports

February 1, 2017 by lpahomov Leave a Comment

Deja Harrison

Staff Writer

Within the last year SLA Center City and SLA Beeber’s sports team have split up to form their own individual school teams. Every sports team was supposed to do this but it seems as though the girls’ sports teams have had some sort of exemption to this. Why is that? Is this fair to the boys’ teams?

Junior Madison Harris, a member of the girls’ basketball team, shared her thoughts on the manor. She believes it was Beeber’s choice to start splitting up the teams and they are to blame for the separations. She also has her own thoughts about the girls’ teams.

“The girls teams are not big enough to split up as of right now,” Harris said. “The girls’ basketball team is very small for example. Once Beeber progresses in gaining players they will eventually split up.”

Harris looks forward to the teams being separated because it “gives them their own identity.”

Not everyone agrees with these thoughts though.

Arsenio Gomez, a senior on the boys’ baseball team, expressed quite a bit of frustration when it came to the situation.

“It’s stupid and unfair, especially for the baseball team. We shouldn’t have been split up,” he said. “We relied too much on the players who got taken out to be a good team and it’s not right.”

The baseball team was very good, according to Gomez, when it was combined with Beeber. He states that a lot of their star players came from there. The split caused them to go up in the baseball division which involves tougher competition. It will be hard for them to play at a competitive level with so many of their ¨heavy hitters¨ absent from the team.

“We are being held back,” Gomez said of his newly changed team.

Matt Kay, the athletic director at SLA Center City, also shed some light into the situation.

“The choice to split the teams was made by both campuses,” Kay revealed. According to Kay, the school’s teams were only combined because of the lack of students at the Beeber campus. The teams were never supposed to be combined in the first place. The teams being combined causes confusion between campuses because the two schools are set to be rivals yet they play certain sports on the same team.

Kay, however, is thrilled about the separation. He even goes on to say that it’s better this way because “kids get more of a chance to show out for their own school.”

It’s been almost 2 years since SLA CC and SLA Beeber teams decided to split. The growth in students at Beeber is increasing and soon enough all the sports teams will be separated. This doesn’t mean that the success of the teams will leave with the Beeber students who were on it. Great players will continue to come to Center City with every new school year. There just may need to be more faith in the players.

Where is SLA’s Cheerleading Team

January 31, 2017 by lpahomov Leave a Comment

Many students don’t know this, but SLA has a cheerleading team.

The team was founded last year by SLA Beeber Athletic Director Melissa Lawson, The team is comprises students from both campuses, SLA at Beeber and SLA at Center City.

So, why don’t more students know about the team?

For one thing, more members of the team are from the Beeber campus, and their name is on the uniform. The team captains are Kiyannah McGee and Serenity Harris, led by coach Sherria Watts.They’re all from SLA at Beeber.

They cheer at to basketball games for both teams, which is sometimes can lead to confusion as the uniform says SLA Beeber rather than SLA Center City.

The team works well together, as Harris states: “I would say there’s a good environment. Before we all were a team, most of us didn’t really talk to each other, but the team brought us together. I think we work well together, things usually go smoothly.”

The Cheer captains encourage students from both campuses to join the team. s one of the captains, Serenity Harris, say: “I personally encourage people to join , it would bring the two campuses closer.”

Center City Junior Deja Harrison describes this sport as “competitive”: “It’s a competitive sport, because the goal is to lead the team to victory.”

Harris explained: “I personally enjoy Cheer, it’s an exciting sport.”

Despite their enthusiasm, the team continues to be relatively unknown at the Center City Campus.

Some people think the team is only from Beeber, like Sophomore Kiah Johnson who explained: “I know there is a SLA Cheerleading Team, because a friend from SLA Beeber told me. “I thought the team was only from Beeber.”

History Teacher Daniel Symonds also had an incomplete understanding of the team. “I know there’s a cheerleading team, I thought it was run from Beeber, though. I knew of it because I heard it from students, maybe once.”

Many students, when interviewed, didn’t know about the team at all. Spanish Teacher Melanie Manuel thought the team had been canceled: “I knew we did have a team, but didn’t know they still exist. They used to practice outside my classroom.”

Symonds also explained: “No central channel of communication for me to hear about it otherwise. Haven’t heard of students leaving early from class for it, either.”

Considering Should main office do something for it, like make more announcements as they do for other varsity teams?

Ms. Manuel didn’t think promoting the team was the responsibility of the main office, but students felt otherwise.

“The main office should also make announcements for the cheerleading team as they do with basketball team, for example. Maybe this is the reason why the cheerleading team is not that known in SLA Center City.”

The Policy of the Advisory Memo is that teachers or students in some cases give the information to Excellence Coordinator Jeremy Spry, and then he writes the memo.

A solution to this issue could be the communication of a student or the teacher, Ms. Watts, with Spry so he can include it in the memo and students in Center City would also be aware of the existence of this SLA Varsity team.

Column: The Muslim Ban

January 31, 2017 by lpahomov 1 Comment

Chiara Nemati

Opinion Editor

President Donald J. Trump’s first weeks in office have consisted of him bashing the media, signing executive orders, and turning America’s allies into enemies. The globe sits in front of the television watching with the American people with inexplicable emotion.

I am not immune to all this. My phone lights up and before looking at the screen, I already know what I am going to see. Yet another notification of some ridiculous executive order.

On January 27, Donald Trump signed an executive order targeting seven nations by denying entry to the United States for their citizens: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen.

President Donald Trump signed the executive order on Holocaust Remembrance Day portraying to the American people his true character and lack of care for history. Trump did not acknowledge the many Jewish victims that lost their lives that day and rather referred to them as “victims of Nazi Germany.”

The order, more commonly referred to as “the muslim ban,” immediately took effect across dozens of airports in the U.S. Many refugees and immigrants stepped off planes so close to a new home and in some cases their families, to be detained. It did not matter if those entering or reentering the U.S. held green cards or visas. Lawful U.S. residents were being detained across the nation, sparking protests outside of many major airports, including Philadelphia International and J.F.K. Airport.

While this order is directly impacting people seeking refuge, people with educational visas, business visas, and green card holders, it is also negatively impacting current citizens. A federal judge, granted emergency stay for those entering the United States with legal documentation, halting the immediate impact of the executive order.

However, this is still a huge blow to the foundations and morals of this country. The United States is referred to as the “melting pot for a reason:” this country is made up of immigrants. Many of our citizens were once here on visas and green cards. My own parents, who hail from Italy and Iran have gone through this process.

Contrary to popular belief, entering the country does not happen automatically for people who travel here. To be granted a visa for the United States, you must go through a two year vetting process. The United States holds one of the most rigorous vetting processes, yet President Trump has repeatedly said that terrorists can undercut the process. Currently the process of gaining citizenship includes an intricate and intense path. It is a process that can span over decades.

Many begin with applying for a visa. Many begin with an educational visa, then transfer to a working visa once they finish their studies. After a time they will apply for a green card, which allows them to stay indefinitely. Once they have been a lawful U.S. resident for a minimum of five years, they are able to apply for the naturalization test. Once they have passed this long process they are granted their U.S. citizenship.

I was born in the United States, and when I was two years, old I traveled to my father’s country, Iran. It was my first and last time traveling to the nation. While I do not remember my visit, I am left with tons of pictures of the beautiful sites and my entire family sitting together over dinner. These days, because traveling to Iran from the United States is virtually impossible due to the troubled political relations between our countries, my aunt and uncle travel here almost every summer.

Now they will be denied visas to visit us. A vast amount of the families living in the United States have other family members who live in one of those seven nations and are grappling with the same issue.

Iran took action against this ban and has decided to bar U.S. citizens from entering their nation. However, they are not barring people with legal documentation. Iran will be allowing people with valid Iranian visas access to their nation. This reflects a country that trusts their own vetting process. For the United States to throw their process out the window lets the unsubstantiated fear of Islam.. Iran’s actions follow a more favorable path rather than the unpopular actions taken by Trump’s executive order.

Donald Trump, we are tired of getting the notifications of your poorly-planned executive orders. We are tired of your selfishness and lack of respect for the people, for history, and for politics. We are angered and we will continue to protest. We will continue to push back on your policies and create pressure on your incomplete administration.