I CAN'T BREATHE   by James Chisolm

Recently, some of the biggest stars in the NBA have started wearing shirts that say, "I Can't Breathe." They're doing this in response to the death of Eric Garner, an unarmed black man selling single cigarettes in Staten Island, NY. No matter what his crime, Mr. Garner should not have died at the hands of a police officer. Police are there to protect and serve, not to be judge, jury and executioner. I love that heroes like Derrick Rose, LeBron James and Kobe Bryant are leading the whole NBA in raising their voices for this issue. So many young black men watch what these guys do and for them to be leading in a cause for social justice gives me heart. I give them a big shout-out!

 

What is out there? by Jenny Henry

 

 

The recent launch of Orion has got me thinking about the possibility of life on other planets. Would it be possible to live on Mars and would it be different from living on Earth? Is Earth on borrowed time and do we need to find possible places to live in space? I would like to go to Mars to see what's up there and see what things look like. Everyday here on Earth you see the same thing: people not getting along because of the things that separate us like race, social class, and culture. Maybe if we started a new society on Mars we would all get along and learn from the mistakes we've made on Earth.

 

 



 

THANKSGIVING REFLECTIONS

From the VOXSTA Staff

 

I am thankful for being able to wake up and see another day, for being free, and to have free education. --McKayla Edmonds

I am thankful for those who believe in me. --Jaquain Williams

I am thankful for life. --Jeff Tomaro

I am thankful for being able to see another day. --Khalil Williams

I am thankful for everything. --James Chisolm

I am thankful for my parents. --Jenny Henry

I am thankful for family. --Kareem Rahman

I am thankful for being able to have all five of my senses. --Lelanda Todd

I am thankful for Canada. --John Tomaro

I am greatful for my life, for being loved, for being able to form words and use them to help everyone who supports me and im thankful for you all. --Devonte Owens

In Memory of Tamir Rice  by Kareem Rahman

 

Yesterday, I saw the body of Tamir Rice lying in his casket. I didn't know him. I went to his viewing because a lady from my church--a cousin of one of his family members--was going. I discovered when I got there that another one of his family members has lived down the street from me for a long time, which really brought the issue home for me.

 

 

The service was quiet and a lot of people were crying. It was sad, as such a solemn occasion should be. What struck me most was the armed guards standing outside the front of the funeral home. It was weird to see armed guards at a funeral and it made me realize the sensitivity of the situation. There was also some media there. It makes me wonder why it takes the death of a young man to bring protection and attention to a community that often gets ignored.  

A Moment of Silence  

by The Staff of VOXSTA

 

No matter who you are or which side of town you live on, this was a hard weekend for Cleveland. There was a quadruple homicide on the East Side Friday night and on Saturday a 12-year-old boy was killed on the West Side by a police officer. We don't know the whole story on any of these situations, but we do know that three of the dead from this weekend's gun violence were students in CMSD. Their lives mattered, and we just wanted to honor them today with a moment of silence before we pick up the pieces and figure out how to keep these kinds of things from ever happening again in our city. Peace be with you all today.

 

 

COOL STUFF HAPPENING IN OUR WORLD...AND BEYOND

A NEWS REFLECTION

BY LJ GILLESPIE

& DEVONTE OWENS

 

Being high-schoolers, it's easy to overlook some of the fascinations surrounding our everyday lives. We get so wrapped up in our music, video games, sports and who likes who that we forget to see a big picture. This past week, some pretty big stuff has transpired, from power-shifting elections to wars breaking out in distant lands. And yet, there's still reason for hope and wonderment, for yesterday humans figured out how to land for the first time on a comet, Comet 64P. We wonder how many kids walking these halls with us today are aware that we did this amazing thing, and it makes us wonder how we can get our peers interested in looking at the "big picture" all around them. It helps us when we know more about our world--it makes us feel connected to something larger and gives us a broader perspective to see beyond our tiny realities. So do yourself a favor, check out the following link to the CometP story..or, better yet, do your own research. Think beyond yourself today....and believe beyond the possible. 

 

  http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/11/12/earthlings-we-landed-on-a-comet.html



EDITORIAL:  Keep "5 of 8" in Ohio!!!!

Why on earth would the State Board of Education want to do anything that might lead to the elimination of fun and creativity in our schools?

by the VOXSTA STAFF

On Tuesday, Novemeber 11, the State Board held a hearing and preliminary vote
 on changes to the "5 of 8" rule, which mandates that elementary schools in Ohio offer at least 5 of 8 categories of non-core academic classses/services to students including gym, art, music, school counselors, nurses and librarians. Because students and stakeholders across Ohio have been trying to raise awareness on social media, many people came to testify in Columbus on Tuesday. When they got there, they were told the time for public comment had been moved. This prompted outrage among many in attendance and four members of the board walked out in protest. The full school board is scheduled to vote in December and we need to keep up the pressure against these assaults agaisnt great public education in Ohio!


TO MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD, TWEET #KEEP5OF8 and be sure to add a message about why it's important to keep the arts and other non-core academic classes in our schools!

The Results are in......ISSUE 4 PASSES!!!!

by the VOXSTA News Dept.

 

 

SuccessTech junior AJ Knox thanks the voters of Cleveland for stepping up to pass Issue 4 yesterday.

 

Yesterday, the people of Cleveland voted overwhelmingly to renew the bond issue that funds the buliding and maintenance of Cleveland's schools. 63% of voters cast their ballots in support of Issue 4. VOXSTA Editor Jeffery Tomaro interprets the results this way: "It means the voters in our city care about the youth and our community as a whole." VOXSTA Staffer Dezzin Gunn added, "We appreciate the voters who recognized the importance of rebuilding our schools so that no kid has to go to a dilapidated building. When the voters invest in us, they're inversting in the future of Cleveland because we are the future." Recognizing that Issue 4 was not the only important education initiative in yesterday's election, VOXSTA Editor-in-Chief Devonte Owens reminds us, "Issue 6 [the Tri-C levy] also passing gives us hope that more underprivileged youth in Cleveland will have opportunities for higher education. This is great news for our city." Finally, VOXSTA Artist Diamond Hamler wants to personally thank her parents for, "always voting when schools are on the ballot!"

 

Editor's Note: The staff of VOXSTA wishes to thank everyone who came out yesterday to ensure Cleveland has the resources to provide great public education for all our students.

Happy Halloween  from the staff of VOXSTA

 

As you go out tonight, be safe, have fun, be aware of your surroundings, don't steal little kids' candy.....and if you happen to run into a zombie, send up your Bat Signal and John Tomaro will come to your rescue! For real.

A SUCCESSFUL PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCE DAY AT SUCCESSTECH!!!

by the VOXSTA News Staff

 

The board in Ms. C's room welcomes parents to this fall's Parent-Teacher Conferences.

Over 40 parents and family members came to our school yesterday to check on the progress of their STA scholars. This set a school record for attendance and it shows that our parents really care about our education. Ms. Jackie Hicks, the mother of VOXSTA Staffer Jaquain Williams, said, "I'm very proud of the teachers because they encourage the students to reach their potential." That is high praise for our teachers and reflects the fact that, like our parents, our teachers truly care about us and want us to succeed. "It feels great when our parents engage in our education. It takes a team to help us achieve our goals," VOXSTA Editor Dee Starling reflected, "and this being just the first quarter shows us we can get that number from 40 to 60 to every parent!"

 Chief Secretary Mrs. Johnson proudly shows our record-setting Parent-Teacher Conference sign-in sheets!!!

EDITORIAL: VOTE "YES" ON ISSUE 4

by the Staff of VOXSTA: The Voice of SuccessTech Academy

 

 

     On November 4, the citizens of Cleveland will have a chance to make a difference by voting for Issue 4, which will prolong a current tax that helps CMSD fund school buildings and other improvements.

     The staff of VOXSTA is recommending that our readers vote "YES" on Issue 4 because we know that we need the money to build more up-to-date schools to help our students learn in better environments.

     "Many of us came from schools that our parents went to, so they were old and decrepit," says VOXSTA News Editor McKayla Edmonds says. "My mom went to Nathan Hale and when I went there it was raggedy and old. Now it's brand new and I wish it was like that when I was there. It hurts a little to see the new Nathan Hale and know that I lost out on the chance to go to a better school, but I'm glad that now other kids have that chance."

      When told about the ballot issue, sophomore Chivon Gant perked up, offering, "When I went to East Clark, it had paint coming off the walls and it didn't feel good to be in a school that was broken down. A lot of us didnt feel valued because of what we saw around us."
     Responding to Mr. Gant, VOXSTA Editor-in-Chief Devonte Owens added, "Coming from Iowa Maple, one of the oldest buildings in CMSD, and knowing that it may be rebuilt with this tax makes me feel good in a way I can't explain." We believe Mr. Owens speaks for many CMSD K-8 alumni who want their little brothers and sisters to have better opportunities than they did.

     Perhaps sophomore Dee Starling sums it up best: "Coming from a bad environment, sometimes schools help us build our confidence. If we go to a raggedy, broken-down place, it makes us feel like raggedy, broken-down people. That's why we need to vote YES on Issue 4. Every kid in Cleveland deserves a great place to learn."

 

 

 



Ebola Comes to Cleveland....(but don't panic!!!)

We found out Wednesday that a nurse from Dallas who took care of a man with Ebola contracted the virus herself and then visited family in the Akron area. She also took a plane from the Cleveland Hopkins Airport back to Dallas. It made a lot of us anxious, scared, and a little paranoid. The good news is that Ebola is a very difficult virus to get and the person here in the area was not showing symptoms, which is required for the disease to be contageous.

Yesterday, several area schools stayed closed as a precaution, including Cranwood @ JFK in CMSD. JFK cleaned their whole school with a bleach-mix and students returned on Thursday. The District's actions were precautionary measures to prevent the spread of this terrible virus, even though the likelihood that anyone in Cleveland has Ebola is very low and the virus cannot live long outside of the body. In a statement to VOXSTA, SuccessTech Principal Sara Kidner said, “It is important for our students to have factual information so they have an understanding, although there are general percussion that we can take to prevent this."


We should be aware that Ebola is NOT the only virus out there. For example, 36,000 people die in the U.S. every year from the flu virus. Other viruses like hepatitis and many different STDs are far more likely to affect us. Many of these viruses, like Ebola, only get spread through direct contatct with bodily fluids. Therefore, it is really important that we avoid contact as much as possible with other peoples' fluids...even though that sounds really nasty, it just makes sense. One thing we see a lot at STA is people drinking out of other peoples' pop bottles. We shouldn't be drinking out of our friends' pop bottles--even "air drinks" can spread viruses. Know the facts, wash your hands often and use common sense, and you should be OK.

For more information about infectious diseases, visit www.cdc.gov!

Ebola: What You Need to Know

Illustration by VOXSTA Art Staffer Khalil Williams

 

 

The Ebola epidemic is the largest in the history, affeting multiple countries in west Africa. Althoughthe risk of an Ebola outbreak in the U.S is very low, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and partners are taking precautions to prevent this from happening. Even with such precautions, however, a nurse in Dallas contracted Ebola last week from a patient from Liberia she was treating. We at VOXSTA thought we should inform you of the signs and symptoms of Ebola to fight against some of the rumors.

 

The signs and symptons can show anywhere from 2 to 21 days after exposure to Ebola, although the average is to 8 to 10 days. They include:

• Fever (greater then 101.5F)
• Severe headache
• Muscle Pain
• Weakness
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Abdominal (stomach) pain
• Unexplained hemorrhage (bleeding or bruising)

Even though Ebola is highly contageous, you cannot get it through the air, like a cold.  It is transmittable only through direct contact with an infected person's body fluids into an open membrane (such as a cut, or the eyes, nose, or mouth).

Recovery from Ebola depends on good medical care and the patient's immune response. People who recover from Ebola infection devolop antibodies that last at least ten years.

Again, it is unlikely that an Ebola outbreak will happen in Cleveland...but if it does, at least you'll know what to look for.

ANI-TECH (Vol. 1): A Video Blog about all things nerdy.

technical issues

      Sorry ladies and gentlemen, we're experiencing technical issues with our podcast, so we'll try to upload it tomorrow. We are sorry for the inconvenience.

                                                     -Editor-in-Chief, Devonte Owens

Friday Motivation by The VOXSTA Staff

Here we are again, from the staff to you, motivation to get you through your weekend!

 

"Don't forget to smile after that frown." --Jaquain Williams

 

"To thine own self be true." (Shakespeare). Keep your head up. --Kareem Rahman

 

For those who are having a rough time, remember John Wooden said, "Things work out best for those who make the best of how things work." --Diamond Hamler

 

H.A.T.E.R.S. = Having Anger Toward Everyone Reaching Success. Dont be one!!!!  --Dee Starling

 

"To be human is to be cursed to sit on the Throne of Want." Think about it....  --Devonte Owens

 

Whenever you feel down, tell yourself you're awesome.  --John Tomaro

Poetic Justice: Two Poems about Cultural Identity

African American      by Dee Starling

Black, Misjudged.

Being judged by the actions of other African Americans,

Automaticaly cause suspicion.

Overlooked for the talents and skills we have.

Don't care about "our" life story.

Brown skin gives them the fear of harm.

"Uneducated" show the scores.

"Crimanals" show the actions.

But overlooked for the talents and skills we have.

Being misjudged.

African American.

A culture I cannot abandon.

My cultural identity.
 

White Boy from Cleveland    by David Vance

 

Being a white boy from Cleveland

my culture is a bit twisted.

Growing up in the ghetto, my mind has shifted.

To live out here you have to be tough, so you

know weights have been lifted.

But I'm still a white boy and love my

Mac and Cheese. Don't forget my second

love, skateboarding. Having a white family,

being "white," then "me," that's

something crazy to see.



 

STA in the Community: Blood Drive

On Tuesday, September 23, SuccessTech Academy collected blood for the Red Cross. Many staff and students came to a makeshift clinic in the 5th floor gym to do their part. Senior Nada Richardson says she was "forced" to do the blood drive by our school's Student Government President Tailor Sloan, but added with a smile that she would have done it anyway. Nada said, "[Donating blood] didnt make me feel any different except when I was done my arm started feeling weak." At press time, Nada's arm was back to full strength and she reports being happy about helping out. Senior Nodja Crumedy said she participated on the administrative side of the blood drive, signing people in and handing out drinks and snacks, because "it helps people." She also gave blood herself, and says she looks forward to doing it again.                                                       

Story reported by Mckayla Edmonds, VOXSTA News Editor

   STA BLOOD DRIVE, September 23, 2014

Friday Reflection

Death. Destruction. Chaos. Hunger. It seems to be all around us in the world. This week in Scotland, the people had a chance to break away from the UK but chose to stay. In Iraq and Syria, there's violence and bloodshed and it looks like America might be going back to war. With all this stuff going on, sometimes it feels like there's no hope.....

.....and yet, we still try. We still strive to survive. We still dream about a world where peace reigns over war. But it's up to US--those of us who will inherit the world next--to make that dream a reality.
As you go into your weekend, look at your thoughts, your words, your actions, and ask yourself: "WHAT AM I PUTTING OUT INTO THE WORLD? AM I MAKING THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE? AM I CREATING THE WORLD I DREAM ABOUT?

And if you can't answer yes to that last question, maybe the world you're looking for needs to start with YOU.

PEACE OUT FROM THE STAFF OF VOXSTA

SuccessTech Exceeds PI Goal!!!

As further proof that students and staff at SuccessTech Academy are continuing to set high standards for excellence, we are excited to announce that our school's 2013-14 Performance Index (that's just fancy language for how well we're doing), went up by

6.8 POINTS!!!!

Our goal for the year was 5 points, and exceeding it last year makes us want to push harder for this year. This shows us that achievement is possible when we all work hard together toward a common goal and believe in ourselves. We're showing people every day that we are brilliant scholars here at STA!!!

Staff Bio: Dezzin Gunn

Hi, I'm Dezzin Gunn and I'm 18 years old. My likes are reading, my friends, and Ms C. (She didn't make me say that.) My dislikes are bullies, ignorance, and hatred. My dream for the future is to live a happy life. Also, I may be a vampire...not confirming anything. I am on the Art & Graphics Team at VOXSTA.

SuccessTech Remembers 9/11

Yesterday, Ms. C's World History students went to the Great Lakes Science Center to see the flags representing the 3,000 who died on 9/11. We each carried a paper with the name, story and picture of one of the victims. Some of us actually found the flag for the person we carried. It was sad and upsetting to see those flags because they represented people who died, but we also learned we have to stay strong for them and keep trying to make the world a better place.--by Chivon Gant and Jenny Henry

We as the staff of VOXSTA want to remember the fallen of 9/11, but instead of just feeling sadness, we want to bring a message of hope:

--Today I will live life to the fullest for those who can't.--Diamond Hamler

--Never forget and honor those who have fallen for our country and those who continue to serve.--Devonte Owens

--Today I will be the voice of the ones who fell for us and use that voice to bring everyone together.--Jenny Henry

--Today I won't forget the sacrifice those people made and I will honor it by not taking my freedoms for granted.--Kareem Rahman

--Today we will respect each other more to make our school a more peaceful place.--Khalil Williams, James Chisolm, and Jeffrey Jackson

--Today I will keep a smile on my face because I'm alive and I'm grateful for that.--Chivon Gant

--Today I will keep my Uncle Jason Preston who died in Afghanistan in my heart and honor his memory by gathering with my family and keeping his presence in our hearts.--Dee Starling

--Today I will sacrifice my time and energy to make our community better and safer.--Jaquain Williams

--Today I will ignite the flame to create a new light in memory of those who sought the light and passed through. Thank you to all who have put their light on the line for our darkness.--LJ Gillespie

My Personal Experience With Bullying

Advisor's Note: As we recognize National Suicide Prevention Week, a SuccessTech student wanted to share a personal story of courage, strength, and hope to shed light on some of the reasons teenagers consider hurting themselves and how they can make things better --Ms. C

Growing up I’ve always been a tomboy. I never really dressed up like a girl. I never was into girl things. So I was often called “gay.” I was called “dyke” and anything and everything related to being, acting, or looking gay, or not like my gender. There was a time things got unbearable and violent but I told an adult. I told them what those kids were doing to me, but at a certain point there are things that you handle and some things you can’t. When things starts to get out of control, an adult will try to resolve the problem as best as they can. #TBH, you’ll probably find out that the bully is having a bad time their self.

Statistics tell us that:

• LGBT youth are 3 times more likely to attempt suicide than their heterosexual counterparts
• 75% of LGBT youth report verbal attacks and 1 in 7 report being physically attacked based on their sexual orientation

FOR INFO ABOUT HOW TO TAKE A STAND, VISIT:

WWW.THEBULLYPROJECT.COM 

STA in the Community: PB&J Drive

Here at SuccessTech Academy we strive to help those in need. For example, we had a “dress down” day where we got to come out of dress code, but there had to be donations made. The choice of donation lay between two dollars to the Senior Class Fund, or a jar of peanut butter or jelly. This peanut butter and jelly drive was to get food to donate to a local food bank. Many people deal with hunger, and we wanted to help out the best we could. We tried our best and really collaborated as a whole to make this drive happen the way it did. We’re very happy with the outcome. --by Jeffery Tomaro

 

STA scholar Kevin King shows off the PB&J we collected!

Staff Bio: Jenny Henry

My name is Jenrion Henry. I am a sophomore at STA and on the Photography Team at VOXSTA. I love to eat and have fun. I’m 5’4” and love the color purple. I’m also a beautiful and intelligent person. I also love Ms. C’s history class more than any other class because she is such a great teacher. She made me say that.

Staff Bio: Chivon Gant

My name is Chivon Gant and I’m in the 10^th grade at SuccessTech Academy. I am with the news writing group at VOXSTA. Whenever I’m bored I like to play basketball with my little cousin. I want to bring a sense of humor to our blog by looking at the world in a different way, sometimes seeing the silliness instead of just the seriousness.

Staff Bio: Jeffery Tomaro

My name is Jeffery Alexander Tomaro. I'm 18 years old and a proud student of SuccessTech Academy. I strive to prove the statistics about Cleveland students wrong. That's actually why my number one career choice would have to be an attorney. I am very charismatic and I know I'm going to beat the odds. I work behind the scenes at VOXSTA on the Web Design team and also do some occasional news writing.

Staff Bio: Jeffrey Jackson

Hi, I'm Jeffrey Jackson and I'm 17 years old. I'm a junior at SuccessTech and I'm on the Art & Graphics Team at VOXSTA. I like to read and explore the outdoors. My dream one day is to become an astronomer and discover a new galaxy. Until then, I'm happy to be at STA until I get to college.

Staff Bio: Dee Starling

My name is Dee Starling and I’m intelligent, funny, athletic, hard-working and creative. I like to play sports and chill with my crew. My most favorite thing to do is be by myself and listen to Migos and think things over. I honestly think I’m the most loyal and realest person ever. My biggest dream is to find out where I belong in this world and to become a lawyer. I write news and opinion for VOXSTA.

Staff Bio: McKayla Edmonds

My name is McKayla Edmonds. I am a sophomore at STA. I am very athletic and fun and I love to laugh. I like to sing and dance. I am a very beautiful and brilliant young lady. My favorite color is pink , I am a good friend and I am on the news writing team at VOXSTA.

Staff Bio: John Tomaro

My name is John Tomaro. I’m on the Creative Writing/Poetry team at VOXSTA. I'm inherently lazy and play way too many video games. I’m also learning the acoustic guitar. I’m a junior at SuccessTech and I’m excited to be part of this blog.

The Ferguson Project

The Ferguson Project

 

How STA is coming to terms with the death of another young black man in America.

by McKayla Edmonds, LJ Gillespie and Jenrion Henry

 

As many of us know, 18-year-old Michael Brown was shot and killed by a police officer in Ferguson, MO, a suburb of St. Louis. We came back to school this year under the cloud of knowing that justice is often delivered unfairly in America and wanted to give our community a chance to process their thoughts, feelings and concerns. We don't know the full story of this tragedy yet, but we do know that when we see another young man of color die at the hands of law enforcement we are left with the responsibility of asking why, and how we can prevent these tragedies form happening again. #nojusticenopeace

 

 

We engaged with students in the cafeteria during lunch on Wednesday, August 20th, and this is what they had to say:

 



Meet the VOXSTA Staff: LJ Gillespie

My name is LJ Gillespie and I’m a senior at SuccessTech Academy. I am leading the photography team at VOXSTA. I have been doing photography for five years, as a professional for the last two. I’ve shot music videos for popular Cleveland artists, taken amazing HD scenery pictures of the city, and I edit all my work myself. I intend to create the best visuals for the school along the rest of our photography team.