“I promise it won’t happen again…”

"I promise it won’t happen again.” These are the words that echo through the minds of every young woman who has been violated to the highest extremity. Yet, the abuse continues once something goes wrong again. Some may feel that it really can’t be happening to them, while others believe it is their mistake and deserve to be punished. Despite what she may do, no woman deserves to be mistreated by their significant other.

Abuse against women is never justified or acceptable. It is actually a crime one can serve time for in prison. This type of behavior is learned and therefore, it can be changed. The abuser wants to be the one in control and have all power and authority over the woman. He feels that men are of utmost sovereignty and women are to be submissive and should follow the lead of the man. Jessie Norwood, a Piper High school junior says, “Men shouldn’t have all the power in the relationship, instead there should be equality.”

According to the National Coalition against Domestic Violence and a study published by the American Journal of Health in 2009, domestic violence affects up to 30% of American women.
The signs of abuse aren’t that hard to spot. It can start with physical abuse and lead all the way down to spiritual abuse. Being slapped in the face or having your hair pulled counts as physical abuse. Shortly after comes the psychological and emotional part of it. He may threaten to hurt you or someone you care about, try to force you into having a sexual relation with him, put you down to make you feel unwanted or isolate you from your loved ones.

If you happen to be a victim of abuse, than speak up. Keeping quiet will only make things worse and you’ll continue to suffer in a deadly silence. Perhaps, you and your significant other need counseling about this matter. Don’t stick around to endure pain. Find a way out. Contact your local police or an abuse hotline. This matter is no joke, especially if your life is on the line. In the words of Oprah Winfrey, “Love doesn’t hurt. If a man hits you once, he will hit you again. He will hit you again.” Imagine if you speak up how many abused women will follow your lead and do what is right.

Spring Break 2009: What to do?

Winter is over and spring is right around the corner. It’s time to dust off those surf boards and put away those leather boots. Spring Break 2009 is officially here! Some students plan to spend their vacation partying and looking for someone to have a “spring fling” with. While more reserved plan to stay home and cuddle with a good book. But for those party animals, where can they go that is fun and affordable?

The beach is a good start. It hardly costs a thing and everyone is welcome there. At the beach you can lie in the sun and work on your tan, just make sure you turn yourself over every once in a while because no one wants to look like a charred piece of steak. If you’re already a nice Hershey brown, take a dive into the ocean blue and possibly learn how to surf. “I would love to try jet skiing,” said sophomore Farah Bacchus.

If you’re not really “feeling” the beach, grab your buddies and go on a road trip. Gather up a good amount of your friends and take a tour of your home state. “My friends and I plan on taking one to the Marco Islands,” said senior Andrew Gumora.

Research the cheapest places you can stay at and have everyone chip in for gas and other essentials. There is nothing wrong with piling up a small group of people into one or two hotel rooms to save money. Imagine the fun you’ll have or the pranks you can pull while spending the night with everyone.

Another great idea would be to go on a cruise. You are probably wondering, “Yeah, how can I afford that?” Cruises are now very affordable, even for the average working high school student. If you look in all the right places, you can find a good deal on two to three day cruises. “I wouldn’t mind going on one, if the ship doesn’t sink,” said senior Farah Madoo.

With all the excitement of Spring Break, teens seem to forget that they have responsibilities at hand. When you go out with your friends, play it safe. Avoid doing things that you wouldn’t normally do and don’t be a follower. Do things on your own judgment. For those who want to enjoy a little romance, use common sense. Don’t wander off alone with a stranger you met at a party. Instead, invite him or her to join you and your friends. Make this Spring Break one to remember, not one to regret.

Prom 2009: Make It Flawless

The school year is coming to an end and the senior activities are quickly approaching. These include the Senior Barbeque, Grad Bash, graduation and the most mystical night ever, Prom. For some, Prom is a “Cinderella Story” to be shared with your sweetheart. For others, it’s one grand farewell party to celebrate with your closest friends. Whatever the reason may be, just know it will be a night you will never forget.

To make your night flawless, you should definitely plan in advance. Figure out who you’re going with, what time you should leave, and how you are going to get there. If you’re taking a date, start looking around for tuxedos and gowns. Sometimes department stores may have pre-prom sales or discounts on the latest dresses. A majority of girls want to be able to match with their dates. “After all, it is tradition,” said senior Kelly Budhu. So, it is best to get out there and snag all the good colors before they are gone.

Some may feel that Prom is a “couples only” event and may be discouraged to attend. “It is true that everyone may not have a date for that special night, but that shouldn’t stop anyone from going,” said senior Alliea Bacchus. Instead, gather up a group of your friends and make it a “BNO” (Besties Night Out). To add some extra fun, everyone should chip in for a limo or even a party bus.

On Prom night, make sure you give yourself plenty of time to get ready. The only result of being unprepared is running out the house with messy hair or scuffed shoes. If you’re going out afterwards, make sure you play it safe and stick to your curfew. Don’t try to be “cool” and try things you shouldn’t. What you do in one night, can affect you or your family for a lifetime. After all, a ceremonious gathering of your academics is better than a ceremony of your life.

Less Homework

Homework is essential to reinforce the material we have learned in school. It helps one better understand the course and get better grades in school. But when homework takes you almost all night to complete, than that is when it becomes ridiculous. Sitting for hours wasting time doing the same thing over and over seems very pointless. Homework should be given in moderation, not in bulk.

High school students have a life outside of school and being bombarded with page after page of assignments can really be a real hassle. Most students have jobs and don’t get home until 10:00pm. By then their body is tired from school and work and they don’t have the energy to do anything. What makes matters worse is if you don’t do your homework your grade gets docked quite a few points. Even the brightest students have to struggle with this.

Thank God for parents though. It seems that parents have noticed the long hours their child has been slaving over for just one class assignment. “My child comes home from school everyday and starts on her homework right away, but she still doesn’t finish until close to midnight. She needs her sleep.” says the mother of Alliea Bacchus, a Piper High School student. Parents are even worried because they have their children enrolled in so many after school activities, and they don’t have time to complete all their homework in one sitting.

The Broward County School Board is expected to vote on making a policy to cut down on homework and increase academics in the classroom. They’re even proposing no homework over the weekends and over holiday breaks. Even though the policy is trying not to put limits on homework, they still have suggested it. They suggest ten minutes of homework for each grade level. For example, the maximum amount of homework a high school junior is to complete per night is 110 minutes. That sounds way better than having to spend the whole night completing one assignment.

Looks Can Be deceiving

Susan Boyle, a 47 year old woman from Blackburn, Scotland, lived a life of loneliness and despair, with only a cat to keep her company. She was left by her siblings to take of care of their mother and eventually the whole clan passed away. She is a short, frumpy-looking woman with grey hair and the appearance of an elderly grandmother, but she has dreams of becoming a professional singer.

To the naked eye, you would automatically assume that this woman must be joking, but she has a voice that will please any ear. She is soft-spoken and had a dream that she did indeed get to fulfill. She began singing in her church's choir and wanted to try her luck on "Britain's Got Talent."

One of the judges on the show, Simon Cowell, had seen many auditions throughout the day and was getting bored and frustrated with the contestants. When Boyle showed up on stage, he was most likely thinking, "here we go again." Along with the audience, the judges believed this woman was going to make a fool of her self, but the minute she opened her mouth, it was like the heavens had descended upon them. Her voice was truly like that of an angel. The crowd immediately stood up, giving her a standing ovation.

Boyle has now become an overnight celebrity. Everyone wants a piece of her. From Oprah Winfrey to Larry King, they all want her to join them on their shows. Boyle’s voice is truly pure and angelic. She's such a sweet middle aged woman. “I never expected someone with her appearance could have a voice like that,” said senior Davika Toolsie. It just goes to show you that looks can be deceiving.

Online Drugs: Are you a Facebook Addict?

The first online community to make a hit was the ever popular MySpace. It first started out as a place for adults, but slowly found its way into the lives of teenagers around the world. Just like an old pair of jeans, the fad began to fade and something a little more interesting came about: Facebook.

If you haven’t heard of Facebook by now, then you must really be out of tune with what’s going on in the world. Facebook is basically MySpace’s little sister. One can add friends, post “notes” (bulletins), write on each other’s “walls” (comments), and upload pictures. The only difference between MySpace and Facebook is, Facebook is open to everyone on the network. Everything done on there becomes public business. Users receive updates about what people have written on other’s walls and updates on who has left a comment after yours.

“Nothing on Facebook is ever private and that is why it is so addicting,” said senior Bibi Balliram. Putting something on this online community is just the same as handing out flyers with all your personal information. As it becomes more popular, the addiction continues to grow. The addiction is apparent when one has their homepage set to it and it’s the first thing they check when they get in the house. Those with mobile phones are constantly checking it just to see what someone is up to.

The main thing that draws people in is the status. It can be updated an infinite amount of times to let everyone know what you’re doing. “I’m always changing my status to something weird. For instance, I let people know that I’m eating a sandwich and than I update ten minutes later to let them know I’m done,” says sophomore Kimberly Latchmanen.

According to Huffington Post, there are ten reasons to prove that you are truly addicted to Facebook. Some of them are: You have over 500 friends, half of them you do not know, you clean up your “wall” to make it look like you’re not on it very often, you click on people’s profiles, even though they haven’t commented or messaged you, and you write “notes” to let people know how your day went. These notes usually include every single detail of every little thing you did.

Many of you out there are guilty of living on Facebook, but don’t be ashamed. The best way to cleanse your body of this “toxin” is to first admit your addiction. Once you have done that, the road to recovery is only steps away. Try removing the Facebook application from your phone and limit yourself to checking it only once or twice a day. If you can’t handle that and your addiction only gets worse,the best thing to do is to delete the account.

2009 Caribbean Events

“Chutney in De Park 2K9”
Saturday May 9, 2009 (4pm-11:30pm)
Advanced Tickets: $25.00 at any West Indian store
Central Broward Regional Park (Cricket Stadium)
Performers: Hunter, Kenneth Salick (“RADICA”), “Dil-E Na-Dan,” and many more

Best of the Best Concert 2009
Sunday May 24, 2009 (12pm-11pm)
Advance Tickets: $ 49.00 at any Jamaican or West Indian Stores
Bicentennial Park, Miami
Performers: Movado, Beenie Man, Destra, T-Pain, Serani and many more.

6th Annual Jerk and Caribbean Culture Fest 2009
Monday May 25, 2009
Meyer Amphitheater, West Palm Beach
Fun-filled family event with musical artists from Jamaica and the Caribbean.

Tassa Rama (Chutney-Indian-Soca Music)
May 30, 2009
Admission: $ 10.00
Hibiscus
6289 W. Sunrise BLVD.
Cash prizes for the best Tassa Dancer

Unifest 2009-“A fi wi ting”
Sunday May 31, 2009 (10am-11pm)
Vincent Torres Park, Lauderdale Lakes
Performances: Krosfyah, Leon Coldero and many more to come.