The Cardinal: OHS' Newspaper

Poets of the Future

Ms. Testfa speaks on the growth and improvement of the Poetry Club
by Decarus Wright

If you like to write about feelings and current issues in your life, then join the poetry club! Instructor Ms. Shu-Shu Tesfa, a science teacher at OHS, hopes that you want to become a poet of the future!

Earlier this week I had an exclusive interview with Tesfa and we discussed the history of the poetry club. The debut of the club, Tesfa explained, occurred last spring. “I had a couple of students in my class writing poetry so; I looked up some information about young poets expressing themselves and I was contacted by a middle school teacher who was having an open mic. Then, I took the students there.”

The poetry club started from an idea coming two years ago through the Latin club Tesfa was involved in. It happened when a poet came in and spoke to the students. She thought perhaps students would enjoy a poetry club.

The members of the poetry club are Jessica Smith, Bentu Dumba, and Raynall Williams. The club meets every Wednesday in room F105 from 3:30 to 5pm. “If you want to join, attend a meeting and sign up,” Tesfa says.

Tesfa feels she has made a special connection with these kids because she has seen their work evolve over the past year. “I am trying to get them to expand to formal poetry and my students’ poetry has gotten better. Most of them write on gloomy topics or things that were bothering them,” she claims.

In the poetry club, none of the students have a specific role or job they have to do. It is all about hard work.

The purpose of the poetry club is to push the students toward spoken word, get them to perform poetry, expand their writing and develop their writing skills. The student that Tesfa feels has shown the most progress is Bentu Dumba. “Her writing is improving this year and she is more expressive and willing to go outside of conventional topics that young ladies face,” said Tesfa.

In class, the students work on free verse most of the time. Sometimes, Tesfa will give them a topic to work on. Currently, they are trying a group collaborative project on Women’s oppression. Tesfa wants the students to believe in real writing and take it with them each day. She enjoys teaching poetry because she loves to express herself with written words and when she read the students’ work it blows her away.

- Volume 4, Issue 1 -

The Art Club: Expressing Yourself

You Should Live Your Life Creative
by Erica Garcia

        Have you ever wonder how you can express yourself? Well, if you have ever wondered this then OHS has a place for you! Do you want to express yourself by drawing, painting, learning how to work with your hands, or just need to find yourself a quite place? Mrs. Janet Grenleski is the art teacher here at OHS, and she has just the place for you.

        She says that many students have sought out a place to express their art and in the past haven’t had a place to go. Since seeing this problem arise, and since she got here to OHS she decide to make an art club.

        So, if you are one of the many students searching for this type of place and to the students that don’t have her as a teacher on their school schedule, you will have her at least after school. They meet only on Wednesdays at 3:30 to 4:30 in her classroom.

        Grenleski claims that, “art tells a story it’s tell what you feel, see, and also what you have the in inside you.” Thus it comes as no surprise that the club’s motto is to live life creative. So, if you plan on attending, plan on being creative.

        You don’t have to know how to drawing in order to join in. You learn as you go along. If you want to join just go to Grenleski and ask her for a permission sheet and also you need to have a note from your parent showing that you are able to go. Also, you must have a ride home there will not be any bus transportation on Wednesdays. So you must have a ride.

        Grenleski says that she and the students’ goal in the art club is o plan to help the community with yard work. They plan on putting flowers in a children’s school with needs. They want to make the school a better place for the kids. So that they feel comfortable in there school. She wants a large group of students to help around with there goals, maybe by joining the art club they can help and do a helpful thing for the kids.

        Art club is a really good club to learn how to work with your heads. It’s a great learning experience. Especially because of the teacher that Osborne has in this school! Therefore, the Art Club is one of the few ways that you can get creative here at OHS!  

 

- Volume 4, Issue 1 -

Young Money Entertainment

A Look at What's new in Hip-Hop
by Mikey Montana

       This year seems to be the year of success for hip hop’s newest army, Young Money Entertainment. The group consists of: Lil Wayne, Drake, Nicki Minaj, T- Streets, Gudda Gudda, Mack Maine, Lil Chuckie, Lil Twist, Shanell, Tyga and Jae Millz. They are planning a 2010 release for their debut album, entitled Young Money Family.

       Each individual person is the group contributes in their own way. They have their own fame and fans from their solo careers. With that being said, people have high expectations for the debut album. Marica Corri, an 11grade, said “I am expecting for the album to outsell The Carter III.” The Carter III, Lil Wayne’s latest studio album, was released in 2008, and sold an outstanding 1,005,545 copies the first week alone.

       Drake, the newest member of the group, has the biggest weight on his shoulders at this point. He is one of the most “successful” in the group, no pun intended to his hit single, “Successful” feat. Trey Songz, an affiliate of the group. His solo debut album, Thank Me Later, is due for a 2010 release also, possibly to coincide with the Young Money album.

       Nicki Minaj, known as one of the hottest rappers out of  New York, females and males alike, is also becoming a hit among Young Money fans. She stated she is inspired by all the female rappers that came before her. Her mixtape, Beam Me Up Scotty, is available for free download on all major hip-hop websites. T- Streets, from New Orleans, is a former member of the group “Sqad Up”. He was featured on Weezy’s single and music video “The Only Reason”.

       Gudda Gudda, known as the half brother of Nicki Minaj, was also in the group “Sqad Up”.  He Is from New Orleans.Mack Maine is the president of Young Money Entertainment. Him and fellow rapper Lil Wayne have been friends since the age of 5. He has a DVD distribution company also, Kush Entertainment.

       Lil Chuckie and Lil Twist, the “young guns” of the group, are highly successful considering their ages: Twist 16 and Chuckie 13. They are in the group Young Hot Boyz.

       Shanell is known as the mastermind behind many of the groups hits, including “Every Girl” and Lil Wayne’s Carter III single, “Lollipop”. She is the sister of Danity Kane’s D-Woods. She is a singer herself, and currently helping Wayne develop his upcoming album, Rebirth. Although Tyga is officially in the group, he has been more frequently working on his own solo work and album. He joined the group in 2008 and was featured on their mixtapes released that year. Mack Maine made a public announcement on his twitter account that year that Tyga was “officially Young Money”.

Jae Millz, the underground battle rapper out of New York, plans to bring a little “New Yorkflavor” to the group. He is widely known in New Yorkfor his solo career as a mixtape artist and battle rapper. His fan-base should help increase the already-large fan base of the group.

       The group’s debut album should sell successfully, considering the members’ individual success. Look out for the self-titled Young Money album, coming in 2010.

-Volume 2, Issue 1 -

America’s Best Dance Crew (season 4)

Who’s the best??

By Yuleni Romero

America

’s Best Dance Crew, season 4 started Sunday August 9th, 2009 in

Los Angeles

only the best dance crews that auditioned will have to battle it out in the end. Crews were chosen from New York, New York; Chicago, Illinois; Orlando, Florida; and Los Angeles, California. The crews that impacted the judges and made it past auditions are; Afroborike, Artistry In Motion, Massive Monkees, We Are Heroes, Southern Movement, Beat Ya Feet Kings, Fr3sh,Rhythm City and Vogue Evolution. Unfortunately the first elimination of the season was made and Fr3sh was forced to “walk it out” at the first elimination.

Week 2: Beyoncé Challenge. The Beyoncé Challenge, Crews will be given a challenge Beyoncé’s music videos. The songs that were chosen “Single Ladies,” “Sweet Dreams,” “Work it Out,” “Crazy In Love,” “Jumpin' Jumpin',” by Destiny's Child, “Déjà Vu,” “Diva,” "Beautiful Liar" by Beyoncé & Shakira. Crews that will move on: We Are Heroes,

Rhythm

City

, Massive Monkees, Beat Ya Feet Kings, Southern Movement, and Vogue Evolution. Bottom 2: Artistry In Motion, Afroborike. At the end Artistry In Motion was eliminated.

Week 3: Martial Arts Challenge aired August 23^rd, 2009. The crews challenge was to include martial arts into their routine; Quest Crew's Steve Terada appeared as a Guest Instructor.

Crew	Song	challenge
Afroborike	"I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho)" by Pitbull	Capoeira
We Are Heroes	"Starstrukk" by 3OH!3	Karate
Vogue Evolution	"Work" by Ciara	Shaolin Kung Fu
Massive Monkees	"Bounce" by MSTRKRFT	Extreme Martial Arts
Beat Ya Feet Kings	"Chillin'" by Wale featuring Lady Gaga	Taekwondo
Rhythm City	"La La La" by LMFAO	Muay Thai
Southern Movement	"Ugly" by Bubba Sparxxx	Kali

      The Crews that moved on were: Afroborike, We Are Heroes, Vogue Evolution, Massive Monkees, Beat Ya Feet Kings. The bottom two Crews are

Rhythm

City

and Southern Movement. Finally the judges decided that Southern Movement would be eliminated.

Week Four: Bollywood Challenge, The six remaining crews were to perform dance moves from the popular Bollywood culture in

India

. To learn the dances the Crews will have to meet with renowned Bollywood choreographer Nakul Dev Mahajan. The crews moving on are Massive Monkees, Vogue Evolution,

Rhythm

City

and Afroborike. The Bottom 2 is We Are Heroes and Beat Ya Feet Kings. At the end the ones eliminated were Beat Ya Feet Kings.

The 5 crews remaining are Afroborike, Massive Monkees,

Rhythm

City

, We Are Heroes and Vogue Evolution. Week 5 is Dance Craze Challenge: This week the crews will be given some of the nation’s hottest dance Crazes.

Crew	Song	challenge
Afroborike	"Swag Surfin'" by Fast Life Yungstaz	Swag Surfin'
Massive Monkees	"Do The Ricky Bobby" by B-Hamp	Ricky Bobby
Rhythm City	"You're a Jerk" by New Boys	Jerkin'
We Are Heroes	"Stanky Legg" by GS Boyz	Stanky Legg
Vogue Evolution	"Halle Berry" by Hurricane Chris	Halle Berry

At the end of the show the Crews moving On: Afroborike, Massive Monkees and

Rhythm

City

. The Bottom 2: We Are Heroes, Vogue Evolution. When the crews were done battling it out, Vogue Evolution was eliminated and had to “walk it out” the stage.

On week six; everyone expects their favorite crew to win. Tune in next time ABDC and find out who will stay, and who will go.

In Case You Missed It

Real Chance of Love

By Caytee Nelson

 

The Stallionaires are back in the saddle on VH1. Your favorite long haired beauty and hot head are back to find true love. “Real Chance of Love” is a reality show based on Ahmad Givens aka “Real” and Kamal Givens aka “Chance” from “I Love New York” and “I Love Money.” Despite the disappointing outcome of their first season, the Stallionaires refuse to give up on love. Yes, they are putting their hearts back out there by moving 20 girls into their Ranch-Style Mansion.  
            Each episode the girls are each presented with a challenge. Based on the challenges and connections, Real and Chance decide which girl is to be eliminated and which girls remain for the following episode. Will they find love by the time the last two girls are standing or will we be faced with a Real Chance of Love 3? Stick here on “In Case You Missed It,” with me, to find out.

 

Episode One “Back in the saddle bros”: 20 girls move into the mansion and instantly start getting comfortable. Soon after, each girl is assigned nicknames. Some friends are made and some enemies are formed. During the mixer, “Ribbon” begins to scare the guys and comes off a little too strong. Ribbon seems as if she is stalking Chance. Once she realizes that she is not getting the results she wants from Chance she moves to Real and fails as well after desperate attempts to get his attention. “Show me” and “Vegas” get into a physical fight and are immediately sent home after which Real and Chance stress that this season they are not tolerating drama.  The guys announce that there will not be separate chains given out at eliminations like on last season. Realizing that they have double competition, altercations are formed therefore causing Real and Chance to make some shocking decisions. At the end of the episode, four girls are eliminated and only 16 are left remaining.

Episode 2 “Love is in the Stallionaire”:  With 16 girls left, Real and Chance still have no clue who is there for them and who isn’t. The girls are faced with a challenge to go door to door selling their best qualities. Some girls are more prepared than the others. The girls with the best outcomes win dates with the lovely Stallionaires.

Episode Three “Girls gone viral”: was the most hilarious by far. This episode’s challenge was to audition for Real and Chance’s music video. Rapper Gloria Velez decided which group of girls won the dates with Real and Chance. “Apple,” the shy girl, did not step up her game. In addition, drama stirs up between “Blonde Baller” and the other girls in the house because they suspect that the guy she talked to on the phone was her boyfriend. The girls gang up on Blonde Baller, especially “PS” and “Junk.” By the end of the episode, Real and Chance decide to choose which girls they want by giving out separate chains at elimination. Real ends up with “Pocahontas,” “PS,” “Doll,” “Classy,” “Sassy,” and “Baker”, leaving Chance with “Spanish Fly,” “Hot Wings,” “Flirty,” “Junk,” “Mamacita,” “Blonde Baller,” and “Apple.”

Episode Four “Yeti Set Go”: This episode begins with Blonde Baller on the phone and discovers that her “male friend” was shot and killed in Michigan. Consequently, she does not shed any tears. The girls were put up to a very weird challenge; they were split into teams and sent off to find a Yeti (the big foot). The first team to find and capture the yeti would win dates with the guys. Baker, PS, Blonde Baller, Doll, and Junk captured the big foot first. Once the big foot was captured, the girls saw that it was Micha (Real and Chance’s younger brother) dressed in the costume. On the date, PS and Junk ganged up on Blonde Baller. Surprisingly, PS went to further to imitate and talk about Sassy behind her back. The next morning Apple decides to prepare a sexy breakfast for Real. Unfortunate for her, the breakfast was not enough to keep her in the mansion after elimination. While Real got rid of one girl, Chance eliminated none until her figured out the truth about Blonde Baller
            Episode Five “”: The remaining 14 girls have to compete in a wrestling match in order to win a date with the guys. They were placed into three different groups: Hot Wings, PS, Baker, and Doll for group number one. The second group was Pocahontas, Sassy, Mamacita, and Flirty. The final group was Lady, Junk, Blonde Baller, Classy, and Spanish Fly. Hot wings was sure she was going to win her date with Chance. Unfortunately, Pocahontas, Mamacita, Spanish Fly, and Flirty won the date. Sassy and Mamacita went on the first date. Although Real and Sassy had a great date, Their date was cut short because of Chance. He drank too much alcohol and ended up throwing up over the balcony. The four returned to the mansion to find Hot Wings with her bags packed and ready to go. The following day, the guys took the other two girls on their dates to the “Chelsea Lately Show.” In the end, Hot Wings decided to stay and Junk was sent home due to her still focusing on Blonde Baller and not Chance. Two girls leave the mansion after elimination.

Catch Real Chance of Love: Back in the Saddle on Monday nights at 9 p.m. and again at 10:30 p.m. See who goes home on the next episode, and if you happen to miss it tune in next time with me in “In Case You Missed It.”

 

- Volume 2, Issue 1 -

Make Them Beats!

Red Storm Drumline
by Logan Alexander

 

       We are recruiting you to be on the Drum line to work on cadences and enjoy the experience. Are you in a situation that you just have to beat on something or even need to be in a group or activity? Come join the Drum line because we need you. Our Red Storm is recruiting you to be on the Drum line. We need snare drummer’s tenors and quads the multiple drum connected. If you are wondering why I say this it is because the lack of people on the drum line and mainly the lack of snares.

       To be a good asset to the Drum line you must have fast hands. I do not mean you can fight well, I mean you can play a straight beat fast. We also ask that you show up in the band room at 3:45 pm in black shorts or jogging pants and a white shirt (designs are allowed if school appropriate). We do go outside in the sun from time to time but the Drum majors and band managers bring us water. The most important thing to have is rhythm because without it you would be completely lost during our cadences. The last assets are to have stamina and endurance.

       Cadences are rhythms played by the Drum line. That is what the Drum line works on. This is where you and having fast wrists come in. The cadences require some skill and technique, which if unprepared for it can be really challenging. What we do is entertain. That’s our job. All the cadences that everybody dances to during pep rallies and the shows we do for the Middle Schools and High School takes a lot of energy, but is really fun once you got them down pack. Then you can have some pride in what we do because it is not easy but always fun.

        This is a must do experience because there is nothing like it any where else. You make friends in the people that you would never talk to in your life.  So do not even make assumptions about them because it is not true. We have the most fun just practicing with the band. Now after during sectionals that is when a party happens while we are working on cadences. Remember practice does not make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect. Ask any member on the Drum line, we are a real family.

        So if you want to make them beats all you have to do is show up in white and black. Come prepared to work. Also dedicate your self to the drum line because it is not a game. Just to make sure you know you also dedicate yourself to the band as well. Do not miss out on the fun and join today.

 

- Volume 2, Issue 1 -

 

New Moves

Jerkin’

By Logan Alexander

       Has the students of Osborne learned some new moves out of nowhere? Jerkin is a new dance that the teens are doing and teaching their friends how to. It all got out from one song by the New Boyz “you’re a jerk.” Spontaneously everybody one by one has been learning the dance.  All I do is have one question?

       How new is the dance actually? In actual fact it is not as new and has been done many of times for about two years now. Besides there are plenty more songs than just “you’re a jerk”. The way you jerk is staring to change as well. Other schools have been doing this dance since last year. Jerkin is not a new dance!

       It may look easy but the process of jerkin is a little hard to grasp. The basic movements are skipping and then reverse it. So basically skipping backwards is the motion. Then there is a part when you drop or dip and then bounce back up with your foot out or something creative. Than finally there is a leg thing when you sort of bend your knees and together and apart in one rhythm.

       To sum it all up there is a new dance that just began at Osborne. For all we know is that it is not new it is old. Then how to jerk which is a little confusing considering who teaches you. This brings us to a conclusion about the history of jerkin.

 

-Volume 2, Issue 1-

Tyler’s Perry Madea Goes to Jail

Female perspective…

By: Shay Jackson

    The movie, “Madea Goes to Jail,” is a classic hilarious movie that will have you constantly laughing. The movie was directed by the world’s best known director, Tyler Perry. If you have ever seen a Perry film you know that his infamous character Madea is always trying to escape from the police.

      During this iconic movie there are two different stories happening at once. At one point you have Joshua (Derek Luke) feeling guilty of having left his friend Candace (Keisha Knight Pullinam) at a party, who is inadvertently raped. In no surprise from the grief of being raped, Candace becomes a prostitute. Joshua notices what Candace has been getting into and tries doing things to change her life around. His life becomes miserable as he is trying to help her. With him having a wife and showing Candace all the attention things begin to get carried away. Joshua wife lies and gets Candace put in prison for something that she didn’t do. Everything is beginning to get wild now! 

      At another point you have crazy Madea (Tyler Perry) going to court for anger management for doing illegal things and also being thrown in prison with Candace. Now I know you are trying to figure out what is going to happen next. A good thing for you to do is go out and try watching it yourself. The movie is entertaining, funny, and shows life lessons all at once. If you have watched any Tyler Perry movie you already know how this is going to turn out!  Perry’s ultimate message in “Madea Goes to Jail” is not only to show the funny and bad things that happen in life but to persuade children to not  be tempted into doing something wrong when there is always a right way out. If you are curious as to how this theme is depicted then go out and see it. You will not be disappointed and that’s a promise!

Directed by: Tyler Perry

Written by: Tyler Perry

Release Date:  February 20, 2009

Running Time: 1 hr. 43 min.

Starring: Madea (Tyler Perry), Candace (Keisha Knight Pulliam), Joshua( Derek Luke), Cora( Tamela Mann), Brown( David Mann)

Rated: PG-13

My Rating:  out of

-Volume 1, Issue 3-

Gathering to Shine

By: Noah Saragoza

           

           Since early March of this year, a small group of OHS students have gathered afterschool every Wednesday to showcase their talents as poets. This small group is composed of mainly three OHS freshmen, and three freshman teachers.  

The chief purpose behind their gatherings is not only to present their poems, but also to seek advice on how to improve their writing, and the overall presentation of their poetry. In doing so, the group has begun to appear as features at a monthly open mike night Middle School event held by Black-on-Black Rhyme. The first event was held afterschool on March 12^th of this year at The Coffee Loft in Atlanta. The entire event lasted over two hours, every minute filled with powerful emotions from the hearts of the many young poets that took the stage. Then as the day came to a close, the High School features took the mike, and ended the day by showing the entire audience what kind of talent we have at OHS.

  After the successful trial of the open mike night event, the group decided that this was something that they would like to partake in regularly, and began preparation for the next event. Seeing as how it is nearing the end of the year, the group couldn’t call their assemblies as a “Club meeting”, they did however gain the privilege to be called the Poetry Discussion group, but plan to make it an official club in the next coming semester.

            Once again, the OHS Poetry Discussion Group attended the monthly open mike night on March 16^th, this time however, with one of the group members as the host of the event. The turnout of the event had less of an audience than the first event, but the strong emotions that emitted from the poets were only intensified.

            Following the success of both the first event, second event, and the weekly displays of the poet’s talents; the Poetry Discussion Group has now decided to hold an open mike event at OHS, two week before the last day of school. All poets at OHS are encouraged to join in. For further information on this occasion, or on joining the group please consult Ms. Sha-Shu Tesfa in room F105, or Mr. Walter Clarke in room F210.

-Volume 1, Issue 3-

Manga pulls the X-Factor

By: Noah Saragoza

Book series in review: Mysterious Girlfriend X

 

            For those who are accustomed to Manga, there are those series that are widely popular with the masses, but there are also those who remain unknown to many readers. As of 2004 to the present day, there is a Manga named Mysterious Girlfriend X, which is a series that is not widely know, but is still interesting enough to catch this reader’s attention. I, myself, have followed the series from the very first chapter, to the most recent 33rd chapter. I must say that so far, each chapter has kept my attention with its oddness, and the way that the plot of the story is portrayed. Each stage of the storyline keeps you interested, and entertained, while also being in a state of awe at how the characters interact with each other. This is yet another reason for my interest being drawn to this specific series, and just another reason for you to read it.

            The story is centered around Akira Tsubaki, just another average high school student, is thrown into a world of extreme oddness. When, Mikoto Urabe, a very awkward female transfer student, is placed in the seat next to him. The characters later find out that Mikoto is a very secluded person, keeping only to herself while hiding her face beneath her bangs.

She has no desire to interact with anyone, and refuses to make any friends. In addition to that, she spends her breaks sleeping on her desk. After a while, the students around her get used to her, and decide to take no more action to try to become friends with her.

One day, after staying late after school, Akira wanders into his class to retrieve his bag, he finds Mikoto still lying asleep on her desk. He decides to wake her up, and as he does he finally sees her face. Being awestruck by the sight, as Mikoto leaves the room Akira notices that there is a small pool of Mikoto’s drool on her desk. He absentmindedly tastes a bit of her drool. He realizes what he had done and quickly rushes out of the school, almost dying of embarrassment. As for what happens next, it’s up to you to find out.

 It may seem extremely unusual, but the story is really beyond the supernatural, it is a story of love, and finding the person who is right for you. Above all, among other Mangas, Mysterious Girlfriend X has worked its way into becoming one of my favorites. 

 

- Volume 1, Issue 3 -