2013 May Issue

Irish EyesG r a c e K i n g H i g h S c h o o l

Volume 45 Issue 6 Thursday, May 9, 2013 4301 Grace King Place, Metairie, LA 70002

Upcoming Events

Mother’s Day

May 12

Award Ceremony

May 20

Last day of school

May 23

Records day

May 24

LASC Workshop

June 2-6

ACT

June 8

Exams

May 21-23

Summer Bridge Workshop

July 29 - August 2

Graduation @Ponchartrain Center 1:30 p.m.

May 18

NASC Conference

June 22-24

p. 6-7gkirisheyes.org

College graduates face uncertainty of job market High school seniors who are getting ready to

invest thousands of dollars in college education may be wondering what the future job market looks like. Many will say that a stable, well paid

the future. The current trend of job opportunities is an

increase in health care professionals, business professionals, and engineering. In fact, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, companies are more interested in graduates who have majored in computer science, engineering, economics, business or accounting. A large part of why these occupations are growing is due to the rapid advancement of technology as well as mass globalization.

Jobs that do not offer stable job prospects are usually the ones that could be done cheaper in other countries. This includes low- skill assembly line work like semiconductor processors or textile operators. Also, postal service workers are expected to decrease by 26 percent, making it the fastest shrinking profession in the U.S., according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

that are high in demand.

today’s trend, will continue to grow. Medical

dentists, biomedical engineers, health care-aides and physical therapists. Public demand will increase as the population ages and needs for improved health care.

Technology is growing at an exponentially fast rate. The need for high-level computer experts are in great demand for companies that

All computer related careers are expected to grow faster than average by 2020, according to BLS. For example, software developers will have a 30 percent growth rate from 2010-2020, a much higher growth rate than all other occupations. Furthermore, the advancement of technology will also provide developments in

and more. Entrepreneurs are expected to have an

increased job market, especially technology innovators. According to U.S. News and World Report, entrepreneurs may have the biggest impact in 2020, as it is unpredictable what new ideas will be introduced.

It is important to note that the industry and recruitment processes vary upon factors such as geographic location, size of organization of recruitment and the recruitment’s needs. LSU, for example, has large oil and gas recruitments and hires many from their Engineering and Business colleges. However, a social work graduate may not be recruited as easily due to the different industry.

Jesse Downs, Associate Director of Talent Development of LSU Career Services, describes the importance of researching the process of recruitment and understanding the sources of

candidates. Only 20 percent of jobs are posted; the remaining hires are through networking.

Employers typically look for applicants to

job seekers is that employees jump from job to job. This is a contrast to what the environment was in the previous generation, where one would have only one job.

According to Downs, those who do tend to jump from job to job might be seen negatively

the same expectation and employee loyalty that was apparent in our grandparent’s generation,

The future of jobs is uncertain, as there is no reliable way to predict what new ideas will be presented. Downs explained how to choose

the career choice matches their skills, values,

Recreational parks make comeback in recent years

Bianca ShresthaEditor-in-Chief

By Mahum RiazStaff Writer

equality during a time of segregation laws, Dr. Jeff never established a white playground without building a black playground. In a 1949 issue of the LIFE Magazine, the NORD was

Congratulates New Orleans — Its Children’s Recreation Program Is

In 1949, the NORD provided the public with 91 playgrounds, 32 of which were lit at night, 17 swimming

football stadiums, puppet shows, casting lessons and the Golden Age Club.

Now, however, recreational s tandards have drast ical ly decreased. Swimming pools are

no basic supplies for the summer and no restrooms are available for the public in the NORD.

Lafreniere Park seems to hold a whole new different standard to New Orleans’s parks. With the opening of their latest ‘Spray Park’

above ground spray features and with three water cannons, Lafreniere Park can add to their growing list of facilities.

Furthermore, being the largest park in Metairie, Lafreniere Park provides the public with a 24-hole golf course, the ‘Bark Park,’ the ‘Spray Park,’ Carousel and Picnic

track. With these new additions, the

local community is given more options for more recreational activities.

Samah HammadLafreniere Park is the largest park in Metairie. Facilities include a golf course, ‘Bark Park,’ ‘Spray Park’ and carousel.

I had to pound the pavement to make a buck.

I thought outside of the

box.

My job has yet to be

With summer quickly a p p r o a c h i n g , p a r e n t s a n d children often have the need to look for recreational activities to stay active outdoors.

The Jefferson Parish Department of Parks and Recreation (JPRD) offers a vast variety of recreational activities for adults, teens and children. The JPRD includes alternative programs, athletic programs, senior citizen activities, camps, classes and special events.

is also an option guaranteed to the public.

In 1947, Dr. Morris Jeff, athletic director at Xavier University, established the New Orleans Recreation Department (NORD). Dr. Jeff recognized the importance of keeping young people active and involved, by providing places to play, pools to swim in and a range of free activities. Believing strongly in

Last day for Seniors

May 10

Illustration by Bianca Shrestha

First day of school

August 8

Memorial Day

May 27

Thursday, May 9, 2013 Irish EyesNews2Journalist attends conferenceJournalist of the Year, Eric Sheu,

traveled to San Francisco for the JEA/NSPA Spring Convention on April 24-28.

Executive board announces the student

President; Isabella Cross, Vice President of Student Relations; Alexis Rodriguez, Vice President of School Spirit; Madeline Cross and Clara Fajardo, Treasurers; Stephanie Dix, Secretary; Simin Almassi, Personal Assistant.

Treasurer; Kimberly Dang, Secretary.

Washington, Treasurer; Shanzay Chaudhry, Secretary.

Sophomore board announces class

Secretary.

Dance team announces next year’s

Alvarez, Co-Captain; Shakira Morgan, Co-

StuCo hosts second Summer Bridge

in high school.

LASC workshop held over summer

Key Club recruiting new membersIf you are interested in joining Key Club

next year, see Mr. Tripodo or Ms. Collins.

The Student Council picnic was held on April 6. Members display the “captain’s coming” pose while playing a game called “Ships and Sailors.”

Eric Sheu

Students urged to take precaution against exposure to sun

A serious threat to people’s skin is sunburn. Sunburn is easily avoidable if simple precautions are taken.

their skin exposed to the sun. Sunburns are radiation

is exposed to excessive ultraviolet (UV) rays. UV rays come from the sun, thus providing the name, “sunburn.”

Sunburns have many long and short term effects. Once sunburn occurs, skin turns a reddish color and is

to three days, the skin may

When too much time is spent in the sun, there can

Too much UV can result in skin damage and skin cancer.

of studies being conducted to see if sunscreen plays any part in protecting one’s skin.

sunscreens contain the materials needed to block UVA rays, but people generally look at the SPF number instead of the ingredients. Sunscreens that contain zinc oxide and

chances of not burning.

increase skin cancer risk. UVA rays do not cause sunburn,

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, 90

caused by a lifetime of exposure to UVA rays.

an organic chemical compound that absorbs the UV rays from the sun. Other sunscreens contain a material that

Another thing that buyers look at is the brand of

variety of products that are released. Some products are

sun.

and to limit the time spent in the sun. Try to stay in shaded areas. Someone is bound to get burned if they are exposed to too much sunlight.

Isabella CrossStaff Writer

Seniors represent King at nationals

Tournament in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Sophomore places at State RallySamah Hammad placed second in

Rally held on April 20.

Essay contest winner travels northFreedoms Foundation essay contest

Compiled by Tia BanerjeeCopy Editor

Keeping up with King

Symptoms and treatments of sunburns

Irish Eyes 3News

Jenna BrewtonStaff Writer

Google Glass may change the way we search the internet. Prospective buyers were required to complete an application explaining their interest in the product.

Jessie ChenManaging Editor

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Major Corporations who Support Military Veterans

Walmart

J.C. Penney

JP Morgan Chase

All rights reserved under Creative Commons Public Domain

Infograph by Bianca Shrestha

4 Features Irish EyesThursday, May 9, 2013

Thrift stores appeal to shoppers looking for vintage clothing style

Annual Fine Arts Festival highlights variety of student talent

In recent years thrift shopping has seen a surge in popularity. This is due in part to spending-savvy fashionistas and the country’s current economic crisis.

Thrift shops have always been the place to go when looking for good quality clothes at cheap prices. New Orleans in particular has a large variety of thrift shops. Plato’s Closet, Buffalo Exchange and Funky Monkey are among the most popular. Plato’s Closet specializes in the sale of name brand and young adult apparel. The stores Buffalo Exchange and Funky Monkey lean more towards the sale of vintage clothing.

A unique aspect of certain thrift shops is the consented sale or trade of used clothing for money or other items. Thrift shops that generally do this are Buffalo Exchange and Plato’s Closet. However, whether or not the store decides to buy or

factors. These factors may range from what is in season to how worn the clothing item

appears. Plato’s Closet bases how it buys its clothes on condition, style, and brand. “We look for things that have been in the store for the past year to year in a half with little to no wear and tear on them,” Plato’s Closet manager, Georgia Smith said.

Buffalo Exchange, besides being considered a thrift shop, is also considered a consignment shop. A consignment shop is a store where a person can bring an item to be sold. Once the store sells the item, the original owner gets a portion of

a certain period of time the store has the right to disposes of the item.

Thrift shopping also opens the

clothes. Prominent fashion bloggers like Susie Bubble and Michelle Haswell have cited thrift stores as good places to shop vintage. The clothing that thrift shops may carry can be anything from a 1920’s

boots. Many of the items sold at vintage thrift shops may not be available at stores anymore, thus, offering a truly unique article of clothing.

“We have such a variety of things and it

By Leiana Pineda Staff Writer

they have just certain things. They have this type of denim, these types of shirts. Well, we have it all,” Smith said.

Grace King held its 17th Annual Fine Arts Festival on April 7. The hard work from the Fine Arts program made it a success.

Talented Music teacher Paulina Kocic work with the students to put the festival together. “Fine Arts Festival is annual event, traditionally held on last Sunday in March

said. In previous years, the Fine Arts Festival has exhibited performances by teachers, the Grace King Band and Jazz Band, woodwork and welcomed guests’ participation.

At the recent festival, new performances and groups have been incorporated into the festival. “This year in addition to programs involving music, visual arts, theatre, dance, and poetry, the audience warmly welcomed string orchestra, step dance team, and enjoyed several video productions produced by

said. “We had huge audience and we hope that in the future we will

The 19 students in the program work well together and Kocic is very pleased with this year’s group. The Fine Arts Festival is not a competition like, for example, Irish Idol or Talent Show. It is a festival featuring highly selected student performances

in various disciplines, as explained by Kocic.

Involved and dedicated to the Fine Arts program, junior Emily Hornsby recited her

myself drawn to the arts, to be honest. As a writer

falling in love with the art of

people are off playing sports or doing their thing, I am at home reading and writing. One day I hope to be able to publish a book and have my name

Hornsby takes the things going on in her life and at school into account when she writes her poems. The poem Hornsby performed at the Fine Arts festival was inspired by the popular groups in school. “I’d say lots of things inspire me. For my Fine Arts poem, I was just tired

said. “Even though Grace King isn’t that bad, it seems too many things are

Kocic is hoping for the festival

By Nga NguyenOpinions/Entertainment Editor

Junior Emily Hornsby recites her poem, “Perspective.”

Eric Sheu

and audience to grow in the years to come. The program will continue to rehearse and work hard. “As a main organizer of this event, my vision was that the festival should evolve and grow into an annual event involving broad participation and at the same time maintaining high quality of artistic students’

“The festival is an excellent example and the result of successful and broad cooperation and collaboration of several teachers with the support of staff and administrators including our principal.’’

The program is hoping to expand in the future. “The

and, in general, Fine Arts. It will provide with fantastic

Kocic said.

Magazine Street is lined with unique stores such as the Funky Monkey. The store offers items ranging from handbags to vintage t-shirts.

Tia Banerjee

Eric SheuSelect dancers of Elaine Walker’s Dance class perform “La Esmeralda” at the 17th Annual Fine Arts Festival.

5FeaturesIrish Eyes Thursday, May 9, 2013

Social network sites responsible for decline in mannersBy Stephanie Dix

Staff Writer

With all of the new technology and social networking sites, people are spending more time in front of a screen and less time with one another.

Every generation has its own way of communicating. My grandparents wrote letters, my parents called each other, and we send texts. For example, some people would rather text each other while they are in the same room rather than talking to each other in person.

On top of all of this technology, people are getting caught up in the social networking sites. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube, MySpace, Kik, Vine, Snap Chat, FaceTime and Skype are among the many different types.

Twitter was created in 2006 by Jack Dorsey and is now one of the top 10 most visited websites. When somebody tweets, they only have 140 characters. Does this force people to choose their words more carefully or does it encourage people to write in slang?

Before Facebook, a typical college student would go out to a party and mingle. Facebook started off in 2004 as a social networking site strictly for Harvard students. It slowly expanded to other colleges in Boston and eventually all universities in the United States and Canada. By 2006, those over the age of 13 with an email address owned a Facebook account.

One of the negative aspects about social media is that

it may promote cyber bullying. This may lead to people being less mannered and not knowing how to interact with others.

It seems that we are drowning in so much new technology. Take a look at how many times iPhones have been updated. There are a variety of devices.

Because of the excessive texting and social networking, people, especially adolescents, are growing accustomed to talking and writing slang. For example, it is common to type “4” instead of “for” or “wat” instead of “what.” This may affect adolescents’ writing skills in school or job interviews.

A study from the Pew Research Center showed that 50 percent of teenagers sent more than 50 text messages a day. More than one third of these teens sent more than 100 texts a day.

Some students are not allowed to bring their phones to the dinner table. However, some students do not even eat dinner together with their family.

In social context, people use technology for convenience. However, excessive use may take away from bonding time with close ones. Instead of being attached to your phone, start the conversation with your family the next time you eat dinner together.

Ever-changing “ideal female body” proves impossible to attainBy Tia Banerjee

Copy Editor

The “ideal female body” has gone through many variations throughout the decades.

Previously, a plump woman was

well-fed, and therefore, wealthy. This is apparent in art from the Renaissance and Baroque periods, where women are depicted as plump and curvaceous. During Romanticism, the focus of women in paintings was of their hips and bust.

the idea of a traditional woman, sported

curvy women like Marilyn Monroe rising to fame. In the 1960s, Leslie Hornby, popularly known as “Twiggy,” made thin

Now a slimmer, more athletic body is commonly desired. “It is surprising that even with all of women’s achievements, they are still primarily judged on their physical appearance and how well they measure up to the current thin and beautiful ideal,” Laura Choate, Associate Professor in Counselor Education at LSU, said.

The ever-changing ideal shape for

Illustration by Bianca Shrestha

Illustration by Sabra Burge

2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5

Thinnest Fattest

Women’s ideal What women believed men

preferred

What men actually preferred

Women’s current body

image

Illustration by Bianca Shrestha

According to a study of nearly 500 University of Pennsylvania students, many women idealize a thinner body and misunderstand what men perceive as the “ideal female body.”

Infograph by Eric Sheu and Bianca Shrestha

Perceptions of “ideal body” vs current image

women can be attributed to the media, as well as the fashion and makeup industry. “If girls and women ever learned to accept themselves as they are, if they learned to be

then the fashion, makeup, diet, anti aging industries would be in great peril,” Choate said.

the “ideal body” is. In the 80s, Kate Moss was a star. She was thin and bony, with an emaciated look. This soon became

popular. The curvy shape came back to popularity in the early 2000s when women like Tyra Banks and Jennifer Lopez rose to fame. Today, women are expected to be thin and muscled, yet curvy with full hips, busts and back sides at the same time. This shape, however, is impossible to attain for a majority of women.

Trying to lose weight to reach the “ideal body” can often lead to eating disorders. Eating disorders are common in western cultures and almost nonexistent

in eastern cultures.Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder

where a healthy person, usually an adolescent female, feels fat and wants to lose weight. A person with this disorder

percent or more, yet still feel the need to lose weight.

Bulimia nervosa is a disorder where a person repeatedly engages in binge-eating, followed by vomiting or excessive exercise to avoid weight gain.

Depression can also result from trying to reach impossible shape. “Girls who compare themselves to the thin ideal can

self-esteem, dieting, falling off the diet/binge eating, feeling even worse about themselves, and the cycle continues,” Choate said.

Women are held to higher standards today than previously. Growing up, girls are expected to and strive to have good grades, be good at sports and have romantic relationships, all while going through puberty and trying to reach the “ideal body.” At the same time, girls are being encouraged to embrace their shape by companies like Dove and loveyourbody.org. With these contrasting views, it is impossible to tell what the “ideal female body” will be in the future.

Jamie, stop playing with your dinner!

Jamie, stop Instagramming your

dinner!

6 SpotlightIrish EyesThursday, May 9, 2013 7Irish Eyes

Bianca ShresthaEditor-in-Chief

Tia BanerjeeCopy Editor

Chase and

Most people associate cutting edge start-ups in cities like San Francisco, Seattle and New York City. New Orleans has been known as a vibrant city with creative people. Idea Village strives to harness innovative minds and utilize it to the city’s economic success.

Write your crazy ideas here:

Moving the idea forward

Impact on the city

Story behind the idea

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Leiana PinedaSenior Staff

Photos by Bianca Shrestha and Tia Banerjee

Cody Cross

Sport: BaseballPosition: Pitcher

Grade: JuniorFavorite Athlete: Robinson Cano

Favorite Food: Fruit Roll UpsFavorite Class: Spanish

Favorite Musical Artist: Jason Aldean

8 SportsThursday, May 9, 2013 Irish Eyes

Players of the MonthBy Mahum Riaz

Staff Writer

Soccer players stay active during the offseason

By Rhonisha Ridgeway and Samah HammadStaff Writer and Sports Editor

“To lead the evolution of youth soccer in the United States” is the Mission Statement that the Chicago Fire Juniors live by.

The Chicago Fire Juniors is a youth soccer team established in 2004, and is also a part of the Chicago Fire Major League Soccer Player Development Program. They are the only professionally based youth soccer club in the United States.

Abdelaziz, both play for Chicago Fire Juniors. Abdelaziz has been playing for Chicago Fire Juniors for 10 years and

Grace King’s Varsity soccer team. Chicago Fire has had results in the

top states’ leagues, regional leagues, and national leagues. Locally they play at Lafreniere Park, but they are also a travel team. The team goes to places like Virginia, Tennessee and Alabama.

make it to Nationals.Abdelaziz explains that there are

three levels for the Chicago Fire Juniors; Regional Premier League, Pep Premier

and Competitive One. Abdelaziz has been promoted to the Regional Premier.

blessing.”Toro expresses that playing for Grace

King is less competitive than playing for Chicago Fire Juniors because it mainly focuses on representing the school.

from private schools around the area, such as Brother Martin and Jesuit. Being the youngest on the team, Toro

the Chicago Fire team. “I feel closer to

Abdelaziz feels that he is closer to the players in school than the players on the Chicago Juniors. Furthermore, he

in school as being stronger because they are more like him.

playing on the team. “It’s more than just a soccer team, you have to look at it as

very structured, providing goalie coaches and sessions.

“You have to really maintain yourself,” Abdelaziz said.

Areion Phipps

Sport: Track and FieldEvent: Discus, Shot PutGrade: JuniorFavortie Athlete: Michael JordanFavorite Food: Seafood Pasta

Favorite Class: Talented ArtFavorite Musical Artist: Ne-yo

“She is a consistent team player and can be counted on to perform to the best of her abilities with the best of

competition.” - Coach Roberto Furtado

“Very talented player who comes ready to play.”

- Coach Bobby Ledoux

Juniors Hisham Abdelaziz and Nestor Peralto compete in the Chicago Fire Major League Soccer Player Development Program. Abdelaziz is the captain for the Fighting Irish.

Courtesy of Nestor Peralto

SportsIrish Eyes Thursday, May 9, 2013 9

Tia Banerjee

Copy Editor

Taking a Dive with Tia

Energy drink abuse linked to health complicationsBy Linda LinBusiness Manager

Summer is coming up, and I would like to share a few words of advice.

get boring by July. Last summer, however, I managed to prevent this seemingly inevitable feeling. How? I had a concrete schedule nearly everyday.

Every morning, Monday through Friday, I had swim practice, which was followed by a workout and then work. Sometimes this was followed by a second swim or workout.

Now, I do not suggest getting up at the crack of dawn and jumping into cold water, but stay active. Join a summer league. Make friends with someone who has a pool or goes to the park often. Physical activity is important, especially now that there will be time to do it. You do not want to be a couch potato. Or maybe you do; however, being active will prevent boredom, even if only temporarily.

It is just as important to relax. Personally, I work hard during the school year and need time to recover. I know this is true for those who also do sports and other extracurricular. Recovery time from sports is important for anyone who plays

major muscles, reducing pain. Wearing sunblock, though highly

underrated, is also crucial. With temperatures being 90 degrees and above in New Orleans, one is more prone to being sunburned. While I myself have never been sunburned, I know it is far from pleasant, so I suggest doing all you

our article on the effects of sunburn and importance of sunblock.

Another thing I can not stress enough is to stay hydrated. Because of the hot weather, you are prone to sweat more, especially if you play sports outside. It is vital to drink water to compensate for this

do not want to pass out of suffer from the other effect of dehydration. Believe me, it is no fun.

I look forward to seeing you all next year. But in the meantime, be active. Relax. Train hard. Stay hydrated. Most importantly, enjoy your summer.

FIFA implements damage control after latest scandal

Although the manufacturers claim that energy drinks can improve your endurance and performance, many health experts claim that any boost you get from drinking them is solely from the sugar and caffeine.

Caffeine works by blocking the effects of adenosine, a brain chemical involved with sleep. When caffeine blocks adenosine, it causes neurons in the brain

emergency, the pituitary gland initiates

by releasing adrenaline. This hormone makes the heart beat faster and the eyes dilate. It also causes the liver to release extra sugar into the blood for energy. All of these physical responses make you feel as though you have more energy.

Caffeine is also a diuretic, which can

body. Drinking a energy drink high in caffeine while you are exercising can be particularly dangerous. The combination of the diuretic effect and sweating can severely dehydrate you.

According to the American Heart Association, the average teenager consumes 34 teaspoons of sugar a day. That is more than three times the amount of sugar we should be consuming. The sugar we take in comes from many sources.

However, a majority of it comes from sugar loaded drinks such as soft drinks, sports drinks and energy drinks. Sugar-loaded drinks deliver a quick rush of sugars to your body, which over time can lead to insulin resistance and

much sugar can lead to type 2 diabetes. Performance enhancing drinks also

may also contain a large amount of sodium, which when taken in large amount, will harm one’s overall health. Too much sodium can lead to dehydration, cardiovascular disease and cerebral hemorrhage.

Abusing energy drinks may lead to severe consequences. In November, a government report linked soldiers’ consumption of energy drinks to sleep deprivation. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration received reports of 13 deaths over the past four years in which 5-Hour Energy may have played a part.

It has been clinically proven that energy drinks will improve one’s performance. Still, an overdose may lead to health implications, such as nervous

in some cases, death.

By Samah HammadSports Editor

Honorary president, Joao Havelange, has recently resigned from the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) as a result of being the center of bribery allegations.

FIFA has always had an ongoing suspicion of ethics violations such as

Europol’s 18-month investigation has discovered evidence against more than 680 soccer matches, including World

matches.The FIFA World Cup, the world’s

most widely viewed sporting event, is an international soccer competition that takes place every four years in different countries. This competition involves 32 men’s national teams competing in

leads up to the month of the World Cup Finals.

The 22 members of FIFA’s Executive Committee vote on the World Cup host several years prior to the event. In 2010, Russia and Qatar were named the 2018 and 2022 World Cup hosts.

Prior to the announcement, FIFA

members, Reynald Temarii and Amos

offered their votes in exchange for money. After much controversy and a large investigation, both members were

bribery. Junior Alejandro Sevilla hoped that

the United States would be the 2018 World Cup host.

“Fans around the world would feel robbed by their homeland having the possibility to host the World

Other accusations were also brought up against the Qatar and Spain-Portugal bids for agreeing to vote for each other, but that was cleared by the ethics panel. President of FIFA, Sepp Blatter has denied any crisis and urged the fan base not to worry.

Fans continuously lose trust in FIFA,

damage to the soccer body’s reputation. Sophomore, Carlos Fajardo, expresses his disapproval with the allegations.

“It’s one of those things where two people can just ruin the whole image of

And the winners are... Qatar and

Russia!

Go Russia!

Illustration by Samah Hammad

Statistics compiled from Consumer Reports

What is in your sports drink?

OpinionsThursday, May 9, 2013 10 Irish Eyes

Students encouraged to have greater consideration for othersYou may think you know a person based on how they act in school or around friends.

However, you may not always know the whole story. Instead of jumping to conclusions because of what one person says about another, take

other factors into consideration. We as humans tend to overestimate personal dispositions and underestimate the situation. This is called the fundamental attribution error.

There are many rumors surrounding recent tragedies at Grace King, but it is safe to assume that people did not know the entire story.

You never know someone until you have walked a mile in their shoes. Would you want someone to judge you based on the snapshot they see? You probably see them for less than second, yet many judgements are formed. Consider, a person may appear happy on the outside, but in reality, they could be hiding the pain.

Teens often complain teachers and parents do not understand them. While that may be true in some ways, we must take into consideration how we make the effort to understand each other. They are quick to judge us, but how often do we take the time to understand each other?

When you see students walking down the hallway, try to reserve judgement. No one likes to be judged. Next time, do not just make random assumptions about the nature of someone’s personality based solely on their appearance. Be more open and kind; you do not know their story. Perhaps we may never know the entire story, even those who we believe we are close to.

For instance, many homeless people live on the streets of inner cities. The majority of the time, bystanders do not take the time to learn their story. Instead they just go with the assumption that they are drug addicts, alcoholics, gamblers or plain “bums.” However, there are several people who are driven homeless due economic circumstances beyond their control. They struggle to earn a few bucks to get housing or even get a meal. Also, many people make the comment “get a job” to the homeless without taking in account of their conditions. When the homeless person does make the effort to secure a job, he or

are largely based on looks. A student from a transient home life experiences hardships in school. Others may

believe that based off the way he or she dresses, that student is unhygienic. How do we

that the student may be moving away soon? How do we know that that student may just be having a bad day? Unless we personally know the student, we do not know the answer to any of these questions.

Student leaves Grace King with fond memories

Irish Eyes journalism experience

Senior StaffEric Sheu

Leiana Pineda

Editor-in-ChiefBianca Shrestha

Managing EditorJessie Chen

Copy EditorTia Banerjee

Business ManagerLinda Lin

Layout Editors Hamna Sial

Shanzay Chaudhry

Sports EditorSamah Hammad

Opinions/Entertainment EditorNga Nguyen

StaffwritersJenna BrewtonStephanie DixIsabella CrossMahum Riaz

Rhonisha Ridgeway

AdviserThomas Curran

Irish EyesVolume 45 No. 6

Irish Eyes is a monthly publication in conjunction with the journalism program at Grace King High School. It is a member of the Quill and Scroll Jour-nalism Honor Society, the Columbia Scholastic Press Association, American Scholastic Press Association, National Scholastic Press Association and the Louisiana Scholastic Press Associa-tion. Letters to the Editor are welcome and should be submitted to room 210.Irish Eyes reserves the right to edit any submissions. The views expressed in columns are those of the columnists. The views expressed in the editorial are those of the Editorial Board.

Bianca’s Thought Bubble

Bianca Shrestha

Editor-in-Chief

I joined the Irish Eyes newspaper with the goal of becoming more involved in my school and having a voice in student opinion. Over the past two years, I learned that there is much more. As I became more exposed to different types of journalism, I grew to appreciate news reporting. During my sophomore year, my adviser taught me the ethics of journalism such as how to properly conduct

an interview and communicate with people in order to receive accurate information. I

It explored the assimilation of Muslim students to American life. I learned new things about another culture and I enjoyed hearing other people’s experiences and reporting them to the school. As I began my junior year as Managing Editor of the paper, I did not know what to expect. Still, I was determined for a great year of issues. I just returned from the 2012 Washington Journalism Media Conference where I had the opportunity to meet a wide range of journalists and hear their life stories. I believe we published some of our best issues this year and I only hope to continue our success. I owe some of this success to my experience. I think the most memorable interview was when I was assigned a story about one student’s cultural background and life story. She was a Honduran who converted to Islam. She made me realize a new purpose in journalism. It was up to me to report her story to the student population.

I actually felt important and not just a staff writer researching facts. Another fond experience was when I had the opportunity to go downtown for an entertainment piece on the Food

Williams Festival. With the help of my editor, I learned to capture several vibrant photographs. I got to experience the festival as a real journalist, not just a participant. I think this experience taught me that journalism can take you to unexpected locations and that it can be fun. Nevertheless, newspaper can be very stressful. There are many times where I

of another staff member’s job sometimes having to redo the entire story. However, I do not regret joining newspaper at all. I do not regret the hours spent after school working on the newspaper. When I see the product of all the hours of labor, I get a feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment. Indeed, I believe the outcome certainly outweighs the cost.

Linsanity

Saying goodbye is a hard thing to do, especially, when you are leaving the people that have made you who you are today.

For those that do not know just yet,

received this news, I came to a realization that I would not be able to graduate with my class. Those who do not know me

may think that it is not a big deal, but it is. My friends are very dear to me. I have bonded with many of them, since I went to middle school with the majority of them. Realizing that I would not be able to graduate with these friends, made me upset. I can only think of the things and people that I will be leaving behind and the memory making moments that I will miss out on.

A big part of my high school career has been Student Council. Being a board member for three years, I have befriended many fellow board members. Many of my memories will come from here. I will

freshmen year. I will always remember spelling “sophomore” backwards at last year’s Winter Pep Rally. Junior year had its ups and downs, but I will always remember the great time I had planning and attending Junior Prom. To all my fellow board members, thank you so much for making these amazing memories with me.

This school year, I found something that I have been searching for 18 years, my passion. In my last column, I spoke of my love for violin. The orchestra has become a big part of my junior year. It may be due to the fact that it is a small class, but I have discovered a special bond between the class, the student and myself. We take the ups and downs all together as a whole. The orchestra and its members are like a third family to me, junior board members being second.

Of course, there is a chance that I may not be moving. However, I do not want to leave without bidding my farewells and wishing you guys the best of luck for the upcoming school year. I would like to take this moment to thank all of you for making

cherish the memories I have made here at Grace King with you guys. To my fellow junior classmates, take pride in what we have been through and have faith in what we will do. So, best of luck and may the force be with you.

Illustration by Bianca Shrestha

Linda Lin

BusinessManager

Does he even

wash his clothes?

Go pack up your stuff

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‘‘‘‘

OpinionsIrish Eyes 11

Letters to the Editor

Thursday, May 9, 2013

What is the most pointless college major and why?

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Fine Arts, because the salary is low and unemployment rate is high. ‘‘

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SpeakOut

never thought I would be the person that I am today. I am involved in school while maintaining good grades. Joining school clubs really does change a person.

Clara Fajardo, sophomore

As a senior that has been in this school for four years, it is hard to not have any regrets. The reason for this is simple. Grace King has had so much to offer that I regret not getting even more involved. At the same time, God has given me some awesome athletic abilities that have helped me be successful in the sports I was a part of. But success can be easily forgotten, and the awesome things that remain are the unforgettable memories and friendships made. There are people who I have been given the privilege to not just lead in a sport, but to call family and feel strengthened by. Grace King has been a life changing place. I am proud to have called home.

Angello Medina-Perez, senior

Future graduate offers advice to underclassmen

letter to the editor. Before I graduate there are a few suggestions I would like to give to the future seniors. Get involved with the school every chance you get, do not regret it later. Attend all of the pep rallies, you have worked so hard to be on the senior bleachers and turn around to look at the freshmen. Try not to get early release; senior year is the best year. Why would anyone want to skip out on parts of it?

I would still like to thank all of the teachers, counselors and administers. Without you we would not have had the best four years of our life. So thank you for all that you do for us.

Senior year has been the best year of high school. I would not want to change any moment of it. We are all going our own ways after graduation, but the memories we have together will not fade. We will bring those memories with us on our way to success. I am proud be part of the Grace King’s 2013 graduating class.

Di Chen, senior

2013 graduate gives special shout out to friend To start off, it was an amazing journey throughout

these past four years with all of you. I will always cherish the memories we have made. It has been so rewarding watching everyone grow and mature from freshman to seniors; now get ready for a real journey to endeavor in life. I wish each one of you a lifetime of laughter, good health, and great success. This is just the beginning. There is so much more out there for you.

I would also like to give a special shout out to my main squeeze, Eric Sheu. Thank you for always being there for me; you are amazing and I am so proud of the person you are. We never have a dull moment when we are together. You always know what to say and I love how we can laugh uncontrollably for hours over anything and everything. Even though we are going our separate ways for college, you are always going to be my best friend. I love you!

Stephanie Duong, senior

My name is Alba Perez and I am a proud senior at Grace King. I came to Grace King my sophomore year and I am so thankful I did. Many times, I stop myself and I say “I wish I had one more year to stay here.”

Burst and Mr. Curran knew me. I used to spend my lunch in one corner where no one paid attention to me. A few days later, I met Mr. Solo. Ms. Burst and Mr. Solo helped me to open doors to new opportunities.

This year, I served as the Secretary of Executive Board, President of the Latin American Student Association, Parliamentarian of National Honor Society, and a member of the 4-H Helping Hands. Also, I won 2012-2013 Miss Grace King. None of this would have ever happened without the help of Ms. Burst and Mr. Solo. They have been my two angels always guiding me in the right direction to success. They have always been there for me and were very patient. I am so grateful for having them in my life.

At Grace King, I also had the pleasure of meeting other people that I will always remember and carry with me in my heart. These include people like Ms. Griffon, Mr. Rufus, Ms. Donna and many more. I also want to give a special thanks to all my teachers who always helped me in anything I needed.

Alba Perez, senior

Senior Class President wishes farewell to schoolIn a few days I will be graduating high school. Wow,

this is the end of my high school career. Even though I am excited to be attending LSU in the fall, there are bittersweet feelings for leaving Grace King. The

stick with me and I will surely miss my time at this school. Throughout all my four years at Grace King, I am happy to be able to attend a school so diverse such as King which allowed me to meet new friends and create wonderful connections with teachers. As your 2013 senior class president I enjoyed being part of my class and would like to congratulate all the seniors this year. I wish all of you luck on your future endeavors and hope that you all succeed in what you want to accomplish. To current underclassmen, I wish you luck on your remaining years at Grace King and that you will strive for nothing but excellence.

Karina Shareen, senior

Sophomore thankful for joining new activitiesI have come to realize that I am going to be a junior

next year. The thought of being halfway done through high school is quite exciting. Looking back on my freshman year, I was not involved in any club or sport. I was just part of the crowd. I wanted to stand out and be more involved so I decided to join school clubs. That was the best decision I have made. Towards the end of my freshman year, I got accepted to be on Executive Board. That is when everything changed. Now as a Sophomore, I am a member of Executive Board, NHS, LASA and Key Club. Next year, I am going to be your Student Body Treasurer. Looking back to my freshman year, I

and raised there until the age of six. Even though Palestine is not a recognized country in the United Nations (UN), it is still the heart of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. For centuries, the people of all religions have lived together peacefully.

After World War II, the UN illegally cut out 55 percent of Palestine and gave it to the Jewish immigrants, naming it Israel. This caused war between the Palestinians and Israelis, ending with over 500 villages being obliterated.

The two nations have been continuously

Palestine is its own territory, Israeli forces continue to control its borders. Over 10,000 Palestinians are held in Israeli prisons, one of those being my cousin. He was recently released to Gaza last year, where

Palestinians are often strip searched and beaten.

My hometown is in the West Bank. I have to go through checkpoints almost everywhere I go. Striving for a better life without violence, my family left Palestine about 10 years ago. However, I get the chance to visit my beautiful homeland almost every summer.

In the summer of 2012, as I was outside enjoying a barbeque with my family, Israeli soldiers threw a tear gas grenade in the city square and drove off. Tear gas irritates the eyes, nose and mouth causing repetitive coughing and stinging in the eyes.

Even though attacks like this happen daily, I would love to live in Palestine. Sometimes I feel like I am in danger, but the beautiful culture and landscape are worth

For decades, the holy land of Palestine, or some of you may know it as Israel, has

the place I call home.

Straight talk with Samah

Samah Hammad

Sports Editor

Art History, you have to be famous to actually get money.‘‘

‘‘‘‘

to be famous to actually

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to be famous to actually

AlexKorominassenior

FideliaCruzsenior

AizazAhmadsenior

Anawin Kitpowsong

senior

DarrienDeGrushasenior

Business, because people do not care if you have that degree.

Dance, because it is not a lasting career.

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‘‘‘‘Architecture, because it is hard to

Thursday, May 9, 2013 Entertainment12 Irish Eyes

Irish Illustrations: Progression of summer unravels boredomIllustrated by Jessie Chen

Compiled by: Nga Nguyen

Still

Lindsay Lohan

Edward FurlongBritney Spears

Macaulay Culkin

Aaron Carter

Work: The Parent Trap (1998), Freaky Friday (2003), Mean Girls (2004)Legal troubles: May 26, 2007 - Cocaine possession and second DUI“She used to be cute and lovable-just a regular tennage girl, but now she is just a hot mess. ”

Jade Hays, sophomore

Work: Terminator (1984) Legal troubles: Dec. 12, 2012 - Second domestic violence“He was a really good actor and I was surprised with all of his legal problems. He does not seem like that kind of guy.”

Brian Martinez, junior

Work: Aaron’s Party (Come and Get It) (2000) sold over 1.5 million albumsLegal troubles: Feb. 21, 2008 - Speeding and drug possession“He was so hot, it upsets to know what happened to him.”

Thourya Al-Madhrahi, senior

Work: Home Alone 1 (1990), Home Alone 2 (1992)Legal troubles: Sept. 17, 2004 - Drug possession“I used to think that Macaulay Culkin was such a good actor and when I found out he did drugs I felt very disappointed.”

Acharee Apipanyakul, junior

Work: ...Baby One More Time (1999), Oops!... I did it again (2000)Legal troubles: Feb. 2007- stayed in a drug rehabilitation facility“When I was younger, I liked her music a lot. She seemed real and then her crisis just ruined the image I had of her.”

Michelle Ahumada, sophomore

Where is the point in

life?

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