THEODORE ROOSEVELT HIGH SCHOOL 1 — Friday, March 1, 2019 4301 13th St., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20011 Vol. 1 No. 2 Social Media MAKING A SPLASH causes social problems Administrators suggest using it as a tool for personal betterment BY DASEAN DIXON Times Staff Reporter Social media for teens can be provoc- ative and distracting. In the fall students experienced some online bullying via Instagram, sparking multiple altercations and suspensions. Assistant Principal Darryl Powell report- ed the content to the School Resource Offi- cer, a member of D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department, which led to an investigation. CANDACE BOND/Riders’ Times Ashley Outlaw, one of our hard-working Roosevelt has a comprehensive swim program for the first time this year, which includes swim classes during the school day, lifeguard training, and swim team. Joshua Carroll competed on the team in the 50m freestyle and the 50m backstroke. custodians, suggested for us all to report the STORY ON PAGE 8 page and the page would then be terminated. Perhaps the bigger issue is that no stu- dent wants to be the target of public insults. “Someone who uses social media to belit- tle another is wrong,” Assistant Principal PARCC testing judges school, not students Tawana Alston said. BY SYMONE ADAMS That is just fine with Sniya Adams, a 3-11 and “mandatory for all students in Our AP’s have been working on not only Times Staff Reporter junior. “Students shouldn’t get graded on algebra, geometry, English 1 and 2, and taking the page down, but they are also the test because if you fail one test you biology,” Mr. H-B said. trying to change the climate in which this We are going into that time of year shouldn’t get a failing grade,” Adams said. The D.C.’s State Board of Education grows. “Pages like this come from students when the only thing teachers and admin- Joshua Hurley-Bruno (Mr. H-B), the website says that eligible students are who don’t have a voice,” AP Darryl Pow- istrators talk about is PARCC. But what testing coordinator at Roosevelt this year, required to take it, but “there is no legis- ell said. To maintain a peaceful school he does PARCC really mean to students? said PARCC has a number of purposes: lation banning parents from opting out of wants to “make sure every student has a What do students think about it? “One is to inform students of their level of statewide assessments.” The penalty for voice.” Students don’t get graded on how they preparation for college and career, two is staying home is unexcused absences. Assistant Principal Simone Wilkinson do on the PARCC testing. It’s supposed to to help teachers reflect on their effective- For the last two years, the overwhelming explained that students, like other Amer- be the most important test of the year even ness, three is to help the district examine majority of Roosevelt students received a icans, have freedom of speech. They can though it has no effect on any final grade their policies.” 1 or a 2 on their PARCC exam, whereas See SOCIAL MEDIA, Page 3 students receive from the school. PARCC is taken every year in grades See PARCC, Page 2 Students give Organizations want to improve school lunch their school 3.5 in BY NAIDELIN SANCHEZ-LOPEZ Times Staff Reporter response to DCPS’s Many students complain about the “one-star” rating school lunch, so Riders’ Times tracked down some people who are working to BY ZANNAT FARIA, DAVID NEAU, LUIS make it better to find out how menus are ESPINAL, TONY WILLIAMS, JR. Times Staff Reporter planned and what students can do to help make change. DCPS introduced a school rating system Freshman Letitia Ozuna said she and Roosevelt scored one star out of five. usually brings her own food from home However, 42 students responded in a sur- because she doesn’t like many of the vey, giving their school closer to four out of things they make. “But some things are five stars. better than others,” she says. “The pizza The DCPS rating is based off of five cate- is my favorite. I like the rice. I like the gories, but we received a ‘one’ mainly due to chicken ok.” our test scores. No one at Roosevelt received Kids from International Academy say the top PARCC score in either English or the food that is served is unfamiliar. “I math in 2017. don’t like it because it’s not Latin food. It NGONEH BAH/Riders’ Times The only schools to get five stars were would be better if it were Latin food,” said Complaints about the school lunch are loud and long, but DC Greens is working with DCPS to get students’ voices heard. They want feedback. They want taste-testers. They say they actually want us See , Page See , Page RATING 4 LUNCH 2 to enjoy their food. FEATURES................ 7 SPORTS.................... 8 Changes in the school go beyond Boys and girls Indoor Track and the new classrooms and equipment. Field teams won big in citywide Roosevelt has had six principals in the last championships. 10 years, including Ivor Mitchell, who as Dr. D said, “did not play no games. There MUSIC.......................5 were no students in the hallway and the Missing marching band and lack students who did not realize or find their of an integrated music program purpose would see the front door.” frustrates teachers and students. 2 — Friday, March 1, 2019 News The Riders’ Times O’Leary calls for equity in school funding Staff writers Juana Lazo-Urias Alphonso Avery Outlines priorities in exclusive interview with Riders’ Times Symone Adams Tyrone Leach Ngoneh Bah Quinton Little Khiem Cam BY JAMIR MADDEN technology to all students. New buildings are Daynah Anderson Jamir Madden Tre’von Davis Times Staff Reporter really nice but in 2018, there are still many stu- Brayan Andrade Angela Martinez Carlos Escobar dents who are not playing on a level field when Judah Audrey Jay Matthews, II Alajah Henderson Frazier O’Leary won the Ward 4 State it comes to technology,” O’Leary said. Simmeone Barnes Juliana Miranda Juana Lazo-Urias Board Of Education (SBOE) seat after a O’Leary acquired a vast amount of teach- Jeremiah Battle David Neau Makihya Parker lengthy and tough election in November. ing experience that started at Garnet Patterson Marllin Benitez Makihya Parker Luis Quevedo Entering in the election late, O’Leary pre- Junior High in 1971 and ended up leaving Patrice Buchanan Jaela Riddick Myles Thomas vailed. “I was the last candidate to enter the and transferring in 1977 to Cardozo which he Kesean Bullock Naidelin Sanchez-Lo- Anthony Zelaya-Rivas election with no money, and managed to pay retired in 2017(47 years). In Cardozo O’leary Kyra Collins pez all the bills,” he said in an interview. balanced teaching English and helping stu- Reiyanna Davis Shayla Stockton According to DCIST O’Leary took a lead dents in the classroom while also coaching Dasean Dixon Advisers Ayah Truth in the election with 47 percent of the vote, baseball. Luis Espinal Candace Bond Tony Williams, Jr. beating out three other candidates. The other Before this election O’Leary said he never Zannat Faria Emily Gomez three candidates were Rhonda Henderson, ran for anything. It was his first time running Lania Hart Kandance Johnson Elani Lawrence, and Ryan Tauriainen. around passing out flyers and making school Alajah Henderson Design Erica Rambus SBOE is an executive branch independent appearances. “I gathered great input from the Morgan Hicks Shane Achenbach Mary Stapp agency of the D.C. government which pro- community,” he said. Jewel Joyner Photographers vides advocacy and policy guidance to DCPS. Now that O’Leary is on the SBOE, he is Fajr Kelly Jahara Abubaker One of O’Leary’s first things he will address advocating for the community to be more on the SBOE is making sure the funding is involved in the next election and attend the This is Issue Two of Volume [email protected]. distributed and spent equally. “Of all of these meetings. “A way the community can be One, Riders’ Times publications in In the American tradition of a free, very important issues, I think funding equity involved is to come to the community meet- SY 2018/19. Please contact us at strong, and independent press, our is the most important, There is no reason that ings that are held. However no one attends,” [email protected] if you mission is to provide an accurate a city with a budget surplus cannot provide O’Leary said. have any information about volume representation of events, and the numbers, past issues, or historical diverse views and interests of the information. students. Tenth grade students in Kandance Advertising and subscription IA students showcase English Johnson’s English class wrote rates are available by emailing stories of their own choosing, [email protected]. without administrative prior Costs for the printing of this issue skills in midyear presentations review, at Theodore Roosevelt were generously covered by Jane High School 4301 13th Street Doran, and the wonderful color BY PATRICE BUCHANAN presentations. I think that for any student, it NW, D.C., 20011. We welcome all upgrade was paid for by Special Times Staff Reporter is difficult to stand in front of your peers and student contributions of articles, Education Teacher, Dr. Shelley in front of strangers,” Sherman said, “and I photographs, graphics, etc. Please Hawkins. Thank you! International Academy seniors presented am proud that the students had presented so send any correspondence to their experience at Roosevelt and how it much confidence and vulnerability during impacted their lives in late January.