D.C. Health Department #Showoff Program Creates Ways for Teens to Pursue Passions Bezawit Tefera Photos Top Left and Right Courtesy of #Showoff Young D.C

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In this issue News 1–3 Lifestyle 4–5 Summer reading lists Entertainment 6–7 Slammin’ – include lots of genres, Sports 9 YDC checks out lots of ideas Viewpoints 10 Annual Reader Survey 11 teen poets p. 6 On the Street 12 p. 7

Volume 23 • Number 3 • Summer 2014 D.C. health department #ShowOff program creates ways for teens to pursue passions Bezawit Tefera Photos top left and right courtesy of #ShowOff Young D.C. Photo bottom left by YDC Top left, 2013-2014 #ShowOff ambassadors in front of mural Footsteps outside of the Right, #ShowOff mural by artist Cita Sadeli (Che Love) on Georgia Avenue, NW, in Petworth neighborhood of D.C. is based YDC newsroom along with the on ideas brainstormed by ShowOff ambassadors Bottom, ambassador Thayla Contreras and YDC reporter Bezawit Tefera meet up chatter of two voices an- in the YDC newsroom. nounced their arrival. The footsteps got closer until two people walk in. Thalya Contreras, a girl with long curly brown hair who looked like she was in high school, walked in followed by Cherri Sinclair, a woman dressed in professional clothing. Contre- ras is one of the ambassadors from #ShowOff, and cial media, events and a It can take you to millions of places,” Con- Sinclair is the massive mural that was treras said. YDC asked what she offers woman from Oc- designed and created #ShowOff and how it helps her. Contreras tane Public Rela- with the help of the Sho- said, “I see myself differently, I want to use tions/Advertising, wOff ambassadors.” the advantage my parents gave me to make which is helping Contreras, 15, a them proud,” #ShowOff. sophomore at Capital Based on what was seen when Contre- D.C. Department of Health tasked Oc- City Public Charter School in D.C., is one ras visited, YDC concludes that the teens tane Public Relation Advertising with a of several ShowOff ambassadors, 2013- that attend ShowOff probably love it. Con- campaign to empower D.C. youth to make 2014. She told YDC, “The main focus of treras said she plans to stay with ShowOff independent decisions about their health ShowOff is to encourage kids about not be- for as long as she can. YDC asked what she and wellbeing. Octane’s website says, ing afraid to show off your talent no matter plans to do there, she replied, “I will do “ShowOff is a youth social marketing cam- the circumstances.” what I love.” paign that inspires D.C. youth to share their On the days that she attends ShowOff, Contreras is able to do the thing she is most Bezawit Tefera, 14, is a rising sophomore at the dreams, talents, friendships, and personal Parkmont School in the District of Columbia. style through social media. Octane uses so- interested in. “Reading, I like to read books. News t Young D.C. t Summer 2014 Inside a D.C. play desert Rossie Cottom Young D.C. According to American Academy of Pediatrics, toddlers need at least 60 minutes of Young D.C. is an independent newspaper written by and activity per day. Paradise Manor in Northeast D.C. is a series of three-story apartment build- about metropolitan area teens. Address correspondence to: ings arranged around courts. Tenants, many families headed by a single mother living in Young D.C. poverty, may receive subsidies from Section 8 of the U. S. Housing Act to help rent from its 1904 18th Street, NW Unit B private owner. The Paradise neighborhood has a lot of kids, but not many places for them to Washington, D.C. 20009-1707 play. Kids play in trees, use other kids toys, and run around out of control. Parents seem to tel: 202.232.5300 fax: 202.232.5306 think they are safe because they know most of the other kids that live nearby. These kids are www.youngdc.org under the age of 10 and playing in trees. When people tell them to stop playing in a tree Copyright. All rights reserved. before they hurt themselves, they climb down but go do something else that’s not safe. Before 2012, there were two major playgrounds in the middle of Paradise, where Managing Editor: Emily Yang, Winston Churchill HS (Md.) many kids safely played. Parents could sit down on benches and watch their kids around the Web Editor: Peter Berg, The Lab School of Washington (D.C.) playground. YDC talked to a representative of Paradise management who said they took Reporters: Jenae Addison, Clarksburg HS (Md.); Chloe Ashford, down these two playgrounds because of safety issues. The playground had safety issues School Without Walls (D.C.); Gary Barnhart, Cesar Chavez PCS for because it was up for a very long time and it was falling apart. Instead of replacing the bro- Public Policy/Parkside (D.C.); Sparkle Campbell, Cesar Chavez PCS ken parts, they just took down the whole playground. for Public Policy/Capitol Hill (D.C.); Rossie Cottom, Cesar Chavez There are other playgrounds but kids have to go to other courts to play on them. If the PCS for Public Policy/Parkside (D.C.); Alex Greenhill, Brehm School owner of Paradise rebuilds a better playground, kids would have somewhere to play and (Ill.), Class of 2012 (D.C.); Damali Hall, Trinity University (D.C.); parents can watch them to keep them out of trouble. Michael-Ann Henderson, Cesar Chavez PCS for Public Policy/Park- There is an organization called Kaboom that develops playgrounds for communities. side (D.C.); Zame Johnson, homeschooled (D.C.), Samantha Joseph, Kaboom builds playgrounds in places that have “play deserts.” Play deserts are areas that Towson University (Md.); Abigail Melick, Woodrow Wilson HS Kaboom says are “child-rich, but playground-poor.” Paradise is considered to be a play (D.C.); Matt Nguyen, Lafayette College (Pa.); Sabrina Nunez, Cesar desert. Kaboom is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to ensuring that all kids it gets Chavez PCS for Public Policy/Parkside (D.C.); Bria Price, Cesar a childhood filled with active play needed to thrive. In order for Kaboom to recreate a com- Chavez PCS for Public Policy/Parkside (D.C.); Rebecca Tackie, munity playground there are some requirements. The community must have a certain James Madison HS (Va.); Bezawit Tefera, Parkmont School (D.C.) amount of community members to support them. Also the community must have some Board of Directors: George Curry (chairman), Rich Foster, Mary Han- money to help pay for the playground. ley, Barbara Hines, Judy Hines, Kathleen Reilly Mannix (ex officio), YDC talked with the community director of Paradise and reached out to Kaboom’s Flo McAfee, Phillip Reid, Terry Thielen communications office. The Paradise director said that Kaboom was going to redo the play- Advisory Board (Emeritus Directors): Hector Ericksen-Mendoza, ground but there weren’t enough residents to support it. This tells me that tenants don’t re- Sean Jensen, Cynthia Farrell Johnson, Rosamond King, Sarah Men- ally care much about physical health of kids. The Paradise director later showed me an ke-Fish, Bob Neuman, David R. Rapp, Samara Sit email that Kaboom sent to him informing him that Paradise can register for building a playground in the summer of 2014. Young D.C. FY2014 has been supported by Bloomberg BNA, The Chil- Paradise was inspected by U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development dren’s Charities Foundation, The Herb Block Foundation and sponsors of Cartoons & Cocktails 2013, an auction of editorial art held Nov. 21, (HUD) in 2010 and scored an 85 out of 100–before playgrounds were removed. A score of 2013. Sponsors included American Income Life Insurance, Jeffrey and 86 or above is considered healthy and safe. HUD should do another in inspection to see Lori Smith Ashford, Bloomberg BNA, Rosemary F. Crocket, George what Paradise scores now because now they don’t have a playground. The playground has Curry, Anne and Bob Ganz, Andrew J. Hagan and Linda L. Smith, Tay- not been put back up because maybe the people who care don’t know whom to tell about lor and Judy Hines, Kathleen Reilly Mannix, Cynthia Farrell Johnson, this issue. Paradise needs to put some type of structure for kids in the spot where the old Sally Mannix, Mike McCurry, Joseph A. and Anne Reilly Murphy, Na- playground use to be. tional Art and Framing, Nielsen, The Obscure Organization, Amb. and Mrs. Robert Pearson, Politco, Phillip Reid, Terry Thielen and Bob Star- Rossie Cottom, 17, is a rising senior at Cesar Chavez PCHS in the District of bird, Rosalind G. Stark, Craig Trygstad. C&C 2013 also benefited the Columbia. Cartoonists Rights Network International.

Letters to the Editor are welcome and sometimes published, whole or in part. Letters are subject to editing. Readers writing to YDC should include contact information: name, age, telephone number.

About www.youngdc.org Staffers update the YDC site weekly. Please ensure that it is not blocked at your school or library. Since there is no place for a reader to enter information, there is no need to block. Corrections Young D.C. publishes corrections of matters of substance. Thank you for bringing them to the attention of the editors by telephone (202.232.5300), e-mail ([email protected]) or snail mail to the address at the top of this column.

Le a f y p l a y d e s e r t : East of the Anacostia River and south of Watts Branch, Hayes Street, NE, and Jay Street, NE, form a horseshoe. Paradise Manor and Mayfair Mansion apartments are inside the horseshoe. The apartments are about a mile from recreation centers and most do not have tot lots with climbing equipment or slides. Kenilworth Recreation Center, east of the horseshoe, does have fields for team play for older children and adults. Summer 2014 t Young D.C. t News Ci v i l Ri g h t s Ac t o f 1964

Tuesday, July 1, 12 noon, the U.S. Archives screens “A Time for Justice” (1994, 38 minutes) and “Mighty Times: The Children’s March” (2004, 40 minutes) in the William G. McGowan Theater, 700 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, in observance of the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. These extraordinary documentaries show how Americans united to end segregation in the deep South each won Academy Awards. Many of the im- ages were part of the nightly news for months leading up to the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Left, the coda from “A Time for Justice” directed by four- time Academy Award winner Charles Guggenheim. Below, as high-pressure hoses are turned on them, demonstrator tries to protect children who tried to protest segregation.

YDC invites readers to write, cartoon and take pictures about the state of civil rights, voting and justice for teens today This summer marks the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The Brennan Center at the New York University Law School looked across the nation and found a patchwork of bills and laws in state legislatures. Check out its report here: http://www. brennancenter.org/analysis/voting- laws-roundup-2014. Nebraska, Ohio and Wisconsin now have laws that restrict citizens’ ability to register or vote early or obtain absentee ballots. Colorado, Illinois, Louisiana, Mas- sachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Utah passed laws in 2014 to give voters greater access to the ballot. YDC wants to know if readers would decide not to apply to colleges in states that are restricting voting rights. Map courtesy of the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University Law School York Map courtesy of the Brennan Center for Justice at New Closer to home, would readers campaign for or against state legislators who intrroduced bills to make it more diffi- cult to vote? Send your replies to the editors via [email protected]. Li f e St y l e News t Young D.C. t Summer 2014 Wilson community counters Westboro demo Michael-Ann Henderson Young D.C. June 9, before school started on a cloudy Monday morning, Wilson High School students and supporters gathered at the main entrance to the school off Chesapeake Street, NW. Members of the Westboro Baptist Church gathered at the corner of Chesapeake Street and Nebraska Avenue, a long block away. The police kept the crowd separated, presumably for safety reasons. Wilson had hundreds of people, perhaps as many as 1,000, holding signs and chanting pro love slogans in support of the school’s activities and its principal who came out at Wilson Pride Day June 4. Westboro had fewer than 15 people with signs citing bible verses. The students chanted: “One, two, three, four: Equality’s what we’re fighting for! Five, six, seven, eight: Fight the bigotry; fight the hate” “When human rights are under attack what do we do? Stand up, fight back!” “Hey-hey, ho-ho, homophobias got to go!” The Wilson students and supporters sported rainbow gear. Some even had rainbow flags. Their support from the community was very diverse, including students from other schools, parents and grandparents, Wilson graduates, neigh- bors and representatives of organizations. The organizations included the Stu- dent Press Law Center, churches and SMYAL, the Sexual Minority Youth As- sistance League. The counter protest began promptly at 8 a.m. and ended at 8:45 a.m. The time frame was developed by student leaders so that the students would attend class on time. The Westboro protesters arrived at 8:20 a.m. and left at 8:45 a.m. as the counter protest came to a close. Westboro had issued a press release May 25 announcing that it would picket Wilson Monday, June 9, 8:15 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. It read in part, “Woodrow Wilson High touts the fact that they have them some resources for gay and lesbian youths. Here’s the resource you should be concerned with giving them, since you have stopped pretending to be concerned with whether these brats can read, write or caluculate basic numbers in order to work for a living: The Holy Bible.” That is the grammar and spelling of the press release. The counter protest, which featured standing as witnesses rather than giv- photo by Michael-Ann Henderson ing speeches, was led by the Wilson students from start to finish. It was designed Wilson Principal Pete Cahall, center in black shirt with white cloth on shoulder, greets to be a peaceful reaction to the picketing by Westboro members. Wilson Princi- students and faculty on building side of driveway. Parents and community, foreground across from faculty and students, greet Cahall and the teens who organized the counter pal Pete Cahall said, “This was student led, student organized, student run. I’m protest. so proud of my kids. I just think it was a peaceful, loving, accepting demonstra- Check out two of the organizations that had representatives at the counter protest: tion – demonstrating everything I think Westboro is against and Wilson is for.” www.smyal.org YDC met Mary Beth Tinker, an American free speech activist and icon at SMYAL supports and empowers lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) youth in the Washington, DC metropolitan region. Through youth leadership, the counter protest. Tinker said, “It’s so great to see all of these students speak- SMYAL creates opportunities for LGBTQ youth to build self-confidence, develop critical ing up and standing up for justice and for equality. All through history young life skills, and engage their peers and community through service and advocacy. people have done that and it’s happening so much today also, especially in D.C. Committed to social change, SMYAL builds, sustains and advocates for programs, policies and services that LGBTQ youth need as they grow into adulthood. I’m so proud to live in D.C. It’s a wonderful time to be gay and proud in D.C. www.splc.org and I am.” Since 1974, the Student Press Law Center has been the nation’s only legal assistance agency devoted exclusively to educating high school and college journalists about the In December 1965, Tinker was suspended from junior high school for wear- rights and responsibilities embodied in the First Amendment and supporting the student ing a black armband as a silent protest against the Vietnam War. By February news media in their struggle to cover important issues free from censorship. The Center provides free legal advice and information as well as low-cost educational materials 1969, her name was permanently linked to the right of student free expression for student journalists on a wide variety of legal topics. In addition, the SPLC operates when the Supreme Court ruled in Tinker vs. Des Moines Independent School a formal Attorney Referral Network of approximately 150 lawyers across the country who are available to provide free legal representation to local students when necessary. District that she, her brother and a friend had been exercising pure free speech Approximately 2,500 student journalists, teachers and others contact the Center each when they wore the armbands and were protected by the First Amendment. year for help or information. Calls come from all 50 states and the District of Columbia. SPLC is a nonprofit, non-partisan 501(c)(3) corporation. The Center is headquartered Loud and clear, both sides at Wilson used freedom of speech and freedom in Arlington, Va., where it shares a suite of offices with the Reporters Committee for to assemble in a world that has changed a lot since 1969. Freedom of the Press. To learn more about Westboro Baptist Church, check out www.splcenter.org/get- Michael-Ann Henderson, 17, is a rising senior at Cesar Chavez PCHS in informed/intelligence-files/groups/westboro-baptist-church the District of Columbia.

See On the Street, p. 12, for more pictures. Summer 2014 t Young D.C. t En t e r t a i n m e n t t Young D.C. t Summer 2014 Summer reading explores genres and titles

Science Biography The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks Hole in My Life by Jack Gantos by Rebecca Skloot Greatest: Muhammad Ali Microbe Hunters by Paul de Kruif by Walter Dean Myers

Wonderful Life: The Burgess Shale and Thura’s Diary: My Life in Wartime Iraq the Nature of History by Thura Al-Windawi by Steven Jay Gould I am a Soldier, Too: The Jessica Lynch Story Zoobiquity: What Animals Can Teach Us by Rick Bragg About Health and the Science of Healing by Barbara Natterson-Horowitz

Business Fiction

#Girl Boss by Sophia Amoruso The Absolutely True Diary of a

Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie Outliers: the Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

The Art of Choosing Sheena Iyengar Last Night in Twisted River by John Irving Think Like a Freak: The Authors of Freako- nomics Offer to Retrain Your Brain Song Yet Sung by James McBride Graphic Novels and by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner History and Non-fiction

Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451: Devil in the White City, by Erik Larson The Authorized Adaptation by Tim Hamilton Flash Boys: A Wall Street Revolt and/or

Graphic Non-ficiton Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game both by Michael Lewis Maus: A Survivor’s Tale by Art Spiegelman The Hot Zone by Richard Preston Managing editor will Emily be Yang a at freshman the University of Maryland College Park in the fall. College in the fall. at Westminster will be a freshman editor Peter Berg Web Pedro and Me: Friendship, Loss, and What I Learned by Judd Winick The Guerrilla Wars of Central America by Saul Landau YDC compiled titles of books recommended by Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland, Westminster College in YDC compiled titles of books recommended by Robert H. Smith School Business at the University Maryland, Westminster Association and the shelves Adult Library Services Young the N.Y., City, York of Regis High School, New Pa., faculty (2011) New Wilmington, YDC newsroom. in the RFK Award honors March Book One For the first time, the Robert F. Kennedy Book & Journal- aide to RFK in the early 1960s when Kennedy was the U.S. at- ism Awards honored graphic literature this year. The creators of torney general and as an adviser to Kennedy during the 1968 March Book One, Rep. John Lewis, Andrew Aydin and Nate presidential campaign. Seigenthaler is the founder of the Van- Powell, received the Special Recognition Award at a ceremony derbilt University First Amendment Center. Historian Beschloss, May 22. author of nine books, is a trustee of The White House Historical Check out YDC’s interview with illustrator Nate Powell in Association and serves ont he board of the Smithsonian Museum volume 23, issue 2 (December 2013). of American History. Radio journalist Michale Norris leads “The The judges for this category of the RFK Awards were John Race Card Project,” which promotes a conversation about race Seigenthaler Sr., Michael Beschloss, Michelle Norris and David in America via new media. Pulitzer prize-winning journalist Da- Maraniss. Seigenthaler chared the 2014 judges panel. He had a vid Maraniss is the author of ten books and an associate editor at long career in journalism with two exceptions: he served as an The Wahsington Post. Widely available in the Metropolitan D.C. area. March: Book One can also be ordered from publisher TopShelfComix.com. TopShelf also offers a new edition of the iconic comic book Martin Luther King and the Montgomery Story. You can bundle digital versions of both books for just $9.99. Summer 2014 t Young D.C. t

photo courtesy of Split This Rock Compa$$ion Fruit, the poetry slam team from Montgomery Blair HS in Silver Spring, Md., competes in Louder Than a Bomb semi-finals, May 2014. Photo on page 1: Bobbie Johnson of Bishop McNamara HS DMV teen poets chill at Louder Than a Bomb Michael-Ann Henderson This year, 20 teams from high schools throughout the were two group pieces and two individual pieces. Then Young D.C. tristate area competed against each other at open mics, the sacrificial poet Quintin “Zay” Paschall began his The Louder Than A Bomb poetry slam finals ciphers, prelims and the final competition. Ciphers are poem on the perception of beauty, which got the judges began May 31 with a public block party. It drew a crowd street battles that display artists’ talent through different warmed up. The first two rounds consisted of different of high school and college students interested in poetry art forms such as rap, dance and song. types of poems that moved the audience and made the and freedom of expression through art. The block party LTAB, a regional competition, originated in Chi- judging close. After the first two rounds of the slam the on the George Washington University campus featured cago and is the largest youth poetry slam. This competi- featured professional poet Rudy Francisco was allotted free food, drinks, live music and an emcee competition. tion puts an emphasis on self-expression and commu- 20 minutes to do as many poems as he felt necessary. The emcee battle was between those who signed up. nity through poetry, oral storytelling, hip hop and spoken They ranged from comical to inspirational to personally Before the actual slam, the teams had been given time word. The teams work throughout the year after school revealing who he used to be and who he is. After the not only to practice but also to bond. There was fellow- with coaches and teachers to develop group and indi- feature poet, there was a second sacrificial poet, and the ship with those who came to observe and those who vidual poems. LTAB DMV is organized by Split This judges were prepared to judge the final two rounds of came to battle. Rock, Poetry N.O.W. and the D.C. Youth Slam Team. the competition. The final two rounds were emotion The competition kicked off in Betts Auditorium They work with Chicago-based authors and the original packed. Students from both Cesar Chavez Public Char- at 6 p.m. The audience–proud parents, teachers and Chicago-based LTAB. ter High School for Public Policy/Capitol Hill Campus peers from the DMV area, sponsors and judges–created Jonathan Tucker of Split This Rock said, “LTAB and The Madeira School in McLean, Virginia took a the typical calm, chill poetry slam environment. First, provides a space unlike any other. It’s a safe place for personal approach and used relatable events from their the Dance Institute of Washington performed a creative free expression and sees the value of young people. Not lives. Chavez took home first place. Wilson High School dance number. Then, the host Joseph Green explained many places do that not even school. We provide ampli- from D.C. and Madeira tied for second place. No third the rules and history of the Louder Than a Bomb event. fication of their stories so they won’t harm themselves place was awarded. Friendly High School from Prince Afterwards, poet Thomas Hill from the D.C. Slam Team and build connection between teens going through simi- George’s County won fourth place. did a tribute to Maya Angelou that touched the spirit of lar things.” the audience and prepared all for the initial slam. The first set of poems at the finals came from pre- Michael-Ann Henderson, 17, is a rising senior at LTAB DMV is a yearlong youth poetry competi- liminary events, and directors deemed them exemplary Cesar Chavez PCHS in the District of Columbia. tion. It consists of poetry slams, workshops and events. although the performers weren’t eligible to win. There t Young D.C. t Summer 2014 What’s missing? Could be YOU!

YDC seeks TEEN humor and editorial cartoonists.

Download the staff application from www.youngdc.org and plan to join us at a staff meeting. We meet the second and fourth Saturday of every month.

You can also mail an application to Managing Editor Young D.C. Summer opportunity for teen poets 1904 18th Street, NW, Unit B Washington, DC 20009 Here’s a chance to have your poem read on a show with a national audience.

PRI’s Studio 360 and the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards invite you to submit your poem on the theme of summer to a contest.

Each week this summer, Studio 360 will feature one of the entries. Dorothea Lange, author of full-length poetry collections Thuderbird, Black Life and Awe, will choose the winner.

Check out www.studio360.org/story/studio-360s-summer-poetry- challenge-battle-high-school-bards/ where you can submit a poem by text or audio

Deadline August 18, 2014, 11:59 p.m. YDC is hunting for lions, tigers and bears, oh my It’s that time of year. Young D.C. is re- throughout the DMV to answer it. It’s a great cruiting teens who would enjoy meeting forum for understanding common or isolated young people from around the DMV and tell- concerns. Sportsblog gives teens who love ing their stories. The editors are especially in- teams, competition and accomplishment a terested in aspiring literary lions to lead cov- chance to celebrate them. erage of book fairs and clubs, young authors, If you are (or know) a great recruit for and reviews for Omnivorous Reader columns. any of these rewarding positions, check the As you can see from the logos to the left, www.youngdc.org navigation bar for the the YDC Cyberian Tyger column has had dif- dropdown menu under About Us. Read the ferent versions since its launch in 1994. CyTy PDFs linked to Being a Staffer and Being a almost became an endangered species this Leader under About Us. Fill out the forms and year. Editors are looking for a special teen send them to us by US mail. If you can’t find a who wants to prowl technology and roar stamp or can’t scan and email the form, just when he or she finds something that needs ex- email the editors via newsroom@youngdc. plaining to our readers. org and they will email you the forms as a Now to the “bears” in the headline. It Word doc. would be unbearable to drop features that past Is there training? Yes, and it’s free. You reader surveys reoprted were at the top of don’t need to come to the YDC newsroom as a reader popularity (Soapbox and Sportsblog). fully formed journalist. You will become one. YDC will train cub reporters to keep them go- Just ask the hundreds of teens and adults who ing. Soapbox takes one question and asks teens have been part of YDC since 1993. Summer 2014 t Young D.C. t Sp o r t s Soccer champs and concussion experts nix heading for players younger than 14 Bria Price effects that could hinder a child later in life. When an 11- or 14-ounce ball comes in Young D.C. Reporter contact with the head at high speed, it creates enough force to damage nerves and give The game of soccer is a beautiful art, especially when footwork skills are up to the player a minor concussion. Practice sessions might involve drills with dozens of par. But some techniques that are good to score that winning goal can be damaging. chances to head the ball. Each time the ball makes an impact on the player’s head. Heading the ball is a special move, fascinating to watch “Studies show that at least 30 percent of concussions when it’s performed correctly. Wednesday, June 25, neu- in soccer are caused by heading a ball or attempting to rological experts and soccer pros released their recom- head a ball and colliding with another player, and evidence mendation that kids should not practice heading until high is mounting from studies of boxers and football players school. They launched PASS, Parents and Pros for Safer that the younger one is exposed to repetitive brain trauma, Soccer, an organization that will encourage love of the the greater the risk of later life consequences. I have been sport, while educating about the dangers of heading. forced to retire far too many young athletes with post-con- “As a professional, and now a parent and coach, I be- cussion syndrome due to having suffered multiple concus- lieve that the benefits of developing heading skills as chil- sions prior to high school, and this is a clear opportunity to dren are not worth the thousands of additional concussions make soccer safer without hurting the game,” said Robert that youth soccer players will suffer. As a parent, I won’t Cantu, MD. Dr. Cantu is a neurosurgeon, concussion ex- allow my children to head the ball before high school, and pert and a founding member of the Sports Legacy Institute. as a coach I would prefer my players had focused solely on SLI is a PASS partner, as is the Santa Clara University In- foot skills as they develop their love of the game. I believe stitute of Sports Law and Ethics. Both organizations are this change will create better and safer soccer,” said Brandy involved with concussion research and advocacy. photo courtesy of The Gazette Chastain, a two-time FIFA Women’s World Cup champion photo by Greg Dohler/The Gazette Keep up with the PASS campaign through #Safer- and winner of Olympic gold (996) and silver (2000) med- Jemila Hussen, then a senior at Parkdale HS in Soccer or by visiting the website SaferSoccer.org. als. Her Olympic teammates Joy Fawcett and Cindy Par- Riverdale Park, Md., has just seconds to decide whether to head the ball or move to kick it during low Cone are also working with PASS. game against Flowers HS team in September 2013. Bria Price, 18, is a rising senior at Cesar Chavez Many parents and some coaches aren’t aware of the PCHS in the District of Columbia. effects of heading. The technique can cause brain-sloshing Vi e w p o i n t s t Young D.C. t Summer 2014 Closing volume 23 Emily Yang Young D.C. It has been four years since I joined YDC and it truly has been an experience. From the stories to the interviews to the Cartoons & Cocktails event (an auction of editorial art that helps fund YDC), I was able not only to grow as a writer and express opinions on certain matters I would not normally be able to do elsewhere, but I was also able to meet new people during my time here. When I first started out, I was rather shy in respect to ex- pressing what I thought. However, with the help of the encour- aging staff, I was able to open up more and explore topics I Adapted from /www.primaryhomeworkhelp.co.uk/moon/#4 normally would not have, such as my Cyberian Tyger story on privacy issues with apps. That was one of the first stories I wrote YDC seeks comments from teens who are for YDC, and it let me ease into YDC in terms of newspaper observing Ramadan style and research. this year, when it During my junior year, I was promoted to the Lifestyles starts so close to the summer solstice and editor, which is the section where most of my stories have been school is on vacation. published. This year as a senior, I was honored to be YDC’s Write to the editors via newsroom@ managing editor. During my experience as an editor, I was able youngdc.org or send to help improve the stories of fellow staffers while sharing with mail to the address in box, right. them what I have learned during my time at YDC. Managing both writing stories and editing other staff members’ stories was Flashback: YDC Volume 10, Issue 4, December 2000 a little challenging, but in the end it was all worth it. Although I will be leaving for college in the fall, I will not forget the knowledge I have gained as a writer for YDC. While Prayer, study and fasting replenish I may not be attending YDC meetings anymore, I will still try to continue writing about anything whenever I have the time. Muslim teen spirit during Ramadan Emily Yang, 18, is a graduate of Winston Churchill HS in Potomac, Md. She will attend the University of Maryland Editor’s note: Today, the writer is a resident in pediatrics at Children’s National Medical College Park in the fall. Center. Her married name is Qadira Ali Huff. She wrote the following viewpoint during her junior year at Sidwell Friends School. It was a year that the lunar calendar caused Ramadan to fall in December. Qadira Abdul-Ali Young D.C. The crescent moon signaled the first day in which millions of Muslims worldwide began their What’s your topic for YDC to tackle in Viewpoints? 30-day fast, Ramadan. All Muslims physically able are required to participate in this month of fast- The editors would love to hear about things that inform, ing because it achieves a year-round benefit. concern, inspire, disappoint or drive you crazy. This month is special because it was in Ramadan when the holy book for Muslims, the Koran, Send your Viewpoints idea to [email protected] was first revealed to prophet Muhammad. Therefore, studying the Koran is the major focus of the About Viewpoints 30 days. The Koran is divided int 30 sections which makes reading one-thirtieth every day during Unsigned Viewpoints articles, or editorials, convey the the month easy todo. Muslims are required to study their religion constantly and, therefore, their opinions of the Young D.C. editorial board. Any Viewpoint or religion is more appropriately called a way of life. Teh very first Koran verses Muhammad received column that has a byline or is signed by the author reflects the came with the message to read. opinion of the individual author. It is not necessarily the opinion of Young D.C., its editorial board or staff. Early in the morning, just before the sun peaks over the horizon, Muslims begin a process of Young D.C. welcomes letters to the editor, comments and replenishing their souls in Ramadan. Families wake before sunrise to eat suhur, the morning meal. submissions from teens (in school or not) for all sections of the After eating and making the intention to keep a daylong fast, fajr, the first prayer of the day, is made newspaper. Please enclose name, address and telephone number at dawn. Off go the children to school and the parents to work, facing the day with fresh and uplifted on all correspondence. spirits. Address correspondence to Personally, I use fasting to my advantage while at school. Remembering my intention–that I Young D.C. Managing Editor am fasting for the pleasure of Allah–helps keep me calm. Even when things happen that would or- 1904 18th Street, NW dinarily annoy me, I am calm. My perspective is different during Ramadan. I am allowed to relate Washington, DC 20009 to those who are less fortunate than I. So, I feel extremely fortunate for my own blessings. Young D.C., Inc., a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization, exists Young Muslims are in need of a source of strength to help keep them stable and focused on to create opportunities for young people from diverse racial, eth- their goals. With temptations ranging from drugs to alcohol and premarital sex, Ramadan comes at nic, geographic and economic backgrounds to work together to precisely the right time. Teens I spoke to said Ramadan is very important because “it gives you the develop a responsible, independent media voice. self-control and restraint necessary to be successful throughout the entire year.” Its program encourages teens to examine new territory in the region’s fragmented society to produce this newspaper. In Qadira Abdul-Ali, 16 is a junior at Sidwell Friends School in the District of Columbia. the process, its editors, reporters, photographers, cartoonists, il- lustrators and interns develop skills for college and career. t t Summer 2014 Young D.C. Re a d e r Su r v e y Please respond and mail to (or drop off at) Young D.C., 1904 18th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20009. I read Young D.C. r online r when a print issue is published r both

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I like to read about teens who r a lot like me r very different than me Volume 23 of Young D.C. was a change of pace. Zame Johnson, homeschooled, Class of 2014, “Lo- Instead of publishing eight or nine issues in print, the cal Teen Launches Rocket Flyer App” I like to read about teens who are staff concentrated on the website. They updated the Dominique Obregon School Without Walls Class r adventurous calendar section weekly and posted many stories in of 2013/Eckerd College Class of 2017, “The r dedicated the feature section (see above) when they happened. DC Art Scene.” In past years, those stories would have been held un- Bezawit Tefera, rising sophomore, Parkmont School I can access www.youngdc.org from my til a full issue was ready to go to the printer. in D.C., “Nelson Mandela Tribute” school’s computers r Yes r No It’s time to salute the reporters who wrote those Emily Yang, Churchill HS Class of 2014/University stories and made sure they were quickly posted for of Maryland College Park Class of 2018, I can access www.youngdc.org from my readers: “YDC goes DIY,” “St. Patrick’s Day Parade library’s computers r Yes r No Chloe Ashford, SWW, Class of 2014 “Shutdown Route,” “Robert F. Kennedy Center for Jus- Shuts Out Teen Interns” about the U.S. fed- tice & Human Rights Honors Linda Sankat I can access www.youngdc.org eral government shutdown, Oct. 1-16, 2013 for ‘Stop and Frisk: Time for a Change’” from my phone or tablet r Yes r No Chloe Ashford and Bezawit Tefera, Interview with YDC welcomes comments from readers on vol- Nate Powell, illustrator of “March Book 1” ume 23. We especially want to know if readers My family and/or teachers encourage me to visit parts by Rep. John Lewis and Andrew Aydin missed any of these stories. Email your comments to of the DMV that are more than a mile (10 blocks) from Michael-Ann Henderson, rising senior, Cesar [email protected]. my home r Yes r No Chavez PCHS, “Westboro Picketers Tar- get Wilson SHS – Wilson Students and Reading about a teen who overcomes a challenge is Community React with Pride & Love” r boring r inspiring On t h e St r e e t t Young D.C. t Summer 2014