March 2023 U-Times

U-TIMES

Step team debuts at BHM assembly

by Xavier Thomas | Web Editor

Important Black figures have paved the way for our generation and ones down the line. They have opened businesses and schools for Black communities. A significant development in the Black community are Historically Black College and Universities (HBCUs). They exist for Black students to get an opportunity to explore Black culture, be around people that share the same experiences and learn about different Black perspectives. Step teams are also a big part of HBCUs and Melvin Bond, counselor, brought it to our school. He debuted the U. City step team at the Black History Month assembly Feb. 28, and he also brought his step team from Parkway who he’s been coaching for years.

“The process was actually not too bad on our end- bringing Parkway to our school,” Bond said. “Dr. Peoples allowed them to come, which made it easy on our end. Coordinating it was a little challenging because of keeping them in a location and a group of students in the building, but it wasn’t too difficult.”

Students also participated in the assembly. Aliyah Goodman, senior, was picked by Darielle Morris, math teacher and student council sponsor, and Melvin Bond, counselor, to be the MC of the assembly to bring the energy to the students. Goodman introduced performers, danced and hyped up the crowd.

“I just brought the energy to everyone even if they were nervous, so I would stay hyping

everyone up,” Goodman said. “Keeping the energy up was really my favorite part.”

In addition to Goodman’s energy, the step team took the crowd by surprise. They call themselves “The Unstoppable U.” Many members of the team had not performed much in front of an audience before.

“When you’re on stage, you can’t really see anything because all the lights are in your face,” Ndeye Thiam, freshman, said. “All you can see is pitch black. But we practiced a lot, and we make our own moves we’re proud of.” But one performance nobody suspected was Bond and Rashid Troupe, science teacher, as they got on stage and shocked the crowd with their own step performance.

“It was my first time actually stepping in a while,” Troupe said. “The step was actually the one I learned in college, and so he probably learned it in two weeks. We practiced like two or three times, and for the rest of the time he practiced on his own. So for him to go and learn that step that fast? Shout out to him.”

Since the group is still so new, Bond plans on expanding the team in the future.

“The long term goal is really what y’all saw with Parkway- to have a team that doesn’t just perform well but can add to what we have that we can be proud of, so we can become an elite team,” Bond said.

Rashid Troupe, science teacher, chants before performing with Melvin Bond, counselor. Both joined Phi Beta Sigma in college. “Stepping with Mr. Bond was fun; it was a treat,” Troupe said.

The U. City step team showed out in their debut performance at the Black History Month assembly. Deanna Anderson, sophomore, was one of the performers. “I was actually on a step team before when I was younger, so I decided since we have a step team why not join it again,” Anderson said. “I’ve been doing it since I was a little girl.”

Jaidyn Conners, freshman, and Autumn Smith, sophomore, pose for a photo before the assembly.

Darren Brooks, wellbeing specialist, represented Kappa Alpha Psi, a fraternity he’s been a part of since 2001. “My experience was beautiful,” Brooks said. “I met a lot of people and did a lot of community service, a lot of brotherhood, barbeques, school work. I have a lot of good memories of some really good people.” PHOTOS BY XAVIER THOMAS

New year, new me

by Madelaine Province | Staff Writer

The concept of making a New Year’s resolution has been a tradition in the western world for a very long time. Whether people actually stick to their resolution(s) or not, it’s always fun to set a goal for yourself at the beginning of a new year. The most frequently made resolutions include improving mental health, improving fitness, losing weight, improving diet and improving finances.

“My resolution was to become healthier and stronger,” Leela Sandler, freshman, said. “I’ve definitely followed through on it because I practice soccer most days and go to the gym. I’ve also been eating a lot of protein and healthy foods.”

The history of New Year’s resolutions dates all the way back to around 2000 B.C. The ancient Babylonians are said to have been the first people to make resolutions, and they were also the first group to hold recorded celebrations of the new year. However, their new year began in mid-March, when they planted their crops instead of on January 1. Their celebration was known as Akitu, a massive 12-day religious festival where they crowned a new king or reaffirmed their loyalty to the currently reigning king. They would also make promises to the gods

to repay their debts or return any items they had borrowed, which were their versions of New Year’s resolutions. If the Babylonians kept their word, their pagan gods would bestow favor on them for the coming year. If not, they would fall out of the gods’ favor.

Similarly, Julius Caesar of ancient Rome tinkered with the calendar and established January 1 as the beginning of a new year in 46 B.C. January, which was named after Janus, the two-faced god whose spirit inhabited doorways and arches, held special significance for the Romans. They believed that Janus looked symbolically both backwards into the previous year and ahead into the year to come. They celebrated by offering sacrifices to the deity and made promises of good conduct for the coming year, similar to the resolutions we make today. The tradition started to resemble more of what we practice today around 1740. For the early Christains, the first day of the new year became the traditional occasion for thinking about one’s past mistakes and resolving to do better in the future. The English clergyman John Wesley, founder of Methodism, created the Covenant Renewal Service, which was most commonly held on New Year’s Eve or New

Year’s day. They included readings from Scriptures and sang hymns to serve as a spiritual alternative to the raucous celebrations usually held to celebrate the new year. This is still a common tradition today, as many evangelical Protestant churches hold such services on New Year’s Eve to pray and make resolutions for the new year.

While the roots of New Year’s resolutions are religious, it is now more of a secular practice for most people. Instead of making promises to gods or deities, people mainly make promises to themselves about self-improvement. However, if you don’t keep your resolution, you’re not the only one. Research shows that about 45 percent of Americans make resolutions, but only 8 percent actually carry them out. This unbalanced ratio probably won’t stop people from making them, though, as it’s a tradition that’s been about 4,000 years in the making.

“When people make resolutions, they shouldn’t just limit it to New Year’s,” Sandler said. “I think you can start a resolution any time in the year, and people should be more motivated to do that. Most of my resolutions were goals I’d started before the new year, and just continued to work on.”

WHAT’S YOUR NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION?

Rethinking the true meaning of Valentines Day

Valentine’s Day is well recognized for being a day when couples show their love and appreciation for one another by exchanging admiration and gifts. However, romantic love should not be the only aspect recognized; love in general, regardless of the relationship, should be honored on that day.

Traditionally, the day’s origin isn’t even about romantic connections but rather about celebrating the death of one or two early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine on Christian feast day. As the years have progressed and Valentine’s Day was established as an official holiday, it has been oriented around couples and the surprises they give each other such as a dinner date at a fancy restaurant, a hotel room showered in rose petals, concert tickets, clothes, etc. The “man” in the relationship was expected only to spoil the “woman” to make her feel special. But now, the expectation is that they both surprise each other.

Although as a society we have detached from the gender stereotypes associated with Valentine’s Day, the stigma that only couples can be each other’s Valentines remains. When you walk into a store and see cutesy cards intended for a wife or husband, it is only reasonable to think that “the day of love” is geared toward romantic love. But if that narrative was dropped, then more would celebrate with friends and family and feel satisfied. The abundance of love you would receive from the people in your life would make you feel just as wonderful; you wouldn’t give it any thought that it isn’t a partner.

“I think it is a day where people who have either strong emotions or love for a person can show it in a very positive and comfortable way,” Pariaun Henderson, junior, said. “I feel like nowadays it is hard for people to be comfortable with PDA. With Valentine’s Day, it gives everyone a chance to publicly show their affection for people they care about.”

Galentine’s Day, which originated on the sitcom Parks and Recreation, is the perfect example of breaking away from the conventional V-Day. The purpose is for ladies to take the day off from their day to day duties and celebrate one

Students need to take advantage of programs offered

by Kamarra Williams Staff Writer

Every year Dr. Samuel Martin, coordinator of student transition and strategic partnerships, runs a variety of programs that get students prepared for the future.

“We have the early college program, dual credit, dual enrollment, Access Point, internships at Boeing, plus many more,” Martin said.

Isaac Armour-Dozier, senior, participated in Access Point.

“It is beneficial, because with Access Point, you aren’t just going there for better education and credits,” Armour-Dozier said. “You go in knowing you have a job. That’s not something you get regularly in St. Louis. You come out with college credits, resumes and a guaranteed job that can lead to millions in the future. It’s not that many people, but if you get in earlier, you get more one-on-one time to communicate.”

There are also other college credit opportunities that one can use on a class to class basis. Dual credit is when high school students take classes at the highschool campus that have been approved by the community college to be offered as college credit. Dual enrollment is when students take classes at the actual community college, and they earn both college and highschool credit concurrently.

“Many other schools have college programs, but we were one of the first ones in the area,” Martin said. “We offer more dual credit programs at University City High School than any school in the area; we were actually rewarded by the community college for offering the most.”

Editor: Alara Stewart

Web Editor: Xavier Thomas Staff

These programs are at no cost for the students at all, and even students outside of the early college programs have a ton of college credit that’s available to them.

“I would encourage anybody to figure out or have an idea of what they want to do and then try to figure out what you can do in high school to prepare you for that,” Martin said.

Another major program Martin coordinates is the early college program [see U-Times Nov. 2022 issue]. The early college program is when students earn their associates degree and also take classes at the community college senior year.

These programs students have access to rigorous curriculum and they’re able to see what the college level expectations are, which helps them be better prepared for whatever they want to do after high school. A’rianna Reid, junior, is in the early college program and feels the college course experience is worth the effort.

“I would recommend it only if you’re serious about it,” Reid said. “There’s no room or time for playing around. The workload is hard most of the time, that’s where being serious comes in because you have to learn to manage and prioritize things.”

The first step to get into one of these programs if interested is to reach out to your counselor or Dr. Martin himself.

“You can reach out to me on what your specific interest is or maybe your idea on what you’d want to do in the future,” Martin said. “You can connect around which program would be best for you.”

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another. It is totally up to you and your friends how you spend the day; you can engage in more traditional activities like going out to dinner or more therapeutic ones like a spa day or writing things that are holding you back on a plate and shattering it to symbolize you letting those things go.

There are several ways to go about doing this. With your guy friends, you might host a game night, attend a sporting event, go bowling or grab lunch. With girl friend groups, you can enjoy a movie marathon, surprise each other with Valentine’s Day cards, have your nails done or grab coffee together. You can do all of the above with your family or simply enjoy their presence. There are many more options than the handful listed, meaning you’re not limited to them; you just have to go out and find more.

“I feel like Valentine’s Day is a very interesting day. It’s not about just showing love to your significant other,” Kenya Calvert, senior, said. “You can show love to a lot of different people too- friends, family, significant others, pets. There’s a lot of love to go around.”

Even if you don’t have someone else’s attention, you can always get fulfillment from self-love by using the day to set aside some time for yourself and establish an internal connection. There isn’t much discussion of this substitution, but it is an important one since it can help overcome any trauma or self-doubt you may be experiencing. Restoring your sense of self-worth while still feeling special on V-Day is something people should look into.

As love is so much more than just giving and receiving affection from a boyfriend or girlfriend, Valentine’s Day should not be limited to couples. It doesn’t matter that you’re getting a stuffed animal from a friend while someone else is getting cards from their boyfriend/girlfriend. Both are distinctive and special in their own right. With this in mind, try to keep the true meaning of Valentine’s Day in sight: a day of love.

Referees shouldn’t make or break a game

by Garner Province Staff Writer

When the National Football League (NFL) playoffs end, the Super Bowl begins. For some people, the commercials and the halftime show are what they wait for. But for others, the two teams battling it out for the highest honor a NFL team can earn is always a long awaited and exciting game to watch. This year the Super Bowl was between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles. At the end of the biggest game of the year, a call from the referee changed the trajectory of the game.

Late in the 4th quarter, James Bradberry IV, Eagles’ defensive back, received a holding call when he was trying to defend Chiefs’ wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster. This completely changed the game, especially at the time of the game when it was called. He should not have received this call this late in the game. If Bradberry did not receive the call, the Eagles would’ve had a chance to win the game, instead of having a 5-yard penalty and an automatic first down.

First, some context. Super Bowl (LVII) marks the first time that brothers will face each other in the Super Bowl: Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs tight end and Jason Kelce, Philadelphia Eagles, center. Two excellent players- and brothers- are making Super Bowl history in Super Bowl LVII. At the end of the game, Travis had six catches on six targets, 81 receiving yards and a touchdown. Stats are not something that can show how a center plays, but watching Jason play the center position is flat-out impressive.

Two weeks before the Super Bowl, the Eagles were projected to defeat the Chiefs by two points and 12 of Entertainment and Sports Programming Network’s (ESPN’s) best NFL analysts, writers, and reporters made their early predictions for the Super Bowl game. Eight of them chose the Eagles, and the other four chose the Chiefs.

Despite being considered as underdogs, the Chiefs still came out with the victory over the Eagles.

In a very close game, they made a late comeback in the 4th quarter. This was one of the more highscoring games and one of the best Super Bowls in years. At the end of the game the Chiefs came back and won 38-35. Mahomes, Kelce and the rest of the Chiefs offense had a great game. But what wasn’t noticed was Eagles’ Quarterback Jalen Hurts. He had one of the best games in Super Bowl history. Passing for 304 yards, throwing one touchdown with zero interceptions and rushing for 70 yards, but the most impressive part? He ran for three touchdowns.

Aside from Hurt’s impressive game, the call towards the end of the game stirred up some controversy. The debate is as follows: would JuJu SmithSchuster have caught the ball even if Bradberry didn’t hold him/tug his jersey? The call was made because Bradberry held on JuJu’s jersey which limited him from making any type of play. In my opinion, JuJu would have had to make a very acrobatic play to even be close to the ball. The ball was overthrown, and, even if Bradberry didn’t hold, I don’t know if JuJu would have caught the ball in the first place.

The other, more simple question for this holding call: was it even holding? As a football fan watching the game, it didn’t look like much of a holding call during the live play. Mainly because NFL referees wouldn’t call this in a normal regular season game, let alone with less than 2 minutes in the biggest NFL game of the year. The controversy was clear to anyone who watched the Super Bowl. In the locker room after the game, Bradberry was asked what he thought about the holding call. He responded, “It was holding. I tugged his jersey. I was hoping they would let it slide.” Still, this should not have been called holding. Yes, the player technically did “hold” on the Chiefs’ reciever’s jersey, but the ball would never have been caught in the first place. Meaning, the call should not have been made if it would not have affected the play. Casey Beard, freshman, had some thoughts as a Chiefs fan watching the game.

“Well I mean he was obviously holding him,” Beard said. “I don’t know why they tried to argue it. The player himself admitted that it was holding. Can’t argue with the player. It was a holding call, granted it did help us out a lot because Mahomes did overthrow that ball, like crazy, but we got the call so we were able to redo the play to let us get that touchdown.”

While the call against Bradberry IV was the most noticeable (and a big conversation maker) there was another call that was a big conversation maker. “I feel like that one play earlier where [Miles Sanders] fumbled and [Nick Bolton] picked it up and ran to the end zone, that should not have been taken back,” Beard said. “He clearly caught the ball, got hit and dropped it. I don’t know why they didn’t call that a fumble.”

Even though the referees can make a few bad calls, this year’s Super Bowl was a very enjoyable and exciting game.

“I mean at the end of the day, it was a great game,” Beard said. “Eagles played their hardest, but Mahomes is just better. He’s that guy, and we lost him, you know. We went to halftime then he came back. But him coming back helped us win, and getting that super bowl.”

It’s impressive for a team to come back in the Super Bowl against the number one ranked team in the nation. Especially when down by two scores at halftime. While the game was very entertaining, the referees made some shaky calls for both teams. Refs could make way better calls if they thought about the situation of the game, and if the call would be made in a regular season game or not. Referees should start thinking how it would affect the game going forward, making the game more enjoyable and fair for both the players and the viewers.

Lily Scharff, freshman “My new years resolution is to get better at field hockey.”

Kaleb Nesibit, junior “My new years resolution is to better myself and set higher standards.”

Lyla Stewart, freshman, and India Foote, sophomore, express how the simple things in their friendship matter the most. “It’s about comfort and just being able to sit with someone and be silent,” Foote said. “We can scroll on tiktok but just knowing that she’s there is a comfort.”

PHOTO BY XAVIER THOMAS

The Voices of the Youth

A cause worth fighting for

by Alara Stewart Editor

It’s clear that across many cultures we value the wisdom and opinions of our elders. This expectation and value has been passed down through generations coining the phrase “respect your elders.”

Although a person can gain so much knowledge over a lifetime, there are still plenty of ways one can be ignorant with that infinite knowledge. With this being said, in politics, day to day conversations, school, etc, it’s vital that we as an American culture take a step back and recognize the importance of youth voices because our ideas and experiences reflect the thinking of today’s generation. It’s impossible to create, solve problems, run government offices and more without the help and ideas of young people. By pushing this narrative that we must respect our elders, society took it to an extreme to relay the message that youth voices do not matter and are therefore minimizing what young people have to say. It may not seem relevant but by incorporating the youth perspective into all aspects of life we would see a drastic change in the world.

The movement of empowering young people has become more popular over recent years as people have realized that there is a lack of age diversity in political offices. America has hit a point where it is politically stuck, meaning that our political parties refuse to cooperate and oppose

one another out of spite. It’s time to bring in new ideas and perspectives instead of re-electing the same people that have been in office for years and hold onto ideas of the past. We can see that some of our most powerful voices come from young people in politicians like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, to powerful movements against gun violence in schools and climate change, and, to bring it closer to home, students within our schools that take initiative to fight for what they believe in and educate or express themselves through leadership. It’s arguable that Generation Z is lazy and internet crazy; however, it’s unfair to look past the power of the internet and generalize. The internet is one of the most powerful tools in this day and age; it can be used for negative and unproductive things. However, it’s ability to reach the masses and influence people is a tool that young people know how to use best.

Not only are we equipped to lead, but we are naturally motivated to make change since our future is on the line. Whether that motivation is out of fear or the desire to “make the world a better place,” we are one of the most determined yet stubborn groups of people. Being underestimated by our elders only makes us more defiant and increases our inclination to stand up for what we believe in. In some ways this is helpful; however, it would be more productive if our culture accepted the ideas

of young people. Young people are going to be the ones facing the climate crisis in the near future; the ones that will be fighting to systemically breakdown racism; the ones that will be solving the hunger crisis; the ones that will be controlling and containing potential pandemics; the ones that will protect everyone’s right to education; the ones that will give women the right to control their own bodies; the ones that will be cleaning up the older generations mess. There is already so much pressure and anxiety-provoking news that young people must deal with and live with. And not many people in power are succeeding at solving them. It’s up to us to create the change the world needs, but that can’t be done unless our voices are heard and put into action. The importance of youth voices is not only about activism and big picture ideas; it’s also about being able to express oneself. Students oftentimes struggle feeling heard but learning how to utilize their voice in a way that is empowering to them and not harmful to others can be self rewarding and influence their peers to use their voice as well. Practicing this from an early age will help prepare children and teens for disagreements and discourse, as these are at the root of our democracy under the First Amendment. It’s easy to acknowledge the other party’s [elders] responsibility in the belittling of youth voices, but sometimes we

Path to Success

Leadership opportunities

stand in our own way. By overcoming fears and stigmas surrounding the significance of our voices, we can see a tremendous difference in society through a more open and welcoming culture and an increase in activism throughout the country. This is not to create a war between generations, but to call action to the dismissal of youth voices. The elder generation’s voices are just as valuable; however, not listening to the voices of a group of people that will actually live through the struggles of the future is not wise and is counterproductive. Just by changing American culture’s narrative of feeling embarrassed to express oneself or feeling pressured to fit into normalcy, young people will begin to feel even more empowered. As previously mentioned, being outspoken is a backbone of this country. If we are the ones that must confront the problems of our future, why are our voices innately disparaged? Instead of backing down it’s time for the world to hear what not just a few young people have to say but what we as a collective are trying to convey. Finding this voice may be challenging to some, but it’s a challenge worth fighting for.

How do you express yourself?

by Lucinda Costello-Kumfer | Guest Writer

Art, music, acting and similar activities can be very beneficial to a person’s life. These creative avenues allow for self-expression. When we practice self-expression, we feel more authentic and can better communicate with the world.

“I feel like I best express myself when I play field hockey,” Lucy Rhoades, senior, said. “I feel like it’s a really good way that I can use my leadership skills and just, like, get outside and be athletic and connect with others.”

Acting can also be a good outlet for conveying a variety of thoughts and emotions.

“I like showing off the character to the extreme,” Jeremiah Price, junior, said. “I love making fun of the character and showing off the character like it should be. Very loud, very present, very outgoing.”

A common form of expressing oneself is through art, such as sketching, painting, sculpting, knitting, or making collages, which can be done independently, or at an art class offered at U. City.

Clementine Huck, freshman

“I liked drawing my self-portrait and then cutting it up and seeing how it looked incorporated into the collage. used what use at home doing art, which is like contour lines and stuff. When I make my art, I just think about my life and I just do it blindly.”

“It’s really hard to be truly yourself sometimes when you’re in high school, so I think art classes kind of help people figure that out,” Sarah Smelser, art teacher, said.

Sometimes, participating in activities, such as music, can help you discover new things about yourself, and can open new pathways in a person’s life.

“It really showed me that was good at playing instruments,” Dakota Sykes, junior, says. “It gives me an idea of what I want to do when grow up.”

Identify your strengths

CONGRESS IN YOUR CLASSROOM WITH CORI BUSH

Ask questions and take notes 2. 3.

Get involved in school activities and extracurriculars

Set goals & start identifying ways to take action in your activities

- A program that selects two students from each school to particiapte in recurring meetings with Congresswoman Bush and an additional small group that helps guide legislation for Bush and her team. -

YOUTH LEADERSHIP ST. LOUIS WITH FOCUS ORGANIZATION

- 8 month program that brings together juniors and focuses on different issues in St. Louis -

YOUTH LEADERSHIP ACADEMY/ COUNCIL WITH BETTER FAMILY LIFE

- Summer session or school year sessions offer help building leadership skills to acknowledge and change issues in St. Louis. -

Connect with other students with similar interests

1. 4. 6. 5. 8. 7.

Set goals into action

Begin networking and finding support/mentorships

Learn from mistakes & ask for help when needed

BRIAN WILLIAMS: THE YOUTH ADVISORY BOARD

- Students from District 14 participate in in-person, bi-weekly meetings giving Senator Williams a perspective of the youth on

STAND UP, SPEAK OUT, TAKE ACTION CULTURAL LEADERSHIP PROGRAM

- Students learn about social justice issues in order to become civic leaders while engaging in workshops, retreats and public

Highlighting student achievements

by Lucinda Costello-Kumfer | Guest Writer

Working to achieve something great can be very rewarding, especially at a young age. It’s important to acknowledge the accomplishments of students to show the hard work they put in, as well as to motivate and inspire others.

Emily Blackwell, sophomore, recently got accepted to play at Carnegie Hall, one of the most prestigious performance halls.

“I just practiced every single day for the past year,” Blackwell said. “I’ve taken private lessons, and I’ve just gone home and practiced for hours so I could get where I am.”

And those hours paid off for Blackwell.

“I was really in shock,” Blackwell said. “I didn’t think was going to get it, so when I saw that I was accepted it, just, my mind was blown. But I was very, very, happy.”

Shawn Coleman, junior, is in the process of creating a makerspace in the library.

“When I was at BWMS, we had a makerspace,” Coleman said. “If had a project I wanted to do, like make a CD case, it allowed me to do that. So when I came to the high school and saw an empty room there, I talked to Ms. Reed and we started the process. If I would give some advice to someone I would say don’t be afraid to ask questions.”

Dani Wasserman, senior, founded InvestNow Clubs, a high school investment club that has now spread to four other schools, three in Missouri and one in Ohio. But it took a lot of time and work before the club grew to the over 110 members it has now.

“For starting any club or any type of initiative in general, think that one of the most important things is really just putting yourself out there and not being afraid of rejection,” Wasserman said.

Beyond extracurriculars, there have also been accomplishments throughout our sports teams. For example, the football team made districts this year for the first time since 2015- eight years ago.

“We got there because of attitudes and effort,” Kai Gover, senior, said. “There were a lot of seniors on the team this year, so we were really motivated to achieve as much as we could.”

Elena Kellogg, senior, finished 20th in state for goals scored in field hockey.

“For me, being in such a supportive environment had a really big impact on my performance,” Kellogg said. “Without support from your teammates and coaches, there’s not much to motivate you, so having that motivation really

STUDENT ART GALLERY

Amorie Warren, sophomore “It [the hallway drawing] was a class assignment of ours. We were learning about one point perspective, and there was no better way to do one point perspective than drawing the hallway.”

Neah Hopes, junior

“My favorite part was the end, gluing it onto the paper, which made it even better. This took me about four days to make. I just get into the art mindset, and my teacher really motivated me. She’s the one who even got me into arts and crafts.”

pushed me to play the best I could, not only for myself, b for my team.”

Playing sports in high school requires balance and sacrifice. U. City uses the title Student Athlete in order to make sure students know that they are students before athletes. In addition to being a team-player and excelling in skill within a sport, it’s important to remember that academics come before sports.

“Keep your grades up,” Gover said. “Build a relationship with the coaches and make sure to surround yourself with positive people.”

U. City tries to appreciate students and all their achievements through banquets, activities and assemblies. Seeing examples of people pursuing their goals can be motivating. However, it’s important to be intrinsically motivated and not dependent on what other people think.

“Just make sure you’re participating for the right reasons,” Kellogg said. “Build a bond with your team and use it to better yourselves and each other. Remember that consistency is key and you can’t always expect to see an immediate outcome. But don’t let that discourage you because steady progress is always noticeable in the end.”

Julia Burditt, freshman

“I made sure to use a really sharp x-acto knife, because it could get the smaller strips. And then also used it so could get the curvy lines in the background. It took me over 7 class periods to make, and my neck hurt when was done.”

SOS demonstrates SZAs musical maturity

by Alara Stewart Editor

SZA finally released her third album after five long years, SOS, an album that surpasses all expectations and defines shock factor. Currently spending its 12th week at the #1 spot on the Billboard 200, her range in genre, vulnerability and emotion express the thought and work that went into SOS since her last album, CTRL.

CTRL takes many of us to our preteen, puberty plagued stages of life. The album just hit the spot, despite our lack of romantic experiences at that young age. Although some have compared SOS to CTRL, it’s impossible to do so as SZA has developed so much as an artist and vocalist while also switching up her style from strict R&B to genres including hip-hop, rock and pop. Not only do her songs range in genre, but she has moved on from criticized “sad girl” music, to incorporating anger, revenge, self reflection and empowerment.

Starting off strong, the song “SOS” is introduced with morse code for S.O.S. and sets the tone for the album in an angelically angry- yet helpless- way. Expressing her resentment towards past relationships, SZA claims that “I just want what’s mine/ This ain’t no warning shot/ ‘Case all you h*** forgot/ And I cried and cried/ Said what’s on my mind/ Ooh-oh-woah, cried.”

Her cry for help through rap, while also conveying her power leaves listeners in awe, wanting more.

The second song on the album “Kill Bill,” appears to be innocent and conceals its violent lyrics with a light and catchy beat, making it the most popular song off of the album. Although the song is catchy, it feels underwhelming when really compared to the rest of the album. The song’s meaning is more fun and playful than some of her more meaningful pieces of work. It makes sense for this song to be a radio station hit since most of the time the simple pop songs tend to connect to a wider audience. But her theme of anger and revenge continues into the next songs titled “Seek and Destroy” and “Low” where she begins to explore how this anger affects her such as her loss for control: “All the hurt I know/ Is used to heal my soul/ No control/ I do it to you, do it to you, oh.” Is SZA making a hidden tribute to her CTRL album while also sharing another side of herself and music from CTRL? Her incorporation of the more pop and upbeat oriented songs placed in the beginning tell a story as she leads the listener through an album of emotional development.

“Love Language,” a classic R&B song, begins her journey of self reflection as she states, “Bad as I wanna

keep focused, you remind me I’m imperfect/ And it sucks to admit it.” She proceeds to take a look into her own mind in her song “Blind,” that was released on her SNL live performance. The song’s acoustic and intimate sound helps portray her struggle of fighting her inner conflict of staying in a relationship with a person that isn’t on the same page or knowing her own worth. As the album progresses, SZA masterfully incorporates genres and features artists like Travis Scott on “Open Arms,” and his infamous ad libs on “Low.” Don Toliver’s feature in “Used,” created a harmonious masterpiece; Phoebe Bridgers surprised listeners in their collaboration on “Ghost in the Machine.” Although doesn’t seem fitting, it actually proved to add an element of folk and soft pop, attracting a new demographic of fans. SZA knew what she was doing when featuring these artists, only leaving us to wonder who she’s going to bring in on the deluxe version of the album.

SOS proves SZA’s development as an artist and has served as SZA’s diary, spreading her feelings on a page as she taps into some of her darkest thoughts throughout the album. The second half of the album has not received enough love from listeners but by far displays her talent the most and captures the complexity of

the album. Songs like “Nobody Gets Me,” and “Special,” tap into loneliness, self-image and how she lets her relationships reflect her self worth. SZA’s ability to create a “no skip” album with Billboard charting pop songs and sad girl songs that are relatable yet heartbreaking is incredible. She finishes off the album by coming back full circle to her independent woman anthem in the song, “Forgiveless,” featuring one of the founding members of Wu-Tang Clan, Ol’ Dirty Bastard. SOS is a story of SZAs inner conflict, beginning with her passionate anger, to her breaking it down, going through heartbreak and questioning herself. She ends the album on a strong note, realizing that she deserves better and has chosen not to forgive the other person. She had to go through these stages of emotion in order to reach a higher ground. Everything in this album was intentional from the lyrics to the secret odes to her previous album. Ending her album with the line, “I thought I told you before/ It’s not gon’ end how you want/ Not in the dark anymore/ might forgive it, I won’t forget it,” SZA has reclaimed her power and self worth.

SZA- what’s next to come?

5/5 stars

Glass Onions mystery underwhelmes

by Nasra Artan Staff Writer

Knives Out was one of the highest-grossing original movies of 2019 that later led to the creation of Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery. Since the release of the movie on Sept. 10, 2022, the success rate for the movie has made it to Netflix’s Top 5 most popular movies of all time. With Glass Onion being at No.4, it has had over 279.7 million watch hours in the first 28 days since the release.

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery is a murder mystery directed by Rian Johnson that revolves around a friend group of influencers who are bound by a lie that could tarnish their reputations. Claire Debella (Kathryn Hahn) is the governor of Connecticut with a plan to become senator. But behind closed doors she has been approving untested technology in exchange for donor money. Lionel Toussaint (Leslie Odom Jr.) is the head scientist of the company Alpha, where the untested technology has been developed. With a rushed timeline from his boss, Lionel skips the necessary safety precautions for the product they will be distributed to the world.

Duke Cody (Dave Bautista) is a social media influencer who uses his body and his girlfriend (Madelyn Cline) to increase his views on streaming apps such as Twitch. Birdie Jay (Kate Hudson) was a supermodel who became a fashion designer/entrepreneur, but due to her recklessness she has to be watched by her assistant Peg (Jessica Henwick). Miles Bron (Edward Norton) is the wealthiest of them all and with that comes his power of control on the rest of the group.

The movie begins with each character receiving a mysterious box with an invitation to Miles’ island where their game will be taking place. But the mystery began before their landing onto the island. While boarding the boat, the influencers are shocked by the arrival of their ostracized friend Andi (Janelle Monae). Although the friends were once close, after Andi’s obvious disapproval of the distribution of the untested technology she was turned on by the people she helped build Alpha company with. But she wasn’t the only unexpected guest. No one expected to see detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig)- even

the host of the game, Miles. From there on, the movie follows the mystery of Andi. Why is she there? What does she know? And what will she do with what she knows?

As much as I enjoyed the mystery Andi provided to the movie, there wasn’t much mystery when it came to the main suspect, Miles. From hiring a writer to write their weekend mystery to stealing ideas from Benoit, Miles didn’t leave much guessing when it came to knowing who the real culprit was. However that seems to be the pattern in the Knives Out movie series. In the first movie the culprit of the murder wasn’t a secret either, the mystery was in the characters and their contributions to the murder. Although the change was creative it didn’t provide enough mystery to make this movie more than average. Although it was lacking when it came to the murder mystery, I appreciated the story it was telling when it came to the power and influence that money has on people.

3.5/5 stars

U-TIMES

8 March 2023

Where did it all start?

HOOPS, THERE IT IS!

In the Feb. 23 varsity boys basketball game against McCluer North, Kobe Jones, junior, prepares to shoot a free throw. “It was fun; the atmosphere was loud,” Jones said. “I enjoyed that game and we played real hard,” Jones said.

Derrick Colquitt, physical education teacher

“Oftentimes believe that our history is overlooked, and think

It’s an awesome way to share the accomplishments, the hardships and trials that our ancestors went through. I think we did a pretty decent job with it, but you can always do better, always want more. It should always be daily.”

Madelaine Province

| Staff Writer Black History Month is an annual celebration and recognition of the achievements made by African Americans, as well as their contributions to American history. The month-long event was derived from “Negro History Week,” which was created by historian Carter G. Woodson and other prominent African Americans. The origins of Black History Month can be traced back to September of 1915, when Harvard-trained historian Carter G. Woodson and prominent minister Jesse E. Moorland founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH). The ASNLH was an organization dedicated to researching and pomoting achievements by Black Americans and others of African descent. In 1926, the organization sponsored a national Negro History week, choosing the second week of February since it included the birthdays of both Abraham Linclon and Frederick Douglass, two figures that the African American community had celebrated since the late 19th century. The celebratory week then inspired schools and communities nationwide to organize local celebrations, establish history clubs and host performances and lectures. The single week was later expanded into the entire month of Frebruary, creating the Black History Month that we observe now.

Match Up Answer

by

a. Claudette Colvin

b. William Tucker

1. One of the first Black journal ists to work at New York Post.

c. Daisy Bates

2. Jazz singer that used her music to speak out against racism.

3. First Black Principle dancer for American Ballet Theatre.

d. Chuck Berry

4. A leader for integration of the Little Rock Nine students.

e. Louis Armstrong

5. First Black Supreme Court Justice.

f. Judy Gladney

6. Refused to move to the back of the bus at 15 years old.

g. Tupac Shakur

7. One of the first Black students to integrate into U. City.

h Misty Copeland

8. One of the most influential rappers of all time.

i. Billie Holiday

9. First African American born in the 13 colonies.

Thurgood Marshall

j.

10. Trumpeter, singer and prominent figure in jazz music.

C.J. Walker

k. Madam

11. St. Louis native singer and pioneer of rock and roll.

l. Ted Poston

What Black History Month Means to Us Black History Match Up

12. First Black, female, self-made millionaire in America.

“Black History Month is important to me be cause of my ancestors and all that they went through. I definitely think the school rep resents it really well, and the Black history assembly definitely taught me some things last year.”

Cameron WrightJones, junior

“Black history month is important because it shines a light on the terrible things that have happened and continue to happen to Black people in America. It brings out the excellence that Black people have even through those terrible things.”

Skye Settles, freshman

“I think Black history month is important be cause we get to learn about our culture, past and our present and just express how we feel about our culture to other people. Watching everyone come together for the event was a vibe.”

Natayvia Turks, junior

PHOTO BY FELICITY JORDAN-THOMAS