KARATE KID MOVIE REVIEW

QUIZ INSIDE: WHAT TYPE OF

STUDENT ARE YOU?

INTRODUCING THE OMG GIRLZ

FROM ONE CHANCE TO

OC

2 TRUE STAR JR.

DO YOU HAVE AN OPINION ABOUT

EVERYTHING? MAYBE YOU’RE A TREND SETTER WHO LOVES TO STAY A STEP AHEAD OF THE GAME?

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Through paid afterschool apprenticeship programs, teens

learn to develop, write and edit content, produce graphic

design layouts, sell advertisements, execute events and

market the publication.

ABOUT TRUE STAR FOUNDATION:True Star Foundation is a nonprofit organization that

provides a creative outlet through literary and professional

development programs for youth. Our mission is to expose

youth to real world experiences through the arts,

particularly in publishing, marketing and entertainment.

Participants work with students from various cultural and

social economic backgrounds, express themselves in

innovative, challenging ways and learn their role and

responsibility as contributing adults to society.

SUPPORT TRUE STAR! To make a tax deductible donation to the True Star

Foundation, please send a check payable to:

True Star Foundation,

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ARE YOU THE ‘GO TO’ PERSON FOR THE LATEST IN SCHOOL

NEWS CELEBRITY GOSSIP AND TEEN

CULTURE?

WWW.TRUESTARIS.COM

TRUE STAR JR. 3

GRAND PRIZE WINNER

5TH & 6TH GRADE

CHAQUAN HARDIABEASLEY ACADEMIC CENTER

GRAND PRIZE WINNER

7TH & 8TH GRADE

ANTHONY FORDKIPP LEAD SCHOOL

GRAND PRIZE WINNER

HIGH SCHOOL

BRIA POEKENWOOD ACADEMY

CONGRATULATION’S TO THE 2009-2010

CONTEST WINNERS

4 TRUE STAR JR.

CONTRIBUTORS

NIJA BRADFORD

LERRONBONNER

DOMINIQUE REED

BEVERLY LAMBERT

MCKINLEY NELSON

TIANA SHUMATE

CASHMERE BERT

True Star Jr. is a pilot program at Lindblom Math and Science Academy that consists of all 7th

and 8th grade students. Modeled after the high school version of True Star, this is a magazine for

preteens and teens to enjoy and learn from. As we continue to grow and improve in the media

industry and produce more magazines, we hope to become the hottest preteen magazine in

Chicago. We’ve worked hard to compile a masterpiece that is fun, informative and your

go-to-guide for this summer. Enjoy!

A MESSAGE FROM MCKINLEY…

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

TRUE STAR JR. 5

NADIA LANGDON

DAJAH CARTER

NICHOLAS THOMAS

JADA BEASLEY

JOSHUA CHAPMAN

CORIN BERT

ALANA BROOMFIELD

JUSTICE MCFARLAND

LUTHER BOYD

MYRIAH WEATHERSPOON

EXPOSE’7 BURNING OFF THE BURGERS: YOUTH OBESITY IN AMERICABY MCKINLEY NELSON

8 BOOTLEG BLUES: THE TRUTH BEHIND PIRACY

BY NICHOLAS THOMAS

TALKIN’ NERDY9 PARENTS PRESSURING FOR PERFECTION

BY ALANA BROOMFIELD

SPRING AND SUMMER 201010 FASHION: SWAG STORIES 12 WHAT TYPE OF STUDENT ARE YOU? BY JADA BEASLEY

HOT OFF THE PRESS13 COVER STORY: ONE CHANCEBY MCKINLEY NELSON

14 A GIRL’S DREAM

BY JUSTICE MCFARLAND

15 INTRODUCING…OMG GIRLZ BY MARIAH WEATHERSPOON AND BEVERLY

LAMBERT

16 AT THE MOVIES: KARATE KID BY JOSHUA CHAPMAN

RISING STARS18 SONG BIRD: CHERELLE SULLIVAN BY LERRON BONNER

19 NEW TO THE GAME: N.E.P.H.E.W BY LUTHER BOYD

COMMENTARY BY CASHMERE20 BEHIND THE STATISTICS: DOMESTIC VIOLENCE BY CASHMERE BERT

21 PARENTAL ADVISORY? NOT! BY CASHMERE BERT

4EVER YOUNG22 WHAT DOES MUSIC DO TO YOUNG MINDS BY DOMINIQUE REED

DEEPER THAN SKIN23 KAREEM ABDUL JABAAR: LIFE AFTER LEUKEMIA

BY NAIDA LANGDON

24 THE REAL STORY BEHIND DREAD LOCKS BY JADA BEASLEY

KEEPIN’ SCORE25 DOES WRESTLING MAKE TEENS VIOLENT? BY JOSHUA CHAPMAN

26 A TRUE POINT GUARD: AHMAD STARKS BY MCKINLEY NELSON

Executive DirectorsJ. Na-Tae’ ThompsonDeAnna McLeary

Managing Editor Veronica Harrison Edgar MolinaJack Silverstein

Web Content Manager Rashaan Meador

Art DirectionDesign and IllustrationAngel D’Amico-Bauer

Celebrity BookerRandy C. Bonds

Photo CoordinatorDeShaun Adams

Special Projects ManagerDeshaun AdamsPhilistine Thompson

Public Relation & Marketing Outreach Specialist Kikanza Harris

Director Integrated Marketing & SalesFloyd Glinsey

Promotions Managers Jade HedgemanBrittany McKinley

TRUE STAR RADIO TRUESTARIS.COM TO DONATE TO TRUE STAR FOUNDATION, VISIT TRUESTARFOUNDATION.ORG

PLEASE LET US KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS

ON TRUE STAR JR. MAGAZINE

CONTACT US:

LETTERS TO TRUE STAR JR.

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CHICAGO, IL 60605-2717

EMAIL TRUESTARJR@TRUESTARMAGAZINE.COM

CONTENTS

TRUE STAR JR. 7

Aren’t unhealthy foods hypnotizing and

eye-catching from far away? Can’t you just

imagine all of the sodium, cholesterol, fat, and

extra calories going into your body? Not so

delightful anymore…huh? I didn’t think so.

According to the Center of Disease Control

(CDC), between 30% to 40% of adolescents

in the United States become obese. You CAN

be next if you don’t start eating right. burning

calories and exercising.

“A proper diet, good nutrition, and also

avoiding carbohydrates and sugar all help,”

said Dr. Brownling, Family Medicine Physician

EXPOSE’

of Roseland Medical Clinic. “But what doesn’t

help is spending your downtime playing video

games and watching television.”

Developing unhealthy eating habits may be

good for your satisfaction, but just may be

bad for your body. This habit of eating junk

food instead of healthy foods may increase

the risk of obesity not only as an adolescent,

but also as an adult. This disease may cause

diabetes, a disease that occurs when one has

too much sugar in their blood. To avoid this

disease, it is very important to eat healthy as

a young person, exercise and stay active at

home and school.

Youth OBESITYBY MCKINLEY NELSON

Burning Off

the Burgers:

in America

8 TRUE STAR JR.

While walking around my neighborhood,

you will hear residents often shout “CDs!

DVDs!” These shouts are coming from the local

‘businessmen’ who sell bootleg CDs and DVDs

for cheap prices. Little do people realize, this is

illegal and it is considered a crime on the streets

of Chicago.

Many people think that downloading movies

is just using the internet to get what they

want. Actually there is a law that states:

DOWNLOADING MOVIES AND CDS IS

ILLEGAL. It is actually stealing.

Internet piracy did not become popular until

Napster gained a huge following in 1999.

The company made so many members that

bootlegging movies and music became common.

Now, when some people get caught

downloading illegal files no matter what they

are, it is still stealing. However, people argue that

BY NICHOLAS THOMAS

downloading movies is not all that illegal and

it’s a way to save money.

When talking to one of my local DVD men, who

asked to remain anonymous, I asked him if he

felt guilty about it and he said “I don’t feel that

selling bootlegs are wrong. It puts extra money

in my pocket.”

He also commented that because the movies

might not have come out on DVD when he has

them, they’re just giving the people what they

want. People come to them asking for movies or

CDs and they just give them their wish with a fee

attached to it.

“It’s so rough out here and this economy has

people thinking smart,” my local ‘businessman’

replied. “Why pay money to the movie theatre

when you can stay home and watch what’s

at the movies? In this business, I win and the

customers win.”

Bootleg Blues: Bootleg Blues:

The Truth BehindThe Truth BehindPiracy

TRUE STAR JR. 9

TALKIN’ NERDY

BY ALANA BROOMFIELD

DESIGN BY KENDRA BOGARD

Motivation! Encouragement!

Requirement! Do your parents stress you to

be a perfect scholar in school? Many teens

today feel that if their parents weren’t so tough,

they could actually relax and complete their

homework successfully and without stress of

trying to be perfect.

“My mother tends to overwhelm me with so

many questions before I can even start,” says

Ellen Daniel, a student at Lindblom Math and

Science Academy. “I am stressed when I start

my homework.”

With young people receiving more and more

homework, it’s hard to keep up with all their

assignments.

“Parents feel as if it is so easy to receive

straight A’s, but it’s so much more than just

completing homework,” Briana McGee said.

McGee is an 8th grader at James Ward

Elementary.

School is an important component of a child’s

life. The pressure on teens is becoming a major

problem in the life of high school students,

because it is making teens more stressed and

unfocused in the classrooms and at home.

However, with rigorous parents it’s hard to

relax and stay completely focused.

With a rise of so many young people becoming

involved with violence and things of that sort,

home should be a place where they can go

and feel relaxed from the pressures of their

community and school work. So, parents please

stay on top of homework but don’t pressure

your children over the top!

TRUE STAR JR. 9

10 TRUE STAR JR.10 TRUE STAR JR.

SWEET SWAG

SOPHISTICATED SWAG

Swag Stories

TRUE STAR JR. 11

PRETTY BOY SWAG

HOOD SWAG

TRUE STAR JR. 11

SPRING AND SUMMER 2010

12 TRUE STAR JR.

What Type of Student Are You?

DESIGN BY MIESHA NEWELL, SIMEON

Take this quiz to see what kind of

student you are at school! Be as honest

as possible. Then, see your score below!

1. When you get homework from your teachers, do you:

a. Do it the same day

b. It can wait until tomorrow

c. Cram the lunch before the class

2. When you wake up in the morning, do you:

a. Put on your favorite pair of skinny

jeans and Nike shoes

b. Put on your T-shirt and jeans and get

ready to go

c. Slip on your favorite sweats and

sweatshirt for a laid back day

3. When studying for test, do you:a. Break out the flashcards

b. Study the night before

c. Wing it

4. When you see a fist fight, do you:a. Get outta dodge!

b. Watch and cheer on your best friend

c. Jump in and hope for the best

5. When taking a test, do you:a. Look over your test multiple times

b. Try to be the first one done

c. Use the “ennie meenie minnie moe”

method

6. If your parents are yelling and “preaching” to you, do you:

a. Listen

b. Roll your eyes

c. Walk away and slap your door shut

7. What are your three favorite colors?a. Blue, purple, and electric green

b. Yellow, orange, and green

c. Black, dark blue and dark green

8. You check your grades and find out you have a C- in math class. Do you:

a. Talk to your teacher and do as much

studying and extra credit as possible

b. Try to ace the rest of your homework

assignments

c. Beg your teacher for sympathy

9. After school, do you:a. Do homework and STUDY STUDY STUDY!!!

b. Do your homework and rest for the rest

of the day

c. Hang out and your homework is done

when it’s done

10. The night before a final, do you:a. Study, and then go to bed early:

b. Go to bed and hope for the best

c. Go to bed at 1:00am and cram that

morning

•* If you got mostly As, then you are a

hard-working, overachieving nerd, but you

still got your swag. You like to have a

bunch of fun and you’re always full of

energy. When you smell trouble, you make

sure you’re not a part of it. You like to

get the respect you deserve, but have fun

along the way. You work now, then have

fun later.

* If you got mostly Bs, then you are a kid

who knows their limit. You do what you

can, but enjoy doing it. When you finish

working, you celebrate by relaxing at

home and planning for the next day. You

live in the moment.

* If you got mostly Cs, you like to

chill, chill, CHILL! You do your best

academically, but work as hard as you

can. You like to be comfortable and are

very loyal to your friends. You do what

you want, and don’t get stepped on or

bossed by other people along the way. You

live your life.

BY JADA BEASLEY

12 TRUE STAR JR.

TRUE STAR JR. 13

The hit singles “Look At Her” featuring Fabo

and “U Can’t,” put the group One Chance on

the map. Are they still with Usher? Are they still

producing hits? Are they still together? Well

yes, they are still together and yes, they are still

making music. But no, they aren’t with Usher.

At the time of the interview, O.C. was in the

transition of moving on to T-Pain and signed to

Nappy Boy Entertainment. Now that they’ve

moved on, the talented singers and songwriters

get an opportunity to start all over; Mike, John,

Rob, and Courtney will have a fresh start.

The fresh start includes new music, new vibe, new

swag, new attitude, and new name. “We would

now like to be referred to as O.C,” said Mike.

“We’re giving the audience a new everything,”

said John. T-Pain has provided the group with

unlimited opportunities that they have never been

presented with before.

The group of four are all in their twenties and

come from the Southside of Chicago. They have

traveled all over and landed in Miami, Florida.

Though they are thousands of miles away, what

goes on in their hometown still plays a major

part in their lives. The most important issue that

they feel needs to be addressed is the senseless

HOT OFF THE PRESS

BY MCKINLEY NELSON

violence right here in their roots. “The violence

amongst teens is pointless,” said John. “Crimes

are being done just because,” said Courtney.

Why are we killing each other?

As the one and a half hour interview winded

down, I asked the guys to give teens advice,

share where they see themselves in the future

and tell us what they would do if they were

president. They said the following:

John- “I never thought I would be a

professional entertainer, although I have been

singing most of my life. Never let anyone kill

your dream and tell you what you can’t do.”

Courtney- “Stay focused, persistent, and have

faith. For every ten No’s there will be a Yes!”

Rob- “My goal is to have longevity, produce

great music, conduct world tours and be the

first musical artists/entrepreneurs that hit the

billionaire mark.”

Mike- “If I were president, I would provide

free healthcare and free college education

to all. This would encourage more students to

pursue a higher education.”

TRUE STAR JR. 13

A Fresh StartFrom One Chance to O.C.

14 TRUE STAR JR.

BY JUSTICE MCFARLAND

DreamA Girl’s

What do you think about when you

hear the name Princess Tiana? Without one

simple flick of the wrist, the world did not see

this coming: the very first black Disney princess.

This move caused a very controversial response

from a broad range of critics. Their biggest,

black girls. These girls all have the same

opinion on the movie itself. “Fantastic!” Many

girls have said that having a black princess

feels good. Good to know that our race can

actually have something.

Adults feel the same. Many of them grew up

with different races as princesses. Aurora,

Belle, Ariel were Disney’s white princesses.

Pocahontas was Disney’s first Native-American

princess and Mulan was Disney’s first princess

of Chinese descent. Never before has America

or any other country seen a black princess.

People many generations older have found

the movie more exciting and charming than

younger generations. A movie-goer, Danielle

Shay said “I went to see it, and I found it

being my favorite movie, because of the

way it portrays every girl’s thinking.” “Many

didn’t believe that we would ever see this,

and I personally thank Disney for creating

this for my daughter and I.”

This movie is said to be a milestone in every

girl’s book. Listening to their mother and

grandmothers talk about how they grew up

with all white princesses has changed the

way they think about things in general. The

world is changing over time; first, with a black

president that affected everyone and now

a black princess that affects the thinking of

young girls, black or white. The world has yet

to see what may come up next and surprise

us all.

TRUE STAR JR. 15

BY MYRIAH WEATHERSPOON AND BEVERLY LAMBERT

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VThe up and coming OMG Girlz group include

four young girls with a lot of talent. Bahja (Beauty),

age 13, Lourdes (Lolo), age 11, Reginae (Baby

Carter), age 10, and Zonnique (Star), age 13, form

the exquisite group. They were all born and raised

in Atlanta, with the exception of Reginae who was

born in New Orleans. Beauty and Star are the

singers in the group, while Baby Carter and Lolo

are the rappers in the group. The name OMG Girlz

relates to their fun and vivid style.

Their first live performance took place on the BET

series “Tiny and Toya,” but most people may

remember them dancing on stage with Drake and

Lil Wayne at the BET Awards, which wasn’t a big

sweat to them.

“We are all family,” said Baby Carter, daughter

of Antonia and Lil Wayne. Of the four, there is no

lead singer/ rapper.

“We are a group, we all have equal shine,” said

Lolo, daughter of Shamra, and sister of Beauty.

While the OMG Girlz work hard in the studio to

make music, they also maintain steady schedules

at school.

“We were born into the industry, so we were

born to be entertainers,” said Star, daughter of

Tiny Cottle.

The release of their album will be coming soon this

year, featuring New Boyz, Lil Chuckee, Lil Sean,

and Lil Wayne. The group’s New Year’s resolution

is to make it to the top, and in the direction they are

going that shouldn’t be hard.

Fans can also access them at:

www.myspace.com/therealomggirlz

and www.twitter.com/therealomggirlz.

TRUE STAR JR. 15

16 TRUE STAR JR.

starring Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan MOVIE REVIEW

BY JOSHUA CHAPMAN

The movie, The Karate Kid, is a remake

of the 1985 original movie. The movie

stars Jaden Smith, Jackie Chan and Taraji

P. Henson. And now, here is the good, the

mediocre and the ugly.

The GoodJaden Smith and Jackie Chan were very

believable as their characters Dre and Mr.

Han. The action was great and the finale Kung

Fu combat was very intense.

The MediocreIn the original Karate Kid, Daniel was

about 16 and so when there were romance

storylines, it seemed normal. However, Dre

is only 12 years old, and therefore it is pretty

awkward during his romance storylines.

The UglyI didn’t find it very realistic that Dre and his

mom moved to China. Mr. Han agreed to

teach Dre Kung Fu, even though it is called

the Karate Kid.

OverallOverall, I think it was a good movie and

I give it high praise. The Karate Kid is a

classic that should carry on in the movie

industry for many years to come. Jaden

Smith’s role deserves high praises as he

is on his way up the ladder in the movie

industry. I definitely recommend this movie

this summer.

16 TRUE STAR JR.

TRUE STAR JR. 17

MOVIE REVIEW BY JOSHUA CHAPMAN

TRUE STAR JR. 17

18 TRUE STAR JR.

RISING STARS

Song Bird: Cherelle SullivanBY: LERRON BONNER

Extra, Extra! There is someone new to the music industry...introducing another Sullivan

artist. Read all about her. Can you believe it? If the amazing, talented Jasmine Sullivan wasn’t

enough, the industry had to introduce the new talented artist Sherell Sullivan. From singing and

rapping to illustrations and choreography, she does it all. Although Ms. Sullivan currently

lives in Chicago IL, she is originally from Louisiana. Standing exactly five feet tall, the

luxurious Sherell Sharnic Sullivan is an eye opener for the entire music industry.

True Star Jr: Sherrell, can you describe your music style?

Sherrell: My music style consist of various genres, including Hip-Hop, Alternative

Rock, R&B, Jazz, Foreign music, and in some cases classical. I like to write music

that expresses different moods and feelings of me. I don’t write for one kind of

crowd. I like to include all kinds of nationalities into my music styles.

TSJ: What are some of your other talents?

Sherrell: My list of talents is stretched out far beyond the average artist’s today.

I dance, choreograph, draw, paint, etc. I feel that I am a natural comedian.

Fashion is a key aspect in my life. One day I might dress punk rock, another day

I’ll dress afro centric. My ability to do a wide variety of things is not looked upon

as a new topic to brag about with friends, it is simply a gift that I am well thankful of.

TSJ: What do you think it takes to be a successful artist?

Sherrell: I feel that there are certain responsibilities and duties that an artist must

full-fill in order to be successful in the music industry. For example, one duty that must

be taken care of in this process is the copyrighting all material including beats, songs,

names, symbols, etc. My goal is to continue creating wonderful music for everyone

and remain consistent while doing it.

TSJ: What has inspired you to be a music artist?

Sherrell: A large portion of my inspiration for my music comes from my loving

mother. As far as giving it your all in the industry, I am influenced by the greatest

entertainer of all time, Michael Jackson. When it comes time for singing and perfecting

vocals, I feel inspired by the piano and from various guitars. Overall none of my talent

would be possible without my savior, GOD and Jesus Christ.

Sherell Sharnic Sullivan

cherrelle_sullivan@yahoo.com

youtube.com/cherrellesullivan20

TRUE STAR JR. 19

Hailing from the south side of Chicago, Te-Riel Lloyd,

better known as N.E.P.H.E.W., is not your average 24 year old.

He is an artist on the rise in Chicago. He is the new addition to

the rap game and he’s coming to make his mark. Lloyd believes

he was born an artist and as he’s getting older, he’s perfecting

his craft. Look out Chicago, N.E.P.H.E.W. is one of our city’s

rising stars, and he’s not holding anything back.

True Star Jr: Te-Riel, how would you describe your style as a rapper?

Te-Riel: My music style is basically a soul-type rap music. I

feel that the game is missing a lot right now. I’m the one that

can bring it back. It’s always good to have the club hits and

fun records, but hip-hop is about variety, and we can’t have

that if everyone does the same thing.

TSJ: How will your music differ from the rap that’s already hitting the airwaves?

T: My music will bring more of an art feel because in my eyes

music is an art, and many people just look at it as sound. Yes, I’m

a hip-hop artist but I would compare my music style to Anthony

Hamilton’s soulful poetic feel.

TSJ: Did you know you’d always rap?

T: Ten years ago I would have never thought I’d be here. I was

always a big fan and good with words, but I never thought I was

good enough to pursue. Look where I am now, I’ve already put out

an album that was sold on iTunes, Amazon, and also Napster, and

my goal has nothing to do with money and album sales. I want to

create an influence and motivation for my listeners.

TSJ: What influences you to be a music artist?

T: My influence in music is not so much a person, it’s music in

general as an art. As far as artists that I listen to and admire their

music, I listen to a lot of Scarface, Tupac Shakur, Snoop Dogg,

Marvin Gaye, mainly lyricists and soulful artists.

Te-Riel Lloyd (N.E.P.H.E.W.)

www.nephewfromthego.com

New to the Game: N.E.P.H.E.W.

BY LUTHER BOYD

20 TRUE STAR JR.

COMMENTARY BY CASHMERE

BY CASHMERE BERTTeens often struggle with separating abuse

from love. Nearly one in five teenage girls has

said that their boyfriend has inflicted violence

or self-harm against them when presented with

a break-up.

According to a 2008 study did by the Bureau

of Justice on Domestic Violence, among youth,

teen dating violence often is unknown because

teenagers usually are inexperienced with

dating relationships, are pressured by peers to

act violently, want independence from parents,

and have “romantic” views of love.

According to the “Bureau of Justice Statistics

Crime Data Brief: Intimate Partner Violence,”

“Intimate partner violent behavior made up

20% of all nonfatal violent crime experienced

by women during 2001, and three percent of

non-fatal for men.”

Studies done by the State of New Jersey

Department of Community Affairs, 3.3 million

children witness physical and verbal spousal

abuse each year. Research has proven that

every single child that has been in a house

where domestic violence occurred will grow

up, and eventually have it be part of their life.

Domestic violence shouldn’t be part of

any child’s life. It brings nothing but guilt,

confusion, and anger upon the child. No child

should have to be brought up having to deal

with abuse upon their parents or guardians. If

you ever get involved with a relationship like

this, feel free to call 1-800-799-7233. This is

a domestic violence hotline with people ready

to listen.

domestic violenceBehind the Statistics:

TRUE STAR JR. 21

BY CASHMERE BERT

BACKGROUND DESIGN BY KENDRA BOGARD

PARENTAL ADVISORY?

censoredcensored

“Free speech not only lives, it

rocks!” These wise words were said by the

world-renowned mogul Oprah Winfrey.

Censorship is the editing of material

from a written or visual presentation.

Sometimes the word “censored” indicates

that material is removed in the concern

of integrity, or would be offensive to the

intended audience. This may be either

sound (bleeped) or video (blurred). The

media today has become more vulgar

than ever before. On December 6, 1995,

more than 25 national liberties groups, and

commercial producers of entertainment,

information, and journalism joined an

ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union).

The United States Congress urged the

conferees to reject all proposals to impose

new government censorship. The U.S.

Office of Censorship was created to control

information pertaining to WW II originally.

In my opinion, censorship is brainless. It

takes away the voices of people all over

the world. It is pointless. It is dull. You

should be able to say what is on your mind

at all times. The world is so judgmental. If

everyone would stop and listen, they will

then understand that people are speaking

wisdom. If you can say something off the

record then you should be able to say it

freely. I believe that what you say is up to

you. Freedom of speech is first amendment in

the constitution. Is the constitution irrelevant

now? Why does censorship even exist? It

has no purpose but to put a muzzle on the

citizens of the world. Will you let the world

control your life?

TRUE STAR JR. 21

not!

22 TRUE STAR JR.

4EVER YOUNG

BY DOMINIQUE REED

DESIGN BY DARIUS HILLERY, SIMEON

Today’s youth are heavily influenced by

the music they listen to. According to a fact

released in 2008 by the New York Times, 9

out 10 teens have Mp3 players or CD players

in their possession.

Music is a huge part of many people’s lives.

It affects today’s teens both positively and

negatively. Music can influence a person’s

behavior, perspective, personality, and

judgment. It can also affect someone’s grades

because they sometimes get too fascinated by

music that they don’t leave enough time for

school. Also, conveyed messages in music may

distract teen’s judgments. For example, listening

to a certain artist and their perception of what

success is can be easily misunderstood to a

young person’s mind.

Alexis Lanier, a 12 year old student at Lindblom

Math and Science Academy, is a

lover of anything and everything

musical. “Music is my life. If

someone took music from

me I would just die!”

she said.

Music is such a powerful mass medium

because it involves pop culture and people’s

style. It can change the way someone

dressed, talks, and the way they feel. Many

artists sing and/or write songs that justify

violent behavior, sexual promiscuity, illegal

activity and the negative behavior while under

the influence of alcohol or drugs. Some teens

idolize the artists and take the lyrics literally.

Music can also affect teens positively. If

someone finds out they have a musical gift,

they can possibly make that into a career.

Also, music can become a hobby. It will help

them express themselves in a new and

positive way.

Teens today have a small group of positive

role models to pick from. The influence that

music has on teens affects everyone. The

artists have the responsibility to try to set

good examples. Most teens today listen to

music; therefore it has a strong

influence on them.

TRUE STAR JR. 23

Life after Leukemia

DEEPER THAN SKIN

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has gone from

being one of the very best NBA basketball

players to having a rare form of leukemia

named chronic myeloid leukemia. But ever

since he was diagnosed with the disease,

he has been informing the public of how

important it is to get tested because you

could have leukemia and not even know it.

Kareem is proof that just because you

are diagnosed with a rare disease does

not mean you can’t live a normal life.

Statistics say that leukemia is not a rare

disease. According to the Center of Disease

Control (CDC), about 139,860 people

were diagnosed with leukemia in the

United States alone in 2008. Abdul-

Jabbar previously played basketball for

the Miami Heat as one of the best until

1989. Kareem left the Heat with a good

reputation.

Abdul-Jabbar’s basketball coach quoted

“Let’s not judge him. He was a great

player and we can’t take that away from

him.” Kareem has had a great life and

intends to keep fighting.

“I will fight this to the end. It is all in God’s

hands now.”

BY NAIDA LANGDON

KAREEM Abdul-Jabbar

TRUE STAR JR. 23

24 TRUE STAR JR.

The Real Story Behind

Dread LocksBY JADA BEASLEY

The process in which people make

locks/dreadlocks are:

1. Wash your hair with residue free shampoo

and let hair air-dry or sit under the dryer.

2. Separate hair into 1 inch by 1 inch

sections. Rubberbands are recommended to

hold sections in place.

3. Once you have sectioned off all of your

hair, take one section at a time and twist it back

and forth between your fingers, then put some

wax on the twist and keep twisting it. The more

you twist the hair back and forth the faster the

dreadlocks/locks will form.

She explained,” First we analyze the client’s hair

to see how long it will take to lock. Then, we do

concoil twist and put their hair under the dryer.

We then dip their hair in lemon juice and they

continue to add the lemon juice every 3 weeks.

Finally, the twists lock.” Some lockticians will

never tell you the various oils and creams they

use to start twists. If you ask 50 lockticians what

they use to kick start the locking process, you

will get 50 DIFFERENT ANSWERS! The world of

locks is so secretive that owners sometimes don’t

even tell their employees. If they told people,

they wouldn’t come back for more…right?

Marquita Brown added, “People get chemicals

all the time here. I don’t consider one over the

other, but people choose to get natural hair or

chemicals based on their lifestyles.” The Soul

Salon Spa is owned by Joyce Kelley-Brown and

specializes in natural hair, but do chemicals and

things also.

This is the end of this tour in the world of

dreadlocks/locks. That’s all folks. Next time you

think about getting your perm, consider going

ALL NATURAL!

Now, many people don’t know that there

is a difference between locks and dreadlocks.

Locks are the thin textured twist and dreadlocks

are the thick textured twist. There are many

stereotypes about “dreadlocks.” Some are: they

are dirty and messy, they are only for people

from African descent, they can’t be washed,

they are not good for females to commonly

wear. Here are some of the actual FACTS about

locks/dreadlocks: They start off as twist, they

are permanent after they are locked, anyone

can have them, if you don’t like them, you can

get them taken out when they are first twisted

(before they are permanent).

Dreadlocks/locks have become the biggest

hairstyle sweeping the nation ever since rap

star Lil’ Wayne introduced them to the world.

Now, everyone around the world is trying

them out. Stylists who do the dreadlocks/locks

call themselves “lockticians” because they are

considered experts in doing different styles in

locks and giving them to anyone. Marquita

Brown, an employee of Soul Salon Spa said,

“We have hundreds and hundreds of styles in

locks. Our shop started off as all natural hair,

but we started adding chemicals as times and

styles evolved.”

TRUE STAR JR. 25

The Tombstone Piledriver (Undertaker). The

RKO (Randy Orton). The Killswitch (Christian).

The Pedigree (Triple H). The STFU (John Cena).

These are some of the WWE’s (World Wrestling

Entertainment) most violent finishers and millions

of our youth watch wrestling weekly. The WWE

affects the daily life of many kids in the U.S.

Wrestling comes on 4 times a week, 6 hours

a week, 52 weeks of the year. That’s an

equivalent of 312 hours of wrestling a year or

1.2 hours a day. According to Ned Hartley,

editor of WWE Heroes, a new comic book set to

debut next month, more than 1.6 million teens

watch the violent adolescents and adults they

are heading to be.

Many kids look up to the wrestlers as heroes or

idols. One of the most dangerous things about

wrestling is that it is extremely addicting. After

you watch a couple of episodes of the stuff,

it’s a challenge to give it up. Also, after teens

watch this, they’re tempted to try the moves out

BY: JOSHUA CHAPMAN

KEEPIN’ SCORE

DESIGN BY DARIUS HILLERY, SIMEON

Does Wrestling Make TEENS More Violent?

for themselves on their friends, family members

and even in fights. WWE is on top of the

entertainment business right now and with a fan

base younger and larger than ever. Let’s hope

that we can get a message to and through our

youth so they won’t misunderstand that wrestling

is for entertainment and not meant to provoke

violent behaviors.

TRUE STAR JR. 25

26 TRUE STAR JR.

Defending Class 4A State Champions,

Whitney Young, produces great talent every

year. This year the production is stellar star

senior point guard, Ahmad Starks, who’s

headed to Oregon State next year and has

a bright future ahead of him.

He’s a Chicago native whose game

resembles that of someone on the NBA:

Tony Parker, Chris Paul, and Derrick Rose, to

name a few. Though he may not be as lucky

as Derrick Rose to play at his hometown

arena, he’ll be thankful to play anywhere.

“Not necessarily the United Center but

anywhere pro, but United Center would be

great,” Starks said.

While Starks put his game face on for the

basketball court, he remains diligent in his

school work.

BY MCKINLEY NELSON

“School always comes first,” Starks said.

He said he definitely plans to go to college.

“I plan to major in Business or Sports

Management because my parents are both

entrepreneurs and sports management

because if I don’t make it far, I can still be

around the game.”

He is someone to look up to as a role model.

His parents taught him to gentlemen.

“My dad is my role model because he taught

me pretty much everything I know and his

teachings have lead me to be who I am today,

an academic and athletic scholar.

Starks continues to put in hard work and

dedication so that one day, maybe sooner than he

thinks, his dreams of playing pro will come true.

A True Point Guard: Ahmad Starks

TRUE STAR JR. 27

Do you think you have what it takes to be in front of the camera? Is your fashion sense and style the envy of all your friends? If you think so, show us your best pictures on our Blog. Create a profile on www.truestaris.com and join the group Models, make sure to include a face and full body shot. We’re looking for boys and girls ages 14 - 22 all sizes, races and ethnicities.

show us what youre working with'

28 TRUE STAR JR.