Lifestyle
Horoscopes
Aries; White Calla Lily
You are elegant and one of a kind. Your love for life, inspire many.
Gemini; Sunflower
You are beautiful and full of life
. The way you look at the world and others is amazing.
Leo; Orchid
You hold a mysterious persona that attracts those around you. You also a=have a natural desire to help those around you.
Libra; Tulips
Tulips are very colorful and classic. You are a beautiful soul in and out.
Sagittarius; Plant Cactus
Cactus are not your typical flower and plants, they are a little rough on the edges but very lovable.
Aquarius; Rose
Roses are Classic! You are the most original soul there is. Everything about you is special.
Taurus; Daisy
You are charming and have a delicate soul. Very easy to love.
Cancer; Pink Carnations
You are a natural born leader and a hard worker. Many look up to you and your work ethic.
Virgo; Orange Dahlia
You are wise and a sensitive person. Share your love and wisdom to the world.
Scorpio; Clivia
You are a work of art. You are amorous and are a life guide to those around you.
Capricorn; Succulents
Succulents are less dependent than others just like you. You like to do things yourself but also make a great friend and a companion.
Pisces; Lavander
Lavenders cover fields with their calming purple. You are a person in which your friends can find peace.
Mother’s Day
by Alexis Mejia
This is a very special day, honoring everything our mothers do for us and what they have sacrificed so that we could succeed. It’s time to repay the favor and celebrate them in the best way possible, it doesn’t matter how big or how small your gift is the only thing that counts is the thought and emotion we put into it. Our moms have and will always be there for us when we need them the most and not only in this day should you do something for your mom, show her how much you appreciate her everyday even the little things count. As we know Mother’s Day is just around the corner and we know that you want to celebrate mom the right way, but finding a great gift can be an overwhelming task. Don’t worry here are some gift ideas that she will love:
1. Flower bouquet: classic and simple, something she will love.
2. Decorative wall art: create a special wall art with a favorite family photo. You might want to include one of her favorite inspirational quotes.
3. A necklace with a family picture: something meaningful that she will wear every day and never forget about it.
4. Her favorite perfume: every mom loves a good fragrance and wants to stay fresh all-day long.
5. Something creative that you build with your own hands will makes the best gift. Your mom will love something that comes from your heart and will value this forever.
Childhood Poverty and Their Education
by Alexis Mejia
Poverty has been huge throughout the years in America and a recent study from the census bureau has determined that poverty rates have only decreased 4% since 1964 up to now. However, childhood poverty still persists and not only does it affect children’s lives’ but their education as well. In some areas poverty rises in others it falls, and ever since 2007-2008 financial crisis have increased. In 1973 51.4% of poor families were led by married couples and 45.4% by single woman. Now days based on the newest data collected, 50.3% of poor families are led by single woman and 38.9% by married couples. Children are suffering and having a hard time focusing in school by just having to think on what they’re going to eat today or what clothes they’re going to wear because some only have one pair of jeans and a shirt.
In 2015, approximately 20 percent of children in the U.S. lived in poverty, that is to say 51 percent of pre-K through 12th grade student resides in households with low incomes of less than $24,339 a year. “The impact of poverty on a child’s academic achievement is significant and starts early”, says John Edelman. John is a co-founder and chief executive officer of stand for children. Many young children growing up in poverty tend to have bigger challenges with literary and cognitive learning. These children often begin school academically behind with no knowledge of anything. Low income students are five times more likely to drop out and thirteen times less likely to graduate on time, (insight into diversity).
Having some sort of education is linked to future earnings. Education is key here in the U.S. and the ability to obtain some sort of degree matters as you could get better jobs which would change someone’s life. The pioneer institute has reported that two thirds of those without a high school diploma are getting an annual income of less than $25,000. Not just that, but those with low income who get the chance to graduate high school, they have very low college enrollment and completion rates. There’s been some districts where they are doing everything they can with the help of some organizations to improve the system in order to create better outcomes for low income students. “To deal with the myriad issues that can accompany poverty, we must invest in the high quality early education and the necessary supports in the public K-12 system”, said Edelman. Edelman is working with an organization called Stand for Children. This organization is trying to improve students’ life so that they could have better academics, (insight into diversity). The U.S. is considered to be one of the richest countries and yet millions live in poverty.
Students and Mental Health
By Anyssa Maese
Why do us teenagers feel such a constant need to conform to the peer pressure of those around us? Why would we do so much to fit in, when we know the impact on our mental health, could be tremendous?
Now I’m not a doctor (yet anyways) but I do have a couple ideas of what could lead to mental health destruction based on what I’ve seen and experienced. The peer pressure of high school today is enough to set any one individual over the edge into a downward spiral of anxiety, fear, and stress.
Sometimes I like to sit back and think about “fitting in” and what that phrase, actually means. Is it wearing the right clothes? Driving a nice car? Playing varsity sports? Wearing the most makeup? I think now, more than ever, we need to step aside and realize that “fitting in” is actual nonsense. We fail to step aside from the drama and gossip of high school, to check up on ourselves and those around us. Although some find fitting in and finding ourselves to be a good, the choices we make each and every day affect us and our mental health status because it adds up inside. Playing along to this “game”, for lack of better words, takes a toll, and a strong one at that.
Peer pressure can’t take all the blame though, there are many other aspects that can impact an individual, including homework, teachers, and extracurricular activities. Students are faced with up to seven classes a day, classwork/lectures, homework, chores at home, and then, on occasion, extracurricular activities. This means, saying for example, one wakes up at 6:30 AM for class at 8:20 AM, we are spending up to eleven hours doing school based work. If you ask me, that’s a long day for a teenager. Tell me, did not just reading that give you anxiety as well?
With all of this have been said, the one thing I ask you to take away is; Make time for yourself, and stick to who you are. Relax. Push the stresses of school aside for a little bit and just cuddle up with a blanket and watch your favorite movie with your favorite snacks. I ask you please, have some you time so you can keep your mental health in check, and make sure to constantly be checking up on those around you and those you love, because you never know the challenges they are facing inside as well.
If you or anyone you know is dealing with anxiety or has mental health issues, I encourage you to visit our Student Based Health Center located at 501 W Florida St. Contact them to schedule and appointment today at (575)-543-1017
Plagiarism and the Consequences
by Alexis Mejia
At one point or another in our lives we’ve all plagiarized something and sometimes it ends up good or really bad if you get caught. So, what exactly is plagiarism? Plagiarism is the practice of taking someone else's work or ideas and making them as your own. As students, throughout our professional lives it is very important that we learn and understand what counts as plagiarism and refrain from committing it. Not only can plagiarism affect your grades, it can ruined your reputation for the rest of your life. Always remember that colleges take plagiarism very seriously so never ignore your professors’ warnings of checking your work for stolen information. If you want to learn more about your schools’ policy for plagiarism take a look at their website.
In order to avoid plagiarism, the first step is to cite all information used from another source. When writing about a specific idea or work it’s required to give credit to the author and the source you found the information from. There are different ways to do this properly, depending on what type of paper you are writing. There are two formats when it comes to citing, MLA and APA. When using these formats, it is required to use in-text citations, which occur throughout the essay and may include quotations, and a separate page for citations.
At the end of the day no matter what, committing yourself to creating your own original work is the best way to avoid plagiarism and staying out of trouble.
Summer Ideas
By Anyssa Maese
School is almost out, and summer is right around the corner. Hot summer days, long nights and friends? Count me in! Here are some things you can do to make the most out of your summer and ensure you don’t have a single dull day!
Here are 12 ideas to inspire you and your friends this summer!
1. Go to a music festival! Who doesn’t love good music and good times with your friends? Grab some buddies and head out to the nearest music festival, and make some good memories!
2. Set up a lemonade stand! This idea may seem like that for a little kids, but older individuals can have just as much fun with this! Making homemade lemonade and selling it on the curb with your friends sounds like a great afternoon!
3. Ride a bike around town! Grab your friends, and your bicycles and ride around town. This is a great form of exercise and fun. Don’t forget your helmets!
4. Throw a BBQ! Bring out your grills, your hamburger buns, and popsicles and get ready for some outdoor fun! Invite your friends and family and make sure you have some good tunes.
5. Go swim! Summertime is the best time to go hang out by the pool with some iced drinks and snacks!
6. Go to a zoo! Zoos are great in the summer because the weather is nice, and you get to see many cute animals! Zoo food isn’t that bad either, so grab some snacks while you’re there!
7. Have a water balloon fight! Grab your closest pals and go to a park with filled water balloons and have some fun! Make teams for some added competition.
8. Make tie-dyed t-shirts! Tie-dye is making its way back in, just in time. The bright colors and fun patterns give you and your friends much needed edge this summer!
9. Make homemade ice cream. Homemade ice cream is just as good to eat, and twice as fun to make! You can make as many flavors as you’d like and make as much as you’d like so dive in!
10. Have a fun water gun fight! Water guns, backyards, and friends. The only three ingredients you need for a good time this summer!
11. Volunteer at your local animal shelter! This summer make sure your fury friends aren’t spending their days alone. Go volunteer at your local animal shelter to give them some loving and attention.
12. Roast marshmallows and make s’mores! Sitting in your backyard around a campfire is tons of fun , but making s’mores is so much better. Tell some scary stories or even just play music and eat up!
Should Marijuana be decriminalized?
Marijuana has been a huge topic in our country for some time now. It has been the topic of contentions between countries and has also been something to discuss in modern society. Recently, the substance has become something most have become very acquainted with. Such as them becoming users as well as others they know. Some may even know of those who have been arrested and sent to prison for being in possession of a low amount and are still detained while others continue to use the substance with no consequences. Marijuana should be decriminalized to serve justice those who have been convicted while the drug laws continue to change.
In February of 2017, bill H.R 1227 was introduced, it petitions the decriminalization of marijuana. This means that marijuana could be taken of the list of harmful drugs and all the crimes that involved the possession of marijuana would be exempt. Many sentences in which arrest have been made for the possession of marijuana are still being served while the drug is becoming legal in many states for health and recreational use. While we see all of these people enjoying the substance that caused the arrest of others we see the harm that not having it decriminalized does. An arrest in someone’s youth can leave a permanent harmful record that can prevent them from being viewed well in society. Don’t think that this means the bill is in favor of legalizing it. Legalization and decriminalization are two different terms.
Legalization of marijuana is almost legal in most of the country. This means that marijuana is permissible by law in many states for recreational use and medical use. Decimalizing marijuana would be a huge change to society, crime and violence will have huge decrease. The criminalization of marijuana use harms young people, mostly youth of color, and promotes violence and corruption. How many times have we been witnesses of cases in which youth of color have been brutally attacked and sometimes murder by police for small amounts while others enjoy their privilege? Decriminalization will also have a positive effect in the
economy. While creating legal business, it will increase jobs. Preventing the traffic of illegal marijuana. The effects that come from traffic have harmed families and has shaped society overall. Decriminalizing will help decrease the violence we see in our borders and our country.
The bill for decriminalizing marijuana should be made into a law to serve justice and treat as ‘equals’ to all of those who have been unfairly punished for a law that is changing as society changes. There are people serving 20 years sentences in prison for possession of marijuana while many are freely using it now. Legalization and decriminalization doesn’t mean the same thing, and it will hit crime and violence rates overall. If you ask me it is a great way to change our society
Student Goals
by Alexis Mejia
The school year is coming to an end, meaning tons of stress for students because of finals. However, think back to the beginning of the year and list all your pros and cons that you encountered and start setting some goals for the upcoming year. The process of setting goals allows students to choose where they want to go in school and what they want to achieve this upcoming year. If they know what they want to achieve, it would make it easier to improve, concentrate, and be more well organized in their learning. Always remember to keep your goals small as they are more easily achieved. Here are a few tips for a better school year:
First of all, learn to put your phone down as hard as it is. Let’s be honest phones are a big distraction and take time away from our learning. Try to make yourself leave your phone in another room and stay off social media while doing your homework each night. Not only will you be done faster with homework, but you’ll be more focused without any distractions. It is possible that you will understand the material better, which means less studying when it comes to testing.
Make sleep a priority as it is key to a better day. Staying up all night watching a Netflix show won’t make your body and learning process any good. Try to set up a bedtime and stick to it as long as possible while your body gets used to it. Eight hours of sleep is recommended for our bodies to fully rest, and you might find yourself more alert during class which might increase your grades.
Be more positive, don’t let yourself think you’re not smart enough or that something is just too hard to accomplish. Committing one of your student goals to being more confident will benefit your social life, grades, and even your mindset going forward towards your next chapter in your life. If for some reason you are struggling with something don’t be afraid to ask your teachers or counselors for help, as they will do anything to make you better.
Hope you take these ideas and tips into consideration as they might help your new semester go smoothly.
Why is it important to be bilingual?
By Claritza Rangel
How do you communicate? Have you ever tried to communicate with someone but they did not understand, and there was nothing much you could do to get them to? Well, communication is the basis of the human organism. We live from communication in many kinds and forms such as verbally, body language, signs, texting, or emailing the point is that there are many ways we can communicate with each other, but what happens when you cannot get you message across to someone else? Sometimes, when we cannot communicate with others effectively we tend to offend them unknowingly or lose opportunities and relationships. Being bi-literate is important when living in America ‘the land of opportunities’. Being able to communicate in a land where there is so much diversity is vital in today’s society.
As a first-generation Hispanic child, it has been critical for me to learn and embrace both of my cultures and languages. Being bi-literate allows me to help and communicate with my family and friends. My mother being from Mexico and my father being an American have aided my comprehension and development of knowing two languages. I believe being in a bi-literate household has many benefits. One can benefit a lot from having two cultures, embracing many traditions which helps one better understand the traditions of others. As being the child of an immigrant, education has also played a big role when it comes to being bilingual.
Deming High School is full of diversity, such as students and teachers. In the past few years we have been privileged enough to have some cultures like Philippino’s, Spanish, and Arab but the leading ethnic group being Mexican in our school. Being so close to the Mexican borders we receive students from Palomas, which make up most of the student body. This makes our school a place where many can freely speak their language and have a better learning experience. Being
bilingual gives you educational advantage, it has been proved that knowing more than one language can aid your cognitive skills and gives you more advantage in the workplace.
Being bi-literate will be an enormous benefit after high-school. When it comes to my plans after high school knowing two languages will come in handy. One of my goals is to travel as much as I can and being bi-literate is a great advantage, talking 2 or more languages can make traveling around the world easier. This way you can communicate all your ideas and people would understand you better. The same thing happens when you go into the job field. Employers consider people who are bilingual more than those who are not, due to the diversity of consumers and costumers.
Aside from all the educational and employment benefits of being bi-literate, knowing two languages holds a very special place in my heart. Spanish is the language of my grandmother and my grandfather, it is the language of my mother whom have thought me everything I know and have made me the person I am today. Spanish was my first language and I will forever be grateful of being able to speak a beautiful language that ties with a beautiful culture. Spanish has allowed me to understand a wonderful culture that is solely based on family and love, allowing me to communicate with others while providing me with so many wonderful opportunities. Bi-literacy is a door opener for our youth, I am grateful for being able to speak two languages and I hope to continue to aid others with this magnificent gift.
As teenagers in today’s world we are not very informed on the environment or most are not interested at all, but here is why you should care. Everything around us somehow ties to nature and the environment. It can be such as the car you drive, the paper you use and what you eat. Nature has given us an unbelievable amount of materials in order for us to function properly, so why are we being so ungrateful?
With today’s technology and our busy schedules, it seems most of us don’t take a second to admire the beauty nature has provided us with, well at least of what’s left of it. We are too busy with our material items such as our phones and other inventions the man has created that we do not see how drastically nature has changed. Our world appears to be dying, are you aware of that? Over the course of time we have become careless when it comes to taking care of nature, something that has given us so much. I am a firm believer that if you expect to receive you should also give back, so what can we do with nature.
If you want nature to keep providing for you, you also need to nourish it. It doesn’t even need to be something huge like starting a club at school to promote a green environment or donating to an organization, though that would be thoughtful and going out of your way but you can make a difference by doing the smallest things you might think are insignificant. You can start by having an understanding of the environment and the changes that it is going through, by being informed you will be able to identify the needs nature has and how you can help. You can also start by throwing your trash away in bins that are according to each item so they can be taken to their proper destination. You can also buy a water bottle that is environmentally friendly, so you don’t keep filling up the world with plastic bottles that take about 500 years to disintegrate. You can do the smallest things, because remember a number of persons doing something small still has a huge impact.
By doing small deeds of kindness to our environment we are helping ourselves. We are generating clean water and better air to breath. We are providing our animals and families with a home for a few more years. Think about it this way, start treating the earth as you house which it basically is but think about it as a home with chores. Every household member has a responsibility in order to keep the house clean and functioning. Well that is NATURE!!! We all play a key role in keeping earth alive. Taking care about the environment is crucial to our health and our futures, having an understanding about the world around us will help us become guardians of our home, earth.