Jessica Martinez
Staff Writer In the past years, upon arriving to school, the students would head straight to division. Division was a place of comfort; a place to mentally prepare ourselves for our classes, and get important information from our division teachers. We bonded with our division. Although we still have division numbers, that's all they are now. After the first two weeks of school, we were informed that there would no longer be division. NO DIVISION? Yeah, you read correctly. Now you may ask yourself, why don't we have division anymore, right? The main reason we don't have division is because there's no time. Ever since the 2012 strike, teachers have certain instructional minutes that they must fulfill. "Considering the fact we don't have division this year, it’s affecting us as students because of the lack of time we have to get prepared for our classes. Especially for us seniors. We’re missing out on the important information that we need to graduate high school,” said Erika Vargas, Div. 408. Others believe that we don’t need division. According to Luis Gonzales, Div. 402, “It’s just a waste of time, and personally I didn't even listen to the teachers when they announced stuff.” “Division had its ups and downs.” said Jose Soto, Div. 406. There are different alternatives in order to have our divisions back. We can always shorten classes or shorten passing classes, but none of these suggestions would work. This is why the Hubbard's staff has chosen to not have division any longer. As to giving us the important information we need to graduate, Hubbard does it through announcements and meetings during our lunch periods. Now announcements are really important! It's sad that nobody really listens to them because at the end of the day, students are too eager to leave school to even bother to listen to the announcements that are given during 8th period. As to the meetings we have before our lunch periods, those are kind of helpful, but then again they put us all in the same room and it is obvious that no one will listen. Overall, as I interviewed students and staff about their opinions on the matter, many agreed that division was something we needed. In my opinion, I personally think we do need division. I loved division because I would come to school unprepared, and I had a full 15 minutes to do my homework. Now instead of having a full 50 minutes of lunch, I’d prefer having 30 minutes of lunch and have division instead. It's understandable that we can't have our divisions, but it's something we all really need and miss. Now all we have left are division numbers.
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By Fernando Cuevas
Staff Writer This year, many new rules have been made: one of them is getting detention for coming in after 8:15 a.m. Regardless, many students still come in late, and it has no effect on them. Even I have come in late a few times, yet I have only served one detention. Only 5 students attended detention after school when I was there. Other students see in-school suspension as a vacation, rather than a punishment. Not only do they see it as a day off, but they also lose precious learning time. Sometimes the teachers don’t send work for the students to do. So why are so many students coming in late? Some of the students who frequently come in late are usually those who live in a different neighborhood and rely on either their parents or public transportation to get to school. Since this is a big city, there is often heavy and unpredictable traffic, especially on days when the weather is harsh. A few students also ride their bikes to school which is sometimes a slower means of transportation. I am a student who takes the the bus to school almost every morning, and it takes at least 45 minutes without traffic to get to school. There are also times when the bus is late, and it takes me even longer to reach school. Is it fair if a bus or train breaks down and detentions are given indiscriminately to students who would have otherwise been in class early? This has happened recently. Even for the students come to school on time, there is a long line to get inside. Sometimes students hold up the lines because they don't take their phones out of their pockets, or they don't take off their belts so they have to go through the metal detector multiple times. All of this takes up so much time that even if you're inside the building, waiting for these people to go through the metal detector causes some students to be late. Since the new policy requires you to swipe before 8:15, the people who were being held up by the line are late even when they made it to school on time. The fact is, there are many students who don't have control over how they get to school, either because they live too far to walk and can't rely on their parents to give them a ride to school. There has to be a better solution to curbing morning tardies than giving out detentions. Although students have to be more responsible and serving detention is a good way to help them learn that coming late has its consequences, the extent that Hubbard is punishing the students seems excessive. Maybe instead of punishing students so harshly, they should consider making it clearer to all students when they should be in the building or even bring back division or institute a study hall for 1st period. By Zana Shelton
Staff Writer The Class of 2013 made it through a lot. We made it to our senior year and are about to finally graduate and enjoy prom, BUT we have to attend school on that day? Of all the years that students have gone on prom I have NEVER, and I believe I could speak for everyone when I say this, but I’ve NEVER known a school to make seniors come a whole day of school on their prom day! It does not seem fair that they choose our year to apply this rule. Ladies have to get their hair, nails, and feet done and that process could take all day. That needs to be done early in the morning so they can be on time for their prom. The guys also need to make the finishing touches to make the night perfect. Coming to school for a full day is going to mess up EVERYTHING. For example, rushing to get dressed and freaking out, not enough time to take pictures with the friends and family, and they also might end up running late to their own prom. Seniors have done what they need to do to be where they are, and all we ask to get treated fairly. Such as, being able to pick up their tickets and leave to make their last minute errands. We could be put onto School Function for the day. It’s not like we don’t deserve it; it’s our last year and this rule of having to be in school until 3:30 or we will not receive our tickets is just unfair! I spoke with a few of my fellow students and each and every one had the same exact reaction. No one feels that it’s fair to our class. That’s what we DON’T like! By Haley Napientek
Staff Writer Prom 2013 is right around the corner, and it’s very exciting. Traditionally, the students attending the prom are usually able to leave school around 10:30 a.m. so they can get ready for their big night. This year, students attending prom are being ordered to stay in school until 2:30 p.m. This of course is very stressful to the students because they have to worry about getting ready and getting last minute things done. I personally do not agree with this, along with many other students. We should be able to leave early as in the previous years here at Hubbard. Students should not feel rushed and/or pressured the day of prom, and they shouldn’t be worrying about being ready on time. Girls take a very long time to get ready because they have many things to get done, including hair, nails, make-up, etc. Hair alone can take up to a couple hours. I strongly disagree with the time they are letting us leave. Hopefully they can make some time of arrangement and change the time to something more convenient. If not, we just have to make the best out of it, and stay positive! By Carolina Aceves
Staff Writer Can you imagine if one day all of our electronic devices were to suddenly stop working? There would be chaos, especially amongst the younger generation. A day without internet, phones, or even television is unimaginable in our society. We teenagers use some type of electronic device every single day, without fail. They make life easier; there’s no doubt about that. Still, aren’t we becoming just a little too dependant on these devices? Computers, iPads, smartphones, apps, social networks, the list goes on. They’re all so easy to get used to, but so hard to stop using. Most people who go a day without their phone get anxious, and I get it. Whenever I forget to bring my phone somewhere, I feel disconnected from the world, and it’s not a fun feeling. Still, I can’t help but wonder what on earth we are going to do with ourselves if one day, for some reason, we lose these commodities. Can you imagine how out-of-sorts we would be? Even if it were just internet that wasn’t available anymore, we’d be cut off from the rest of world in a way. Electronic devices are great for a lot of things. They come in handy, especially smartphones. I mean, what can’t you do on your cell phone nowadays? You get lost, look up the directions. You need the phone number to somewhere, just Google it. You’re on a long road trip and you’re bored, play some games. There has to be an app for everything now, it’s just a matter of actually looking for it. Technology has made our lives very easy in the last decade, and although that’s all great, being so dependent on it isn’t such a great thing. Just as it has a lot of positive things about it, it also has its negatives. Like I said before, when someone doesn’t have their phone, even for just a couple of hours, they get anxious. It’s ridiculous how most people, including myself, can’t go without their electronics for even a little while. We’re hopeless without a cell phone in our hands, and if we don’t have internet at home, we panic. Also, they can be a huge distraction, especially for students. Its always easy to pull out your phone during a boring class, and the fact that we’re not allowed to use them tempts us even more. ![]() By Edith Mesa Staff Writer Currently in the CPS seventh grade classroom curriculum, the memoir of a young Iranian girl named Marjane Satrapi is being deemed inappropriate for seventh graders because of images containing the torture and violence that many Iranians had to suffer during the Iranian Revolution. However, many CPS students and staff disagreed and protested in front of Daley Plaza and CPS headquarters to voice their concern with CPS having the proposal for banning the book. Personally reading the book, it can be seen that there is moderate violence throughout the memoir to show how the events played out throughout the revolution. The story consists of a young Iranian girl who wants to become a prophet when she grows up. Soon enough, however, she discovers how her plans are destroyed when the revolution occurs and many rules are changed. One of the main changes was extreme religious customs and the making mandatory for women to wear a veil. In this memoir, Satrapi explains how bombs, protests, and war killed millions of people, including children who were recruited to be soldiers. The story portrays how people who were against the revolution and those viewed as communists were arrested and sent to prison to be tortured into confessions, and most of the time the inmates being tortured were innocent. Although the book does contain drawings of the violence and an occasional torture, much of the violence is shown in a way that students at the seventh grade level can comprehend without creating trauma. Much of the memoir is Satrapi examining her life, dreams, and wants. With the violence being moderate, I believe that the book is appropriate because it not only explains and narrates how the war really happened, but also provides a personal feeling of someone who lived through it all. Not only does it show the oppression of a country, but it shows how life can change in an instant. This book can complement what history books say, so that students may know not only the historical facts, but know what the citizens of Iran lived through and felt. By Kimberly Trujillo
Staff Writer I highly encourage upcoming Juniors and Seniors to join Law as a class for next year. You’ll have many great experiences during your two semesters. For example, you could participate as an election judge and get paid $250 as well as service learning hours. I also attended Loyola University Chicago School of Law Alumni Association for four Saturdays. This was a great experience for me because I got to see mock trials and I met attorneys who talked about their journey to where they are now. Having them talk about their life struggles to where they are now was very overwhelming because it really did prove that there isn’t anything to prevent you from reaching your goals in life. Many students in our era need pep talks like this because they might be falling into the wrong footsteps. Law is a great subject because you learn various vocabulary words, as well as laws you probably didn’t know about. Although Mr. Fitz gives midterm exams with up to 200 questions, there really isn’t a reason why you shouldn’t pass because he tells student four to five weeks ahead of time to study, and again its manly vocabulary words. On March 9, 2013 many students in Law participated as a Juror and got to witness attorneys practicing on a law suit. We got to hear both the plaintiff and defendant on why they were suing. We got to see the 13 steps in a trial with a real life judge. The students also got paid $20 if they stayed for two trials. How many students can put that on their college applications? Not many. Law class is very different from any class I’ve had my four years at Hubbard. With Mr. Fitz as your Law teacher, I could guarantee you that you’ll learn a lot about the laws in Chicago and how the court system works. ![]() © 2013 Not Another History Teacher By Zana Shelton Recently, Hubbard High School has decided to enforce the old rules and add new consequences. NO headphones, cell phones, or iPods are to be used in classes or the hallways. Tardy students also face new consequences. The school is enforcing disciplinary action if these rules are not followed each and every day. Most students use their phones just for texting, twitter, and taking pictures, but many students also use their phones as an internet source in the classes that don’t have computer access. Cell phones can be used as dictionaries, calculators, or taking a picture of the notes and/or homework assignments. Most classes I have don’t have dictionaries available, so I have no other choice but to use my phone. And why aren’t we allowed to use our phones in the hallways? It’s only five minutes of passing periods, and we can’t even check our phones? Lane Tech allows their students to use their phones during passing periods, so why doesn’t Hubbard? Do they not trust us to use technology in a responsible way? The new policy came from the Local School Council and the Professional Personnel Leadership Committee. The idea is to make the school a safer environment for the students. As for the supposed fines, they were just a rumor. Regardless, I understand the policy, but why start to enforce it the middle of the year? That is like not disciplining a child when they’re young and expect them to grow up to be respectful. It will not happen! The new policy also restricts students from using headphones in classes like P.E, Senior Seminar, Division, and free classes. If no one else can hear the music, it’s not a disturbance, and if it’s okay with the teacher why can’t they be listened to? We’re not harming anyone by using our electronics. Either way, it’s a safer bet to keep our electronic devices out of sight and avoid the interventions and consequences stated below: Interventions & Consequences 1st Offense: Conference in the discipline office. 2nd Offense: Morning Detention 3rd Offense: Students must turn over their electronic devices to the discipline office for parent pick up 4th Offense: In-School Suspension 5th Offense: Out-of-School Suspension What do you think? Comment below. ![]() The Mayan Calendar destroys the world © 2010 FrenchTribune Raul Sanchez Staff Writer Many people believe that the world is going to end on December 21st due to many apocalyptic theories, such as the Mayan calendar. These apocalyptic theories, among other things, are one of the main reasons for the panic that great deals of people are feeling as the calendar slowly gets closer to this ominous date. Coupled with the threat of Global warming and the knowledge that hurricanes and other calamities, natural or otherwise, are becoming more abundant, the earth is seemingly doomed. However, apocalyptic theories are still just theories; with a bit of knowledge on the subject, you can see that the only real danger that will await us on December 21, 2012 is a mild case of frostbite. Apocalyptic theories, such as the Mayan Calendar theory, have all been stretched to fit the December 21st, 2012 apocalyptic deadline, which was actually set by the Mayan Calendar. The Mayan Calendar was a calendar used to mark a period known as the Great Cycle. The period known as the Great Cycle began August 13, 3114 B.C, and ends on December 21st, 2012. This date actually falls on a winter solstice, during which the sun will align with the center of the Milky Way. Some people speculate that when this does happen, fire and brimstone will fall down upon earth and the magnetic field of the planet would disrupted. The problem is that this makes absolutely no sense, the calendar is just a calendar that would have been restarted once the date had passed, and the magnetic poles becoming disrupted just because the sun happens to be the farthest away from the sun makes no sense. It is not scientifically valid; it's merely a claim made to scare, not to inform. My opinion about the end of the world is that the entire idea is stupid, mainly because it’s been predicted several times (the date 6/6/06 and Y2K, for example), and every one of these have been wrong. People hear things assume without knowing why or believing facts. If I had to guess, I would say that the attention given to these theories is all derived from the social media and doomsday movies. ![]() By Raul Sanchez Staff Writer Have you ever taken part in a prank on a person in school, maybe the lonely kid sitting in the corner or maybe on one of the teachers? Have you ever bad mouthed or singled out someone on Facebook, Twitter, or any of the other social media sites? It may seem like just a harmless prank and funny at the time, but there is a chance that this “harmless thing” can stick with them for the rest of their lives and is classified under bullying. Contrary to popular belief, bullying isn't necessarily physical; in fact, emotional abuse usually sticks with a person longer. These actions can lead to depression, social awkwardness, and even suicide. According to bullyingstatistics.org, bullying is usually classified under 4 categories: Physical Bullying, Emotional Bullying, Verbal Bullying, and Cyber Bullying, and they all can be emotionally scarring. These categories of bullying are often done in the name of fun or humor, such as the recent chain of Facebook pages that post provocative pictures of students. However, bullying doesn't just affect the person being bullied; it can affect others around them too. People who have been bullied often report having fantasies in which they violently harm their bullies. Statistics provided by makebeatsnotbeatdowns.org, the website of a nonprofit organization against bullying, report that people who have been bullied often report having fantasies in which they violently harm their bullies, 1 out of 20 students has seen a student with a gun at school, 1 out of every 10 students who drops out of school does so because of repeated bullying, and harassment and bullying have been linked to 75% of school-shooting incidents. The funny jokes that you may have been telling about that nerdy kid in class could result in you and your friends dead. So how do we prevent bullying and all of the terrible things that come with it? It’s actually not that hard, just try to understand and think before you go through with something. Try to understand what that kid you keep making fun of for being short or big is feeling. Try to think what could possibly happen if you pants a kid or call him names. Try to put yourself in that kid’s shoes. Maybe they’ll remind you a bit of yourself. You might even make a new friend. If your friend or someone you know is bullying someone, talk to them. Let them know what it is they’re actually doing; open their eyes. If that doesn’t work, try to be a friend and encourage them. To some kids, that would mean the world to them. k here to edit. |
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