2023 I BelongMagazine.com Digital by UniFIED Efforts, Inc.

2023 Special Black History Year-Long Celebration Issue

M agazine.com

UniFIED Efforts, Inc.® An award-winning organization Baltimore m aga zine’s “GameChangers” Greater Baltimore Committee’s “Bridging the Gap” Community Impact Wi nner

“I want to be a schoolteacher." Your do nations will help.

In this issue are articles written by UniFIED Efforts, Inc., ® high school students. These are their words; this is their magazine.

Nonprofit 501 (c)(3) https://unifiedefforts.org

On the cover

In April 2015, our cover girl was just two weeks old and living in the Baltimore, Maryland, community that experienced a civil uprising.

Meet Treasure , o ne of UniFIED Efforts’ out-of-school time students. She wants to be a schoolteacher! With our efforts and your assistance, we can make Treasure’s dream come true. We are a nonprofit 501 (c)(3) organization Donate online at https://unifiedefforts.org

UniFIED Efforts, Inc.® Award-winning organization Baltimore magazine’s “GameChanger” The Greater Baltimore Committee’s “Bridging the Gap” Community Impact winner.

Unified Efforts Inc - GuideStar Profile We have received Guidestar’s 2023 highest level of transparency .

CONTENTS On the Cover ..............2

Editors Elizabeth DuVerlie Nancy Moore Jennie Sherwin Karie Firoozman d Debbie Feldman Jones

Congratulations to our Writers .... ......... 4 UE's High School Writing Cohort ..............5 Letter from the Publisher ..............6 In the News-Awards ...............7 Celebrating Black History ........ .. ... 8,9 North Star 2022-23 Award......... ... .... ..10

Fannie Lou Hamer ............ 1 1 Putting Pen to Paper ..... .......12 Meet the Editors .... .........13

Special thanks to all volunteer editors at Stony Run Friends

Graphics/La-Out Deborah B. Ramsey I BelongMagazine.com , 2023 provides no warranty and accepts no responsibility regarding the services and products of our advertisers either in print or online. Also, the views and/or opinions expressed in the articles/advertisements are not necessarily the views and/or opinions of Un iFIED Efforts, Inc. , ® and the print-digital I BelongMagazine.com publication. Original content may not be reproduced without written prior consent/permission from UniFIED Efforts, Inc.® ©2015-2023 IBelongMagazine.com All Rights Reserved. Published by Un iFIED Efforts, Inc.® https://unifiedefforts.org 443-800-0566 unifiedefforts@comcast.net

Kamille Simmons: How the Pandemic

Affected Me . . .... 14, 15 Kamal Quickley: Life During the Pandemic .. . 16, 17 Dorien Wallace: The Spark that was Lost ........18, 19 Jeremiah Haynes: Becoming Mentally Disciplined.. ...... 20, 21

Tristen Rawlings: Pandemic Basketball ........ 22

Troy Mack, Jr .: Getting Ready

for High School Football..... 23 Jett Stephens: The Buyers Guide to Axolotls ...........24 Dorien Wallace : Stung by a Bee .... ...... 25 Amari Stiles : Inspired to Play Basketball .......... 26, 27 Jeremiah Haynes: The Pandemic ... 2 8, 29 Alana Swinton: Students' Mental Health During the Pandemic .... 30, 31 Eldon Clarke, Jr .: My Favorite Recording Artist ............32 ,33 K amille Simmons: Fire Chief for a Day ......................... .. .. 34

The IBelongMagazine.com , 2023 , edition, project was funded by the Baltimore Community Foundation , Homewood Friends, and Stony Run Friends of Baltimore, MD. The opinions presented in this magazine are those of the authors alone and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the funders.

Nonprofit 501 (c)(3) organization

P Page 3

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I BelongMagazine.com Writers’ Cohort

O ur voice O ur magazine Our voices Our magazine

Donate online at https://unifiedefforts.org. 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization

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Youthful Enthusiasm! W henever I am asked, "What can be done about Baltimore’s violence?”, my response has been the same. And in the form of a question as well. “Have you posed that same question to our youth?"

Bill that the Black Caucus, then-President William J. Clinton, and the current President of the US enacted? The youth involved in UniFIED Efforts' programs enthusiastically volunteer to join our weekly community cleanups in "their neighborhoods." They like getting together to help their peers with academic assignments, collaborating and communicating clearly about the importance of cooperating and sharing fun experiences. They fill up their time with positive activities and are passionate about keeping their communities safe as members of UE's Community Responders Program. They show us that they are the solution to issues that impact the quality of their way of life. They see their futures as bright and within reach. When I am i n their presence it gives me a sense of clearness in what they expect from those responsible for their well-being and welfare . Listening to our young could be condescending. Hearing them requires us to be humbled before them despite our longevity and experience. Good, bad, and/or indifferent: lightning in a bottle is what their zest for life can be. Why not use that light to guide our path towards giving them what they could do with “their” positive youthful enthusiasm?

The feedback I have received from our youth speaks to a plain resolve: quality after/out-of- school time activities and programs aimed at their specific needs. Our youth desire safe spaces to learn, gather, flourish, and become contributing citizens as they grow up. The tough-on-crime bill ( 1994 Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act) resulted in the over incarcera tion of B lack Americans. Presently, the Baltimore Police Department continues to struggle to provide its sworn personnel clarity on how to protect and serve the most unprotected. Baltimore’s voting population supported a 2016 referendum to provide 25 million dollars to Baltimore nonprofits' after and out-of-school time programs. Sadly, the funds were reported by the Baltimore City government as being mismanaged. In the meantime, much needed services were denied our youth, services that may have provided them with safe outlets. We seem to think that we grown folks have all the “right” solutions when it comes to reducing Baltimore’s street crimes. Or do we? What has been improved since the 1994 Crime

A letter from the publishe r Deborah B. Ramsey Open Society Institute Fellow

Baltimore magazine 2022 Game C hanger Law Enforcement Action Partnership Speaker s B ureau

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In the News UniFIED Efforts, Inc. , ® Out-of-School Time Program is an Award-Winning Nonprofit Organization

Mission statement:

The scoop of the day On November 17, 2022, Morgan State University held the Greater Baltimore Committee’s 19 th annual “Bridging the Gap Community Impact Award." Debbie Ramsey,

Re duce summer and vital learning losses , provided a t no cost to parents for our programs and services.

UE founder and Executive Director, accepted for UE.

(l) Debbie Ramsey, Executive Director, UniFIED Efforts, Inc., receive s the Bridging the Gap Community Impact Award from the Greater Baltimore Committee's Sharon Markley Schreiber, Chief Operating Officer.

Breaking News

Meet our 2023 Intern Taylor Skinner

Taylor is a 2023 graduate of Bowie State University.

https://issuu.com/baltimoremag/docs/game_changers_2022

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Foundational Black Americans

Grace Wisher

Addie Mae Collins Carol Denise McNair Carole Robertson Cynthia Wesley

1::1HISTIRJ Salute

Carter G. COooclson Sojourner Truth W.E.B. Du Bois

Harlem Hellfighters

Robert Smalls

All enslaved Africans aboard the "White Lion" privateer ship that landed in Virginia in 1619. Ida B. Wells Linda Brown Kurt Schmoke

Great Migration

Mar�us Garvey Mae Jamison

Edward Bouchet

Prince Hall

Eubie Blake James Brown

Black Lives Matter

Fannie Lou Hamer Shirley Chisholm Medgar Evers Ralph Ellison

Rosa Parks Marian Anderson

Adam Clayton Powell Ava DuVernay

Maria P. Williams

Alice H. Parker Ella Fitzgerald

Billie Holiday

Gwendolyn Brooks

Tarana Burke

Black Women

Aretha Franklin

Black Resistance

Harriett Elizabeth Freeman Tubman

Otis Warren, Jr

B en j amin Ma y s

Lee Elder TIGER WOODS John Coltrane

Ed Dwight Sarah Boone

Charlie Sifford

Langston Hughes

Bishop Robinson

Dr. Alexa Canady

Ruby Dee

MALCOLMX

Thur-aood Mar-ihall

Bessie Coleman

Josephine Baker

VIVIEN

Jo e A nd ers on

Cathy Hughes

Gordon Parks Berry Gordy

Jackie Robinson

THOMAS

MarYMcCloudl3ethune

Fannie Jackson Coppin

Clar-ence Mitchell ___..,..

�

BARACK OBAMA

ONA J UDGE

Wes Moore Nina Simone

Gabby Douglas Alicia

Muhammad Ali Bayard Rustin

Dorothy Height

Frederick Douglass

Garza

Lloy d Aus ti n

Harlem Renaissance

Dred Scott

John Lewis

C o l in P o w e ll

Martin L. King, Jr.

Richard Wright Byron Allen

T o mm ie S m ith J ohn Carlos

Alex Haley Coretta Scott King Benjamin 0. Davis, Sr

LeBron James Ketanji Brown Jackson Henrietta Lacks Harry Belafonte Allyson Felix James Forten

Katherine Johnson

Kamala Harris

Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler

A. Philip Randolph

Arthur Ashe Tuskegee Airmen

Phyllis Wheatley

Ru b y Dee

L oms rmstrong . A

Cynt Marshall

Althea Gibson

Dr. Patricia Bath Reginald F. Lewis

Serena Williams

Henry Green Parks, Jr. Alvin Ailey Matthew Henson John Mackey Under Ground Railroad G e o r g e F l oyd

Charles Drew Alice Coachman

Neil deGrasse Tyson

Daniel Hale Williams

R oy Davenport

Willia m S till

Crispus Attucks

Clara Brown

Claudette Colvin

Paul Robeson

Leontyne Price

William Warfield

Chadwick Bose m an

Michelle Robinson Obama

Daisy Bates

Amelia Boynton Robinson Jane Bolin C onstance Baker Motley Mary Mahoney Rose Marie McCoy Page 8 I BelongMagazine.com, 2023. All rights reserved. Published by UniFIED Efforts, Inc.,® Baltimore, MD, https://unifiedefforts.org Jesse Owens Cornelius Johnson Ralph Metcalfe

O u r u pcoming young , gi�ed and Black notables .

We, as adults and as our children’s protectors, owe it to them to be suppor�ve and ensure a�er - school programs will always be there to meet their specific needs.

Kamille Simmons

Kamal Quickley

Kamille Simmons (l) Jeremiah Haynes, (center) Eldon Clarke, Jr., and (r) Dorien Wallace

Eldon Clarke, Jr.

UniFIED Efforts, Inc.® Class of 2021 - 22

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North Star Bal�more ® 2022-2023 Award Recipient

North Star Baltimore ® is a registered trademark of UniFIED Efforts, Inc., ®, all rights reserved. North Star Baltimore ® is an official logo for UE’s sanctioned youth activities ; I BelongMagazine.com, a print/digital publication ; and UE’s outstanding community service award recognition.

Cynthia Blake Sanders , Esq.

p osters that stated, “Donate to UniFIED Efforts, ” through attending UE's site "demolition day" (future home of new UE's youth center), to being a presenter at the Baltimore Municipal Zoning and Appeals Board, Cynthia was there. H er dedica tion to impro v ing the li v es of Bal tim ore ’ s children is a lo ving re fl ec tion of how we appreciate and earnestly recogni z e her as a caring and gi v i ng person. Cynthia is more than our attorney; she is foundational UE." UE recognizes the love and belief Cynthia has in our mission and vision. We humbly award Cynthia Blake S anders with UE’s 2022- 23 North Star Bal�more ® Award for outstanding community service. Congratulations and t hank you!

When you ask Cynthia what she is to UniFIED Efforts, Inc., ® organiza�on, she humbly references her sole volunteer posi�on. Indeed, Cynthia’s portrayal is accurate; albeit with an explanation.

When UE was f ormed in 2015, Cynthia successfully submitted the necessary

documenta�on to the IRS and the US Patent a nd Trademark Office that garnered our official status as a nonprofit 501 (c)(3) organiza�on and obtained two separate US trademarks: Uni FIED Efforts, Inc., ® and North Star Bal�more . ® As UE began its mission to reduce summer learning loss by providing quality ou t-of- school - �me programs, Cynthia made it her mission to be involved in all aspects. She would visit in person to acquaint herself with our par�cipa�ng school - age students . He r interac�on was authen�c , and it brought her joy t o see what a difference UE was making in one of Bal�more’s underserved west -side communities . From standing with me on the corners of N. G ay and E. Fayette streets with

Deborah B. Ramsey Execu�ve Director and Founder UniFIED Efforts, Inc. ®

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“There are two things we should all care about: Never to forget where we came from and always praise the bridges that carried us over.” Fannie Lou Townsend Hamer 1917-1977

Born Montgomery County, Mississippi, USA A women’s rights ac�vist, community organizer, a great leader in the Civil Rights movement , and an American. Founder of the Na�onal Women’s Poli�cal Caucus . She loved reading and excelled in spelling bee contests. When the planta�on owner realized her literacy she was given the task of record and �mekeeper. A�er marriage she and her husband , “Pap” Hamer , wanted to have children. Unfortunately, she had been sterilized without her consent. This was a common method in Mississippi to control the popula�on that mainly targeted poor Black women. Nonetheless, Fannie and “Pap” adopted four little girls. In the 1950’s Fannie became involved in vo�ng rights for Blacks. Because she atempted to vote, Fannie was shot at fi�een �mes during a drive - by to discourage her to vote and to thwart her from galvanizing other Blacks to vote. I guess if I'd had any sense, I'd have been a little scared—but what was the point of being scared? The only thing they could do was kill me, and it kinda seemed like they'd been trying to do that a little bit at a time since I could remember. — Fannie Lou Hamer She co- founded the Mississippi Freedom Democra�c Party. It challenged the all - white Mississippi delega�on at the 1964 Democra�c Conven�on. In 1968, the MFDP was finally seated a�er the Democra�c Party adopted a clause that demanded e q uality of representa�on from their states ' delega�ons. In 19 72 , H amer was elected as a national delegate.

Debbi e B. Ramsey Founder & Executive Directo r UniFIED Efforts, Inc.®

Thank you, Fannie, from all of us who continue to reap the dividends of each of your unglorified and selfless efforts.

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UniFIED Efforts, Inc.® Publisher of I Belong Magazine.com

When our youth put pen to paper in sharing their thoughts, we humbly sh.are their gifts with you. These are their words, and this is their magazine.

https://unifiedefforts.org

Home of the

North Star Baltimore ®

UE student K amille S immons

Creativity favors the young.

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I BelongMagazine.com, 2023. Allrights reserved. Published bUyniFIED Efforts, Inc. , ® Baltimore, MD, https://unifiedefforts.org

Creative Writing Workshop for Teens

Greetings, Thank you , Elizabeth, Karie, Nancy, Debbie, Jennie, and the entire team of volunteers at Stony Run Friends.

Meet our team of volunteer editors. Special thanks to Nancy Moore and Jennie Sherwin (photos not shown)

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Debbie Feldman Jones

Elizabeth DuVerlie

Karie Firoozman d

I play lacrosse at school. Because of Covid we had just enough teammates to be able to play lacrosse. I am thankful that we even got to play at school. Many people had to quarantine because family members or even they themselves had positive test results. For everyone's safety, we had several precautions, such as, if you came into contact with anyone with the virus, traveled out of state, etc., you would have to be quarantined. This led to cancellation of games. All of these precautions were slightly hard to achieve this season. Wearing a mask made it hard to breathe during a game. It was a change for everyone, but we were able to adapt and continue our season. But at home it was very hard for me to adapt to the change. The level of concentration needed for virtual learning has been very difficult for us students. Also, there are several distractions that come from being on a computer. From my personal experience it has been very hard to retain any of the information that I have learned online. According to Education Next , the state recorded test scores have had a tremendous decline over the past year. It can be very hard trying to focus on one thing online. Students start to do things like online shopping, YouTube, and game playing. While doing these, the student could be missing out on instruction time and fall behind in the lesson. Health outcomes were the most impacted for me. Looking at a computer screen all day affects your eyes terribly. That was the hardest part for me because being in the dark trying to focus on either a book or screen hurt my eyes from straining them all day. My eyes were hurting all the time, and I had massive headaches. My eyes made me feel very dizzy, and the only time I got away from the screen was to sleep or practice lacrosse. Also, having varying amounts of homework and even an overlap of class work led to stress. I started to struggle to finish all of my assignments at once.

How the Pandemic Affected Me in School

By Kamille Simmons How do students feel about this past pandemic? I can answer that question from my perspective. Here are my thoughts.

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All I wanted to do was sleep my problems away. Lying in bed all day and just sitting down doing your work on a computer could lead to you becoming extremely lazy.

Looking back over the course of the year I have found many things that have and have not worked with in-person learning and sports. I found that virtual learning was my biggest struggle.

https://www.educationnext.org/covid-student-achievement-early-evidence-from-ohios-fall-tests/

Classmates Kamal Quickley and Kamille Simmons at UE's Summer Program Creative Writing Workshop at Goucher College, Towson, MD.

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Life During the Pandemic

By Kamal Quickley

I was sitting at home around 4:00 p.m. one day, around the late spring of my ninth- grade year. I was 14. I chose to abandon the rest of the world, and what I mean is, I chose not to be outside so much. What made me decide that? I was very excited to hang with my friends before COVID hit. I could vaguely remember coming home around four o’clock, changing out of my school uniform, and doing schoolwork in the event that I had any. I'd go outside to hang with companions or whoever was outside playing basketball. Playing little rounds of one-on-one or group games or being on the playgrounds where everybody would play tag, chill, actually

really play on the playground, or simply play football in the field of the grade school around my home was great . Loaded up with giggles, we would all discuss with one another, talk about stories, tell jokes. Actually, every day we'd all go to the store and return with as many snacks as possible and share them all. It was always a good time. A few people abandoned their efforts to stay connected. I was one of those individuals. I lost interest in being outside with others; it was unpleasant. Why return to what I was doing when I could remain in the house and get into a

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Netflix series, play a game, or just eat and sleep? During Coronavirus there wasn’t a lot to do other than remain in the house. You were unable to head outside, see your friends, or stroll to the store. People started to avoid one another. However, some discovered approaches to engage themselves. For instance, I made an effort to begin a new Netflix series, get more into gaming, and call friends.

Life! I actually don't have a specific idea of what life is. What I can be sure of is that our life has a few good and bad times. Those ups are seen as fun occasions when life proceeds effectively with less confusion, and the downs are terrible occasions when life becomes more complicated. However, everything is great now.

Kamal is a seven year UE student. He is currently a freshman in college. He has set his sights on becoming a culinary artist or a high achieving athlete.

In the summer of 2017, Kamal falls in love with cooking whole foods. "L-R" Troy Mack, Jr., Rashad Lawrence, Rakeem Lynch, and Kamal Quickley.

The Spark That Was Lost Lost By Dorien Wallace

Have you ever loved something so much you couldn’t let it go? As far as an object, person, or place? The moment you have that connection that you feel cannot be lost. That’s how I felt before giving up the trumpet. When I was in elementary school, clubs and extracurricular activities were starting to pop up. One day, a teacher wearing a white top and black skirt was going to each classroom and asking if the students would like to play an instrument and would be able to meet at a certain time. The instrument I chose was the trumpet, which had a gold color and smelled of metal. The responsibilities of playing the trumpet were not what I thought they would be. I thought you just grab the instrument and take it home. But no, you must clean the spit out and squirt oil into the valves so they can function properly.

Also, handling an instrument is hard because you don't want to break it by carelessly running into things or dropping it down a flight of stairs. The fun parts of playing the trumpet are you get to express yourself through the multitude of sounds you can create. Also, you can try to make a song if you think you're experienced enough. My experience of playing the trumpet was difficult at the time because there were moments when I was supposed to practice and didn’t. There were also moments when I dropped my trumpet because I was being careless and not watching where I was going. In elementary school the trumpet looked like a modern version of a horn. According to Jordan Koehlinger of Vibe Music Academy, the trumpet dates back to 1500 BC. This article also says that people would blow into hollow objects such as shells and animal horns. The trumpet was a useful tool and not referred to as an “instrument.” But due to the extraordinary sounds that came from them, shells and animal horns would be further used to grab someone’s attention from afar, the article says. I figure it would be frightening to hear such loud and high-pitched tones coming from a certain direction because of not knowing if it’s your own tribe or platoon. I also figure that people got used to the alarming sounds because of the different signaling that they used. For example, the signals could’ve been a short rhythmic motif rather than a loud outburst. The sounds could also determine a joyous melody of marriage or birthdays as well as other events.

The spark that went out was the day that I decided to give up the trumpet, which wasn’t ideal. The day that I couldn’t produce any more sound wasn’t ideal. The day I wouldn’t have to be careful and clean out an instrument wasn’t ideal. The moment I knew that fifth-grade Dorien didn’t have a spark for playing the trumpet was difficult. That very same spark wasn’t bright and shining with musical notes. That same spark got dim and quiet, silent like a mouse.

https://www.vibemusicacademy.com/blog/a- brief-history-of-the-trumpet

Dorien is a fifth year UE student. He enjoys hanging out with his family and playing all types of sports.

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Becoming Mentally Disciplined By Jeremiah Haynes

which simply says "SELF-CONTROL." In my own words, I would describe discipline as the ability to do something without motivation. As it stands, motivation can be one of the most powerful concepts and feelings in this world. All of the different feelings you feel help to motivate those actions you make as a human. I'm not telling you this in order to tell you to not move based off of your feelings. The message I want to get across is at times when you feel the lack of motivation to do something, you should still push yourself to take action. That's the key to finding discipline. As stated by the famous entrepreneur Jim Rohn, "Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment."

Life as a whole can become greatly better once people take the time to learn discipline. This is a topic that I have thought about for many years and is something that has taken a lot of time to understand. As shown through my own experience and other people's experiences, mental discipline can drastically turn someone's life around for better or worse. The definitions of discipline in the Merriam- Webster dictionary are 1. control gained by enforcing obedience or order, 2. orderly or prescribed conduct or pattern of behavior, 3. SELF-CONTROL (merriam-webster.com/ dictionary/discipline). The definition that stands out to me the most is the last one,

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(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVBC C7QtGEo ) As early as the age of twelve, I was fortunate to attend a private middle school and I continued to follow that pattern through high school. With the change from a public to a private institution, there was a big change in the different curriculums, rules, and disciplinary actions. The administration preached about how the kids at the school would have to uphold a certain level of respect and academic excellence. After attending Mother Seton Academy for a year, I realized that they were teaching us how to have a certain level of discipline, not only in school but also in life. Around the same time, I began to have more responsibilities, and at first, I struggled a lot. It was hard for a thirteen- year-old kid to do things such as consistently being a role model for his younger sibling while keeping up his hygiene, cleaning, and practicing the piano and drums enough to improve. It has taken many years for me to get the hang of being mentally disciplined. Even now I still struggle with it, but I have made a great amount of progress. I don't believe that discipline can be something that is perfected, but instead something that can be constantly learned and worked on. It is also helpful to have a good understanding of the pros and cons of mental discipline. Starting with the cons, there are the difficulties of staying on a task or being easily distracted by other things, even small annoyances. Another issue is procrastination. Without the motivation to push forward, some people decide to put off a certain task over and over again. This becomes procrastination. One more big issue with being disciplined is pushing yourself to do something from which you receive no current pleasure.

If people could push themselves through all of these struggles, then they would understand the importance of living a disciplined life and would see how the pros outweigh the cons. Once you become disciplined, you have more self-awareness and a better understanding of your purpose in life. You will also feel like you have more control over your actions and thought processes. Altogether, having a more disciplined mindset will help you succeed in life where others can't because they lack the discipline needed to be successful. It is true that some people can become successful from natural talent, but without any discipline, these natural gifts that lead to success can be taken away. For example, basketball player Delonte West, a famous NBA star, became a homeless man. He went from making 16 million dollars and shooting game-winning points next to LeBron James to living on the streets. Delonte West struggled with mental health issues and then drugs, which threw his life completely off track. He has been removed from the NBA because of it. He was not disciplined mentally and because of that, he did not take a real advantage of the gift that he was given to be in the NBA. Instead, his life began to fall apart. After reading this article I hope someone has gained a new understanding of what it means to be mentally disciplined and how important it is to have a form of discipline in their life. I understand at my young age that mental discipline is definitely something that I am still learning, but I am willing to put myself through that process. This is what helps people to live a more successful and happy life. The lack of it can lead to a very stressful life. In conclusion, I encourage the reader to begin the practice of becoming mentally disciplined.

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Pandemic Basketball By Tristen Rawlings

Did you know that basketball is one of the best ways to get through a pandemic? After two and a half years of a pandemic, I have spent nearly 20% of my life in isolation, often not being able to see my friends. I missed interacting with them. Many places were closed down. For more than a year, I could not go to school and had to do online learning. Classes were short and I couldn’t ask questions. It was very stressful because I had to basically teach myself. The only way I could keep my calm and focus to get through my schoolwork and avoid boredom was playing basketball. According to the website https:// www.healthguideusa.org some of the benefits of playing basketball are “flexibility, coordination, and motor function.” Even though I did not always have people to play with, it was fun learning

trick shots and moves that professionals use in games. Learning how to make difficult shots I could not make before was exciting for me. Even if someone does not think they have any skills at basketball, just having a routine and being able to get exercise and get the adrenaline pumping can help anyone. Sharpening my skills at basketball also made me want to compete with my classmates about our grades. It also made me sharpen my skills on doing tricks on my bike and scooter. Even though I used basketball as a way to escape the pandemic, I still play. In fact, I have gotten really good at it. I am planning on playing for my school and hope to play professionally. Having a routine and something to look forward to makes all the difference to my sanity.

TriTris

Tristen will be entering high school in the fall of 2023. He is a first time UE Creative Writing Camp student.

Page 22

I’ve had to get ready for lots of things in my life, such as jobs, school, and bed. One of the most exciting things to get ready for has been football. Can you guess how old I was when I first started preparing for football? I was about eight when I started playing football. Playing football for several teams was a great feeling because I got to meet other good people and great teammates to play with. They had good sportsmanship. They were good teammates to be around because every time they saw someone’s head down they found a way to lift their head back up. Playing football in high school would be so cool. If I’m a quarterback, I can get to throw the ball to a wide open wide receiver or a tight end, because if they are open they have a better chance of scoring. I would make my own decision and pick what plays we should do so we Getting Ready for High School Football By Troy Mack, Jr.

Troy is a freshman at Connexio ns, a c ommunity -bas ed arts school. He has been with UE since the fifth grade.

can get a high score. I would also try involving myself in some of the plays so I can help my team get a high score. Playing football in my first year will be lots of fun. I want to play quarterback, but to play that position I would have to do some work. I would go to the exercise gym and also work out in the backyard. At the gym, I could use the treadmill for my legs so they would get stronger. Also, I can get faster using the treadmill. I can also lift weights to make my arms stronger so I can throw better. With all these machines, I believe I can become a great football player for my team and we can get lots of wins. I am confident that I have made a good beginning in getting ready for high school football. When I was younger, I got a lot of practice. Now I have a vision of playing football in high school. I’ve got what it takes to get there.

The Buyers Guide to Axolotls

By Jett Stephens

cleaned tank, as they are susceptible to infection.

Have you ever wanted to own an exotic pet, but not wanted to deal with spiders and snakes? These two creatures fall under the “exotic pet” category but do tend to scare people. Well, consider the Ambystoma Mexicanum, or Axolotl, for short. These little guys are fairly low maintenance, though they are a little costly. If you're willing, allow me to aid you in learning about these amphibians, and why I think they are great pets! Axolotls are native to Lake Xochimilco, located in the Valley of Mexico. They are amphibious creatures and are known as “the amphibians that never grow up,” because they carry traits, such as their tail design, from their larval stage all the way through adulthood. They are quite colorful, with some being brown, pink, or blue in complexion. Because their gills are on the outside of their body, people often mistake their gills for ears. In the wild, they eat small fish and insects … actually, they eat anything they can fit in their mouths, which can be a bit of a hindrance at times. Axolotls are fragile yet resilient– their immune systems are extremely weak, but they can regenerate lost limbs, and, like possums, they can play dead to convince predators to leave them alone. So, how would you buy an Axolotl, and how would you care for it? Well, you can find them in tropical pet stores, usually for anywhere between $30 and $100 depending on the store and the exotic grade of the creature. The Axolotl itself, however, is possibly the cheapest component, next to food. They require 15-20 gallons of 59-65 degree water with a Ph level of 7.4-7.6. They also need to have a regularly

When it comes to feeding, an Axolotl needs a healthy meal of insects, bloodworms, beef hearts, or feeder fish, which can be found in the same store where you bought the Axolotl, or even your generic pet goods store. Young Axolotls need to be fed daily, while adults need 1-2 servings every other day. It's often debated, but in my own opinion, an Axolotl’s tank shouldn’t contain gravel. Since they eat pretty much anything, the gravel can be mistaken for food and ingested, leading to a myriad of digestive issues. Axolotls are also not friendly with fish, even each other. It is advised not to keep them in a tank with fish, as they will either eat the fish, or the fish will try to eat them. They shouldn't be placed in a tank with sharp objects, as they are still fragile creatures, despite their regenerative abilities. Finally, why do I think Axolotls are good pets? You may find that they're either the most adorable thing you can find in the water or the ugliest. And I find either side of that to be charming. Axolotls are fairly low-maintenance, once you have all the necessities set up—and the closest thing you’ll need to any kind of unique equipment will be a water filter! The main downside is they're fairly costly once you get down to it, but once that hurdle is crossed, Axolotl care is smooth sailing. I hope that, with this article, I have helped you decide on a new best friend to introduce to your home, or if not, taught you something you didn't know. Sources: https://www.bluereefaquarium.co.uk › blog › education https://ambystoma.uky.edu/19-fun-facts-cat/67-what-do- Axolotls-eathttps://www.thesprucepets.com/Axolotls-as- pets-1236714

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Stung by a Bee By

Even though I am not allergic to bees, other people are. Honey bees, paper wasps, and yellow jackets tend to have venom that causes people to have an allergic reaction. Where have all the bees gone? The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) describes something called Colony Collapse Disorder, or CCD. (https://www.epa.gov/pollinator- protection/colony-collapse-disorder) “Colony Collapse Disorder is the phenomenon that occurs when the majority of worker bees in a colony disappear and leave behind a queen, plenty of food and a few nurse bees to care for the remaining immature bees and the queen.” The EPA tells us that there have been many factors as to why the bee population is decreasing. They include the following: • “Increased losses due to the invasive varroa mite (a pest of honeybees) • New or emerging diseases such as Israeli Acute Paralysis virus and the gut parasite Nosema …. • Changes to the habitat where bees forage • Inadequate forage/poor nutrition” Bees have a complex life with Colony Collapse Disorder and people being allergic to them but let me tell you my feelings about bees. To me bees are just things that don’t bother you if you don’t bother them, which is understandable because people can be like that too. They just seem pretty harsh if you step on them or swat at them. I understand bees are important to the environment; however, they don’t give off an image of “friendly” to me. I fully acknowledge that there is a common threat to bees and we should be mindful of their space or privacy because they’re a key part of our ecology as pollinators in crop growth .

Dorien Wallace

Are all bees killers? Are they dangerous? Or are they just innocent pollinators? All of these are questions, maybe they even wander into the minds of bees. To be more specific, why do they sting human beings? Let’s dig deeper, shall we? There are many types of bees . They would include honeybees, bumblebees, western honey bees, apidae, carpenter bees, andrena, etc. (https://www.gardenbetty.com/bees/) According to https://petpedia.co/, “there are between 80 million and 100 million managed beehives within the global bee population.” The sting that started it all happened at a young age. This story starts off with a younger version of Dorien, maybe at the age of 4, 5, or 6. I was playing with a friend whom I just met, which wasn’t weird at all, because I was shy. We were at our daycare’s slide on the side of the building. There was a beehive either underneath it or the stairs coming up the slide. My friend goes down perfectly fine, my turn comes and everything seems good until I am greeted by a honey bee stinging me in my left arm. After being stung, I let out a big scream and started crying, which got the attention of a daycare employee who called my mother. Years later I am still feeling the aftershock. At the age of 17, I am a little bit scared of bees even now. Every time I see a bee in my backyard, I tend to back up or tense up. The feeling of being stung by a bee is like a pinch, as if someone with tiny hands is trying with all their might to make you feel their wrath.

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c oached me a little bit during that time. After that, I started to get picked earlier and even scored more. In two more months, he was back, and we had fun playing basketball together. Although I’ve never played basketball professionally, I’ve had my fair share of backyard basketball, playing with my cousins and friends. One time, about two years ago, I was playing with my friends, and I was trying to get by my defender. When I jumped to get by him, I tripped on a board, and I hurt my ankle pretty badly. Even though it wasn’t sprained, I wasn’t able to play for the next three weeks. During the weeks it healed, I felt inspired because I like to play. I didn’t want to just sit in the house all day. My friends weren’t the only people who sparked my interest in basketball, though. So did my favorite NBA players, LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Ja Morant. I like LeBron James because, according to the official NBA website, he seems destined to break the all-time scoring record by the end of his career. He is arguably the greatest of all time. Second, Stephen Curry, who is no doubt the greatest three-point shooter of all time. He inspires me to shoot better outside the three-point line. And finally, there is Ja Morant. He is smaller than other players but is still hanging with the big guys and doing massive dunks and highlights. I like him because I too am younger and smaller than the people I play with, just like Ja. As you can see, a lot of things inspire me to play basketball, just like a lot of things inspire you to do your hobbies. I may not have the same hobbies as you, but that’s the magic in life. In short, have fun and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

T here are many things that interest me, like music and football, but basketball is no doubt one of the things that interest me the most. It wasn’t always like that. Here are some things that inspired me to play and enjoy the game of basketball. My friends were the ones who first sparked my interest in basketball. About five years ago, I was playing with my friends and I shot, and that shot won the game. I felt like I was the best! All my friends congratulated me because it was the first shot I ever made. Also in that game, my friend sprained his ankle. It was about three months until he felt better, and he

Amari is a ninth grade student and a first-time UE student who enjoys music, sports, and now creative writing.

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The Pandemic By Jeremiah Haynes

was very hard on a lot of people, including myself. There was a lot of stuff students needed to learn, some at the beginning of the school year, if not informed about the switch to technology during the summer. This was an even bigger issue for the students who were starting their freshman year of high school or their first year of middle school. As the year continued leading into 2021, many more problems arose and one very big issue was the location of the work. During this new virtual learning experience a lot if not all assignments were online. Having assignments online caused many teachers to have to find unique websites and apps where students could work, which caused confusion for teachers about where and how to assign and grade assignments, and confusion for students about where and how to complete assignments. For me, I had teachers who had assignments in three different websites just for one class, which caused me to feel overwhelmed. A nother problem with virtual learning was connecting with each other. It was very hard for teachers to connect with students because of not being able to speak directly to each other or see each other. Due to having to work with students through computers, we had the option to turn on cameras and mics to communicate with each other. Students who had to turn their cameras on often just sat there awkwardly. When it came to mics and teachers asking questions, there would usually be nothing but silence. This was due to students feeling uncomfortable sharing their questions and answers in this environment. Students frequently had a lot going on in the background, such as disturbing noises, parents talking to them, and even younger siblings being loud. One of the biggest issues with virtual learning was the fact that a school environment and a home environment are two completely different things. When we were in a school environment, for the most part we were all on equal terms when it came to being prepared to learn. So when we had to start working from home, the diverse environments that we had to work in caused their own problems.

At the beginning of the year 2020 the world entered a pandemic that began to harm and kill many people. Everyone was affected, but one area that was really affected was school systems worldwide. As stated by www.cnbc.com (March 30, 2021), “Nearly all — more than 97% — of educators reported seeing some learning loss in their students over the past year when compared with children in previous years.” 1 Many if not all schools were closed in America, causing us to switch from an in-class to a virtual experience, which was new for most people, including myself, and caused many students to fall behind in their education. Switching from in-person classes to online classes was a big challenge that required students and teachers to change how they operated. Both students and teachers had to download certain apps for school and find a suitable enough location to work in. Some schools gave out computers to students with certain things already installed to help out students. We all had to start using apps such as Zoom, Google Meet, and Go To Meeting every day just to meet with our teachers. This transition

Some problems I experienced included finding a time or a place to focus. Sharing a small house with seven people and trying to find a place to focus was very hard. Another issue that occurred was meeting the responsibilities that were required of me when I’m at my house. According to Andrea Flores, an associate professor at Brown University, ”When young people are guiding their siblings’ education, they’re not just learners but also caretakers.” 2 I had to help my mom with my newly born baby sister. When she needed a bottle, I had to stop everything I was doing to clean out one, make the bottle and feed her. Sometimes I had to go into class while watching her and making sure she would not be touching anything. While this is my personal issue, I am guessing that many if not all students and teachers had to deal with something similar when it came to working at home instead of in a school environment. Because many problems have occurred with this experience of virtual learning, both teacher and students have had to come up with solutions in order to overcome the difficulty of virtual learning. I dealt with the issues of virtual learning by discussing times with my family to try to separate home activities from school activities to the best of our ability. One way the teachers adapted was by only having four classes a day, giving students time to deal with at-home responsibilities. The thing that really helped me out the most was the designated times teachers gave to students to give feedback on the things that needed to change during the year and how the year was going. As stated on www.usatoday.com, “Many don't see education going back to the way it was, so they're pressuring schools to strengthen their virtual programs.” 3 While certain issues of virtual learning cannot be avoided, I believe that by embracing some of the strategies above and finding more ways to meet the needs of students and teachers we will overcome this new challenge of virtual learning. 1 https://www.cnbc.com/2021/03/30/learning- loss-from-virtual-school-due-to-covid-is- significant-.html

2 https://www.the74million.org/article/when- siblings-become-teachers-its-not-just-parents- who-find-themselves-thrust-into-the-demanding- role-of-at-home-educators/

3 https://www.usatoday.com/in- depth/news/education/2020/12/13/covid-online- school-tutoring-plan/6334907002/

Jeremiah and classmates take a peaceful walk in between their creative writing classes at Goucher College, Towson, MD.

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