Category Archives: Op-eds

Soda ban would address obesity

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By Mofida Abdelmageed
Brooklyn, N.Y.

Graphic by Daisy Gomez

Graphic by Daisy Gomez

New York City is sometimes referred to as a “fat,” rather than “fit,” city. In 2012, Mayor Michael Bloomberg supported a plan to ban the sale of sodas and other sugary beverages in sizes larger than 16 ounces in restaurants and other eateries. On July 30, however, a state appeals court rejected his plan, saying that he had overstepped his authority.

Some New Yorkers applauded the appeals court’s decision, but they do not understand the major health consequences that occur after continuously drinking soda for long periods of time. Bloomberg’s care and concern for his people is important, and his goal was to decrease obesity rates in New York. “Keep in mind, we’re trying to save the lives of these kids,” he said earlier this year. Continue reading →

Programming our way to success in tomorrow’s society

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By Erick Arzate
Chicago, Ill.

According to NewsMedia Trend Watch, an average 18- and 19-year-old American spends more than 40 hours per week online, about the time commitment of a typical full-time job. In addition, by the year 2014 more than 77 percent of the world’s population will be active Internet users.

These numbers demand our attention. In today’s society, everyone depends on computers for nearly every facet of his or her life. Yet the average American has no idea how a computer works. Only 10 percent of schools even offer computer science courses—something that has to change if we are to meet the demands of tomorrow’s economy. Continue reading →

Higher standards needed in schools

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By Shemaiah Clarke
Philadelphia, Pa.

Ever since moving to the United States from Trinidad and Tobago, I have been struck by how lenient American teachers are. In Trinidad and Tobago, where I lived until June 2012, there are high standards and students are expected to excel in school. Teachers assume an assertive role and constantly encourage students to work harder. Continue reading →

Encourage students to aim high

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By Allyson Chavez
Brooklyn, N.Y.

“People like you don’t go to schools like those,” my guidance counselor told me when I shared with her my dream of applying to Harvard. I was already reluctant to admit that I wanted to attend a top school, and my counselor’s response only further discouraged me from dreaming big. Continue reading →

Growing up in the mushroom capital

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By Christian Cordova-Pedroza
Landenberg, Pa.

Like most great inventions, Kennett Square was an accidental success. In the late 19th century, European entrepreneur William Swayne traveled to Kennett Square, a small farming region west of Philadelphia, with the intention of cultivating carnations on raised platforms in his greenhouse. In the vacant space below the flowers, he decided to grow mushrooms. Swayne’s initial efforts were successful, so he built the first mushroom house in Kennett Square. As mushroom consumption increased and more markets opened near major ports and cities, the mushroom industry in Kennett boomed—and the town became the mushroom capital of the world.  Continue reading →

A questionable election in South Korea

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By Kathy Kang
Camarillo, Calif.

“Democracy is dead,” said Xi Young Yun, a 25-year-old college student representing University Student Protectors of Democracy during a press conference last month. “We can’t believe that we are experiencing events similar to those that happened under military dictatorship in the 70s, in 2013.” Continue reading →

Learning from Portugal’s drug policy

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By Bianca Uribe
New York, N.Y.

Back in the 1800s, drugs like heroin and cocaine were not only legal, but could be purchased out of the Sears catalog. At the time, the public was not aware of the drugs’ adverse effects, and some parents gave their teething children opium for pain. A common treatment for lethargy was a form of liquid cocaine called “Coca Wine.”

But in 1970, President Richard Nixon began the country’s “war on drugs” by pressing Congress to pass the Controlled Substances Act, which regulates the manufacture, importation, possession, distribution and use of certain substances.

The modern-day result of the CSA is unacceptable. Drug use continues largely unaffected after years of “war.” Continue reading →

The ‘me’ generation: self-obsession with social media

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By Ashley Jones-Quaidoo
Hyattsville, Md.

“Good morning . . . going out shopping today . . . going to ‘turn up’ tonight”—this is what I see as I scroll through my Twitter timeline almost everyday.

Growing up in the 21st century, a lot has changed. Because of technology, we have become too obsessed with our own lives, and in the process we have lost a broader sense of responsibility to the rest of the world. Continue reading →

Protect our students through school uniforms

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By Kina Carney
Philadelphia, Pa.

In 2011, 10-year-old Jasmine McClain, of Chadbourn Elementary School in North Carolina, committed suicide because she had been bullied. Over the course of a month, students made fun of Jasmine’s clothes and shoes. McClain’s mother, Samantha West, told a local news station at the time: “She was a loving child. I just don’t understand.”

Bullying in school may be a delicate subject for some, but it happens to many students in some way or form. As in Jasmine’s case, clothing may be the cause of bullying. In many cases, clothing reflects a student’s economic background. American public schools should consider school uniforms for this reason.  Continue reading →

Watch shows that convey true ‘reality’

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By Daisy Gomez
San Diego, Calif.

The era of true reality television shows has arrived and is changing the way we perceive the extraordinary lives of people. Modern reality shows range from focusing on the lives of rich housewives to the extreme cases of obesity. But the new era of reality shows should be watched more often because it allows the audience to see into the lives of realistic people who overcome adversity. Continue reading →