Editors Note: This story is Part I of a series on immigrant and refugee students.
Lowell, MA- Imagine being set in a new life. Distant from your past of ease and wealth, you have been placed in the dead center of a world unfamiliar and aggravating.
Phuc (She prefers Phie) Nguyen is an immigrant student who has thrived academically at LHS. Phie is a funny, hardworking, and understanding individual. She speaks of her life in Vietnam. A good job, an advanced education, and plans for the future. Not persecution, not lack of schooling and not poverty.
“I grew up in a middle class family and I was really upset when my mother decided to move our family to the United States,” says Phie about the move to a new country.
In Vietnan Phie’s family had money and a strong backbone, her mother. Her mother kept the family together and always provided emotional and family support. Phie doesn’t exactly know why her mother wanted her family to come to the U.S. The lives that they would leave behind were just so great.
“It was so great in Vietnam. My job, my life, my everything. I don’t know why my mother wanted us to move here,” Phie Explains.
In Vietnam, Phie would have liked to study and become a lawyer because of her skilled thinking and generally sassy ways. But now, she feels as if her english speaking skills don’t even compare to her Vietnamese. Thus, her dream of becoming a lawyer may be broken. The medical field is an option now, the path loved by every parent. But, is it really what Phie wants to do with her life?
Phie tells of Vietnam, beautiful and peaceful compared to crumby ole’ Lowell, Massachusetts. She hides it well, but moving to America was a huge step backward. 12th grade classes had been taught in the 6th grade. Working at a local mall was almost fun. The only downside seemed to be not having as much time to hangout. But, Phie describes her experiences as nearly ideal. The U.S had seemed like uninhabitable lands and Phie couldn’t come to terms on why her mother was making her move while they had currently been living semi-perfect lives.
Now that you know a little bit about Phie, and maybe even have a better understanding of her life than me, but here’s the breakdown of her story. Phie is like a character in the wrong book, a prodigy of the wrong calling, a player of the wrong sport. She doesn’t show it, but she may be trapped in the wrong life.
Russian airstrikes in Syria undertaken as of October 20, 2015 according to the Institute for the Study of War. (Source: The Washington Post)
NEWS ANALYSIS
By Jason Schroeder
Lowell, MA-The sky may as well be falling in Syria.
Bombs raining down like hail. Whole families hiding under mattresses to shield themselves from airstrikes. Bombs falling on fleeing residents and refugees.
Meanwhile, bombs also fall on the American-supported rebels tasked with opposing the terrorist group ISIS and removing President Al Assad.
Among all this bombing, the American and Russian pilots find themselves in close proximity with each other. Russian and U.S forces awkward Allies in a fight against ISIS.
Yet, the two powers disagree about the future of the Al Assad regime of Syria. President Vladimir Putin supports Al Assad and sets up a military installation to support his Russian air force and ground troops.
President Barak Obama continues to support a rebel force tasked with opposing ISIS, a terrorist group with strong gains in Syria and Iraq, and also Al Assad’s regime.
Within the rebel mix, reportedly, there are Al-Qaeda, Syrian opposition rebels and likely American covert advisers. How strange for the United States to be in an informal alliance with Al-Qaeda operatives.
It seems the 4 ½ year long Civil War has the potential to become a proxy war between the U.S and Russia. Possibly even reigniting the Cold War or starting a Third World War.
Yet, Lieutenant Colonel Peter D’amico, Director of the Air Force ROTC program at LHS, considers a conflict between the U.S. and Russia unlikely.
“…I would think the people in charge would be able to maintain cool heads and find a diplomatic solution,” D’amico said.
Communication between the leadership is crucial in this situation, according to D’amico.
The Russian and American pilots who fly these bombing runs are wary of each other. Mindful of a tenuous situation, one wonders who might misfire, all the while dropping bombs on their targets below.
D’amico has dealt with International issues in the past as a U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine, a country that faces difficulty in a civil war in which Russia is supporting opposition rebels.
Still, the possibility of a scuffle between the aircraft in Syria weighs on people’s minds.
“An aerial engagement would be a sign of war,” said D’Amico about the seriousness of such an outcome.
Whoever is elected President in 2016, will have difficult foreign policy situations between Ukraine, Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and also Iran, which recently signed an agreement promising not to obtain a nuclear bomb.
“The President needs a strategy for dealing with these things.“ D’amico said about the current foreign policy situation.
One of the major issues of the Syrian Civil War is that a lot of families are being displaced.
In a CNN report on the Syrian Civil War, pictures can be seen of families hiding under mattresses from airstrikes, seeking shelter from falling debris.
Soon the cold months will come and winter will begin, due to a lack of winter clothing a lot of Syrians may die.
As a result large groups of refugees are fleeing Syria to Europe.
In Germany the refugees initially received a warm welcome. Still a host of problems have resulted from the sudden arrival of thousands.
Some countries such as Hungary and Finland have been less hospitable to the newcomers. Hungary has built a fence and sent many on toward Germany.
A group of protesters attacked a bus of refugees with rocks and fireworks in southern Finland. Other less aggressive protesters, formed a human wall on the border between Sweden and Finland.
“I think the United States has an obligation to take in its share of refugees but the rest of the world does as well,” D’amico said.
Lowell, MA- A crushing tackle in football. A shot to the head in soccer or volleyball. A collision in field hockey. A strong elbow to the head while rebounding in basketball. Concussion.
A student is at practice or a game and sustains a hit to the head.
Symptoms of a concussion can be mild or strong. The athlete may feel alright but once they get home they find themselves having headaches and nausea. Even the dimmest light hurts their eyes. An athlete may be out for two or more weeks if properly diagnosed.
“Kids’ brains have unique factors that put them at greater risk for injury than we adults,” said Dr. Robert C. Cantu, a neurologist who practices in Massachusetts and spoke at a conference about head injuries held at University of Massachusetts Lowell last spring.
Cantu is an authority on head injury and regular speaker on the topic. He has authored over 358 scientific publications, including 29 books on neurology and sports medicine, according to his website, http://robertccantumd.com/.
By definition a concussion is a brain injury caused by the violent shaking of the head and body or a hard hit the head, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
During a hit that results in a concussion the brain hits the side of the skull which causes bruising and inflammation in the brain which in turn cause neurological problems.
In high school athletes, depending upon the sport, head injuries are an inherent risk.
According to the CDC, nearly 30 million children and adolescents participate in youth sports and out of these 30 million there will be approximately 2 million injuries and 500,000 doctors visits followed by 30,000 hospitalizations yearly.
Injuries associated with participation in sports and recreational activities account for 21% of all traumatic brain injuries among children in the United States.
Traumatic brain injuries can be caused by many things but the most common brain injury is a concussion, according to the CDC.
Although concussions affect individuals at very different levels some of the most common concussion symptoms are headaches, tunnel vision, drastic changes in moods, sensitivity to light and or sound and memory loss.
Here at Lowell High each year there are student-athletes who are concussed or have had a concussion, according to the Athletic staff.
A small fraction of these people have also had more than one and the more concussions you have gotten the more likely you are to receive another especially within the following 1-2 weeks after impact, according to the Athletic staff.
Chyanne Keo, a junior here at Lowell High who is a girls varsity athlete, received a concussion while playing volleyball.
During her recovery Keo often experienced an impatience with people, she said.
“I was easily irritated by people and I had light and slight sound sensitivity,” explained Keo. “I had frequent headaches on the side of my head where I got hit.”
Students, who suffer a concussion, also can experience difficulties concentrating on simple tasks.
“The hardest thing is trying to do the small amount of work you can do while paying attention so you don’t get caught so far behind,” said Keo.
Just focusing on one subject or simply looking somewhere can cause debilitating headaches or a bright flash of light that hurts your eyes even if you just look at a piece of paper, according to Cantu’s website, http://robertccantumd.com/.
Motor and cognitive skills may also be affected.
At the time of Keo’s recovery, she commented, “I just feel a bit slow, my reaction times are slower and even getting small things across such as reminding myself that I have to get my I.D. for class takes a short time to fully become an action and not just a thought.”
Weeks after the initial injury, Keo still experienced unease.
“I feel like I am in a daze of sorts, I don’t see the bright lights and get the migraines but I am still a bit slow but I recovered enough to start my back to school workouts so hopefully by next week’s game I can be playing,” she said.
Although it was only Keo’s first concussion, according to the Cantu website, if a person gets one they are more likely to keep getting concussions in the future.
Thomas Machado a student here at LHS represents the side of the student-athletes who experienced more than one concussion.
Sports such as football, wrestling, lacrosse and other activities have left Machado with 2 concussions and on top of that a few milder collisions which may also damage the brain.
Often, these frequent hits to the head may weaken the brain and make school work difficult.
It’s important for teachers and administrators to understand concussions as the diagnosis is more prevalent.
Teachers were flexible with assignments and “…I was able to take things at a slower pace and at times no pace at all because I just couldn’t do it,” said Machado who experienced symptoms for a little over a month.
“Simple things like remembering things,” Machado added about the difficult recovery.
As the symptoms dissipate it has been proven that it can take months and sometimes up to a year or more for the brain to fully recover, according to Cantu’s website.
Gaps in memory, concentration problems and tiredness can linger even after a student-athlete has been cleared to return to normal activity, according to the CDC website.
Lowell, MA – Before the Rainbow Connection club, a lot of kids felt lost. Many students in the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) community didn’t know where to go for help.
Students had to deal with the typical incidents of bullying. On the other hand, LGBT students faced a larger problem in finding a trustworthy person to confide in.
The Rainbow Connection, Lowell High School’s version of the Gay Straight Alliance Club (GSA), provides a person and place at LHS for students interested in discussing and taking action on gender issues.
“[Fear of LGBT} shouldn’t be a fear of anyone else,” said Gregory Whitt, advisor of the Rainbow Connection.
Mr. Whitt guides the club with a goal to eliminate fear and encourage the participation in school of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender students, as well as anyone else in the gender spectrum.
Before the Rainbow Connection, many LGBT students often didn’t know where they could hang out without being uncomfortable or where they could talk openly. They often felt out of place and weren’t sure where they’d fit in.
“[Rainbow Connection] is a safe environment for anyone to go into and be able to speak their mind,” said member Katelyn St. Louis, who likes how no one is made to feel less than anyone else or unsafe around their peers.“I feel like it’s a great opportunity to make everyone feel equal in the school, as they should,” St. Louis added.
“I love the acceptance,” said a student who wanted to remain anonymous. “Everyone is so nice to each other during meetings. I am able to be myself around them.”
In his first year running the Rainbow Connection, Whitt took the place of Dan Simmons, who was the advisor last year.
Mr. Whitt has big plans for its future because he didn’t have such opportunities growing up. He explained how he wasn’t able to have this kind of club in his home town in the Carolinas, and that he’s grateful to be a part of one here in Lowell.
“We’re all just people anyway… if we could just work on changing the mindsets of people, and maybe even stop using labels,” Whitt said.
The community where he grew up wasn’t as tolerant as Massachusetts and would not have accepted such a club, he adds.
Lowell provides a diverse community in which members of Rainbow Connection can plan events openly, inform and discuss gay issues with the community, according to Whitt. World AIDS Day is one of those issue-focused events.
“I would love for it not to just be the GSA involved, because it’s not just a ‘gay’ issue, [AIDS] is an everybody issue,” Whitt said about the World AIDs Day plan.
Involving the Science Club would show people that AIDS affects all people not just people within the LGBT community, he added.
The Science Club could provide a biological context about how the disease is spread regardless of sexual orientation.
“I want to educate the public about the virus,” he continues. A poster campaign is in the works for the occasion.
Mr. Whitt also expressed his interest in Youth Pride Boston, an annual LGBT Pride Parade that he hopes to have the club be a part of next time around. Another opportunity for the club would be getting involved with an organization that helps youth runaways.
Such organizations, often dubbed ‘safe places,’ rescue LGBT members who can’t be safe at home. The organization also helps put on a prom every year, specifically for the LGBT community, to which every school is invited.
The alliance club is meant for everyone, whether they’re a part of the LGBT community, or a supportive ally of the community, he said.
“I am so grateful that Lowell High has this,” the anonymous student responds enthusiastically to being asked how she feels about having an Alliance Club.
Considering many places aren’t as accepting as Lowell, and don’t have anything like the Rainbow Connection, she feels lucky.
“I want to see if this club can grow. That would be great!” she said energetically when asked about the future of Rainbow Connection.
She said that, even though the size is exceptional right now, seeing it grow more would be a beautiful thing.
No matter your identity, everyone should feel like they belong, and like they are valid, she added.
“I hope to see it grow and for more people to accept everyone that doesn’t fit into the ‘social norm,” Katelyn stated.
Like Mr. Whitt, this sophomore wants to see people become more accepting of those not considered what society views as “normal.”
Lowell, MA – For decades, this City has been a tapestry of multicultural respite for refugees and immigrants fleeing war, persecution and economic distress.
It’s no surprise there is talk of refugees from Syria soon to become a part of the community’s ethnic fabric.
Communities are opening up their arms to those in need and refuge. Mayors of the immigration Action Coalition have been reported saying “We will welcome the Syrian families to make homes and new lives in our cities. The United States is in a position to lead a global narrative of inclusion and support.” Syrians fleeing to Europe from civil war in the Middle East don’t want to live in refugee camps, according to recent news reports.
Word has spread about the poor conditions in the camps and the families seek a better life.
Eastern European countries, overrun by the droves of refugees, offer no choice. Hungary recently built a wall to fortify their border against refugees.
Syrian, refugees currently within the Hungarian border, resist efforts by the police move them into temporary camps.
The Syrian families hope to continue on to Germany whose president, Angela Merkel, recently promised a place for them.
While the families are desperately grasping at a normal life, the United Nations has asked other countries to bear part of the burden as well.
America has stepped in to become the “beacon of hope and land of second chances,” said Kerry, recently in front of German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier at a news conference, according to the Huffington Post.
Meanwhile, resettlement agencies, organizations which help refugees and immigrants resettle, prepare for the influx which is sure to come.
One local type of agency, International Institute of Lowell, expects a number of Syrian families to resettle in Lowell in the coming months.
12 million Syrians have been displaced from their homes and more than half of these are moving all over Europe.
It’s no surprise that the United States of America is stepping in to lessen the burden.
America accepts hundreds of thousands of refugees every year. As a result of the ongoing Syrian civil war approximately 70,000 more than usual will be entering our country, .
In fact, 10,000 more people entering will be Syrian, according to The White House, reported from CNN.
Immigration in our country is trying to be very flexible with the situation at hand while keeping it safe, according to Secretary of State Kerry.
According to our staff, the LHS community is very supportive and welcoming of those who choose to take refuge here in our city.
Rumors of their arrival have already been flying around and much of the responses include positive feedback.
“I believe the Syrians coming to our school is a wonderful opportunity to interact among a diverse body of students,” said Model UN advisor Amanda Ernst.
Not only are our staff anticipating the Syrians arrival, students are too.
“I do believe they will become a part of our community with no complications at all. They are human like the rest of us and deserve the same treatment we receive, ” said Mya Stafford, a LHS sophomore, about the new students. “I will gladly converse and interact with them when I come across one of our new students.”
Lowell, a city historically welcoming to newcomers, appears to again be ready as refuge and home to another group of newcomers.
Easthampton, MA- At a prep school in Massachusetts drama gets more attention than sports because the focus on the well-rounded student trumps Varsity athletics.
Meanwhile at Lowell High School, Fine Arts are an elective but there’s a reluctance by some to participate.
Will Fokas, a student from the Williston Northampton School, explained that it is mandatory at Williston for all students to attend at least one class in the Fine Arts.
Most students at the school unexpectedly enjoy the theatre course because they never thought it would be interesting, according to Fokas.
Will’s final for the second semester was to act out the “Make-me-an- offer…” scene from the film, The Godfather. The scene depicts an Italian Mafia boss negotiating over illegal activities in early 20th Century New York City.
The school seeks to create an atmosphere where the Fine Arts are as valued as sports in other schools, said Fokas.
Whether you’re into drama or not that’s a pretty cool final, added Fokas.
The Williston official school website demonstrates a balance of disciplines with commitment to Fine Arts and culture.
By giving more weight to the Fine Arts, Williston students, who otherwise would not take Fine Arts courses, experience drama, music or dance at the school.
Even if the student doesn’t like drama, or one of the other Fine Arts, the mandatory requirement gives students exposure to Fine Arts which would not normally be part of their resume.
Fokas said it pushed him from his comfort zone but everyone has the opportunity at this experience because of the Fine Arts credit requirement.
The result is a well-rounded student population, he said.
Lowell High School’s Burgoyne Theatre
Meanwhile at LHS, students may choose to take Fine Arts classes but not all students can overcome the stigma by others.
Participants in the LHS drama class and drama club focus their skill on acting, stage crew, acoustics and scenery.
“I never told anyone I was in the drama club because it felt awkward, and I would be judged,” said one member, who preferred to remain anonymous.
The scene is set for George S. Kaufman’s “You Can’t Take it With You.” Rehearsal in the Burgoyne Theatre has been long and tedious, but perfection is key for the student performers.
Some of the participants don’t fit the drama stereotype here. But the Fine Arts are also not mandatory at LHS as in Williston School.
An anonymous member of the football team said, “it’s not that I have anything against drama kids it’s just that I would be made fun of by my teammates if I did drama.”
Senior art portfolios, will include a variety of media. The black and white photograph, shown here can be found in the portfolio of a digital artist, Ryan Furtado
By Ryan Furtado
Lowell, MA- The road to a college acceptance letter can feel like a long distance for most LHS seniors to complete, but an extra talented group must run the extra mile in the form of a portfolio project.
To be considered for admission most Art colleges require students to submit a portfolio that showcases their best work. It’s such a unique project that the National Portfolio Day is named in its honor.
Across the nation high school seniors write multiple college essays, prepare detailed resumes, and take cerebral SATs each year with the hope of receiving a college acceptance letter come May.
So many tasks in a short amount of time create a stressful stretch for most seniors. Though, not all seniors need to complete a creative portfolio required of Art students.
In preparation LHS Art students may take a Studio Portfolio Art course to complete this process. During the course Art students complete a portfolio of work to be considered by Art departments of colleges.
LHS Art teacher Ms.Perkins takes her students each year to Boston for the National Portfolio Day.
The Studio Art Portfolio class attends the field trip which offers seniors further insights into the ingredients of a competitive Studio Art portfolio from Art college representatives.
“It’s the best opportunity for students who are interested in art…you are able to talk directly to college representatives and have your work reviewed, ” said Perkins, who has been attending the event for the past six years. A large variety of art colleges will be participating at National Portfolio Day, she said.
Seniors also learned more about portfolio requirements at the Merrimack Valley College (MVC) Fair held at Lowell High School in October each year.
School of the Museum of Fine Arts for example has no specific requirements, instead admission representatives want to see whatever it is that you do in the realm of art.
Still most colleges list specific requirements as guidelines for portfolios, according to college representatives at the MVC Fair.
“Yes, [requirements] are going to be different but you need direct observation drawings because it’s the basis of all forms of art,” said Perkins of minimum requirements expected by Art colleges.
On the upcoming field trip seniors can speak to representatives from multiple colleges to better understand the portfolio and admission requirements in the hopes of securing a spot at one of the best art colleges.
JROTC Cadets stand at attention in a classroom at Lowell High School in October.
By Claudine Ngene
Lowell, MA- Cadets line the halls of the Air Force JROTC village in the basement of Lowell High School every Thursday.
Three lines of cadets, guided by their “element” leader, patiently wait in formation with their clean uniform and their shined shoes to be inspected just as soldiers in an Air Force military base.
“Being a JROTC student and staff, I am happy, proud, and determined to give back to other students, just like JROTC did for me,” said Soka Mam, an LHS senior and JROTC staff member. Once an element leader Mam has worked her way through the ranks of JROTC.
JROTC stands for Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps. It is an Air Force program at the high school level which helps students to gain leadership skills and to become more responsible adults.
The program teaches students to have integrity in their school, their community and their nation.
According to the JROTC curriculum, its mission is to develop citizens of characters dedicated to serve their community and nation.
“The JROTC job is not to recruit students but to teach them leadership skills such as integrity and responsibility so that they will take the right decision in the future,” said Lieutenant Colonel Pete D’Amico, director of the program.
The JROTC program was originally created in 1916 during World War I as part of the National Defense Act and was later extended as ROTC.
JROTC helps students to be more responsible and to develop a strong character of leadership.
In addition, the JROTC program provides members like Mam, a better and clearer view of what she would like to do beyond her high school years.
Before JROTC, senior Andrew Schuster found himself in the principal’s offices often.
Schuster remembered following people a lot and never doing anything on his own.
“I hardly find myself in trouble [now] and I’ve become more focused on life and focused on progressing myself everyday in one way or another. I’m a thinker and think more. After joining JROTC, I just found myself with an overall better attitude and personality,” said Schuster, a staff member of JROTC and Drill Team champion.
Prior to joining JROTC, Shuster said he was definitely not focused on his future or anything that would have progressed in his life any way. But after, he started to change and became more focused.
Today he is himself and does not need to follow anyone, according to Schuster.
Mam, a staff member cadet in the JROTC certification system, has been able to guide, manage and help other students not only with the JROTC duties but also academically.
The JROTC certification system is based on how many years a student has been participating as a cadet. Which means a two-year student receives a certificate of training different from those who have been in the program for three years. In turn the student receives a certificate of completion. And, if the student joins Air Force, he or she will be enlisted and earn higher rank.
The percentage of JROTC students that join the Air Force is around 10%, according to JROTC data.
Cadets joining the Air Force may find it difficult the first years, however with a higher rank the hard work can be balanced with satisfaction and fun along the way. Though, cadets need to be careful of mistakes.
“Some of the consequences of [mistakes] can be the loss of rank or money,” said Lieutenant Pete D’amico who also teaches and prepares interested JROTC cadets for the Air Force path.
To get accepted in a Air Force college, a high school student has to take and do well on the entrance exam and meet the minimum age of 17-18 years. The Air Force college applicant must also be physically fit, meet the academic requirements and pass a background check.
One student considering the Air Force is a LHS Junior and ROTC flight commander.
As a Flight Commander Laura Rodriguez, who came to the United States from Colombia, is proud of her work.
“The position allows me to develop a strong character and important leadership skills,” said Rodriguez, who completed 3 years to accomplish her title and has only been in the United States the same amount of time.
Rodriguez, a petite 5 foot 4 inches tall, said she feels more responsible and determined in her work. If she chooses to join the Air Force she will give her best and try to overcome any physical limitations she may have.
In addition, she joins JROTC thanks to her brother, Caesar, who recommended that she join the program and now she is very happy of her choice.
Mam, meanwhile, achieved staff member cadet because she has more time in the program than Rodriguez. She has the opportunity to guide other students, which is a great help for the instructors.
By doing that, the instructors are able to know and to understand students better. JROTC has shaped her and she has also gained the skills of leadership. The program taught her to be disciplined, honest, and how to manage time and stress.
If Mam joins the military one day, JROTC will help her understand what to expect and provides a head start in the leadership chain of command.
According to Mam, she’s more physically and mentally fit and more academically motivated as a result of her work with JROTC.
Editors note: Claudine Ngene is a member of LHS JROTC.
Editors Note: LHSDigitalNewspaper and Lowell High School do not endorse the ‘Team Oodabagah’ or parkour activity, which may take inherent physical risks at times and may have involved trespassing, as reported on in this story.
By Christian Hy
Dracut, MA-It’s Sunday at 6:30 pm. Team Oodabagah trains and practices at the back alley open gym just outside of Lowell.
The members sprint from point to point executing websters, gainers, and back fulls off of vertical walls and 5 foot ledges often in an urban environment.
Team Oodabagah is a local freerunning and parkour group.
Parkour mixes art and sport with thrill seeking.
As an art it’s the disciplined movement of the body and as a sport its sprinting, leaping, climbing, and more to get from point A to B as efficiently as possible, according to the website Parkour http://www.parkour.org/.
Freerunning takes parkour to the next level by performing flips, spins, and other types of acrobatic feats all while leaping, dropping and running.
It’s the art of motion, and allows you to be in more control of your body than most people, the informal CEO/CFO Brian Khakeo said about the newly popular activity.
A French military course called a ‘parcours do combattant’ is considered the origin of the discipline, Parkour, according to the a Parkour training blog http://www.parkourtrain.net/parkour-history.
If you want to do the activity, Parkour and Freerunning requires a whole new vocabulary, according to members.
A tracer, derived from the French word traceur, is a person who practices Parkour.
Members boast of the health benefits of the discipline, although there are inherent risks in many of the movements.
A webster is a front flip variation that involves jumping off one foot and using the legs and arms to create lift and rotation in one fluid movement completed in many steps.
Gainers are back flips that are performed while running or walking forwards.
A back full is a back flip with a 360 degree twist.
Team Oodabagah established themselves, according to Khakeo, “around January 21st, 2012.”
But before that date they went by other names as many informal groups are also forming around the United States and Europe.
“We started out as just a group of 6-7 friends from middle school,” said Khakeo of the group. Ironically, one of the group’s favorite spots is the Butler Middle School. Now the group is composed of 11-12 people and they have traveled as far as Hartford,CT for a free running/parkour jam”.
Occasionally Oodabagah will train in Boston to find different environments since training in the same spot everyday can get a little repetitive.
Oodabagah said they are “ somewhere in between professional and amateur.”
They support the claim with their history of having been asked about commercial sponsorship, but they declined the offer, and chose the self promotion route.
“Sophomore year is when we first made everyone on the team custom tank tops,” said Khakeo about the team’s merchandise.
Now the group sells tanks, baseball shirts, hats, and more to the public, according to Khakeo.
Soon they will be selling group pins for a dollar a piece so anybody can get some, ‘Oodabagah,’ he said. “The money raised supports the the team’s costs.”
Oodabagah can be contacted by Instagram messaging, he said.
Lowell, MA- After years of intense debate around the city concerning the future of the Lowell High School (LHS) building, a solution may be near.
A feasibility study is beginning since the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) has approved a study of the project in March.
The feasibility study will look into the different options regarding renovation or rebuilding. The study will also address the costs and benefits of whether to relocate or keep the school in the same location or a different location. A final recommendation will be made and then, the MSBA will decide whether to fund the project.
Over the years there have been discussions among politicians and residents about the school in its existing location in the Downtown neighborhood and renovate it, or to move the school to an alternative location outside of the downtown. Some of these locations include a large plot of land in the Pawtucketville neighborhood, another in Belvidere near the sports fields and Cawley Stadium.
The LHS headmaster, Brian Martin, recently said that he was an “advocate for equity,” indicating everyone around the city should have equal access to the school. Martin also said that over 30% of the current student body is currently able to walk to school. Therefore, according to Martin, putting the school in a place that makes it “difficult for students to come to school, and participate in activities after school… seems very unfair.”
He also expressed concern about the amount of money required to build a new school. Such a high price tag could add to the city tax bill and become unpopular among the city’s residents. According to Martin, building a new school could cost $50 million more than renovating the existing school, which could eventually add to the tax bills of the residents of Lowell.
On October 15, 2015, the Lowell Sun published a story by Amelia Pak-Harvey, in which then deputy superintendent of Lowell Public Schools Jay Lang said, “the cheapest option in building a whole new school would be if it was done on the current property, and it would cost $250 million, 78% of which would be paid for by the Massachusetts School Building Authority,” which pays $500 million per year in funding to the new school building projects around the Commonwealth.
Advocates of the current location note that there may be an impact on the downtown economy should the school be moved outside the city. Martin said, “If you look at events that are held at the high school…it brings people into the downtown before, and they eat after…we have regional events and cheerleading competitions that the high school draws…and all of these people do stay and visit, and it helps sell Lowell as a destination city.”
When city planners consider all of the effects that the high school has on the city, advocates of the downtown location think the city will keep the school in its current location. Martin said, “after evaluating the potential parcels, if in fact the city leaders look at fairness, equity, and cost, that the existing high school would be where they develop.”
Either way, there will be some type of change in the current Lowell High School, either renovation or relocation, and the community will have to wait and find out what will be done with this historic school.
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