Category: Articles

November 29, 2019

by Rhobie Toussaint, posted in Articles, Feature

Native American Heritage Day

November 29, 2019 will serve as Native American Heritage Day—a holiday dedicated to acknowledge and celebrate Native American culture, and their contributions to the United States, something calendars failed to notify.

In 1986, President Reagan declared that the week of November 23 to November 30 would serve as American Indian Week. In 1990, President George H.W. Bush declared that November will be Native American Heritage Month, and it has been approved to be so annually. 

“This month, we recognize the contributions made by Native Americans since long before our founding, and we resolve to continue the work of strengthening government-to-government ties with tribal nations and expanding possibility for all,” said former President Barack Obama in his 2015 proclamation. 

“Thanksgiving and the month of November, Native American Heritage Month, are an important time for the nation to renew a year-round commitment to honoring and strengthening the relationship between tribal nations and the United States,” said Jeferson Keel, President of the National Congress of Amderican Indians (NCAI), during a statement. 

More often than not, the contributions of Native American tribes to the United States are forgotten. It was these tribes who played a role in providing democratic ideas which were used by the framers of this country’s constitution. These are also the same people who first grew crops such as potatoes and helped the Europeans survive by showing them how to farm effectively. 

“They used techniques such as burying fish and burying different metals which was useful because it gave nutrients for the plants and kept the soil rich,” said Jiles Colemen, who is from Native American descent and has recently posted a now viral TikTok video on the realities of Columbus day.

They have made contributions to the U.S. military as approximately over 24,000 Native Americans served during World War Two. In current times, there are over 240,000 Native Americans who serve in the US Armed forces, according to the US Department of Defense.

These are just some of the many things Indeginous Tribes helped with in the country, which would make them and their actions vital to the United States even before it became the United States of America, and are many of the reasons to pay attention to Native American Heritage day. 

Despite the significance of their contributions and traditions to our lives, there is not enough focus on Native American Day and month. There are a multitude of schools that fail to include the teaching of said contributions in the history curriculum. 

“Native Ameircans are not given the recognition that we rightfully deserve. We’re looked at as more of a laughingstock and historical figure than we are as a people. I think that’s because we were so diminished in history. The educational system has failed to educate our youth on the contributions of my people,” said Maya Gillogly, whose family is part of the Sauk tribe and is an activist for Native American Awareness through social media.

It is important that we know and understand our history, and for everyone in the U.S, whether we care to admit it or not, Native Americans are a part of that. 

“It breaks my heart that we were the main force that built the country and now the country lays on our backs,” said Gillogly. 

 

Native American Heritage Day was a few days ago, but this story is still important. I think it is important to recognize that Native Americans are indeed still here and have contributed a lot to the United States. They should not be forgotten, so I wanted to take the time to bring recognition to Native Americans and their Heritage Day.

 

Glaciers

by Rhobie Toussaint, posted in Articles, News

Melting Glaciers and Climate Change Effects

Glaciers are melting at alarming rates, the global climate is steadily and consistently rising, and mass extinction is nearly inevitable. 

Just this summer, there was a memorial held in Iceland for Okjökull (OK), a glacier that melted there in 2014. Its cause: climate change. 

“ OK is the first Icelandic glacier to lose its status as a glacier. In the next 200 years, all of our glaciers are expected to follow the same path. This monument is to acknowledge that we know what is happening and what needs to be done. Only you know if we did it,” said the memorial plaque.

Global warming comes from the excessive amounts of greenhouse gases being emitted into the atmosphere. These releases have resulted in the melting of ancient glaciers, that previously stayed intact for numerous decades. 

“The natural greenhouse effect has been interrupted by humans who have increased the amount of greenhouse gases in the air, the most common being carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is trapping too much heat which in turn leads to the melting glaciers,” said Edelma Saenz, a senior at MLEC who studied climate science over the summer. 

As the glaciers around the globe begin to melt, sea levels also start to rise. 

“The oceans tend to absorb a lot of heat so as the average temperature continues to rise the ocean has more heat to trap. This leads to thermal expansion in which the volume of the water rises,” added Edelma.

Although OK is the first glacier to melt in Iceland, there have been others in areas such as West Antarctica. The rise in sea levels that comes from this puts the environments and people around the globe at risk of suffering from the negative effects. 

One of the main risks of sea level rise is the possibility of areas with residents going underwater. islands, and peninsulas such as Florida will likely be the first to experience this. 

The health of residents in different areas may become threatened as a result of glacier melts and sea level rise. Organisms that were once trapped in said glaciers will have the ability to get into other places, possibly posing health risks. 

“There could be dormant microorganisms residing in the ice that because the glaciers are melting can come out of the ice. We’re not sure if they are going to be detrimental to human health or not. We might potentially have bugs in there that could become a problem,” said Genesis Perez, the AICE Environmental Management teacher at MLEC. 

In response to the many effects of climate change, such as the Icelandic glacier melting, already becoming noticeable in many countries, many teens are taking it upon themselves to demand for change. Videos and photos urging the community to take care of the environment have gone viral, Students in Florida have gathered for climate change strikes.

“We can’t continue living like this. Earth is our home and it feels like we’re just neglecting it. We should come together and work together to help our environment,” said Catherine Mena, a Junior at MLEC.

 

The effects of climate change are becoming more apparent, and the melting of glaciers is just one of them.  The harming of animals, people, plants, and all that is in the Earth will stem from these effects. Polar bears will continue to lose their homes. Sea levels will continue to rise. The Ozone Layer will continue to deplete. I wanted to put up this article because we cannot afford to avoid this problem forever, and I want to spread awareness in every way that I can. 

 

Photo Source: https://observers.france24.com/en/20190621-iceland-photos-skaftafell-glacier-climate-crisis

Mental Health & Technology

by Rhobie Toussaint, posted in Articles, News

Using Technology To Cope With Mental Health

Originally published in the Harbinger

 

With technological advances occurring by the second, there’s a society dependent on technology and apps to guide it. One of the newest additions: applications used to manage the mental health of their users. 

Apps such as “Daylio Journal” and “Moodpath” have been created to help users cope with mental illnesses in different ways. 

Daylio Journal serves as a journaling app, where the user doesn’t actually have to even type a single sentence. 

The app tracks your mood, achievements, and activities by asking questions such as, “How are you?” and “what have you been up to?” 

Daylio gives the user a set of emojis and icons to choose from to answer these questions, also giving the user the option to add more emojis and icons to the set. 

The app uses the responses to create charts, giving users the opportunity to observe and track their mental health. 

The growing number of installations of apps such as Daylio Journal prompts the question of whether it is a good idea to use them.

“I think apps like these are a great idea, especially for teens who hide their depression from their family and friends,” said Briana Sterling, a student. 

The high rating of the apps suggests that they are successful with helping users cope with their mental obstacles. Moodpath has a rating of 4.7 out of 5, and Daylio Journal has a 4.8.    

It must be taken into consideration that counseling can be costly for some individuals, as a session can be anywhere from 75 dollars to over 200 dollars per session. 

Despite the cost to speak to a professional in person, there are teens who feel that this is the better option. 

“I prefer counseling because it gives me a chance to say whatever is going through my mind and know I won’t be ashamed. Seeing another person and telling them is not the same as telling an app,” said Ashley Pineda, a junior at MLEC.  

However, not everyone wants to sit alone in a room with a stranger, talking about issues they’ve been scared to even admit were ever there. 

 This app is free, and accommodates teens in a society surrounded by technology. 

“I know people who are depressed and dread going to a therapist, because sometimes teens are forced to go to therapy in the first place. I feel like if it’s an app, and a teen chooses to journal their feelings, they would be more expressive and actually experience relief,” said Sterling. 

 

Mental Health itself is an issue that should be addressed.  It is important not to neglect the fact that there are individuals who struggle with maintaining their mental health.  In this article, I wanted to present an option for coping with mental health: technology.  As mentioned in the article, we do live in a society that has rapid technological advances, so it is no surprise that there are apps made with the intent of helping people manage their mental health.  Although not everyone agrees with whether or not using apps like these are effective, using them is still an option that I wouldn’t want anyone to miss out on. 

Hurricane Dorian

by Rhobie Toussaint, posted in Articles, News

Devastation in the Bahamas

Originally Published in The Harbinger

Imagine roofs being torn off of buildings, houses being flooded with water, and cars flipped over and damaged. People have nowhere to turn, trying to brace themselves for impact. 

The devastation that would strike the Bahamas was one they could never truly prepare for. 

Dorian, a Category Five at the time it hit the Bahamas on Sunday, remained stationary for an extended period of time, causing mass damage to the country. Some houses there are mainly made of wood, not built to sustain a hurricane with a wind speed of 185 miles per hour. 

“The Bahamas isn’t suited to sustain hurricanes like that and it makes me worry for the next,” said Anite Augustin, a sophomore at MLEC. 

Videos and photos of the wreckage in the Bahamas have gone viral. Throughout the media, there is footage of water from the ocean reaching the second floor of a house, with pieces of furniture and appliances floating throughout the building. 

In many of the pictures online, one can see what is left of the cities, like Abacco city, affected: knocked down trees, collapsed buildings and water just about everywhere.  

The aftermath of Dorian has been described as completely catastrophic. Currently, the death toll of Hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas is about 40, and this number is expected to rise significantly.  The destruction within the country has also impacted residents in the United States, who have a connection to the Bahamas or loved ones there. 

“I’m Bahamian, so to see the destruction there makes me sad. Bahamas is my home and seeing the once beautiful place turn into a disaster is upsetting and hurts my heart,” said Mya Young, a junior at MLEC. 

Originally, Florida was forecasted to be in Dorian’s merciless path. However, Dorian changed course and was then projected to head North after hitting the Bahamas. While many Floridians are grateful that the hurricane did not cause a significant amount of damage here, there are others who almost wished that it hit Florida instead of Bahamas. 

“I felt frustrated about Dorian staying over the Bahamas for 54 hours. It was supposed to hit us… If it had hit Florida we would’ve been better suited for a hurricane like that and more prepared,” said Augustin.  

Now, many Floridians are seeking a way to help the Bahamas by donating canned foods, emergency kits, and such. At MLEC, this humanitarian prospect hasn’t been overlooked. Not even one day after students returned there, an effort to provide relief for the Bahamas was put in place. 

Throughout the week, students have been able to drop off items such as toiletries and canned goods in boxes put aside for said donations. The donations collected will be taken to the town of Miami Lakes, where it will be shipped to the Bahamas. 

“Any help or donations that you can send there, send it. The people of Bahamas really need it,” said Young. 

This week, I wanted to shed light on the destruction and devastation Hurricane Dorian caused on the Bahamas. It was absolutely heartbreaking to watch footage of houses getting flooded, and the parts of the island experiencing destruction that will be very difficult to come back from. But it’s not impossible. As mentioned in the article, there have already been efforts to provide relief in the Bahamas. It is important that we come together and help those in need in times like this instead of ignoring them. The residents in The Bahamas are, after all, human beings just like everyone else. 

 

JUULS

by Rhobie Toussaint, posted in Articles, News

JUULS: The Full Picture

As each day passes by, more and more people are using JUULs and e-cigarettes to vape, whether it is in restaurants, the back of the schools, or the mall. Many are under the impression that using these e-cigarettes is the safer option, or the the worst thing to ever happen. Little understand both sides.

“I know some people who [vape] that do it for the fun of it and how it makes them feel. There are also people do it because they see others doing so,” said Faith Beckford, a sophomore at MLEC.

The popularity of the Juul e-cigarette has skyrocketed since it was first introduced in 2015. Sales for this company has gone over 800 percent. From college campuses to beaches, there is bound to be someone vaping, seemly having the time of their lives.

“I see people vape just about anywhere, like in malls or in supermarkets. A lot of people use JUULS, ” said Tracy Bojorge, a senior at MLEC.

Many teens continue to vape, not thinking about any adverse effects e-cigarettes may cause. In their heads, the act of vaping is usually seen as “fun” and “cool.”

However, a pod alone has as much nicotine as twenty cigarettes. The consumption of too much nicotine leads to cardiovascular, and respiratory problems. It has also been proven to debilitate a person’s control over their impulses.

“I think e-cigarettes cause just as much damage. It still has chemicals, and when people smoke the vape they think it’s harmless. They’re actually dangerously addictive,” said Zhyenda Bain, a Sophomore at MLEC.

With flavors ranging from mint to fruit, and its portable containers, its allure makes it very easy for teens to get addicted.

Although there has been a ban on some of the JUUL flavors recently, now that people are addicted, they may go to great lengths to retrieve a pod.

While the adolescents vaping think that the action has no effect on them, exposure to the glycerol in the vape can lead to excessive irritation-eyes, skin and throat, redness, itching, or burning.

When used properly, however, using a JUUL pod comes with its benefits. E-cigarettes are meant for people to reduce their use and addiction to tobacco ones, as long as there is a set goal in mind.

“When used as a complete replacement, rather than in addition to cigarettes, they are a preferable alternative for smokers who haven’t had success with medically proven approaches,” said Dr. Linda Richter on the debate of whether or not cigarettes can help quit smoking.

And while smoking tobacco cigarettes can make having an anxiety attack 5 times more likely, vaping is known to help ease anxiety.

“Tobacco can cause sleeping problems. The sleep deprivation coupled with shortness of breath may lead to stress, anxiety, and panic. Vaping doesn’t cause any of the above problems,” said the Depression Health Network.

With the adverse health effects and addictiveness of JUULs and vaping presents, it is best to be used by those quitting tobacco or with a doctor recommendation. Otherwise, like in the case of teens who think juuling is “cool,” JUULing will cause negative impacts on one’s health, physically or psychologically.