Now, as a junior, he has decided to handle the problem on his own, realizing that no one else will. He makes his first move to end the threat, deciding to fight and soon faces punishment from those who refused to help him, for trying to help himself.

He had the  right idea but the absolute wrong follow through.

This very possible high school scenario sums up the problem for the state of Arizona: nice thought, bad actions in the passing of Senate Bill 1070, or SB 1070 for short. With the  federal government quickly challenging the bill as unconstitutional, many argue that the risk is too high for racial profiling and mixed messages being sent about the federal government’s right to regulate immigration.

Attorney General Eric Holder has been quoted supporting the appellate court’s decision to overturn parts of the bill, saying, “Setting immigration policy and enforcing immigration laws is a national responsibility. Seeking to address the issue through a patchwork of state laws will only create more problems than it solves.”

But what’s a state to do when the nation won’t take responsibility?

According  to reports from CNN, Arizona alone possesses more than one half million illegal immigrants. With numbers like these continuing to rise and numerous requests for aid ignored by the federal government, Arizona’s governor Jan Brewer has acted in her state’s self-defense. Passing SB 1070 means Arizona law now requires immigrants to carry their alien registration documents at all times and also requires police to question people if there’s reason to suspect they’re in the country illegally. The phrasing is a little fishy. Not only are these stricter requirements in place but now harsher punishments will also be in order for those who hire illegals or transport them knowingly. This last part is undeniably deserved.

These ideas seem relatively fair, but the training procedures currently in place are not enough. At bare minimum, training needs a rehaul to shelter the bill from the lawsuits that will undoubtedly ensue due to the inherent racial profiling needed to enforce the ruling.

Arizona right now cannot honestly expect to enforce this law as it is written.

Passing the bill in order to bring the isssue to the immediate attention of the federal government was taking a step in the right direction, but that’s all the credit that’s due. Next time we need the same idea with much better follow through.

Mr. KHS was founded last year to raise money for the pommies, but what they didn’t realize was the money interfered with the main focus: crowning the true champion. Just because this pinnacle of pageants brought in over $1,000 for the pommies program and helped purchase new uniforms doesn’t mean that it can’t break hearts.

As Mr. Freshman Class, I was responsible for embodying the “swagger” of all of the freshmen. In front of a crowd of more than 400 on that Wednesday night, I was booted in the first round.

Sigh.

Maybe it was due to my shiny shoes not being shiny enough or my hips not being as loose as the change in my pockets. Whatever the problem, it was enough to lock me backstage with the nine other men swept from the limelight.

Perhaps the chance to show off their washboard abs in their skin-tight swimsuits was what brought such a testosterone-swamped group of guys together. If that’s what it takes to raise money for the dancers that
pump up the crowds at pep rallies, then so be it. But don’t strike down the only freshman in the first round to please the oh-so-desperate seniors.

I can admit, a free prom night with a limo might have been out of the question for me, but the second round wasn’t. No one seems to be complaining about the victor, Jayvn Solomon, who happens to be a senior. Solomon also happens to be Mr. Pep Club, a group that is alongside the pommies at pep rallies to rile up the crowd. Coincidence? I think not.

“It hurts to fall short by one place, but at least I wasn’t 24th place,” Joey Greenstein said moments after the decision was made to crown Solomon.

But as I looked at the crowd’s gleaming faces when all the contestants came out for a final bow, it was no secret that our dance moves pleasured their eyes. In that moment, it hit me. As a ninth grader, my job was to be 24th place. That’s the joy of being the scrawny little freshman.  I guess when next year’s pommies are counting the money as it flows in, I’ll be back stage with a new group to represent, shining the shoes and loosening the hips. Until then, I’m just Mr. 24th.

We all believe  having that ultra-high GPA will secure our future and gain us entry into the college of our dreams. I am not saying maintaining a solid GPA should not be our goal, but many of us would walk to end of the earth to get a 4.0, maybe even cheat.

After trying to pay teachers off with large quantities of cash, many students resort to cheating. We have all done it at some point in our academic careers, it is inevitable that we will cheat sometime during the year. We all forget about that spanish quiz and just cannot quite remember how to conjugate the verb “tener” in the preterite tense. It seems that for some people this happens more often than others. Or maybe they did not forget, but feel that they cannot risk a D- on a 15 point Spanish quiz because they are too worried of their GPA dropping if they do not get an A in the class.

Students feel just one bad grade can make or break their acceptance into colleges and because of this many of us have resorted to cheating. Cheating has become far too easy for students. Teachers simply recite the phrase we have all heard millions of times “keep your eyes on your own paper,” and then retreat back to their desks to type up torturous lesson plans.

As teachers hunker into their work the students eyes begin to wander and thoughts of cheating enter their minds. This cheating is made easy due to the new era of technology, which has brought along the beloved cell phone, the ultimate weapon in the cheaters arsenal. All one has to do is send a quick text message over to their buddy and find the answer to number seven in just a matter of seconds. It is too easy. The more advanced cheater may even use his or her cell phone to snap a few pictures of that list of vocabulary they just cannot seem to remember.

All of this cheating would be avoided if parents, teachers and colleges did not put so much pressure on students to have a 4.0 GPA. Making a few bad grades is not going to prevent us from getting into a good college and being successful in the future. If we would all just quit stressing over our GPA’s and quit worrying about a few bad grades, the cheating would not be necessary.

A stop sign is not adequate for this intersection.  A sign might be helpful except this intersection is a four-way stop, at an angle, creating several blind spots when driving or walking. What this intersection needs is an electric signal.

Essex is a true east-west thoroughfare, yet Geyer veers from south to northwest at the intersection.  Because the intersection is not a perfect cross, it is more difficult for a pedestrian or a driver to see a vehicles time of arrival at  the other three directions of the intersection.

Above, Lexi Ives, Kirkwood resident, walks home with her younger brother after Keysor Elementary School was dismissed. "It is a little dangerous," Ives said about the intersection.

Kirkwood Police officer Jim Cox said electric signals are not usually put in areas with a close proximity to homes.  However, the three-way intersection of Quan and Woodlawn, which operates during the school year, has an electric signal and is surrounded by homes.  Not only is Quan and Woodlawn a three-way and not four-way intersection, but it’s also perfectly north, south, west.  No angles. No blind spots.  Essex and Geyer is a four-way intersection and not a perfect cross.

The reason there is an electric signal and walking signal at the Quan and Woodlawn intersection is because younger elementary kids that walk to school, said Cox.

However, a short way down Geyer road is Keyser Elementary school and for many of the elementary students, crossing through the intersection is how they get to and from school.

John Schumer, who has been a Keyser crossing guard for four years said the intersection is too dangerous and would be better off and safer with an electric signal.

According to City of Kirkwood Council Member Gina Jaksetic, if an electric signal were put at the intersection of Essex and Geyer, the proposal would have to go through a group in Kirkwood called the Traffic and Safety Committee. The committee would evaluate traffic flow and accident rates in the area. Kirkwood citizens who want changes would have to make recommendations and requests to the City of Kirkwood, Jaksetic said.

An electric signal at this four-way intersection would be beneficial for all.  It would benefit drivers by taking the guesswork out of when to proceed.  It would also be safer for pedestrians, including elementary students, as they would have a signal indicating when to “walk.”   The City of Kirkwood would be doing their citizens a favor by putting an electric signal at the intersection of Essex and Geyer.