The James Logan Courier

By Arthel Cargill, Courier Staff Writer

In past years, there has been little to no diversity in the honors and Advanced Placement classes at James Logan High School, but since administrators began open enrollment this year, the future is looking brighter for students of color.

Junior May Brown said, "I'm taking honors English. It's so hard and sometimes I wish I would've taken regular, but I think it'll be worth it. The class is fun and everything, but a lot of the students are snobby. I'm, like, the only black person in my class and sometimes it's uncomfortable."

While some students like Brown took a slightly negative approach to the subject, others such as Dionnica, a freshman at Logan, had nothing but good reviews. "I like honors classes, It makes me feel so smart! I hear kids complain about how hard they are, but they're supposed to be challenging. It's what makes it fun."

Students of color may have been the main picture in this matter, but behind the scenes, teachers were working to help the students succeed, encouraging them every step of the way.

MISCELLANEOUS

Need Driver’s Education? Your place is the Adult School. Cost is $125. Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday, December 20, 21 & 22, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Applications are now available in your house office, or see Mr. Caruso in Room 77 for both an application and details.

The Hispanic University located in San Jose will be tabling today during lunch in Colt Court.

Don’t forget to donate to the winter canned food drive to your 2nd period December 6-15. Donations are never too much for the homeless. Class winners will win free breakfast on December 16th.

By Justyna Torres, Courier Staff Writer

The controversial trend of fur has made its way back onto the fashion scene.

This fall many stars and runway models have been adorned in furs. But this year, designers and consumers are avoiding controversy by turning to faux fur. This is now a win-win situation for animal and fashion lovers alike.

Of course, fur has been around for many years, but this fall it’s taking a fun new twist. This fall the must-have item is a fur vest. This accessory tops off almost every look perfectly. It can give the wearer a layered look the best finish or give new life to their favorite tops.

By Satpreet Kaur, Courier Staff Writer

Looking for a new and exciting video game can be considered by many as a favorable pastime that all kids share? Whether you're are probing for new innovations to gaming consoles, or just simply expanding upon one adventure after another: video games are fun for the whole family.

Recently, Nintendo released a new chapter in the beloved Donkey Kong series for the Nintendo Wii. Not only does this new edition, Donkey Kong County Returns, give the old-timer a chance to be transported into simpler times: where all that mattered as trying to get as many bananas as you possibly could, but also introduces a new aspect to the already incredible and awe striking features DK Country had displayed sixteen years before. What I personally love the most about this game is the return of the legendary soundtrack, featuring the unmistakable DK Theme Song.

By Denis Cuff
Contra Costa Times (MCT)

WALNUT CREEK, Calif. — The largest wind energy producer in the Altamont Pass area in California's Alameda and Contra Costa counties has agreed to replace 2,400 wind turbines within four years and pay $2.5 million in a legal settlement to reduce deaths of eagles, hawks and other raptors hacked by turbine blades.

The settlement between NextEra Energy Resources, the state and several environmental groups was announced Monday by state Attorney General Jerry Brown.

By Billy O'Keefe
McClatchy-Tribune (MCT)

Another fall means another round of hockey games from the usual suspects, but the rules have changed slightly for 2010.

The biggest twist is "NHL Slapshot," a brand-new, Wii-only game with arcade tendencies that harken back to EA's early hockey days and a pack-in hockey stick peripheral that makes it a beast of its own creation.

The stick is nothing more than an enclosure for the Wii remote and nunchuck, and those who wish to play "Slapshot" without it can do so with two alternative control schemes. But the scheme designed around the stick — buttons play a role, but the act of swinging the stick allows players to shoot, check and deke — is surprisingly fun and, thanks to "Slapshot's" arcade leanings, plenty precise enough to work.

From wikipedia:
Pearl Cleage (born 7 December 1948) is an African-American poet, essayist, and journalist living in Atlanta, Georgia. An activist on issues including AIDS, women's rights, and black life, her first novel, What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day (1997), was an Oprah Book Club selection and appeared on the New York Times best-seller list for nine weeks.

Cleage (pronounced "cleg") was born in Springfield, Massachusetts, the younger daughter of Doris Graham and Albert B. Cleage Jr. She grew up in Detroit, Michigan, where her father was a church pastor and played a prominent role in the civil rights movement.

Visit Pearl Cleage's website.