Deja Winfield

April 17th, 2018

English 3

Ms. Pahomov

Does this Year’s Prom Really Matter?

Prom season is here! It’s on everyone’s mind. Juniors and seniors alike are questioning who they should take? What should they wear?  What type of corsage do they purchase? Who will be prom king and queen? Will they look beautiful or handsome? Prom is a great time to answer all these questions and more, but as a large high school event prom, it is overhyped, cruel, and overpriced. High schools should be limited to only a senior prom because it cuts down on the number of disappointed students.

Senior prom is looked as the last big memory in high school. It is when they see the last few grains of sand in the top of the hourglass of childhood. In comparison, junior prom is placed in one of the busiest school years in the academic career.  Junior prom is used as a stepping stone to popularity in high school isolating the dateless and giving status to the couples at prom. Junior prom is a preview of senior prom. In previews you never see the full story, you get to experience a small part of the real deal. Looking from the experience of Julia Murray (BHS), a now high school senior and experienced blogger, who attended her junior prom last year and did not have a great experience. While also not having a bad one this is what she had to say “The lesson here … although prom feels like a big deal, it isn’t. Prom is what you make of it. It might not be what you expected, but as long as you… And girls, you don’t need to spend all your money on a dress, there are much more important things than a dance.” She experienced spending thousands on everything, she “needed” for prom. And not going home happy. She didn’t get the experience of laying in bed and thinking about how amazing the night had been but thinking of all the other things she could have experienced with the money and time that she had spent. Knowing this would be repeated next year with a larger more expensive dress, she wasn’t satisfied, deciding that attending her senior prom would not matter. But for many, this is not the case. They decide that junior prom is the one that does not matter and attend senior prom to experience the night with friends. More students overall go to their senior prom in comparison to a student who goes to their junior prom. Like Murray, students who decided to go to junior prom have a chance of being disappointed twice. But at least she wasn’t ridiculed and mocked for the dress she wore like many are.

High school is a time of changing the body and changing appearances. The way your body changes can ruin your high school experience due to the mockery of young adults who are changing and developing as well. Prom is the time for many to show of their changing body with a suit or a beautiful dress. The way they look will always bring up their confidence initially. Until the comments unfold. Tayja Jones thought she looked beautiful in her junior prom dress (and she did). But as she opened her mobile phone to look at social media and the pictures from last night. She had seen she had gone viral. In the span of a few hours, her picture crossed the screen of hundreds of thousands of people making cruel commentary on her body and the way she should look at seventeen years of age. She even spoke out on how she felt saying “ It was just really hurtful because I was so confident the day before”. All of her confidence was dropped until she felt hallowed. And even the enjoyment of the last night didn’t make up for the abuse she had to endure. She deserved to feel the after joy of prom. She deserved to continue to love herself without question.

Prom is considered a right of passage for so many people. For some prom tells them that they are almost done with their high school career, as well as almost finished with their childhood. But for some prom is a night of horrid people locked in a room together for hours. It is the anticlimax of their high school career. Being forced to pay hundreds to even thousands of dollars for a night of ridicule and disappointment is what they expect.  And for those who decide to attend their junior prom haven the chance to allow this to be their prom experience twice. To cut the number of children who are disappointed with their prom experience we should only allow high school have a senior prom.

Work Cited

Murray, Julia. “My Junior Prom Experience.” The Roar, 15 June 2017, bhstheroar.org/6733/opinion/my-junior-prom-experience/.

Jideonwo, Peter. “Tayja Jones Prom.” BlackDoctor, BlackDoctor.org, 3 May 2016, blackdoctor.org/488232/weseeyou-teens-message-after-being-bullied-for-her-viral-prom-photo-i-will-continue-to-be-the-voice-for-those-who-cant-speak-up/13151404_1723399244598664_6492225213850044604_n/.

This essay is my best two fer essay because I looked for deeper sources that spoke on a event that was current for us as students. We are preparing for prom in this upcoming week and it tends to be the thing on all of our minds. And we all know the struggle of the stress and hearing the nightmares of prom past. I spent a lot of time on this two fer as well, and spent a hour editing my grammar and word structure.

Avi Cantor

English 11

Ms. Pahomov

23 April 2018

Are Hip-Hop Producers Undervalued?

Producers in the Hip-Hop/Rap genre are the architects of the sounds that are heard in rap today. These musicians work behind the scenes to create a melody for the music that paints a picture of what the artist is talking about. Without a strong or fitting instrumental, the message of a given song deteriorates, ultimately becoming obsolete. But do rap fans even know who producers are and what they do? Due to the fact that these unsung heroes aren’t vocally at the forefront of a given song, many people don’t even know who producers are or what makes them such an integral part of the genre. The lack of credit given to rap producers causes the rap industry to put artists before producers when it comes to notoriety. This message limits fans ability to truly understand the music they’re listening to and allows record labels to take advantage of producers financially.

In April of 2018, a survey was conducted in Ms. Pahomov’s 11th grade English class with avid rap fans that focused on the recognition of producer “tags” and if the given student knew what the job of a producer was. Of the ten students who participated in the survey, six knew what a producer was and could describe at least partially what the job of a producer was. Of 40 producer tags,--all of which were/are big-name producers like Metro Boomin, DJ Khaled, and RONNY J--the average amount that a given student recognized was 19.5. Further, all ten participants new at least one of each of the 40 producers collaborators. This lack of knowledge pertaining to the very people who are making the hit songs that have stormed the nation is flat out wrong. These statistics show how uneducated and unexposed the teenage fans of rap music are to the people who are building the foundations to their favorite songs. This lack of knowledge creeps into the minds of the management of record labels, making it easier to take advantage of these producers.

This past year, TM88, a member of the production powerhouse 808 Mafia, tweeted that he hadn’t been paid by Atlantic Records for his work on rapper Lil Uzi Vert’s breakout hit “XO TOUR Llif3”, despite the report that the song had raked in approximately $4.5 million for the label. However, TM88 is far from the only producer to speak out on shady business deals and lack of payment. Producers like E. Dan, DJ Burn One, and Illmind, among others have spoken out about missing payment from labels and rappers alike. These shady payment deals result in the producers getting paid much less than the artists that they work with. One example of this phenomenon is Atlanta producer and architect of the “trap music” sound Mike Will Made-It.

Despite a successful and lengthy career spanning well over a decade, the producer’s net worth is estimated to be $10 Million, according to celebritynetworth.com. This may seem like a lot of money, but compared to the artists he’s worked with, this number is meager at best. Over ten of his collaborators have net worths that surpass his despite similar career lengths and accolades. The music industry’s inability to recognize its producers allows those producers to get paid much less than their vocal counterparts.

If rap fans were to realize how little they understand about the music they’re listening to, they’d realize that they’re actively limiting themselves from finding music that they like. Producers that have one hit song may have several others and may have relationships with some of the most popular artists in the world. For example, “trap music” producer Zaytoven has worked with everyone from Lil Pump to A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie to Wiz Khalifa. If someone who’s a fan of Lil Pump decides to look at who Zaytoven has collaborated with and finds that they like other music he’s made, they’ve just opened themselves up to a whole new path for discovering music. By shutting out the idea that producers are an integral part of Hip-Hop, fans are shutting out a possibility to access music that they’d like.

This is my best 2Fer because I try to be as precise with my evidence as possible. I've struggled with this before and I think that I was effectively concise in this essay.

Works Cited:

Cantor, Avi M. “Interview Data.” Google, Google, 17 Apr. 2018, docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1A_uA0C1wHT37vBSujYU80-dtSaXnKJ5Cs_ogrq8kJo4/edit#gid=0.

“Rae Sremmurd.” Celebrity Net Worth, www.celebritynetworth.com/dl/rae-sremmurd/.

Kimberly Gucciardi-Kriegh

4-23-18

Changes in schools are typically seen or assumed to be an improvement, but that is not true in most cases. Change is typically involves the school district and state. But, in some ways, keeping the schools the same hurts even more than the changes do. Underfunding schools is not only detrimental because it can negatively impact the curriculum but it can cause them not to change at all, which can be worse.

One of the biggest and most known problems in schools is when schools arts programs are cut, such as, drama, art, and band. In a study conducted by Americans for the Arts, “Students who take four years of arts and music classes average almost 100 points higher on their SAT scores than students who take only one-half year or less.” Keeping creative classes in schools not only improves students time in high school or middle school, it sets them up for success getting into college and getting a job. Continuing these classes not only give students a place to escape from stress and personal problems and helps them discover their passions, but gives them more opportunities for career success. This confirms that changing the curriculum can seriously hurt the students academically.

Meanwhile, the opposite can be said, that not changing the curriculum can hurt students much more. Textbooks hurt students due to the outdated information and giving students no real life skills, they are just memorizing or reading facts. In the state of Nevada, the school district spent 3.8 million dollars to get the schools new textbooks during the 2018 and 2019 school year. This is a school that recognizes teaching children outdated information that is incorrect and no longer relevant hurts students more than it helps them. This shows a way that updating the curriculum can benefit students.

Another way that updating the curriculum helps students is providing them with better classes. In 2005, The School District of Philadelphia made a graduation requirement that all students need to take African American History class. This happened because in 1967 over 40,000 students walked out of school to advocate for this class. The inclusion of this class changed students lives by providing the necessary and crucial learning of the history of an unrepresented group. Without this change in ciciculum, most students in the city would not have learned about these amazing people.

Even though students, teachers, and staff look at change in schools to be typically bad, which it can be, it can also be good. Underfunding schools creates a significant change in curriculum for the worst, but, this can mean it staying the same, which hurts students too.

This was my best possible 2Fer because I reflected upon all the things I wrote in my reflective essay. I tried my best to stay focus and connected to my thesis. Something new I tried was to format my thesis differently and make it so I was able to show two sides of one story.

Sources-

“10 Arts Education Fast Facts.” Americans for the Arts, 6 Nov. 2013, 11:00AM, www.americansforthearts.org/by-topic/arts-education/10-arts-education-fast-facts.

Toliver, Rachel. “‘What Are the Children Who Grow Up to Become Police Officers Learning in School?".” The New Republic, 28 Sept. 2014, newrepublic.com/article/119593/surprising-lessons-philadelphias-african-american-history-course.

Gross, Sam. “WCSD Approves $3.8 Million to Replace Outdated Language, Math Textbooks.” Reno Gazette Journal, Reno Gazette-Journal, 31 Jan. 2018, 7:09PM, www.rgj.com/story/news/education/2018/01/30/wcsd-approves-3-8-million-replace-outdated-language-math-textbooks/1081301001/.

Equal rights for women have been changing for over decades. These laws are there to protect the rights of men and women. In the early 1900s, women were given small opportunities aside to feel equal to men. Men have more opportunities than women because they seem more superior. Then again, women are more beneficial to these laws because it supports the many women who don’t have rights which makes these women oppressed. By doing this, it takes away from a woman’s quality and perseverance. Despite having the same legal rights as men, women are still disadvantaged in comparison. The disadvantages included, gender price discrimination, psychological discrimination and many more that are equally unjust.  

The cost of female sanitary items and female undergarments has been a very controversial topic. This included the many harms of gender taxing against women of all ages. The Pink Tax is extra money that women have to pay towards their hygiene products and sanitary items. According to an article from Yahoo Finance, a Consumer Report included “women’s products cost more to manufacture, used different formulations or were assigned higher prices by retailers”. That doesn’t give retailing companies the right to make female product cost more because the manufacturing rate, it just makes them targeter trying to get extra money in their pockets. Some products that have the same manufacture and production process, are found from retailing companies for both men and women. Degree deodorant at Walmart was $3.88 for women, $2.47 for men. Deodorant which is  a requirement for healthy hygiene is used by everyone and cost more for females because of the packaging, for it to look more appealing to women to buy. Walgreens has a 3-pack of Gillette razors at $11.99 for women and $10.99 for men. Once again razors, something that everyone uses cost more for women but serves the same purposes as it does for men.Women get paid less than men and are still at harm to afford female necessities.

From a psychological view, Male dominance in environments like workforce are a improper maldistribution of power compared to women. This act of male dominance indicates sexual harassment not as a sexual act but males taking control. These men have the upper hand and persuade women with promotions and raises because they have access. As reported by psychologist John Pryor on psychology today, “factors that make men likely to harass women in the workplaces, are desires to dominate women and endorsement of stereotypic views of male sex-role norms”. Men in the workplace are naturally competitive due to high levels of testosterone and become power hungry. Men are stereotypically enhanced to be powerful which takes away from men being humble. Then women have to work twice as hard, because men are competing to be what’s best. Men are less empathetic over what a woman fights to get which gets in the way of what they desire, to be on top.

Writer Joseph Conrad once said “Being a woman is terribly difficult task, since it consists principally in dealing with men.” Men have always had the upper hand since the begging of time which makes them already at the top. Women, who have been given little opportunities and some rights, have to be above these stereotypes. This creates a space where gender discrimination is revealed and how men are mentally involved when given access to power. Women, who are less powerful, will most likely be acknowledge if involves a man’ satisfaction. Women should take a stand to equity, because their valves are as important as men who are at the top.

This may be my best possible 2fer because I completed this more individually. I usually get more support from my teachers and peers that help with the process of completing my essay, but I worked by myself. I put more effort into my work knowing that my previous 2fers had mistakes that I made commonly.  Now that I have knowledge based on the guidance that I received from my previous 2fers, I know now that what I need to put my best work forward is challenging myself more to work on my own.

Sources:

“Gender-Based Pricing: Why It Costs More to Be a Woman.” Yahoo! Finance, Yahoo!, 12 Jan. 2015, finance.yahoo.com/news/the-extra-cost-of-being-a-woman-214445601.html.  

“....Because It Costs More to Be a Woman.” The Pink Tax - Gender Price Discrimination, pink.tax/.

Lowen, Linda. “Why Powerful Men Sexually Harass Women.” ThoughtCo,

Who makes advertisements? Is it companies?Is it celebrities? Is advertisements made by popular demand? An advertisement is a piece of marketing that companies or industries show to invite people to buy their products or to voice a message. Companies owned and operated by white people are usually companies that aren’t expected to use black people on their advertisements. There is actually a myth that black owned and operated businesses gain more money when people don’t know that they are black businesses. There is a demand for diversity in business and advertisements because people are growing more aware of what race means.

Only 19% of ads that people see in their daily lives show minority groups. The world is mostly made of minority groups yet they are only shown less than a quarter of the time. People want to see themselves. Why is at that white people see more of themselves yet their is less of them? Queen Latifah a rapper, brand ambassador and actress is one artists trying to bring diversity to advertisements In 2006, Covergirl asked Queen Latifah to be a brand ambassador for Covergirl. Queen Latifah took Covergirls offer and started their first ever  line of makeup exclusively for minority groups called, Queen Collection. Queen Latifah isn’t the only celebrity realizing that white companies need to change their advertising techniques. Marketing Week, did a piece on new research coming out about companies not having minority groups in their ads. The statistic were so crazy that Marketing Week also did different videos and showed their audience the reproductions of the lack of minority groups in advertisement.

The Chicago Tribune did a cut throat piece on black owned businesses and their hidden secret, their owned by black people with all white employees. Of course black owned businesses never lied, if asked if they were the owner they told people the truth. Most black owned businesses see the difference between themselves talking to their white counterparts and white people seeing someone of the same race as them. Racisms isn’t just something people acknowledge and move on from. Racism is hindering black owned businesses. Research done by the Chicago Tribune saw that 55% of black people with household incomes more than $50,000 wanted more black owned businesses. In the study they also found that white people saw black owned businesses as selling products only for black people. Assistant Professor from Chicago State University says doesn’t see any advantage. There isn’t any advantage because as Parker (who is the former operator of a website that promoted black-owned businesses) put it, eventually black CEOs come out as the CEO’s.

People claim their nationality, ethnicity or race all the time. More than ever knowing who someones is demands on things such as their race. People buy things from big and small companies all the time. It would be nice to see minority groups in this advertisements done by big white companies. It would also be good to know if the store you are buying from is black owned. Knowing who you are reflects how you act, so why not know that the stories you love also like you.  Businesses and advertisements aren’t any different because they both want maximum profit off of their customers. Diversity in business and advertising would benefit companies with money. Showing of black owned or black commercials are good. Diversity is great.

Works Cited

1. Jackson, Cheryl V. “When Building Your Business Means Hiding That It's Black-Owned.” Chicagotribune.com, 17 Apr. 2017, www.chicagotribune.com/bluesky/originals/ct-black-entrepreneurs-downplay-ownership-bsi-20160414-story.html.

2. Rogers, Charlotte, et al. “Just 19% of People in Ads Are from Minority Groups.” Marketing Week, 30 Jan. 2017, www.marketingweek.com/2016/12/06/lloyds-diversity-report/.

3. Martyswant. “Queen Latifah on the Importance of Showcasing Women of Color in Advertising.” – Adweek, Adweek, 26 Apr. 2017, www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/queen-latifah-on-the-importance-of-showcasing-women-of-color-in-advertising/.