Howard University

WASHINGTON  D.C.-Howard University (1867) is an institution familiar to collegiate students of African American descent. Student who have shown interest in being apart of Black Greek Letter Organizations (BGLO) know Howard as the foundation to five of the nine BGLO that belong to an umbrella called the Divine 9.
(http://www.newsnet5.com/news/10832978/detail.html).

(Above Photo: Taken By HU student Candice Smith)
The university has become an iconic gathering ground each year for BGLO participants, prospects and spectators. With a Homecoming event that attracts more than 5,000 thousand people each year said Jermaine Cloves a senior communications major he continues “ with so much history in place you would think they would keep up the upgrades. Homecoming includes a vast number of events for both Greeks and non-Greeks for the duration of about two weeks. It includes the following: a three on three-celebrity basketball tournament, an international showcase, gospel concert, comedy showcase, a fashion show, an R&B concert, a yard festival, homecoming parade and so much more. (http://bisonhomecoming.com/tickets.html)

After 142 years, this historically black college university (HBCU), Howard University is still enrolling thousands. Seeking and finding excellence has been the motivation of most students at the university according to Melanie Johnson, sophomore, secondary education major. She says “ I haven’t been here but two years but I enjoy homecoming, because it bangs each year." she continues "However, our school needs to divest some of this money into the repairs of our historic campus”.

The university is named after General Oliver Otis Howard, a Civil war hero as well as a former president of the university. Howard University was originally founded for the Education of African American clergyman in 1867. Its original name is as follows: Howard Normal school. The campus sits on about 258 Acers of land in the northwest side or Washington D.C. also known as an urban area.
The location around the campus is in poor condition and does not present any essence of prestige. The roads around the campus are filled with garbage, have various cracks and potholes. There are areas on campus that could be mistaken for land filled from the amount of debris present. Although the school has in the past generated many famous lawyer, actors an activist. The school it self is in need of some major upgrades.

A Fun Way to Save a Life.

YPSILANTI, Mich.-Cost of “medical” summer camp $1,000. Cost of Tug-a-Turtle $25 a team. Cost of possibly saving a kids life, by falling in Jell-O, priceless.

Tires kick back dust in the the unpaved parking area of Frog Island Park. As birds chirped, familiar hip hop and pop songs played loudly from a distance. The sweet smell of barbecue was in the air when entering the playing field.

(Photo Above : Jell-O being Mopped into the center for another round. Photo by Ashley M. Lewis)

Most of the park was a downward hill, the dew of the morning was still fresh on the grass therefore participants found it hard to stay off the ground. Big groups of similarly dressed students came into the park by the dozens. Some of the participants were adorned with ripped up T-shirts, tie dyed shorts and self-made sweatbands. Some of the participants had painted themselves and others looked as though they should have been female participants for the NFL. Except, there were no shoulder pads, just broad shouldered and wideback women wearing soccer cleats.

Participants formed a line up to an awkwardly planted picnic table. A large neon pink sign read “Turtle Tug Team sign-ups." Two non-participating women from the Delta Zeta sorority were checking off names, collecting money and signing people in. After an hour, everyone had signed in and various chitchatting was heard among the teams. Groups were starting to get rowdy for the tug of war challenge ahead of them.

Courtney Pronishen, another member of Delta Zeta sorority brought out a large megaphone and pushed the siren. The Ear-piercing noise echoed across the park.

She placed her hand above her hand and swayed them in a come-hither motion.

Pronishen yelled “Come on everyone, Lets get ready to begin turtle tug.”

She continued: “ On behalf of Delta Zeta, I would like to thank everyone for coming out on this humid Saturday morning, with your donation today, we will be able to send one lucky kid to a week of special needs summer camp in California.”

By mid-afternoon more than 10 teams had fallen in Jell-o, the losing team sat on the opposite side of the spectators, wrapped up in large beach towels and clearing Jell-o and grass off their faces.

Members of one team who had fallen, started hurling Jell-O onto the other participants who had not fallen in.

Helping to save a kid's life, is a real accomplishment, with a simple pull of a rope and a simple tumble into green Jell-O.

(Photo Below: Participants fall into Jell-O photo by Ashley M. Lewis)

Who I am

YPSILANTI, Mich.- Colorful is an adjective that can be used to describe myself entirely. Unfortunately, black has been ascribed to me.

We live in a world that is dawdling to change and masked with ignorance. In no way am I stating that I am innocent to this common trend. However, I am willing to identify the problem and find a solution because you can not solve anyone else’s problem until you fix your own.

(Above photo: taken by Annesia Gates.)