Local rappers and students Cap Stylez (left) and Joseph Coleman

“We did it because it’s exposure and it’s a way to let out whatever you want that’s bottled up, but for fun too.” said original member J-Stylez, Joseph Coleman.

In the cypher was J-stylez, Cap-stylez, Calamity, Prince, Ghost and a few other’s coming to show off their lyrical skills.

“This was my first cypher.”  “I actually really enjoyed it, I cant wait for the next one” said one of the many by-standers standing around after the cypher was over.

“I really hope we end up getting Panache Trend as a real after school program, there’s some major talent at Oxon Hill just waiting to be unleashed.” Said innovator of the group Cap-Stylez, Steven Stembridge Jr. “We want this to go farther than rap, in march we’re trying to put on a talent showcase co-sponsored by the writers club to show everyone’s talent since the talent show was canceled. Then there’s the poetry book we’re trying to publish, we’re really trying to make this something positive for everyone”

 This could decrease the number of people who try out and play sports next year. Everyone may not be able to pay that amount, especially if they play multiple sports.

 “No, if we have to pay out of my pocket, I think that students shouldn’t have to pay to play a sport. They already have to pay for their own equipment to play the sport (i.e. glove, cleats, shin guards, etc.) depending on the sport.” Junior Dinora Mcrae said when asked her opinion of the fee and if she would pay in order to play sports next year.

 “I think it’s ridiculous that we have to pay. All it does is discourage us more to not play sports, and some people won’t be able to afford to play more than one sport. I’m going to still play four sports next year because that’s my passion and what I love.” said Akia Johnson, who is also a junior.

 There are other students, who love to play sports as well, but unfortunately, some of them may not have the opportunity to play all or any of the sports they are passionate about next year. If there are enough people who are unable to pay to play, some teams may become hard to fill and possibly become non-existent.

After a year off, Oxon Hill’s modeling team will be participating in the 2011 Catwalk Classic. Catwalk is a show hosted annually in Maryland, containing all the modeling teams around Prince Georges County. Although Oxon Hill has lost many members, they accumulated many new members and still have their choreographer Orlando, from the previous years. With Catwalk approaching in a month, the New Generation Models are heavily preparing.

Junior Damani Batchler believes that “we’re ready because we work hard, we have a good routine, and we are overall ready.”

Senior Celeste Minor would agree, saying, “we are well prepared, we put in a lot of effort and hard work and we have the mentality that we are going to win.”

Oxon Hill has brought home the trophy two years in a row, in 2008 and 2009. Sadly New Generation Models ended up not competing last year due to personal reasons but they are back this year with a lot of positive energy and hope on their mind.

Because of this pressure of a back-to-back win, Damani said, “I am somewhat nervous, we don’t want to go out there and be terrible when we have won two trophies.”

“Mostly everyone on the team is new and we’ve never been to catwalk so we don’t know the expectations and how it is like,” says Celeste.

With all the new change in sponsors and newly acquire members, Captain Nikki Annonuevo and choreographer Orland, have been with the team for years. Both Damani and Celeste believe that Orlando does his job well and that he will lead their team to success.

“I believe Orlando is preparing us because he has a lot of experience with modeling and knows what he is doing,” says Damani.

Celeste said, “yes, Orlando is leading us to success because he’s very hard on us and he’s a perfectionist.”

With all the preparation and hard work put in, the results will show at the Catwalk Classic, May 14, 2011 at Showplace Arena.

“Yes. Of course it’s worth it,” senior Toney Washington claims. The thought of renting a dress is not even in the minds of most senior girls at Oxon Hill High School.

Prom is very expensive. “I would say my dress budget is $300-$400,” senior Aniyah Liggins said. No one wants to show up to prom with the same dress as another. Some dress shops will agree not to sell the same dress to other costumers as did for senior Genee’ Wolley.

There are other ways to get the perfect dress for prom. There are contest to win a prom dress with lots of different companies such as with Seventeen Magazine. There are also events relating to prom going on close to the Oxon Hill area.

On April 9 Sistas United is hosting a prom dress social from 1 pm to 4 pm. A prom social allows young ladies to come and select dresses, shoes, and accessories all for free!

This event will take place at Solid Rock Missionary Baptist Church which is located in Suitland, Maryland.

To RSVP for this event an email should be sent to Wessita at info@sistasunited.net.

It can be very hard to find the perfect dress. When going into the process of looking for a dress most don’t know exactly what the search is for. In the end the night will be spectacular. The girl will look amazing and there will be no regrets. Finding a prom dress is can be one of the greatest memories a girl in high school can have during senior year.

This being their last year, most seniors will end up buying a yearbook.

Everyone has heard that “High School goes by to fast” more than once, and this statement is 100 percent true. While memories last a long time, they always fade. So why not preserve these memories by investing in a yearbook?

A Yearbook is an amalgam of all of the events, activities, organizations and more that go on throughout the year. More than that, it is a record of the fun you and your friends had throughout the whole year. It has everything from pictures of the craziest outfits during spirit week to a picture of every student in the school.

Everyone should have a yearbook.

Not convinced, more of money-minded person? These facts might persuade that this year’s yearbook is a great deal. The yearbook is cheaper now then it has been in years.

For the past two years, the book has been sold for $80, and the year before that, $90. But as or right now, the yearbook is being sold in room 203 for only $55. That is almost a 40 percent discount. The profits from the yearbook are also used as a fundraiser; that means the money from yearbook is going to go back to the student through one form or another.

If money isn’t an issue and you are more concerned with quality then there is something for you as well. The sponsor of the yearbook, Mr. Young, went to school for the arts and concentrated in visual communications and advertisement. To be on the yearbook staff you need school spirit, optimism, and to be social, he says. For this reason Oxon Hill’s yearbook looks better than most other schools.

The 2007-2008 yearbook, “Binded”, was nationally recognized. Every yearbook is aesthetically beautiful.

It is everything wonderful rolled into one package. Memories, savings, quality; what more is there to want?  You can’t get your high school years back, but you can buy a yearbook.

Finding a date seems to be the toughest part of it all. Many boys try to find a date early to avoid having to find a date the week of. Some retain the fear of rejection and never get around to finding a date. The gentlemen must think wisely and carefully about whom they take to prom.

Preparation is key to everything. When asked about his excitement for prom, Senior Marquis Middleton replied “Hell yeah! I got my date and everything. I’ll be riding in a Benz.”

Prom being the huge occasion that it is, one needs to look as sharp as possible. Senior Tavin Smith explained that he must “buy a tuxedo and get everything in order and organized.”

Many people share the thought of renting a limo and arriving at the prom as if it was a red carpet event, while many others think of it as a car show.

Senior Ivan Urcia explained his thoughts on the ride situation for prom with a devious smile; “I’ll either split a limo with friends or a rent a car… a luxurious car…”

Whether they are renting a limo or driving, everyone wants to arrive in style one way or another.

The lights, the music, and all of the friends you’ve been with for the last four years will be there to celebrate the final dance of high school during prom. One final night to live it up with your high school friends and to enjoy what is the last year in grade school.

 “How could I expect them to be dressed up?” Ms. Brown, SGA sponsor, asked. “It’s not like they could have went home to change right after the talent show, so I just let them all in.”

 Why were the talent show and the dance scheduled to be on the same night? Perhaps, too much was expected to be packed into the next week. This may have been a result of the lack of communication between Dr. Cadet and SGA in the earlier parts of planning. When SGA thought of ideas, they were thinking along the same lines as our fall homecoming. Mix and Match Day, Class Night, these are the thing that they know cause students to push their creative limits and therefore have a great time. Dr. Cadet, on the other hand, wanted to present the “new” image of Oxon Hill to the public. One that was not so “ghetto-specific” in his terms with days like Dress for Success Day, Club & Organization/College Day, and remember the Winter Homecoming was supposed to be filled with waltzing, not ‘Cupid Shuffling.’

 “We made a few agreements,” Imani Brown, SGA Treasurer said.

 Anyway, back to the dance. Students arrived and were greeted with the sounds of…old school rap? For those who aren’t the greatest fans of go-go, this was a breath of fresh air.

 “When I saw that they were the same DJs, I got so excited!” Markietta Owens, senior, exclaimed. “Finally, we don’t have to ’chop’ all night.”

 She was referring to the fact that seniors used the services of the same DJs for their Glo-Go weeks prior. Some of those who attended both said that they enjoyed the Glo-Go better, but then again they were a bit biased due to their favorite music genres (techno, house, etc.).

 The music touched on basically all the styles that our student population enjoys (with an exclusion of rock), from go-go, to house, to reggae, and even a few slow jams, everyone had a chance to have a good time.

 With over 300 tickets sold, the Winter Homecoming Dance could be considered a success. The only problems being two spilled cherry sodas, a lack of chicken, and the lights being on for too long. Yet everyone still had fun. Hopefully, SGA can pull it off again with the supposedly upcoming Spring Fling!

 Tip #1:

 Don’t stop walking. Talking to friends can occur at later times. Not only is time being wasted, but one of the most common obstacles found in the hallways will be eliminated. There have been many collisions due to people ‘dapping it up’ or stopping abruptly to ponder their own existence.

 “Don’t you hate it when you are walking down the hall and suddenly…BAM! You crash into some guy standing there for no good reason?” Jahzmeen Stepp, a junior, asks.

 Tip #2:

 Avoid the guidance hallway. Unless one has the reflexes of a highly trained ninja, one will get hurt. Remember, there is no nurse available to assist with injuries. The wildly swinging doors in the guidance hall can open at any time and knock a person out cold. In other words, by using the guidance one may not make it to class at all.

 “It was like my life flashed before my eyes” Simone Smith, freshman said. “Luckily, I dodged the door before it had time to hit me in the face.”

 Tip #3:

 Don’t stand at corners or on stairwells. Usually this tip is considered self-explanatory; however, at Oxon Hill, apparently, it is not. Traffic is built up quickly and heavily when this tip is not followed. Whether it is the science hall, the doors leading to the temps, or the sophomore/math hallway, don’t crowd around blocking the rest of the school. Important people are in class, not the hallway, no matter what they say.

 Tip #4:

 If walking with friends, walk in a cluster, not a straight horizontal line. This tactic really works! It is much less difficult to hold a conversation without annoying others by taking up space with slow, distracted walking.

 “People walk so slow in the hall, and you can’t even get around them.” Ashley Coard, sophomore complains.

 Tip #5:

 WALK WITH PURPOSE!! If a person walks as if they are going somewhere, chances are they won’t get caught in a hall sweep…even if they are running late. This is a sure fire way to get security and administration of your back.

 Please use these tips or come up with new ones to help make hallway traffic run more smoothly. Without people consciously making an effort to try to get to class on time, the whole school will suffer- sad but oh so true.

 Rapping has become a popular trend or hobby for many boys at Oxon Hill High. Some are very serious about making it big one day, and are talented, while others rap simply as a pastime. It also seems like some people have just started rapping because others are doing it, or because they think of it as a way to fit in.

 Here is what Ahmad Jackson, a junior, had to say about rappers at Oxon Hill. “We (Oxon Hill High School students) do not produce good rappers. They are not good. It’s only one or two rappers that are good at this school.” Other students feel the same way.

 Some fail to realize that rapping is somewhat of a pipe dream considering the thousands of others who also want to be rappers. Should they be focusing on other things besides rapping? Another student, Jazmyn Burton, said, “I think that the rappers at Oxon Hill need to focus on their school work instead of trying to put their energy into rapping because it’s just not working out. They can’t rap at all.”

 It isn’t impossible, but the chances of becoming a successful rapper are very slim. If someone has the talent and drive, then they could definitely live out their dreams. Regarding the number of rappers who may actually make it and become entertainers one day, Jazmyn said,”maybe one, or two.”

Senior Jon Labson went to the talent show and will be at Apollo Night. He believes “if Apollo Night is prepared as well as the talent show was, I don’t see why the turn out wouldn’t be just as good.” The audience can expect performers with such talents of dancing, rapping, singing, and even a rock band performance. Many of the same acts as the talent show are also performing in Apollo Night.

Aware of this, Jon still believes that Apollo Night will be better because “I’ve seen new faces at auditions and there’s also no cuts in Apollo Night, so it gives more people opportunities.”

There are rumors that during the performances the audience members can actually participate by expressing their opinion about the acts by either cheering or booing. Although it may not be the best form of motivation, because there were no cuts, each performer is subjected to this treatment.

Senior Ivan Urcia will be performing a dance routine with his group “Dime Jr.”  Ivan said, “my expectations for Apollo Night are a big crowd, anxiety, nervousness, and a lot of hidden talent to be exposed. I’m foremost excited, nervous, hoping no technical difficulties throw us off, regardless of what happens, I’m leaving my heart on that stage because I’d be doing what I love.”

Unlike the talent show, the Drama Club will sponsor Apollo Night.  With this change in sponsorship, expectations change and the order in which the venue is planned will be totally different. We will all find out how the event turns out on Thursday, March 17, 2011.