For Dreamers, Thinkers and Achievers
By Cheryl Mattox Berry If Olympic gymnast McKayla Maroney had a do-over, I’m sure she wouldn’t be frowning during the medal ceremony. Maroney, who won a silver medal in the individual women’s vault competition, stood on the podium with arms folded and mouth twisted into a pout. Maroney, 16, claims she was disgusted by her […]
Continue ReadingBy Cheryl Mattox Berry Olympic gold medal gymnast Gabrielle Douglas deserves a platinum medal for the way she dismissed folks who made negative comments about her hair. What started as a few posts by black women on Twitter and Facebook about how her hair needed to be better groomed grew into a firestorm. Douglas promptly […]
Continue ReadingBy Cheryl Mattox Berry For the past week, we’ve watched in awe as athletes have won gold, silver and bronze medals at the summer Olympics in London. We’ve cheered their victories and despaired over their defeats. We’ve seen the best athletes in the world at the top of their game. It’s no accident or luck […]
Continue ReadingBy Cheryl Mattox Berry The lack of interpersonal skills among teens, who prefer social media over a real conversation, has complicated the dating scene. Don’t assume that the young man who texts, calls and hangs out with you is your boyfriend. He might be checking you out to see if he wants to be with […]
Continue ReadingBy Paola, 16, junior When I decided to lose weight this summer, I realized that I needed to drastically change my eating habits. I ate junk food at least once a week and a bunch of snacks, mostly chips or gold fish, throughout the day. On my new eating plan, I discovered that you don’t […]
Continue ReadingBy Cheryl Mattox Berry Girls attending Camp Honey Shine in Miami got more than the usual regimen of activities. In addition to swimming, arts and crafts, reading and a variety of workshops, the girls got frequent doses of real talk from Tracy Wilson Mourning, founder of the mentoring program. Mourning, a graduate of Howard University […]
Continue ReadingBy Cheryl Mattox Berry Authorities are investigating the background of the 24-year-old man accused of fatally shooting 12 moviegoers and wounding 58 others in Aurora, Colo., last week. They’re asking classmates, acquaintances and neighbors questions about the gunman in an effort to piece together what drove him to commit such a heinous act. Were there […]
Continue ReadingBy Cheryl Mattox Berry Kudos to Carina Cruz, 16, and Emma Stydahar, 17, who staged a mock red carpet show against Teen Vogue in New York City and presented editors with 28,000 signatures requesting that the magazine declare that it doesn’t digitally alter body shapes in photographs. They are part of the all-girl activist group SPARK Movement. […]
Continue ReadingBy Paola, 16, junior Many girls wear baggy clothing, thinking that no one will figure out that they’re trying to hide their bodies. In reality, the oversized clothes make them look worn down and lazy. Hiding under clothes instead of playing up your best features affects your self-esteem and confidence. I know from personal experience. […]
Continue ReadingBy Cheryl Mattox Berry It’s the middle of summer. You’re enjoying carefree days doing whatever you like. No fuss. No stress. School is still weeks away, and there’s no need to even think about the SAT, ACT or GPA. Right? Not exactly. Now is the perfect time for seniors to prepare for the college application […]
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