Extra! Extra!

by Cassie Xie and Sage Nenyue
VOX Staff

Illustration by Reuben Buchanan| VOX Staff

STDs: A National Teen Epidemic?
Roughly one in four U.S. girls ages 14 to 19 has a sexually transmitted disease, according to a recent study conducted by the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That’s more than 3 million afflicted teens. The most common STD was HPV (human papillomavirus), a virus that can cause cervical cancer. About one in five infected girls reported having HPV.

About half of the girls in the nationwide survey acknowledged having participated in sexual activities; the rate of infection was a stunning 40 percent. Many did not realize that oral sex is just as risky as intercourse.

Dr. John Douglas, director of the CDC’s division of STD prevention, told the Associated Press that screening tests are often underused, partly because many teens don’t think they’re at risk, but also because some doctors mistakenly assume “Sexually transmitted diseases don’t happen to the kinds of patients I see.”

More than 830 girls participated in the CDC survey.
For STD screening locations in metro Atlanta, go to www.aidatlanta.org.

Clayton Co. Accreditation Update
In an effort to ensure opportunities for Clayton County’s student athletes, the Georgia High School Association executive committee has voted to allow the teens to transfer out of their school district without having move and gain immediate eligibility for sports at their new schools if Clayton County loses accreditation this September. There are no guarantees for non-athletes or any athletes who try to transfer before next school year.

Many parents and teachers in the 52,800-student district have voiced their dismay at the likely loss of accreditation. But Clayton officials are hopeful in pressing on. “We’re a realistic board and know the situation we’re in and know we have to move forward,” board Chairwoman Ericka Davis told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Losing accreditation would mean the loss of HOPE scholarships, difficulty with college admissions, no pre-kindergarten funding and lower property values within Clayton County. The National Accreditation Commission board voted unanimously last month to revoke Clayton County’s accreditation beginning September 1, unless the district shows significant improvement.

All Eyes on Pennsylvania

The outcome of the Pennsylvania primary election on April 22 could break the standoff between Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.) and Sen. Hillary Clinton (N.Y.) for the democratic presidential nomination. Sen.John McCain (Ariz.) secured the Republican bid last month after claiming victories in Ohio, Texas, Rhode Island and Vermont.

Primaries basically decide who the presidential candidates are for the Republican and Democratic parties. Primaries are also the main way voters learn about presidential candidates. Media coverage allows candidates to present their platforms and exchange ideas and opinions with the public. Most importantly, primaries give citizens a political voice in deciding their future leaders.
To register to vote, visit rockthevote.com.

Tornado Aftermath
For the first time in history, downtown Atlanta was hit by an EF-2 level tornado. Late March 14, winds grew to 130 mph and formed a powerful spiraling whirlwind that devastated parts of downtown and nearby Cabbagetown. Homes and businesses were rattled by the windstorm. Even days later, the wind continued to clatter against broken windows in skyscrapers like the Westin hotel, shattering glass to the ground. A week later, a few streets were still blocked off with city ambassadors wearing green jackets and white hats yelling directions at people as they attempted to take their usual routes through the desolate streets.

Duluth Rocks
The third annual Taste of Chaos stopped at Gwinnett Civic Center, March 24. Sporting cheap tickets and a compilation of popular hard rock bands, the traveling music festival attracts millions of fans each year nationwide. The band line-up for 2008 included Avenged Sevenfold, Atreyu, Bullet For My Valentine, blessthefall and Idiot Pilot, as well as several Japanese bands such as MUCC, D’espairsRay and The Underneath. In recent years, the Chaos tour has breached international music barriers by including some of Japan’s finest “visual kei” groups, a movement among Japanese musicians characterized by unusual and eccentric costuming. With their highly unique sound and artistic presentation, these Japanese bands have opened American audiences to greater possibilitiesin popular music.

Photo by Sage Nenyue| VOX Staff

Animaniacs
Momocon hit Atlanta on March 15 as hard as the tornado hit downtown the previous day. The annual anime convention took place in the student center of Georgia Tech. The convention’s name is derived from the Japanese word for peach (momo) and the abbreviation for convention (con). Over 2600 people attended. Everyone was on exhibition from artists and costume designers to anime music video makers and shutterbugs with an itch that only the most elaborate costumes could scratch. Anime fans ages 2 to 72 dressed up like their favorite characters and wore original designs.

The main age group consisted of teens and early 20-somethings. While there were many newcomers, it seemed that many more fans were reuniting with people they had met at previous conventions. For the most part, the convention rocked, but the question that was on everyone’s lips remained, “Are you going to AWA*?”
*For info on Anime Weekend Atlanta (AWA) in September, check out www.awa-con.com.