Day in the Life of Darius Weems

By Emily Soroka, Lan'Tiqua Burks, and Damarcio McCoy, M&M TIPsters

Taking life one day at a time and never taking a day for granted, Darius Weems, a 20-year-old living with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), struggles with everyday tasks and depends on others.

"You can't stop yourself from coming to Earth; you can't stop yourself from leaving the Earth," Weems said.

An African-American male who is confined to his red and black power wheelchair, Weems’ most noticeable traits are his smile and happy attitude. Having a conversation with Darius you would never think that there’s anything wrong with him, but his disease takes a toll on him and the people around him. Darius tries to do some things in his own special way to be independent but he still depends on other people for a large part of his day.

Darius has a positive attitude toward life although he is living with DMD. He was diagnosed at age 5, and his brother Mario died of the same disease at 19 years old. Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy is the number one genetic killer of children and one in every 3500 has the disease. Victims typically lose the ability to walk by the age of 10 and the disease is 100 percent fatal.

According to Darius, wheelchair accessibility, or lack thereof, is his “biggest challenge.”One of the many things Darius has to deal with on a daily basis is non-accessible locations. He goes to places that are not wheelchair accessible to try to raise awareness of the situation.

“I like to go to places that are not accessible, so maybe if they see me, like a person in a situation, they would change it, if they see me come there and I can’t get in there and my friends can. Maybe they would just try to change the place,” Darius said.

“Accessibility is dependent on the owner,” says Amble Johnson, who helps Darius and deals with press.

Accessibility can be a big problem for people with DMD. They need help going places if they want to leave the house, and need to get driven around. Darius’s mom is there for him to help with these things. Darius’s wheelchair constantly breaks down, which also temporarily demobilizes him.

Eric Ninden, a victim of DMD who makes YouTube videos, needed help brushing his teeth by time he was out of high school and cannot lift his hands to his ears. Darius and Eric need help from friends and family with everyday tasks that wouldn’t be thought twice about for a person without DMD.

Darius has to take six medicines daily for his heart and is currently on a low sodium diet to stay healthy. He let out a laugh when he mentioned he cheats every once in a while. Taking medicine will not cure DMD, but it will help strengthen his heart and help his body function. Eric Ninden is on a diet like Darius that consists of avoiding sugar, refined food, and dairy products; instead he eats organic food. It’s important for a person living with DMD to stay on a healthy diet so they don’t become obese and cause any more stress on the muscles.

Support from friends and family make a huge difference to the victim. It takes away worry and stress, and helps them stay happy and high in spirits.

Darius had a firsthand account with his brother’s DMD and death, allowing him to cope with his disease easily. “I just like, see my brother, all the stuff he went through made me strong and he showed me you can’t sit in one mode in life. You gotta try to make some moves,” he said.

Darius’s mom and sister are an important part of his life. They help him with daily struggles and doing everyday tasks. They can also provide support for each other. Darius says that the disease made his relationship with his mom closer. Darius works very hard to inform others of DMD and what he has been through. On a weekly basis he makes Skype calls to schools and visits students. When he was on the road traveling last year, he went to 47 states and visited two schools during the day and a venue at night.

The day in the life of Darius Weems might be difficult at times but he still has hope and keeps his spirits high. He has made a big impact and raised awareness to Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.

“It just feel good I’m famous for a reason,” he said.

Emily Soroka, 14, is a Freshman at West Forsyth High School in Cumming, Georgia
Lan’Tiqua Burks, 15, is a Sophomore at Cascia Hall Preparatory School in Tulsa, Oklahoma
Damarcio McCoy, 15, is a Sophomore at Muscle Shoals High School in Muscle Shoals, Alabama

Let's Get Driving

By Olivia Baker, M&M TIPster

In the United States, on most teen’s fifteenth birthday, they are thinking
about one thing; getting their learner’s permit. They are finally
able to start driving the car and are one step closer to driving on
their own.

However, in some states teens can get their permits earlier
and some have to wait even longer. In Alaska, Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas,
North Dakota, South Dakota, and South Carolina, kids ages fourteen and
up are allowed to get their learner’s permit. Those who are fourteen
and three months are allowed to get their permits in Nebraska. Those
who are fourteen and six months are allowed to get theirs in Idaho,
Montana and Wyoming. And at fourteen years and nine months old, teens
are allowed to get their permit in Michigan.

Some have a little longer to wait. At fifteen and six months teens living in Arizona,
California, Hawaii, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Virginia, and Wisconsin
are allowed to get their permits. Teens in Maryland have to wait nine
months, after their fifteenth birthday. And in Connecticut, New York,
Delaware, District of Columbia, Kentucky, Massachusetts, New Jersey,
Pennsylvania and Rhode Island teens have to wait until their sixteenth
birthday in order to get their permit. But they shouldn’t be too sad, because leaner’s permits don’t even exist in New Hampshire!

When a group of teens were asked about the age limit for getting a permit,
they replied, “I think fifteen is a good age, because it is not too
young and not too old. The whole reason teenagers have accidents is
because of inexperience, so age is not the most important factor.”

Though sometimes it varies slightly, the process to get your permit is
generally the same across the United States. First you have to go to
a local DMV with a parent or legal guardian. You walk in and tell
them that you’re ready to get your permit. You sit and wait until they
call you, and when they do, it's paperwork time. You have to show
proof of age and identity, your social security number, proof of U.S.
citizenship or legal presence, proof of school attendance, and birth
certificate. The fee to get the learner’s permit is anywhere from $10
to $25.

Next up, its test time. First of a vision test must be
taken. Then the permit test is usually either a written test, or a
test completed on the computer. It consists of about 20-25 questions
about road rules, traffic signs and signals, drugs and alcohol, and
driving responsibly. Once finished with the test, the attendant will
tell you if you have passed or failed. If you fail the test, its
okay. Study up, and in a week you will be able to take it again. If
you do pass, congratulations! You will go over to have your picture
taken and give your signature, which will both appear on your new
permit.

A learner’s permit is an exciting thing to have. You are
finally able to drive! When some teens were interviewed about what
the best part of having your permit is, they responded, “Being able to
drive even though you still have to have an adult in the car.”

There are some rules to having a permit. First of all you have to have a
licensed driver who is at least 21 years of age in the passenger seat.
When asked to comment on whether or not this was necessary, a Duke
TIP camper, Chris Ballinger, answered, “I probably wouldn’t be able to
drive without a parent in the car with me.” Depending on the state,
there is usually a curfew for someone with a permit. For example, in
Tennessee you cannot drive between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. While some
people may disagree with these restrictions, they are designed to keep
new inexperienced drivers out of trouble and out of harm’s way.
Some may think it is unnecessary and some believe it is very
important, but either way a permit is a cool thing to have. It gives
a form of identification, and helps you to learn the important skill
of driving. Many teens greatly enjoy having a permit and being able
to enjoy driving for the first time. Even if it is with a parent.

Duke TIP Summer Program vs. Public School

By: Emily Soroka, M&M TIPster

Public school and the Duke TIP summer program are alike and different in many ways. Most would prefer camp over school, but some might not. These are both places for people to come together and build a future together.

“TIP is the greatest thing you will have a chance to experience,” the Duke TIP website states. Duke TIP camp is a place to learn and bond with the people around you. School is a time of learning and bonding too, but you are always stuck with those same people throughout different grade levels.

When you’re at camp you meet many new people from across the country. Sometimes you'll meet your best friend at camp, or maybe develop a “relationTIP.” At camp you get to pick what class you take and they are always interesting classes, not something like English or history. You stay in a college dorm with a roommate, unlike public school, where you don’t live at your school.
Some people would say school is more boring than camp, but this may be because you don’t have fun evening activities every night when you get home, or because your friends aren’t right down the hall from you. At school, you are required to take core academic classes, and we also spend 10 months at school learning, while we are only at camp for three weeks.

At both camp and school we are surrounded by our friends, supportive teachers and class lessons. Camp and school both provide great learning environments. We learn morals and make memories at both camp and school.

Emily Soroka, 14, is a Freshman at West Forsyth High School in Cumming, Georgia

Inception Review: Is it a Dream?

By Thomas Colantuono, M&M TIPster

Inception was a captivating, but confusing movie. It had my attention the whole time, but unfortunately had me confused the whole time, too. It’s rating (PG-13) fits it perfectly, because there was minimal violence compared to other movies, and the language was rather tame.

The characters were like vivid portraits, and the movie just painted them out perfectly. Everyone had characters that made sense. Unfortunately, there were two problems with the characters. Leonardo DiCaprio’s character, Cobb, was very similar to Leonardo’s character in Shutter Island, Teddy Daniels. They were both torn apart from their families and feel extreme guilt. The other problem was Ken Watanabe’s character, Saito. He was very well-played but was hard to understand at points during the movie. In a film where every word counts, that can be a problem. I had to ask my friend in the next seat for translation many times, and sometimes he didn’t catch it, either.

To explain the plot fully and completely, I would have to spoil the movie, which I don’t want to do to the good people of the public. But I will give an overview. Saito blackmails Cobb into helping him take down a major corporation through dreams. Cobb is an expert at this and is the obvious choice.

The original owner is dying, but his son, Robert Fischer, Jr. (Cillian Murphy) will be taking over. They devise a plan to get him into the dream, which the architect, Ariadne (Ellen Page), must first create. Cobb had just recently informed her on how to be an architect, and was teaching her the ways, which also explained much of the movie to viewers.

Once in the dream they must fight to get deeper and deeper into Fischer’s mind. They basically use Fischer, to break into his own mind, and convince him that he must get to the “safe,” which will help them control him to give up the company.

To get the entire story, you must see this captivating, extraordinary, and mind-blowing movie.

Thomas Colantuono, 14, is a Freshman at John T. Hoggard High School in Wilmington, North Carolina

"Collect 'em, Trade 'em, Wear 'em"

By: Emily Soroka and Lan’Tiqua Burks, M&M TIPsters

These animal shaped rubber bands have impacted everyone. They are the new sensation and everyone wants them. You can “Collect ‘em, Trade ‘em, Wear ‘em.” Can you guess what these are?

Silly Bandz were invented by 47 year old Robert J. Croak, the founder of Brainchild Products. Silly Bandz started to get popular in summer of 2009, and since then they have gone from shipping out 20 boxes of Silly Bandz a day to 1500. Even though Silly Bandz are very popular, some people still don’t know what they are.

When an employee at Margo Jewelry Store was asked if she knew what Silly Bandz were, the answer was “um, no.”

Silly Bandz aren’t loved by everyone. They are mostly popular among young children, but they have started to catch hold of teenagers. Kwanzaa Dunbar, a 16 year old from Tennessee said, “I gotta get some of them things.”

Many schools in states like Texas, New York, Florida and Massachusetts have banned these silicone bracelets. They are deemed a distraction to students. Students play with Silly Bandz in class instead of paying attention and in some cases their circulation can be cut off from wearing too many.

When Lisa, 21, from Athens was asked her opinion on Silly Bandz being banned, she said, “I think it’s dumb, I mean, if it’s not Silly Bandz it’s gonna be something else.”

When Robert Croak made these stretchy bands he never thought they would become this popular. Even though they have been banned in some schools, they are still popular everywhere. New Silly Bandz will be coming out soon, such as UV activated ones. They have made such a great impact because of the cheap price during this economy crisis. At only $5 for a 24 pack, children can have their parents buy them many at a time.

Some people love Silly Bandz, and some just hate them, either way these stretchy rubber bands are extremely popular.

Emily Soroka, 14, is a Freshman at West Forsyth High School in Cumming, Georgia
Lan’Tiqua Burks, 15, is a Sophomore at Cascia Hall Preparatory School in Tulsa, Oklahoma

Infectious Diseases being spread by International Travel

Duke TIP Pharmacology students visited the CDC in Atlanta. Mosquitos, such as this one in the exhibit, transmit malaria.

By Paxton Swisher
M&M TIPster

It is not a common thought when we board a plane. With all the stress of airports we scarcely have time to consider the risk. But what is becoming a new problem is the spread of infectious diseases through international travel.
The Centers for Disease Control recorded more than 3000 cases of infectious diseases in travelers in just the past year. According to USA Today, in the last year, there were 662 reports of tuberculosis, 78 cases of measles, and 56 reports of mumps. Diseases from other countries are carried onto the plane. Then, people who aren’t being very hygienic get the disease because they aren’t immune to it. The disease is then spread to others in the area.
Those in Athens that disregard this information because they don’t travel internationally should consider this: according to cheapflights.com, Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International has been the busiest airport in the world since 1998. This means that hundreds of international flights come in to Georgia every year. If infectious diseases are being transferred from airport and planes there is a risk for many Athens residents. However, there are ways to combat the spreading of these diseases.
As in any public place, it is always a good idea to wash your hands. Hand sanitizers can be of great help on air planes. General health rules should be followed, such as not sharing any food or drink with others, and covering your face when coughing/sneezing. If you feel the need, germ-masks can also be a good way to protect your mouth and nose from germs. The main way to protect yourself, however, is to be aware of the environment you are in. Know that people from other countries can have diseases you are not immune to. Above all else, wash your hands!

Paxton Swisher, 15, is a sophomore at Parish Episcopal School in Dallas, Texas.

We Let the Dawgs Out

By Alaina Boyden, M&M TIPster

The saying goes “Good things come in small packages.” This time though, the package looks like a giant bull dog.

The "We Let the Dawgs Out" project originated when members of the Athens-Oconee Junior Women's Club learned of the Cow Parade. The Cow Parade is a public art exhibition initially intended to bring publicity or attention to local artists and their work. Now the Cow Parade has visited over fifty cities worldwide, including Paris, Milan, and Tokyo, since it began in the year 1999. The money made from auctioning off the sculptures goes to nonprofit children and arts groups.

In Athens, however, the sculptures are instead bulldogs, which is the mascot for the University of Georgia. Originally, the Junior Women’s Club’s goal was to get enough sponsors and artists to complete twenty-five bulldog statues. Yet the project turned out to be so successful that they ended up with thirty-six instead! The statues’ homes are all around the city and attract attention from tourists and visitors all the time.

“I think everybody who comes here loves them. I can’t even begin to tell you how many people take pictures with them,” says Linda, an employee from Heery’s Clothing Closet, located close to the Bulldog statue called “Bugga,” which has different bugs and leaves painted all over it.
Another example of one of the statues includes “Caesar Dawgustus,” located on 100 College Avenue near Starbucks wearing a red toga, sandals, and a crown.

For many, the statues are symbols of team spirit or even a kind of special trademark. It is said that they are almost like guard dogs watching over the city of Athens.

Alaina Boyden is a 10th grader at Marathon High School in Marathon, Florida.