Candace Parker makes rare dunk at WNBA game

Candace Parker became the second woman to dunk in a WNBA game and the Los Angeles Sparks beat the Indiana Fever 77-63 on Sunday night.

Parker took a pass from Raffaella Masciadri, dribbled the length of the court and dunked with her right hand with 29 seconds to play.

“When I caught the ball and there was an open lane, it was a good opportunity,” Parker said. “I’m happy that I was able to do it in Los Angeles in front of the home fans.”

Lisa Leslie, her Sparks teammate, is the only other WNBA player to do it— throwing a shot down during a game in 2002.

“Obviously, it means a lot having the first person to do it on my team,” Parker said. “There’s going to be more to come in the league itself.”

Parker finished with 10 points, 10 rebounds, four blocks and four assists. Leslie added 17 points, nine rebounds, four assists and three blocks.

Raunchy Music Influences Teens' Sex Habits, Study Says

Teens whose iPods are full of music with raunchy, sexual lyrics start having sex sooner than those who prefer other songs, a study found.

Whether it's hip-hop, rap, pop or rock, much of popular music aimed at teens contains sexual overtones. Its influence on their
behavior appears to depend on how the sex is portrayed, researchers found.

Songs depicting men as "sex-driven studs," women as sex objects and with explicit references to sex acts are more likely to trigger early sexual behavior than those where sexual references are more veiled and relationships appear more committed, the study found.

Teens who said they listened to lots of music with degrading sexual messages were almost twice as likely to start having
intercourse or other sexual activities within the following two years as were teens who listened to little or no sexually degrading music.

Among heavy listeners, 51 percent started having sex within two years, versus 29 percent of those who said they listened to little or no sexually degrading music.

Don't agree?....Let's see. I recently saw a little girl in the store at the mall singing one of the hottest songs out now by Plies, "Bust It Baby Pt. 2" lyrics:

" ...Juss gave her a nick name, it's wet-wet
Cause when we finished she mess up all the bedsets..."

Soooooooo inappropriate!!!! I love to listen to the latest songs just like the next person but c'mon....These artists are so irresponsible/borderline ignorant!

Click here for the rest of the story: Music

The New New: Rihanna's Gladiator boots

Hate it or love it? Rihanna visited 106 & Park last week to celebrate the re-release of her Good Girl Gone Bad album. Even more newsworthy was her wearing these Balenciaga braided gladiator heels (or are they boots?) Whatever they are, I know one thing is for sure...they are certified Unique!

Shenique featured in the Miami Herald!

Growing up in South Miami-Dade, Khristal Gooding loved leafing through Seventeen to catch up on fashion and make-up. Yet, no matter how wonderful the articles or photographs, she did not see herself represented in the pages of the glossy magazine. It was worse in other media, where African-American women come off as video vixens and sex objects.

''I knew those negative images were not an accurate reflection of who we really are,'' says Gooding. ``I wanted to give girls positive images to look up to.''

So Gooding, a social studies teacher at Robert Morgan Educational Center, decided to launch a magazine that would provide an alternative -- and accurate -- representation of the women who were her students, her friends, her neighbors. The result: Shenique, a glossy publication for and by black teenage girls.

Read the rest of Miami Herald's article titled:
A Girly Mag they can be proud of

French Vogue follows...but we ain't complaining!

Italian Vogue and French Vogue seem to be on the same page for their July covers featuring black models. French model Noémie Lenoir graces the cover. We love it!

July Issue of Italian Vogue will feature all black models!

I told u...I told u....!

A month ago, I mentioned that there were whispers that Italian Vogue was set to release an issue featuring all black models. Well, that time has arrived! The July issue is set to release in Italy next week and in the States mid-July. Italian Vogue has used only black models for the July issue of the magazine, in a statement against discrimination in the fashion world according to the UK Telegrapher.

More than 100 pages of the issue, including the cover, will feature images of black women taken by the acclaimed New York based photographer Steven Meisel.

The pictures will be accompanied by articles on successful black women in arts and entertainment.

The move is in reaction to recent anger over the reluctance of fashion magazines to feature black models on their covers. Many industry insiders claim black girls are not used because they just "do not sell".

Students in Oregon will get to choose which graduation test to take

In California, dropout rates soared the first year the state required high schoolers to pass a test to get their diploma. In Texas, 40,000 disgruntled students were dispatched to summer school in 2007 after not passing the state test. And in Washington state, lawmakers simply canceled plans to require exiting students to pass a single, comprehensive math test, after fears surfaced that thousands wouldn't measure up.

"We didn't think any one test should determine whether someone gets a diploma," said Duncan Wyse, vice-chairman of the Oregon Board of Education.

So board members chose a different route. This week, they approved a a plan that lets students pick from three options: a national test, state assessments or a local version, such as a student portfolio, to show colleges and employers they have mastered reading, writing, applied math and speaking skills. Passage on any one of the three, along with fulfilling course requirements, would guarantee a diploma. The trend is definitely moving away from a single, high-stakes test that students have become used to due to the No Child Left Behind Act.

We like the sound of that!

FAMU is #1 in producing black college grads!

Apologies in advance, but I have to rep my school....

Florida A&M was recently ranked the No. 1 producer of black bachelor degree holders in a report by Diverse Issues in Higher Education magazine's June 12 edition.

The report ranked the university solely by the number of students who graduate during a school year. For FAMU, that meant 1,256 graduates in the 2006-2007 year.

Two years ago, FAMU was named the top university for black students by Black Enterprise magazine. It's been 11 years since FAMU has been named College of the Year from Time Magazine-Princeton Review.

Update on upcoming Disney movie

The Princess and the Frog, a currently-in-development fairy tale, is being closely watched, not only because it is said to represent Disney's first 2D-animated feature since 2004's Home on the Range, but it is also the first with African-American characters! The animated feature will be a musical set in 1920s New Orleans. The lead characters are said to include 19-year-old heroine Tiana (voiced by Dreamgirls' Anika Noni Rose); Charlotte La Bouff, a spoiled 18-year-old southern debutante (Broadway veteran Jennifer Cody); villain Dr. Facilier, a voodoo magician and Mama Odie, a 200-year-old voodoo priest.

In a departure from the norm, three of the four are African American characters. No release date has been set, but traditionally animated films have traditionally taken about four years from first news to reaching the big screen, making this unlikely to show up until 2010 at the earliest.

It's about time Disney!!!

Sex Ed...can you make the grade?

Can we talk about sex? Real teens aren’t getting the full story when it comes to sex ed. But our lawmakers have the power to help make sure they get the information they need to make healthy decisions.Take this sex ed pop quiz to see if you know the facts.

Click on this link: Pop Quiz

Stay Informed: Facebook can put your privacy on the line

Facebook fanatics who have covered their profiles on the popular social networking site with silly games and quirky trivia quizzes may be unknowingly giving a host of strangers an intimate peek at their lives.

Those mini-programs, called widgets or applications, allow users to personalize their pages and connect with friends and acquaintances. But they could pose privacy risks. Some security researchers warn that developers of the software have assembled too much information — home town, schools attended, employment history — and can use the data in ways that could harm or annoy users.

Even private profiles, in which personal details are available only to specific friends, reveal personal information, said Chris Soghoian, a cyber-security researcher at Indiana University. And they're allowing access to their friends' information — even if their friends are not using the application. That's because MySpace and Facebook, the largest online social networks, let outside developers see a member's information when they add a program.

For more information visit MSN

Your friends are dead...Just kidding!

Talk about brutal!! Sometimes teachers have a weird way of teaching you a lesson!

On a Monday morning last month, highway patrol officers visited 20 classrooms at El Camino High School to announce some horrible news: Several students had been killed in car wrecks over the weekend.

Classmates wept. Some became hysterical.

A few hours and many tears later, though, the pain turned to fury when the teenagers learned that it was all a hoax — a scared-straight exercise designed by school officials to dramatize the consequences of drinking and driving.
As seniors prepare for graduation parties Friday, school officials in the largely prosperous San Diego suburb are defending themselves against allegations they went too far.

At school assemblies, some students held up posters that read: "Death is real. Don't play with our emotions."

'They got the shock they wanted'
Michelle de Gracia, 16, was in physics class when an officer announced that her missing classmate David, a popular basketball player, had died instantly after being rear-ended by a drunken driver. She said she felt nauseated but was too stunned to cry.

"They got the shock they wanted," she said.

Some of her classmates became extremely upset, prompting the teacher to tell them immediately it was all staged.

"People started yelling at the teacher," she said. "It was pretty hectic."

Others, including many who heard the news of the 26 deaths between classes, were left in the dark until the missing students reappeared hours later.

"You feel betrayed by your teachers and administrators, these people you trust," said 15-year-old Carolyn Magos. "But then I felt selfish for feeling that way, because, I mean, if it saves one life, it's worth it."

Read the rest of the story at MSN

Stay Informed: What's up with these gas prices?

It's summertime and you want to go to the mall or to the pool and moms is telling you no because gas is too high!!! When I got my first car in 2001, gas was only $1.30!!!! Now, the prices have soared to over $4.00! That is astronomical! But why have gas prices gone up so much so fast? Well, conspiracy theorists have a few reasons but we'll go straight to the economics of the matter. Many factors play into the price of gas including the price of crude oil, cost of refining and taxes. Go to www.npr.com and read the breakdown. Hey...stay informed--your teachers will be impressed!

Old School: Polly

Polly had to be my absolute favorite movie and musical when I was growing up. The movie, a Disney classic released in 1989, stars Keshia Knight Pulliam and Phylicia Rashad, better known as Rudy and Claire Huxtable. The story is about Polly Whittier who arrives in Harrington, Alabama in 1955 where she has been sent to live with her Aunt Polly, the richest black woman in the county. Her aunt is a very stern woman, and despite Polly's best efforts, refuses to warm up to her niece. The joyful orphan doesn't let it get to her and goes on to inspire the transformation of the dull town and its residents.

It had the best songs including, Angel Eyes, Stand Up, Rainbow Color Me and Sweeter. I had to have watched this everyday after school for at least a year! Polly is based on the 1960 Disney film "Pollyanna, " which starred Hayley Mills (also a pretty good film!). Be sure to search YouTube for other scenes from Polly which is very hard to find today in stores or on the internet.

What is Juneteenth?

Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States.

From its Galveston, Texas origin in 1865, the observance of June 19th as the African American Emancipation Day has spread across the United States and beyond.

Today Juneteenth commemorates African American freedom and emphasizes education and achievement. It is a day, a week, and in some areas a month marked with celebrations, guest speakers, picnics and family gatherings. It is a time for reflection and rejoicing. It is a time for assessment, self-improvement and for planning the future. Its growing popularity signifies a level of maturity and dignity in America long over due. In cities across the country, people of all races, nationalities and religions are joining hands to truthfully acknowledge a period in our history that shaped and continues to influence our society today. Sensitized to the conditions and experiences of others, only then can we make significant and lasting improvements in our society.

Serena covers Ebony and looks really good!

Serena Williams did an exclusive cover shoot with Ebony magazine in Malibu, California. When asked to talk about her rumored relationship with rapper Common, Serena was a bit mysterious: "I think he’s a great guy. He’s obviously a great artist who is timeless and classic. You can’t beat that. But I have to focus on tennis because that’s my goal in life."

Serena also talked about Olympic bid and staying fit.

Election '08: Obama Makes History

Now that the race is heating up, we at Shenique Magazine think you should be informed of what's going on during this historic election!

The rules were confusing and the campaign was long, but the numbers say it's finally over for the Democrats. Senator Barack Obama is the Democratic Party's presumed presidential nominee. He will face Republican Senator John McCain and candidates of other parties in the general election on November 4.

To become the first African-American presidential nominee of a major party in history, Obama won the 2,118 delegates needed after the last two states voted on Tuesday.

The two Democratic contenders split the two final states. Obama won Montana, while Senator Hillary Clinton took South Dakota. Before the final primary results were in, however, Obama could claim the nomination. He won enough superdelegates to hit the magic number as voters were still casting their ballots.

Read more at Scholastic News Online