Hyped up sunscreens: to buy or not to buy

Soapbox: Teens on choosing sunscreen, page 2
Take YDC’s Annual Reader Survey, page 8
YDC checks out new Taco Bell menu, page 4
Volume 21 Issue 8 Summer 2012
Hyped up sunscreens: to buy or not to buy
Samantha Joseph
Young D.C.
With beach trips and outdoor summer
festivals on their calendars, sunscreen may
be the last thing that teens have on their
minds. Even if teens regularly apply sunscreen, they may not be receiving the
amount of treatment and protection they
think they’re getting. Since the 1990’s, the Environmental
Working Group has worked to raise awareness of sunscreen misconceptions. It challenges claims such as “sunblock,” “sweat
proof”and “waterproof.” EWG says terms
are misused by companies in packaging
and advertising. Starting in 2006, EWG’s
research has updated people annually on
sunscreen. By providing current articles,
urging action by the Food and Drug Administration, posting ratings, making sunscreen guides and circulating petitions,
EWG tries to counteract claims from manufacturers.
EWG shares current information on
skin, statistics and sunscreen through its
“Skin Deep” web site and updates it annually. Visitors can look up sources of tips,
guides and facts. Sections include “Best
Sunscreens,” “Hall of Shame,” “Sun Safety
Tips,” “The Sunscreen Guide” and more.
EWG also incorporates statistics for
absorbance spectra and calculating the
Young D.C.
UVA protection score. With a list of sun- YDC recommends packing sunscreens with a top rating from the EWG as you head
for the pool or the beach.
screen ratings and brands, anyone can have
access to information on sunscreen and how it
affects their lives.
May 23, EWG’s Ken Cook wrote, “We
know that claims like ‘sunblock,’ ‘sweat
proof’ and ‘waterproof’ on sunscreen labels
are just marketing hype. So it was a small victory in 2011 when the federal Food and Drug
Administration announced new regulations
that will ban these terms on sunscreen labels.
Since the 1990s, the FDA has considered
these terms misleading.” However, readers
can’t be assured of victory because Cook
went on to say, “Unfortunately, many sunscreen manufacturers continue to sell products labeled ‘sunblock,’ ‘sweat proof’ and
‘waterproof’ despite the FDA’s stance. The
fact is, sunscreens wash off in water and when
you sweat. And they don’t totally block the
sun. But you can find these phony claims on
products on the shelves of many major retailers—we checked just last week. We can’t afford to wait for the FDA to act. It recently
announced that it would delay enforcement
of the new regulations—years in the making—until after the 2012 summer season.”
Researchers have found toxic chemicals
inside some sunscreens people use today, including Oxybenzone. This chemical not only
damages the human skin but it can also cause
hormone disruption and have detoxifying effects on children. In a 2008 report on sunscreen, EWG senior scientist Rebecca Sutton
See Sunscreens, page two
PSU student, alumna cope with Sandusky scandal
Christina Lee
Young D.C.
In November 2011, YDC covered the Penn
State scandal and how it affected state laws requiring
the report of child abuse. June 22, retired Penn State
assistant coach Jerry Sandusky was found guilty of
sexually abusing 10 boys from the 1994 to 2009.
Conviction on 43 of 48 charges means that Sandusky,
68, will probably spent the rest of his life in prison.
The publicity around this case prompted states
to refocus child abuse laws. At the same time, some
Penn State students and graduates say scandal publicity tainted their academic achievements.
Kylie Corcoran, 19, a sophomore at Penn State
University Park campus, and Adell Coleman, a 2009
Penn State graduate shared their experiences prior to
and after the trial.
“Every single person I’ve talked to about the
scandal [who doesn’t attend Penn State] thinks that
the only reason my classmates and I wanted to attend
this school was because of football, that we supported
[late head coach Joe] Paterno unconditionally because
of it, and that we allowed Sandusky to continue his
acts of depravity for the sake of it,” Corcoran said.
“There are many students who attend this school for
reasons other than football. Being as unenthusiastic
about football as I am, I didn’t know who Sandusky
was until the story broke. I was just trying to cope
with the country telling me I was an evil person for
attending a school that enabled pedophiles.” Sandusky
See Shamed by Sandusky scandal, page two
Soapbox
News t Young D.C. t Summer 2012
YDC asks local teens how they choose
their sunblock
Compiled by Christina Lee and Samantha Joseph
Young D.C.-
"First I see if its inexpensive, then I see if
it's waterproof, then I try
to buy one that isn't too
greasy."
–Mariama Diallo,
17, will be a freshman at
Prince George’s Community College.
“I think that anything
over SPF 45 pretty much
does the same thing.”
–Cole Neuffer, 18,
will be a freshman at
Barnard College of
Columbia University in
New York, New York.
“Mine is usually SPF
30. I don’t have any brand
preferences because I just
use whatever sunscreen
there is.”
–Sabrina Kim, 18, will
be a freshman at the
Virginia Commonwealth
University
in Richmond, Va.
“I use Neutrogena
SPF 60. It feels nice on
my delicate skin.”
“For my face, I usually use Clinique or Neutrogena SPF 40 because
it’s oil-free, while some Clinique
ones have a tint of color to use as a
primer for powder and it doesn’t feel
like a layer of lotion is on your face.
For my body, I use the Neutrogena
spray stuff since it’s easy and quick
to apply, not sticky and also goes on
clear. In general, I try to use a higher
SPF.”
–Kevin Qian, 18,
will be a freshman at the
University of Virginia in
Charlottesville, Va.
–Nicole Yin, 18, will be a freshman at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, Va.
Before you buy: screening is possible, blocking is not
Sunscreens, from page one
says, “although Oxybenzone is most common in sunscreen, companies also use the chemical in at least 567
other personal care products.”
With a lot of people buying sunscreen, they are
unaware of the hazards that may cause consequences
later on. Children using certain sunscreens now are
prone to forming diseases as they get older. Sutton
adds that “children are less able than adults to detoxify
and excrete chemicals, and children’s developing organ systems are more vulnerable to damage from
chemical exposures, and more sensitive to low levels
of hormonally active compounds. Children also have
more years of future life in which to develop disease
triggered by early exposure to chemicals.”
To avoid further problems, EWG advises to avoid
products that include Oxybenzone, Vitamin A (retinyl
palmitate), added insect repellent, spray sunscreen,
powder sunscreen and SPF above 50.
Concerning sunscreen guides, teens are not paying much attention to them. Parents might not be informing their children as much as they should be either. Along with a complete guide, has EWG included
three more articles on sunscreen. Plus, it contains
plenty of facts that may interest readers.
Even though strong efforts have been made
against the FDA for the false claims of sunscreen, it’s
not enough. That’s why EWG created a petition. It
also includes major retailers so if anyone has any com-
plaints they can refer to them. If parents also want
their children informed on this problem, they should
sign and join the fight against the FDA and sunscreen
companies. As for themselves, EWG will keep pushing for their sunscreen rights and regulations. It’s already summer, so it’s best if the FDA could acknowledge them and the victims of sunscreen. After all, over
hundreds of companies have been lying to Americans.
Samantha Joseph, 16, is a rising senior at DuVal
HS in Lanham, Md.
Christina Lee, 18, is a freshman at Yonsei
University in Seoul, South Korea;
Summer 2012 t Young D.C. t News
Scandal shames students
Shamed by Sandusky scandal, from page one
Young D.C. is an independent newspaper written by and
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Managing Editor: Christina Lee Oakton HS (Va.)
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retired in 1999, but the school still gave him access to football facilities. His victims were middle
schoolers from a charity for at-risk boys that he founded. Some testified that they were molested
on campus.
Upon first hearing about the scandal, Coleman says she was “very sad and disappointed.
There is no excuse as to why this happened to these young men and for such a very long time.
It is heartbreaking. More than anything I was in disbelief.”
Although Paterno did build a legendary football program with a reputation for insisting
that athletes take academics seriously, Corcoran said a generalization that Penn State students
attend the school mainly for football burdens them. On top of the misunderstanding as to why
she chose Penn State, Corcoran is incredulous at the additional condescension she receives
daily.
“Now with the trial over and the release of the Freeh report, I have been getting more guilt
than ever for being a Nittany Lion. It honestly bothers me how much flak total strangers have
been giving me and [PSU students] over something that we had no hand in,” Corcoran said. “As
hard as I worked to get to [Penn State], there were students who had fought even harder, including students from Virginia, New York and even China. Now we were all being shamed to feel
that our efforts had been in vain.”
Coleman said, “[The public] seemed to degrade the school as a whole instead of those who
were directly behind the actions.” This alumna also reacted to both the administration’s cover
up of Sandusky’s crimes and a student riot that followed Paterno’s firing five days after Sandusky was arrested. “It wasn’t a way to allow us to look dignified as we should,” said Coleman.
“I understand the school wanted to stand united [but] I just felt in certain situations it could have
been done differently. We need to hold those [responsible] accountable and not the university as
a whole. This should not be something to define us.”
“I shouldn’t, and my fellow classmates shouldn’t have to feel guilty for something we
didn’t do,” Corcoran said. “[Give us] time to start the healing and re-growth process in peace.”
Coleman said she “believes that PSU will be able to bounce [back from] this. I am very
proud and will always be proud to have my Penn State degree and now is a time [that] we do not
allow this incident to define us.
“Instead, the staff needs to take better caution to ensure that something like this never happens again.” While the late Paterno had the power to have Sandusky’s behavior exposed, Corcoran
believes that “many of the people claiming how they would’ve handled things [were] not in
such a position.”
Corcoran expressed concern that going to police or a higher school official with such serious suspicions would be seen as an invasion of the victim’s privacy. “The general public needs
to keep in mind that not everyone is in a place where they can help these victims so easily.”
Mandatory reporters are in that place.
Mandatory reporting is the requirement that designated professionals report suspicion or
injury to authorities. Approximately 48 states including Pennsylvania, D.C., Maryland and Virginia designate professions whose members are mandated by law to report child abuse. Teachers, physicians, social workers, etc., are considered mandatory reporters. Most states penalize
them if they fail to report.
Before the Sandusky trial, Maryland law stated that workers who failed to report any child
abuse to authorities “may” lose their jobs, but suffer no criminal penalty or fine. In response to
the Penn State scandal, as well as the Casey Anthony trial, Maryland State Sen. Nancy Jacobs
(R, District 34), introduced a bill with stricter penalties in the last legislative session. However,
it died in committee. She will reintroduce it during the next general session.
Before this year, Virginia’s mandatory reporting law stated that anyone who works with
children on a daily basis report suspected cases to child protective services. As of April 2012,
the amended and reenacted mandatory reporting law has broadened the group of mandatory
reporters to include teachers, social workers, physicians, interns and more.
D.C. was and remains strict on mandatory reporting. Penalties for not reporting include
fines and jail time. Spouses and patients are not exempt from testifying against their husbands
or doctors, respectively and vice versa.
D.C. resident Coleman says, “I think that we just need to pay more attention. We might not
necessarily need to tighten the laws but more than anything we need to ensure that the laws are
being enforced…we cannot hide behind a school’s level of athleticism and credentials to validate the violation of a child or to validate the lack of action in response to the violation of a
child.”
Christina Lee, 18, is a freshman at Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea
TasteBuds
LifeStyle
Young D.C. t Summer 2012
Taco Bell el Cantina Burrito es regular
Chidiki Jones Whitley
Young D.C.
When I heard that Taco Bell has introduced a new line of higher quality
food in an attempt to compete with Chipotle I laughed out loud. Upon eating
the new Cantina Burrito, I still think that it cannot hold a candle to a Chipotle
burrito.
The difference between a regular Taco Bell burrito and its new Cantina
Burrito is only a few cooking tricks. In the Cantina Burrito Taco Bell adds
grilled corn and pepper. This adds more levels of taste that go well together.
The sweetness of the corn is a completely different and interesting taste and it
fits in because the corn has been grilled. This gives it a charred and smoky kind
of flavor while retaining its sweetness. The real diced pepper gives an essence
of spice, and it is miles above the fake spice flavoring of the regular burrito.
The meat has been bumped up as well, which isn’t saying much, but now the
meat is about average. Top all that off with a toasted shell and u got yourself a
pretty good burrito.
Is it as good as Chipotle? Heavens no, but this new Cantina Menu line of
food does make Taco Bell a place I would consider going to over more popular
fast food places.
Chidiki Jones Whitley, 18, is a rising senior at the Lab School of Washington in the District of Columbia.
Volume 21 had five Taste Buddies who wrote about eating out and cooking. Two have graduated and will be attending colleges far from D.C.
Want to replace them? Give us a call, 202.232.5300, or download the
staff and leadership applications from www.youngdc.org.
Sources: BravoTV.com and CantinaBell.com
Executive chef and restaurateur Lorena Garcia, a contestant in Top Chef Masters, Season
Four, partnered with Taco Bell to enhance authentic Mexican flavors in the new Cantina
Menu.
The Herb Block Foundation
The staff of Young D.C. Volume 21 thanks
BNA, Children’s Charities Foundation,
The Herb Block Foundation, The Reva and David Logan Foundation
and
the sponsors of Cartoons & Cocktails 2011 for giving us a voice in print and online
Summer 2012 t Young D.C.
Local teens write Father’s Day letters
Adam, Jimmy and Jay
Special to Young D.C.
Dear Dad,
ly
Growing up without a father, I never real
d
rate
sepa
celebrated Father’s Day. My parents
ry
enta
when I was about 2 ½ years old. In elem
Day,
er’s
Fath
for
s
school we used to make card
godmy
to
it
but I either threw it away or gave
father.
had
You left me with a single parent that
So
her.
brot
my
two jobs just to support me and
.I
Day
I didn’t usually do anything for Father’s
day you
always thought that Father’s Day was a
or do
rts,
spo
play
hang out with your dad and
what ever your dad likes to do.
was
We first met when I was 12, and it
ta
star
to
tried
you
on
through court. From then
betry
’t
didn
good relationship with me, but I
life. You
cause you missed out on 12 years of my
s, but
never showed up to any of my birthday
nI
whe
t
visi
to
e
your brother did, you never cam
ed
call
was sick or in the hospital, you never even
ey beto say, “Hi.” All you did was send mon
the
for
sate
pen
com
cause you felt that it would
pain and suffering that you caused us.
left.
We never got to hang out because you
’t
didn
I
but
ily
fam
his
I knew your brother and
alI
.
kids
r
even know that you had three othe
to show
ways wanted a father figure in my life
Instead I
me how to play sports or ride a bike.
learned through my godfather.
call
I always wanted a father that I could
hard
“mines,” who stayed with me through
kids
r
othe
that
n
ctio
times, and showed me affe
p in
kee
we
got from their dads. Even though
my dad,
contact, I feel as though I can call you
but I can’t say that I love.
Dear Father,
re
Father’s Day is supposed to be a day whe
his
by
ed
brat
a respectable father figure is cele
ever,
children, spouse and family alike. How
likely
with other current relationship that is not
el
mod
role
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wer
between us. Growing up you,
true
a
e
to me. I looked up to you like you wer
t apart.
hero. But as I got older, we began to drif
mothmy
ind
beh
t
I began noticing that you wen
rt.
hea
er’s back and eventually broke her
e
Then you began spreading your negativ
went,
influence to other families. Wherever you
child
a
As
f.
you left a trail of despair and grie
with
d
there are many things I never experience
how to
you as your son. You never taught me
you
and
me,
with
ride a bike, never went fishing
ly
rare
you
never played sports with me. In all
n time I
ever bonded with me. The most ofte
or whenwould see you is during the holidays
cookout.
or
y
ever the family would throw a part
er but
I know and accept that you’re my fath
that I
there are things about your personality
ating
che
of
it
strongly dislike such as your hab
however
and your manipulative ways. I hope
re and
that our relationship improves in the futu
did.
er
nev
we are able to bond like we
Dear Dad,
or
Father’s Day is a day specifically to hon
because
you. You have been a role model to me
are.
you
king
wor
of how responsible and hard
our
port
sup
You have been working hard to
more
family even if it came down to working
age all
that one job. I am amazed to see you man
have
still
and
of the things on your schedule
nts, my
enough time to come to my school eve
ro or to
football games, drop me off to the Met
ily.
fam
the
school and able to hang out with
dI
n
You have been there for me whe nee
someed help or when I just asked you to do
e for
ativ
reci
app
t
thing for me. What I am mos
or
me
port
is that you are always there to sup
move
push me to do something that would help
grades or
on in life like my football career, my
my driver’s license.
anIt means a lot to me that I am not just
an child
other statistic as an African Americ
actually
that
er
without a father. I have a fath
cares and loves me the way that you do.
ays
I appreciate you because you have alw
and
s
lem
prob
my
all
been there to help me with
ld posto push me to be the best “me” that I cou
sibly be.
e to
I hope that when I get older I am ther
not
ld
wou
you
support you as you did me so that
deyou
have to work for anything else because
always
serve it all. I thank you and love you for
d.
nee
of
being there for me in my time
Adam, Jimmy and Jay are rising seniors at a D.C. charter high school. They submitted their
letters, which they also shared with families and school staff, as part of an internship program
hosted by the Hispanic Link News Service.
Entertainment
Young D.C. t Summer 2012
Summer action films also deliver suspense
Prequel to 1979 sci-fi classic
probes human origins
Chidiki Jones Whitley
Young D.C.
Prometheus is the newest sci-fi movie, a prequel
to the Ridley Scott Alien movies. The film stars Noomi
Rapace as Elizabeth Shaw, Michael Fassbender as David, Guy Pearce Peter Weyland, Idris Elba as Janek,
Logan Marshall-Green as Charlie Holloway, and Charlize Theron as Meredith Vickers. Prometheus is about
a group of explorers that find a star map depicted in a
number of early civilizations. Believing that those
maps could lead to some sort of advanced civilization
that created mankind, the crew boards a ship named
Prometheus to look for those beings.
Unfortunately when they find the characters they
learn a horrible truth and have to escape without the
answers they were seeking. The movie begins a little
slowly but the overall theme of “faith against the odds”
is quickly abandoned. The writers know what the audience really wants to see: freaky aliens dominating the
humans and Prometheus delivers.
You don’t have to be an Alien fan to see and like
this movie. In fact, many Alien fans are disappointed
because the movie does not come through on its promise to fully explain some details. Much like the crew of
the Prometheus, viewers will leave the movie with
more questions then answers but will have a wild ride
along the way. This movie will haunt your dreams for
Photo by Kerry Brown©Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
Vickers (Charlize Theron) and Janek (Idris Elba) on the bridge of spacecraft Prometheus
days but a good time is in store. I give this movie two
thumbs up.
Chidiki Jones Whitley, 18, is a rising senior at
The Lab School of Washington in the District of
Columbia.
Photos by Ron Phillips © Warner Bros. Pictures, TM & DC Comics.
Left, Hathaway as Catwoman; center, Bane (Tom Hardy) faces Batman
(Bale); right, Batsuit and cowl haunt Bruce Wayne (Bale).
The Dark Knight Rises to the occasion
Emily Yang
Young D.C.
The final installment of director Christopher Nolan’s Batman series certainly ends the trilogy nicely.
Nolan gives viewers who did not watch the previous
two movies [Batman Begins (2005) and The Dark
Knight (2008)], enough general information to bring
them up to speed. Don’t worry if you didn’t see the last
two movies, you’ll catch on fast.
Starting off the movie, Bruce Wayne, aka Batman
(Christian Bale), is a man who has secluded himself in
his home for about eight years. However, Wayne comes
out of his shell after meeting Selina Kyle, Catwoman
(Anne Hathaway). He learns that something big and
horrible will happen. After more investigation, he becomes Batman again to prevent terrorist Bane from
destroying Gotham City. Will Bane succeed? Will Batman fail under pressure? Well, you can probably guess
by how hero stories normally end. However, don’t be
fooled by appearances. Even the reddest apple can be
rotten inside, and vice versa.
Viewers will feel the tension in the air right before a big moment, no matter how obvious the outcome
might seem. Nolan does a nice job sustaining suspense
until the final outcome is revealed.
The action may disappoint some viewers. The
fighting scenes pack a punch, literally. That’s about it,
just punching and kicking and the occasional gunshots.
Those who are hoping for an extremely intense fighting scene of Batman beating the living daylights out of
Bane, sorry, will have to see it in their imagination.
The Dark Knight Rises is definitely a movie worth
seeing. Although a little clichéd in parts, it’s a movie
you should add on your watch list.
Emily Yang, 16, is a rising junior at Winston
Churchill HS in Potomac, Md.
Omnivorous Reader
Summer 2012 t Young D.C.
Back in action
with Langdon
Emily Yang
Young D.C.
fiction with the science. In reality, it is unknown
whether or not crystal growth is affected by human
emotions, even though the story says otherwise. As
Noetics is to science, Freemasonry is to religion.
Freemasonry, as said in the book, is a secret society
where the members do not believe in a god. Instead,
they believe in a Supreme Being that is unique to
each individual. It can be whatever the person believes, and can be in any shape or form.
How does the story get involved with this religion in the first place? The main antagonist, Mal’akh,
is seen in the prologue as joining the highest form of
brotherhood, or the highest level of Masonry, in the
society as a method to carry out his plan to become
“entirely purified.” Mal’akh would cover his entire
body with symbolic tattoos from ancient texts so
that they would all collectively give him power in
an otherworldly sense. Will he ever achieve his goal
of being “purified?” Well, you have to read the book
in order to find out. His true identity would’ve never
crossed your mind.
Emily Yang, 16, is a rising junior at Winston
Churchill HS in Potomac, Md.
Chidiki Jones Whitley, 18, is a rising senior at The Lab School
of Washington in the District of Columbia.
Humor
Chidiki Jones Whitley
If you loved The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown, be
sure to read The Lost Symbol, which will also be a movie
later this 2012 year. The month of its release is still unknown. The Lost Symbol follows the Harvard symbologist
professor Robert Langdon once again, but this time with
his partner Katherine Solomon in America’s capitol:
Washington DC. Full of complex puzzles and riddles like
Brown’s previous two books, this book will give you tons
of moments that will blow your mind.
If you live in DC’s metropolitan area, chances are
you can relate to many of the infamous locations of the
capitol. Starting with the Capitol Rotunda and the Smithsonian Institution, the book will alternate between Robert
and Katherine’s point of view starting from the point
where they barely knew each other, to the point where
both of their lives become intertwined with the impending
danger.
Of course, no Dan Brown book would be complete
without the involvement of science, religion, or both as a
part of the storyline. Throughout the book, Noetic Science
is referenced as it is a part of Katherine’s conscience-dependable variable experiments. Basically, Noetic Science
is using the human mind or conscience to affect the surrounding environment. Although it sounds a little farfetched, it does exist as a study, and the story does include
Annual Reader Survey
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About YOU:
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Dear Readers,
The summer issue marks the end
of my managing editor career and the
beginning of my new journey in South
Korea. This fall, I’ll be a freshman at
the Underwood International College of
Yonsei University in Seoul. While most
students study abroad in their second or
third year, I’ll experience a new academic and social life in a different country from the get-go. Leaving Young
D.C. is bittersweet. Bitter because it
means leaving the new friends and acquaintances I’ve made, not seeing the
cozy newsroom with its comfortable
swivel chairs every other Saturday and
smells of melting chocolate that wafts
from next door. Sweet because I’ll still
be in contact with Young D.C. and because I know have an exciting trek
ahead of me.
From intriguing front-page stories
to provocative Soapbox questions,
Young D.C. had a successful year. We
published several nationally and locally
valuable stories. In my first draft of a
Penn State scandal article back in November, I learned that one incorrect
Young D.C. t Summer 2012
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term could’ve changed someone’s
whole perspective on the Sandusky
case. Young D.C. taught me to be well
informed on legal, culinary and political
terminology and to consult as many
sources as possible.
My favorite Young D.C. event is
its annual Cartoons & Cocktails auction
fundraiser. As a vamper, my job was to
walk among bidders with original (and
pricy) editorial cartoons. I also met the
board of directors, bonded with new and
old staffers, tried gourmet hot chocolate
and delicious finger food at the Newse-
um’s rooftop conference center and, finally, see how a real live auction plays
out. Since I’ll be in college, I’ll miss
C&C 2012 at the National Press Club
Nov. 15. Those of you who join the
YDC staff will have a chance to volunteer for it.
So, please, fill out the survey. Then
check out the web site for a longer version of this letter.
Thanks to my faithful staff and all
of you readers.
Christina Lee
Managing Editor, Volume 21