Time to spice up your nails! Check out 2 different hot techniques of funky nail art…

Good morning Fly Girls!

Check Briannah Hagger’s powerful poem that she performed at the 2012 Knicks Poetry Slam.

Good morning!

Time to get your energy up for Tuesday Tunes! Check out Kayla Brianna’s new song “I Got That”…

“I Got That” Kayla Brianna ft. Meek Mill from Kayla Brianna on Vimeo.

Enjoy!

Time for YOU to meet, Janae Tate,  13 year old FASHIONISTA  from Maryland! Take a look at her FRESH Style!

You loved him. I mean for real for real loved him. You knew you were going to be together forever. Your relationship was perfect….until it wasn’t. Somewhere along the way things started to go south. He didn’t call as much. The arguments became more frequent. Then you started not to care that he didn’t call as much. Slowly but surely, your perfect relationship started to unravel. Your perfect boyfriend showed himself to be not so perfect or maybe just not so perfect for you. Whatever the case may be, you’ve moved on. You’re with a new guy, and you know that this time is going to be different. This time is going to be better. If you’re going about this relationship thing the right way, it probably will be.

What do I mean by the right way? I’m saying that you should learn something from every relationship that you’re in. If things don’t work out, you don’t have to walk away empty-handed. You should be able to take the experience with you. Even he turned out not to be your Prince Charming, maybe he brought something to the table that you realize is now a requirement for every other person that you date. Or it could be the other way around. Maybe he did something that you know you will not tolerate going forward. In addition to learning about your likes and dislikes as far as a mate is concerned, you should also learn things about yourself. Do you have a habit that was a deal-breaker for your ex? Are you happy with the way you carried yourself throughout the relationship? Did you make compromises that you shouldn’t have? What did you do that was positive? How will you make sure that you do more of that in the future? These are all questions that you should ask yourself after a breakup. That way you will be able to take all of this knowledge into your next relationship and make it that much better.

Now, you’ve got a new love. He’s everything that you hoped for. You’re everything that he’s ever wanted. But did you remember to bring along your bags? I’m not talking about the pain you felt from the breakup. Nor am I referring to the distrust that you have for your ex that you’re projecting onto all guys. No, that’s bad baggage. That’s stuff that should be resolved during your time between relationships, stuff that you should leave in the past as you take time to heal. I’m asking did you remember to bring along your good baggage – all of the things that you learned about yourself and what you expect from others. If you remember to bring along that baggage, and actually use the tools found within those bags, your new relationship will be better than your last.
There are two things that I want you to take from this:

1. The end of your relationship is not the end of the world. I can understand that you’re disappointed that things didn’t work out, but you have to keep moving forward. Take all of the time that you need to work through your feelings and deal with whatever pain you may have. Then, pick yourself up, dust yourself off and look forward to the good things to come.
2. Make sure that you evaluate your past relationship so that you can make your next one even better. Figure out what worked and what didn’t. Accept responsibility for your part in its failure. Learn to forgive yourself and others for the mistakes that were made, and carry all of those lessons with you. And please don’t forget your good baggage!

• Tiffany Vicks

This week I wanted to take a moment and go back to our career series. This time, we’re going to delve into the field of engineering. Because this is the field I work in, I can tell you that there are A LOT of different types of engineers who work in all types of industries. One such industry is the defense industry. It is made up of government and commercial entities that research and develop materials used by the military. Today, I’d like to introduce you to Monica McKendrick. She is an engineer who works in the defense industry. Here’s my interview with Monica:

What is your profession? I am a Systems Engineer.
What exactly do system engineers do? System Engineers focus on the overall system and how it is designed and managed over the entire life cycle.  Systems Engineering integrates all the disciplines into a team effort that proceeds from concept to production to operation.  Systems Engineers work on the business and technical side of the projects, and ensures that a quality product is delivered that meets the customers’ needs.
What made you want to get into that field?  

I wanted to go into the field of Engineering because I had a passion for Math, Science and Technology as a child.  I loved learning how to create things and the inner workings of devices.  I always longed for understanding the “why” of everything.  Engineering often goes to that level of detail in everything and that is why I love the field.

Describe your typical day.

A very basic description of my job is that I manage the entire lifecycle of products used by the military for training. This means that I am involved with everything from creating and managing the requirements used to produce software and hardware to build these training systems to helping maintain the product once it is delivered to the customer. I work very closely with those in other Engineering fields (Software, Hardware, etc.) and my typical day varies depending on what phase the project is in. Most projects follow the waterfall method, which is a sequential design process in which progress is seen flowing downward (like a waterfall).  The waterfall method consists of the following phases:
1. Requirements Gathering – During this phase SEs are working a lot with the customer to ensure that everything is defined on what the system needs to do.  This is when the requirements are written for the product and what the rest of the phases will follow to create the product.
2. System Design – During this phase, SEs work to design how the product will work. During this phase we have to keep in mind the requirements that were written to ensure we are meeting them.
3. Implementation – This is where the product is created.  SEs often work with many other Engineering disciplines during this phase (Software, Hardware, Mechanical, etc.). Our job is to ensure that the products are being built to the requirements and specifications for the product.
4. Integration and Test – This is my favorite phase! Here SEs integrate the products together (if required) and test, test, and more test! Our goal is to test every aspect of the system to ensure that it is working as it should and all requirements are met.
5. Deployment – This is the phase where we provide the product to the customer.  This often includes more testing with the customer to ensure that the product was built to their requirements.
6. Maintenance – Not all products require maintenance, but if so, this is the phase where SEs still work to ensure that any maintenance that is done still meets the customers’ needs.

Do you believe an advanced degree is necessary in your field?

No, I don’t believe an advanced degree is necessary, but I would recommend it. Engineering is a huge field, so obtaining an advanced engineering degree will allow you to focus more on a particular field.

Do you have an advanced degree? If so, how do you think it has impacted your career and the path that it has taken?

Yes, I have two advanced degrees – a Masters in Computer Science and an MBA with a concentration in management. I believe that the technical degree has helped me to gain a deeper understanding of engineering concepts, and the MBA has opened my mind to business and how things work outside of engineering. I believe the MBA will be a key to my success as I strive to make progress in my career.

Where do you see yourself professionally in ten years?

In ten years, I see myself as an Engineering Program Manager (PM).

What will you have to do to achieve this goal?

To achieve this goal, I will have to gain a better understanding of other areas, outside of Engineering, and how they contribute to the success of the entire programs.  Those areas include Finance, Sourcing, Planning, etc. This is why I believe my MBA will be so useful in achieving this goal. If different from your current profession, why are you planning to make the switch to something new? Becoming a PM is not really stepping out of the Engineering field because most PM’s are Engineers.  It does entail taking on more responsibility, working more on the business side of the program and working more closely with the customers to ensure their needs are met.  PM’s not only focus on the Engineering aspect of a project, but on EVERYTHING about the project. Their goal is to ensure that a quality product is delivered, within budget, on time, and that all requirements are met.

What personality traits do you believe are good for an engineer to possess?

A person who is detail oriented, with good communication skills, and who works well on a team could possibly make a great engineer.
Do you have any advice for a young woman who aspires to work in your field? My advice would be to just study hard, learn as much as possible about all areas of Engineering, but to become an expert in the area you want to focus on.  Engineering is still a male dominated field.  Don’t let this deter you. Women make GREAT Engineers! 🙂

If you would like more information on the field of engineering, you can contact Monica at: monica.mckendrick@gmail.com
The first step in pursuing your chosen career is to obtain the proper education for that career. For those of you who are interested in engineering, here is a list of the top ten engineering schools according to US News:

Massachusetts Institute of Technology                   Cambridge, MA
Stanford University                                                          Stanford, CA
California Institute of Technology                             Pasadena, CA
University of California – Berkeley                            Berkeley, CA
Georgia Institute of Technology                                 Atlanta, GA
University of Illinois – Urbana-Champaign           Champaign, IL
University of Michigan – Ann Arbor                        Ann Arbor, MI
Carnegie Mellon University                                          Pittsburgh, PA
Cornell University                                                             Ithaca, NY
Princeton University                                                       Princeton, NJ
(Source: http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/engineering-doctorate)

-Tiffany Vicks

“It’s about focusing on the fight and not the fright.” – Robin Roberts

“There is no magical reason why I am where I am. And there is absolutely no reason why you can’t be where you want to be. If it can happen for me, it can happen for you, too. And it would be a privilege for me to help you get there.”
-Robin Roberts

“Now I don’t put things in the boxes anymore. I’m just focusing on right now.” – Robin Roberts

Good morning, girls!

Waking up, rushing out the door, and making it to 1st period  on time is hard enough, the last thing you want to be concerned with is if your hair looks cute before your crush spots you in the cafeteria. Trust us, we completely understand and we have exactly what you need to help you knock your hair stress to the side! Great hair starts with having great products and we have to say Dark & Lovely Beautiful Beginnings line is awesome! Not only will your friends ask you why your hair smells so delicious but will ask you all the secrets to your healthy strands since their products have Coconut Oil & Shea Butter in them! Check out a few of our faves!

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Good morning girls!

Even though President Obama went to Chicago and addressed the city’s gun violence crisis last Friday, Chicago is still suffering from senseless youth murders.

 Janay Mcfarlane, 18 years old, was shot and killed the same day her sister sat behind President Obama as he addressed the crisis of gun violence.  Janay was shot in the head during a family visit in North Chicago. She was a new mother of a precious 3 month year old baby boy. Only weeks after the shooting of  15-year-old honor student Hadiya Pendleton, another tragedy happened.

President Obama  went to Chicago to discuss the importance of stopping gun violence. He  talked about how all children make bad decisions, but some young people have a stronger safety net, ensuring that bad decisions early in life do not harm their futures. President Obama stated that what saved him was his mother and grandparents who were able to respond with needed resources to protect him from long term harm.

We all have to make a difference and take a stance to stop the violence in our communities. If  it’s signing a petition, attending a rally or creating an organization, your voice  can make a HUGE difference.

Take a look at Cleopatra Cowley-Pendleton , the mother of Hadiya Pendleton, to see how she is making her voice heard.

If you could do 1 thing to get your VOICE heard to stop gun violence, what would it be?

SPEAK OUT!

Hey Girls!

Ok, so this is the moment you all have been waiting for! It’s time to see the OFFICIAL Mindless Behavior’s video for “Keep Her On The Low”!

Enjoy!