Mr. Deters' students look to great artists for inspiration

by Anna Rotert

Mr. Deters’ art class has been researching a famous artist and presenting their life stories to get inspiration for their own art!

Mr. Deters explained, “One of the art standards for 8th grade is art discipline and is required for art history. Each student learns about where the artist lived, where they grew up, what art they made, etc.”

The students thoroughly enjoyed doing this project and presenting it to the class.

Emily Brimhall described her subject: “Michelangelo was my artist, and I learned that he plagiarized stuff and people did not like him. He was also very rich.”

Bella Smith added to this by stating, “My artist was Claude Monet. He painted flowers, and they were really pretty. I really liked learning about the artwork.”

“I got Pablo Picasso. I learned that he spent most of his adult life in France, and I liked being able to see all the work he did!” Payton Carlton exclaimed.

Carlie Ball discussed, “I got J.M.W Turner. He got an award in his academy at 26, which is the youngest age. I liked seeing all of the artwork with water in it that he painted.”

This project seemed like a fun-loving project that the students loved. Maybe we will see our FCMS artists in the future, inspired after doing this project!

Language arts students imagine an author road trip for teamwork, skills, and fun

by Tyler Bolser

This week in Mr. Sells’ class, the 8th grade students are doing a “Road Trip Project.” How do they complete the project?

Students imagine having a 2005 Honda Civic and a group of five people. Each person has 1,000 dollars to spend. These tourists have to go somewhere to vacation for a week or two. They have to eat 3 meals a day and go to at least one fancy restaurant throughout their trip. Students also have to play for gas to there and back. And you CANT go over the budget that they have.

Why do we need to do a project about going onto a road trip, one might ask?

Mr. Sells states that the reason we are doing this project is, “It hits a ton of media literacy standards while also culminating in a low-

pressure presentation and to decompress after a long and confusing school year.”

The students had some things to say about the project. Theron Hayes stated, ”This project will be fun to do with friends and decompress

before the last day of school.”

Rodney Hahn, exclaimed, ”It will be a good learning experience for skills I’ll need in life.”

Mackenzie Broshear, claimed, ”You will get to work with your friends and finish the year easily.”

John Flint declared, ”It will be a good time to hang out at the end of the year.”

So with the school year coming to a close and summer getting closer every second, thank you FCMS for this great middle school experience that you guys provided.

So just as these students imagined an author’s road trip, it’s time for them to forge a road trip of their own, in this journey we call life.

Sixth graders delve into propaganda's influences

by Jordon King

Mr. Clark Sherwood and his 6th grade social studies students are currently busy working on a WWll propaganda project!

Mr. Sherwood explained, “This World War II propaganda is important for students to learn so they aren’t easily influenced.”

Before making their posters, they researched what propaganda was from the German Nazi side and what it is from the American side.

Jacob Schnitker stated, “I think it’s pretty fun, and I like it.”

Parker Gillman proclaimed, “It’s fun, and you get to learn about WWII and propaganda.”

So far most of the students seem to enjoy this project. Let’s see what other responses we have from the students.

Tristan Goodin remarked, “It’s very fun, and I like all the projects we get to do.”

Alyssa Sunderhaus replied, “It’s educational and exciting.”

Hailey Kelly commented, “It was a great experience to show people how to learn something.”

Ellie Farrow reassured her confidence in the project: “I thought it was a very nice experience because we could use our creativity.”

Mr. Sherwood proudly stated about Ellie, “Ellie is relatively new to our school, and I am impressed with how much effort she put into this project.”

Congratulations to new student Ellie Farrow for the hard work and dedication she put into the project, and maybe there will be another fun project for the students to do next year or before the year ends. Hopefully now these students will not be so easily influenced.

Budding scientists look to the microscope to grasp big ideas

by Laila Cornett

In the last few weeks, Mrs. Beth Brown's advanced 7th grade science class has been cracking down hard. Just as the timer is counting down for the school year to end, the advanced 7th period students are diligently and actively working.

The class has recently been working with microscopes and are trying to figure out the different parts between animal and plant cells, by using either the hands-on microscope or the online microscope game. Mrs. Brown exclaimed, “I’m teaching them about cells because they need to know what makes up our bodies, as well as the bodies of different plants and animals!”

Although they only started in the midst of the year, the students are excelling at their skills. The kids have this hands- on experience, which makes the experience even more fun.

Kara Klusman stated, “I like doing this assignment. It’s better to do it hand-on, it makes it more fun that way.”

Before they began on the actual hands-on part of the experiment, the students did take other steps, such as the following: color page, online microscope, worksheet, and so on. There are many steps before doing the hands-on version.

The science students seem excited about this assignment. Sage Lysing explained, “I think this is really fun. I mean, it’s something different. It’s better to do it hands-on and feel the experience for ourselves. We have partners, so it makes it even better!”

Sage’s partner, Emma Tolhurst, announced, “I actually like this assignment. It’s something fun we can do, while learning at the same time.”

Another great example of an excited student is Owen Baker, who remarked, “ This was a fun project. It wasn’t super easy but also wasn’t super hard.”

Thanks to Mrs. Brown’s assignment, these students will learn all about cells, while having fun. Who knows where these little scientists will go, but with good faith and skills, we can all be sure they will go far.

Tech students learn coding skills that make the world go around

by Brenna Houchin,

Today in Mr. Wes Gilman’s tech room, students are busy at work on their most recent tech project, in which they are building a “toll booth” by using coding to move a gate up and down, all by pushing the buttons provided.

“Since we live in a mostly digital world, it is better to know how to code for the future or future life career,” stated Mr. Gilman.

Tech students seem to love hands-on projects in the class. Josh Wilson liked the fact that he was able to work in a group. “I work better with people,” he claimed.

Luke Estes is already a very good builder. “Building this was super easy overall,” he proclaimed.

“I'm able to learn a new way of programming,” remarked Mackenzie Broshear.

We wish them all the best of luck for any projects and use of these coding skills in future careers!

Ag students enjoy prepping for beloved Agstravaganza Day

by Evan Ralph

This past Tuesday there was a world of wonder for the ag students on Agstravaganza Day, when they got to teach and learn about their community and how they live.

How did they prepare for this? “Well, every student would get into a group and think of an idea relative to ag, and they would share with other students!” exclaimed Mrs Angie Riffle, FCMS ag teacher.

Some of the students who were involved in this great learning experience were asked why they loved doing Ag Day so much.

Rachel Ruf claimed, “It’s fun to show kids how ag works.”

Willa Bruns stated, “It’s lots of hands on working, and I love it.”

Lacey Murrell commented, “I get to learn more about jobs I might want in the future.”

"I love it because I get to teach more about animals," declared Izzie Riffle.

Aiden Blair proclaimed, ”I like it because I get to spend time with friends.”

So as one can see, all of the students had a great time prepping for the Agstravaaganza, and they all hope to do it again next year.

Science students love freedom to choose science experiments

by Taylan Brewer

Mrs. Beth Brown’s 8th grade advanced science students have recently been working on their self-chosen science projects.

Mrs. Brown remarked about the benefits of this worthwhile project: “I want my students to not only learn more about one of their interests and have fun with an end-of-the-year project, but to also learn how to be consistent and precise while testing their projects.”

Mrs. Brown has put a lot of work into these projects for her students, and the students’ projects seem to be working and succeeding.

Serena Silas stated, “The hardest part about the projects is managing your time and measuring the progress as you go on.”

What gets a Sharpie mark off of drywall the best? Mady Wilson chose this project and proclaimed, “The hardest part about it is figuring out how to measure my project and testing the experiment as many times as I need to.”

Although these science projects seem like a challenge to some of the students, Gabby Durbec declared, “The best part is going around and helping all the other students with their projects.”

Halle George has been in the process of making a solar power oven! She is using a pizza box, tin foil, plastic wrap, etc. Halle explained, “I chose this project because one of my interests is baking/cooking, and I figured it would be fun to make food with energy from the sun.”

Sounds like Mrs. Brown’s class has been enjoying these projects! Students have been learning a lot of facts they never knew about, in a fun and entertaining way. Mrs. Brown really knows how to make learning fun. What a great way to wrap up the school year!

Digital apps project illuminates newly-developed skills

by Cheyenne Jenkins

Mrs. Amy Mitchum’s digital apps class is currently doing a group research project. In their group, they decide on a topic, research the topic, and then present it together.

There are a lot of important skills to learn while doing this project.

“We do the research PowerPoint project to combine many features of technology into one project. I want them to save links so they can give credit to the authors. This also helps to learn more about plagiarism,” stated Mrs. Mitchum.

These students seemed to appreciate being able to display their skills.

“During this project, I learned how to not plagiarize and how to work PowerPoint better,” commented Sam Reams.

The class seemed excited to get together with their groups. Joslyn Graf declared, “You get to collaborate with new people and explore new topics.”

“I enjoyed putting slides together and hanging with my friends! “ exclaimed Jaelyn Grimmeissen.

Nikiya Childers remarked, “I enjoyed facing my fears of explaining things I learned.”

“I enjoyed designing my slides and learning more about digital apps,” proclaimed Audrey Bohman.

“I enjoyed learning how to put the slides together and hanging out with my group,” announced Megan Meyers.

Plagiarism squad reporting for duty! Copy that! Good luck with your project, 8th graders, and remember: don't plagiarize!

Jocelyn Wilson dazzles with tech's coding project

by Tyler Bolser

Last week, 8th grader Jocelyn Wilson made a tech project that was so great Mr. Herbert thought it was feature worthy. The project that Jocelyn coded was a turntable bridge, and she hit it out of the park.

Mr. Herbert had this to say about it: ”She spent 3 or 4 days trying to get it to work correctly, but eventually with enough trial and error, she got it working.”

To make the project, Jocelyn had the help of Brian Houchin and Colton Hunter. They completed the project in about a week.

So congrats to Jocelyn Wilson for sticking it out to make this project, and we hope she has a great last couple weeks of 8th grade!

Tybee Island and Savannah offer both history and fun

by Anna Rotert

Can you imagine riding in a 15-passenger van with 12 people? Well I can, since this spring break, my friends and family and I had the opportunity to go to Tybee Island, Georgia, where we spent most of our spring break by the beach and learning about the city of Savannah, Georgia.

Our trip started off with getting up at 3:00 am and getting in a van to start an 11+ hour drive to our vacation spot. It was an exciting drive on the way there, but after a while it got boring, especially looking out the window and seeing what feels like a never-ending highway. Everyone was pretty quiet because it was so early in the morning.

Tybee Island has a wonderful beach and a locally-known lighthouse that has been there for several decades. We all got to walk to the very top of this amazing lighthouse and see the spectacular view! After going to the lighthouse, we had a chance to go to the beach, where I found lots of sand dollars! My mom and I always woke up early in the morning during sunrise and took long walks on the beach. While at the beach, we found a bunch of starfish washed up as well! We threw some back in the vast salt water ocean, but I kept one and dried it out.

On one of the days we went adventuring around Savannah, seeing the town. We stopped at Leopold’s Ice Cream, and I ordered a coffee cone with caramel. It was delicious! We then got back in our car to go to a cemetery to see famous graves, such as Juliette Gordon Low. Juliette was the founder of Girl Scouts and inspired decades of people to emulate what she accomplished in her life.

On our final day in Georgia, it was the busiest day ever, as we tried to cram as many activities as we could into one day. In the morning we woke up a little late so that we could enjoy breakfast before we headed to some shops and other parks around Savannah. We later had dinner at a famous place in Savannah called, “The Pirate’s House”.

There’s history behind the restaurant and also where it gets its name. The Pirate’s House apparently used to be a restaurant where sailors would come in, and when pirates were low on crew, they would take the sailors to their ship and force them onto sea.

Besides that, after we had a wonderful dinner and went back to our house to pack up so we could leave the next morning and put our wonderful trip to an end.

Georgia was so much fun! I can’t wait till I can go back again and explore more of Tybee Island. Maybe I will run into a pirate or two while I’m there as well!

Tech students design upgrade for Franklin County

by Madison Perleberg

Franklin County is about to level up! This week in Mr. Herbert's 7th-grade tech class, they’re working on a design team challenge, redesigning a part of Franklin County to envision it a little bit better for its residents.

Visitors could find them 3-D modeling and then producing their prototype with boxes and basic materials.

This project focuses on many different skills, as Mr. Herbert stated,”They’re learning to work together, along with building teamwork and social skills.”

Many of the students seem to enjoy building, working as a team, and learning how to use all these new techniques they have learned.

Students like being social and having a good time, such as Ellie Robenstine. She explained,”It’s fun and gives me a chance to work with others.”

Other students, like Sarah Kemp, enjoy the challenges it provides and the way it builds teamwork skills

Ellie Kaiser and Emma Middendorf both love how educational, fun, and collaborative the projects can be.

Students seem to be enjoying this project and having so much fun. As Elayna Vogel commented, ”It’s a fun progress, and I can’t wait to see how it’ll look in the end.”

This project seems to be both entertaining and challenging, and just like Elayna declared, we can’t wait to see how all the projects turn out!

FACS students sew up a set of lifelong skills

by Taylan Brewer

Here at FCMS, exciting things are happening. Mrs. Kaiser’s 8th grade FACS students have recently been focused on their sewing projects!

Knowing how to hand sew is important because it’s a life skill that everyone needs to know for future reference.

About the benefits of learning sewing skills, Mrs. Kaiser stated, “I would like my students to learn how to hand sew, sew up rips, thread needles, and tie knots if they need to in the future.”

Anaka Johnson explained, “We’re sewing pillows, and my favorite part about it is we get to show our own creativity.”

Hailey Brown claimed, “The hardest part is making rounded stitches on the sewing machine.”

Commenting on her new skills, Mady Stone mentioned, “I’ve learned how to sew things back together, which is good because it could be useful in the future.”

“Sewing is very fun and interesting!” exclaimed Braydon Littrell. Braydon was in the process of sewing together a raccoon pillow.

Mrs. Kaiser and her students have really enjoyed sewing their projects these past few weeks. They’re all sewing up skills that will benefit them in the future!

Gym teacher hopes tennis fun turns into a lifetime love

by Cierra Perry

This spring in Mr. Brandon Good’s 7th/8th grade gym class, students are outside having fun with tennis. “There’s physical exertion, and it’s a sport that carries on for a lifetime,” commented Mr. Good on its lasting benefits.

Eighth grader Lila Westerman proudly stated, “I like tennis because it is easy to do, and I get to hang out with my friends.”

Seventh grader Pearl Drake also commented, “I like tennis because I can go outside if it’s warm out. Also, I get to hangout with my friends.”

“Tennis is fun. I like playing it, but I can definitely improve,” admitted 7th grader Rylee Kennedy.

Seventh grader Madalyn Baudendistel remarked, “I like being able to hang out with my friends.”

We can’t wait to see all of you improve at tennis and hope you will continue to enjoy this lifetime sport!

Science students appreciate genetics' role in our individuality

by Evan Ralph

In Mrs. Kelley Middendorf's 8th-grade science class, the students have been working on learning about how they are different from other people.

What are they learning about? Why genetics, of course! Mrs. Middendorf explained why it is so essential for students to learn about genetics.

"Teaching the students why they are unique, as well as how their body works, is important," she remarked.

Her students seemed to appreciate this lesson on genetics.

Brandon Willis stated, “I like learning about this because we get to watch a movie.”

Lilly Eidem announced, “I love this subject of science because it's something new to learn about.”

Sol Simons added, ”I like to watch films and answer questions about genetics."

Megan Meyers commented, “It's fun because we get to watch a movie.”

Clinton Seals declared, “It’s exciting because the movie is really interesting.”

Anna Rotert remarked, “I like this lesson because it is a new way of teaching us how we are different from others.”

In the end, all of Mrs. Middendorf's students loved this fun and informative lesson on how their eye color, body shape, facial features--and so much more-- are different from one another.

Meet Miss Miley, the therapy dog who stole our hearts

by Laila Cornett

What’s that sound? It’s Miley, the FCMS therapy dog! Our favorite little pup is growing up on us. As we all know, she just turned 1 back in February. What you might not know is that Miley is going through training so that she can be an official service dog. With the help of Nurse Gwen, Miley is getting far!

“My goal for Miley is for her to be a certified therapy dog, as well as become more well mannered,” explained Nurse Demkovich.

At her most recent training, Miley graduated from puppy preschool, as well as intermediate manners class. She is now entering advanced skills training.

This April, she even entered advanced obedience class.

When asked where she got the idea for a therapy dog, Nurse Gwen stated, “I just wanted a dog, but I didn’t want the hassle of leaving them all day at home. That’s when I found out about the therapy dog training that the school was having. Seeing the high school have its own therapy dog helped give me the idea for Miley to be a therapy dog.”

Of course, there is more than meets the eye when it comes to Miley.

It’s clear to see that Miley sure is a cute dog. However, what benefits does she bring other than being ridiculously cute? Miley does a lot more than people may realize.

A normal day for Miley is a day in which she is constantly helping people, both students and staff. Every day Miley comes into school with a smile on her little face. With Miley’s playful and loving spirit, Miley makes a living of making people feel better. Her compassion and willingness to chase after the ball opens up everyone’s hearts.

She also gives a bunch of loving kisses and is never too busy for a tail wag. We are all very grateful to have such a loveable service dog in our midst. We can’t wait to see how far she grows during the summer, especially the tricks Nurse Gwen wants to teach her.

Surely all of the 8th graders turning into freshmen next year would agree: we hope you come visit us, Miley. We will all miss you dearly.

Journalism students use newly-developed communication skills to help film webcast

by Jordon King

This semester’s journalism class has been busier than ever and have been working hard putting out stories and adding more videos. This week has been one of the busiest, as they had a guest this week.

Students were treated to a visit with guest speaker Cassie Garrett, the director of Whitewater Publications and a producer of the television program/webcast 765.

Mrs. Garrett recently came into journalism class and encouraged and helped students film a segment for 765.

About her students’ efforts, Mrs. Beth Wade, journalism teacher, exclaimed, “What I’m most proud of with this group of students is that they are developing confidence and starting to work as a team!”

She continued, “Besides their writing skills, I hope my class helps students with their communication skills. I like to tell them that they need to develop their social skills.”

Journalism is a great way to learn new things such as using a camera, editing videos, improving writing skills, and working as a team.

Mrs. Wade's students shared the projects on which they are currently working on.

Anna Rotert commented, “I’m working on the Osborne story. I’m writing about Mrs. Osborne’s class meeting their pen pals. I’m proud of my first student of the month because I did really well on it or the 80s video because it took a long time to make. I learned how to use punctuation correctly and write stories better than I did before.”

Taylan Brewer stated, “I’m working on 6th grade student of the month, who was chosen for a good work ethic. I’m proud of learning how to become a good writer and write stories. I learned how to work with people and make videos.”

Brenna Houchin answered, “I’m working on a Spider-Man video and putting together the clips and editing the second part of the video. I’m proud that my writing skills have improved. I learned not to be socially awkward.”

Cheyenne Jenkins mentioned, “I’m working on the spring dance video and editing it. I’m proud of learning punctuation and learning social skills. I learned how to use cameras more.”

Evan Ralph added, “I’m working on a new video and editing it. I’m proud of my editing and what I’ve learned about the process.”

Tyler Bolser proclaimed, “I’m working on a video about the spring dance and editing it. I’m proud of my March Madness story. I learned how to not be shy in front of the camera.”

Madison Perleberg informed, “I’m working on the National High Five video and editing it. I’m proud of all the projects I've done. I learned grammar and social skills.”

“I’m working on the spring dance video and editing it. I’m proud of the stories I’ve written. I learned punctuation and rules,” declared Cierra Perry.

These communication skills, including writing skills, could lead to a bright future ahead for these students. Students are learning they need the perceptiveness to go out and find not always a groundbreaking story but rather a useful story people are interested in--ones that would keep the reader reading. Whether these students pursue a career as a journalist or not, these communication skills will be useful in any career!

Light-switch project illuminates tech students’ imaginations

by Tyler Bolser

Recently in Mr. Derek Herbert’s class, the 7th grade students designed their own custom light-switch covers, with the use of a 3D printer.

Mr. Herbert stated, ’’They are doing this project because it is using the design process to create the light switch cover.’’

Mr. Herbert’s students seem excited to work on this project.

Gage Laird stated, “’It’s a fun and interesting project to work on.’’

Jordan Dowd exclaimed, ’’It’s an extraordinary project and helps them learn about the design process!’’

Bailey Brabant claimed, ’’This project is fun to do, and we get to take them home when we’re done with them.’’

Elayna Vogel remarked, ’’It’s a simple but fun project, and they will look cool when there done.’’

Ryan Seals claimed, ’’It’s kind of complicated, but it’s a fun thing to learn how to do.’’

Most people don't know how long and sometimes tiring the design process can be.

The design process can sometimes take up to two weeks, just for a small project. When students finished with most of the design process, they were all enthused to see the final product and watch it come to life.

As the project comes to an end and the final designs are 3D printed, soon they’ll be in their house, covering light switches and living their best light-switch lives, all thanks to these creative designers!

Fun field trip unites pen pals

by Anna Rotert

Have you ever had an awesome pen pal? Mrs. Danielle Osborne's class definitely has because they got to meet and write to their pen pals at Union County High School!

This April, Mrs. Osborne's class had the opportunity to go to the UCHS to meet their pen pals in the morning, and in the afternoon the students from Union County got to see them in their own classroom here at FCMS!

Mrs.Osborne stated, “The pen pals project was a fun way to practice writing, as well as how to open a letter. It was also fun to see new people from a new school!”

Her students appeared to be excited about the experience. Braden declared, “I liked it when they saw us do a rap battle!”

“I enjoyed showing them my ropey!” announced Izaac.

Wyatt exclaimed, “Well, we got to meet our pen pals and got to see a new school, which was exciting.”

Writing to pen pals seems like a fun thing that everyone can enjoy! Maybe all students should get a pen pal and see how they like it!

Math students use graphing skills for festive creations

by Adriana Lunsford

Congratulations to the students who had their own name graphs put up on the wall outside of Mrs. Bev Yager’s room! In order to do this, students had to use at least three letters or initials, as well as their new graphing skills, to finish this assignment.

All 8th grade students completed this assignment. Mrs. Yager commented, ”This assignment helps students learn about your positive, negative, and undefined slopes.”

One particular graph maker, Ryleigh Schoettelkotte, stated, ”It’s cool that mine was chosen.”

Following up on how she felt about being chosen for her graph to be displayed, Maggie Wilson remarked, ”It’s nice!”

Mrs. Yager explained that this assignment will help next year in algebra. She also proclaimed it would help students with material for the upcoming test.

Students, be sure to study up so you do well on your test and good luck! As always, enjoy the unexpected treasures, such as these name graphs, which math provides.

Sixth grade students study impactful women throughout American history

by Jordon King

For Women's History Month, Mr. Clark Sherwood’s 6th grade students are learning about the biographies of great women, who did great things in their time. These students are learning that it wasn’t just men, in history, but also women, who did great things.

Mr. Sherwood explained, “We wanted to celebrate Women's History Month, and biographies are a good way for students to learn powerful character traits.”

The students were excited to learn about these great women throughout history.

Parker Gilman exclaimed, “It was fascinating to learn about women who did impressive things.”

Tristan Goodin proclaimed, “I feel like it is important to learn about all the amazing things women have done over time.”

Alexis Demoss remarked, “I think it’s important because in history, women have done many great things that affect us today.”

Lydia Taylor commented about this month’s importance: “We reflect on women’s history month to learn from those women.”

Hopefully these biographies will inspire the girls of 6th grade to make great strides and will help the boys further appreciate women--instilling pride in their accomplishments.

FCMS bands bring home the gold

by Cheyenne Jenkins

On April 9th, the 7th and 8th grade bands joined together to compete at the ISSMA in Greenfield, coming home with a gold rating for the first time since the pandemic began. “It is our first time going in four years, due to Covid, and it's a good way for us to get comments from a judge to let us know what we can improve on,” declared band director, Ms. Candice Murray.

Some kids are just excited they could all perform together. “It is really fun! All the band members went, and we have been practicing for a long time, so it’s worth going!” exclaimed 7th grader Lilyana Nichols.

“It is a solo and ensemble competition. We had twice the people there, so it will be more fun,” declared 7th grader Christian Ball.

Band members celebrated their gold rating at the competition. “It was super awesome to get gold. They played their best on Saturday and getting gold was their reward!” exclaimed Ms. Murray.

“I think that we did very good staying together, and we made just a few mistakes,” stated 7th grader Kylie Broshear.

7th grader Carter Fox' favorite part was, “When we played “Ayre Dance” because it was very dramatic.”

“I was excited and happy because we have been practicing for a long time. Then we got gold, which is very awesome,” 8th grader Megan Meyers proclaimed.

Congratulations, 7th and 8th grade band for getting gold! Hopefully this is the first of many consecutive golds for years to come.

Mr. Deters allows students to take time to explore artistic skills

by Laila Cornett

In Mr. Doug Deters' art classroom, there is no limit to what kids can imagine! Students are free to create whatever crazy masterpiece they can think up, as long as it is PG. 13 or under, of course.

Mr. Deters is the art teacher of absolutely wonderful young artists. During the last semester, the students have been working on the following: 2 and 3 dimensional art, 3 dimensional value sketches, food pop art, learning about Middle Eastern art, henna hands, and food sculptures. Mr. Deters exclaimed, “So the reason I do sketchbooks is to try to make a connection, such as an artist’s sketchbook is really just like an author's journal. You don’t always get it right the first time. It's a process!”

When walking into the classroom there are many things to explore, such as sketchbooks, projects, and cool drawings on the board for inspiration. The students appreciate being able to take a few minutes to think about their sketches. In the busy days of middle schoolers, it's nice to take a break to think.

“I like doing sketchbooks because the fact that even though I’m not a very good drawer, I'm decent at it, so practicing my sketching helps me get better! I'm glad Mr. Deters gives us a chance to make sketchbooks. It's amazing!” Riley Fox excitedly declared.

In Mr. Deters' class, every project seems fun.

Isaac Johnson explained why he loves this creative process: “I would say that doing sketchbooks can be very interesting. Being able to do different things helps promote happiness. It's very calming.”

Often heard a lot, art promotes creativity. There is just something so calming about coloring or drawing within lines.

“It was a fun experience, very worthwhile. I had fun drawing in my sketchbook,” Katie Noah expressed.

In addition to sketchbooks, Samantha Reams stated the following about other class projects: “ I liked thinking of cool things to make, like when we did the food sculptures. It was fun trying to think up what I was going to make.”

As one can see, in Mr. Deters' art class, students have a wild imagination. They think up the impossible. These students may very much be the future artists, architects, and sculptures of the future. So let's all give special thanks to Mr. Doug Deters for letting artists of all ages have a chance at expressing themselves, through different creative methods.

It’s pizza time! FACS students serve up homemade pizza pies

by Anna Rotert

Recently Mrs. Beth Kaiser’s 8th-grade FACS class worked on a pizza project, in which they learned how to make homemade pizza!

Mrs. Kaiser commented, “It's important so they learn how to make food on their own without eating processed foods, as well as learn how to be independent.”

Mrs. Kaiser's students also spoke positively about their project.

Ryleigh Schoettelkotte stated, “We started by stirring the yeast and water together to make the dough and then baked the dough and put the toppings on. Then we baked it again. My favorite part of this was bonding with my teammates.”

“I liked that it taught responsibility, how to cook. We started to make this pizza in Mrs. Kaiser’s kitchen. We chose pepperoni as our pizza,” explained Hailey Brown.

Anaka Johnson voiced, “I liked how we got to show our creativity and add our own amount of sauce.” She later added, “We had to knead the dough a certain way, and we had to use the right amount of ingredients and got to pick our groups.”

Kyndal Smith expressed, “I like that it teaches you life skills for later, and we got to work together to make pepperoni pizza.”

This seemed like a very fun project from which all students learned something. Who knows? Maybe we will taste some delicious pizzas from these chefs in the future!

Choirs love letting voices fly for live audiences

by Cierra Perry

Wow--finally a choir concert after the covid restrictions have eased! This March, the 6th, 7th, and 8th grade choirs performed a memorable show at FCHS.

Mr. Robert Williams, the choir director, proclaimed the importance of this event by saying, “We do a concert every 9 weeks with music that increases their knowledge of different styles and types of music.”

Some of the songs they sang were “Summertime”, “Swingin on a Star”, and “Steppin Out with my Baby”. Mr. Williams expressed, “Everyone did a great job, and they enjoyed it!”

When asked what the students liked about the concert, they had positive responses.

“The songs were fun but challenging to learn,” proclaimed Emma Tolhurst.

Tavia Pennington stated, “I knew most of the songs but got confused on certain parts.” “Choir is fun!” exclaimed Kayleb Skelton.

Micah Bradley heartily expressed, “Choir is better than everything else!”

This was an amazing performance and a wonderful opportunity for the students, who can’t wait to perform again for live audiences.

Bowlers strike up a bountiful field trip

by Madison Perleberg

This past week, Mrs. Danielle Osborne and her applied skills class went on a super fun field trip to the Brookville Bowling Lanes, with some high schoolers coming along as well.

Her students seemed to love going on the field trip. It was exciting for them to witness the glow-in-the-dark effect the bowling lanes offered.

This field trip was a good chance for the students to learn all kinds of skills all while having fun!

“The field trip was fun and taught community based instruction along with learning skills,” Mrs. Osborne stated.

Mrs. Beth Fultz, library assistant, seemed to have a great time as a chaperone, as she exclaimed, “It was fun, we all had a great time, and the kids seemed to love it!”

The field trip seemed fun, and they all seemed to enjoy the environment at the bowling alley. We can’t wait to see all the exciting activities that have yet to come from the applied skills class.

Beloved 3-D printer gets a workout in latest tech project

by Evan Ralph

During the last two weeks of March, Mr. Herbert's 1st period 7th-grade tech students have been learning how to create 3D model shapes and other works of art.

Mr. Herbert considers it important for students to learn about this at a young age. He stated, “The kids will be able to bring their ideas into the real world.”

In addition, he feels fortunate to be able to do all of this by showing the students all of the pieces of knowledge that he has learned over the years.

His students all seem to love doing this project, for various reasons.

Natalie Flint said she loves the lesson because of all the new ideas they get to learn and the new friends she gets to meet.

Owen Baker gave voice to the subject by adding, "Yes, I like working on this, due to the fact that I get to learn about shapes I never knew existed."

Sarah Kemp added, ¨Yes, it is fun because I get to work with computers.¨

Ellie Robenstine declared, ¨I enjoy it since I get to work with a 3D printer and bring my ideas into the real world."

The next time you see a 3D printed art piece, just think: it could have been made by one of our students at FCMS, using their new knowledge of 3D printing.

FACS students envision homes of their dreams

by Anna Rotert

This March Mrs. Beth Kaiser’s 8th-grade FACS class did a bedroom replica project to help broaden their creativity and horizons.

Mrs. Kaiser stated, “This project helps their creativity and independence. It draws a horizon. It also teaches discipline because they have to get it done on time.”

Students seemed to enjoy this project and also commented on what their favorite parts were of their creations.

Ryleigh Schoettelkotte shared, “I am making a mini replica of my room with fabric, cardboard, hot glue, and paper. I like this project because I can use my creativity to recreate my room.”

Anaka Johnson also had her opinions on this project. She declared, “I like that it shows our creativity and it shows us organization and how to decorate when we are older.” Anaka added, “For my bedroom I used blue striped fabric, cotton balls, and cardboard.”

Hailey Brown remarked, “I am using cardboard, popsicle sticks, hot glue, and black and red fabric. My favorite part about this project is that we get to walk around and interact with people and different things while using creativity.”

“I used popsicle sticks, cardboard, and green fabric. I also like that we can use what we want to make it our own,” summarized Madyson Stone.

This project seemed to help her students get the experience of a hands-on project, while also learning the skills of interior design, which could lead to designing the house of their dreams later on!

Business students use tech skills for content of annual video

by Brenna Houchin

Eighth grade business students recently had an eventful week in Mrs. Mitchum’s 1st period class, due to their 8th-grade video projects about themselves and their partners, which consisted of pictures of themselves and their hobbies, then putting their creations into one big slide together.

“It's a chance for kids to use their creativity but at the same time are working without realizing it,” explained Mrs. Mitchum.

The students were very excited to get to participate in a hands-on activity.

Briah Sirbak declared, “It's a chance to use our creativity.”

“Overall, I’m proud of all the work I put into this project,” stated Akira Kersey.

“I enjoy looking back at old pictures of my friends and myself,” claimed Danni Hamilton.

This just shows that it's always nice to go back to old photos of oneself and remember all the good times.

Hopefully, in the future, students can look back on these slides and think of the memories of middle school!

Science students’ inquiry may lead to both empathy and breakthroughs

by Taylan Brewer

Mrs. Beth Brown’s 8th grade advanced science students have recently been working hard on their genetic disorders research projects.

After Mrs. Beth Brown was asked what she would like for her students to learn from this project, she explained, “I want my students to learn that chromosomes genetically mess up causing lots of humans to not be able to live a normal life. Also, I want them to learn about different disorders to show how many other people have to live and how they are affected.”

Mrs. Brown loves assigning this project to her students because she really enjoys the study of biology and science!

Gabby Durbec chose Duchenne muscular dystrophy and stated, “The easy part of this project is it’s all on Chromebook, and I get to do research on a disorder that I’ve never heard of, so I can learn a lot from it.”

Serena Silas is doing her project on Tay Sachs. This disorder affects mostly babies and results in seizures, loss of hearing, and blindness.

Alzheimer’s Disease is a disorder that happens to people when they get over the age of 65 and it causes memory loss, inability to eat and swallow, and losing the ability to walk. Kendall Cox chose this disorder, who declared, “It’s an interesting disorder to do research on and learn about!”

Some students took upon the challenge of researching a disease that was unfamiliar to them. Mady Wilson proclaimed, “The hard part about this project is I don’t know anything about my disorder and have never heard of it nor met anyone with it, so when I first started researching hemophilia, I had no idea what I was reading.”

Kenzie Broshear chose the Edwards syndrome disorder, which affects babies and causes an unusual-looking face, with the head smaller and the toes or fingers overlapped and webbed.

It also can cause troubles with breathing, seeing, hearing, and also eating.

Students seem to be really liking this project and learning a lot about different genetic disorders.

In addition, this research project has been fun to work on and is also teaching students how to cite their work without plagiarism.

Researching these topics today might someday lead these students to seek scientific careers and later breakthroughs in these impactful diseases.

Eighth graders explore opportunities at WCC

by Cheyenne Jenkins

Do you want to go to college for a trade? You should consider going to the Whitewater Career Center, especially if you are interested in learning a trade. Eighth graders recently took a field trip to learn about what the career center has to offer.

The career center has 13 different trade programs students can choose from, such as automotive collision technology, automotive technology, construction technology, cosmetology, criminal justice, culinary arts, diesel technology, educational careers, electricity, graphic design, health science, precision machine technology, welding technology, and work-based learning.

At the career center, students can receive more hands-on experiences than they might in many other traditional courses. Students also can get dual credit while going to the career center. Mrs. Miranda Rauch, guidance counselor, organized this trip for the educational opportunity.

”I think it’s important for students to come to the career center because they get to learn new skills, responsibility, earn college credits, and job opportunities, all while earning a high school diploma,” Mrs. Rauch explained.

Students seem to enjoy themselves while exploring the opportunities. “I enjoyed the chance to see what I want to do in my future,” Brenna Houchin declared.

In each class, instructors showed students around their classroom and explained what they do on a daily basis. In the culinary arts class, 8th graders had the chance to decorate cookies and were even able to eat them when we were finished!

”My favorite part was how we made cookies and how we had that hands-on experience,” stated 8th grader Anaka Johnson.

Another cool thing students saw was in the criminal justice room, by watching instructors use a projector to practice their aim. “The criminal justice classroom was the coolest, I thought, because they offered so much, and they had that gun projector thing to practice. I thought it was cool,” stated 8th grader Sam Reams.

In the cosmetology class, students saw one of the student’s clients getting a facial and doing somebody’s hair. “My favorite part was where we could see hands-on things,” commented Liby Hurst, on watching the cosmetology demonstration.

Eighth graders clearly thought the trip was great and appeared to appreciate learning about the classes. Many seem to be looking forward to coming here. Maybe one day we will see one of you becoming a famous chef!

Tech students gear up for a option-filled future

by Brenna Houchin

It has been a very busy week in Mr. Wes Gillman’s 7th-period class in the tech room, with students using their ideas to build a mechanism using the parts given to them. Some of the things built were a simple gear train and a simple gear train with idler.

“It's important to use force and be very hands-on to make life easier,” stated Mr.Gilman.

The students seemed eager to get involved with this project: “I enjoy the hands-on environment,” expressed Natalee Lykins.

“It gives me thoughts on my future plans when it comes to tech,” stated Luke Estes.

Liby Hurst claims to enjoy seeing her friends most of all since it's easier to work together.

People are seeing technology as a possible future plan, and the way Mr. Gillman teaches inspires people to look into more hands-on careers.

Hopefully, Mr. Gilman will continue to inspire students to get into tech and see what options are in store for them in the future!

Gym serves up healthy competition and plenty of exercise

by Tyler Bolser

Recently at FCMS, the 7th and 8th graders played volleyball in p.e., and they seemed eager to take on their classmates on the nets.

Mr. Brandon Good, gym teacher, stated, ‘’Volleyball teaches teamwork, cooperation, communication, and promotes physical activity.’’ Mr. Good really likes volleyball, and it shows in his enthusiasm.

Even though the students find it challenging, they still like to do it and laugh at their skills.

Seventh grader Bryson Smith remarked, ‘’Volleyball is tiring and hard to play.’’

Ivan Helferich, also a 7th grader, declared, ‘’It’s difficult to play and is tiring.’’

Eighth grader Jaxon Shaw proclaimed, ‘’It’s kind of hard but intriguing.’’

Volleyball is a fun game for exercise, and it may be difficult to play. All it takes is practice. We can’t wait to see what p.e. serves up next!

Sixth graders use math skills to create shapes and models

by Anna Rotert

If you have ever wondered how people first became interested in buildings and 3D models, let's take a look at Mrs. Bethany Bolser’s 6th grade classroom, where they are learning about 3D models and creating different 3-dimensional shapes.

Mrs. Bolser explained, ”They are building three dimensional shapes using paper. They are also studying shapes, faces, edges, and vertices. The purpose of this lesson is to teach them how to find surface area and volume.”

Even though the assignment was challenging at times, the students were able to understand the importance of this assignment

Laynee Newell commented, “This assignment is important because we learn how to build shapes. My hope is that the shapes will be the right shape and model.” She went further into this statement by saying, “It’s a good project to do because you learn the different names for different shapes.”

Maelyn Thalheimer remarked, “It’s important to learn the angles of shapes. This project was hard because it was hard to put the shapes together because the tape didn’t hold very well.”

“It's important to learn because we need to know how to do it because we might need to know how to do it in the future, or need to know it if you're buying something and need to know the shape. It was hard because the models kept falling apart, so it was hard to build,” claimed Ellie Farrow.

As we can see, these individuals enjoyed this project and would thoroughly enjoy

building the shapes again--just maybe without tape!

Student-designed skimmer cars race across finish line

by Jordon King

Recently Mr. Derek Herbert’s 7th grade tech students worked on the annual skimmer car project, which sounds fun and is a good challenge for the students.

Working on their projects brought out their creativity and unique personalities. Even though all the students used paper, tape, and pencils, each car was all different in certain ways.

Mr. Herbert explained, “This project is important for the students so that they can learn how to measure correctly.”

After the students were done, they were so excited to race them down the hallway but also nervous because they all knew there would only be one winner.

Of the students in Mr. Herbert’s first period class, only one student’s car, designed by Ellie Robenstine, came out on top, with hers traveling the farthest distance.

Ellie exclaimed, “I didn’t think I would make it that far.”

Classmate Ellie Kaiser declared, “Ellie was so happy she was jumping up and down yelling.”

The students seemed to work hard on this project and seemed to enjoy it, despite its challenges.

“It’s hard because I can’t measure great but it was fun,” Jeremy Smith explained.

Riviera Godar claimed, “It was fun but precise and hard.”

These projects were put together with precise and difficult measurements on purpose so that the students could learn how to accurately measure.

“It was fun and hard to make because we didn’t know the exact measurements,” Bailey Brabant proclaimed.

The skimmer cars are surely one of many projects the students will race to design this semester.

FFA hosts fun-filled week

Quick bread means quick skills for eager FACS students

by Ariana Lunsford

Mrs. Kaiser’s 8th grade FACS class is making different kinds of bread: pumpkin, zucchini, banana, and quick bread. By baking bread, the students are learning culinary skills for the future.

Mrs. Kaiser stated, ”Measurement accuracy is what they are learning today.” She also proclaimed, ”It’s better to make your own food than to buy processed food.”

Ryleigh Schoettelkotte, part of the zucchini bread makers, mentioned that it is in fact one of her favorites and her mom's coworker used to make it. Anaka Johnson, also in zucchini bread, added, ”I wanted to try something different.”

In the pumpkin bread section, Smith Baugher noted that he loves it but not quite sure he’ll make it in the future.

Moving into the banana bread section, Mady Stone assured that she was most excited to eat it once it was done.

These young bakers are on a roll!

FCMS band displays talent at solo and ensemble competition

A plethora of students come home with both a medal and competition experience

Tech engineers build furniture and skills

by Cierra Perry

When walking into Mr. Herbert's 1st period tech class this week, one could see 7th grade students in groups, working together to build furniture.

The group of 7th grader engineers worked with a partner, using what they know to build a table or chair by using six pieces or less.

The students seemed to enjoy the process. Elayna Vogel proclaimed, “I like being able to work in a group with my friends.”

When asked what she liked best about this project, Ellie Robenstine commented, “I love being able to work with other people to make a table with six parts.”

Jordan Dowd exclaimed, “I’ve learned how to design a chair.”

Mr. Herbert stated, “The students are using what they know about the furniture design process to build a chair.”

Good Luck on your project, and we hope to see some of you becoming amazing builders in the future!!

Ag students love getting their hands on a lab activity

by Madison Perleberg

Down in the ag room, Mrs. Angie Riffle’s 8th grade and high school students participated in one of their first labs. The lab they're doing this time is an egg process lab.

Mrs. Riffle stated, “It’s important for the students to know the process of the egg from the hen to the egg.”

Eighth grader Rachel Ruf added, “We’re getting hands-on in our activities.”

Mrs. Riffle commented on the lab’s importance: “This lab gives an insight on egg production, such as the process from the hen to the grocery store. It also shows how to determine the quality of the egg, as well as the difference between a fertile and non-fertile egg.”

The students seem to really enjoy the things in the classroom they get to do. The whole room seems to always be filled with good people and fun vibes.

Willa Bruns, 8th grader, stated, “We learn a lot about the world of agriculture.”

We can’t wait to see the hands-on lab they get to do next!

Language arts students gain invaluable experience through debate

by Adriana Lunsford

Mrs. Isaacs’ 8th grade class has pulled off the experience of a real debate. Her language arts class was split into two groups. Group one was, “Should humans be used for tests?” Group two had the opposing topic, “Why humans shouldn’t be used for tests.”

Mrs. Isaacs proclaimed, “It's a good experience as speakers. They also learn to critically think.“ She added, ”Students will get frustrated, emotional, upset, and proud.”

One of the debaters, Ryleigh Schoettelkotte, stated, “It is a stressful experience, but I like the fact we don’t know what the other side is thinking.”

Group two debater, Anaka Johnson, added, ”It gives us good learning skills, making us work together.”

Trevor McConnell on the opposing group, group one. He explained that it is fun, but the most fun is making people think what they stated wasn’t enough or make them think it was wrong.

Lila Westerman, in group two, believes that the experience is beneficial but stressful. She also adds it’s because students have to find a whole bunch of information about ideas that may or may not be true.

Mrs. Isaacs deemed the winners as…group one! No matter the side the students were placed on, the knowledge and experience they gained makes them all winners.

Chinese New Year weeks’ long celebration provides a cultural cornucopia

by Cheyenne Jenkins

Did you know Chinese New Year falls on a different day every year? Ms.Doris Yan and her Chinese class would know, as they learn about the interesting things that happen on Chinese New Year. The Chinese New year is not just a single day but goes through 15 days, until a full moon!

It’s clear that these 8th graders in Chinese I are eager to discover the traditions of Chinese New Year.

Natalee Lykins shared, “I enjoy learning about Chinese New Year, such as the different food, place, and traditions.”

Audrey Bohman stated, “What I like about learning about Chinese New Year is seeing what people do at this time in China.” They both seem to enjoy Chinese culture.

Some of the traditions include gift giving. During the New Year, for example, children get a red envelope full of money. “I like to teach the culture part to show students different things. It’s important to learn a different culture and help them see the bigger world and be more open minded,” declared Ms.Yan.

Lion and dragon dances are very popular around that celebratory time of year. It is said to bring good fortune. ”I enjoy learning about the traditions that are different from ours!” Dorothy Wendel exclaimed.

Before the celebration, it is tradition to spring clean the home to get rid of bad luck. In Chinese culture, one can clean all the bad luck away for the new year.

Dining on a variety of Chinese dishes is also a big part of the Chinese New Year.

“I really enjoy the ability to explore the food of Chinese culture,” declared James Rowland. During the New Year celebration, one can find many different kinds of food, such as dumplings and spring rolls.

Chinese culture is really interesting and fun to learn about. Maybe these traditions will encourage all of us to explore next year’s Chinese New Year for ourselves. With all of these activities and celebrations, it’s no wonder Chinese New lasts two full weeks!

Art students cook up some tasty designs to ward away winter blues

by Brenna Houchin

Recently, on a very cold breezy day at FCMS, the students of Mr. Doug Deters’ class didn’t let the cold weather keep them down. What they did to lighten the mood was creating art by using toilet paper to make false food sculptures, a large variety—as big as burgers and as small as jelly beans.

Mr. Deters explained, ¨Since I originally went to school for art, I wanted to use the skill that I gathered from all that and wanted to pass it on to others.¨

By the looks of it, his goal is working because a large number of students enjoy it.

¨I enjoy the creativity and the positive people of art,¨ stated Carson Mays.

Samantha Reams and Katelynn Noah both agreed. ¨I like to get to use paint and also use new shapes and new colors.¨

If you find any interest in seeing these tasty masterpieces, luckily they are displayed in the library!

Ancient Greeks inspire inquisitive 6th grade explorers

by Jordon King

Recently this past week, the 6th graders have been studying Ancient Greece in social studies and examining how they lived, as well as the impact the Greeks had on modern society.

Social studies teacher Mr. Clark Sherwood explained, “I think it’s important for students to study Ancient Greece because of so many influences they have on our country today, especially the world's democracy.” Many students seemed to appreciate what they’ve learned so far!

Alyssa Presley commented, “The Greeks led to the modern day life we have today.”

Andrew Ruf explained, “It’s a time where civilization started to where we are now.”

Lydia Taylor added, “It’s the world’s first democracy and the same form of government.

Alexis Demoss also stated, “The Greeks shaped our government today.”

The students liked learning about Ancient Greece and seemed to be doing well on it so far this week.

Let’s see how these 6th graders turn out those great Greek projects in the future.

We can’t wait to see what projects Mr. Sherwood’s students come up with next!

Badminton helps students get into the swing of things

by Madison Perleberg

Walking into the FCMS gym as the p.e badminton tournament began, spectators felt the tension between the mix of 7th and 8th grade teams battling out to win it all.

´´This game works on hand eye coordination, and it can be an activity played through your lifetime,´´commented their teacher, Mr. Brandon Good.

Badminton is an easy fun game to play and understanding the rules is simple: don't let the birdie hit the ground and get the serve over in at least two tries or it's a point for the other team.

´´We also get a chance to socialize and play with friends,” Madalyn Baudendistel stated.

They also seemed to enjoy the competition with each other, as Levi Henninger commented, ´´It's a competitive game yet still being fun and school friendly.´´

It also gives the students a break from other classes to get some of their energy out by doing something they may enjoy.

´´It's been a very fun experience,´´ Brooklyn Bisohoff stated.

It seemed to be a very fun time for all the students, and we can't wait to see who wins it all.

Mr. Good hosts sport that's sweeping the nation

by Isaac Johnson

Things are heating up in p.e., and with a pickleball tournament right around the corner, it seems lots of people are getting fired up for pickleball. ”I like the competitive spirit it brings to the table,” declared Mr. Brandon Good.

Most kids seem to enjoy being able to pick their own teammates. Chase Isaac expressed,” It's good with the right partner.” Now more than ever, it means something, as the tournaments are starting soon.

Mr. Good seems to like the longevity of the sport. “It is a sport that promotes activity into one’s later years,” he happily declared. He believes that this sport is such an easy sport to pick up on.

Many students, such as Jorja Graf, consider it quite a fun game. “It's giant ping pong,” she happily cheered.

Jordan King declared, ”I enjoy the game of pickleball.”

So make sure to tune into Wildcat Way and catch any updates on the pickleball tournament or latest happenings in p.e. We here at the journalism staff and the students in gym are looking forward to the intense action that awaits.

Sixth grade gurus investigate how Chromebooks work

by Sam Reams

During these past few weeks, Ms. India Burris has been teaching the 6th graders in computer specials how a computer functions. They are studying the works of John von Neumann, a pioneer in math and computers.

The students are building on this lesson by learning how to build their own Chromebooks. Ms. Burris explained, “We are teaching this so the students know and understand how their computer works.”

While changing the places of their parts, they are learning about the magnets they use to put things in place. The students seem excited to take on this project.

“It’s cool to learn and the magnets are fun to mess around with,” Destini Smith stated.

Some students just like learning about the new things they had no idea were in their Chromebook.

Brayden Feller added, “I am able to function with my chromebook and I am learning a lot about it.” Others are just enjoying the fun project.

Kaylee Wood commented, “It’s fun but also takes a lot of patience.”

Kelsey Freese declared, “It is really entertaining, and it's fun learning about my Chromebook.”

With patience and lots of communication, the 6th graders could be your new tech teacher. Watch out--because they are having fun while building it too!

It's the most wonderful time of the year to send Christmas cheer

by Mady Stone

Tis’ the season to make Christmas cards, just like Mrs. Osborne’s class! Mrs. Danielle Osborne has teamed up with Mrs. Sarah Hofer at Union County High School to make pen pals! Once the students make the cards, Mrs. Osborne will send them off to UCHS. “It builds social skills and develops their handwriting skills,” explained Mrs. Osborne.

To make the cards, the students will listen to classroom DJ, then gather close and think of the many, many things they can put in their Christmas cards, such as Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Have a good Christmas, and Happy New Year!

Next, the students picked their card colors and remembered their pen pals.

After that, they started decorating and talked about what they like most about writing to their pen pals at Union County. Braden stated, “I like writing letters.”

Along with Braden, Leelin agreed, “I like writing letters to new people.”

Once they finish the Christmas cards, Mrs. Osborne will mail them off to Mrs. Hofer at Union County, and her students will have accomplished learning social skills, handwriting skills, and building relationships. We hope the pen pals enjoy their festive cards. Merry Christmas!

Robots dash through tech-created mazes

by Josh Wilson

Mr. Herbert’s 1st period tech class is learning to code a robot, then putting them through a maze and the team that does that maze the quickest wins.

Mr. Herbert remarked, “This assignment is about teamwork because teams that don’t work well don’t get very far, but teams that have good teamwork accomplish a lot.”

The fastest time around the maze in Mr. Herbert's 1st period tech classes fastest time is 40.5 seconds, which is decently fast.

Many students love coding but for different reasons.

“I love the teamwork between me and my team,” stated Darin Terry.

Danni Hamilton exclaimed, “When we work with new people, we can make new friends.”

“I like it because I get to build robots with my friends,” declared Kaiden Roof.

Evan Ralph proclaimed, “I like it because it’s fun to compete with other people.”

With enthusiasm such as this, we know all teams will do well. See you at the finish line!

Aztec studies show 6th graders the importance of innovations

by Saegan Joseph

“The kids will remember this is a sun stone,” remarked Mr. Clark Sherwood on why his annual project about the Aztecs is so important.

The 6th graders of Mr. Sherwood’s class are learning about the Aztecs and making Aztec calendars, which were advanced pieces of technology that date back over 700 years ago!

“Even though the Aztecs lived over 700 years ago, they were excellent astronomers and mathematicians, so much so that they were able to create accurate calendars,“ declared Mr. Sherwood.

We asked the students what they learned about and what they had to say, all of whom agreed on a common belief.

“It’s neat to know how smart the Aztecs were,” expressed Jacob Flaugh.

“It’s cool how the Aztecs did all this,” remarked Reese Bergin.

Jasmine Boyer added, “Aztecs used symbols to name their children.”

“Even though they lived 700 years ago, they were very smart, even for nowadays,” declared Bentley Biltz.

It just goes to show how big of an impact the Aztecs had on modern society, especially Mr. Clark Sherwood’s 6th grade class.

Science students have fun while making ‘work’

by Sam Reams

During these past few weeks, Mrs. Wade’s 6th-grade science class has been working on an assignment to make ‘work’ happen. Work is how much force an object gives off. Mrs. Janice Wade informed us, “Teaching the 6th graders work is important because every object includes force.”

The whole class worked together using classroom utensils, such as a book, a marble, a cup, and a ruler. They put the book on their desk using the ruler as a ramp. At the bottom they lay the cup under the ruler so that they rolled the marble into the cup, and as the marble rolled down, it created a force on the cup, pushing the cup away.

Mrs. Wade chose two students to help her position the marble. Jocelyn Cook explained how the students prepared for the activity:, “We were given the chance to take notes and ask questions.” This seems beneficial because the students have a chance to take it in.

Jordan Brzezinski complimented the experience. “It’s an interactive lab where we can have fun and learn at the same time,” she declared.

While learning the basics of work and having fun with marbles, the 6th graders are learning how force is used upon everyday items. Learning through lively activities can make it easier for them to remember what they have learned and be more engaged while learning.

Literature about heritage inspires students to appreciate their own customs

by Liv Maddock

Recently in Mrs. April Isaacs’ 8th grade language classes, students were assigned to make “medicine bags,” after reading a story by the same name. The idea was for the students to make a small paper bag with items, including their 'medicine'-- objects that are symbolic of what each student needs for survival and fulfillment.

Each student’s “medicine” could be anything from food and water to friends and family. While some students chose obvious items, others, such as 8th grader Ryleigh Shoettelkotte, explained, “Something important I put in my medicine bag was my guitar pick.”

Initially, Mrs. Isaacs had the students read the story, “The Medicine Bag,” which is about a boy who learned to listen to the elderly, since they are more experienced.

Mrs. Isaacs explained, “This project was important because it connected the students and their personal lives with the characters in the story, which really helped them engage with the story. I also feel it was important for the students to learn about history and heritage.”

History and culture are essential in this story when a young boy, who is half-Lakota, learns from his grandfather about how important it is to carry on sacred traditions.

In addition to Ryleigh, Jordan Koeller also had a unique medicine bag. Jordan revealed, “An important thing in my medicine bag is my watch.”

Raegan Minniti expressed, “The most important thing in my medicine bag is friends.”

A wide variety of items overflowed in the students' medicine bags. This shows that anything can be important to someone, even if it’s just an average, everyday item.

So check out “The Medicine Bag” and think about what’s important. It may inspire you to make your own medicine bag in your free time, leading to an appreciation of what is dear to you.

Ag students teach active-learning lessons to eager 6th graders

by Aubrie Graham

Mrs. Teri Hornberger's 8th grade agriculture students recently had fun teaching 6th graders about different animals and techniques, such as handling them, feeding them, and tagging them.

His idea was initially just for K-5 students, but due to Covid, 6th grade was added. As a result, these 8th graders took these students on a virtual field trip. Mrs. Hornberger had to write and receive a grant for FCMS to have FFA.

Let’s dive in and see where they took FCMS 6th graders.

Eighth grade ag students can now take credit for leading 6th graders on a virtual trip to Fair Oaks Farm. In addition, Mrs. Hornberger’s students presented different labs to the separate 6th grade classrooms.

Mrs. Bethany Bolser, a 6th grade teacher, explained how the students were involved. "Ag students came to present different sections of farming," she proclaimed.. Her students were taught about pigs and the pig anatomy.

Mrs. Janice Wade's 6th grade class made slime, as part of their ag experience.

Justin Weaver remarked, “We are making slime. What people don't realize is, slime is solely made up of pig products, such as the bladder. ” The slime was made to help students understand more about a pig’s value.

Mrs. Hornberger's favorite part of this project was watching her students learn to teach and be prepared for future projects. “It allows intro to ag students to teach younger students,” declared Gabby Derbec, 8th grader at FCMS.

This project gives 6th graders a glimpse at the ag world. “Not only does it help our students learn, but it brings awareness to farmers for their pigs,” added Mrs. Hornberger.

Students really enjoyed putting a pig together and building something for them. Kelsey Freese, a 6th grader, remarked, ¨We made clay and a pig barn. We learned the weight of the baby pigs.¨

¨Putting the pig together was fun, some of the parts were hard to put on,¨ added Bodey Kruthaupt, a 6th grader here at FCMS.

Thank you, Mrs.Hornberger, and your ag students for bringing awareness to our students about farmers and caring for the animals! I hope everyone has fun and enjoys agriculture in the future.

Students in digital apps apply skills to real world

by Josh Wilson

Mrs. Amy Mitchum’s digital apps class is currently enjoying the opportunity of researching a topic of their choice, then making an informative slide about that choice.

Mrs. Mitchum explained, “This project is a combination of a lot of different areas and skills that we’ve learned for the past two years.”

For this project, students get the option of researching and writing about their research at home as well.

Mrs. Mitchum does this because she believes her students should be able to talk to their friends in order to get support about how to research, then write about what they researched.

All of Mrs. Mitchum's 8th graders are involved in this project and seem to appreciate the opportunities it provides.

“I like it because we get to research what we like,” stated Sol Simons.

Natalee Lykins declared, “I like it because I like history.”

“The assignment has lots of points, and I need that,” explained Keegan Clark.

Brenna Houchin exclaimed, ”Since we have groups, it helps with our communication skills.”

“With this research, we can learn fun facts about history,” stated Madison Perleberg.

Students do all of this in Mrs. Mitchum’s classroom and are learning that these skills apply to the real world as well.

The students in Mrs. Mitchum’s digital apps are looking forward to presenting their projects and seeing what lies ahead in this hands-on class.

Time to sew up a bright future

FACS students learn valuable lifelong skills

by Mady Stone

FCMS is sewing up their future, while sewing in Mrs. Beth Kaiser’s room! The 8th-grade FACS students are making tote bags, with an electric sewing machine that they have (carefully) been taught to use.

Why sewing? “They will always have reasons to sew, and sew in the future too!” exclaimed Mrs. Kaiser.

Despite the hard parts, such as getting the string through the needle or successfully making a stitch, the FACS students were still excited to learn how to sew.

Bella Smith exclaimed that her favorite part is, “When the string goes through the needle and you make a perfect knot.”

Lots of students, such as Nicole Wathen, just like it in general. “It’s cool,” she declared.

Payton Carlton also agreed. “Making the project, in general, is my favorite.” she proclaimed.

Mrs. Kaiser was all about making sure everyone experienced getting to sew, even though they were in groups.

Jocelyn Wilson giggled, “It’s super fun. I wanna sew all the time!” Some students like the new experience, and when they need it in the future, they already know exactly how to fix it!

Sewing also keeps them occupied “It’s fun and keeps me busy” Rissa McCreary remarked.

The FACS students can now sew up a bag and a fun positive future.

FACS students discover everyone loves a cupcake

by Saegan Joseph

“It was very interesting! Kids showed off their creativity.” Mrs. Beth Kaiser, FACS teacher, had this to say about her 8th grade students’ cupcake project this past Friday.

Mrs. Kaiser proclaimed that she was proud of them. “I think it required creativity, teamwork and baking skills, which I think they did a good job on,” she declared.

Mrs. Kaiser explained, “The students baked these cupcakes with flour, egg, milk, and sugar--nothing too crazy, but it also lays the groundwork for future baking projects.”

The FACS students seemed to enjoy the chance to bake their own cupcakes.

Riley Fox declared, “The cupcakes turned out good.”

Katelynn Noah replied, “The cupcakes turned out amazing.”

Kylie Horn remarked, “It was pretty fun.”

Jocelyn Wilson agreed,“It was cool making them.”

Overall, making cupcakes can be a difficult yet rewarding experience. Based on these responses, this tasty project was worth the effort!

Coding engineers perfect the tech trifecta

by Isaac Johnson

Today, mankind witnessed our young engineers in Mr. Herbert’s tech class busy at work, building three different helpful contraptions to benefit modern humanity. Between building the contraption and coding them as well, their skills were put to the test.

One group--consisting of Caden Conner, Austin Andre, and Evan Ralph-- decided to make our first contraption on the list, a 90-degree spinning bridge. Today was the day their vision came to life. Eighth-grader Evan exclaimed, “I enjoyed the construction process as well as the satisfaction of completing the project!”

A group of truly intelligent students had figured out how to make a pool lift machine for the elderly. The group consisted of Mady Wilson and Lila French. Mady Wilson declared,” It was a little difficult and took multiple tries to complete.”

The final group took on the challenge of making a lift machine for the elderly. One student, Gabby Durbec, had this to say about the project, ”You get to code what you want your robot to do.” Their group consisted of Blake Stephenson and Gabby Durbec.

The outstanding head of this lesson, Mr. Herbert, proclaimed,” They get to use what they have learned and apply it to real life. They had three options: a two-way bridge, a lift machine for the elderly, and a car in driving code.”

Mr. Herbert’s 1st Period class is ahead of their time. This is truly the start of these young engineers’ careers. One day their technology will be spread far and wide.

First post-pandemic Pep Band entertains at ballgames

by Aubrie Graham

Pep Band has been resurrected this year! WIth FCHS and FCMS combining forces, Wildcat band members are coming together and making beautiful sounds, with different types of cheers and songs not normally played in their band classes. Students are excited about learning new music to be played at FCMS games.

Current FCMS band members are excited to be a part of the Pep Band experience for the first time in their careers.

“We play with high schoolers and learn new music!” exclaimed Stephen Amburgey, a 7th grade trombone player here at FCMS.

Students are learning that it's fun creating music never before played. By playing with high schoolers, they build skills they never knew existed.

“Pep Band is fun to do,” expressed Lilyanna Nichols, a 7th grade clarinet player here at FCMS. It gives kids a chance to have fun and meet new people.

“I can make new friends!” Josie Vanoven, a trumpet player for 7th grade, added. Pep seems to be a great way to make new friends.

Seventh grade Trombone player Kylie Broshear added, “Being with friends and playing new music is why I like Pep Band.” In pep, students can learn a lot of new knowledge, such as new music and instruments they have at the high school.

“Pep Band is fun and a good way to get band members included outside of school. It's a way to get back to a normal band,” commented Mrs. Candice Murray, the band teacher at FCMS.

Although Pep Band is an after-school activity, the new members seem to really enjoy it. Mrs. Murray started pep again because she wanted her band to start to get back to normal.

As Pep Band continues, the members hope all students appreciate all those beautiful new sounds that are being created.

Let's Race

Tech students code cars that can't be beaten

by Josh Wilson

Mr. Herbert’s tech class is racing away with cars that have been programmed.

About this much-loved project, Mr Herbert stated, “Students learn about gear ratios, which will help them finish things fast or easy.”

Mr. Herbert wants people to learn tech early in life, so when they go out into the world, they will be able to get a great job. During school hours, Mr. Herbert wants students to understand the basics when it comes to coding, as well as programming.

Speaking of the students, some of the students expressed their love of coding cars.

Austin Andre stated, “I like this because you get to play with metal.”

“I like it because you get to code,” explained Blake Stephenson.

Evan Ralph exclaimed, “I like it because we are learning how to build cars!”

“I like it because I like building cars,” uttered Darin Terry

Cassidy Lee remarked, ”I like it because we get a taste of the mechanical world.”

Mr. Herbert’s tech class has done a great job. Hopefully they will have a great rest of the semester and continued success in tech class.

After the coding, these programmers got to race, and we’re glad you had this excitement. Let the races begin!

Greyhounds use language skills for creative ads

by Samantha Reams

During these past few weeks in Mr. Clark Sherwood’s and Mrs. Bethany Bolser’s class, the 6th-grade students have been learning propaganda and why it’s essential for a person to understand.

Mrs. Bolser explained, “Students are studying how language is used to spread and influence the opinions of others.”

After learning about the principles of propaganda, their mission was to create a new flavor for their toast and sell it to their classmates.

While selling the toast, they were given the option to either make a video or make a poster in order to advertise their creations.

Mr. Sherwood added, “My students are given this assignment to persuade the audience and use a new vocabulary to increase their grammar!”

Preston Lance exclaimed, “The toast I made was spicy, and it was really fun making it!”

Maelyn Thalheimer announced, “Being creative with the toast, advertising, and trying to persuade them to want my toast makes me motivated.”

The assignment was to be creative with their opinions and use the new techniques about propaganda.

Laynee Newell commented, “Figuring out the flavor of toast I am going to make was challenging because I wanted to try all kinds of new things.”

This propaganda project was intended to really is really to open up the students’ minds, while also encouraging them to come up with something new and make the most of their language skills. .

Mrs. Bolser proclaimed, “I hope that the students use their creative ideas.”

Both teachers complimented the students and declared, “They could be great salesmen and women!” We never know how far these skills will take them!

Thanksgiving brings a multitude of reasons for thanks

by Colton Hunter

Thanksgiving is coming up, and there are so many things to be thankful for, such as family and the delicious food. Maybe you are thankful for making memories with your loved ones. Having people who are there for you is great, and on Thanksgiving many of us get to sit down with those people and have a nice meal.

There are hundreds of reasons to be thankful on Thanksgiving Day. Students and staff alike are grateful for many reasons this Thanksgiving.

Dakoda Keith, 8th grader, remarked, “I am most thankful for the food but mostly my aunt’s pumpkin pie because of its sweet taste.”

Eighth grader Isaac Johnson stated, “I am thankful for the turkey. I love the juicy, moist and tenderness of the turkey.”

Now Thanksgiving isn’t all about the food. Although the food is a big part, family is also something to be thankful for,

Livia Maddock, 8th grader, commented, “I am thankful for getting to see all of my family.”

Eighth grader Josh Wilson remarked “I am thankful for family and seeing them.”

John Flint, also an 8th grader, enjoys family time as well. “I like spending time with my family,” he commented.

Many students feel the same way about family, such as 8th grader Kaylee Strong, who stated, “I am thankful for my time with my family and I like seeing everybody.”

Eighth grader Colsen Penninston likes everything about Thanksgiving. He expressed, “I am thankful for hanging out with friends and family. I also enjoy sitting around the table eating with my family.”

Lastly, Mr. Dylan Huber declared, ``I like watching football with my family and eating stuffing and spending time with my family.” No matter what you are grateful for, we hope you have a happy Thanksgiving!

FACS class patiently serves up one of America’s most beloved dishes

by Livia Maddock

Recently in Mrs. Kaiser’s 8th grade family and consumer science class, students made the 4th most popular food in America: pizza. Mrs. Kaiser instructed, “I use this activity because it is something they would need to know in their life: how to make food from scratch.”

During the activity, students worked in groups to make the dough, roll it out, put on toppings, and cook the pizza. Nicole Wathen explained her favorite part was, “Putting the cheese all over the pizza.”

Eighth grader Katelynn Noah said she enjoyed, “Putting on the toppings.”

Cooking teaches students how to follow instructions, but it also teaches how to be patient. Cooking involves taking the right measurements to make sure the taste is balanced and not too hard or too soft, too salty or too sweet, or even too cheesy.

Cooking takes patience because one can’t take the pizza out of the oven too early or the dough will still be raw. Also, chefs have to give the dough a few days to rise if a thicker crust is desired.

Riley Fox described her dilemma: “The pizza tastes like it has too much tomato, but the crust is good and kind of sweet.”

So the next time you are craving an extra cheesy pizza, have one of Mrs. Kaiser’s 8th grade family and consumer science students teach you how to make it from scratch, and the next thing you know, you’ll be your very own at-home chef. Bon appetit!

Facs students prove big dreams come in small packages

by Isaac Johnson

The age of the future is now. With a few skills learned in FACS and a whole lot of creativity, you too may now make your future bedroom the size of a shoebox. That is exactly what Mrs. Kaiser’s class did.

To prepare her class for success in modern home architecture, Mrs. Kaiser had her students make an entire bedroom in a shoebox. Knowing what was at stake, her students went all in. “I enjoy the construction process!” Cedrick Bontilao exclaimed.

With the project underway, some students even took to their own homes for supplies and inspiration. They must have been inspired by some aspects of the project. Lexi Schmid seemed to agree: “It was cool as we got to use all of these materials to make our bedroom.”

Normally Mrs. Kaiser usually shows off these wonderful creations in the hallways, but with the recent pandemic and the fact that some students brought objects from home, she decided against it. As a result, the students appreciate being able to keep their inspirational model for themselves. “I enjoyed the fact that I got to build and take home my bedroom,” Jocelyn Wilson happily declared.

She has had her students do this in the past to prepare them to make their room. Mrs. Kaiser believes this skill will be useful in modern-day house construction and the high school architecture class. “This project will prepare students for the horizon of the future,” she declared.

This is truly the age of the future, and her class is at the forefront. Kudos to Mrs. Kaiser’s class and the wonderful creativity.

Volleyball provides a lifetime sport and exercise experience

by Josh Wilson

Mr. Brandon Good’s students are learning all about volleyball and are finding it quite interesting.

Mr. Good stated about why volleyball is important: “Volleyball can be a lifelong sport, and learning a sport now could keep you active for the rest of your life.”

Mr. Good teaches 7th and 8th grade p.e. here at FCMS. He discovered that learning a sport could keep one active for the rest of one’s life, so he teaches his students the same philosophy.

Lots of students love volleyball, but don’t take our word for it. Listen to these students who explained why they like volleyball.

“It’s a fun sport to play,” stated Mackenzie Broshear.

“I played volleyball my whole life,” uttered Pearl Drake.

“It’s an active sport,” commented Carter Dozier.

“I get to hit a ball,” remarked Aiden Blair

George Eckstein declared, “I get to hang out with my friends.”

This is just a fraction of the students in this school who like volleyball. Maybe someday that person will be you. Hopefully your spikes take you flying somewhere high!

Enjoy the tastiest holiday of them all: National Cupcake Day

by Colton Hunter

Celebrate National Cupcake Day on Friday, November 10! Cupcakes are great, and there are so many choices of what to enjoy.

Some students like all of them or just one, with the most popular choices being chocolate and vanilla.

FCMS students know what they like. Ethan Collins, 7th grader, stated, “I like strawberry because it’s very sweet and good.”

Mersadies Wright, 7th grader, stated, “I like chocolate because it tastes good and because of the icing.”

Ethan Heath, 8th grader, declared, “I like chocolate because the icing is good.”

Many people love the icing and some don’t.

Liv Maddock, 8th grader, commented, “I like chocolate because you can never go wrong with a chocolate cupcake.”

Lots of people also believe that about chocolate cupcakes, such as Isaac Johnson, who declared, “ I like gluten free chocolate cupcakes with vanilla icing, because I can eat it, and I like chocolate with vanilla swirls,”

8th grader, Kylie Horn, commented, “I like chocolate cupcakes because I really like chocolate, and it melts in your mouth.”

Eighth grader Stevie Pearson stated, “I like chocolate because I like the flavor of it.”

Celebrate National Cupcake Day on November 10th by eating your favorite cupcake, or if you don’t have a favorite cupcake, then try a new one and then maybe you will!

Mrs. Brown's social studies students delve into past for appreciation of The New World

by Liv Maddock

Curious and ready to learn--Mrs. Brown’s 8th grade social studies class is starting an introduction on how America and The New World originated.

As part of the unit, the 8th graders will take notes and study the climate, soil, people, and economy of the 13 original colonies. Throughout the lesson many influential people are mentioned, including Thomas Hooker, Anne Hutchinson, John Winthrop, and even George Washington.

The beginning of America was rather rough but successful. Many colonists fought over land, religions, government, and trade.

Mrs. Brown pointed out, “This is the founding of our country and how it was established. These are people’s thoughts and how they were treated.” This should make it more realistic for the students, since they are studying many quotes from real figures from that time.

Kailey Edmundson acknowledged, “It is interesting to learn about how our country started.”

Madison Perleberg added, “It is also intriguing to see how the behavior of people affected the improvement of our country.”

Serena Silas then commented, “My favorite part is seeing how the first English settler settled in Jamestown.”

Later, Taylan Brewer summarized, “It was fun to learn about how much we’ve improved since events like slavery and ‘The New World’.”

Many students were excited to learn about the struggles and improvements that made up our new world. So next time you are feeling inquisitive, head over to one of Mrs. Brown’s 8th grade social studies classes to find out how taking risks can turn into something great, just like how colonists fought to originate the world we gratefully enjoy today.

Tech students discover all things revolve around coding

by Josh Wilson

Mr. Derek Herbert’s class was recently interviewed about programming test beds and why coding is so important.

Mr. Herbert proclaimed, “The point of this tech class is to learn how to code robots because most jobs rely on automation in some way, shape, or form.”

He explained, “I teach this class because we learn to program robots to learn to program things in life.

His 7th and 8th grade students recently programmed test beds to learn how to code.

Mr. Herbert clarified why programming is essential learning. “Learning to program robots is important to learn because so many things in life involve programming, ” he declared.

Now it's time to find out what students think about learning to program.

“It’s fun to mess around with robots,” Tyler Bolser commented.

“It’s kinda hard, but I still like it so I can build things,” remarked Brandon Willis.

“I like coding things,” Clinton Seals explained.

“ I like playing and coding robots,” proclaimed Gavin Trammell.

Lillian Solzsman commented, “After you get done coding, you see what you were able to do.”

Coding could be really fun. If you want to do it, then you should because many jobs in life require programming and coding. We can’t wait to see what Mr. Herbert’s tech class programs next!

Language arts draw on Poe Inspiration for Movie Poe-sters

by Liv Maddock

When it comes to realistic horror stories, there is nobody quite like Poe. Edgar Allen Poe wrote over 60 stories, and recently Mr. Sells’ 8th grade class dove into one, “A Tell-Tale Heart”. One of Poe’s many horror stories, “A Tell-Tale Heart” was perfect for Mr. Sells to use for its creative outlet for students.

Mr. Sell’s class recently wrote essays, and to further test their planning skills, he is having them create movie posters based off of the story “A Tell-Tale Heart”. In this project, students will have to work together to create a poster including drawings and a tagline to draw attention to the story. “Everybody worked so hard on their essay, they needed a creative outlet. Also, students should get to have fun with a story they like,” Mr. Sells explained.

Many students enjoyed "A Tell-Tale Heart". Brooklyn Bischoff’s favorite part was, “When he was talking to the detectives and driving himself insane because he felt guilty.” Other students, such as Luke Estes, enjoyed the unique point of view. ”I liked that he is trying to convince the readers he is not mad,” Luke explained.

Although many students were pleased with the narrator’s conflict with himself, other students loved the more exciting parts of the story. Lilly Eidem noted that she loved, “When he (the narrator) gets caught.” However, Taylor Schnitker was interested in the more brutal parts of the story, such as, “When he hid the body under the floorboards,” she remarked.

As you may have noticed based on the students’ favorite scenes, “A Tell-Tale Heart” isn’t a book about fairies and princesses, but rather a story of guilt, lying, and murder. This gives students a wide range of creativity to build from, which is why this classic horror story provides a great creative outlet for Mr. Sells to use. Hopefully these “Poe-sters” won’t be too scary and will give students freedom with their imagination.

Choir members perform live again in joyful fall concert

by Saegan Joseph

This Oct. 6th, for the first time since before the pandemic, 7th and 8th grade choir members performed live and in person at FCHS. They sang “Paddy Works on the Railway” and “Wellerman” at FCHS to share their talent to the world.

“There were a lot of people there, and we didn't let them down,” declared Mr. Robert Williams, choir director, when asked why he was so proud of this group.

“I thought we did a good job, and I would like to see even more people for our next show,” remarked 7th grader Kayleb Skelton.

“It was always synchronized,” proclaimed both Emma Tolhurst and Lila Doerflein.

“I just enjoyed the chance to be there,” replied Tavia Pennington, also in choir.

“Music brings healing to the soul,” added Mr. Williams. With the joyful atmosphere in the auditorium, it was apparent this is true.

Currently the choir members are rehearsing for their next big show: a live Christmas concert.

Congratulations to these choir members on a successful performance. We look forward to hearing your healing sounds in December.

Science students measure for learning success

by Aubrie Graham

Sixth graders here at FCMS are finding fun ways to find the mass, density, and volume of objects in Mrs. Janice Wade’s science class. Mrs. Wade has her students conduct science labs to reinforce learning. Sometimes they are different and sometimes challenging. Let's find out more about why Mrs. Wade chose to do labs.

Sixth graders are learning how to find the mass, volume, and density, and labs are a great way to hands on learning. They have to find the volume of three different boxes full of different objects.

Student Lylah Hundley stated, “There isn’t really a bad thing about doing this. The thing I like most about it is that we can use a calculator to see if we are right!”

There are a lot of challenges to learn about the measurements. Mrs.Wade stated, “I started this so the 6th graders could learn to find the weight of different objects and find the volume.”

Two of the labs have triple beam balances. “The most challenging part of this project is getting the triple beam balance to actually balance or line up,” commented Dakota Puckett. This is one of the hardest things to do when working on science labs. The triple beam balance always seems to get people baffled the most because they are really hard to balance evenly.

“There wasn’t really a challenge for the labs. It was fun!” added Jackson Boerner.

“We have been working on mass, density, and volume for a few days, and I thought this would be a fun and good way to learn,” added Mrs.Wade.

Science labs are always different, and some fun, some challenging. Mrs. Wade is helping her sixth graders in an entertaining way that can help memorize and truly learn their material!

Art students create using pop culture as inspiration

by Mady Stone

There is never a boring time at FCMS, especially in the art room. No matter how many projects the students do, they are always excited to do food sculptures! Recently Mr. Deters assigned his 8th graders to construct food sculptures out of cardboard, foil, tape, toilet paper, and paint.

They were introduced to pop art by using consumer goods for reference, and students had the freedom to do anything they wanted.

“Why are food sculptures so important?” we asked Mr. Deters. Mr. Deters stated, “To have an appreciation of art, to be creative by using different materials, and using materials they haven’t used before.”

These food sculptures will be displayed in the library for everyone to see and enjoy.

Mostly everyone seemed eager to paint. Allyson Icenogle exclaimed, “I was excited to paint!”

Braydon Littrell agreed, “I was excited to paint also.”

Students, such as Ryleigh Schoettelkotte, were looking forward to using their imagination, “I’m simply excited for creativity!” declares Ryleigh.

It has to be exhilarating having one’s sculpture in the library for everyone to see, including the challenge of making the sculptures in general. Anaka Johnson explained, “I was nervous for this project at first because of the light and thin materials, but then I also felt challenged to make something great!”

We can’t wait to see these beautiful sculptures finished and in the library soon, since the students are working hard. These art students are getting creative. If you want to get inspired as well, look no further than one of these art projects from Mr. Deters' students!

Tech students meet online coding challenge

by Samantha Reams

Over the past few weeks, Mr. Herbert’s classes have been busy on a Vexcode ® and maze. A vex is a programmable robot that you can make move from place to place. According to Mr.Herbert, his class was challenged to make the robot navigate through the maze. The maze was an online activity in which students programmed their robot to walk through the maze.

Despite the positive outcome, some students feel as if they could have done better. Caden Conner exclaimed, “The maze was really hard. I ran it into a wall!”

Cassidy Lee reassured, “Coding the robots to move is actually easy. Just make sure you’re paying attention to Mr.Herbert.” All of their opinions differ, assuring us the challenge can seem easy or difficult. .

Mr. Herbert agreed with Caden on it being challenging but says it was possible to get it finished.

Peyton Powell declared.“The robots were coded to move from one place to another. I thought it was super easy.”

While doing the vex, Mr. Herbert was out for a few days, yet his class still worked their best to also get the vex completed during that same time period. Doing the vex is a process of learning how to build the robot and following challenging steps to follow.

Peyton Powell announced, “The vex was definitely harder than the maze.”

Mr. Herbert acknowledged, “There are a lot of steps, and if you miss one, then the project will take a lot of time to rebuild.”

It seems as if there is always a lot going on in Mr. Herbert’s class. With his responsible class getting things done while he had to be absent, Mr. Herbert was both relieved but also proud.. The vex and maze seemed to be a challenging project, but congratulations are in order to the class for striving to get it done.

Navy sailors show appreciation for FCMS kindness

by Colton Hunter

Kindness pays it forward! Last year, Mrs. Stacey Nobbe’s 7th and 8th grade students wrote letters to sailors in the Navy, in case those sailors had no one to write to them.

They sent the letters in March last year, and the sailors received them in July. This school year, her students were excited to find they had received kind replies in return!

The letters were sent in containers called halfway boxes. The sailors were on the U.S.S Jefferson City, somewhere on the Pacific Ocean near Japan.

Mrs. Nobbe explained, “It was important for them to know they are cared for. They are separated from the world, so our students want them to know they are important.”

When asked why they wrote to the sailors, they each had positive things to say.

Rodney Hahn stated, “Most of the sailors don’t get letters, so we wanted to be nice.”

Kirstyn Caudill exclaimed, “We wrote to them because some of the veterans didn’t get things from their family!”

“We thought it was important to write because some of the sailors don’t have anyone who writes to them,” Justin Weaver stated.

It was great that our students were kind and received such thoughtful results. Mrs. Nobbe’s students learned about the joy that comes with kindness, as well as the fact that kindness is almost always appreciated.

FACS students discover quick benefits of quick bread

by Dakoda Keith

When students think about cooking, they think about Mrs. Kaiser’s FACS class. Her 8th grade students are making delicious quick bread.

Why is baking quick bread so important? Mrs. Kaiser exclaimed, “Making bread from scratch is so much healthier than buying bread from the store.”

Rissa McCreary stated, “I love to learn how to cook and sew.”

Cedrick Bontilao exclaimed, “I love to cook!”

“I love the people and the energy in the class,” declared Katelynn Noah.

When a visitor walks into the class, they can feel the energy in the FACS classroom.

The quick bread smelled very good, with the aroma making students want to dig in and eat it.

Riley Fox proclaimed, “I like the activity of creating food from scratch.“

Payton Carlton agreed, “I love the opportunity to cook!”

The aroma of quick bread in the classroom smelled so tempting, it is easy to take these FACS students’ word for its deliciousness!

Chinese I students herald new season with festive traditions

by Liv Maddock

Ni hao! Are you ready for the Mid-Autumn Festival? Ms.Yan’s Chinese I class sure is! The 15th day of the 8th month on the lunar calendar is the mark of the beginning of the Mid-Autumn Festival, and Ms. Yan’s students celebrated in style.

For many the Mid-Autumn Festival, or Moon Festival, is treated as a family reunion or something similar to the American Thanksgiving. “I want them to learn about Chinese festivals and culture and compare it to American culture,” explained Ms. Yan.

During the Moon Festival it is tradition to eat a Chinese food called mooncakes. Don’t be fooled by the name because mooncakes actually aren’t covered in sprinkles and icing. Instead, they are filled with ingredients such as egg yolk and pine nuts and are meant to be eaten with tea.

To celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival, Ms.Yan brought mooncakes for her students to taste.

Her students had varied reactions. Natalee Lykins described the taste: “I think it is okay with the sweetness, but I don’t like the egg yolk.”

James Rowland argued, “I like it! The egg yolk is strong, but I like it.”

After the tasty trial it was found that students most enjoyed the pine nut filled mooncakes.

Why are mooncakes so important to the Mid-Autumn Festival? Mooncakes are eaten because of the fairytale of Chang’E. In the end of the fairytale, Chang’E is sent to live on the moon, so in many mooncake advertisements one can find Chang’E and maybe even her pet bunny.

Dorothy Wendel commented, “I think it’s interesting that they have festivals about the Moon.”

Aside from celebrating the Moon Festival, Ms.Yan teaches the Chinese I class here at FCHS for both high school and middle school students. Ms. Yan says her class is usually very interactive and talkative.

Ms. Yan was born in China, and one of her favorite things to do is spend time with family. Her favorite part of her job is the students and watching them grow. Understandably, the hardest part for Ms.Yan is encouraging unmotivated students.

Ms. Yan hopes all her students remember that she provided them with a good environment and hopes they learn and make friends. She pushes students to go out of their comfort zone but advises them to enjoy their time in school.

FCMS welcomes Ms. Yan and looks forward to all of the cultural opportunities she provides our students. So if you’re looking for a way to enhance the fall season, take a cue from this class and try out some Mid-Autumn Festival traditions.

Mega Band is music supersized

by Liv Maddock

What’s that noise? Is that music? Oh, it’s not just any music: it’s the Mega Band! Over 100 middle and high school band students all played after only two hours of practice together!

If you went to the high school’s FC vs EC game, you would know that the middle and high school bands combined for one night to play some of our favorite songs. Some of these songs include “The Hey Song”, “We Will Rock You”, “Smoke on the Water”, and a few other pep songs.

Ms. Murray, FCMS band director, praised, “We were really proud of how everyone did and how excellent everyone was to teach.”

Despite the struggle of Covid-19, many students were still able to enjoy playing in the Mega Band. One 7th grade student, Stephen Amburgey, noted, “It was fun because I got to play with other high schoolers and 8th graders.”

Sage Leising added, “It was cool because there were more people and more instruments.”

Not only did the band have fun playing music, but they also enjoyed cheering on the football team.

Eighth grader Willa Bruns mentioned, “I liked playing pep cheers to cheer on the football team.”

Jackson Williams added, “I liked being able to have fun, and the food was really good. Also, the view of the football field was nice.”

The Mega Band had a very successful night, with good music and great memories. So the next time you hear Mega Band is on for a show, be sure you head on down to the FC football game and soak up the sweet sounds of these lively musicians.

AR raises reading levels

by Josh Wilson

AR--some of us love it, and some of us, not so much. However, Mrs. Noah, 7th grade

language arts teacher, like many teachers, wants students to know why AR is so important.

She explained, “AR gives kids a goal for how much they need each nine weeks. When kids

reach that goal, that's how they move their reading level up.”

Mrs. Noah wants 7th and 8th to have a similar reading level and as high as their potential will reach. She thinks the best environment to read is in the classroom. Mrs. Noah stated, “I have them read every ten minutes in S.T.A.R and one hour at home.”

Mrs. Noah further explained its importance: “AR is for kids who struggle with finishing a book and need help finding good books. Mrs. Noah remarked, “Here we do a point goal, and they need about 9 weeks to finish.”

Some students like AR, such as these 7th grade students. Kaylee Slaten told us, “AR helps my reading skill a ton.”

Aiden Eckerle clearly stressed, “In AR, you always get to read what you want.”

Logan Troyer stated, “I like AR because I like reading.”

Tyler Weaver explained, “It’s a good thing for teachers to make kids read.”

“AR is a good way for writers to express themselves,” added Kayleb Skelton.

It is very important for students to reach their AR goals and increase their reading level. Thankfully, many students like AR. You guys can reach those goals!

Tech students discover how pull toys are the cog to everything

by Isaac Johnson

The sound of machines can be heard for miles in Mr. Herbert’s classroom. With the students now getting into a grove, FCMS can expect to see a lot more robots. Mr. Herbert himself declared,” The pull toys are a great way to continue learning about mechanisms.”

Students all around the classroom are learning how the pulley system works and have fun in the process. It is a great way to learn the basics of machines. “I love learning how the pull toys work,” an ambitious student, Daniel Holland, shared.

These machines can help you learn how a robot may function; moreover, it is a great way for Mr. Herbert to assess the student's skill level in basic machines. One excited student, Emily Brimhall, exclaimed,” I love learning how pulleys work!”

With the crank of a lever, the pulley will start to move and propel the machine forward. This will give the students a feeling of accomplishment with their work. “I can wait to make my pulley car,” Caden Conner declared.

This project and many more on the way are why Mr. Herbert’s class is so fun. The pulleys are pulling their weight in the fun department. Enjoy your machines, students!

Students take on recycling to clean up FCMS

by Aubrie Graham

Recycling--it’s a big deal, even though many people think it is just another thing we do that magically gets done.

How is it getting done? Mrs. Bradley, a custodian at FCMS, recently gave Mrs.Osborne, applied skills teacher, the idea of starting a recycling club. Not only do they take care of recycling, but Mrs.Osborne´s students in applied skills also take on the responsibilities of providing snacks for the staff.

Currently, Mrs.Osborne and her students--Braden, Wyatt, Izaac, Cole, and Christian-- are changing the school, although it’s something many take for granted. These students go around every day at about 2 p.m. Wyatt Wagers, student and recycling volunteer, stated, ¨It helps the environment reuse.¨

Mrs. Osborne further commented, ¨We do it because it gives the kids something to do. It's a good deed and a good job.¨

Sometimes there are problems to solve. Teachers aren't putting out their recycling. When asked about other challenges, Mrs.Osborne remarked, ¨Sometimes there is trash in the recycling bin.¨

Branden Perry remarked, ¨I like it because this job is contained in the school.¨

This class also provides different responsibilities. Monday is Snack Day. It's the day her students put out snacks for teachers, in order to raise money for the classroom.

If you see any of these students in the hall, thank them or give them credit for picking up the school and helping out the environment. Let's give this class a big thanks, and hopefully we will see more of these worthwhile projects in the future

Movin on up! Ag students use plants to practice caretaking skills

by Isaac Johnson

Plants are blooming in Mrs.Hornberger’s agriculture class. With the SAE in full swing, even though it’s fall, it truly looks like spring has sprung.

SAE, supervised agriculture experience, is a great way to teach students about commitments. “SAE teaches them record keeping and responsibility,” Mrs. Hornberger explained. Students can’t let their plants die or they will fail the assignment.

“I like to plant plants and watch them grow,” one ambitious student, 8th grader Lillian Solzsmon, proclaimed.

This year they are planting succulents, mums, and Christmas cacti. Ag students get to take them home by the end of the 1st and 2nd semesters.

“I get to watch them grow!” Lacey Murrell exclaimed.

Next semester they can find themselves taking on a variety of responsibilities, such as taking care of their animals instead of plants or taking care of their own plants. They are also summer classes that a lot of the students can be encouraged to take, although it is not a requirement.

With the SAE in full swing, students will never find themselves with nothing to do. Whether they are taking care of their plants or planning for future SAE projects, this year’s agriculture class is in full force, and it is not slowing down.

Who’s up next? Gym students crave the great outdoors

by Samantha Reams

Everyone loves softball and going outside, right? Recently the 7th and 8th graders' gym class went outside for games of softball, as well as Frisbie golf. Getting fresh air is something everyone seems to crave.

According to Mrs. Smith, Mr. Good’s assistant, “Softball gives the kids exercise, which is something they don't usually get when they are home.”

“Exercise is really important in order to be a strong person. We play softball because it's safer than baseball,” Mrs. Smith explained.

Softball is a great workout. Eighth grader Natalie Wathen declared, “Softball gets your heart beating.” Softball and other outdoor activities also help train your body's oxygen and blood levels.

“It is a really good exercise for your arms and when you’re running your legs,” Annie Lucas recalled.

Madalyn Baudendistel proclaimed, “Softball gets you pumped and awake in other classes!” We all can relate to being tired in class; however, softball can wake a student up.

“While playing softball, it makes you fit!” exclaimed Andrew Ashcraft.

Looks like the 7th and 8th graders really enjoy swinging that bat and running around outside. We can’t wait to see what is around the corner for them.

Robotics students discover that parts make the world go around

by Saegan Joseph

The 7th grade tech students have jumped into learning with projects about robotics. Here’s an insight on what is going on in this productive classroom.

Mr. Herbert, tech teacher, explained what they have been working on this past week: “They’re learning how to make basic contraptions that run in more complex machines. It's important to learn young if you want to take a career path involving engineering.”

Robotics is important for a number of reasons: they help with problem solving skills and offer many career paths, just to name a few; however, it’s important to understand what the students of robotics class are learning in order for future robotics to be a success.

When asked, 8th grader Blake Stevenson remarked, “We’re working on a leadscrew. I didn’t know what it was, but it feels good to know.”

Kaiden Goodman, a member of another group, acknowledged, “We’re doing that same thing, and I totally agree with Blake.”

Evan Ralph joyfully declared, “The future of engineers lies in our hands.”

Kaiden Roof replied, “We’re learning how to make bigger robots by learning the basics. I like it.”

Making geared contraptions is an upcoming project in Mr. Tech's class in which the students can become excited. We will keep you updated. Judging from their projects, we can easily see the future of engineering is looking bright.

Band members unite for high notes in 2021

by Colton Hunter

The 7th graders are excited about band and are eager to start the year.

Ms. Murray, FCMS band director, explained why students should join the band: “It’s a great place to spend time with friends and learn how to play an instrument.”

She added, “What we are working on is getting instruments and getting started on a positive note.”

Sage Leising, 7th grade band member, remarked that she took band to “learn a new hobby.”

Band members play all kinds of instruments. Christian Ball commented, “I am practicing baritone,” and Graydon Mullins also remarked, “I play percussion.”

Joselyn Vanoven added, "We are currently learning to play music'' and added that they “learn to play music and how to control air.”

We wish the new band members well and can’t wait to hear their melodic tunes this upcoming school year.

Inspirational autobiography inspires 6th graders to bounce into the year

by Aubrie Graham

Sixth graders in Mr. Sherwood’s class are digging into Bounce, by Chad Varga, and we can’t wait to see what they think about the book. Chad Varga is the author, and he has had a tough life yet succeeds in a career in the NBA, despite his mom’s drug use while he was growing up. Let’s dig in, as they did.

Kayleen Thompson, a 6th grader, commented, “I really liked the book. The challenging part was how Chad Varga grew up with a mother who was a drug addict.” Kayleen said although this wasn’t her favorite book, it was a good book. Kayleen stated, ¨He has made it far from where he started.¨

Wyatt Stegall-Crouch declared, “I like how Chad Varga has to work for what he wants.” Wyatt really likes the book as well. Wyatt added, ¨He's made it a long way from where he started.”

Maelyn Thalheimer, also a 6th grader, remarked, “The challenge of any challenge was that he had to work for what he wanted. He worked for what he became now.”

Mr. Sherwood stated, ¨We are reading this because I want the kids to learn about challenges that people face. People like Chad Varga have had a bad childhood, yet he has become a better person.

Although some might have thought his story seemed sad, the students seemed to love this autobiography. We can't wait to see what happens next and how it goes for the 6th graders. Let's see how far NBA star and author Chad Varga can inspire these 6th graders to chase their dreams.

Tech students discover the new future

by Liv Maddock

Do you ever wonder what the world would be like if there were robots? Thanks to Mr. Herbert’s 8th grade tech class, we can find out.

Recently Mr. Herbert’s tech class did a project in which the students researched different robots and explained to the class why each robot was important. When asked why he chose this project, Mr. Herbert explained, “So students can explore existing robots and how they have impacted society.”

Not only does this project help the students to understand the impacts of machines and technology, it also helps to see how teams work together to achieve their goals.

One student, Gabby Durbec, mentioned, “It takes a lot of work to build them, and once they’re finished, they help a lot of people.”

A few other students agreed with Gabby. For example, Kaiden Roof commented, “They can help humanity.”

Caden Conner added, “They are efficient.”

Mady Wilson explained, “Robots can create things that are wearable,” such as classmate Gabby’s presentation, which was on an invention called Google Glass. Google Glass is a wearable voice and movement activated pair of glasses that can be used to see information such as time, weather, etc., without having to look it up on one’s phone or watch the local news station.

Not only are robots wearable, they can also recreate animal habits and abilities.

Halle George elaborated, “They can recreate different animals.” To illustrate, Halle and her partner presented a robot called “WildCat”. WildCat is a 4-legged robot that is designed to run on all types of terrain.

As we can see by a few of Mr. Herbert’s students’ creations, there are many types of robots that are being invented and innovated everyday to make our society more efficient. It will be fascinating to see what these students’ imaginations will conjure up next.