Features
Prepare for Next School Year
Madison Medland
Staff Writer
4 Things to bring to your new school year
School shopping is one of the most important parts of summer. There’s clothing, supplies, and many more things that are necessary to bring. Since the weather will be a bit cooler, there will be a slight change of clothing depending on where you live. Also important things to consider is the school’s dress code, and school regulations. Anyways, here are 4 important things to bring to your new school year.
Backpacks
Although backpacks or School bags are one of the most important and common school necessities, it's still completely necessary to mention them. Backpack size really matters one you are going to a new school level. For instance, elementary school to middle school or maybe even middle school to high school. For higher levels, you will most likely need room for textbooks, notebooks, and sometimes even computers. While in elementary schools, you most likely just need room for a homework folder. There are many brilliant backpack brands like: Jansport, North Face, Nike, Adidas, and others. Go to www.travelandleisure.com to find the top 10 backpacks. “You want to make sure the design fits both your use case and body comfortably, and sustainable practices certainly don’t hurt.”-Rena Behar
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2) Basic School Supplies
Of course when it comes to school shopping, school supplies are another important contribution to the learning experience. Items like pencils, paper, notebooks, erasers, post-it notes, and pencil sharpeners are used alot in the classroom. All these items would most likely be contained in a pencil case or a student desk. Although in some classrooms, teachers tend to have extra supplies, it's better to bring your own. Especially during these times, in order to be safe we have to stop the spread. On the website https://www.mirror.co.uk they conducted an experiment on how much bacteria is on office supplies and found out that pencils and pens had some of the most colonies. Which is why in order to stop the spread of germs and viruses, buy your own school supplies at stores like, office depot, staples, or even Amazon.
3) Lunches
An example of a popular school lunch are box lunches. Box lunches have been used for quite a long time. According to http://www.smithsonianmag.com, box lunches came out in 1902. They said that, “school children who wanted to emulate their daddies fashioned similar caddies out of empty cookie or tobacco tins.” Lunches can range from a sub sandwich to sushi. Sometimes lunches are homemade and sometimes they’re bought. Go to https://www.allrecipes.com to find some recipes.
4) Hoodies, Coats, jackets
Since the days will grow colder, you will need to bring something to keep you warm. These will do the job. There are many options to choose from for branding. You probably want to decide how heavy duty your jacket or coat is based on where you live and how cold it gets during the winter. Popular brands like: Adidas, Holister, Old Navy, Nike, and northface will be great options. Go to https://www.ranker.com to find the top 20 hoodie brands.
Lastly, congratulations to everyone on making it to the end of the school year!
Summer 2021 Fashion Trends
Isabella Saxum
Staff Writer
Summer is only 2 weeks away and influencers on youtube and tik tok have been sharing their takes on this summer’s fashion trends.
Though it’s still spring, summer is slowly approaching this year. Many people like youtubers and tik tokers have been posting all of the new summer fashion trends, and websites like vogue and cosmopolitan have too. In Summer 2019, a lot of the trends were vsco girls and e-girls, but this year is more of a beachy trend. Here’s a little information about the fashion summer trends of 2021.
Crochet Clothing and Accessories
Crochet Clothing has been coming back into style. Crochet is when you use a crochet hook and yarn and you make a type of design. You can make it into shirts, bags, and other things. Many of the crochet things that are in style are crochet tank tops. They are really cute to wear while going to the beach, or hanging out with friends.
Air Jordan 1’s
Air Jordan 1’s are really popular now, and many people think they will still be popular through the whole summer. Air Jordan 1’s are Nike shoes that come in high tops, mids, and low tops. They are really popular now, and have a lot of colors and names. The price of Jordan 1’s range from $150 all the way up to somewhere around $500,000. Some of the most popular air Jordan 1’s are Mocha’s, Dutch Greens, University Blues, Low Dunks, Chicagos, and Obsidians. Even though it’s summer, Air Jordan 1’s will still be in style, and maybe the Low Dunks will become more popular during summer.
Shell Necklaces
Shell Necklaces were really popular in 2019. A kid from Rio Norte named Jagger Mccloud said he thinks that shell necklaces will make a comeback this year, and be very popular. One of the popular shell necklaces are called puka shell necklaces. They look like the photo attached on the side, and can be cute to wear on the beach, or really anywhere. You can buy shell necklaces from amazon, etsy, or a small little shop with necklaces like Francesscas. You can always mix and match your shell necklaces with any other necklaces and make cute combinations.
Bright Color Clothing
Bright color clothing has always been really popular, but is getting more popular for summer. During summer, a lot of swimsuits are popular that have bright colors like neon pink, and neon green. These colors are also popular in tank tops, but more swimsuits. You can find neon swimsuits at Target, Hollister, frankies bikinis, pacsun, and other small boutiques.
Bandana Tops
Bandana Tops were really popular last summer, and are now more popular because they have many bandana style prints and colors. Bandana Tops are tops that have no straps, and tie in the back. The front is kind of like a triangle shape, because the bottom goes inwards more. The trend first started by just grabbing a bandana, folding it, and tying it, and now more and more clothing brands are making bandana tops with better colors and prints. One clothing brand named Princess Polly has made a lot of different designs of bandana tops, like the photo shown. They are a little pricey, so if you want a cheaper top, they have them on Shein. They come in so many different designs and are cute for the summer.
Mini Dresses
Mini Dresses are also coming into style. Mini dresses are short dresses that are usually tight. The really popular ones are more pastel colors, but they also have cute ones in floral prints. Princess Polly and other small boutiques sell these dresses, and they are so cute for summer. The really popular ones also have this kind of scrunchy part at the top of the dress. They also have tops with those scrunched up designs that are really popular.
These are a few of some of the popular clothing and accessories for summer, but there are also many other clothing styles that might come in. A lot of youtubers and tik tokers have been making videos on it, so we might be seeing more trends come in. These are the most popular clothing trends for teenagers now that will most likely also be trends for Summer 2021.
Behind the Scenes of Rio TV
By Nicole Kang
Staff Writer
The five-minute announcements we watch every day take a lot of time and effort to reach perfection. It goes through multiple processes. From recording to editing, everything is done by the members of Rio TV. To learn more in-depth about our school’s broadcast and video production, Noah Flores- an anchor and editor, and Alyssa Besina- an anchor and segment producer were interviewed.
Rio TV is a year-long elective and the advisor is Mr. Ippolito. Their motto is: Inform, engage, include, and inspire. Under his guidance, students express their creativity and ideas and brainstorm them with each other. There are a lot of interactions between the members. This helps them create a special bond between them, where they treat each other more like family than classmates. Most students enjoy and are passionate about what they do. For Alyssa, it is her second year in Rio TV. She applied for this elective because she was interested in video production and media. She also wanted to do something for the school and “leave an impact”. For Noah, it’s his first year, and he applied to try out something new. Throughout the year, it got easier for him to speak in front of the camera and crowds. He also improved in technical skills and built his confidence. This elective is for both 7th and 8th graders. It has GPA requirements, applications, and interviews to apply. Yet, both Noah and Alyssa agreed that it is worth it because being part of Rio TV is a fun, productive, and memorable experience.
There are 35 students in the class and each of them plays a specific role in creating these videos. The jobs are anchors, editors, tech directors, scriptwriters, graphic makers, and directors who lead the entire process. Every couple of weeks they would switch roles through the process called the conga lines. This way everyone gets to try new jobs and be able to substitute each other when one’s not available. Having several jobs helps them develop new skills, improve their leadership and time management skills, and to be responsible.
Every morning announcements video would be created the day or a couple of days before it airs. For example, announcements for Monday morning would be created on Friday. Every day at 1:30 PM, there is a Rio TV Production Zoom meeting. They discuss and plan out the videos. Once the script is prepared, the tech director and production director would record the anchors. Then, they upload it and send it to the editors who would then put together all the clips including the intro and segments such as Character Dare or This Week in History depending on the day. The graphics team would create backgrounds or other add-on slides. After the lead editor approves, it would be checked by Mr. Ippolito. Once he approves, the video would be ready to play in class the next day.
Pandemic and distance learning caused us many changes and challenges which goes the same for Rio TV as well. The difficulties they faced were technical problems, limited equipment use, and communications. This year they also couldn’t interact with Rio students and staff as much as they did last year through interviews. However, there were also some positive outcomes as well. Working at home, everything was easier to access, got everything done more quickly, scheduling and attending meetings was much more efficient, and improved in technical skills.
Every student both off and on camera dedicate themselves to provide us with the best quality videos. We can all agree that they are doing an excellent job. These announcements are our best resource to find out what’s going on in our school. For us, the best way to help them is by giving feedback, ideas, or comments for Rio TV students. From Rio TV members: “Don't hesitate to share your thoughts with us! We would appreciate it!”
Reduce Pollution
Andrew Kazaryants
Staff Writer
We all know that pollution has been a problem for a long time. People continue to create pollution without them even knowing. We need to stop this before it becomes too late for our planet. We need to stop pollution as it is slowly killing our planet, and soon enough, we won’t have a healthy planet to live on and fit our needs. If we do nothing about it, the Earth can be inhabitable by 2050.
A good reason why we need to reduce pollution is because it creates unhealthy air quality. Unhealthy air quality can make people sick, and make it harder to breathe. If we can’t breathe and are constantly getting sick, the population could die out quickly. Another big reason is it affects the food we grow. Plants and animals at farms could get sick and contaminated, making the vegetables, fruits, and meats bad for you.
There are many ways that people can help reduce pollution. One of the biggest ways is by stopping the use of gasoline and fossil fuels. The two big things that come into this is we can start using electrical cars which are way more reliable and safe, and it can stop throwing harmful gases into the air. Also, the electrical option is way more efficient and cheaper to use. Another good way is by not using water and chemical inputs.
One of the biggest things contributing to pollution is plastic. Plastics such as water bottles and bags are dangerous to the environment. If we want to keep using plastic bottles and bags, we must always recycle them, or keep reusing them for other reasons. We could also use reusable bags and water bottles, made of degradable substances. All of these reasons are a huge step into saving the planet.
We need to stop creating pollution and practice better ways to do everyday things. Al Gore once said, “Pollution should never be the price of prosperity.” And we should all agree with this. All of the reasons stated are ways to stop pollution and the world needs to start practicing it. So next time you see a water bottle or plastic bag in the trash, moveit to the recycling bin and help make the planet a better place.
Danger of Social Media
Sophia McCoy
Staff Writer
Social Media is something we mostly love and use all the time. But is it safe for children under 10? Social Media is based on all ages but unfortunately, there are many predators online trying to kidnap and harass children.
There are many social media sites out there including TikTok, Snapchat, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. According to statistics the average age to have social media would be around the age of 13-15. This is a good age to be around on social media because you are more mature on the app and know what's wrong and right when you're using the app. Unfortunately, risks do come with the advantage of having social media, which is cyberbullying, invasion of privacy, identity theft, offensive images and messages, and child predators. The average age an app also suggests is 13-16 at least so you don't get inappropriate images on your social media account.
An article also states that “ Social media platforms and functionality are always changing so it’s a good idea to keep up to date with the social media your child uses. You could ask your child what platforms are popular and which ones your child likes. You could also get your child to show you how they work.” There are also advantages in social media which include,” What's good about social media is that you can stay connected to your friends and check up on what they are doing. The bad stuff about social media is that the person could reveal private information about themselves.”
Many of my friends have stated that “When I'm on Instagram or tik tok I'll get people to follow requests of me and they are all creeps with weird scam DMS.” And,” I don't know much about social media but I know there was once a creep trying to approach me on a word game and I blocked them right after.” This also shows that you have to be careful of what your children are doing and watch them at all times and be aware of their surroundings while they are on the internet.
The internet is a dangerous place. If you are not careful it will consume you and rob you of your happiness. It can make you angry, jealous, hostile, bitter and lead to the eventual loss of enthusiasm for living your best life. Be wary and avoid overconsumption.” ― Germany Kent
Global Education Differences
Nicole Kang
Staff Writer
Schools and education are important assets for students all around the world. Schools serve similar purposes in countries; to guide and prepare students with intelligence and knowledge to enter adulthood. However,there are also differences as well. This article will focus on the differences between France and American high schools. In the States, usually High school starts at around 7:30 a.m and ends around 3:00 p.m Monday through Friday, while, in France school starts around 8:00 a.m and finishes at 5 or 6:00 p.m. Also, they have different schedules for different days and have different time length for class depending on the subject. All students have the same curriculum for each grade and high school starts at 10th grade. In the States, students can choose the class they want. For instance, choosing different levels of class, electives, and athletics. Most high schools start at 9th grade in US.
Sports, clubs, or afterschool activities are limited or unavailable in France. They are not as important as it is in the States. Therefore, there are no fields, training facilities, and buildings for practice and competitions. Only two hours of “Physical Education” in a week is mandatory. There are no athletics such as football, volleyball, basketball, etc. In the States, students can start and create a club if the school sees the necessity of it. They are creative and original. That’s why we have a variety of clubs. However, in France, there are not many clubs, and if they do meet, they usually meet during lunch breaks unlike us where we meet after school.
They use numbers for grades rather than letters. We use A, B, C, D, and F to identify the students' grade levels. In France, it is numbers out of total, for instance, 19/20. Instead of taking the SAT, ACT, and having GPA for college applications, students in 11th-12th grade take a final exams called, “Baccalaureate.” There are three types of Baccalaureate: Technical, professional, and general. Technical one is for students who want to study more after High School in a specific field. Professional one is for students who want to enter the workforce early, and the general one is for students who want to further their education for complex learning. Within the three different Baccalaureate there are several sections for each. For example, the general one has three parts to it. First, that focuses on literature, second, that focuses on social studies and economics, and three, that focuses on science and math. They also have to maintain a certain grade for the courses they take.
Just by comparing the educational system in France and the States, it shows that countries
around the world have different perspectives on how and what the students should learn.
Knowing the similarities and differences of the education system in countries can help
communicate and interact with people from all over the world. Especially in the US where we
have a diverse population of people.
Renewable Energies
Patrick Chiong
Staff Writer
Since the industrial revolution of 1760 the world's carbon emissions have been rising greatly. With each year breaking a new horrible heat record we have to do something about it a solution to use more renewable energies or energies that produce extraordinarily low carbon emissions.
Geothermal energy is heat derived from the sub-surface of the earth. Water and steam carry geothermal energy to the surface where it can be used for heating or cooling and the main one clean energy. Geothermal energy is kind of like wind energy, the magma heats water in an underground reservoir until it becomes steam that pushes a turbine which generates electricity then it is recondensed and put back into the underground reservoir. Geothermal plants are usually near tectonic plates since that's where magma is most present and easily accessible. The main advantage of geothermal energy is that it doesn’t depend on the weather and has very high capacity factors.
Next up is hydro energy, hydro energy is the most cost-effective means of generating energy and is the preferred method wherever it's available. For example 99% of Norway's energy usage comes from hydropower. Hydropower plants basically use water from reservoirs to push turbines generating electricity, and in small communities can make a big difference. They can also store water for short to long periods of time to meet demands depending on the season, with the biggest hydro dam being able to power 80 million households
Ocean energy is still in a development stage not commercially available but some promising technologies will be listed. Wave energy captures energy contained in ocean waves and uses it to generate energy, and “Converters include oscillating water columns that trap air pockets to drive a turbine; oscillating body converters that use wave motion; and overtopping converters that make use of height differences.”. Tidal energy that uses a dam or barrier that harvest power in the transition between high tide and low tide. Salinity gradient energy (search it up cause it is really confusing), and Ocean thermal energy conversion which is basically geothermal energy but from the ocean
Bio-energy and solar energy. Bio-energy is basically energy gathered from reusing animal and plant waste products and makes up most of the renewable energies we use right now. Solar energy I’m sure we all know converts sunlight into electricity, and is used by communities not near any main power transmission lines which are usually places that are underdeveloped. In recent years the price of making solar panels has plummeted making them an affordable source of energy.
This ones gonna be short but wind power is generated by the kinetic energy from the wind that is transformed into electricity by wind-conversion systems. Its use has been slowly increasing, but in recent years has gone up dramatically and like solar panels it is very cheap to produce large wind farms.
Thanks for reading about me rambling about alternative energies, but I did it cause it’s quite a serious thing and we gotta do something about it, so convince your parents to install solar panels, and unplug unused electronics. Also, there is another form of energy that I wanted to talk to but this thing got way too long so here are some links to videos about nuclear energy, which produces little to none carbon emissions.
Kurzgesagt about nuclear energy
Kurzgesagt about death toll of previous nuclear accidents
Simple Logos
Sharon Alvarado
Staff Writer
I'm sure you’ve either heard or seen news about the redesigned Pringles logo somewhere on the internet, or maybe seen it on store shelves. It has changed drastically and many people aren’t happy about it. But, Pringles isn’t the only brand to change their iconic logo, followed by Warner Brothers, Burger King, BMW, and more.
The reason why others are so mad at the changes is because it takes away a sense of nostalgia; super popular brands that filled up our childhoods now changed into something unrecognizable. They all seem to follow a certain pattern, removing the details basically making them simpler and simpler. According to Thirdside, “More and more advertising is being shifted to the web, and with that means that the logo being used needs to be completely legible when shown at the smallest sizes.” This is one of the main reasons, another being clean and modern looking. Some brands do very minor changes such as change in font or a color. Others could be due to platform, not every advertisement is going to be on posters and billboards. Nowadays everybody is on the internet, the same website says that “More and more advertising is being shifted to the web, and with that means that the logo being used needs to be completely legible when shown at the smallest sizes.”
Overall, people will either love or hate these new designs, I doubt that the actual product will change since it's what the company is running off of. But no matter the look of the logo, these brands will forever live in people's hearts.
The History of Summer Break
Jakob Yu
Staff Writer
Did you know that children lose up to 40 percent of the gains they have made over the school year while on summer vacation? Educational Reformers invented summer break like Horace Mann. Students having too many weeks of studying and homework in school created Summer Break. Summer Break became developed during the 1800s. Summer Break was invented in the United States. Summer Break was designed to help students and teachers catch a break from school before a new school year starts in August.
Summer vacation is the time to learn new things and experience life. If summer break were taken away from kids or teens, that would reduce the time you can spend with your family. Also, it's a time for parents to take some time off work and go on vacation with their kids or spend some quality family time with them. Spending less time with your family can lead to depression. Summer break is the time for students to experience life and develop new skills taught in school. Most kids in high school will probably have a job during the summer. They could use that money to go to the capital with their friends, get some food, buy a new video game, or do anything they want. A quote from my friend Jeremy Oro, "Summer Break is a time for kids to take their mind out of school, living their life to their fullest potential, and create new memories with friends and family."
American kids flee the boredom of the classroom bell for lifeguard stands, going to grandparents' homes, and going to summer camps. However, summer vacation hasn't always been the birthright of U.S children. Decades before the Civil War, schools operated on one of two calendars, neither of which included a summer break. Country schooling was divided into summer and winter terms, leaving kids free to pitch in with the spring planting and fall harvest seasons. Urban students, meanwhile, regularly endured as many as 48 weeks of study a year, with one break per quarter.
In the 1840s, however, educational reformers like Horace Mann moved to merge the two calendars out of concern that country schooling was insufficient and invoking the current medical theory that overestimating young minds could lead to nervous disorders or insanity. Summer was the time and season for a break. It offered a respite for teachers. Meshed with the agricultural calendar and alleviated physicians' concerns that packing students into hot classrooms would promote diseases. Meanwhile, the current U.S school year, which averages 180 days, has its critics too. Some professions say laziness during summer break, which took place in the early 20th century, is one reason math skills and graduation rates of U.S high schoolers ranked well below average in two international education reports issued in 2007. Others insist that with children under mounting pressure to devote their downtime to internships or study, there's still room for an institution that sanctifies the lazy days of childhood.
Summer break is the time to enjoy yourself, try new things, not stress about school anymore, and go to new places with family and friends. During summer break, there is a huge chance of changing in appearance and evolving personality. During those two months on summer vacation, anything can happen. Also, since everything is going back to normal with the vaccine coming out, it will feel like a usual summer break and not where you have to quarantine inside your house. A summer quote from F. Scott Fitzgerald, "And so with the sunshine and the great bursts of leaves growing on the trees, just as things grow in fast movies, I had that familiar conviction that life was beginning over again with the summer."
Pandemic Pets
Madison Medland
Staff Writer
Upsides to getting an animal and ways to adopt safely
Quarantine has really changed the way people live. Most people are at home instead of at work or school. People who usually travel are stuck because of safety reasons. It's been harder to see friends and family. Now that people have more time alone, some may be lonely or depressed. The best solution to this problem could be getting a new pet.
Local shelters have been emptied because more people have more time to take care of a new pet. For example, at Riverside County Animal Services in California, they celebrated having an empty shelter. According to Fox 11, “We have already been successful in placing more than 1,660 animals in March and we are still coordinating adoptions, fostering and pet reunions, but these services will have a unique look.” If you are looking to adopt a pet, shelters like this are a good option. Having a pet will allow students to demonstrate their responsibility, and it’ll keep them company.
According to Petfinder, shelters have come up with many safe ways to adopt animals during these tough times. “Digital adoption applications and virtual ‘meet’ and greets, virtual adoptions and events hosted online or through social media, curbside pet adoptions, (once applications have been approved) Phone or video chat conversations with adoption counselors to answer questions and facilitate adoptions, and pre-scheduled interviews and appointment-only adoption hours.” Of course these ways differ depending on which shelter, and the location of the shelter. If families decide to adopt, these are safer ways to do so. This will help keep people safe and socially distanced whilst adopting.
Pet finder also shows the benefits of adopting during covid 19. “Shelters are offering flexible fostering or foster-to-adopt arrangements if you’re not quite ready to adopt.” So for families who haven’t experienced having a pet before, fostering is a good alternative. Go to ASPCA to find out more about fostering an animal and the requirements.
Although adopting is a great way to rescue a pet, you can also find breeders in your area if you want a certain breed or gender. PuppySpot.com is a great site to find certain dogs that you want. You can filter the site by color, type, size, and breed. There are other great sites to use, but you can also look on social media for breeders in your area and their contact information. If you're interested in adopting a cat or other animal, there are various online resources to find the perfect pet.
Hence, during quarantine families should adopt a pet. This is a great opportunity to train, and settle in with new pets now that everyones home. Pets help reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, ease loneliness, and they encourage exercise and playfulness. So adopt or go to a breeder to bring home a new furry friend.
Kobe- Madison Medland Milo + Mia- Ms. Dawson Whidbey- Ms. Perez
Inside a COVID Unit
Tobin Murray
Staff Writer
So, you're probably wondering, how does a hospital worker work in this pandemic? How do they work in such a stressful time when people with COVID are constantly coming into the hospital and getting put on ventilators? Where does this person go? They go in a COVID unit. So what are these units for and what is it like for a hospital worker to take care of COVID patients? In this article, you will hear from a few of the heros that try to stay on their feet to take care of these COVID patients.
COVID units are what you expect them to be, a special unit for COVD patients. If one is overrun, then it can take over another unit. The primary focus of it is to care for any patient that contracts COVID-19 and take care of them. They consist of what a regular hospital unit has but strictly focuses on the care of COVID patients. Many of the units in hospitals around the world were overrun with COVID patients, many of those units were specifically for other types of patients but had to be converted into the ones that mostly care for COVID patients.
I am fortunate enough to be able to talk with a few health care workers that have worked inside this unit. They all work at a local hospital. Here are some of their responses to 10 questions about what it's like inside a COVID unit.
Q: Is what we see on the news a real representation of how COVID affects people. Why/Why not?
A: Depending on the individual and the news channel he/she wishes to watch nowadays, there are different opinions and representations that's being shown. Unfortunately, there are strong media outlets that are very influential and can affect how one sees, or not see, how COVID affects people. This was prevalent during the former presidential administration when many of its followers believe in conspiracy theories and alike. But on other news outlets, COVID is the front page and they attempt to portray the reality of people suffering (symptomatic) or not suffering(non-symptomatic carriers) from COVID. (However, working directly with patients that have COVID, I certainly have first hand experience of what is happening and can tell you that COVID is true. The effects that the virus have inflicted on our patients have been devastating and even if they do survive, they have lingering problems that will affect their lives forever.)
Dr. Ronald Calaycay
Registered Respiratory Therapist
Q: What is the best, worst, and most frustrating part of taking care of COVID patients?
A: Definitely, the best part of taking care of COVID patients is when they are able to live and survive the ordeal, despite lingering problems they will/may have for the rest of their lives. The worst is when I see so many of them die despite the care, the medicines, the respirators, the many interventions we as caregivers administer/deliver. The most frustrating part is many people still don't understand the importance of wearing a mask, the most non-invasive action one can do to prevent the spread or the virus that works.
RC
Registered Respiratory Therapist
Q: How do you protect yourselves and put on your PPE? (Personal protective equipment)
A: The donning and doffing of PPE is a multi step process and needs to be done correctly and in the proper way to ensure not only your safety and your patient’s safety but for the safety of others.
MM
Registered Nurse
Q: How do you keep the non-COVID patients safe while in the hospital?
A: Non-COVID patients are kept safe while in the hospital by preventing them from sharing the same room, sanitizing rooms before they enter that room, having them wear masks when they are out and about, having caregivers wear masks at all times.
RC
Registered Nurse
A: We protect everyone by proper PPE wearing and hand washing . We also have strict visiting policies so as to limit the traffic in and out of the hospital. We also must fill out a Health Questionnaire daily to have clearance to work.
MM
Registered Nurse
Q: Are COVID and non-COVID patients in the same units?
A: Unfortunately, COVID and non-COVID patients share the same units, but not the same rooms.
RC
Registered Respiratory Therapist
A: Both COVID and non COVID patients are on the same floors just not in the same rooms. We protect all our patients and ourselves by properly using our PPE and proper hand washing.
MM
Registered Nurse
Q: What is the most important thing, in your eyes, that the everyday person does to keep themselves safe?
A: We all need to follow the science and guidelines of the CDC . It’s pretty simple- just wear the mask -properly -over your nose and mouth. Keep hand washing and stay away from people- it isn’t hard at all. We wear our masks up to 12 hours at a time and one big thing that we all can do is simple - wear your mask - properly.
MM
Registered Nurse
A: The usual things, social distance, wear masks, and frequent hand washing.
LV
Registered Respiratory Therapist
Q: Do you feel supported by the public?
A: Sometimes-sometimes not. There seemed to be a lot of support in the beginning- now it has diminished.
MM
Registered Nurse
A: Not always, especially after the surge in patients we got after thanksgiving.
LV
Registered Respiratory Therapist
Q: By taking care of those patients for such a long time, does it take more of a toll on you physically, metally, or both?
A: It’s been almost a year since we’ve been in this odd situation. I can tell you for sure that it has definitely taken a toll physically and mentally, and you can add emotionally. But I love what I do and have dedication to the care and well-being to the best of my ability for these and any of my patients.
RC
Registered Respiratory Therapist
A: Both. To be honest, most of these patients are very obese and are poring (regularly flipped on their stomach, and then on their backs), which can be hard physically. Mentally, absolutely. It’s very hard taking care of these patients that are incredibly scared, but also just so lonely with no loved ones around to lean on. We end up becoming that substitute loved one for all of them, and can be very mentally taxing.
LV
Registered Respiratory Therapist
Q: Tell me how you changed, good or bad or not at all, after having to keep up the pace of the surges of COVID patients you have to take care of.
A: In the beginning, the unknown was frightful, not knowing how virulent or aggressive the virus is and how much can one protect or shield oneself from getting the virus. Going through the daily work of caring for these patients, I have developed and learned a routine on how to protect myself, from masking to washing my hands to wearing proper PPEs. In doing so, I have changed for the good - I have paid more attention on how I should proceed in caring for a patient, but before I have to protect myself from being “harmed”. I put my life at risk every time I walk into a COVID patient’s room. So I ask myself before going forward if I have placed my gear perfectly, not just “is it enough” any more. And after stepping out of the room, did I wash my hands thoroughly?
RC
Registered Respiratory Therapist
A: It’s been very mentally exhausting watching many of your patients die alone… and this coming from years and years of watching patients die. This has been next level traumatizing.
LV
Registered Respiratory Therapist
Q: Do you see an end in sight?
A: To the pandemic - yes now with the vaccine BUT I do think that COVID is here for the long haul. As we learn more about it, we will be able to get back to normal.
MM
Registered Nurse
A: Having the vaccine is great. But there are still people out there that will not get the vaccine because of personal reasons, religious or medical or does not support or believe in the existence od COVID. COVID will be with us for the rest of our lives and beyond and there will be other viruses that will show up in our lifetime and beyond. I hope that we learn or have learned from what we are doing now for the future viruses. So an “end in sight” is possible but there are many variables that must be gained to get there and there will be sacrifices and/or selfish acts that may/may not allow us to fully get to that “end of sight” or “back to normal.”
RC
Registered Respiratory Therapist
A: We just have to hope there is. These vaccines make me hopeful.
LV
Registered Respiratory Therapist
Mysterious Monoliths
By Ava Cantillo
Staff Writer
A man flying a helicopter in the middle of nowhere in Utah noticed a tall, narrow, shiny, metal object in the middle of the desert. The man went to check the mysterious object out and was extremely confused by how it could have gotten there. It was later found that the object called monoliths had been there since 2015 or 2016 but not found until 2021. Investigations were made to try to figure out what the monoliths were and why they were popping up all around the world. The objects range from 6-12 feet tall, slender, shiny and are big slabs of rock.
The monoliths have come into sight all around the world in random places. The first monolith appeared in Utah on November 18th in 2020 and vanished on November 27th , the same day another monolith appeared in Piata, Romania it then disappeared on December 2nd. The third monolith then popped up in Pine Mountain, California on December 2nd officials took it down on December 3 and it reappeared on December 4th. The next monolith appeared in Albuquerque on December 7th and was taken down the same day. Another monolith was found right here in Santa Clarita Canyon, Country. It was found on a popular trail by the Sierra Highway.
There were many copycats of the first monolith that popped up in Utah but there is still wonder to who and how the first and original monolith came from and how it was made.
Many pranksters on social media have taken credit for the odd objects appearing out of nowhere like Travis Kenney who claimed to have done the California Monolith and the Most Famous artist on social media took credit for the Utah monolith but nothing is for sure. There are countless theories made on who, how, and what created the monoliths.
One of the most famous and wild theories is that aliens put the monolith there, it does have an alien and forgein nature. Many were questioning if it was a sign or a gift from the aliens. Another theory is that there was an artist who placed it there in 2016 and after it was found in 2020 many other copycats were made all around the world. It is the most realistic theory for these strange objects. The craze of the monoliths appearing slowed in late 2020 early 2021. Whoever and however these strange objects appeared they are interesting and funny!! Stay Safe and Stay Happy River Hawks!!!
Global Warming Effects
Liana Zeid
Staff writer
2020 tied with 2016 for the warmest year on record. “The last seven years have been the warmest seven years on record, typifying the ongoing and dramatic warming trend,” said GISS Director Gavin Schmidt. “Whether one year is a record or not is not really that important – the important things are long-term trends. With these trends, and as the human impact on the climate increases, we have to expect that records will continue to be broken.” Land ecosystems currently play a key role in mitigating climate change. The more carbon dioxide (CO2) plants and trees absorb, the less CO2 remains trapped in the atmosphere, where it can cause temperatures to rise. But scientists have identified an unsettling trend. Levels of CO2 in the atmosphere increase, 86% of land ecosystems globally are becoming progressively less efficient at absorbing it which is causing global warming, a huge part of climate change.
Earth's average temperature has risen more than 2 degrees Fahrenheit since the 1880s. This is because of a long-term issue, global warming. Global warming is caused by rising greenhouse gas levels from human activities such as burning fossil fuels. “Modern global temperature records extend back to 140 years. NASA and NOAA work together to monitor the global climate and how it’s changing. This year saw record fire and hurricane seasons and near-record low Arctic sea ice extent- all likely consequences of increasing global temperatures.” The NASA video states. The last decade was the warmest on record. Global warming is causing loss of sea ice, rising water levels, longer and more intense heatwaves. This will go on for the long-term and only get worse so it’s important we understand this. “The Covid-19 lockdown has reduced air pollution in many areas allowing more sunlight to reach the surface and producing a small but potentially significant warming effect. These shutdowns also appear to have reduced the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions last year, but overall CO2 concentrations continued to increase, and since warming is related to cumulative emissions, the overall amount of avoided warming will be minimal.”
Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that warms our planet. “The land and the ocean absorb 55% of the carbon dioxide, the rest goes into the atmosphere acting as a blanket.” Plants are getting less efficient at absorbing carbon dioxide as the years go on and more carbon dioxide is getting released into the atmosphere. This created a problem we know as global warming. “In this study, by analyzing the best available long-term data from remote sensing and state-of-the-art land-surface models, we have found that since 1982, the global average CFE has decreased steadily from 21% to 12% per 100 ppm of CO2 in the atmosphere,” said Ben Poulter, study co-author and scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. “In other words, terrestrial ecosystems are becoming less reliable as a temporary climate change mitigator.” Humans are releasing too much carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and the plants aren't absorbing as much, so the carbon dioxide blanket we have around Earth is heating up. This, as you could have guessed, can have many long-term effects. Plants need CO2 to grow and we need them to release oxygen, but plants are becoming less efficient at taking in CO2. As result, more CO2 will be released into the atmosphere and damage the Ozone layer around Earth.
In conclusion, everyone has to do their part in helping stop global warming. This problem will only get worse as time goes on we cannot ignore this. You can do this by growing some plants or walking instead of driving. This is a real problem, so please do your part to help out. The Earth needs your help, so let’s do it together!
2021 Planning
By Ava Dinapoli
Staff Writer
Hello Riverhawks! As many of you know the year 2020 is coming to an end. That means it’s time to take out our planners and start writing! We must plan a bit for 2021, so that we have goals to try and reach throughout the year. David DelPrado, a student at Rio Norte Junior High, states “Setting goals gives you a mindset that will help you throughout the year and gives your year more of a purpose.”
Setting goals!It is extremely important to set goals for yourself. They could be as small as “keep your bedroom clean” or as big as “start standing up for yourself.” These two goals alone could help you have a wonderful 2021. Here is a list of some more examples of goals you can set for yourself.
Speak in class more
Make new friends
Do your chores
Get your homework done on time
Get straight A’s
Procrastinate less
Re-Organize/Re-decorate your bedroom
Go outside more
Get more exercise
Plan out things you wanna do!
Similar to setting goals, plan out a bucket list of things you want to happen in 2021. They can be things like “Visit another state” or “Go to a skatepark” Creating a bucket list is important for two reasons. One, creating a bucket list will give you something to look forward to when times are rough. The second reason is that creating a bucket list make your year a lot better. This is because you will have gotten to do the fun things you wanted to do, but if you hadn’t made a bucket list you might not have been able to do many fun things during the year.
Think about what you want to change.
There is no doubt, you made mistakes during the year of 2020. It’s only normal, every person makes mistakes, but what makes you a great person, is if you can learn from them. Think back over the year of 2020, what are some things that you don’t appreciate how you did. Now take those things and think about how you can make them better. This will put you to a good start in the new year.
Plan Healthy Routines
Often, people want to add more healthy routines to their new year. This can be incredibly important and can help you throughout the rest of your life, that is why you should start making it a habit to be healthy now. Being healthy doesn’t necessarily mean eating healthy food, it can also mean getting enough sleep and exercise. Adding this onto your New Year Plans can benefit you greatly throughout the year. A few examples of what you could plan would be:
Drink more water
Go outside more
Get more sleep
Eat a good amount of food
Good luck with planning your new year out and do what you think is best! Have a wonderful Winter Break Riverhawks!
Yearbook for a Pademic School Year
Nicole Kang
Staff Writer
Everyone has relatable moments. For example, when bored, scanning through the bookshelf and finding yearbooks from previous years. Spending hours looking at it; laughing and smiling, receiving flashbacks from the past. Everything you’ve done, your friends, teachers, and clubs are all recorded in one book.
Creating a yearbook takes a long process. Group of students and staff work very hard to provide us with a well put-together yearbook. Although, this year is different. Due to the Pandemic we all went into distance learning. How do they create it when we are not in person? What kinds of difficulties they had to go through? To answer some of these questions and get to know further about the elective, I requested an interview with the members of the yearbook, Tram Pham and Nia Konstantinova.
“Yearbook is a yearlong elective that consists of a small group of students who are interested in designing and cooperating with others to create a work of their own that will be put in the yearbook. Students in yearbook are very dedicated to their work, so our class always stays on tasks and meets deadlines,” explains Tram, an editor who has five years of experience in Yearbook. This elective is advised by Ms. Bretthauer. There are two main roles: editor or a staff member. There are a total of three editors and they have more responsibilities and work than other staff members do; as they brainstorm ideas, keep up with the deadlines, review pages and finalize and publish the Yearbook at the end. In each group, each member has their own responsibilities and jobs of creating and editing their pages, contributing in group meetings, giving out suggestions, finishing assignments in time, etc.
Tram and other members really enjoy being part of this elective. During the interview she said, “I really like to express my creativity, and yearbook always allows me to do so. Working with others is also really fun to me, and we also have our chances to work independently. It also practices my designing and time management skills, which is a plus. There are many opportunities in yearbook to make friends, find new knowledge, learn things about designing, and that's what I like about it. ”
Yearbooks require applications to get in. It takes responsibility and dedication. This elective should be taken seriously and requires each member's best valued work to be completed properly since it would be seen by the entire school. “To be a qualified candidate for the yearbook team, what we look forward to most is the ability to meet deadlines, time management skills, and teamwork. Creativity is just a plus, because as you work with others you will gain more knowledge, but it is good to have some skills in designing before-hand.”(Tram).
They are using the program called “Yearbook Avenue” to design layouts. According to Nia, a staff member in charge of making pages based on the theme they are going for, “[students] gather up photos and interview the students of Rio Norte to preserve the memories made at this one-of-a-kind school. We have three deadlines in the year that we need to make. Members are paired up with partners and work on a two-page layout assigned to them specifically.” The most difficult part about Yearbook during distance learning is communication. It takes more time and is less efficient; more steps along the way. However, Tram says that they are some positive outcomes as well. For example,”with this distance learning situation, it allows us to create more pages based on covid-19, staying at home, and online school related topics. It creates a more unique yearbook, since this year was completely different.” (Tram).
Thanks to all the staff members in Yearbook for doing your best in producing our yearbooks during the circumstance we are given. Everyone is looking forward to this year’s bizarre and unique yearbook. Lastly, here is the message from Yearbook members to us: “Thank you for always sending us photos when we asked, and thank you for always putting our messages on Rio TV!”
The Anunnaki
By Sharon Alvarado
Staff Writer
Everybody has once believed in aliens at some point of their life; the idea of extraterrestrial beings roaming the earth with their super advanced technology has amazed us. What if I told you that they were real? Living amongst us in places we don't know of; the real creators of human beings, the people that gave us skills and resources. These beings are what we call, “god”.
This all started with the Sumerians, very intelligent people who lived from 4500 - 1900 B.C in Mesopotamia. The Sumerians are one of the earliest known civilizations in that region and are believers of the Anunnaki. It's strange how most education systems do not teach students about these people when they are the sources of how most things work today. They were not ordinary, they invented one of the world's first writing systems, agriculture, and even had knowledge of the solar systems and the earth's rotation. All of this evidence came from Sumerian tablets which are now stored away in the basements of museums. The Sumerians don’t even take credit for their creations, they say the Anunnaki passed it down to them. They view the Anunnaki as god-like figures; their creators, who gave them life to mine gold. The tablets also make references to the bible thousands of years before it was written such as the tree of life, and the first two humans Adam and Eve.
The Annunaki often resemble modern day angels, both named gods of the heavens, large wings, and halo-like head pieces. According to the Sumerian tablets, they came from a planet called Nibiru; when they flew in, they landed on a temple-like building called The Great Ziggurat of Ur. Some theories believe that these beings are what we refer to as “god” since they created the first two humans. In the bible it's Adam and Eve, but in Sumerian text they are Enlil and Enki. But, in the earliest inscriptions during the reign Gudea, Enlil and Enki and two of the “seven gods who decree”, along with An, Ninhursag, Inanna, and Utu.
We do not know if these beings actually exist; On a planet out or even in our solar system, maybe even living with us on earth. These are just theories but there is enough evidence to believe that they are real. If we put all the pieces together, from the Sumerian tablets to the bible references, why humans exist and our purpose truly makes sense. The Anunnaki are just one of many “alien” species to exist, this makes us wonder if they have created more life just like us somewhere out there in the infinite void named the universe.
One Last Meal
By Nicholas Lazar
Staff Writer
Did you know that some prisoners put on death row are allowed to request their last meal? This meal is “special” because they could order and request anything. Quora.com states, “The last meal is traditionally a sign of respect - the inmate is going to be freed from their prison conditions and since the state is going to be ending their life they deserve some humanity. This is also why executed individuals are given the opportunity to say last words.” Last meals range in a wide variety of common meals to exotic meals.
According to aetv.com, some of the most common foods were usually southern comfort food. Fried chicken or fried steak were the popular choices. Often inmates would also choose pies. Although these foods were popular, ice cream, and milkshakes were on the top of the list. Approximately 80% chose the frozen dessert. “[Oklahoma City bomber] Timothy McVeigh had mint chip ice cream and William Bonin [the Freeway Killer] requested chocolate ice cream”, Crystal Ponti wrote.
Some exotic and bizarre meals come from Robert Buell, Odell Barnes, Thomas Grasso, Gary Carl Simmons, Jr., Ricky Ray Rector, and etc. Robert Buell, who was convicted of murdering an 11-year-old girl, ordered a single black, unpitted olive. Odell Barnes, who murdered a nurse, didn’t even order food. According to aetv.com, “He requested justice, equality and world peace.” Double murderer Thomas Grasso wanted canned spaghetti. However, they gave him a can of SpaghettiOs instead. He was so livid, his last words were that he wanted to have it on record because they didn’t honor his choice of food. Gary Carl Simmons, Jr who killed and dismembered his drug dealer ordered a whopping 29,000 calories and ate only part of the food and wasted the food left over. Ricky Ray Rector who killed a police officer and attempted to commit suicide by shooting himself in the head and causing a lobotomy ordered pecan pie. Although he ordered this tasty pie, he said he would eat it later.
This form of respect to the inmates that were about to be executed originated in Texas and spread its way throughout the United States. This tradition is also practiced in a few other countries other than the U.S.
Glory of the Messier Catalog
By Patrick Chiong
Staff Writer
First off, What is the Messier Catalog? The Messier Catalog was started by the Astronomer Charles Messier in the 18th Century and has been revised over the years. The Messier Catalog consists of deep-sky objects that can be seen through most telescopes in the earth's northern hemisphere. Messier objects are extremely popular for amateur astronomers possessing all levels of experience and equipment. Now I wanna go over some of my favorite Messier objects.
M106 is special and looks really cool. M106 is a spiral galaxy, and that sounds pretty normal at first glance, until you notice that instead of one set of arms there's 2, Unless you're a nerd like me that probably means nothing, but for everybody else let me explain it. Normal spiral galaxies have 2 arms made out of stars rotating around a supermassive black hole in the center like our own galaxy, but in this case, there's another set rotating as well, and instead of it being made out of stars it's made up of a red gas and is caused by the violent churning of matter near the black hole. I honestly don’t know how to describe it further so here's a picture. M106 was discovered by one of Charles Messier’s assistants in 1781 and is located 24 million light years away in the constellation Canes Venatici. (Best observed during May)
M45 also known as the seven sisters is an open star cluster of at least a thousand stars, an open star cluster is thousands of stars loosely bound together by gravity. The second picture of the eerie ghost-like interstellar cloud’s journey into one of the biggest stars (seven sisters) to get destroyed. Like fireworks at night, the star's light reflects off the cold gas laced with dust creating a reflection nebula. The seven sisters have been viewed since ancient times and have no real discoverer, but Galileo Galilei was the first to see it through a telescope and is located 445 light years away in the constellation Taurus (Best observed in January)
M16 is known as the eagle nebula, and in the center is the aptly named Pillars of creation. The pillars of creation is a star-forming region within the nebula and hides newborn stars in its wispy pillars. The blue in the picture represents oxygen, red is sulfur, and green is hydrogen and nitrogen. The pillars are illuminated in ultraviolet light from a nearby cluster of young stars, the wind from these stars slowly eroding the towers of gas. The pillars are a really cool but very small landmark in the eagle nebula. The nebula was discovered in 1745 by a Swiss astronomer Jean-Philippe Loys de Chéseaux and is located 7,000 light-years away in the constellation Serpens (Best observed in July)
Now, what is the machine behind the pictures? The Hubble telescope. Now since what the Hubble telescope does is extraordinarily confusing here is a simplified description. The Hubble telescope takes images at specific wavelengths of light, these wavelengths can reveal particular elements in the picture. Multiple pictures can be put together to reveal all characteristics, but that doesn't mean it covers the entire spectrum of light. Colors are assigned to each wavelength to highlight different characteristics. This is a brief summary of the Hubble telescope, but be aware that it doesn't cover the entirety of it. If you want to learn more about the messier catalog here's a link to NASA’s messier catalog. Link :D
Restaurants in a Pandemic
Jakob Yu
Staff Writer
Did you know that ever since the onset of the pandemic, 17% of U.S restaurants or about 110,000 establishments have permanently closed down, with 10,000 closings in the last three months alone? Governors from each state closed down restaurants. The beginning of the pandemic closed down the restaurants. All restaurants mostly shut down around mid of 2020. Restaurants all across the United States closed. Restaurants had to close or shut down due to Covid-19.
Eating at restaurants was when you could spend time with relatives or family and enjoy the excellent food the restaurants are serving. Since the pandemic started, families would either have to take out, eat home-cooked food at home (which is still good), or a rare chance of dining at the restaurant, but with not many people around you. I felt like eating at restaurants was one of the best things I did to spend time with family. Eating at restaurants can be at any time of the week, breakfast, lunch or dinner, and Monday through Friday. Eating at restaurants can also be for when you have to have a business meeting withs homebody, or you're taking your soul mate out somewhere nice.
Within the last two weeks, nearly half of that workforce has been laid off as bars and restaurants were forced to close their doors due to COVID-19. The article states, "Unlike many other small businesses, [restaurants'] cash flow is completely dependent on current business. The bills from 45 days ago are paid with revenue earned today," They had urged congress to step in and support the industry. When a restaurant has a hard time, it affects the worker, but it impacts suppliers, often small-scale, local farmers, who have their employees to support. However, some restaurants and bars are shifting their business models to match the current demand for "shelter in place" eating experiences. These are just examples of fine-dining, fast-casual. And other establishments are meeting the current movement with news concepts and rapid innovation.
For restaurants that managed to stay open this year, the economic picture is still grim. The survey found that 58 percent of both chain and independent restaurants expect to lay off employees during the next three months. Also, most full-service restaurants have seen a 36 percent decline in sales revenue during the pandemic. The survey findings come as restaurants nationwide face another round of lockdowns amid a worsening Coronavirus landscape. Last week, restaurant sales dropped to their lowest level since the start of August. According to UBS research, as cases jumped 10 percent in the U.S, The United States has a total of more than 14 million confirmed COVID 19 cases and 280,000 deaths, according to John Hopkins University.
Even though all restaurants were closed, you could still spend time with family with a home-cooked meal, snacks, or take-out. Also, you don't need to spend time with family by just eating with them you could again watch movies or take a nice walk, but keeping your distance at the same time to be safe. A quote once said by Jim Rohn, "Your family and your love must be cultivated like a garden. Time, effort, and imagination must be summoned constantly to keep any relationship flourishing and growing."
What's Worse than a T-Rex?
Lucca Gomez
Staff Writer
We’ve all heard of the many ancient extinct superspecies known as Dinosaurs. There are many different versions, some are friendly, some are downright terrifying. The most well known is probably the T-rex, the Allosaurus, the Carnotaurus, the Spinosaurus, and many other horrifying carnivorous creatures. But here’s the thing, there are things out there that are even MORE terrifying than a Rex. And for this article, we’re gonna cover 3 of these prehistoric killing machines that not many people know of.
For our first specimen, we have the Anteosaurus. Anteosaurus had a tall, narrow skull, which is 80 centimetres (31 in) long. It was one of the largest known crocodile-like carnivores, as it was estimated at 5–6 m (16–20 ft) in length 500 to 600 kg (1,100 to 1,300 lb) in weight. At first, it was thought to be sluggish, slow, and fat. However, due to recent discoveries, it was shown to have strong, muscular legs to help it move fast and catch prey. These powerful legs also let this creature swim at speeds of up to 45 mph underwater. The teeth are another identifying characteristic of Anteosaurus, as they are very large and it could crush the spine of a fully grown adult human. Not much more is known about these creatures, as they were freshly discovered not too long ago. However, from the information shown, this thing could rip a fully grown human into pieces in just one bite, but the rex would have to loosen up your bones in order to fully swallow you.
And now for our second bloodthirsty exhibit, the Terror Bird. This belligerent being belongs to an extinct clade of large carnivorous flightless birds that were the largest species of apex predators in South America during the Cenozoic era. Their conventionally accepted temporal range covers from 62 to 1.8 million years ago. Ranging from eight to twelve feet tall, it’s a highly aggressive avian that is just barely capable of very brief "flight." Instead, it uses its wings primarily for balance during its high-speed sprints. The Terror Bird also shows interesting traits related to theropods such as Utahraptor, Carnotaurus, and Tyrannosaurus. It has many similar traits, such as general shape and predator patterns, but its attacks tend towards lightning fast dashes and beak slashes. This means that if you were unlucky enough to be this beast’s prey, then you wouldn’t even see it coming before you are instantly slaughtered.
And finally for our 3rd spot in this list of terrifying biological killing machines, we have the Kaprosuchus. A smaller relative of the Sarcosuchus, Kaprosuchus paludentium is water-based carnivore primarily found lurking among Pangea’s swamps. A naturally fast runner that is even faster in the water, it is a solitary hunter that picks off small-to-medium creatures, especially those isolated from their pack. When attacking, Kaprosuchus uses two main tactics. Similar to that of an alligator, it patiently waits below the water surface and when the target is sufficiently close by, will perform a lateral jump that it uses to quickly close distance with its prey and drag it underwater. Secondly, it attacks the prey's vital areas specifically to drain its stamina. These two techniques effectively prevent most creatures from escaping this nightmare-alligator.
So, you make the call on what’s more terrifying. Will it be the Tyrannosaurus Rex, the King of the Dinosaurs? The monster that we’ve seen in many different movies, with teeth the size of bananas and a bite-force of 12,000 pounds? Or will it be something like the Kaprosuchus, the swamp stalking serrated-toothed semi-truck ? Perhaps the Terror bird, with lightning fast attacks? Maybe the Anteosaurus, with bone crushing jaws? Now that you’ve informed yourself about these extinct biological nightmares, you’ll see that the T-rex just isn’t cutting anymore when it comes to being scary.
National Kazoo Day- 1/28
Grace Avelino
Staff Writer
When you think of January, the first thing that comes to mind is probably the start of a new year and all that comes with it, but that isn’t all that happens in January. Every January 28 marks National Kazoo Day. Yes, those little plastic party favors you’ve probably played during a party that make buzzing noises.
Kazoos are percussion instruments, specifically in the mirliton or membranophone family, meaning their noise is produced by a vibrating membrane inside them; not toys. They can be made from metal, plastic, or carved out of wood. There are many different types of kazoos too, for example, there are Soprano, Alto, Tenor, and Kaboom kazoos, that imitate different instruments’ sounds. Kazoos had their breakthrough in the 1920s, where they were played as nice additions in jazz, classic blues, and jug band music. There is also at least one kazoo symphony by the kazoo band led by professional kazooist, Barbara Stewart, called the Kazoophony. The group was the world’s largest kazoo quartet with 5 members.
The kazoo is said to have been created in the 1840s by Alabama Vest and a German clock master named Thaddeus Von Clegg in Georgia, but according to the Kazoo Museum’s curator, Boaz Frankel, the kazoo’s history is much less straight forward. The Kazoo Museum in Beaufort, South Carolina has been beside the Kazoobie Kazoos Factory, the largest kazoo manufacturer in America, since 2010. The museum is currently being renovated to accurately show the uncertain origins of the kazoo, the kazoo’s burst in popularity, the kazoo in pop culture, and the many ways that kazoos are made. The museum has been estimated to be completed during April and May.
The kazoo is said to be the most democratic instrument because pretty much everyone can play it, all you need to do is hum different pitches into the kazoo according to the music teacher, Mr. Gilbert. Some kazoo lovers even are trying to make the kazoo America’s national instrument. The kazoo is a simple, easy to use instrument that is fun for all celebrations. To celebrate this occasion here’s a video of Kazoophony playing for you to enjoy. Happy Kazoo Day!
Work in a Pandemic
Tobin Murray
Staff Writer
You probably already know that you're gonna be stuck learning at home for a while. Or your parents are trying to work from the kitchen counter or from the living room. But hey it's not all that bad, right? Working from home can be very easy, maybe for you, but your parents and other people that have jobs are probably going through a tough time right now, I mean isn’t everybody?
A man named Rob was working for Whole Foods before the pandemic hit. When it did, he lost his job and nearly started living with his Mom! Months into the pandemic, just like that, he had lost his job. He was living in New York City for more than a decade and never thought he would be living in the suburbs again. Because of the pandemic, people have been panic buying and hoarding all sorts of goods and it is making stores go out of business because all of their goods are gone, for new shipments to come in could take months. This can relate to Rio Norte, and other schools, because the pandemic shut everything down and with schools going online, working at home can be very different.
In the article Coronavirus: How the world of work will change forever, it states that, “Healthcare, education, finance and businesses large and small are growing and improving with the help of video communications. This year alone, hundreds of thousands of small business owners – yoga and piano instructors, therapists, accountants and others – maintained and even grew businesses using video to connect with customers.” We are no strangers to Zoom, many people are now using it everyday to talk to their teachers, bosses, and employees. Even concerts are going viral because of them being virtual. Video chats for school, work, or even for entertainment will play a large part in the future. As long as we stay behind the screen, we can be safe.
You have probably heard of Amazon and ordered some masks, sanitizer, and other goods to protect you and your loved ones from Covid-19. Maybe you even bought new school supplies and a computer to join your Zoom class. Another article called, 2 workers on what it’s like to work at Amazon in a pandemic, states that, “Amazon was unprepared to deliver the ungodly amounts of hand sanitizer, toilet paper, and other goods for which customers flocked to the site for about a month.” Most looked on the website and couldn’t find anything, most of the masks and sanitizer was gone, but even school supplies were out of stock for a little while. With the pandemic getting worse and worse, we might be stuck at home for a while now and with people panic buying, most can’t protect themselves when they need to get groceries or pick up a textbook from school. Even when we buy personal protective equipment and sanitizer, hospitals lose most supplies.
With workers still losing their jobs and with the pandemic getting worse, they might not be able to provide the needs for their family or for their child's education. In the article called, “What it’s like looking for work during the pandemic” it says that, “Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, or PUA ($114 per week, plus the $600 weekly federal enhancement), and a $1,200 stimulus check. She had enough to stay housed, fed and current on her bills.” Over 7 million people have lost their jobs, and with 3 to 6 million still waiting for their stimulus checks and unemployment benefits. A woman named Alisa Mitchell was working for a remodeling company and when the governor shut down non-essential businesses, she lost her job and was relying on unemployment benefits to pay her bills, to be fed, and to keep her mobile home. In a span of three months, they stopped giving her the benefits.
“We are all in this together.” Working in the pandemic can be very challenging, most are already losing their jobs because of the pandemic. A student from our school said, “It’s sad to see that so many people are losing their jobs.” Soon over 8 million people will be jobless. All we have to do is wear a mask, stop the spread and maybe this will be over soon.
Different Breeds of Horses
Makenna Scott
Staff Writer
Appaloosa, Belgian Draft, Holsteiner, Halflinger etc. These are just a few of the over 200 different horse breeds living around the world today. Although breeds can look wildly different, they all belong to a single species: Equus caballus.
Over thousands of years, people created different breeds by mating horses that have desirable traits. That’s why the look of a breed is often related to what it’s used for. When these traits get passed down over many generations, a new breed is produced. Two of the three most common breeds are the American Quarter Horse and the Thoroughbreds (two of my personal favorites).
The American Quarter Horse is one of the oldest recognized breeds of horses in the United States. Today, with more than 6 million horses registered, the American Quarter Horse Association is the world’s largest equine breed registry, making the American Quarter Horse the world's most popular horse breed. The requirement of speed and dependability has long been a tenet of the breed. At its April 22, 1940, meeting, the AQHA Executive Committee established: “All Quarter Horses must be able to run a quarter of a mile in twenty-three seconds, or show that they are capable of Quarter Horse Performance under ranch conditions.” To trace the quarter Horse’s origin, we go back to the first millennium, to the creation of the Spanish Barb, the ancestor of the American Mustang. The 1600s then saw crosses between native American horses of Spanish origin and English horses imported to Virginia.
Thoroughbreds have delicate heads, slim bodies, broad chests, and short backs. Their short leg bones allow a long, easy stride. They are sensitive and high-spirited. Averaging 16 hands (64 inches, or 163 cm) high and weighing about 1,000 pounds (450 kg) at maturity, Thoroughbreds are usually bay, chestnut, brown, black, or gray. Outstanding for speed and stamina, they have been combined with and have improved several other breeds of horses. The term thoroughbred is sometimes incorrectly used to mean purebred, but Thoroughbreds are a specific breed, registered in the general Stud Book of the English Jockey Club, organized about 1750, or in other countries. A horse having only one Thoroughbred parent is called a Grade Thoroughbred in the United States and a half-breed in Great Britain. Grade Thoroughbreds may be used as hunters, polo ponies, stock horses, or riding horses, depending on their training.
There are many different types of horse breeds. Some of them are bred for their looks and some are bred for the way they work. For example my dad said “The American Quarter Horse is my favorite because it was the “workhorse” of the old west and because John Wayne used them in his movies.” But he also said “I like the physical attributes of the Quarter Horse as it pertains to its ability to be ridden or pull objects.”
The Day of Love
Jakob Yu
Staff Writer
Jakob Yu
Did you know that American’s buy 58 Million pounds of chocolate every year. The Romans had invented Valentines. Valentine’s death made Valentine's day what it is in the present day. Valentine's day was created in AD 496. Valentine's day was created in Rome. Valentines day was created as a pastoral holiday in honor of the god Lupercus.
Valentine's day is a special day where people show love or affection to their soulmate. People show love by sending flowers, cards, or box shaped hearts that have chocolate inside of them. Valentine's day is always celebrated on the 14th every year. Sending cards to their loved ones started in the 19th century. Now in the 20th century Americans send teddy bears, roses, and chocolates. My friend Matais said that "Valentine's day is the day for pouring out all of your love and empathy to the person you love.:"
Now for the history of Valentines. Valentine was a priest who served in the 3rd century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than men who had wives and kids, he outlawed marriage for young men. Valentines didn't like what Claudis was doing and thought it wrong, so Valentines secretly performed marriages for young lovers. When Claudius discovered when Valentine was doing, Claudius sentenced Valentine to death. Others insisted that Saint Valentine of Terni, a bishop, the real namesake for this holiday. Claudius also beheaded him outside of Rome.
Others suggest that Valentine was killed because he had helped Christians escape harsh Roman prisons where they were tortured. According to another legend, an imprisoned Valentine would send the first "valentine" greeting himself after falling in love with the jailor's daughter. Before his death, he wrote her a letter signed "From Your Valentine." The truth behind the Valentine legend is weird. The story all emphasizes his appeal as a sympathetic, heroic, and most importantly, romantic figure.
Valentine's day is a special day to celebrate with the one you love, but if you don't have a loved one or a soulmate, spend it with your family. You never know when they need some more love from you. A quote said from Frank Morgan "A heart is not judged by how much you love, but how much others love you."
New Year, New You
“Goal, Plan, Action”
Nicole Kang
Staff Writer
A new year resembles a fresh start and a new beginning. Many people like to start their year by creating a vision board or a new year’s resolution for their goals. Although, according to a recent poll on Instagram , about only 43% of people make resolutions and out of the 43%, less than 12% stick to it by the end of the year. They first set off with excitement and a strong mindset, yet by the end of the year they don’t even know what was on their resolution. Most of them have a hard time setting up and maintaining resolutions because they don’t know how to create one that is suited for them.
Here are some tips that could help. First, it needs to be manageable and achievable. In an interview from CNBC Make it with the author of “Badass Habits: Cultivate the Awareness, Boundaries, and Daily Upgrades You Need to Make Them Stick,” Jen Sincero expressed that “One of the main mistakes that we make is we bite off more than we can chew.” She states that the most common mistake people make when starting a resolution is overwhelming themselves. Therefore, try to stay away from goals that are too hard or long term because you will easily burn out and quit. It should be challenging but not impossible. We make resolutions to self reflect and improve as a person not to give ourselves pressure. Keep in mind that your goals don’t have to be perfect or big.
Second, keep it simple but specific. Don’t overload yourself with goals. Keep five goals as a priority, and just mainly focus on achieving them by end of the year. Also, be very detailed about what your goal is and how to accomplish it. “The more specific you get, the better.” (Sincero). Having vague goals might be difficult to focus on what you want and you may lose interest very quickly.
Third, make it public. According to John Norcross, Ph.D., professor of psychology at the University of Scranton says, "Sharing our goals holds us accountable, so it's harder to back out." Share your goals with your friends and families. After you share it with others, you are not the only one tracking your progress. You are setting your reputation, and making yourself trust-worthy, responsible, and/or reliable. Therefore, you would be more motivated to follow through and accomplish your goals.
It’s good to have dreams and ambitions. That’s how you improve and grow in life. Resolutions are a tool that will guide and help you to reach your goals. It’s like a guidebook; a visible route or plan for you to follow. Lastly, please remember that a New Year’s Resolution does not need to be made on January First. Get started on making your own special resolutions now!
"Used" Users
Emma Winter
Staff Writer
The well-known children’s saying ‘sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me’ in our new age, has never been so far from the truth. Every word, post, picture, like, and comment is being watched, monitored, and stored for all the wrong reasons.
In the early 2000s, it was invented and in 2006, it became a dependent part for many Americans. Currently, society lives in an age where we have access to a tool called social media. And like all things, it has both positives and negatives, most of which the general public is aware of. Things like cyberbullying can be controlled and dealt with. Things like depression, anxiety, and time management are well-known. What is less discussed, is more serious. It is the ability for the users of social media to be used by the platform itself.
Social media is one of humanity’s greatest double-edged swords. The miracles of social media are practically endless. It has built strong bridges between hundreds of people all over the world. It is one of the most utilized assets today for any topic, and commonly used apps like Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat allow for people to communicate with friends and see other points of view.
However, there is a negative side to this tool. In an interview with The Harvard Gazette author of “The Age of Surveillance Capitalism,” and business school professor Shoshana Zuboff shed some light on how social media can profile its users and target them through surveillance capitalism.“I define surveillance capitalism as the unilateral claiming of private human experience as free raw material for translation into behavioral data,” Zuboff said after being asked how Facebook, Google, and many others can be applied against their users. “...[The] data are then computed and packaged as prediction products and sold into behavioral futures markets… But I argue that surveillance capitalism is no more restricted to that initial context than, for example, mass production was restricted to the fabrication of Model T’s” (Zuboff, paragraph 8). Later, Zuboff explained that media companies use “behavioral data, more than what they needed for services, and used it to compute prediction products that they could sell to their business customers, in this case, advertisers,” (Zuboff, paragraph 8). According to Zuboff many of the general users of these platforms are oblivious to the darker dealings of their personal information. “Right from the start at Google, it was understood that users were unlikely to agree to this unilateral claiming of their experience and its translation into behavioral data. It was understood that these methods had to be undetectable. So from the start, the logic reflected the social relations of the one-way mirror. They were able to see and to take — and to do this in a way that we could not contest because we had no way to know what was happening” (Zuboff, paragraph 9). Unfortunately, this type of grouping and categorization of social media and search company users is not only used and sold to advertisers.
Not only advertising has taken advantage of the immense personal user data collected on social media but governments as well. These examples can travel from Hong Kong to China, and then use social media to assess population and citizen scores. Even social media in the United States has been used to detect immigration threats as seen in 2017 when the Department of Homeland Security published the new requirement in the Federal Register, saying it would collect social media data to be added to an applicant’s immigration file.
In 2019 a new report from Freedom on the Net states that nine in every 10 internet users are being actively monitored online. According to the report, 89% of the world’s internet users are being actively monitored, which is around 3 billion people. Sixty-five countries covered in the report, there are another forty that “have instituted advanced social media surveillance programs” (Freedom of the Net, 14). “Once the preserve of the world’s foremost intelligence agencies,” Freedom on the Net warns, “this form of mass surveillance has made its way to a range of countries, from major authoritarian powers to smaller or poorer states that nevertheless hope to track dissidents and persecuted minorities.” Even some of the most well-known media platforms today are guilty of collecting personal data and information. In 2018, Facebook and a political data-analytics firm named Cambridge Analytica were involved in a massive data breach. The political data-analytics firm acquired personal data from over 87 million Facebook users. The Cambridge Analytica scandal may have exposed some of the raw truth about data security and manipulation on social media, but it is a far cry from being enough. Many of the tools are new and “through link analysis,” they use processing formulas to “assign meaning or attitude to social media posts,” and to gather data for information about “past, present, or future locations.”
The question of “is my data being stored, sold, and monitored” is no longer debatable. The answer is yes, but the question that matters most is whether or not you want to care about it. In perspective, to some people, data collecting is simply the price of having social media in the first place. Some people don’t view it as a negative thing. Some people do. However, everyone has a right to be aware that by using almost all types of popular media platforms, they become the users, and the users are being used.
Screen Addicts
Andrew Kazaryants
Staff Writer
If you have ever noticed how much you have watched a movie or TV show during quarantine, you were most likely shocked how long you were watching for. Streaming devices such as Netflix and Disney + have gained a lot of popularity through-out quarantine and many people may have noticed how popular they really are. People at home everyday watch TV shows and Movies during quarantine. If it’s on their TV, phones, Ipads, or whatever else people use, these things are main devices that homes may have for you to watch certain things at any time you want. Here at Rio Norte, many people watch TV shows or movies during normal times, and now that you are stuck at home, it is one of the main things to do.
A study that shows how screen time is now up 31% over quarantine can only lead to the idea that the popularity of movies and shows are gaining rapidly. People are now spending a daily average of six hours and 25 minutes watching different things on their devices. During quarantine, an average person will spend up to 1 hour everyday on a streaming service and could go on for hours after. To show this as a visule, twelve million new people have signed up for streaming services or TV providers during quarantine. This shows how popular the idea of watching your favorite movie or show is getting.
Cable TV was somewhat popular before quarantine with not many people watching, as they were too addicted to streaming devices. But now, more than 39% of people are getting cable TV or increasing their consumption of it. An analysis by media editor, “Amol Rajan” states, “In the age of information overload, our attention is the most precious resource. These days we devote ever more of it to screens. And that was before lockdown.The surge in screen viewing through the pandemic is genuinely extraordinary.” He explains how even though TV shows and movies were popular before quarantine, the time people use on them today is a lot more.
Old shows have really started to shine during quarantine and their popularity is slowly returning. Shows such as “The Office” or “Friends” have gained massive popularity even though they were made years ago. Because of the resurgence of these old shows, streaming devices and cable TV have started to add old shows onto their variety of selections. According to Netflix, “Over 100 million viewers have started to watch shows they used to watch and have begun watching new ones as well.” Old shows being added brings people in, letting streaming devices and other things gain viewership.
A vision for the future is most likely going to be people looking at screens almost all day long. People during quarantine have stepped up their game of watching stuff for long periods of time and if you have noticed, you would be shocked at the screen time you have. People’s screen time before quarantine and during quarantined have clearly advanced by many hours and there's a high chance yours has too.
Study Tips
By Alivia Yang
Staff Writer
While studying can be hard, brutal, and ruthless, these are some tips you might want to use again and again. People every day might think that studying is impossible, when it's only challenging. Every obstacle can be overcome, even the most difficult ones. As you read this article, you will get various tips on how to study like a boss.
My favorite way to study is by rewarding yourself. It doesn't hurt to relax or have a snack. Doing this might calm you down and look at things from another perspective. You can watch TV, take a bath, or eat. BELIEVE IT OR NOT, Dark chocolate is full of antioxidants and flavanols, which can improve energy, focus, concentration, memory and can help regulate moods. So try to Aim for ½ to one ounce per day. If you want a quick snack, chocolate is a yes!!
This might sound weird, but another way to study can be putting on a fragrance. If I lost you already, let me explain. While you study, you can put perfume or cologne and use the same scent while taking the test. Calming Lavender scents can make you remember what you learned better. And on the plus side, you’ll smell REALLY good.
Creating stories with information. When you make something fun, you will most likely recall it. An example could be “P.E.M.D.A.S”. Most teachers would want you to remember “p = parentheses, e = exponent, m = multiplication, d = division, a = addition, and s = subtraction, but a fun way of not forgetting “P.E.M.D.A.S.” is “p = please, e = excuse, m = my, d = division, a = aunt, s = sally. Also, if you make stories using this tip, it could help make studying a little less dull especially when you got an all-nighter to work on.
When you are finished with your dinner and are about to go deep-sleep, attempt to work for just a few more minutes. Research shows that your brain builds up the current memories while you're sleeping. This helps you remember those irritating formulas in math and science.
Multitasking is a myth. For example, While you think you're “killing two birds with one stone” by studying and texting, you're actually creating deficient work habits. Researchers believe that “multitasking” ultimately may damage your grades.
Fun fact: Losing one night's sleep can impair reasoning and memory for up to four days. I hope that these tips will help you succeed on your studies and tests. If you wish to hear more articles, please read more of Norte News!
Mechagodzilla
By Lucca Gomez
Staff writer
How would you feel if you saw a nuclear powered robot in the shape of Godzilla, running at you using a Proton Scream and retractable shoulder mounted missile launchers? Honestly, a creature of this magnitude, being controlled by the subconscious of an evil golden space hydra would make anyone
soil themselves. This mechanical monstrosity I just described to you is Mechagodzilla in 2021, but he wasn’t always this technologically advanced. In this article, I will be walking you through the technological evolution of Mechagodzilla, and how he was influenced by technology throughout the decades.
Starting with the very beginning, the 70’s. The military only had created Integrated circuits, and long-range missile launchers. Based on these weapon advancements, this incarnation of Mecha featured missiles that shot from it’s fingers, toes, and knees, a rainbow-colored eye-beam, and a lightning bolt cannon on its stomach. He was controlled manually by a human pilot in it’s head, but the hacker planted an AI software into Mechagodzilla, so that someone could control robo-zilla remotely.
Fast forward 10 years, and now we’re in the 80’s. At this point in time, Laser Fibre Optics, medium ranged missiles, and modern pulse control were invented. Therefore, Mecha no longer had eye beams. However, he did have rainbow-colored laser breath (dubbed the Mega Buster), electric finger missiles, electric harpoons, Paralyzer missiles near its shoulders, and a more powerful, orange belly beam now named the MASER Cannon. He was controlled remotely in a command center, and also was coated in diamond-like sheets for armour. Since technology had advanced, so did Mecha, in the sense that he had gotten stronger and faster.
Now, we find ourselves in the 90’s. High Tech in the 90’s included Heavy Hydrogen-Helium mixtures, Hypersonic Missiles, and “Plasma Grenades.” Due to these new advancements, a new, virtually invincible Mechagodzilla was created. After its completion, It was dubbed the C-44S Kiryu (pronounced Keer-ree-yoo). However, this beast of a mechanical marvel did have limited power, so he was only active for about 16 hours at a time. His weapons did require most of his power, but the result was awesome. He had twin rapid fire railguns on both of his arms, a lightning based mega buster (mouth beam), a chest mounted electron MASER cannon, and twin gigantic shoulder-mounted X-R334 railguns. Like previous Mechas, he was mostly controlled by humans remotely. However, due to Kiryu being built over the skeleton of the original 1954 Godzilla, or Gojira, the Ghost of 1954 Godzilla was able to POSSESS Kiryu. Yeah, you heard me right. POSSESS.
Now, we move onto the final Robo-zilla incarnations in the 2000’s. In the 2000’s, hundreds of new weapons and attack categories were created. This mostly included Long ranges missiles, artillery cannons, Bombs, and Nuclear Weapons. Now, keeping all this in mind, let’s take a look at the 2nd newest mecha, Reiwa Mechagodzilla. He did have weapons, but not many, as this was merely a prototype that was destroyed by Godzilla in the 2018 “King of Earth” movies. He could shoot giant blades out of his hands, had a head mounted nuclear laser cannon, a giant lance that was mounted on his chest, and extremely heat resistant armour. He was not piloted by a human, but a fully self-conscious AI program. No one managed to hack it, thank God, but It was always trying to anticipate Godzilla’s next move whenever it could.
Now, for the final Mechagodzilla incarnation (for now), Mechagodzilla GVK. At this point, Weapon tech has officially gone too far. The military is now working on a particle laser beam rifle, machine gun, and pistol. Which kind of explains what this newest mechagodzilla has to offer for us. This incarnation of Mechagodzilla’s weapons include a radiation based mouth laser (dubbed the Proton Scream), new retractable shoulder mounted missile launchers, jet boosters for extra agility, rotating drill hands and tail for piercing enemies, and punches and kicks that are powered by the radiation in the Earth’s Core. Originally, this Mechagodzilla is controlled by a pilot, but (like Kiryu) the humans are tricked by a golden space hydra named King Ghidorah (Godzilla’s greatest enemy) through his subconscious. This made the humans build the mecha, so that Ghidorah could take control of it and get his revenge on Godzilla.
Mechagodzilla has been evolving throughout these many years, due to the various technological advancements in the real world. Yes, the movies are a bit more eccentric, but we wouldn’t be able to see them without the influence of modern technology. He began with just Integrated circuits, that allowed mecha to act out simple commands. Now, in 2021, he has a Proton Scream, similar to the new experimental plasma cannon created by U.S military scientists. His transformation has been shown before our very eyes, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for our dear Mechagodzilla.
New Year's 2021
As the days go by, so do the holidays! New Years is coming and it's going to be greatly altered New Years without family, is not New Years at all. Let's hear from three students that are celebrating New Years and find out what's going to be changed.
Jenna Kim from Rio Norte Junior High says, “I usually get together with relatives, but because of Covid, I can't”. Jenna also loves when she spends quality time with her distant families. Jenna enjoys spending New Years with her loved ones, but it changed for the hope that her and her family would be safe.
Farah and Hana Mbem’s normal New Year's Day is to invite a friend or family member to their home. But things are about to change. “I usually have someone come over for a while and then they leave and I stay up til midnight and now I can't do that.” Unfortunately both of them can no longer have someone in their residence. Covid has affected California harshly and inviting someone over can make it worse. They can still have dinner with their family and spend the holidays safely indoors.
Most New Years Eves with my family are spent at my grandparents house eating good food. However, now we can’t go to their house without being anxious of spreading an illness. Many people in the world aren’t going to have distant friends or family to celebrate with them. But we can still make the most of it by doing a video call or facetime.
Covid might be here for a while and it's important to keep in touch. I know Jenna, Hana, and Farah are going to have a great New Years this year, and hopefully every year after that too!
The Legend of Krampus
By Aleyda Santos
Staff Writer
Everyone is familiar with the name Santa Claus. That Jolly old man with a big belly who makes his way from house to house on christmas eve to deliver toys to the well behaved kids. Here in the US, some may know of Saint Nick’s european heritage, but only few know of his dark companion, Krampus. That name doesn’t sound familiar to you does it? It’s a name that once terrified children in the month of joy and warmth. If you were a misd-behavied kid, let’s just say you would pray to get coal in your stocking rather than a visit from the ”christmas devil.”
The legend of the Krampus dates back centuries, originating as a German Christmas tradition during the 12th century. Starting in early December, the children of Germany would hear whispers of a dark haired creature bearing horns and fangs, carrying a bunch of birch sticks used to swat naughty children. According to traditional narratives of Alpine folklore, the Krampus would enter the towns, lashing his chains and bells, to capture the bad children. Stubborn children caught by Krampus are spanked, whipped and even shackled to be spirited away in either a basket or barrel to Krampus' lair. Once they are there, they receive further punishment until they are repentant.
The Krampusnacht (Krampus Night) would occur the evening before December 6th (St. Nicholas Day), when the nice German children were rewarded with presents in their boots.The name Krampus is derived from the Old High German word for "claw." This seven foot tall, hairy creature is depicted as having bulging eyes, a whip-like tongue, pointed ears and horns atop his head. He carries a pitchfork or, more traditionally, a bundle of birch switches, to menace children as he travels through town on a pair of mismatched feet: one cloven hoof, the other a bear-like claw. Similar to how people would describe Satan.
Krampus festivals throughout Alpine communities kick off the holiday season with townspeople dressing in Krampus costumes, running through the streets and putting a scare in the youngsters. After the children have been given a proper fright to ensure they stay on the straight and narrow, the rowdy Krampus are rewarded with holiday spirits, traditionally with beer and schnapps.
If you’re a fan of both Christmas and Halloween, I would say this is a perfect holiday to get into.
The Story of the Christmas Tree
By Daniel Jeong
Staff Writer
Christmas, one of the most popular and beloved holidays during the winter months. This holiday is commonly represented by the Christmas tree. One may believe that the tradition of hauling trees into our personal households and decorating them would not have much history behind them. However, the history behind these trees dates back to the time of ancient Egypt and Rome.
There are a bunch of legends of who originated the christmas tree, who started, and how it was created. Firstly, a triangular construction of wood was created to hold Christmas figurines that was decorated with evergreens, candles, and a star. By the 16th century the Christmas pyramid and the paradise tree had merged, becoming the Christmas tree.
The Christmas tree was popularized within the mid-19th century by German-born Sovereign Albert, spouse of Ruler Victoria. The Victorian tree was enhanced with toys and little endowments, candles, candies, popcorn strings, and favor cakes hung from the branches by strips and by paper chains.
Another legend that has not been demonstrated is that Martin Luther is capable of the beginning of the Christmas tree. This story says that one Christmas Eve, around the year 1500, he was strolling through the snow-covered woods and was struck by the excellence of the snow sparkled trees.
In conclusion many legends are true but all of the stories originate from Christians and Germany and was popularized by Albert and Ruler Victoria. Also Brian Kim, another fellow journalist, states during a conversation of how his Christmas goes, “We celebrate Christmas by exchanging gifts and playing games with my family.”
The Origins of Eggnog
By Creselle Marquez
Staff Writer
Eggnog: a classic sweet drink for the holidays, but where does it come from? Keep reading to find out where this festive eggy beverage comes from!
First of all, where did the term eggnog originate? Turns out, the answer is fairly debated over. Most people agree eggnog surfaced in the late 1700s, but the word's roots are what historians argue over. The Oxford English Dictionary claims the term comes from the fusion of the words egg and nog—a strong beer from England. However, Frederick Douglass Opie, a food history professor, says that eggnog sprung from the phrase egg-n-grog. Egg-n-grog refers to what the mixture of egg and grog (rum) in a wooden mug (noggins) was called in colonial times; Time magazine also agrees with this theory. Which one do you agree with?
Now, onto where the actual brew's origins are. Eggnog has been around since at least the 13th century, proven with records of monks drinking an eggnog-like beverage: posset. According to James Humes, a historian and author, posset was an English drink for the rich—as "the average Londoner rarely saw a glass of milk." The egg brew spread to many places, adjusting to the locals' tastes. For instance, they added coconut milk and rum in Puerto Rico and added beer in Germany—though it was more of an egg soup. The drink finally became associated with the holidays in the 1700s, when it came to the US from the UK.
I hope you learned something new about eggnog today! Happy Holidays, River Hawks!
Raising Grades
By Savannah Gordillo
Staff Writer
As you might know, here at Rio Norte quarter one just came to an end. This means that teachers closed grades and we all moved on to quarter two. But were you happy with your final grades? If not, then have you thought about how you would go about raising them? Grades are important, they are a big part of determining what type of college you go to, and college is a huge part of what type of job you get in the future.
A few things to try if you want to raise your grades are..
Study more for tests and quizzes
-create flashcards for yourself and have a family member/friend quiz you.
-be sure to find a quiet area where you can focus.
Pay attention in class and ask questions if you need help
-always know that you are not the only person with your question, so be brave and ask for help!
-if you are still too shy, type privately in the chat box to your teacher or stay on zoom after class.
Stay organized
-keep your work from different classes divided
-the most practical way to do this (since everything is online right now) is by creating folders on your device and keeping your work for each class in separate folders.
Don’t procrastinate
-grab a snack and do your homework right after classes end, don’t wait.
Take notes
-taking detailed notes during class can help you memorize the information and even study for tests.
Complete classwork/homework on time
-turn in your work by the due date for full credit.
-put effort into your work as well.
Gina Burns, a counselor at Rio Norte, says that grades “reflect a student's motivation work ethic and they help us with placement in future classes.” She also mentioned that most of the students that go to her for advice for their grades often have a tough time prioritizing activities and tend to wait until the last minute to complete assignments and study for tests and quizzes. She suggested that if one is struggling with their grades, then they should try to “put some time management strategies in place by using a calendar to schedule schoolwork and activities that would help a lot. Using creative study skills is also very helpful and studying a little bit everyday instead of trying to cram the night before really helps.” Mrs. Burns also explained that students can find their grades on Infinite Campus and recommended for students, as well as parents, to check grades every week.
Try out some, if not all, of these methods and make it your goal to raise your grades by the end of quarter two. Good luck Riverhawks!
The Origin of Santa
By Symone Adams
Staff Writer
The people who celebrate Christmas have definitely heard of St. Nicholas, also known as Santa Claus or Father Christmas. However, many people don’t know the history behind Santa Claus.
St. Nicholas
Hundreds of years before Santa Claus, there was St. Nicholas. Supposedly, St. Nicholas was born around 280 A.D. in Patara, Turkey. He was very popular after it was said he gave away all his wealth to help the poor and ill. After many years of helping the sick, poor and children, his popularity grew. On the anniversary of his death, (December 6) many families gathered to have big feasts. The day was also known as a very lucky day to get married and to buy expensive items. Even during the Renaissance, St. Nicholas had become the most popular and idolized saint in Europe.
How Santa Came to America
St. Nicholas first came to America in December, 1773 and 1774, after a newspaper in New York described that Dutch families were congregating to honor his death. Originally before Americans started calling him Santa Claus they called him Sinter Klaas, which is dutch for St. Nicholas’s nickname, Sint Nikolaas. After Washington Irving (a short-story writer) spread stories of Sinter Klaas through his books in 1809, Sinter Klaas became more popular throughout America.
A Student’s Take
A 7th grader at Rio Norte, Kambili Ugochukwu, was interviewed about if they know the history behind Santa Claus. When asked if she knew about how Santa Claus came to be she said “I don’t really know anything about the history.” Although she said that she knew who St. Nicholas was, when Kambili was also asked why it would be important for people to know the history behind Santa Claus, she voiced that “It is important because Santa Claus is really important for kids and it helps them be more grateful about their presents”. Kambili even expresses that she hopes to learn more about the origin of Santa Claus.
Hopefully, many people have learned how a big figure in Christmas has come to be. Happy holidays Riverhawks and don’t forget the history behind Santa!
Black Friday
By Symone Adams
Staff Writers
Remember that day when people go out and rush to take things off the shelves in stores? Well that day is Black Friday and it’s going to be a lot different this year. Many holidays and events are going to be different this year since there was the strike of COVID-19, but Black Friday will probably be an event impacted the most. People won’t be lining up at department stores anymore, or if they are, they are six feet apart and wearing masks. Humanity won’t go crazy like they usually do and people may have to order everything online. Many of us don’t know what’s really going to happen on that weekend because it’s still a little too early to tell.
What’s Black Friday?
For those who don’t know what Black Friday is, it’s the day after Thanksgiving (this year on November 27) where many stores have huge deals on clothes, technology devices and many more things. Claimed by BusinessInsider.com, this shopping holiday was first started on September 24, 1869 after two bankers Jim Fisk and Jay Gould made the price of gold go up and they began a crash that day, apparently that’s why people call it Black Friday. Even though this shopping holiday does have its perks it also has its flaws. Black Friday is also an infamous holiday, some people think of it as the day where people go crazy over these sales and stampede each other in the store. Since COVID-19 has entered the world it looks like it will be online and Black Friday won’t be the same again.
Will Black Friday be the same as last year?
We still don’t know all the information yet but the answer to the essential question is no. Many of us will have to do Black Friday online or if we go in store we will possibly have limited amounts of time and we will have masks on. There are some advantages to Black Friday being different this year though, according to BlackFriday.com the deals will be lower and Black Friday will be coming sooner and lasting longer. Another benefit is that people won’t get injured being trampled if there were many people in stores.
Numerous of us love shopping and finding deals and countless of us have a liking for this holiday, but we should admit that it will not be the same as all of the other years. Black Friday will be very different this year so we'll just have to wait and see what happens. Set your reminders for November 27 Riverhawks!
90's Comeback
By Sofia Catanzarite
Staff Writer
Who doesn’t love a good fashion throwback? So, if you don’t then tough luck cause that is what we are talking about today. So, let’s get to it.
Clothing
The first category we will be looking at is clothing. One of the most popular items on our list today is biker shorts. You could see tons of stylish girls rocking these shorts last summer. Next on the list is matching plaid sets. Too much plaid can be a little overwhelming, but if Cher can make it work then so can you. The next thing we will be looking at is wide-legged pants. Wide-legged pants are super cute if you wear it with a tight fitting shirt to balance out the flowy-ness of the outfit. Celebrities like Jennifer Anistion and Rihanna have helped give these pants some well deserved popularity again. Denim jackets with patches are another style that has come back. The patches could be simple or crazy. The rest of the fit depends on how busy the patches are.
Accessories
Bucket hats, leather chokers, and cat-eye glasses are some of the many accessories from the 90’s that have resurfaced in the world of fashion. Another style that's a thing again is chain belts. These stylish metal belts have made a comeback, and I'm not complaining. Fanny Packs have been growing in popularity since they were reintroduced in mid to late 2019. High end brands such as Gucci, Channel, and even Luis Vitton have made their own fanny packs. Scrunchies are back. Which I thought we would all know by now, but these stylish, fluffy hair ties can add a splash of color to any outfit. Bucket hats have come back. You have started to see them popping up everywhere since about late July this year. Mini backpacks are here again. They are one of Disneyland's most seen items being carried around. Who brings a full size backpack just for their wallet, chapstick, and maybe sunglasses when you could bring a mini backpack that has just enough room for all of that stuff.
Shoes
One of the most important parts of your fit is your shoes. Some of the shoes that have made a name for themselves again are adidas slides. Some of the cutest casual sandals. They can go with almost every outfit out there. They are good for going to the store, or the beach, or pool. Platform sneakers are back again, so you can look taller without making it look like you are trying to look taller. I haven’t really seen them, but apparently they are back. Next up is whit shoes such as air force ones, vans, and adidas. These plain white shoes go with almost any casual fit. Combat boots are back and trendier than ever. These boots can be part of any outfit during fall or winter. They go with skirts, jeans, sweater, whatever you can think of.
When it comes to fashion trends seen to die out then resurface. Everyone has their own creative and unique styles. Be you and be creative. Do what makes you happy. Wear what you want, and don’t be afraid to be creative with your style.
Thanksgiving Around the World
By Cayden Hobreker
Staff Writer
“There is always something to be grateful for,”-Rhonda Bryne. Thanksgiving is an important holiday that is often overlooked. It is important to be thankful for what you have and it is great that we have a day set out every year to do that. Thanksgiving isn’t only a day where you talk about what you're thankful for. It is also a time to hang out with your friends and family, experience your culture and have great food. Thanksgiving is not just celebrated in the United States though. It is celebrated in many other countries in different and unique ways. In each country, Thanksgiving is celebrated differently. It is on a different day and people from different countries even eat different foods on Thanksgiving. No matter where Thanksgiving is celebrated, it is an important holiday that should not be overlooked.
United States
This year, Thanksgiving in the United States is celebrated on November 26.
On Thanksgiving, Americans usually eat foods such as turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, pie, cranberry sauce, stuffing and rolls.
In the United States, Thanksgiving is usually celebrated with large gatherings of communities, family and friends. Feasts and festivals are also used to celebrate and during these celebrations everyone eats, says what they are thankful for and enjoys spending time together.
Brazil
This year, Thanksgiving in Brazil is celebrated on November 26.
On Thanksgiving, Brazilians eat turkey (also known as “Peru”), corn stuffing, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes and pie.
There are not many festivals used to celebrate Thanksgiving in Brazil, but there is a large homemade feast in every household and family and friends gather together to celebrate.
Canada
This year, Thanksgiving in Canada was celebrated on October 12.
On Thanksgiving, Canadians eat turkey, ham, chicken, corn, fall veggies such as squash, sweet potatoes, pie, mashed potatoes, stuffing and gravy.
One unique thing about how Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving is they don’t always have a feast on Thanksgiving day. Students and working adults usually get the day off for Thanksgiving which means they have a three day weekend, so many families actually have a Thanksgiving feast a few days before Thanksgiving. Also in Canada, many people go on fall vacations and even celebrate with harvest festivals.
Norfolk Island
This year, Thanksgiving in Norfolk Island is celebrated on November 25.
On Thanksgiving, Norfolk Islanders eat bananas, chicken and roast pork.
Norfolk Islanders started celebrating Thanksgiving when Americans came in whaling ships to the island in the 1800’s. They now celebrate with church services, religious gatherings and a special lunch which is their Thanksgiving feast.
Leiden
This year, Thanksgiving in Leiden is celebrated on November 26.
On Thanksgiving, Leidenaars eat turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes and vegetables.
In Leiden, an annual Thanksgiving celebration is held at a gothic church called the Pieterskerk. This is where one of the pilgrim leaders was buried and they have a celebration here to honor him. There is also an American Pilgrim Museum in Leiden which many Leidenaars attend on Thanksgiving day and of course they also have a feast.
Puerto Rico
This year, Thanksgiving in Puerto Rico is celebrated on November 26.
On Thanksgiving, Puerto Ricans eat turkey and mashed potatoes as well as rice, pork shoulder, potato salad and desserts such as flan and a coconut pudding called tembleque.
In Puerto Rico, Thanksgiving is celebrated with a giant feast. There are not many other Thanksgiving celebrations in Puerto Rico, but you can find Puerto Ricans at the beach after their Thanksgiving meal.
Grenada
This year, Thanksgiving in Grenada was celebrated on October 25.
On Thanksgiving, Grenadians eat turkey, canned yams, potato and cranberries.
Thanksgiving in Grenada is celebrated with special ceremonies, festivals and church services. As like many other countries, Thanksgiving in Grenada is a national holiday and almost everyone gets the day off.
Liberia
This year, Thanksgiving in Liberia was celebrated on November 5.
On Thanksgiving, Liberians eat mashed cassavas, green bean casserole and roasted chicken. They also usually add extra spice to everything using cayenne pepper.
Music plays a big role in Thanksgiving celebrations in Liberia. Liberians mainly hold celebrations where they spend time with family and friends while singing and dancing. Unlike many other countries that celebrate Thanksgiving, there is no rule for the date of the Liberian Thanksgiving. For example, Thanksgiving in the United States is always on the last Thursday of November and Thanksgiving in Canada is always on the second Monday in October.
Thanksgiving is usually celebrated with large groups of people and community gatherings and festivals, but because of the Covid-19 pandemic, Thanksgiving will be different this year. Many community gatherings have been cancelled and festivals have gone virtual. Most gatherings are also limited to less than ten people outdoors. Although Thanksgiving celebrations will be different this year, all that matters is we spend time with our close friends and family and remember the true reason we celebrate Thanksgiving. We don’t just celebrate to have good food, although that is definitely a bonus. We celebrate Thanksgiving to recognize how fortunate we are and to be thankful for what we have. “Now is not the time to think of what you don’t have. Think of what you can do with what you do have,”- Ernest Hemingway. Have a great week off and Happy Thanksgiving Riverhawks!
Student Spotlight: Stephanie Croisdale
By Creselle Marquez
Staff Writer
Norte News has covered some teachers, so why not get to know some students too? Today, we will be filling you in on an 8th grader: Stephanie Croisdale!
What was Stephanie's favorite thing at Rio Norte?
The staff who aid and care for the students is her favorite part of Rio Norte. She also enjoys the freedom and responsibility that junior high offers. “We have to remember all the homework that is assigned…we need to get to classes on time, and students get to become more independent with decision making…” she specifies.
What's Stephanie's favorite thing to do out of school?
Hanging out with her family and pets is one of her preferred pastimes. “I am constantly busy taking care of them [her pets] and playing with them,” Stephanie states. It's no wonder why she regularly has her hands full taking care of her pets—she has eight pets: two dogs, a horse, a pony, and four chickens! She also enjoys playing the ukulele, baking, girl scouting, singing, and baton twirling.
What are Stephanie's talents?
Because of her passion for horses, Stephanie learned how to horseback ride at around six years old. Gymnastics is also a talent of hers. Additionally, she knows how to sing and play the ukulele. After struggling with the guitar for a bit, she shifted her focus to the ukulele. Grace Vanderwaal's performance on America's Got Talent inspired Stephanie to learn how to play the instrument. Meeting a famous composer, Ryan Shore, also motivated her.
What are Stephanie's plans for the future?
“The future is full of possibilities and I am not totally sure what my plans are just yet, but I do have a few ideas on what I want to do,” Stephanie admits. She's considering going to Academy of the Canyons for high school, though she doesn't want to be overwhelmed with homework. She also wants to work on her talents further; specifically writing original songs and riding her horse without a saddle. Stephanie is fascinated by aircraft, so she is interested in a career relating to planes.
If Stephanie could have a superpower, what would it be?
She would choose super speed or teleportation to get her work done faster. She would also like those powers to visit people whenever she pleases and get to places quicker. “This way I would have more time for myself and have homework done in less time, I wish,” she adds.
Her advice for other students:
She advises her fellow students to be confident in your skills and to be diligent. “When you have a goal and really put your mindset on it, then you will get excited and will want to achieve it, no matter how long it takes,” Stephanie claims. She recommends setting aside all distractions, being organized, and completing work on the day it was assigned.
If you like this article, keep your eyes peeled for the next student spotlight! Stay positive, River Hawks!
Get to Know Mr. Bibicoff
By Ava Dinapoli
Hello Riverhawks! We were lucky enough to be able to interview the advanced art teacher, Mr. Bibicoff, about his career in art and a bit about his personal life. Make sure to check out his students’ work after reading the interview!
1. What inspired you to be an art teacher?
After several years of working as an Art Director in publishing and advertising, I wanted to go back to working with students. During most of my undergrad program in Art (1981 to 1985), I was a Teacher Assistant in the Math Department at Pacoima Junior High School. This foundation I had with students meant so much more so I went back to college and received my teaching credential.
2. When did you start teaching art?
My first teaching job was in 1992 at Lancaster Middle School.
3. What is different about teaching art online?
Online learning for a Visual Arts Teacher is very different. The most significant difference as a teacher is that I am not able to circulate about the classroom and assist students with creative and technical growth in the Visual Arts. As for students, the comradery that takes place working in a Visual Art Studio environment is a plus.
4. How do you think your students are handling learning art through zoom?
I think that the paradigm shift to online learning is working well. Changes in life require time and patience. Students have adapted and are doing well. Technology and the Visual Arts is very relevant and is not going away anytime soon.
5. Do you have any hobbies outside of art that you enjoy?
I enjoy cardio workouts, long walks (especially in nature), and I truly enjoy listening to a lot of music. My musical tastes include rock, blues, folk, and jazz.
Thank you so much Mr. Bibicoff for taking this interview and sharing some of your students’ amazing work! Have a wonderful day Riverhawks and please remember to look through the artwork made by the advanced art students!
Thanksgiving in a Pandemic
By Savannah Gordillo
Staff Writer
Thanksgiving is right around the corner and people can’t celebrate like they used to due to the pandemic. They can’t travel or visit family or friends. This doesn’t mean no turkey or stuffing though, you can still have an enjoyable thanksgiving without risking getting Covid.
A few things you can do are…..
Celebrate virtually
-get on a zoom call with your family or friends and eat your planned meals together.
Order food
-take a break and order food for yourself and those who live with you
Enjoy yourself
-use thanksgiving day to focus on yourself and do things you enjoy
Hang out with those you live with
-take this time to get off your devices and just hang out with those who already live with you
Be generous to others
-prepare food and give it to neighbors or family/friends without direct contact
Send care packages
-send friends fun care packages and see what you get back
Play games with loved ones
-get on a zoom call and play a virtual game with friends/family
These are only a few of many things you can do to have a fun Thanksgiving in the middle of a pandemic. If you are still planning to visit family and friends though, be sure to wear a mask, stay 6 feet apart from those who don’t live with you, wash your hands constantly, and even bring disinfectant wipes. Have a fun Thanksgiving Riverhawks!
Effects of Vaping
By Sam Frederick Conson
Staff Writer
Teens using e-cigarettes show evidence of having the same toxic chemicals inside them as smokers. As researchers continue to study, a new report in Pediatrics shows vaping could lead to the presence of concerning levels of toxic chemicals. Urine and salivary gland testing looked for substances of toxic chemicals that have been related and identified with cancer -- and found them in both smokers and vapers -- but not those who didn’t smoke at all.
What are e-cigarettes?
Electronic cigarettes, or e-cigarettes, include vapes, hookah pens, or JUULs. They are battery-powered devices that heat an e-liquid sometimes called "e-juice" that often contains nicotine. E-cigarettes are inhaled like regular cigarettes and produce a vapor cloud of nicotine or other substances.
The researchers write, "The presence of harmful ingredients in e-cigarette vapor has been established; we can now say that these chemicals are found in the body of human adolescents who use these products."
Using e-cigarettes has been promoted as a way to help adult smokers cut back or quit smoking, or at least to minimize the health damage that smoking causes. E-cigs can help smokers quit, but may lead teens and young adults to nicotine addiction. As per lung.org, No e-cigarette has been found to be safe and effective to help people quit smoking.
What are the health risks of e-cigarettes?
E-cigarettes contain chemicals that can cause irreversible lung damage and alter teen brains. E-cigarettes contain harmful chemicals such as formaldehyde, which is known to cause cancer, and acrolein which is used as a weed killer and can cause irreparable lung damage. Nicotine is highly addictive and exposure during teenage years can harm the developing brain.
Youth who use e-cigarettes are more likely to go on to use traditional cigarettes.
In the short term, e-cigarette aerosols can irritate your lungs, throat, and eyes. It can also make it more likely that you’ll catch colds or get the flu.
According to hopkinsmedicine.org, there are three reasons e-cigarettes may be particularly tempting to young people. First, many teens believe that vaping is less harmful than smoking. Second, e-cigarettes cost lesser than traditional cigarettes. Finally, vape cartridges are often made with flavorings such as apple pie and watermelon that appeal to younger users.
Many schools have added e-cigarettes to their tobacco-free school policies and the punishments for using them on school grounds are often the same as smoking traditional cigarettes.
If you know someone who wants to quit smoking, they can talk to their doctor to learn about quitting safely and what tools would be best for them.
A Socially Distanced Thanksgiving 2020
By Emily Jo Stimac
Staff Writer
Quarantine is affecting the way that we live our lives from every morning when we get up to each night as we go to bed. Often on Thanksgiving family and friends gather together to celebrate the special day. Though the thought of Thanksgiving may bring the connotation of togetherness and sharing yummy food, Thanksgiving of 2020 might have you changing your mind.
Mrs. Madrid’s seminar and science classes have taken a short form which shows what students have done in past years for Thanksgiving and what their plan is for this Thanksgiving. The results from the “what have you done in previous years for Thanksgiving” question shows us that a majority of students visited with friends and family. A small portion of the students stayed home with their family and a small portion of the students invited friends and family over. Surprisingly, this year for Thanksgiving many students are still planning on celebrating by visiting with family and friends given the circumstances of quarantine.
These unexpected results could show us that not all students will allow their holiday to be interrupted by a virus. As you can see from the chart below, over one fourth of the students are still planning to stay at home with their family. The number of students that are staying home with family did widley increase. Taken out of this information we can see that many families as a result are motifying safety precautions because of Covid 19.
So, why should this matter to students at Rio Norte? Well, because of the pandemic going around schools have not been able to open. If we want to go back to school, a safe and low amount of covid cases to go back to school as soon as possible. Edsource.org says, “LA county school districts no longer require union, parent support when applying for waivers to reopen.” These new rules will help to make schools open faster. But, without your help we won’t be able to get there. Always remember to wear a mask and keep a safe distance from people outside your household. Don’t forget to still have an awesome Thanksgiving!!!
TikTok Ban
By Gianna Montecarlos
Staff Writer
On August 6, 2020, 45th US President Donald Trump announced that he would ban the popular app, TikTok. This is because it is owned by a Chinese company. This affects a lot of people in the United States because about 100 million people use the app. That is almost one-third of the population in the United States of America. There are a lot of teens who use this app, not only adults. A lot of teens must be sad and angry about this ban. I asked 2 teens from our school, Rio Norte, about the ban of TikTok.
The first teen that I interviewed is a 7th grader named Ava DiNapoli. She loves Tik Tok and she uses it every day. It also helps her a lot. “Tiktok has its pros and cons. It takes away your time like that but it also provides learning experiences. I have learned how to make new foods and how to do cool tricks through Tik Tok.”
When she learned that Donald Trump will ban Tik Tok, she felt sad and felt that this ban would affect a lot of people. She said, “Many people will be angry and upset but could also have an effect on other things. For example, people often use Tik Tok to promote their small businesses like me. Without Tik Tok, it might be very hard to get orders.” She also said she will continue using Tik Tok if it stayed and would be really happy. Then, I asked if she would use Triller, the rival app of Tik Tok. She is not sure because she doesn’t know what it is.
The second teenager from Rio Norte that I questioned is Symone Adams. She is in 8th grade currently. Just like Ava, shy uses Tik Tok a lot. Symone also uses it daily, and the app assists her in some way. According to Symone, the way it helps her is that “Tik Tok just makes me laugh and relaxes me.”
When Symone found out that there was going to be a prohibition on Tik Tok, she said she felt a mix of both sad and angry. When I asked her if she thinks that Donald Trump’s actions would influence a lot of people, she said, “I think it would because some people rely on Tik Tok to make them happy.” If Tik Tok stays, she said she “wouldn’t take it for granted” and would be very happy. On the other hand, if Tik Tok was banned forever, she perhaps would use Triller.
Maybe some of you use Tik Tok. Some of you may not. The people I talked to were sad to see something that they love get banned. They were affected by this new rule of disallowing Tik Tok. They had their way of using Tik Tok and they felt happy using it. You don’t have to agree with everything they said. Everybody has their own opinions about a lot of things. But how would you feel if something you love get banned?
Teacher Spotlight: Mrs. Pulaski
By Creselle Marquez
Staff Writer
Do you want to get to know your teachers during distance learning? This article will help you out! Meet Mrs. Pulaski, Team Columbia’s History teacher!
Why did Mrs. Pulaski become a teacher?
Before she was a teacher, Mrs. Pulaski worked as an instructional assistant in a special-ed classroom. She loved interacting with the children: sparking her interest in teaching and leading her to 28 years of teaching (and counting!)
Why is Mrs. Pulaski teaching history?
Did you know that Mrs. Pulaski actually “hated” history as a kid? It was her main reason why she decided to teach history. Mrs. Pulaski wanted to make students have a better experience with history than she did. She attempts to discover teaching techniques that would've helped her as a kid. “I think students benefit from learning present-day or real-life connections. So whenever possible, I bring in relevant and current articles and stories so students can make sense and give context to what they are learning,” Mrs. Pulaski remarks.
How does Mrs. Pulaski feel about distance learning?
“I was terrified about distant learning in the beginning,” Mrs. Pulaski admits. She found the unfamiliar programs daunting and thought she would lose the connection between her and her students. “I couldn't have been more wrong,” she says. Once her students displayed their personalities and work ethic through the screen, her fears dissolved. Mrs. Pulaski is now working to evolve her online teaching strategies.
What are Mrs. Pulaski's secret talents? Mrs. Pulaski enjoys singing and playing the guitar! She also delights in writing songs. “I'm also a pretty amazing cornhole player,” she adds.
What is Mrs. Pulaski's teaching philosophy?
“Connecting with students promotes learning,” she claims. Mrs. Pulaski makes sure that her students know she doesn't solely care about their grades, but about their well-being. She also believes she should communicate why she is teaching something to her students. “It may be an academic skill or a life skill, but there should be a purpose,” Mrs. Pulaski states.
What important lessons has Mrs. Pulaski learned?
She has learned that teaching should be about inspiring and guiding students' minds to be curious. She clarifies: “It's so much more than just delivering content.” Mrs. Pulaski has also learned to continue to be open to new experiences. She adds that having her children helps her understand the difficulties of both the parent's side and the teacher's side.
I hope this aided you in connecting to Mrs. Pulaski more, stay tuned for more teacher spotlights! Stay curious, River Hawks!
Day in the Life of a Virtual Student
By Brian Kim
Staff Writer
Coronavirus has taken over the world. People are stuck in quarantine and students have to do classes from home. Have you ever wondered what a day in the life of a virtual student might look like? Well, I interviewed my brother and decided to figure out just what happens in his life. Here it is.
My brother wakes up at about 6 30 in the morning. He sets up an alarm everyday because his mom gets really tired of waking him up every morning. It also gives him an excuse to have his phone everyday right beside him when he sleeps. He normally goes onto the computer and does school work until about 7 00 AM. When it does reach 7 00 AM, he goes downstairs to eat his cereal. It normally takes him about 5-10 minutes. He then goes back upstairs and onto his computer to continue on his school work until he starts his classes. At 8 00 he starts school and does it until about 11 30 AM.
Once he finishes his online classes, he normally does his homework with some of his friends by calling each other on a program called discord. He says he normally likes to do most of his homework the day it is assigned so he is not stressed about it later on. When he finishes his homework, he lays around and takes a break for a little while until he is called to eat lunch. He normally takes about 20 minutes to eat his lunch depending on what it is. His favorite food to eat are ramen, meat(normally cow meat), and a korean traditional food called jjajangmyeon. At about 2 00 PM he starts to play about 1 to 2 hours of video games. He says his favorite video games are League of Legends, Valorant, and Minecraft.
When he is done playing his video games, it is about time for his brother (me, Brian Kim) to either do tutor or go to swimming practice depending on the day. At this time, he does either more school work or plays around with his dog whose name is Snoopy for the rest of the day. He eats dinner depending on when he feels hungry. He goes to sleep everyday normally at around 9 30 to 10 PM.
According to Rio Norte’s principal Mrs. Asplund, on a scale of 1-5 30.6% of students that took a google form and put 5 which said that they have felt worried or stressed during online classes and quarantine. Only a mere 9.8% of people put one. Considering that a lot of people have been worried or stressed, these are some tips. Take a deep breath before you do your work. Everytime when you are overwhelmed, just take a short break and get working again. Also, according to the google form, 20.5% of students put a 5 on they felt happy and positive. It’s such a good thing to see that many Rio Students feel happy in these hard times. If you don’t you are always welcome to contact your counselor.
Harry Potter Review
By Daniel Jeong
Staff Writer
WINGARDIUM LEVIOSA!!! Do you recall that phrase? Well that's from a phenomenal movie series titled “Harry Potter” there are a total of 7 Harry Potter books and 8 Movies including Deathly Hallows. The following will include.Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, and The Deathly Hallows.
The first book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, both stories all starts when the Dudley family has received Harry Potter from Dumbledor, the head of the wizard school Hogwarts after a tragic incident where Harry’s parents were killed by Voldemort, the most dangerous wizard. That's when it all changes Harry’s life. He has been treated poorly until one day he has been invited to Hogwarts. Harry was most happy to go and left to be somewhere else rather than the Dudley’s. Then the story from the book and the movie changes. In the film-Harry doesn’t meet Draco at Madame Malkin’s Robes For All Occasions. In the book, Draco Malfoy is a snide boy who is getting his robes hemmed at the same time Harry walks in. They don’t exchange names, but Malfoy does say some mean things about Hagrid, causing Harry to dislike him immediately. They meet again on the Hogwarts Express, where Draco tells Harry not to make friends with “the wrong sort.” And at the end of both stories Harry goes back to the Dudley’s for the summer.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, was Harry’s third year at Hogwarts and starts off badly when he learns that a killer, Sirius Black has escaped from Azkaban prison and is bent on murdering the teenage wizard. While Hermione's cat torments Ron's sickly rat, causing a rift among the trio, a swarm of nasty Dementors is sent to protect the school from Black. In the book, when Harry meets Sirius and Lupin in the Shrieking Shack, the pair give him an entire backstory on their friendship with his father, the use of the Shrieking Shack, and the Marauder's Map. The film does none of this. At the end of the story it turns out Sirius Black was Harry’s godfather.
In the last book, Deathly Hallows, Harry is left alive and Voldemort was killed for good. He now understands more than he ever has about love, and life, and sacrifice, and in spite of the loss of many of his friends during the last battle, is grateful for the second chance he's been given at life, and love.The Deathly Hallows are three highly powerful magical objects supposedly created by Death and given to each of three brothers in the Peverell family. They consisted of the Elder Wand, an immensely powerful wand that was considered unbeatable; the Resurrection Stone, a stone which could summon the spirits of the dead, and the Cloak of Invisibility, which, as its name suggests, renders the user completely invisible. According to the story, both Antioch Peverell (owner of the Wand) and Cadmus Peverell (owner of the Stone) came to bad ends. However, Ignotus Peverell's wisdom in requesting the Cloak was rewarded.
In conclusion all of the book and movies were very interesting and I would definitely recommend this story for people who love fiction stories. My friend Brian Kim, another phenomenal journalism writer in this class, said he loved this series. during this conversation he stated "This story is very interesting the storyline is very unique and exciting to read
Happy Bird News
By Violet Abadi
Staff Writer
I know it’s hard to believe that there is good news in 2020, but there is some. Introducing the adorable Percival the pelican in an Australian rescue center that never gave up.
The pelican and his mate shared egg-sitting-duty for 6 years, but they sadly never got to see any of their babies hatch. A caretaker says “Mr. Percival has never given up trying to have a baby pelican chick. He sits on his eggs with his partner that shares the incubation and the eggs have never hatched. He has been doing this for 6 years now and we felt so sorry for him as it’s so sad when he sees the others around him seeing baby pelicans.” They were unable to produce fertile eggs, But Percival's owner swapped their unfertilized egg for a Fertil one.
After 6 years of not getting to see their baby chick’s hatch, they finally got to watch it hatch right on time. A caretaker says ”So we did this amazing thing for him as we wanted to make him really happy this time. We switched one egg over from one nest to the other,” They both have taken responsibility and total commitment, of raising their offspring.
“This is true love for our Mr. Percival. We have a special permit to look after him; we have had him for 18 years now and he is enjoying life down by the dam.” So there is good news in 2020 after all.
Halloween at Home
By Ava Dinapoli
Staff Writer
As you most likely already know, Halloween is coming up! That means we get to do all the fun stuff like dressing up, going trick or treating, eating tons of candy, and going to events at theme parks! Or does it…? With COVID19 going around we might not be able to do any of that stuff. The New York Times writes, “High-profile events at Disney’s theme parks and Knott’s Berry Farm have already been canceled.” Everything fun about Halloween is slipping away and we can’t do much about it.
Fortunately, there are still countless ways we can celebrate the spooky holiday from our own home! A popular activity done on Halloween that I did not mention is decorating! This year would be the perfect time to go all out with Halloween decorations. Maybe you could turn your home into a haunted house to celebrate!
Another idea is to carve pumpkins! You can carve them into many different fun designs and you can light them with a candle which creates a breathtaking effect. The Jack-O-Lanterns can be left as decorations that will look amazing when it gets dark out!
Something else you can do on Halloween could be to have a family movie night! You can get a bowl of candy or popcorn and dress up with exciting costumes! You could even try to make your costume with different accessories you find around your house or at stores! And there are plenty of spooky Halloween movies that you could watch to bring the Halloween spirit into the pandemic!
You could also have virtual parties on zoom! Over zoom, you could even have a costume party and have matching costumes with your friends! Here are some matching costume ideas! You could dress up as Thing 1 and Thing 2, salt and pepper, a demon and an angel, two of your favorite characters, ketchup and mustard, M&M'S, or anything else you agree on!
Thankfully, this won't be the last Halloween there is and we still have plenty more to do all of the activities we couldn't. We should still try to make the most out of it and you could end up finding new ways to spend Halloween that you would have never thought of before!
Amazon Founder named the Wealthiest Person on the Planet
By Sam Conson
Staff Writer
Who hasn’t heard of Amazon? Amazon’s founder, CEO, and president, Jeff Bezos, is now closer to a great title: the first person ever to be worth $200 billion. Jeff Bezos is so rich that he set a new record on wealth!
Bezos, who started Amazon in 1994, has been the wealthiest person on the planet since 2017. Amazon began as an online bookstore and is now the world’s largest online sales company. Jeff Bezos’ parents gave him financial support to start Amazon. Jeff Bezos gambled and left his stable job to start Amazon. At first, Jeff Bezos thought that his business would fail, and told his parents that it is very likely that they will lose their entire investment in Amazon. Obviously, it all worked out for Jeff Bezos.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Amazon hired additional workers because there was an increase from homes on lockdown shopping on Amazon and it was reported that Bezos' fortune had grown. Jeff Bezos gave $100 million to Feed America, a nonprofit that operates food banks and food pantries across the country. Amazon gave out more than $500 million as a “Thank You Bonus” to frontline workers.
Thank a Healthcare Worker
By Gianna Marie Montesclaros
Staff Writer
Right now is a hard time because of Coronavirus. Even though this problem has been hard on us, there are people out there who are brave and fighting their way through this challenging time: the healthcare workers. From doctors to nurses, all those workers are fighting their way to end the Coronavirus. They work endlessly to find a vaccine that will cure the patients that have COVID-19 and future patients that may have COVID-19. But even though they work hard, some people ignore that fact. If you are one of those people, you should listen to these facts about healthcare workers working right now.
Healthcare workers right now have to work long hours and even more hours if their colleagues become sick. According to https://www.cdc.gov/, “Healthcare workers face a wide range of hazards on the job, including sharps injuries, harmful exposures to chemicals and hazardous drugs, back injuries, latex allergy violence, and stress.” These healthcare workers can also experience getting the Coronavirus from the hospital, which means they could die. They also are isolating from their family. This means that even though they are having a rough time, they don’t have a person physically with them to talk to about their troubles and worries. The only way these workers can contact their loved ones is through calling. They are risking their lives and their time from their family to save people from this virus that is spreading around.
In conclusion, be thankful and appreciative of the healthcare workers. If you know anyone who is a healthcare worker, call them to say how thankful you are. Remember how hard they work to save the world from COVID-19. Remember the fact that they don’t have anyone with them. Remember that they are risking their lives. If you still don’t want to thank the healthcare workers, put yourself in their shoes. How would you feel if you have been working so hard to help people, but then nobody appreciated you for that? Eve Ensler has said, “The people who are in the front lines every day in hospitals… are the good of the world.”
Sleep 101
By Creselle Marquez
Staff Writer
I'm sure all of you have had trouble falling asleep; I have too, which isn't the best thing for online classes that start at 8 AM. If you need advice for your dozing purposes, you're in the right place!
Keep your sleep-wake cycle consistent.
Your sleep-wake cycle, also known as the circadian rhythm, is exactly what you think it is. The pattern regulates whether you should hit the hay or go out and play. If you keep your rhythm consistent, you'll get some well-deserved rest.
Take some melatonin supplements.
Melatonin is the sleep hormone that helps the body relax. It is one of the natural hormones that your brain produces to keep a healthy circadian rhythm, though you can take some supplements to help with its production. It's a short term solution for insomnia and has little side effects. Melatonin can also help with anxiety and can help ease your mind.
Turn off your phones.
Your phones, tablets, computers, etc. emit something called blue light. Blue light, like melatonin, regulates your sleep-wake cycle. Instead of calming you down, blue light increases your attentiveness. While that's fantastic in the morning and afternoon, when you're trying to catch some z's: it's not the most helpful thing. According to the National Sleep Foundation, you should put away your phone for at least 30 minutes before bed. This tactic can also prevent you from the desire to check your phone for notifications and messages.
Strategize your naps.
If you nap for too long and too late into the day, you will be unable to sleep well when you want to retire for the night. How do you solve this problem? Strategize your naps by napping at a certain time in the day! Consider napping at only an hour, as 30 minutes doesn't give you the rest you need, and several hours is too much. Also, aim for naps earlier in the day!
Keep the surrounding sounds in mind.
Sometimes, it's the noise around you that could be keeping you up. Perhaps you need to sleep to a specific sound. Nostalgic audios, such as music box songs and lullabies can make you sleep like a baby. For an alternative, you can listen to autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) videos or videos with a heartbeat sound effect. If you get too distracted by noise: wear some earplugs or play white/pink noise.
I encourage you to take a shot at these pointers and check out more articles on this website! Sweet dreams, Riverhawks!
Zoom Party!
By Hannah AinaStaff Writer
Halloween is a favorite holiday for all ages and one of the most important things about Halloween is the best costume. Although it is recommended not to trick or treat or have Halloween parties, this can't stop you from making an awesome costume.
An idea for a costume is, dress up with friends as fruit and have a zoom Halloween party. Another easy costume is to paint a plain mask of an animal face and dress up like an animal. Also, you can dress up any cleaning supplies and show all your friends on social media.
A great way to hang out with friends and still stay safe is to have a zoom Halloween party. At the party you can have a costume competition or a pumpkin competition. Halloween can still be fun while staying safe.
All these costume and party ideas are easing to make or buy and you can show off your decorations or costume to your friends.
Missing Kobe
By Brian Kim
Staff Writer
Laker legend Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gigi Bryant sadly passed away on January 26 when he was 41 and his daughter was 13. They were on their way on a helicopter for Kobe to coach his daughter’s basketball team. Although Kobe and Gigi may be gone, Kobe’s spirit and legacy will never be forgotten.
Bryant was forced to share the role of the Lakers’ star player with his popular and talented teammate Shaquile O'Neal. The two had an uneasy relationship, but they found success under the leadership ofPhil Jackson, who became coach of the Lakers in 1999. Bryant, a shooting guard, and O’Neal, a centre, meshed into a remarkably effective combination, and, by the time Bryant was 23, the Lakers had won three consecutive NBA championships. It was unbelievable at the time.
After winning their third title in 2002, Kobe and the Lakers encountered difficulties. In the 2003 playoffs the Lakers were defeated in the second round. Several months later Kobe was accused of raping a woman in Colorado. He was able to maintain his innocence, and all charges were eventually dropped when the woman refused to testify after a monthslong campaign of harassment by fans of Bryant and some members of the media. (He later apologized, admitting that he realized his accuser did not believe their encounter was consensual, and a civil suit was settled in 2005.) The incident greatly tarnished his image. Led by Bryant, the Lakers returned to the finals in 2004, but they were upset by the Detroit Pistons. Shaquille subsequently was traded, and Bryant emerged as the team’s sole leader.
Bryant led the league in scoring during the 2005–06 and 2006–07 seasons, and in 2008 he was named the league’s MVP for the first time in his career. Bryant won his fourth NBA title in 2009, and he was named the finals MVP after averaging a stellar 32.4 points per game in the series. He led the Lakers to their third straight Western Conference championship in 2009–10, and he was once more named NBA finals MVP after the Lakers defeated the Boston Celtics in a seven-game series. The Lakers won division titles in each of the following seasons but were eliminated in the second round of each postseason. Entering the 2012–13 The Lakers were ultimately the eighth and final playoff seed that season and were swept in their first series. Throughout the rest of his career, he reached a career low and was not able to play many games due to several injuries.
Kobe Bryant worked with a Make A Wish foundation for twenty years and made appearances over 100 times and donated to at least seven different organizations. He donated over 9 million dollars to the National Museum of African American History. On the national level, he has donated to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, The Boys and Girls Club of America, and After School Allstars.
Bryant retired from Basketball on April 13, 2016. On November 29, 2015, he wrote a poem, Dear Basketball, announcing his retirement. He recreated the poem in animation with Glen Keane. The film won an Oscar for Best Animated Short at the 90th Academy Awards.
Although Kobe Bryant is not with us anymore, his legacy will never be forgotten. He has done many great things even outside of his basketball career. Once a legend, Always a legend.
Teacher Spotlight: Mr. Maradkel
By Ana Pedroza
Staff Writer
Mr. Maradkel is a teacher at Rio Norte Junior High, he teaches 7th grade English on team Shenandoah. Sargon Maradkel was born in 1973, in Syria. He is the oldest of three boys, his mother and father are, Flora and Zaya Maradkel. Flora and Zaya immigrated to the U.S so their growing family could grow up in a county where they have freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and go to college and live the American dream. The Maradkel family moved to a rough and diverse neighborhood in Chicago where people in his community also immigrated from Syria. There in Chicago Maradkel attended public school, he was put in 1st grade without knowing how to read, write, or speak English, only Assyrian. Flora Maradkel was so worried about her son and wondered how he would survive school. All throughout elementary school, Maradkel struggled and barley passed each grade, but in 7th grade, he was blessed with an amazing teacher Mr. Jones. Mr. Jones changed Maradkel’s life because Jones believed in him and saw the potential he had when not even himself could. By the end of 7th grade, Maradkel had become a straight ‘A’ student, but more importantly, he had learned about himself and the value of education. That is mainly why Maradkel decided to pursue a career in education.
Why Electronics are Slowly Killing the Youth of Today
By Savannah Gordillo
Staff Writer
Kids and teens all around the world use electronics for many hours a day. The generation before the youth of today spent their time outside running, scraping their knees, riding their bikes, and getting fresh air. But now, all we care about is who has the most followers on social media, or how long our phone batteries will last. Although this may seem normal, there are dark, negative effects to technology that could affect us in more ways than you could imagine. For example, the internet has shifted many people's ability to communicate with others in real life. Staying in your room all day on your phone or other devices, right from when the sun comes up to when it goes down can easily make you feel uncomfortable with the idea of socializing with others in the real world. However, this isn’t the only way the internet is ruining the generations of the future. When you go on a platform such as instagram all you see is..perfection. People who have unnatural body shapes, features, etc, and most of the time the reason behind this is photoshop, surgeries or abnormal techniques such as waist trainers. Sadly, this has become the stereotype of how one should look, introducing new insecurities to people and making them want to change. Sometimes they even go through with it because society has made them feel like they aren’t good enough. The thought that humans naturally aren’t perfect has been abandoned over the years. A former student at Rio Norte, Alicia Gordillo stated that she followed the star Kim Kardashian because of her luxurious lifestyle and incredible fashion brands. Another major problem right now, thanks to covid, is online learning. Obviously we can’t actually go to school because rules are rules and we need to keep ourselves socially distanced. Nonetheless, the internet has provided us with ways to continue learning online, and although this has its benefits, of course it has its disbenefits. We sit in front of a computer for hours doing zoom and then we also have homework which is, you guessed it, online. This can have poor effects on our health and ability to stay interested in our lessons since everything isn’t as hands-on. Teens have been doing this for years now since colleges started offering virtual classes, but this is new to teachers who teach lower grade levels and kids at lower levels as well. We will have to continue to adapt to this new normal in our lives. Now let’s see what an adult who grew up without the internet thinks about this new change.
Me- “What do you think about kids having electronics at such a young age?”
Adult- “Well, this is the first generation that we will really get to see what the effects are of having kids with cell phones, laptops, and tablets. It’s quite unusual to me because I grew up with nothing but a beeper, so it is completely different. I didn’t have any of the devices kids now have, they didn’t even exist. So now we will get to see if the effects are that everyone becomes smarter or maybe they will have less life experience because they are stuck behind a screen. Everything is yet to be seen.”
Me- “When you got your first device, how did it affect you?”
Adult- “By the time I got my first computer, I was 21. It had a big, boxy screen unlike the ones you see today. It helped me a lot actually, definitely improved my life. However, it was primarily used for work, I would do what I needed to do and at the end of the day I stopped, I had other things I could do.”
Me- “You have already said you don’t know what’s to come, but what do you predict about this electronic generation? Do you think it will have a positive or a negative outcome?”
Adult- “I think that it’ll have both positive and negative outcomes. Electronics make us better, they make us faster. Overall, it changes how we live in the world today. You have lots of things electronics play huge roles in, such as robots. They are programmed with computers. So I think that the people that take advantage of the internet when it comes to educational purposes will be better off, and the people that get stuck behind the screen will become less involved in life itself and will just be hurt. They won’t be as motivated to go out and work because they have everything they need right there at their fingertips.”
Overall, we don’t know how all this will play out, but we are hoping for the best. Our future is in the hands of today's youth, and their actions will decide what's to come.
PS4 Game Review - Spider-Man
By Brian Kim
Staff Writer
Spider-Man, a game that was released on the PS4 in 2018 was one of Marvel’s biggest releases. The game was highly anticipated before it was released and it sold more copies than any games on that year. It was developed by Insomnia Games as a PS4 exclusive. The web-swinging in this game is unmatched by any other Spider Man Games. Unlike the previous Spider Man games, the web-swinging is very simple and easy to use. This makes it easier to master the mechanics and also makes the game seem more real and show the effort that was put into the game by the makers.
The combat in the game is very impressive as well. The fighting in the games is very similar to how Spider Man fights in the comics and movies. The game is also very gorgeous and expertly designed. In the game, you can see the open view of New York. The view from the towers would make you say “wow” as you sit back on the chair and enjoy the view.
The voice acting in the game is on point as well. The voices on the game are masterfully crafted and makes it feel even more realistic than it already is. The story of the game is also great since it is both exciting but also very heartbreaking. It makes it seem like the person playing the game is Peter Parker and experiencing things in the game.
Sadly, every great game has some cons. The game was shallow and did not innovate a lot on some areas. Some parts of the game feels like it is very deja vu and many other games also have it. One of these are the side missions. After some time, this game can seem to have very little variety and also becomes very tedious. The collectibles lack complexity and even though they are necessary to upgrade Spider Man, there is so much more room to improve there.
think this game was very nice and interesting. A few cons can’t hold the game back from being a great game. Almost all the aspects of the game make it so fun to play.
10 Ways to Help You Relax
By Alivia Yang
Staff Writer
Do you ever feel like the whole universe is against you? Have you ever wanted to relax? Well, I can help you. Some ways to reduce anxiety could be eating a balanced diet, or simply getting enough sleep. These little methods can make a big difference in your life. You will be ready and well-prepared for the rest of the day!!! Have you ever heard of depression? Depression is a mood disorder that can make you have feelings of sadness and loss of interest. Major depression is most likely to affect people between the ages of 45 and 65. So, it is important to take care of it right away.
If you think you have depression, here are the ways you can fight it:
Therapy
Eat healthily
Watch a funny movie
Video chat with family and friends
Say “NO” to negative thoughts, such as taking drugs.
A few simple ways you can do to relax can be the following:
Reading a book
Listening to music
Yoga/ Meditation
Take deep breaths
Walk around the park
These are just some things you can do to get away. These strategies can also help avoid getting the coronavirus. Please read our online news article and I hope you enjoy and find some time to loosen up and practice these tips!
Online Learning: Editing Tips
By Creselle Marquez
Staff Writer
Imagine you've written a short story for your English class; it's one of the most incredible tales you've ever written! Well, you thought it was, but that “C” written in red ink on your paper disagrees. After experiencing the five stages of grief all at once, you reviewed the comments from your teacher. Every single criticism was about poor grammar. On that day, you decided grammar was your worst enemy. To avoid this hypothetical situation from becoming a reality, you should take these editing tips!
1. Use editing programs!
One of the easiest ways to polish your documents is by using a simple writing tool! Applications like Grammarly (there are many ads about it for a reason) or the “Spelling and Grammar” tool will catch everything you've missed or the mistakes you didn't want to dig for. It also makes it much easier to sift through your essays like almond flour for a macaron. In fact, I used five programs for this article!
2. Listen to your assignment.
This tip might sound a bit confusing, but I swear it helps! Sometimes, reading aloud your assignment can help you detect errors you didn't notice at first. While you read it to yourself, you could have someone else read it to you as well, like a friend or a parent. If you're like me and you don't want to show your assignment to people, pasting your document into Google Translate is an excellent alternative!
3. Get some backup!
Asking a friend or a fellow peer to help you edit your assignment will help a lot. As they've only read your document once or twice, they are less desensitized to its flaws. Also, they may know more in specific grammatical categories.
Self Improvement
By Jaedyn Hill
Staff Writer
Most people think self improvement is just changing yourself for other people’s approval; but their approval means nothing. Self improvement means improving yourself for your approval. Self improvement does not only mean improving your looks or style, but improving your work skills and health. A way you can improve is making sure you stay focused on your work, no distractions. If you have your phone near you while you work, it can tempt you to get on it, once you're on your phone it's hard to get off. A habit to fix while trying to improve is procrastination, procrastination is one of the worst habits to have while working. Once you get assigned something to do, try to do it a week or at the very least a couple days before the deadline. Doing it a day or hours before its due can cause stress.
Improving your health is also extremely important, you must always make sure you are drinking water all day. Lower how much soda and juice you drink. Not drinking enough water can cause headaches and other problems. Also eat healthy, don’t snack all day, even if it's just a small meal it's better than eating snacks. These are some ways to help improve yourself, but remember do it for yourself and no one else. Stay healthy and happy!
Stress Relief
By Hannah Aina
Staff Writer
Life can be stressful and sometimes you need a way to relieve that stress. With everything going on things can get hectic and crazy. Stress has many side effects and easy ways to cure your stress.
Stress can have side effects that can affect you mentally and physically. Some ways your heart may beat faster. Also, stress causes high blood pressure and heart disease. These side effects can be very serious. Your muscles can also get tense which can cause pain. Without knowing how to get rid of or control your stress.
Stress also has effects mentally. When you are stressed it is hard to focus and make decisions. This can be dangerous because you may make the wrong decisions in life because you were too stressed. This can result in your future being affected by the choices you regret.
Everyone is going to experience stress but there are many ways to relieve it. One of the best ways is to exercise. Exercise will help you because it helps lower your stress hormones. Also, It improves your sleep. Another idea to try is to light a candle or chew gum. Life can be stressful and these simple acts can make a big difference.
Halloween Canceled- An Opinion
By Savannah Gordillo
Staff Writer
If you asked someone what their favorite part of Halloween is they would most likely say trick or treating, right? It’s a holiday where you can dress up as anything your little heart desires, stay up late, and eat candy until you feel like you're about to pop. I’m sure everyone had big plans this year until a highly contagious pandemic hit and those plans vanished into thin air. Springfield, Mass, downtown West Chicago, and LA county announced that trick or treating would be banned this year to minimize the risk of coronavirus. But of course, some people want to rebel against this rule and go anyway. 23% of the Americans said that they still plan to go. As you might know, covid spreads in many different ways. A few ways are being less than 6 feet apart and being near to someone when they cough, sneeze, or even talk. The amount of deaths caused by covid is unbelievably high. Hundreds of thousands of people are dying and it’s because some don’t do simple things like wash their hands, wear a mask, and stay inside. The bottom line is that it really isn’t worth the risk of getting sick. This doesn’t mean no candy though, you can still buy a enormous bag of candy, snuggle up on the couch and watch a scary movie with your family.