Samba, Rhythm, and Culture at WMS
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Sweet, Rich, and Totally Worth It
By Sadie Vasta (6th Grade)
Hampden House
Hampden, MA
My family went out to dinner at Hampden House in Hampden, MA. We got the chocolate lava cake. It was loud, packed, and looked fancy with wooden floors, fairy lights on the outdoor seating, tan tablecloths, and flowers.
The staff are very nice and would talk to you.
The restaurant is usually packed with people, so the staff has to help a lot of customers. It took about 20 to 30 minutes to get the food and about 5 to 10 minutes for dessert.
The staff is knowledgeable and knows what the specials are and what type of food they have.
I ordered a chocolate lava cake. I loved the taste because it was super chocolaty and rich. The fruit and the richness of the chocolate are a great combination.
If you get it in the restaurant, the presentation is good — there’s chocolate drizzle and fruit. However, if you get it to go, it’s not very good because it’s frozen with hard chocolate. You have to heat it, and it doesn’t come with the drizzle or fruit.
The portion is good. It is a bit small, but since it’s so rich, you could probably split it with one other person.
The experience was good because the food was yummy and the waiters were nice.
They should make the takeout cake a bit better because it is frozen most of the time and doesn’t come with everything it does when you sit down and eat. Sometimes you do not have time to eat in the restaurant, or they are too busy for you, and you might not have a reservation.
I think they should make more tables so more people can be there and so they are not so busy, and they should work on their takeout food.
I think that anyone who likes a lot of chocolate would like it.
Mr. Boudreau: Coffee, Chaos, and Classroom Laughs
By Sophia Mazzaferro, Madelyn Boudreau and Delaney Kinsman (8th Grade)
While everyone is playing dodgeball in the gym or making a painting in art class, we are all interviewing Mr. Boudreau. Read on to find out what he had to say.
He likes to start off his day by staring in a mirror, telling himself that he can do this! On his drive to school, he likes to listen to murder podcasts or Taylor Swift and sing his heart out. When he arrives at school, he starts off by greeting everyone in the morning, preparing his class, and having his Monday morning cry.
Mr. Boudreau has been working at WMS for around 11–12 years. He came to the middle school as a teacher to give kids the opportunity to learn, and he wants to help kids. Before his first class, he sips his coffee and sends cringy emails to his coworkers. He lives by the quotes, “The most important thing you can give is a coffee,” and “Be kind and be a friend.”
As his first class comes closer, he prepares himself more, knowing he has to teach soon. Whenever we would go up to him for our interview, we would often find him crying in a corner because he gets so overwhelmed throughout the day.
He is always on recess and lunch duty, but he doesn’t mind getting something to eat and a little bit of fresh air. During recess, he watches all of his students play around while he stands between the white lines. Watching the kids play reminds him of what he enjoyed when he was younger. “When I was younger I liked watching and playing baseball,” Mr. Boudreau said.
When he was younger, he dreamt of being in a band or in the movies. He always wanted to be famous. “If there was one talent I could learn instantly it would be to play the drums.” Everyone thinks he wants to play the drums so he can have a bald man band. But compared to what he does now, it’s the complete opposite. “I hang out and teach weirdo kids math,” he says.
Over the years, Mr. Boudreau has overcome many things, but his biggest accomplishment is, “I don’t know if I am proud but I overcame male pattern baldness,” he says. We then went on to ask him about a goal he is working towards right now, which he then said, “To make this year fun and successful for everyone.”
As he finishes the week, hoping for a break after teaching his amazing students, his ideal weekend is “laying on the couch watching a movie and seeing no kids that attend the middle school from the ages 11 to 14,” Mr. Boudreau claimed.
We asked him what one of his favorite childhood memories was, and he said, “I guess going on any vacation with my family.” Following that remark, he told us, “If I could go anywhere in the world I would go to Scotland alone,” as he sat back in his chair and laughed while sipping his coffee.
Let Us Eat: Why We Should Have More Time For Recess And Lunch
By Logan Abdelmaseh (7th Grade)
Have you ever been hungry because you could only finish half your lunch? At WMS we only get 15 minutes for lunch and 15 minutes for recess, which isn’t enough time for some people to finish lunch or expend much energy. Some people are slower eaters, so I think we should get more time to eat and play.
Students who are hungry focus less: Not having enough food causes them to do worse in school. The students who can’t finish lunch will do worse because hunger will distract them. When you eat, your body breaks the food down, giving you more energy so that your work will be better. Also, some students can get angry more easily when they are hungry, making both the teachers and the students unhappy. Overall, this would help both teachers and students.
Students who have more play time are happier: Because we only get 15 minutes to talk and play with our friends during recess, we are both more tired and also less happy. When middle schoolers play with their friends, they are happier, and that happiness carries into class. There is less happiness because of the limited time. In addition to being less happy, students can’t get out of the recess attitude. Playing with friends after lunch allows you to expend your energy and get your sillies out.
Social and physical skills: Recess is very helpful for kids in difficult social or physical situations. During recess, kids play, talk, and make friends. They also run and tire themselves out for exercise. This can help kids become more successful in life, both physically and mentally.
Some people say that it shouldn’t happen because it takes away valuable learning time. While that is true, students’ happiness and health are more important than their learning.
It’d be great if recess and lunch were longer. Talk to the school board about lunch and recess times.
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