Speaking the Future

By: Oliver Bergeron and Colin Conboy (7th Grade)

Have you ever heard someone else speaking, but didn't understand them at all? That's a different language, and, if school taught us more, you could speak as many of them as you want! Teens are losing the ability to understand and be fluent in more languages because school isn't giving them the opportunity for it. We want to be able to expand the speaking palette to introduce more hobbies for kids. We think that if kids learn more languages in middle school, they will have an easier time transferring to high school when they learn the same things, and also get more hobbies to increase creativity.

One reason for more languages to be taught in school is more understanding of Foreign languages. Having skills with multiple languages can help travelers navigate more safely. Also, research from Cambridge University shows that "...people who know more languages increase their empathy for others, leading to connecting with locals when traveling more effectively."

Another reason is that grades will improve. It is shown that 90% of language learners perform increasingly better than those who have not learned any. Bilingual children are even able to concentrate noticeably easier on topics when taught in another language.

Finally, language induces imagination. Studying several languages seems to unlock students' creative abilities, which leads to improved imagination. This can be helpful later in life when attempting to sign up for a job, as most require some creativity in whatever tasks they do.

Learning more languages can take focus and time away from other more important topics in school, such as English language arts and math. Creativity should come first, as it is something not found in most children today. It is increasingly getting rarer as years go by, which needs to be stopped.

Schools should realize that more languages should be taught to students and how important being bilingual truly is. Talk to your principal and school board about being flexible to the amount of chosen languages available to be learned in your school.

Did You Know?

by Oliver Bergeron (7th Grade)

Did you know that there are about 7,170 different languages spoken around the world today? Even though English and Spanish may seem like the most common languages, there are actually thousands more. Some languages are very similar to each other, while others are completely different.

One interesting fact about languages is that many of them developed from Latin. Latin is one of the oldest languages that influenced many modern languages. Over time, words slowly changed and evolved until entirely new languages were created.

Another fact is that most schools only teach a few commonly known languages, such as Spanish, French, and Latin. However, there are many other languages spoken across different countries and cultures that students may never get the chance to learn about in school.

Perhaps the most surprising fact is that about every two weeks, a language disappears. Some languages are lost because there are no longer people alive who speak them, while others disappear because written records are destroyed or forgotten over time.

Languages are important because they help people communicate, travel, and connect with others around the world. Learning about different languages can also help people better understand other cultures and histories.

Trend Watch

By Mary DosSantos (7th Grade)

Squishys are a trend that come in many sizes and you can play with them. They can also help you when you are anxious or stressed and try to calm you down.

You can see this trend the most in school or on TikTok. Many students like to use them in school, some to help relax them and others because they find them very fun. Although not many teachers like them because students sometimes use them inappropriately. Squishys became popular on TikTok and there are many videos of people trying to find them or playing with them.

Students like squishys because they help them focus in school and try to pay attention. Although some students don't use them correctly, many do.

I think this trend will last for a few more months only because trends can end very quickly. Although they became popular a while ago, they are still sold out at almost all stores.

WMS Weighs In on School Lunch Favorites

by Clara Steele (8th Grade)

Question: What is your favorite cafeteria food?

Noah Kelly, 7th Grade

"My favorite cafeteria food is definitely taco soup."

Lee Anderson, 7th Grade

"My favorite cafeteria food is the meatball sub."

Miles Williams, 7th Grade

"My favorite cafeteria food is the chicken patty."

Mr. Curtis

"Probably the hamburgers."

Grayson O'Sullivan, 7th Grade

"My favorite cafeteria food is the chicken sandwich."

Quick Take: Taco soup, chicken sandwiches, chicken patties, meatball subs, and hamburgers all earned votes, proving that WMS students and staff have plenty of favorites when it's time for lunch.

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