Life & Culture

"Tilly the Orca" by Eli H. - 3/15/24

Tilikum, also known as Tilly, is an orca/killer whale in Canada. Sadly, Tilly died in 2017 on January 6th. Tilly was born December 1981, it was estimated that he was 36 years old. Tilly is mostly known for killing three people, Keltie Byrne, Daniel Dukes and Dawn Brancheau. Tilly lived in a tank at Seaworld with two other orcas Haida ll and Nootka IV, they would bully him and push him into the corners of the pool, this was before Danial Dukes death. Experts said that the cruelty and abuse that Tilly faced pushed him to commit the three incidents. I think a lot of people would agree that if Tilly wasnt in captivity and had the food, space and the social life that he needed maybe, just maybe, these incidents wouldn´t have happened. 

"Music is a Mind" by Anthony A. and Mark F. - 3/1/24

“What is music?”, some might ask. According to Mr. Wiebe music is, “A special place that brings people together.” Music is a collaborative activity where every member contributes to the overall sound. As a result, each individual's role is valuable. Members of the band and orchestra have the opportunity to participate in exciting events such as a parade field trip, a visit to Elitches, an overnight trip, etc. We interviewed 30 students and asked them about their favorite memories. Tristan Glasgow and one other anonymous student shared that their favorite memory is the Elitches trip. Zoe Flynn-Martin said, "Band members become family members, they help and love each other, no matter what, even if there are problems." This quote is applicable worldwide because even those who are not very skilled at playing an instrument are welcomed into the community to improve. Students are taught to never say, "I can’t" but to say, "I can’t yet." That shows that being patient with yourself is the key to expecting patience from others.  So, if you haven’t taken band or orchestra we highly encourage to check it out and find a new home.

"Trending Fashion" by Jeremias M. - 5/19/23

Have you ever been interested in finding your own unique style? Well, if so let's take a look at some ideas. Gen Z fashion can range from anywhere in the world, styles can range from anywhere between flashy and outstanding to low-key and laid back. These styles don't just fit anybody, they fit the type of person you are! Your style could be very different depending upon the type of person that you are. If you are a very expressive person you could wear things like bright colors, very outstanding colorways or even something that you wouldn't come across in everyday life. On the other hand if you are more of a chill low-key person you would probably gravitate towards things like vintage wear or even hoodies and you wouldn't wear anything too much beyond the ordinary. A lot of people today’s generation would look more towards things like baguette handbags, crewnecks, biker shorts and even pearls. I'd suggest taking a look at what others' styles are and what they wear to see if that's something you would wear or even taking a dive into who you are and what you might like and maybe you'll stumble across something that makes you one of a kind. Ultimately, style is a really abstract thing and I would consider style to even be a form of art. Your style is your canvas, you can paint it however you'd like.

"Day Without Hate" by A.J. S. - 5/19/23

A Day Without Hate is a day that most schools celebrate nationwide to make schools, students, and teachers feel safer. This program is student-led and was made after the shooting at Virginia Tech. They decided to start a day that everyone wore white to show trust and make the school a safer place. People and schools across the country have been celebrating this day and creating a positive environment in schools. During this day, students greet each other with flowers, positive messages in chalk on the sidewalk, and pieces of paper hanging around. It promotes nonviolence, respect, and unity in our schools. Teachers also participate by handing out candy, flowers, and other things to spread kindness. It is a  special day to be respectful to  each other and celebrate kindness. People in schools should always feel safe and this day helps the community feel safer and more connected to each other.

"Italy & Greece" by A.J. S. and Cayden W. - 5/4/23

What did you do over Spring break? Did you hangout with friends? Travel? Some students and teachers went to Greece and Italy over break. They went to Athens, Florence, Rome, Pisa, Delphi, Vatican City, and a couple more cities. We interviewed some of the students and teachers who got the opportunity to go. Bailey, LJ, Kaitlyn, Mrs. Roush, Mrs. Webb, and Mr. Orlandi all filled us in how the trip went. They all said they had a bunch of fun while on the trip. They played a game called Egyptian Rats on the flight, bus, and boat ride. They had “dustications” where whenever something happened in the game you would have to get powdered sugar thrown on you. They also had a lot of cool new foods and they all had favorite foods and desserts. Some of the food was gnocchi, gyros, sandwiches, pasta, and more. The desserts were gelato,  cream puffs, and savory cannolis. They had so much fun on their trip and had a lot of cool experiences. If you thought it sounded fun and cool, go ask Mr. Freyta about the New York/Boston/Washington D.C./Philadelphia trip in 2024 or look at the posters in the halls with info.

"Plans for Summer!" by Ella L. - 5/4/23 

Summer vacation is quickly approaching and people are making their plans for summer break. Here is what a few people are planning on doing. Mr. Luke said he is going to India to do some volunteer work for 6 weeks. Mrs. Janus says she’s going to travel to visit family and have a party for her mom’s 90th birthday. Mr. Riley is moving to Washington State with his family and Mrs. Paletta wants to spend time with her kids and re-learn geometry for high school at Bear Creek High School. Mr. Harris is planning on getting married to his fiancé whom he’s been with for 2 years. Ms. McKenzie is gardening, driving her kids around, and reading. Some students are traveling, doing sports, and relaxing. That's what a few people are planning on doing over summer break. Have a relaxing summer!

"Crystals and their Impact on the Energetic Field" by Jeremias M. - 4/4/23

  Some might see these beautiful gems as rocks; I think that's a broad term for these amazing stones- A.K.A. crystals. These crystals have properties that are beyond this world unseen to the physical eye but felt deeply by the soul. Crystals work with you to enhance your energy field, which in fact all humans have an aura field and this has been scientifically proven. Your aura field is dictated by your thoughts, emotions, and feelings. Crystals however only enhance your energetic field by adding on the energy the stones have to help your energetic field. Then it impacts and affects you depending on which stones you have. This might seem unbelievable but you know what they say, "You have to believe in a miracle for it to happen!" Rose Quartz is known as a healing crystal and the stone of unconditional love. It's believed by some to emit strong vibrations of love, which are thought to support emotional and relationship healing and inspire compassion. Tektite boosts feelings of peace and calm. This stone is believed to facilitate communication with otherworldly realms and encourage spiritual growth. Although not a birthstone, tektite is related to the zodiac signs Aries and Cancer. Tektites, due to being a product of extraterrestrial phenomena, are associated with worlds outside our own. It is associated with the third eye chakra. Which is the eye of the (Insight).  These are only two of thousands of crystals that have their own unique energy. Curious? Check out some of the other amazing crystals and their powers.

"Fashion in 90's" by Mason S. - 4/4/23

Fashion during the 1990s was marked by tees and jeans, including grunge fashion inspired by music which had started to become very popular. Grunge fashion included things like graphic tees and oversized shirts.  If you wanted to dress as you lived in the 90s all you would need to do is throw on a pair of baggy jeans (inspired by rock and roll and hip hop). Baggy jeans rocketed in the fashion community and to this day they are still one of the most popular fashion pieces. It also started to make thrift stores admired because of the used look and how cheap you could get clothes. Nineties fashion was popular because it was a time when people weren't afraid to experiment with their looks. Nowadays people wonder things like “Is this the right thing to wear?” or “Will this look good on me?”  In the 90s you would throw some stuff on and try your best to make it look good. As you can see 90's fashion started some of the biggest trends and was very unique. Fashion trends are always changing but the 90's will always stay with us. 

"Fairytale to Reality" by Isabelle M. - 3/10/23

Once upon a time in a faraway land there lived an aunt of three kids. The aunt’s name was Piper Jackson and her niece's name was Hazel.  Her nephew's names were Leo and Percy. One day her nefhew Leo fell down the stairs and broke his leg. He’d been on crutches for 10 days and today was the 11th day for his leg to heal. The doctor told his aunt that he will be on crutches for more than 20 days meaning over a month. As she walked into the room where they slept she whispered, “Time to get up. It’s time for school.” The nieces woke up and dressed. Leo was slower to get up with his hurt leg.  When they arrived at school they told their aunt, “Bye.”  When Leo shuffled in a student named Annabeth McLean started to bully him because of the way he walked on his crutches. “Oh, look it’s the boy that walks funny,” she said. Leo's siblings were walking by when she said that. Hazel walked up to Annabeth with her fists clenched. Percy followed. His face was red and his fists were clenched too. “How dare you! That’s my brother you’re talking too!” Hazel said angrily. She looked at her brother Leo and saw that he was crying. Percy did the same. “Look what you did! You made him cry! If he didn’t have a broken leg, he wouldn’t be on crutches!” Hazel and Percy screamed. The teacher overheard and called the aunt to tell her what had happened at school and that Leo's siblings were wonderful siblings to have came to his defense. At home, the aunt said, “That is the right way to treat bullying instead of just standing there while someone is being treated unfairly. I’m so proud of you!

"Fashion in the 80s" by Mason S. & Joseph C. - 3/10/23

The 1980s was a very good year for fashion. In fact, fashion started to become very popular in the 1980s. To start off, fashion isn't only about clothes. Fashion includes things like hair! Mullets became very admired during the 80s and so did perms. In the 1980s neon colors became very well-liked which makes a lot of sense. Why not go big and bold? Would you rather look like everyone else or be unique? Most people would say they want to be unique and that's exactly why neon colors became popular. The next well-liked trend during the 80s was Spandex. Lycra changed the world, and the 80s made sure it knew. Everyone was wearing Spandex. Men, women, boys, girls-it didn't matter. Spandex was the material of the future, and everyone was in on the trend. Some people like the way they feel, and others like how they look. If you weren't alive in the 80s, don't fret, like most fashions it will come back around.

"Art Media Passion" by Jeremias M. - 2/15/23

Have you ever stumbled upon an art gallery of some sort? Maybe even a pottery shop? Have you ever felt a fiery spark for the art of some sort? Well, I'm here to tell you you have options and follow your heart because art is a never beginning nor ending endeavor that is worth experiencing. Ceramics is a very fun and timely endeavor that requires patience and a creative mind. There are three main types of pottery/ceramic. These are earthenware, stoneware, and porcelain. Ceramics are a worthwhile endeavor that is very fun and interesting and most definitely worth the experience. Painting is the use of paint. The paint can be used to make a painting or, more practically, as a protective covering or decorative element. Visual art in the form of paintings describes the expression of thoughts and feelings on a two-dimensional surface. The way I see painting, art, etc, is a way of expressing how you truly feel. Personally, whenever I feel really emotional and or just in a state of deep expression I find myself drawing. I vision art as a great personal expression And these are just two of MANY ways art can be experienced, There are many more categories of art, I personally have a deep passion for drawing and just making pieces that are really bizarre. I like to sketch and even draw longer-lasting pictures. I also really like to use oil pastels. Surreal art is more of my passion as I like using my imagination to make pieces that wouldn't be considered normal but are really cool. Art is something I am really passionate about as learning art could be beneficial to you in the future.  I say if you have a passion for any type of art, follow your heart and do what makes you happy.. 2

"Love is in the Air" by Sofia M.G. - 2/15/23

In the time of February no matter where you look you can't miss the lovely decor everyone puts up to remind you it’s Valentine’s Month. You can't miss the hearts,the pink and red decorations are not  even hard to see from the corner of your eye. Lots of people celebrate Valentine's Day but not all do. Here at Carmody Middle School 76% of the school said they celebrate and a mere 24% said they don’t. Valentine's is a holiday that you celebrate with loved ones and someone special to show people you love and care for them. Some people may ask how and where did Valentine's come from? Well, it came from two early Christians martyrs named Saint Valentine to focus on romance and love for others.

"Trees, Dreidels, and Candles Season" by Ava C. - 12/16/22

As the holidays approach there are many ways that families celebrate. Some ways people celebrate the holidays are Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and other ways. It's important that we include other people with their religions and beliefs. Christmas is a holiday for Christians. Hanukkah is celebrated by Jewish people. Kwanzaa is a holiday created by African Americans. Christmas is a holiday celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, Some of the traditions for Christmas include trees, stockings, presents, Santa, decorations, and a lot more. Hanukkah is based on a miracle that happened when the Menorah's candles stayed lit for eight days; they celebrated this by making an eight-day festival. Some families that celebrate Hanukkah can include one present every night and each day you light a candle of the Menorah going right to left. You can also play dreidel games, bake, and have fun. Kwanzaa is an annual celebration of African American culture from December 26 to January 1. There is a communal feast called Karamu that usually lands on the sixth day. Celebrating Kwanzaa includes assembling the display, lighting the candles, preparing and sharing food, honoring ancestors, and sharing your talents. All of these different holidays are a great way to enjoy the season with family and friends. Enjoy the holiday season!

"Tech Deck Comeback" by Aubrey F. - 12/16/22

Fingerboards are a popular and fun hand-held skateboard made in the late 1960s. The first fingerboard was made by Skateboarder Lance Mountain who wanted a way to skateboard at his fingertips.  These fingerboards were mostly homemade or found on keychains in skate shops. As these boards got more and more popular, Tech Deck produced its first fingerboard in 1999. Tech Deck made the fingerboard a lot better and a lot more people got into it with the new features. These new features included grip tape and wheel bushings to make it feel like a real skateboard! You could also customize your own board in every way you could a regular board. With Tech Decks' new boards, it was easy for people to warm up to skateboarding and they could do tricks that they never had done before. Fingerboards were also an amazing training tool for beginners and could teach someone a lot about how skateboards work.

"Weird Weather" by Ethan H. - 12/2/23

Colorado's weather has been making some drastic changes. The weather is never predictable, it might be raining or snowing one day then 70 and sunny the next. It's now that time of year when temperatures are reaching freezing and its time for a jacket. Leaves have fallen off the trees and if you haven't raked them you should as soon as possible before they are buried in snow.  Ready or not, snowy, Colorado weather is on its way!

"Meats of the World" by Billy B.- 12/2/23

There are many different types of meat that Carmody students eat.  When polled; the most popular meat in our school is chicken getting 33.1% of votes, followed closely by turkey at 28.8% of votes, and third would be ham with 14.1% of votes. There are a lot of people who don’t eat meat or who eat meat substitutes. Kids eat lots of different types of meat and whether you eat meat or meat substitutes, it's very good.

"Winter of Lights" by Janiah F.W. - 12/2/23

As the air gets colder a new attraction opens up. The Parade of Lights! This event takes place in December on the 3rd at 6:00 in Denver! Don't be sad if you miss it, it will stream over 9NEWS where you can see beautiful lights and colors to get in the Christmas Spirit.

"Let it Snow!" by Riar B. - 11/10/22

This winter is going to be packed with snow in our forecast, so make sure you hit the slopes! People are excited this year to start the ski season off strong as Colorado is the most popular state in the United States (with the second being Utah) for skiing. According to Denver.org in 2021, there were a total of 84.2 million tourists in Colorado, most of those numbers come from people who like skiing but live in other states. Colorado is popular for skiing due to the 15 mountains in the state. Vail Ski Resort is one of the most popular ski resorts in the state of Colorado. Vail has huge resorts with the biggest having more than 5,200 acres of mountains, slopes, and beautiful natural vegetation. If you are ready for the ski season, check out Vail or one of the other 25 ski resorts in Colorado.  

"Scales, Tails, and Bubbles" by Aubrey F. - 11/10/22

Class pets are a great addition to a classroom and can always lighten the mood. But are they worth it? I interviewed a couple of teachers in this school that have class pets and got their thoughts about it. Some of the class pets that we have in this school are a bunny, a lot of fish, a Banana Ball Python, and a Leopard Gecko. These pets are so fun to play with and teachers have many different opinions about them.

Mrs. Roush says, “My favorite part of having pets in the classroom is the ambiance they create. The fish are beautiful to look at and are peaceful and calm. Milton is goofy, entertaining, and fun to snuggle during reading or independent work time.” Mrs. Webb's favorite thing about her pet is “Getting students who used to hate snakes to love them by the end of the year!" The animals are so fun to play with and the students can take a break and relax around a pet, relieve stress so they can get back to working and so much more. Students can also learn from the pets and see if they would want to get one. Class pets can also help the students learn about them; Mr. Burdick loves to use his Leopard Gecko during his ecosystem unit to show examples of it in real life. This also makes the lessons more interactive and fun for the students. One reason teachers may rethink getting class pets is because of the mess and struggle on breaks. According to Mrs. Roush, Mrs. Webb, and Mr. Burdick, the pets are pretty easy to clean after and only need to be cleaned every once in a while. Some even just need to have their cages cleaned once a month! If you are considering getting a pet for a classroom, Most are great with kids and do not bite. Students can pet them and it's not a very hard process. As long as teachers are ready to take care of a long-term pet and can bring it home, a class pet is a great addition to any classroom.

"Records of Records" by Riar B. - 10/24/22

Music is one of the most beloved things in today's world. Many people rely on music to get through the day. A lot of people cant' go through the day without music, to make it better there are many different kinds of music for people. The survey conducted shows that many people have many music preferences compared to each other.

"Playing in Plays" by Jennifer L. - 10/24/22

Musical Theater is a class for students who want to learn how to be involved in plays, costume-making, and more. There are many jobs you can do while in theater, such as singer, actor, dancer, choreographer, music director, pit orchestra, backstage crew, and designers. You can explore your talents, even if your not great or "Profesional" in it.  A great place to start is to start is auditioning for your Middle School plays/musicals or community theater, or taking a theater class, then you can explore the different areas of theaters, and test it out to see if you enjoy it!

"How to Help the Sharks" by Ava C. - 10/1/22

People are hunting sharks and killing them just to get their fins for shark fin soup. Sometimes people think that sharks are bad so they decide to kill sharks trying to save people. When they are hurting sharks, sharks do not usually hurt humans. Ways to help save the sharks are to Volunteer at the International Coastal Cleanup. If you ever throw away plastic, cut it up so it doesn't hurt as many animals as uncut plastic would hurt them. Pick up trash wherever you are so that it does not get blown away into the ocean or find its way into the sewer. For a better life you need help, don't rely on others to save the whole planet the more people helping means a better earth sooner.

"Reeling it in" by Billy B. - 10/1/22

While fishing you can catch fish, release them, or you can eat them. While fishing there is always a good place to have fun with someone older or younger than you as long as you have a license. People who are older can have the opportunity to teach the younger generation this cool thing called, "fishing". If you are under the age of 16, you don't need to have a license. If you are 16 or older than it is required for you to have a license. If you don't have a license and you are of age to need one, you may receive a fine and you may be kicked out of wherever you are fishing.