By Asher Darling and William Beesley
-Events
Introduction
March Madness, 2021. One of the most upset filled, nail biting, exciting tournaments of them all. With exciting overtimes, clutch shots and more, here is our in depth breakdown of all the upsets, 1 and 2 seed recaps, and overall amazing moments from the tournament.
-Sporting News
Upsets
Oral Roberts Over Ohio State
After Ohio State's deep run into the Big 10 tournament, there were high expectations for them going into the tournament. The game was neck and neck until Oral Roberts stars Max Abmas and Kevin Obanor outplayed Ohio State’s stars EJ Liddel and Duane Washington Jr. One of the most electric and exciting games of the first round came down to the last shot where Duane Washington Jr. missed a wide open three off the rim.
-Sports Illustrated
Ohio Over Virginia
Common upset pick Ohio proved they belonged in the tourney after upsetting defending champion Virginia. Leader Jason Preston led the way with a balanced statline of 11 Points 8 Assists while also collecting 13 boards. This didn’t surprise many fans as this Virgina team was much different from the champions two years ago.
-Sporting News
Abilene Christian Over Texas
Abilene Christian, a 14 seed, shockingly upset the three seed big 12 champion Texas. This game was extremely close coming down to the wire where ACU held onto a one point lead when time expired. Texas junior Courtney Ramey struggled from the field finishing with a disappointing 3 points.
-KTXS
Syracuse Over West Virginia
Syracuse played great in the first two rounds with Buddy Beihiem leading the team with over 20 points in both games. West Virginia struggled and Miles McBride was trapped on the final possession to seal the deal for Syracuse. The Orange were back in the Sweet Sixteen.
North Texas Over Purdue
Another Shocker in the first round with another 13 seed upsetting a 4 seed. Many people had Purdue as a sleeper to maybe make a Sweet Sixteen Run but not many Saw the Mean Green advancing into the round of 32. Despite playing in their home state Purdue couldn’t pull it off, losing by 9 in overtime.
-Youtube
One Seed Recap
Gonzaga
This team was a dominating force throughout the tournament, without even being contested for a win until the final four. In the final four, they pulled off a close victory over UCLA when Jalen Suggs hit a buzzer beater from half court, ending an otherwise neck and neck game.
-Insider
Baylor
The Baylor Bears held true to their number 1 seeding, soaring through the tournament without a struggle. They one every single game of the tournament in double digits, beside their 9 point victory over Arkansas. This season and tournament run showed their true dominance as a team.
-New York Times
Illinois
The Fighting Illini came into March Madness hot after winning the Big Ten tournament and solidifying their place as a top seed in the field of 64. They had a dominant win over Drexel in the first round, but they couldn’t hang on to save their season against Loyola, losing by 13 in the second round without gaining the lead even once.
-Daily Herald
Michigan
Michigan ended their run with a devastating loss to Ucla in one of the top games of the tournament. With coach of the year Juwan Howard and the #1 Recruiting class in the nation returning next year along with All American center Hunter Dickinson this program in Ann Arbor is bound for success.
-The Wolverine
Two Seed Recaps
Iowa
Luka Garza couldn’t get it done. Emotional after the loss to Oregon after he couldn’t carry the Hawkeyes to the Sweet Sixteen. Iowa, led by coach Fran McCafrey will have to do some work to replace their all time great. They do have good returning talent in Joe Wiescamp and Connor McCafrey. So don’t count them out from the big dance next year.
Brown Sports
Ohio State
Ohio State couldn’t make a run like many experts predicted them to. Oral Roberts stood in their way. With sloppy playing from your stars in crunch time, winning in March is hard to come by. Maybe next year Buckeyes. With both Liddel and Washington Jr. back next year, Ohio State should be back around the top of the big 10.
-Sportsnet
Houston
Houston's Final four run was not the most challenging because they ended up only facing double digit seeds. Houston played well through the Tourney but was no match for Baylor who demolished them on their way to winning the National Championship.
-Wish TV
Alabama
Alabama had their season cut short when 11 Seed Ucla upset them in the Sweet Sixteen. With missed free throws down the stretch and missed shots the crimson tide couldn’t get it done in which it proved to be a disappointing end to the season. Seniors John Petty Jr. and Herbert Jones had disappointing ends to their Alabama careers.
-ESPN
By: Jade Yoo
Hybrid learning is a great way for students and teachers to interact safely, and many people have loved it, especially the students. But, we all must be wondering how it must feel to be the teachers in this learning mode.
Ms. Barad, Mr. Lewis, and Mr. Giardi have kindly filled out a form regarding teacher’s views on hybrid learning. We started out by asking, “From a scale of 1-10, how safe do you feel, and why.”. Ms. Barad responded with a 9, stating that “I feel that Menlo has done an outstanding job putting health protocols into place to keep us safe and healthy. In fact, because I always wear a mask, I haven't even had a cold this school year!”. Mr. Lewis responded with a 10, stating, “Menlo has taken countless steps to ensure the safest standards of taking care of everyone that steps on campus. With routine testing, POMs, classroom set ups and so much more, I feel very comfortable greeting and working alongside students and colleagues who do their best to follow safety protocols.”. Mr. Giardi responded with a 5, stating, “I'm happy to see kids at school and for everyone to have the opportunity to socialize and feel a sense of "normalcy" but teaching to two different groups simultaneously is difficult and unfulfilling.”. We see mixed feelings regarding hybrid and also see a range from 5-10.
When asked, “What other protocols/safety measures do you think Menlo can implement to make you feel safer? If none, please answer none.”, all teachers responded with “none”, demonstrating that Menlo is doing a great job with safety protocols/safety measures for teachers.
When asked, ‘How has hybrid affected your teaching methods?”, Ms. Barad explained, “ I think it has really affected the way I usually have students move around the class. In a normal year, my students are up and out of their chairs, moving around, talking to different people, and playing games that require movement. This year, we are stuck in our chairs more during class. But, I have changed the way I assess students. With Canvas, I find it very easy to give retakes on small quizzes. My students have taken advantage of this change and benefitted from additional chances to show their mastery of class material. Also, we have done some group assessments where groups of students make videos to show that they have mastered the unit. These videos have been a lot of fun.”. Mr. Lewis said, “It's very different but I have made some excellent discoveries of games that work better in hybrid than in person or even remotely. I think each mode of learning has different approaches but I have learned about so much about new possibilities with interactive video performances! Virtual tools are amazingly handy!”. Mr. Giardi stated, “I try very hard to minimize my instruction time knowing how long students spend on Zoom each day. This sometimes means we do less "creative' lessons and challenges but it delivers the core of the curriculum in the most efficient way possible.”. We see that the teachers are making great adaptations for all learning modes to help students learn in the best way possible.
When asked, “Any obstacles in teaching during hybrid?”, Ms. Barad answered, “I thought it would be relatively easy to practice communication skills via Zoom. It turned out to be not so easy at all, and this is the area that my students are struggling the most. I am eagerly anticipating getting everyone back at school so we can practice conversing everyday.”. Mr. Lewis says, “The most challenging aspect to hybrid is remote/in-person collaborations and issues with lag whether off campus or on. It can be tough when a student or a group gets interrupted by Zoom issues but you take a step back, adjust, and step back in!” Mr. Giardi responded, “I prefer to have students collaborate in class and to observe this collaboration to check for understanding. This is difficult to do in the hybrid and distance models.”. We see there are many different obstacles but a lot of them are regarding zoom limits and functions.
Our next question is, “Any benefits discovered while teaching in hybrid?”. Ms. Barad states, “I am enjoying being 'forced' to rethink my teaching strategies to adapt to hybrid learning. I've learned a lot about technology as well.” Mr. Lewis answers, “A lot! I can't list them all but for me as a new teacher, it was so valuable to have the opportunity to meet students face-to-face after being in remote through the fall. It helped me get to know students more which in turn helped shape the class!”. Mr. Giardi responds, “Using Canvas has transitioned most of curriculum online in a way that is organized and accessible to all.”. We see that, even though hybrid is difficult and challenging for teachers, there are definitely some bright sides!
Our last but definitely not least question is, “Do you think overall, distance learning, hybrid, or pre-covid in-person learning was your favorite learning mode? Why?” For this one, we have an unanimous answer! In-person is the victor!!! Here is the answers and reasoning behind it. Ms. Barad says, “In-person learning is my favorite by far! I love being around my students everyday and I feed off of their energy. I absolutely enjoy the chaos and energy of a full classroom!”. Mr. Lewis explains, “I think each has its pros and cons. For drama, I will always gravitate toward in-person learning as theater and playing certain games require in-person playing. But I've learned so much during remote and hybrid learning and I am happy that we bring those skills with us into the future!”. Mr. Giardi shares with us, “Definitely in person! Teaching is about interaction, sharing and collaborating. Much of this "feeling' is lost when students attend on Zoom.”.
Thank you teachers for sharing all of your answers! This is greatly appreciated and offers us an insight into what it would be like to be in your shoes!
Now, let’s explore what students have to say! Student council members Dinah Williams, Devon Tussing-Adkinson, and Alexa Muchnick (in order from sixth, seventh, and eighth grade) kindly volunteered to share their thoughts.
Similar to teachers, they were asked, “On a scale from 1-10, how safe do you feel during hybrid learning mode? Why?”. Dinah chose a 10, and explained, “I feel safe because we are getting COVID tested, everyone is wearing masks, the POMs keep track of our contact tracing, and the lunch and classroom spaces are set up socially distanced.”. Devon chose a 8, stating, “Feel pretty safe during school but at pe coaches take their masks off and wear different kind of masks that the students are not allowed to wear. Also not everyone is social distanced at pe.”. Alexa chose a 8, stating, “I feel pretty safe (probably between an eight and nine). My classmates and I seem to be compliant with wearing masks properly, and the teachers are doing a great job and putting in a lot of effort to keeping students feeling safe by encouraging social distance, keeping classrooms clean, and opening windows and doors. In addition, the POM trackers seem to be helpful for contact tracing and the covid testing, too!”. We see a pretty high range of safety, from 8-10.
When asked, “What other protocols/safety measures do you think can Menlo implement to make you feel safer? If none, please answer none.” Dinah states, “none”. Devon says, “I would like it if EVERYONE wore the same type of regular masks that the middle school wears and not the neck warmer kind/bandanna.”. Alexa mentions, “If I could make one suggestion, it would seem like the One Medical staff could administer the covid tests just like they do at the drive-through locations, rather than a self-swab, since they are the professionals and know the proper way to test people.”.
The next question was, “How has hybrid affected your learning methods?”. Dinah responded, “It is much easier to focus and be engaged during on campus learning, and I prefer that over distance learning.”. Devon responds, “In a good way yes because it has been more fun at school then at home.”. Alexa responds, “I definitely prefer the weeks where I am in person. My study habits are much better when I am on campus, and it is easier to be more engaged with the material when you are around your physical classmates and teachers.”. I agree with all of them, and echo Alexa and Dinah’s feelings about having more engagement and better study habits on campus, and feel the same way as Devon.
The participants were then asked, “Any obstacles during hybrid?”. Dinah answers, “It can be pretty tough for me to sit down all day during distance learning weeks and focus and then on top of that still have homework to do. To be honest I kind of get sick of being inside. What helps a lot though is the 5-10 minute breaks teachers give us during class.”. Devon says, “Staying safe while doing school and having less time for hw because the commute.”. Alexa explains, “For the weeks when I am at home, the classes feel less engaging, because the focus of engagement is the student on campus in person class, although I do prefer hybrid of exclusively online learning.”.
Similar to the previous question, the next question was, “Any benefits during hybrid?”. Dinah responds, “It's really nice to hang out with friends and see every one in person!”. Devon answers, “Seeing my friends and teachers .”. Alexa shares, “There are pros and cons to both. When it is your week at home, you get to sleep in more, have more office hours, and time to do homework. But when you are on campus, you definitely get the benefit of socializing, understanding concepts better, communicating with friends and teachers, asking questions, and feeling connected!”. We see a common answer of socializing with friends and teachers in all of our participants, and I couldn’t agree more.
Last but definitely not least, they were asked, “Do you think overall, distance learning, hybrid, or pre-covid in-person learning was your favorite learning mode?” Dinah shares, “I think pre-covid in person learning was definitely my favorite! All though I wasn't at Menlo back then, my shadow was in person and it was so different! School during coronavirus is something I never could've imagined. Overall pre-covid in person learning just seemed more free if that makes sense.”. Devon tells us, “Hybrid.”. Alexa responded, “This pandemic has made me and many others realize how much I took for granted in person pre-covid learning. It is my favorite method of learning, and I can not wait for the day we can safely return to all in person school :).” I personally love in-person, but while doing hybrid, I began gravitating more towards it. The reason is that through hybrid learning, you can enjoy both distance, and in-person learning. We get the leisure, sleeping in, pajama bottoms, sneaky food during distance learning, but the fun vibe with friends and teachers in person learning. So, hybrid is a good combination of both.
Thank you students for participating, and giving us more perspective into your feelings! Now, we see how both students and teachers are impacted by hybrid. After spring break and quarantine, in-person learning will begin. I am nervous and excited for the learning mode to resume after it took a long break since last March.
By Stevie Halprin
Borussia Dortmund vs. Manchester City
Manchester City
One of the richest sports teams in existence, Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City is undoubtedly one of the best clubs in the world. Despite their lack of ever even making it to a Champions League final, this team is one to watch, and could easily win it all. Kevin De Bruyne, a belgian attacking midfielder is one of their best players, and has already scored a stunning goal against german club Borussia M’gladbach, leading his team to the next round. Another bright spot on Manchester City’s roster is twenty year old Phil Foden, who plays left wing and consistently sets up great scoring chances.
Borussia Dortmund
Dortmund is one of the most renowned teams in the world. The german club has won countless trophies, including the prestigious UEFA Champions League trophy that they are fighting for now. They have countless stars from all over the world, but one player stands out from the rest. Erling Braut Håland, a twenty year old, six foot three norwegian, has so far been carrying his team, with an unbelievable four goals and two assists in Dortmund’s last three champions league matches. In addition, the club also has experienced german star Marco Reus, who holds up the midfield and gets many assists. Finally, eighteen year old american Giovanni Reyna is another key player to the midfield, and like Reus, gets many assists.
Predicted Winner:
Due to Dortmund’s many stars and excellent style of play, I think that they will be the victors against Manchester, despite the absence of englishman Jadon Sancho. However, Manchester City is still quite a formidable force, and should not be counted out of this matchup.
PSG vs. Bayern Munich
PSG
Paris Saint Germain, also known as PSG, is one of the most well known soccer clubs around the globe. Last season, they lost in the Champions League finals to german club Bayern Munich, who defeated them one to zero. Paris Saint Germain was cast down by a goal from frenchman Kingsley Coman, who ironically played for PSG’s under nineteen team. Because of this, you can be sure that Paris Saint Germain will come back even stronger this year. Their biggest advantage against other clubs will be star player Kylian Mbappe, who scored four goals in the round of sixteen against Messi’s Barcelona.
Bayern Munich
Having won the Champions League last season, this club is back to defend their title. Widely considered the best team in the Bundesliga, Bayern Munich attracts countless promising players from around the globe. Because of this, their lineup is overflowing with astounding talent. Their star striker, Robert Lewandowski, is one of the best in the world, and last year, he won the Best FIFA Men's Player Award and the UEFA Men’s Player of the Year Award. In addition, Bayern Munich have german keeper Manuel Neuer, who is one of the best goalies in the world.
Predicted Winner:
Though these teams are both widely considered the best in their leagues, I think Bayern Munich will end up victorious, just like in the finals of the last champions league.
Real Madrid vs. Liverpool
Real Madrid
As a team who has won the Champions League multiple times in the last decade, there were high expectations going into this season, and they have all been fulfilled. The former team of portuguese star Christiano Ronaldo, Los Blancos has no shortage of talent, especially now. Their bright spots include Karim Benzema, Marco Asensio, Marcelo, and Thibaut Courtois. Karim Benzema is a stiker, as well as their top scorer, while Belgian Thibaut Courtios is a goalie who is one of the best in the world.
Liverpool
The six-time winners of the UEFA Champions League have returned once more, and this time they have even more stars on their roster. The English club’s new additions include Diogo Jota, a portugeuse winger who they acquired for forty-seven million, and Thiago Alcántara, a spanish defensive midfielder who won the Champions League last season with Bayern Munich. In addition, their most notable player is egyptian winger Mohammed Salah, who scored in both of Liverpool’s games in the round of sixteen. However, the english club is suffering from many injuries, including talented center backs Virgil van Dijk and Joseph Gomez.
Predicted Winner:
In full health, these two teams are pretty evenly matched, but due to Liverpool’s countless injuries, I think Madrid will end up beating the battered english team.
Porto vs. Chelsea
Porto
This is probably the least known team in the Champions League, however having beat italian giants and team of Christiano Ronaldo, Juventus, this underdog portugeuse team is one to watch. Their best defensive player, though he is extremely prone to fouls, is portugeuse defender Pepe, Also known as “The Butcher”. In addition, their best offensive player is Sérgio Oliviera, who pulled Porto through the round of sixteen with a stunning free kick near the end of the game.
Chelsea
One of the top contenders for the Premier League title, english club Chelsea is a formidable force. With new additions of Timo Werner, Kai Havertz and Edouard Mendy, they have a good shot at winning the elusive Champions League title. Mason Mount, a young englishman who is a skilled set piece taker, leads Chelsea’s midfield and has no shortage of goals and assists. In addition, german striker Timo Werner has many goals to his name as well, having come over from german club RB Leipzig.
Predicted Winner:
Because of Chelsea’s outstanding stars and new manager, I think that they will win over the portuguese club. Nonetheless, Porto could still emerge victorious, having beat Ronaldo’s team.
Thanks to:
FotMob for stats and facts
ESPN for stats and facts
By Eliza Low
Across the United States and the world, people are finally receiving highly-anticipated vaccines. About 44 million people have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19. While this is fantastic news, a key part of the population is still not able to be vaccinated. Most of the vaccines are only authorized to be administered to people over the age of 16 or in some cases 18. While younger people do have a much lower mortality rate when infected with Covid, they are still able to spread the disease to other vulnerable groups. Children and teens are sometimes more relaxed with social distancing protocols and masks making them especially effective spreaders of the disease. This means that vaccinating younger people is very important, especially if we are to reach herd immunity. Luckily, a kid vaccine is on the way. Currently, several companies, including Moderna, are enrolling children in trials for a vaccine. Most likely, a vaccine for older children will be available by the fall whereas younger children may need to wait until November or December. However, children over the age of 12 that are at high risk may be able to receive a vaccine this summer. Before the vaccine is distributed, it will need to be tested to ensure that it is effective and safe for children and teens. In the pediatric trials, they will start vaccinating teens and then move to younger people. In the trials, they, “start with low doses and move up in the dosage until we find that Goldilocks moment, where we give them just enough of the vaccine to get the right immune response but without a high amount of side effects,” said Dr. Buddy Creech. In addition to protecting younger age groups, a vaccine for kids could help increase people’s enthusiasm about the vaccine. In conclusion, a vaccine for children is on its way, but perhaps not for a while.
Sources:
Information from CNN
Image from Forbes
By Brad Engel
Why was daylight savings time implemented?
Daylight savings time was implemented to take advantage of daylight. The further a country is away from the equator, the more daylight it has in the summer and the less daylight it has in the winter. Using daylight savings time, people are able to get more work done in the evenings during the winter, because more hours of the day overlap with the light. In both World War 1 and 2, there are examples of countries using daylight savings time to help themselves. During World War 1, Germany was the first country to implement daylight savings time. On April 30, 1916, the Germans turned their clocks ahead by one hour. Their goal was to reduce use of artificial lighting and to save fuel for the war effort. Britain used daylight savings time in the same way during World War 2. Because they conserved energy, they were able to direct more resources to the war effort and to fight the Nazis.
History of daylight savings time
In 1895, New Zealand astronomer George Vernon Hudson working with William Willett proposed a 2 hour shift backward in March, and a 2 hour shift forward in October to the Wellington Philosophical Society in New Zealand. However this was never approved. Ten years later, in 1905, William Willett suggested setting clocks forwards 20 minutes on each Sunday in April, and setting them back on each Sunday in September. In 1908, Willetts plan caught the attention of British Parliament member Robert Pearce, who introduced the plan to the House of Commons in February 1908. This plan was turned into a bill, and drafted in 1909, and presented to Parliament several times, but the bill was never made into a law. Willetts died a year before the United Kingdom started using DST in May 1916. By 1918, many countries around the world had implemented daylight savings time, including the United States.
Modern daylight savings time
There are numerous benefits of daylight savings time in the modern era. According to the journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, children increase their activity when daylight savings time is implemented. This more active behavior makes for healthier and happier children. Also, as recognized by Germany and Britain during the World Wars, countries save energy because of daylight savings time. Studies done by the U.S. Department of Transportation show that the country's electricity usage drops by 1% with daylight savings time. Surprisingly, another reason why daylight saving time is beneficial is that it lowers crime rates. When people have an extra hour of light, they tend to arrive home to their house before it gets dark. Burglars have less chance to rob an empty house after dark, at night.
Fun facts about daylight savings time:
Hawaii and Arizona are the only states in the U.S. that do not have daylight savings time.
Daylight savings time starts at 2 am, to increase the odds that most people will be asleep when it happens.
Daylight savings time traditionally designated October as the month to switch clocks back an hour, but the shift was extended to November in the U.S. in 2007.
In September, 1999, daylight savings time helped prevent a terrorist bombing. When terrorists forgot that Israel moved the clocks back one hour, the bombs exploded too early, killing three terrorists instead of the intended civilians.
In 1965, in Minnesota, the two twin cities were on separate daylight savings time schedules. This led to confusion, and there was even an office building where different floors were on different time zones, because they were the offices of different counties.
William Willett, whose ideas led to the creation of daylight savings time in the United Kingdom, is the great, great grandfather of Chris Martin of Coldplay.
Conclusion
While not a perfect system, daylight savings time has had numerous benefits for countries and people around the world over the past century. And while you may get frustrated at “losing an hour” each spring, you can always look forward to sleeping an extra hour in the fall.
http://www.webexhibits.org/daylightsaving/k.html
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/88302/10-fascinating-facts-about-daylight-saving-time
By Katie Kossow
St. Patrick’s day is a holiday that takes place every March 17 and is celebrated by an average of 149 million people in the US. But what’s the history of this popular holiday? And why do we celebrate it?
Saint Patrick
First and foremost, St. Patrick’s day is celebrated on the 17th of March because this is the anniversary of Saint Patrick’s death. Saint Patrick was Ireland’s national apostle and patron saint during his life in the fifth century. However, Saint Patrick wasn’t actually Irish; he was born in Britain but was kidnapped and forced to work as a slave in Ireland at the age of 16. He eventually managed to escape from his master by fleeing Ireland, but would later return to the country to spread Christianity to the people. His most well-known legend is that he taught the people of Ireland the Holy Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) by using a three-leaved Irish clover, or shamrock.
Because of this history, St. Patrick’s day is held as a religious holiday in Ireland where the people attend church in the morning, hold celebrations in the afternoon, and have a traditional Irish feast of corned beef and cabbage during the evening. This traditional day was first celebrated in the 10th century.
Saint Patrick’s day in America
St. Patrick’s day was first celebrated in the United States in 1772 when homesick Irish soldiers serving the English army held a parade to honor Saint Patrick. This first American parade took place in New York City, but excitement and enthusiasm quickly spread to other early American cities such as Boston and Philidelphia. Irish patriotism then rose over the next few decades. In 1848, several New York Irish societies decided to merge their parades to create one large celebration. That large parade still takes place to this day, where nearly 3 million people line the streets surrounding the parade route to watch.
Throughout the years, American cities have developed their own ways of celebrating the holiday. One of these ways is Chicago’s annual green dying of the Chicago River. This tradition began in 1962 when city pollution-control workers used dyes to trace illegal sewage discharges. They then realized that green dye could be a fun and unique way to celebrate the holiday. Today, the river is dyed green for only a few hours to limit environmental damage.
What do leprechauns and the color green have to do with St. Patrick’s day?
The color green is associated with Ireland because it’s the color of the country’s landscapes. Ireland countryside features many green rolling hills and trees, which is where that association comes from. Leprechauns are affiliated with St. Patrick’s day because they are icons of Irish folklore. Their original Irish name is “lobaircin,” meaning “small-bodied fellow.” The beliefs of leprechauns come from the Celtic belief in fairies, witches, and sorcerers. In these Celtic folktales, leprechauns are cranky tricksters that generally were responsible for mending the shoes of other magical beings. Leprechauns are said to use their trickery to protect their treasures and they actually have their own holiday on March 13 but are most often celebrated on the 17th.
St. Patrick’s day is a really fun and historical holiday, so next time March 17th comes around, you can be ready to celebrate Irish culture by wearing green, honoring Saint Patrick, and dining on corned beef and cabbage!
Sources:
https://www.history.com/topics/st-patricks-day/history-of-st-patricks-day
https://www.history.com/topics/st-patricks-day
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Saint-Patricks-Day
By Ella Skinner
The third trimester of the year has started and by now there have been many different projects completed in the 7th grade. One of these projects is the MOVE project.
In the project students pick a topic about the current world that interests them such as climate change or racism. Then the kids investigate ways to fix the problems and create a presentation about it. The presentation includes background information on the topic, a thesis on the causes/ solutions, and different solutions that have been used in the past, and ones to be used in the future. Students are also encouraged to go a step further and do something about their topic such as volunteering or donating to charities. The project pushes kids to think about solutions for problems in the world. It also encourages kids to do something themselves about the problems they researched about and teaches them to make changes in the world.
By: Sohum Berry
A) You’re driving a city bus. At the first stop, three women get on. At the second stop, one woman gets off and a man gets on. At the third stop, two children get on. The bus is blue and it’s raining outside in December. What color is the bus driver’s hair?
B) What has to be broken before you can use it?
C) I’m tall when I’m young, and I’m short when I’m old. What am I?
D) What month of the year has 28 days?
E) What question can you never answer yes to?
F) There’s a one-story house in which everything is yellow. Yellow walls, yellow doors, yellow furniture. What color are the stairs?
G) A man who was outside in the rain without an umbrella or hat didn’t get a single hair on his head wet. Why?
H) You see a boat filled with people, yet there isn’t a single person on board. How is that possible?
I) What can’t talk but will reply when spoken to?
J) The more of this there is, the less you see. What is it?
K) Which is heavier, a pound of feathers or a pound of rocks?
L) There are three houses. One is red, one is blue and one is white. If the red house is to the left of the house in the middle, and the blue house is to the right of the house in the middle, where’s the white house?
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ANSWERS
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Answer for A: Whatever color your hair is
Answer for B: An egg
Answer for C: A candle
Answer for D: All of them
Answer for E: Are you asleep yet?
Answer for F: There aren’t any—it’s a one-story house.
Answer for G: He was bald.
Answer for H: All the people on the boat are married.
Answer for I: An echo
Answer for J: Darkness
Answer for K: Neither, they are the same weight
Answer for L: In Washington DC
https://parade.com/947956/parade/riddles/
Innocent Citizens; A Hateful Crime
Opinion
What Happened?
On Tuesday, March 16, in Atlanta, a violent shooting heavily contended the United State’s system for equality. A 21-year-old man who is now in custody is suspected of the shootings at three Asian spas. Two of these shootings were in a northeast suburb in Atlanta and were across the street from each other. The third was in Cherokee County, around 30 miles northwest of Atlanta.
The first shooting started at around 5:00 in the evening, when Robert Aaron Long, the 21-year old suspect entered the spa in Cherokee County and shot and killed 4 people, and injured a fifth. Later, three more people were shot and killed at a spa in northern Atlanta. While officers in Atlanta were tending to the shooting in northern Atlanta, the spa across the street reported a 911 call and police found another victim who had been shot and killed. In total, 8 people died, 7 of them being women, and 6 being citizens of Asian descent. Two were white.
How Does This Relate to Equality?
“The South Korean Foreign Ministry confirmed to CBS News that at least four of the eight victims were of Korean descent.” CBS states.
Hyun Jung Grant, an employee at one of the Atlanta spas and a victim of the shooting was a single mother with a happy and persistent spirit. Wanting both of her sons to go to college, she often woke early and came home late to keep up with the bills and to save some money for her children. This woman was trying to achieve the American dream. She wanted to make life in America, and do what is best for her children. Her life was unfortunately cut short due to a hate crime and the injustice and racism in the U.S. Law enforcement in Cherokee County said that Long, the shooter, was having a bad day. This further proves the point about how racist actions need to be condemned, especially with law enforcement.
There are many other stories about these countless victims and how they were all trying to achieve their American dream, only to have their blooming life cut short due to racist actions and the misuse of the Second Amendment1.
What Can We Do To Help?
The Menlo community can spread awareness by treating everybody equally. It is important that as we grow up, we see everybody as equal, this is the guiding principle to a kinder and stable society. People can also start discussions within their advocacy, family, or friend group and spread awareness about the issue and social and racial justice.
Footnotes:
Second Amendment: The second Constitutional Amendment affirming the right to bear arms.
Sources:
NY Times
CBS
CNN
The Cut
A vigil was held in Washington D.C.’s Chinatown to remember the Atlanta shootings. Six of the civilians killed were women of Asian descent. (Source: New York Times)
by Dinah Williams
Recently, around March 23rd, San Mateo county moved to the Orange COVID tier.
First, let me break down what these tiers are.
According to COVID19.CA.GOV, “Every county in California is assigned to a tier based on its positivity rate, adjusted case rate, and health equity metric. Counties must remain in a tier for at least 3 weeks before moving to a less restrictive tier. Counties must meet the next tier’s criteria for two consecutive weeks to move to a less restrictive tier. If a county’s metrics worsen for two consecutive weeks, it will be assigned a more restrictive tier.”
The orange tier is labeled as moderate. This means some indoor business operations are open with modifications. San Mateo was one of 9 counties to be in this category as of March 23rd.
Here are the country metrics: 4.8 new COVID-19 positive cases per day per 100k, 1.8% positivity rate (7-day average), and 30.3% ICU capacity.
The worst possible tier is purple, then red, then orange (where we are), and yellow is the best.
Source: https://covid19.ca.gov/safer-economy/
NBA All-Star Game by Anya Kothari
The NBA all-star game is a game that happens once a year in which the top 24 players in the NBA play against each other. The first all-star game was in 1951. This year it was on March 7 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, GA. The two teams competing were Team Lebron vs. Team Durant. The final score was 170 to 150 team Lebron.
Because of the pandemic, the stands were mostly empty. Giannis Antetokounmpo was the MVP of the game. He was the leading scorer with 35 points, 3 assists, and 7 rebounds.
Stats:
Team Lebron
48 rebounds
46 assists
3 blocks
9 steals
18 turnovers
72 points in the paint
8 personal fouls
Team Durant
41 rebounds
47 assists
0 blocks
15 steals
14 turnovers
64 points in the paint
8 personal fouls
Sources
https://www.nba.com/game/lbn-vs-drt-0032000001
https://www.businessinsider.com/nba-all-star-game-2020-starters-reserves-and-snubs-2020-1
https://www.newsweek.com/nba-all-star-game-format-twitter-1487620