Nonfiction

School counselors were originally just to aid children who needed support getting into college; however, they soon expanded to help children not just in high school but all ages in practically all schools in the United States. They create a safe space in which they provide help academically and also mentally, they give techniques for multiple situations out of school and in. For me, it's a mix of both. When I need support I know it's an email away but I don't always get the help I need. The counselors say it's confidential but both the child and the mentor need to be trustworthy for issues to be overcome. 

The early 1800’s is when counseling started to evolve, vocational guidance is what started it all which is helping students who are looking at their future and need some help or just support in general in high school. In the early 1900’s, this carried on and counselors helped students getting into careers where they have skills in this gave them a path to success and let them pursue what they dreamt of doing. This was very similar to the previous century but with more improved techniques. Then in the 1940’s when WW2 was taking place there was a critical need for counselors to help the government train and select military for special placements. In the 1950’s the The American Personnel and Guidance Association  was created, it provided mental health services for counselors who were already in this field to become professional. Then in the late 1950’s The National Defense Education Act was passed and it gave funds to train counselors. Through the 1930’s to the 1950’s school counselors grew to be a more popular aspect of schools. Counselors used to only accommodate highschoolers but now students K-12 can reach out for support and even some colleges. The help students receive is widely appreciated and the school counselors hold a large part of the school together. This is proven as high schoolers are 2% more likely not to drop out if school counselors are enabled. 

To me, confidentiality is a real issue. if I don't feel like I can trust the person whom I am sharing my struggles with, I wouldn't want to share them.and so, my experience with counselors is really mixed. One time I was giving my counselor an issue I was faced with at home and I wasn't expecting to be given my help just right then and there  and I know I was heard and felt for because my counselor was genuinely really supportive. However, getting strategies that I will actually use is tough and in that session I felt I got my feelings out but not the response I was seeking. I would have preferred to go back and have another meeting but at the time I just kept the rest of my emotions inside because I was stuck, or at least I thought so. Now a year later that feeling has flown away but during that period of my life it wasn't being resolved. 

That was my negative take on counseling. On a more positive note, there was a time I had a major conflict with a group of my friends, three on three and it felt like torture before we walked into that meeting. Around a week previous I had scheduled to meet up with my counselor to make another appointment to see all of my “friends” together. This may not seem like a good idea. Six middle school girls who were not getting along at all in a small room,  Well it ended up being pretty impactful, in a moving way. When we walked in, I remember being glared at. We started to chat and then it all kind of got out of control, words that maybe shouldn't have been said were, but in the end we got through it. I spent my entire extension there, maybe the second half too trying to solve the conflict. And to my suprise everything worked out. Before we were always trying to sort it out ourselves, but having an adult who knew what they were doing supporting us, not picking sides was incredibly helpful. 

I remember feeling in both situations that I needed to be more honest to myself on what I needed help on and who to go to, for friendship help I told myself I would talk to my counselors but for more personal thoughts and feelings I would rather keep it to myself or tell another adult like my mom. For other people it could be a completely different response. 

School counselors advocate for students equally and don't just pick a side while dealing with a situation. This is why students love using them as a tool however some don't. They may feel like they are not listened to or understood, especially if they feel different from other students. Counselors really try to prove that they are always there no matter what, but some students fail to really make this feel true.  There have been students that are sick with genetic mutations who are at so much risk but they can be helped by school counselors in the best of ways. They can organize peoples schedules and be empathetic and compassionate and without them students reveal they couldn't have made it. (Tarbox, 2020).  These are certain cases, some victims are accused of lying, they are sent to mental hospitals for no actual valid reason and in this case, it can ruin someone's life just from a rumor. In middle school this can be tough, and on top of all the stress from grades, getting work done and then all this, it's unthinkable for just a small developing mind. 

I give school counselors a 3 out of 5 stars. 

Works Cited

King, Dakota. "School Counseling: Definition, Techniques, and Examples Dakota King-White, Ph.D., LPC Written by: Dakota King-White, Ph.D., LPC Headshot of Naveed Saleh MD, MS." Choosing Therapy, 15 Sept. 2023, www.choosingtherapy.com/school-counseling/. Accessed 13 Dec. 2023.

Leeper, Angela. "School Counselor." Booklist, vol. 120, no. 3, 1 Oct. 2023, p. 56. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A768548265/GPS?u=mlin_m_charles&sid=bookmark-GPS&xid=a9d6ea18. Accessed 19 Dec. 2023.

O'Connor, Patrick J. "How school counselors make a world of difference: The multifaceted work of school counselors helps prepare students academically and emotionally for life beyond school." Phi Delta Kappan, vol. 99, no. 7, Apr. 2018, p. 35. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A538859274/GPS?u=mlin_m_charles&sid=bookmark-GPS&xid=1a5ea93e. Accessed 21 Dec. 2023.

Sutton, Jeremy. "School Counselor Resources: Best Techniques and Questions." Positive Psychology, 12 June 2022, positivepsychology.com/school-counselor-resources/. Accessed 13 Dec. 2023.

 Tarbox, Maggie. "My School Counselor Was There for Me When My World Changed." My School Counselor Was There for Me When My World Changed, Apr. 2020, www.schoolcounselor.org/Newsletters/May-2020/My-School-Counselor-Was-There-for-Me-When-My-World?st=WI. Accessed 20 Dec. 2023.

What Does a School Counselor Do? www.umassglobal.edu/news-and-events/blog/what-does-a-school-counselor-do. Accessed 20 Dec. 2023.

"World Mental Health Day: Combating Workplace Mental Health Issues." Business World, 10 Oct. 2023, p. NA. Gale OneFile: Business, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A768374126/GPS?u=mlin_m_charles&sid=bookmark-GPS&xid=2d618447. Accessed 19 Dec. 2023.

“The History Of Mental Health Counseling: 1800s – Present Day” 2024. https://www.newyorkbehavioralhealth.com/history-of-mental-health-counseling-part-i/ . Accessed March 19th 2024.

Middle schools and high schools should have later start times. “The Teen Who Woke Up Her School” by Jane Bianchi and “Why Schools Are Struggling to Let Students Sleep In,” by Alexandra Sifferlin, are both articles that promote school start times to be pushed back later. Early school start times are hard for everyone, so pushing them back and giving both students and staff an hour or so more sleep makes an impact in school. 

First, while students are going through puberty, their body releases something called growth hormone, this makes the bones and tissue grow. It kicks in later at night which stops the melatonin which is what puts you to sleep. Some students will then have trouble sleeping through the night and will feel drowsy in the morning, “About 95 percent of teenagers are walking zombies (pg 5)". which really shows how having a good night's rest can lead to a more productive school day. Students are also more engaged and can get more work done when having a longer night's sleep and won't wake up as aggravated as a crabby in the mornings. Students are also  unable to squeeze the correct amount of hours of sleep teens need and so it keeps them from being alert. Most students are not particularly excited to actually be there, especially with early morning starts. Sleep apparently can totally change that, and it has been proven as parents say “You're not exhausted 24/7, you feel better emotionally. Sleep also boosts your mood and lowers anxiety (pg 5)". It really does have a lot of benefits. In middle and high school stress levels are much higher for everyone, there are more important factors and so students may stay up at night as they have had such a busy and overwhelming day it seems like ‘their calm time’ and so it's like a cycle of not getting enough sleep. However, sleep can actually prevent stress. And so pushing back school hours can be a positive for those who do decide to stay up at night. 

Sleep plays a major effect on how the school day runs. If you have the right amount of time to sleep, chances are your day will be smoother. It is proven that students are more awake in the hallways as “Teachers notice kids in the hallways, they are not dragging as much” (pg 8) Which is signs of them being more up to actually having a good school day. Students will become much more successful if they are zoned in, it is quite clear for people to see if you have not had a good proper night's sleep. Pushing back start time can make teachers jobs easier and make the day go smoothly.

In middle and high school, people can fall into holes of depression and the school tries to help, but the key may just be more sleep. Going to school before 8:30 am can “Contribute to sleep deprivation, making it harder for students to concentrate and even increasing their risk for obesity and depression (pg 7)." It has become aware to schools that their starts are the issue and extending the day longer isn't a problem, but starting early is. 

To conclude, students who get more sleep are proven to be stronger and healthier, and pushing back start times of school can help make this a reality for students. Middle and high schoolers' melatonin can catch up on them and instead of the negative effects of exhaustion they could feel energized during the day. Schools should at the very least consider, to start pushing back start times.

As someone who has played soccer almost their whole life, I can tell you that coaches make the largest impact on your confidence, performance, motivation, dedication, and so much more. They can make you love your sport, or hate your sport. They can make you want to go pro, or never step foot on the field again. They can make you feel like the best on your team, or the worst on your team. Sometimes they can even make you feel both at the same time. What’s even more confusing is when you have two coaches that make you feel completely different about your performance and potential. 

You can ask any soccer player, and they will be able to tell you that coaches do make a difference. For instance, my friend Lee isn’t as confident in her position as a goalie since she is worried her coach says things about her performance to the other players. He will talk bad about the other players on her team to Lee, and that leaves her worried if he talks bad about her to other players as well. My brother’s coach will scream at him while he is playing on the field, but won’t try to coach him on the things he's doing wrong. Kids who are constantly corrected by their coaches lose the joy and freedom that helps them play well. When they’re criticized, they often over-think their game. They’re afraid of making mistakes or doing things that will make their coach give negative feedback (Kids Sports Psychology). So many professional athletes have left their clubs or teams because of the negative talk they are receiving. But, coaches can also make you feel like the best person on your team. The piece of advice that brought your confidence back, or the skill move that made you get by a defender, probably came from your coach.

When I first started playing club soccer, I was terrified because all the stereotypes that people who played club were so much better than people who didn’t, I was so scared that I wasn’t going to fit in and was going to be the worst on this new team. I showed up to practice and didn’t know anybody. I remember as soon as I stepped onto the pitch, the coach made me feel so welcome. The next day, I was still so happy, that I showed up to my town travel soccer practice still as confident as I was when I left club practice the night before. That coach left the next season, but he still made me feel confident in my position. I then moved up from my club's city team, to the state team with my friend Jocelyn. We were the only two that moved up, so we stayed super close. This coach is my current club coach, and definitely my favorite. Not only have I seen improvement from my friend Jocelyn, but I have also seen improvement in myself. 

Coaches are like teachers. They are your mentor, they show you how to do things, and prepare you for the next steps. A bad teacher might not not teach you the proper strategy, causing you to get a bad grade later on, or they might make you hate that subject that used to be your favorite. Or, they might make you love a subject you used to hate. The same goes with coaches. Soccer coaches, softball coaches, baseball coaches, every single coach has an impact on every single player on their team, whether it’s small or big. That impact prepares you for your future, and everything after that. Since having moved up, I have become so much more self aware, and just more aware in general. I have noticed that since my coach is always telling this one girl to pass more, she is now always looking around for the open pass, but always ends up dribbling right into the defense. Though she isn’t perfect you can see the coach’s impact in her performance. 

I give soccer coaches 3 out of 5 stars.

  I think that there should be recess only on special occasions for special reasons.

        One reason why I think that there should be recess only on special occasions is because exercise seems  to always distract brains when they try to work before or after. An example of this is when a game goes wrong or there is a disagreement kids often have trouble trying to let go of it and the argument can go on and distract or stop class. Another reason why I think that this is true is because of my experience. In my experience I always get distracted after playing games outside. These are the reasons why I think that exercise seems to always distract brains when they try to work before or after.

         Another reason why I think that there should be recess only on special occasions is because kids often have trouble listening when there is something in the future that is exciting. I know this because in 5th grade the day before we had our trip to the water park, all of the kids in my class were not listening and math took double the time! Now if the recess is a surprise then the kids get the thing  they want and they are not unfocused before it. These are the reasons why I think that kids often have trouble listening before something that is exciting in the future.

         The last reason why I think that there should be recess only on special occasions is because kids often get bored of the things they have every day so when there is a surprise they get very happy, more than they would if they had it every day. I think this because recess is sort of like a 2nd extension except it's outside and  you can’t do homework and I already got tired of it. But when I got a special time unexpectedly to do homework during Spanish I loved it!.

        These are the reasons why I think that recess should only be on special occasions.

Lunar New Year  

 Many people believe that Lunar New Year starts when the new year arrives, but that is far from the truth. It actually starts on the first day of the Lunar calendar, which can fall any day from January 21 and February 20. Citizens of China get seven consecutive days off of work while the festival is fifteen days. Lunar New Year, often called Chinese New Year or the Spring Festival, is one of the most important holidays celebrated by Asian communities around the world. These communities include South Korea, Vietnam, Singapore, Indonesia and other countries with Asian descendants.  

Traditions supposedly come from the legend of Lunar New Year. The legend of the Lunar New Year festival goes back thousands of years. The legend recalls that during Lunar New Year, a hideous beast would raid the villagers' crops, livestock, and attack people. To prevent the monster from doing this, they scared the beast off with the color red, loud noises, and fire. Some people do these traditions because of the legend.  These traditions include lighting lanterns, hanging spring couplets, painting doors red, setting off fireworks, etc. Another tradition that most families do is cleaning the house before Lunar New Year. They clean their houses to get rid of all the bad luck from the past year. Family reunions are also a big part of Lunar New Year. Family members fly back home to be with their family in hopes of a good new year. During the reunion, they typically honor ancestors that have passed away. They often serve dishes that symbolize prosperity and good luck. Typically, unmarried adults and children receive red envelopes at the end of the reunion. These red envelopes symbolize good wishes and fortune.  The end of the Lunar New Year festival, the fifteenth day, is called the Lantern Festival. Lighting lanterns, setting off fireworks, and eating traditional foods signify the end of the Lunar New Year.

My family and I always go to family reunions for Lunar New Year. In the past, I would mostly look forward to it for the money. When I was younger, I never really cared about the people or even the reunion. I thought these reunions were just another annoying thing that I was forced to do. Dr. Seuss once said, "Sometimes, you will never know the value of something, until it becomes a memory."  I should have appreciated these reunions before some of my family members passed because you never really know when it is someone's last moment. I never realized the importance behind the reunion until my grandpa died a few years ago. It is not about the reunion itself, more about the people that come along with it. 

People who do not have any relation to Chinese cultures will have very different perspectives compared to someone who celebrates and participates in these holidays.. When someone has no knowledge of something, it is common to potentially assume something negative. It feels good to assume because the brain wants satisfaction for answering a question it does not know the answer to, even if it is not true. These assumptions can potentially lead to racism - traditions may seem strange to those who do not celebrate them. Unfortunately, many cultures have a racist stereotype based on traditions that seem strange.  Other common misconceptions are that all Asians are good at math or Asians have to be doctors. The world is full of stereotypes, and most of that comes from social media. When people get called out for being racist, they get embarrassed. Being racist is something that people can hang  over your head. People feel forced to be extra cautious of saying anything that involves someone else's culture, because they do not want to be seen as racist person. Racism comes from widely misconception of culture and race. 

I give Lunar New Year 3 stars. 

Works Cited

"Chinese New Year." Britannica School, Encyclopædia Britannica, 25 Jan. 2023. libraries.state.ma.us/login?eburl=https%3A%2F%2Fschool.eb.com&ebtarget=%2Flevels%2Fmiddle%2Farticle%2FChinese-New-Year%2F574653&ebboatid=9264846. Accessed 17 Dec. 2023.

Chinese New Year Dishes. Wasai LLC, chinesenewyear.net/clothes/. Accessed 19 Dec. 2023.

8 Chinese New Year Traditions the Dos and Don'ts. CNN, 2023, sponsorcontent.cnn.com/int/lunar-new-year/dos-and-donts/. Accessed 18 Dec. 2023.

History of Chinese New Year. Timothy S. Y. Lam Museum of Anthropology, lammuseum.wfu.edu/education/teachers/chinese-new-year/history-of-chinese-new-year/#:~:text=Chinese%20New%20Year%20has%20a,the%20end%20of%20each%20year. Accessed 18 Dec. 2023.

Lunar New Year. National Geographic Society, Oct. 2023, education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/lunar-new-year/. Accessed 17 Dec. 2023.

Lunar New Year Celebration. 2023, asia.si.edu/whats-on/events/celebrations/lunar-new-year-celebration/. Accessed 17 Dec. 2023.

Red Pockets. Wasai LLC, chinesenewyear.net/red-pockets/. Accessed 21 Dec. 2023.

For my independent reading book, I am on page 123 of Finding Junie Kim by Ellen Oh. A Korean- American girl named Junie handles racism, depression, and anxiety as a 12 year old. Currently, Junie has an argument with her friend group over racist symbols vandalized around school property. It targets all races except for white. Her friends encourage Junie to help them with their project on ringing racism to an end at their school. Out of fear, Junie does not agree with them and storms out. This one argument results in Junie feeling isolated from everyone. Her bully named Tobias pushes her to the ground and spits racist insults. That was the final straw for Junie, and she falls into a depression where she started thinking about suicide. Out of worry, her mother and father leave her at her grandparent’s house for precaution. Her grandfather then tells her about his life during the Korean War. Junie learns so much about not only her family’s history, but also about how she can move on with her life from there. 

I can relate to Junie when she had an argument with her friends. It reminded me of a time when I too went through a similar experience. I remember when I felt the same: lonely and secluded. I can also relate to Junie when she reveals that she is struggling with depression. I used to wrestle with depression as well and I remember how hard it was to stay positive all day. Depression and anxiety has taken a toll on her, which causes her to act out. I think Junie will be able to get past this, starting with resolving the conflict between her and her friends. Then Junie will have the confidence to stand up to her bully Tobias and tell him to stop harassing her. It made me feel sad when her grandfather told her the heartbreaking story of his childhood. No child should ever go through the incidents that he did. I am personally half Japanese and to think that my country caused so much violence and death upon Korea is disappointing to me. I used to think that Japan had a good history but as I read more books related to history, I learn more and more about the truth. Overall, I am enjoying this book as it is heartwarming but sad at the same time. It’s reassuring to know that all people face this barrier of getting better mental health. It’s also teaching me a lot about history from different perspectives I've never heard from. 

The word mascara comes from the Spanish word máscara meaning “ mask “ or “stain. It is also

possible that it comes from the Italian word maschera meaning “mask”. Both of these are possible

origins. While we might not exactly know where the word Mascara comes from we do know who

created it. The Egyptians. They were the first to invent the very first type of Makeup, Cosmetics. Like

us, they used makeup to cover up their imperfections. They also used it to protect themselves from

evil. It has evolved from then, but it is sometimes used for religious purposes.

Mascara did not always start the way it is now. Mascara, originally known as kohl was used to make the

eye larger as well as protect them from the evil eye, which back then if you had an evil eye you were

cursed. Kohl is made from antimony, which is made out of animal fat and antimony sulfide. They

made kohl from scratch and with their own hands. Kohl was used by both men and women during

ancient times. Though modern-day mascara is mostly used by women. It wasn’t until the 1800s that

the first commercial mascara was brought to the public's attention. The queen of makeup at the

time, Eugene Rimmel, developed a mixture of coal dust and petroleum jelly to make the very first

“mascara”. Believe it or not, mascara was invented to mask the imperfections of the eyelashes. The

real reason why many civilizations used mascara or kohl is still unknown since it is widely based on

the culture or religion of the tribe or civilization. Modern-day mascara is used for covering up people's

insecurities.

When I was younger I was obsessed with watching makeup videos on YouTube. From how they

figured out their design to applying eye shadow in a way I could not fathom. One big thing that

stood out to me was how someone with blond eyelashes can suddenly have black ones. I did not

know how magic could happen. I mean, I was around 8 years old so believing in magic was

understandable. Not wanting to ask my mom, I simply went to her bathroom to look around. Of course, being a little kid, I could not help myself putting on everything I could touch. I was most excited about trying to use mascara, and after watching a bunch of videos I finally tried to put it on. I looked like I got punched in the face. For some weird reason, I went over to my best friend's house because we decided to meet up. I casually walked over to her house like I did not just put a load of makeup on. When I went inside and went up to her room, she looked at me and laughed. I was confused as to why she was laughing. I was about to ask her, but I heard my mom scream my name from the door. I rushed down the stairs wondering what I did this time. When I got downstairs, it

dawned on me that I was still wearing makeup. My mom dragged me by my ear and into my house

and yelled at me. Obviously, I got in trouble, imagine being a mom and finding your daughter with all

your makeup on her face. Not a pretty sight, right? I got in really big trouble. After that, before my

mom left for work she would lock the bathroom door so I could not get in until she came back from

work.

Humans no longer use mascara/kohl to protect themselves from the evil eye, they use exactly how

the definition sounds like. To mask your imperfections from the world by using Mascara. Nowadays

people use it to make themselves appear more beautiful. Most people can't even imagine going to

school or even outside of their house without mascara; it makes them feel naked. It is naked. It is

almost like a necessity like water or food, you always need it. Mascara is like a drug, once you start it

is almost impossible to stop. Honestly, there is a reason to use mascara and I already said this, but

there is another reason that most people could relate to. It is to make yourself feel better and feel

confident enough to go outside, it is like the idea of not wearing makeup scares people. They could

not imagine a life without it. It scares me how attached and dependent we are on makeup to cover up

our insecurities and use it to make us confident. Which is why I said it is like a drug, you can never

stop.

I give Mascara 2 stars.

Work Cited

Matthias, Meg. "Why Did We Start Wearing Makeup?". Encyclopedia Britannica, 18 Mar. 2021,

https://www.britannica.com/story/why-did-we-start-wearing-makeup. Accessed 15 December 2023.

Egyptian Body Decorations." Fashion, Costume, and Culture: Clothing, Headwear, Body Decorations, and

Footwear Through the Ages, edited by Sara Pendergast, et al., 2nd ed., vol. 1: The Ancient World, UXL, 2013, pp.

39-45. Gale In Context: Middle School,

link.gale.com/apps/doc/CX2760000020/MSIC?u=mlin_m_charles&sid=bookmark-MSIC&xid=5f1468b4. Accessed

15 Dec. 2023

https://www.oed.com/search/dictionary/?scope=Entries&q=Mascara

"Mascara." Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 16 Oct. 2023, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mascara. Accessed 18 Dec. 2023

Recess should be in middle school. I think recess should be in middle school because  It gives kids a break. I think that it’s important to have a break because it helps kids refresh and be the best they can be in the classroom. I also think  recess is the best way to get a break from all that stress. Kids have to worry about homework, tests  and information. If they don’t have recess they will never get rid of all the stress. There isn’t homework in recess. Recess is also a good time to socialize and make friends. 

I think that middle school should have recess so that kids can get out some energy. If kids get out their energy then they won’t be so crazy in class. If the teachers don’t want us to be running in the halls because we have so much energy then we should have recess. If we have recess we can talk outside and get what we need to tell our friends at recess instead of in class. 

Even a 20 minute recess would help out. Even a ten minute break would be nice just some time for fresh air. Another reason that we should have recess  is to get fresh air we don’t want to be cupped up inside all day we do have laps at lunch but there's no designated time for laps at lunch so some kids have to keep or rush to get outside there's also very little time do it sometimes not even enough time to walk 1 whole lap.

Can you picture a world without any living things in it? Imagine taking a walk and not being able to see animals roaming, or being able to stand under the shade of a tree. This is what the world will be like if we don’t start protecting it now. It is important to take action now to protect our animals and trees. 

The first reason is not being able to take an animal terrarium. If we take animals to terrariums, they could start to die. We have to stop taking animal terrariums and start taking care of the animals.  I do not see as many animals as I want to see and most people can agree on that.

The second reason is that we should not take down trees just for paper. We should not do that because imagine walking on the street, you do not see any trees. Don't you think that the earth would be boring? That is why we have to stop cutting down trees.     

The last reason is that we should not hurt animals by setting traps. We should not set traps because 19 people in Angier said that we shouldn't set traps, 21 people, 16 and 18. In total it is 58 people and it also hurts them. That is why we should not set traps.

As you can see one cannot disagree that living things are important in the world for many reasons. One action we can do to stop hurting animals is by not killing animals for no reason and there also should be a law that you are not allowed to kill animals. This is why we should not kill animals.

You’d probably think of our dry and dusty neighboring planet when you hear the word “Mars”. In fact, you’re

right! Mars is the 4th planet from the sun, after us, Earth. I’m guessing that you’re reading this because you want to

travel to Mars. I’m here to tell you all about it so YOU know what you’re about to experience, good and bad.

First off, you’re probably wondering how to get there. Well, there’s this very, very special place called Ella’s

closet, where you just plunge in and fall onto Mars! I know, it sounds unbelievable, but it’s true. The closet is just out

in the open. You just got to look closely. To you, you’re falling into a closet, and to other people, it looks like you’re

falling face first into the wall. I’m certain that you think you’ll look absolutely careless to just casually fall into a wall,

but trust me, it’s worth it. Once you go through it, you’re good. You'd be on the surface of Mars.

The next step is to explore. That’s the reason you’d likely go to Mars. To begin with, let me tell you about all

the nice, good things about Mars. First off, you could hop on a life-sized Mars rover and take a tour! Pictures are

highly recommended.

Another good thing is that it doesn’t have to be a one day trip! Galaxy Hotel’s gotcha. There are different

types of mars pods you can book up. For example, an individual pod. This pod is made just for one person and has all

you need. Food, water, and most important, air. There are also bigger pods for who’s traveling with family. There’s the

family pod and the VIP pod. The family pod is the same as the individual pod, but has way bigger space. The VIP pod is

slightly bigger than the family pod, and has more food, drinks and extra tanks of air in the storage room.

Let’s look at some of the disadvantages of traveling to Mars. There is extreme cold weather that drops below

-100 degrees fahrenheit every night. Every 3 Martian years, or every 5 and ½ Earth years, a giant dust storm covers

the entire planet and goes on for days. There are also high levels of radiation. You’d survive 2 minutes without a

special space suit and then you’d die. Mars also has a very thin atmosphere. It is mainly carbon-dioxide, nitrogen, and

argon gasses. Earth’s atmosphere is different and is rich in nitrogen and oxygen. The gravity will also be a problem.

Since there is less gravity than Earth on Mars, you’ll be bouncing around on the surface of Mars.

Overall, I’d say that Mars is a pretty cool place, but not a great place to live your whole life on. I’d say a week

or two of being there is enough.

Bees are remarkable little architects of nature, transforming simple nectar into the delicious and golden delight we know as honey. They sustain a complex yet fascinating procedure to do this, involving collection, nectar breakdowns, moisture evaporation, and storage. This process provides essential nutrition for the bee colony and emphasizes the vital ecological role bees play in pollination and maintaining biodiversity. This essay will discuss how bees make honey, why it is important, and how it’ll help us.

First off, you’re probably wondering how bees make the honey we love. Well, bees make this through a multi-step operation that involves many stages. First of all, worker bees will forage for nectar from the flowers using their long nozzle-like beak to extract the sweet liquid. Then, the collected honey is stored in a place called the bee’s crop, a special stomach that temporarily holds the nectar until the bees return to the hive to drop it off. Once back in the hive, the bees transfer the nectar to the other worker bees through a process of a “mouth-to-mouth transfer” During this series of actions, enzymes in the bees’ saliva begin breaking down the nectar’s complex sugars into simpler sugars. The bees then deposit the nectar into hexagonal beeswax cells. To reduce the moisture that it contains, they fan their wings to create airflow, promoting evaporation. The usual moisture content for honey is about 18%. Once the nectar is thickened into honey, the bees seal the cells with a wax cap to protect it, allowing it to be stored safely for future use.

Accordingly, bees making honey is very important to them and us. Honey is the bees’ way of preserving their food so they have something to eat when there aren’t many flowers. Honey that the bees make is stored in the hive, so in the wintertime, the bees will eat the honey that they make, giving them the fresh nutrients that they need. Honey also provides food to wildlife. No wonder why you always see bears with a handful of honey in cartoons! It also distributes to produce our food supply. By transporting the bees’ hives, beekeepers ensure that our crops are nice and pollinated and that our food stock is secure.

Equally important, making honey will also really help us too. Beehives are often very important elements of urban gardens due to the pollination services that they provide. They’re also big businesses. Specifically, honey bees pollinate $15 billion worth of crops in the United States each year! That includes more than 130 kinds of fruit, nuts, and vegetables. They also pollinate 80% of all flowering plants. In fact, out of every three bites we eat relies on pollination. It is also the only insect that produces food for humans, so the pressure is on.

Maybe you’re thinking “Oh, so what? Just let these old bees do their work and leave them alone!” Don’t overthink this. Bees also have challenges that they face, just like us, humans. For example, bees are vulnerable to parasites and pests. They can considerably weaken individual bees, and often direct viruses and other diseases between bees. Another example of challenges that bees face is pesticide use. Picture that you’re in your beautiful garden, watering your flowers until you see a big, fat, scary bee. You see its eyes, yellow and black stripes, and its horrifying legs. You scream and spray your pesticide at it, and the bee flies away. Pesticide kills bees easily. These are some challenges that bees face.

Overall, bees making honey is really important and truly helps us and our economy. Just imagine our world without bees! Through their detailed foraging, precise communication, and teamwork, bees transform nectar into a tangy substance that not only serves as their food source but also plays a vital role in our ecosystem. As we continue to appreciate the wonders of honey production, it is key to advocate for the protection of bee populations, ensuring that these extraordinary insects can thrive and can continue their essential work for generations to come.

Have you ever felt that you have been working for so long and need a break? If you have, imagine how us middle schoolers feel! We have to work for 6 hours straight, and the only break we have is lunch, and right after lunch we have another 2 hours of school! Some reasons we should have recess is because some teachers give a lot of homework, and the stress of the homework is disturbing. During the school day we have to sit and barely get time to be active. The only time we get to move is the walk between classes.

When teachers give a lot of homework some kids can get very stressed. This has happened to me during English. In English class I usually have to write a whole page on one specific topic. Because I am not a very strong writer it is really hard to write a page on one topic. My teacher said that if we don’t finish it becomes homework. This gave me a lot of stress and to top it off I had homework from other classes. But if I could have recess I would be able to take my mind off all the stress and focus on another thing. Sometimes if people are getting stressed a lot it can cause them to get very sick.

Another reason why we should definitely have recess in school is because during classes we barely get to move. In one school day the only time we get to move is when we go from one class to another. Some kids don’t even P.E that term. If we sit still without exercising, our legs can get stiff and hurt if we try moving. But if we get recess we will be able to move without getting hurt, and we should not have to wait a few months for something we deserve to have.

Recess allows me to destress, when I come back inside I am more able to understand and can think about one thing only and write about one topic. I hope these reasons have shown you how much middle schoolers need recess.

Based on komodos dragons physical characteristics that help them survive are whip- like tails, strong jaws and body armor.

         Have you ever wondered about REAL LIFE dragons?Well today is your lucky day!!!!!I will to talking about a dragon called a Komodo dragon. This dragon survives on the forest (its home), food source and protected areas. They need the forest because its their home and the new borns have to climb on trees because they might get eaten  by there OWN mother. The text states, “They race to the top of a nearby tree. They must avoid being eaten by their mother or other komodos.”This is the only way they don’t get killed by birth. The trees in the forest help the little komodos escape as fast as they can before getting eaten by their mothers!

           They also need food source to survive in the wilderness, small komodos eat bugs, eggs, small lizards, birds and other small animals. The text says, “Larger komodos hunt deer, water buffalo and  wild boar.”This is what helps the komodos dragon survive,they re not picky eaters so they will eat any animal they find. They usually like to hunt alone, but often when they take down large pray other dragons will come around to feed.

       They also need protected areas since right now the komodo dragons are almost about to be endangered. There are 3,000 in total and only 600 are females.The text states, “Today most komodos live in protected areas. Komodos National Park Opened in 1980 In Indonesia.”This is because this species or rarely around anymore so they decided to open a prk and help them grow so this species won't disappear.