Embedded Files
PROS
Yonder pouches prevent us from using our phones during the day. Our phones can distract us from our work. These pouches hold our phones and keep them safe during the day. Phones and their apps–like social media–can make us stressed throughout the day. Without Yonder pouches we would be distracted by our phones and notifications.
Seventh grade ELA teacher Ms. Jun put it this way: “I think it's great and makes learning easier. The temptation is not there. It definitely makes my life easier. Students won’t get distracted and Yonder pouches prevent the students from sneaking their phones into the bathroom to search up the answers. I think it makes the day run smoothly. It’s really working.”
Yonder pouches also encourage face to face interactions and decrease cyberbullying.
What if your friends posted something on social media about you? What if it was bad? Imagine you have a test the same day. How would you feel? Most students would be unable to focus on schoolwork and worry about this all day. This could result in them getting even more upset. They would know their school work suffered.
We don’t need cellphones because schools already provide other devices like Ipads and chromebooks.
Yondr pouches are a tool for enforcing a new New York State law that prohibits cell phone use by students. Even though schools must provide exceptions for students with medical needs, Yondr pouches help keep schools in order.
Yondr pouches: Help or Hinder?
Yondr pouches: Help or Hinder?
By: Lily Kocsis & Annie Wang
By: Lily Kocsis & Annie Wang
CONS
Yondr Pouches upset some students. They feel annoyed and tempted to take out their phones. Students argue that their phones do not distract them while they are doing their work. Also, they say phones help them relax during breaks.
Sixth grader Angela Z. said, “I feel like overall they are useless, because I don’t why they have to get all these materials just to make one pouch that holds our phones so we don’t use them.”
Ellie T. agreed, “I feel like the invention is kind of dumb. I think they suck and I don’t really like them.”
Additionally, we live in a world where technology is essential for daily life. We should be able to use cellphones to prepare ourselves for the future.
“Students should be responsible, and they are capable of controlling themselves,” Elenna X. said.
Addressing the Dress Code
Addressing the Dress Code
by Benjamin Baek & Fox Baskin
by Benjamin Baek & Fox Baskin
FOR
FOR
by Fox Baskin
by Fox Baskin
One of the biggest debates in our school is the dress code. Whether you’re for it or against it, we must admit that it makes things a lot easier and quicker in the morning when you don’t have to spend 20 minutes looking for an outfit. It’s also cheaper because after you buy the clothes that match the code, you can just wash those clothes during the school week, and spend less.
According to Scholastic.com, “Dress code supporters say the guidelines teach kids how to dress for their future jobs.” “They also think these rules prevent students from wearing clothes that might be distracting in class.”
It can also enhance safety, because it allows our teachers to recognize us.
Now I'm not saying the dress code is perfect, but overall, I think it gets a bit too much hate. Also, you aren’t punished unless you completely violate the dress code, so it's pretty much a win-win.
AGAINST
AGAINST
by Benjamin Baek
by Benjamin Baek
So, the DRESS CODE. The dress code is a heated topic in school. People either hate it (like me), like it or are indifferent.
Why I hate the dress code:
First of all it gives you barely any choice about what to wear. These are the guidelines:
(Exact text was moved down for readability purposes.)
Yeah. So. Painfully. Long. Sweatpants are comfortable (a plus to the dress code) so it’s probably a better choice than jeans. Shoes, I get, like why would anyone wear slippers or high heels to school? I get the ripped jeans part, too, but the hoodies I don’t get. I’m a person who loves hoodies, and if I can’t wear hoodies I get sad. I also don’t like collared shirts since they stab my neck. I know a lot of people don’t follow the dress code, but the hoodie ban should be removed. In other words, justice to the hoodies. The dress code should be more lenient toward students who like diversity in clothing.
Guidelines of the JHS 194 Dress Code
Part 1: Pants
Solid color cotton or denim pants or shorts that have a button/zipper/drawstring waist.
Pants/shorts must be appropriately sized, worn appropriately, with no ripped, torn, or distressed material.
Wearing “leggings” underneath ripped jeans is not considered appropriate attire.
Shorts are expected to be appropriate in length and not shorter than 2 inches above the knee.
Skirts/skorts/dresses are not permitted
Part 2: Shirts
T-shirts, collared shirts, long sleeve shirts or crew neck sweatshirts.
Shirts should be appropriate in size and skin between the bottom of the shirt and the top of the pants should not be exposed at any point.
If a student wishes to wear a hooded sweatshirt, JHS 194 hoodies can be worn in the school, during the day, if the hood is not worn on their head. Any other hoodie can be worn to and from school and kept inside their backpack to be utilized during recess and/or physical education outside.
Part 3: Shoes
Appropriate shoes need to be worn every day to school.
Days when students have physical education, they must wear sneakers to participate for the day.
In addition, please know that the following types of shoes are not allowed to be worn to school on any day for safety reasons: open-toe sandals, flip-flops, slides, crocs, high heels, slippers.
Artwork Created by Angelina Mendoza
Think Before You Speak
Think Before You Speak
Your words can help save someone's life or end it.
by Aziza Hussain
by Aziza Hussain
Nobody deserves to feel inferior or less than others, based on their skin color. Nobody deserves to feel bad about their body. Nobody should be in an environment that penalizes them. Everybody should work to tackle problems involving prejudice and bias in our society.
Throughout my life, I’ve faced many back-handed and extremely disrespectful comments about my skin color. After each comment, I started feeling worse about myself. I constantly asked myself why I was being excluded and targeted for something I had no control over. Over time, I started understanding hatred against people of color.
Growing up in an environment full of people with lighter skin, I felt very different. To top it off, when the lights went off, people often made inappropriate comments like “Where did Aziza go?” Even my own family expressed their “concerns” over my darker skin.
Nobody really understood the impact that had on a confused, young child. As time progressed, I started developing confidence in my own body and skin. I knew that people who thought lighter skin was better, were just as confused as me during the time they made those comments. Consequently, whenever I spoke to anybody making comments about my peers' bodies I stood up to them.
Though I got through this and made strides in helping others, many kids don't. It is a truly gut-wrenching feeling to try to blend in and think of yourself as not enough.
Studies show that suicide is greatly connected with depression, and depression is positively correlated with insecurities. What people say can cause insecurities in others, starting from a very young age. Your words can help save somebody's life or end it. Think before you speak.
There are ways you can help yourself. Stop taking other people’s words personally and take a stand. Nobody is entitled to make comments about your body and get away with it.
You can also help your friends. Let them know they are enough. Just a compliment means a lot to a person struggling.
As a society there is a lot we can do: understand your privilege, remove your personal biases, put yourself in other people’s shoes, call out racist “jokes,” utilize the colorblind ideolog-, which means to treat everyone equally regardless of race, culture or ethnicity- and be thoughtful.
Instead of dragging each other down with our words, let's work together to build an environment where we welcome our differences, so that we all shine in our own ways.
Mobile or VR Gaming?
Mobile or VR Gaming?
By: Benjamin Baek
By: Benjamin Baek
Gaming is really, really fun for most people, but there are different ways to enjoy it, and some options are mobile gaming, playing on your phone, and the least popular, VR gaming. There are a lot of different opinions about this topic that this article will approach objectively.
Starting off with mobile gaming: it’s widely one of the top 3 ways of gaming, along with using a PC and console. Mobile gaming is great when you’re traveling and you’re bored, since a lot of mobile games are free and don't require being connected to the Internet. I myself have some mobile games installed on my phone, but I get bored with mobile gaming quickly and forget about it. Although cheap and fast, mobile games are repetitive. A lot of popular games can also be played on mobile, like Roblox, Elden Ring, Minecraft (Bedrock Edition), Undertale/Deltarune, etc. Although they lack swift and easier controls like on PC, where you can just key spam and win, it’s still playable if you get used to it. It’s not difficult to install games, but playing games in mobile significantly increases the battery drain in your phone than most other activities since it has to render graphics, which uses more processing power and memory, it pushes the GPU and CPU to work harder. Playing games also heats your phone and burns your hand when you play it for too long. Even with these problems, mobile games are chosen by many players since it lets them play anywhere with the phone, unlike PC or console, where they need a specific location to play at. Overall, playing on mobile is great, but if possible, PC and Console give better graphics and a gaming experience.
VR (Virtual Reality) gaming isn’t really a popular choice because of its cost and it being usable in specific situations--the Meta Quest 3 costs $558 for a VR headset. But, before you decide your choice, I’ll give honest reviews from a VR owner (Meta Quest 3S). Imagine this; you finally get your package, open it up and turn it for the very first time. The sensation is unimaginable when you put the headset on. It fades to black, and suddenly light surges through as you enter a new world. This is a good description from my experiences, and I was amazed when I first tried it. The first game I’ve played in VR is VRFS, (stands for Virtual Reality Football Simulator). I looked around, and the first thing I did was look at my hand. I started kicking the ball around with the console I was holding, and it felt unreal. The graphics were unbelievable, and the realness was good enough. When I moved in the game, I felt my body shift in real life. Since it relies so much on tricking the brain that the virtual reality is real, it does a great job since it costs $200-$300. After I finished, the negatives of virtual reality kicked in. I was a bit dizzy, and the pressure point on the headset started to hurt slightly. VR gives a great experience, but the downsides are that it’s costly, the aftershock is worse than other gaming platforms, and the fact that you’re completely oblivious to nearby danger is risky, but it’s safe when played right.
Now, here’s a rating chart in which platform is the best in my opinion. It will be rated by 1 to 10, 1 being the worst in the category and 10 being the best. The final ratings will be at the bottom.
Pretty close but VR wins!
A Review of Undertale
A Review of Undertale
By: Benjamin Baek
By: Benjamin Baek
From the last article, VR gaming vs. Mobile gaming, it’s pretty obvious that I love games, and I’ll be reviewing some of my personal favorites. This is the first series of game reviews by Fox Baskin and me. (This article contains spoilers for Undertale)
Short Summary for Undertale
Undertale is a game made by Toby Fox. It’s a turn-based, indie type game that revolves on LVs and different weapons on the map. Here’s a short summary of Undertale; in the main menu, you choose your character’s name, up to 6 letters. After choosing a name, the game opens up the backstory. A human (you) falls from the surface world to the underground, specifically the Ruins. After walking around, you then find a small, yellow talking flower… yes, I said a TALKING flower. He introduces himself as Flowey the Flower, and he says that in the underground, LV is shared by “Friendliness Pellets”, and he “shares” it with you by launching 5 small pellets which damage you to 1 hp, then surrounds you with the “friendliness pellets” and closing in slowly while laughing manically. Before it hits, a fireball comes out and kicks Flowey out of the battle screen, and the monster reveals herself to be Toriel. Toriel, being the guardian of the Ruins, guides you to the Ruins and the actual gameplay starts there.
Gameplay of Undertale
When you’re walking in the “overworld,” where your character just moves with arrow keys, you might randomly go into an encounter. A monster (or more, up to 3) pops up, and you have 4 options; FIGHT, ACT, ITEMS and MERCY. FIGHT does, well… attacks the monster, ACT allows you to finish the fight without killing, ITEMS heal you or give effects and MERCY is needed to spare the enemy. Weapons change how the FIGHT button works. For example, the Stick, which is the starting weapon, simply has to click Z again in the middle to deal maximum damage, but the Empty Gun or the Burnt Pan, which is both a late-game item, needs Z to be clicked 4 times in the middle in exchange for even more damage. Different ACTs are possible, but in the Genocide Route (which I’ll explain later), some enemies are modified and only leaves Check. Check gives the chosen enemy’s stats (ATK and DEF, standing for Attack and Defense) and a short description of the enemy. ITEMS basically lets you go in the inventory heal, and MERCY has two options, Spare, and the unlikely Flee. To spare, you need to do specific ACTs to turn their name yellow and spare them, but the conditions are different. For example, Froggit only requires to be talked but Greater Dog needs at least 5 ACTs in the correct order.
Bosses and Mini-Bosses
This is a spoiler for people planning to play Undertale, so if you’re planning to play it, I recommend skipping this part, but if you want to know, then stay here, I guess. The first boss in the Ruins is Toriel (yes, the goat monster who gave you pies). In the Neutral Route, she has to be attacked multiple times (even more when you use the Stick instead of the Toy Knife), but in the Genocide route, she’s one shot, giving you 2 LV. To spare, you have to keep talking to her until she stops and lets you go through the Ruins door.
After that is Snowdin, and a TON of Mini-Bosses can be found there, such as Lesser Dog, Dogamy and Dogaressa, Greater Dog, Doggo, and Glyde. They’re not that strong, but give a bit of EXP enough to give you at least 1 or 2 LVs. The boss in Snowdin is Papyrus, a tall skeleton who uses blue and white attacks while setting the SOUL mode to blue. The blue attacks only deal damage when you move around it, and the blue SOUL mode gives realistic gravity, needing you to hold the up arrow to move up like jumping. In the Genocide route, however, he’s easily one-shot, and gives you enough EXP to reach 10 LV. In Waterfall, which is after Snowdin, the boss I can remember (it’s been a while, okay) is Undyne. She uses both the red (default) and green SOUL modes. Green makes you unable to move but gives you a shield to protect from the incoming spears. In the Genocide route, she gets insanely strong after tanking the hit for the Monster Kid, and she turns into “Undyne the Undying”. She gets way stronger, having more complex patterns and more health, but gives you EXP to get to 12 LV.
In Hotlands, there are several Mini-Bosses like RG 01 and 02 and Mettaton, but the boss for Hotlands is Mettaton EX. He forces the SOUL mode to yellow, allowing to shoot harmless bullets with Z to destroy or affect different attacks. The most interesting ones, however, are the final bosses of each route, which will be explained now.
Routes in Undertale
There are three possible routes, the Neutral Route, the True Pacifist Route and the Genocide Route. The Neutral Route has a lot of sub-routes, but True Pacifist Route and the Genocide Route has only one ending. The Neutral Route is when you do things that don’t count on either True Pacifist or Genocide, True Pacifist is when you never kill ANY monster and your LV is still at 1, and Genocide is when you kill EVERY monster, finding them from every location until the message follows from the encounter; “but nobody came.” The final boss for the Neutral Route is Omega Flowey, which he kills Asgore, the king of the underground, absorbs the 6 human SOULs to give him near-godlike power, and becomes Omega Flowey. After crashing the game and the user relopens, the battle starts after some dialogue. There is no battle box, just a long barrage of realistic bullets like PDF vines, finger guns, flamethrowers, and more. After some time, the human SOULs decide to help them, attacking in a different space but when the ACT is interacted inside the pattern, they heal the user. It continues, and after all 6 are asked for help, they lower Flowey’s defense to 0 and let the user attack him. This continues until he gets defeated, which he returns to the SAVE file at the start to heal to max, but the SOULs rebel and defeat him. In the True Pacifist Route, however, Flowey absorbs the 6 human SOULs AND ALL OF MONSTERKIND, which equals to a human SOUL, and 7 human SOULs give them godlike power. He goes back to his original, past-life form, Asriel Dreemurr. The user can’t damage Asriel but can ACT to buff them, Dreams giving them Dreams, a healing item and Hopes lowering damage to 3 instead of 5. After surviving many attacks, Asriel then uses Hyper Goner to enter his second phase.
True Pacifist Route Part 2
In his second phase, the user can only use ACTs and struggle, which does absolutely nothing as the soundtrack switches from Hopes and Dreams to Burn in Despair. After you survive the attacks, your ACT gets changed to SAVE, and you SAVE the Lost Souls, who are Asgore, Toriel, Undyne, Alphys, Sans and Papyrus. After saving them, then it says you need to save someone else, which is Asriel in front of you. You continue clicking SAVE until he says he cares about the protagonist, and tells them he’s not ready to end this yet. He then shoots a massive, undodgeable beam that slowly reduces the HP to 0.000000001. A flashback on Asriel’s memories starts, when he meets the first fallen human. After the battle, he uses the 6 human souls + all of monsterkind’s souls to break the barrier completely. The monsters, after seeing the sunlight, want to make Frisk (yes, the main character is actually Frisk, not whatever name you chose) their ambassador to the humans.
Genocide Route
To follow the Genocide Route, you must find and kill all monsters in the underground, including Toriel, Papyrus, and more. In this route, however, Undyne tanks the Monster Kid’s hit, which looks like she dies in one shot. But, after a long dialogue about how she won’t die, she transforms into Undyne the Undying. She gets significantly harder and has more HP. After killing Undyne, she explains that Alphys is watching her fight and by now, has told Asgore to absorb the 6 human souls, and she also says she won’t die this easily, but she melts due to DETERMINATION’s effects. The protagonist’s LV increases to 12. Everything else is similar except for Mettaton EX, which he turns to Mettaton NEO but is just one shot… it sets your LV to 19, which is 1 away from the max, 20. You get the Real Knife and The Locket in the New Home, but the last enemy remains… and the ABSOLUTE hardest boss… Sans the skeleton. The battle starts at the Judgement Hall, where he explains that LV and EXP is an acronym, which LV (or LOVE) stands for Level Of ViolencE, and EXP stands for EXecution Points (surprisingly, we think level or experience points). He starts the encounter, which he uses his “strongest attack”, and it really is the second strongest. In his boss fight, I-frames are disabled, which means you can take a LOT of damage easily without caution. He does 1 damage but does Karmatic damage, which essentially does tick damage. Luckily, the Foggy Glasses and the Torn Notebook decrease the interval of the Karmatic damage. He dodges EVERY attack, only having 1 hp. At the middle of the fight, about 12 attacks, he talks to the protagonist and tells them they can change. He shows “mercy”, which just ends up with you dying and saying GEEEEETTTT DUNKED ONNNNNN (and yes it’s a real dialogue). After fighting again, the battle gets significantly harder, with bones appearing on the menu screen and doing damage WHILE in the menu. After attacking 23 times, he gets tired and falls asleep to stall his turn, but the user can move the box left and down to reach the FIGHT button in the menu. He dodges that, but the user strikes again, doing 99999 damage. He then leaves a dialogue to the user. After reaching LV 20, the user then proceeds to kill Flowey and Asgore. At the end, the first fallen has revived, introducing them as Chara. They then give a user a choice, either to “erase the world and move on to the next” or do not. The user, however, has no choice since both of those choices end up in the world being erased. The game closes (or turns black for console) until when you reopen it, wait for 10 minutes. Chara appears once again, offering to revert the world in exchange for the SOUL. The Genocide Route leaves a permenant change in your game.
Mod Compatibility
Undertale has a lot of mods, and they’re either INSANELY difficult or just straight out absolute cinema (some of my favorites are Genocide Asgore, Undertale Plan: B and Undertale but no bullet cooldown, all available at Game Jolt). Genocide Asgore is an insanely hard boss fight with like 30 hits just for you to get obliterated by the beam of world destruction, Undertale Plan: B is about the DT Extractor, which Sans and Alphys tries to absorb the Determination in Frisk’s soul to not let them SAVE and kill Frisk once and for all. Alphys, in the main game does not have a fight so this is her first real debut (if ignoring the Alphys NEO mod). It ends up being in 2 different acts, one which you kill Sans and one if you kill Alphys when the DT Extractor fails and explodes. Alphys injects herself with Determination, and Sans decides to take Frisk down with him by self-destructing the lab. Undertale but no bullet cooldown is just… straight up bullet hell. Imagine a Froggit, the weakest enemy in the game SPAMMING THE FLIES to absolutely obliterate the user, and Asgore spamming blue attacks (deals damage when you move through it) and orange attacks (deals damage when you DON’T move through it), making an undodgeable and unavoidable barrage of bullet hell. Anyways, Undertale is very good for mod compatibility since it allows you to make a lot of unique bullet patterns, dialogues, and ACTs to help in battle.
Overall Rating
Undertale is a really good game, with insanely good music and great compatibility to mods. The fact that some characters have broken the fourth wall (like Sans and Omega Flowey) and uses it against you is insane, even to add the concept of that. Secret features in the fun value, like Gaster’s Followers, Goner Kid, Wrong Number, Fake Hallway and W.D. Gaster, known as Mystery Man (which is a 10% chance to appear IN the room in the Fake Hallway, which is a 1% chance, ending up at 0.1% chance). Undertale reached its 10th anniversary on September 15, 2025 and is still surviving really well after 10 years. The creator of Undertale is Toby Fox, and the main artist is Temmie “Tuyoki” Chang, who both appear as a self-insert in the game as the Annoying Dog and Temmie. Anyways, Undertale is a really good game. Rating: 10/10.
A Review of Minecraft Java Edition
A Review of Minecraft Java Edition
by Fox Baskin
by Fox Baskin
Welcome to game reviews, a series where Fox Baskin and Benjamin Baek review video games. First up is Minecraft Java edition. In my opinion, Minecraft is the greatest game of all time. Minecraft Java Edition is the original version of Minecraft for PC. Is this game one of the greats, or does it fall short next to its younger brother, the Bedrock Edition, Let’s find out!
Java Edition is the better version of Minecraft in my opinion, sorry bedrock lovers, but it's the truth. Java Edition has much better game mechanics, its animations are smoother, it has a brighter more light-hearted tone, if you know, you know, and also has WAYYYYYYYYY more customization. Java Edition expands on the idea that Minecraft is a game with ultimate creativity. You can be a builder, spend 14 hours in the mines (been there) or you can try to beat the game as fast as you can. Minecraft is such a great game because of the infinite opportunities, exploring structures, and your first time killing the ender dragon is magical, but… an important factor of the version of Minecraft you’re playing is, can they expand on that creativity?
Java edition does an amazing job to that end, because of mods, there are over 200,000 mods for Java edition across many different sites like Curseforge and Modrinth. Java Edition has mods ranging from horror to adventure, mega builds, super specific tiny changes that don’t affect the game at all, mods that add custom items, mods that turn the game into something else entirely, Heck there’s even a mod that turns Java into Bedrock! You can make Java Edition the ultimate minecraft experience, Bedrock simply doesn’t have that ability. Java Edition is the superior version of minecraft when it comes to customization, but customization isn’t the only factor.
Performance is another very important factor when it comes to minecraft. Java Edition is known for having bad performance, and even with recent optimizations, It still runs terribly on bad PC’s, bedrock is more optimized so it takes the cake on performance.
Overall, Java Edition is the true version of minecraft--it simply beats out bedrock in way too many factors to be called the inferior version. But what do you think of Java Edition?
Let us know which edition you prefer in our poll: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSet7K2588uv14VwBvD4tCyJbNC_3qKJxz9P_BKUfqdigfAO9w/viewform?usp=publish-editor
PC vs Console Gaming
PC vs Console Gaming
By Fox Baskin
By Fox Baskin
PC or Console gaming is an age old question. Both have pros and cons. Console gaming is cheaper and more convenient because you just have to hook it up, update it, and then you can play! Consoles also give you a controller, which means you don’t have to buy separate parts like on PC.
Console gaming, however, is not perfect. Console gaming has worse performance and no mod support, which are HUGE factors in gaming. PC gaming can have much better performance, and you can put endless mods on games to be able to play however you want. PC gaming also allows you to get more games because there are no console exclusives, besides Nintendo. You also don’t have to pay for online games. Sales for PC games are MASSIVE, way more than consoles. You can get up to 90% off on MASTERPIECES.
Talia, a sixth grader at our school said, “I prefer the PC because its controls are easier for me and you can spam click with a mouse.”
Ben agreed, “I think PC is better because you have more freedom on a keyboard and mouse.”
Just like consoles, there are many cons of PC gaming. The computer market is always changing so it can be A LOT more expensive because you have to buy a keyboard, mouse, headset, etc. and you have to troubleshoot a lot. Also, AI has made computer memory much more expensive. But I think people can override most of these cons because there are plenty of budget PC builds and you can get an entire gaming setup for the price of a console. Budget keyboards and mice can be found that are actually good quality.
Now every side has its pros and cons, but the truth is that it comes down to personal preference. As a person who has had multiple consoles, I am personally on team PC. What do you think, PC or console?
The Sandwich Debate on Hotdogs
The Sandwich Debate on Hotdogs
By Elenna Xia
By Elenna Xia
Talking about sandwiches, there isn’t a clear answer when it comes to whether hotdogs are sandwiches. The definition of a sandwich is a snack, composed of two slices of bread, with a filling (meat, egg, lettuce, etc), but there are many different versions. The real question is are hotdogs actually sandwiches?
You might be wondering what I mean? Well, most people think it's not a sandwich, considering a sandwich is usually defined as two slices of bread, while a hotdog has one. But, it has a filling inside a type of bread, which means it is a sandwich. This debate really began because there is no single definition of a sandwich.
Both sides of this argument have reasonable evidence, the people who say hotdogs are sandwiches usually get the definitions from the dictionary. On the other hand, hotdogs are a unique food, making it hard to define.
Here is what our newspaper club team thinks. Ms. Brown and Mrs. Jun disagreed. “Yes, they are sandwiches,” Ms Brown said, while Ms. Jun said, “No, they aren’t sandwiches.” Our newspaper club assistant editor, Roy, is on Ms. Brown’s side. Overall, there are 5 votes for “Yes, hotdogs are sandwiches” and 17 votes for “No, hotdogs are not sandwiches.” This data also proves people have different opinions causing the debate to be ongoing.
Here is what our newspaper club team thinks. Ms. Brown and Mrs. Jun disagreed. “Yes, they are sandwiches,” Ms. Brown said, while Ms. Jun said, “No, they aren’t sandwiches.” Our newspaper club assistant editor, Roy, is on Ms. Brown’s side. Overall, there are 5 votes for “Yes, hotdogs are sandwiches” and 17 votes for “No, hotdogs are not sandwiches.” This data also proves people have different opinions causing the debate to be ongoing.
What do you think?
Take our poll here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScMgdXeT41bpkdeaOiwSbYY_PIeRTSgJBEletI0NDbQ-D5cFg/viewform?usp=publish-editor
Is Chess a Sport?
Is Chess a Sport?
By Evan Cai and Jack Han
By Evan Cai and Jack Han
Sports! An activity involving physical effort and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment. Sports come in many different shapes and sizes. But is chess an actual sport? Many people think that chess isn’t a real sport, but only a game.
They are wrong. Chess is actually an official sport, and it is even recognized as such by the IOC (International Olympic Committee). An activity may be considered a sport if it: requires physical or mental skill, is competitive, has clear rules, has a structured format, is recognized by organizations such as the IOC, and involves physical or mental exertion that may benefit your health.
This means that games such as Monopoly, Ludo, or Trouble can’t be considered sports, due to the fact that they require rolling dice and hoping for good luck. On the other hand, chess requires physical and mental skills when it comes to strategic planning—such as responding when an opponent moves one of their pieces. When a player has to counter a move, it also requires high concentration skills. Without focusing on the position of the opponent’s pieces, a player can blunder and lose the entire game.
Chess is competitive, with many local, national, and international tournaments. There are also clear rules that define how the game is played and how players can win.
Some examples of these rules are: players win by checkmating the other player, which means that no matter what, their king cannot move to another spot on the board. If a player—or their opponent—can’t move any pieces while in check, the game ends in a stalemate.
The game of chess is a recognized sport by the IOC, as well as many other national sports federations. Chess also offers many health benefits such as improved memory, stress reduction, better focus, and more.
Overall, chess is considered a sport. While some may still say it isn’t, there’s no denying that it’s a great reason for everyone to sit down, have fun, and play a round of chess.
Should Students have Homework?
Should Students have Homework?
By Emily Xiang
By Emily Xiang
Imagine you head to math class where you’re assigned homework. After that class ends, you head to another class, only to be assigned more homework. As the long day goes on, each teacher assigns various tasks while you stare at the clock, willing to make time fly faster.
At last, when the school bell rings, you race home only to find yourself trapped in front of a big pile of homework. Some students procrastinate, while others eagerly grab a pencil and start. So, should students have homework?
Many students say no, because they find it dull and boring; it takes away their free time, which makes them feel overwhelmed. But others may enjoy the extra work.
Homework is a tool that can help students and their learning. It can improve grades and help students remember important information. Homework can also help teachers understand whether or not students understand what they’re learning.
According to a Stanford Report, Denise Pope, a Senior Lecturer at the Graduate School of Education said, “Any homework assigned should have a purpose and a benefit, and it should be designed to cultivate learning and development.” This reveals that homework should improve and impact student’s learning.
Mr. Fishel, a sixth grade science teacher at 194 said “I think homework is important to reinforce what students learned that day. I do not think it should be more than 15 minutes though.”
But having too much homework can cause stress levels to increase and cause sleep disturbance. It can also be bad for a student's mental health.
According to a study from the Human Restoration Project, there are four main reasons why homework doesn’t make sense:
Achievement, whether that be measured through standardized tests or general academic knowledge, isn’t correlated to assigning or completing homework.
Homework is an inequitable practice that harms certain individuals more than others, to the detriment of those with less resources and to minor, if any, improvement for those with resources.
It contributes to negative impacts at home with one’s family, peer relationships, and just general school-life balance, which causes far more problems than homework is meant to solve.
And finally, it highlights and exacerbates our obsession with ultra-competitive college admissions and job opportunities, and other detrimental faults of making everything about getting ahead.”
Maya, a sixth grader, said, “I don’t think homework should be given because it’s too stressful and it can cause you to stay awake for too long, which can cause sleep deprivation.”
This is true, because the time students spend on homework can be used for sleeping.
Ranim, a sixth grader, said “I think homework is a waste of time because you spend the entire day at school learning, and then you come back home just to do more work.”
It can also be unhealthy because sometimes students don’t have any time for anything fun and everyone needs to be happy.
“If school isn’t a place to sleep then home isn’t a place to study,” Ranim added.
Often, students spend a large amount of time doing tasks for school only to come home with more work to do, which is unhealthy. Homework might help improve one’s future, but it can be a pest in the present. What’s your opinion, should students have homework?
Summer or Winter
Summer or Winter
Written by Marissa Filippi
Written by Marissa Filippi
Summer
Summer
If you love fun in the sun, then summertime is the perfect time to play outside! Summer is amazing, you can play with friends all day, get ice cream and go to fun parks or waterparks. Getting a nice cold drink like a soda is super refreshing after playing outside on a hot day.
In the summer you can go on vacation because you have no school. Isn’t that fun? Summer also has longer days which means more sunlight. You can play in beaches, or pools, plus you can barbecue and eat delicious food.
During wintertime, days are shorter, so it gets dark quickly and you don’t even have much time outside. In the winter you have to layer with shirts, sweaters and leggings, plus wear bulky snow boots. In the summer you basically just go outside in a short sleeved shirt, shorts, and sneakers or even sandals or flip flops.
In the summer it is easier to walk around, without having to deal with snow, ice, or slush. When you are having fun out in the sun, you are relaxed and do not have to worry about being cold.
I think summer should win. Which do you think should win?
Winter
Winter
If you love sledding and playing with friends in the snow, winter is the weather for you. Winter is a great time to play in the snow with your friends and make a snowman, snow angels. Getting hot chocolate with whipped cream and marshmallows is the best feeling after playing in the snow. You can even go skiing!
In wintertime you can go sledding and have so much fun going down a steep hill. In the summer you can’t play in the snow or do snowball fights with your friends, and that’s not fun. In the winter you can do so many fun activities not only on the weekends but during winter break!
During winter break, you can go play outside in the snow almost every day, or make a snowman or a snow angel. There are a lot of things to do in winter.
I think winter should win. What do you think is better, summer or winter?
Drinks: SWEET or SOUR?
Drinks: SWEET or SOUR?
By Madison Hamilton
By Madison Hamilton
Fruit Punch
Fruit Punch
If you choose sweet, fruit punch is for you! A ton of people like sweet drinks, including fruit punch. Fruit punch is a red drink that is commonly consumed in the summertime. It is super refreshing. Lots of adults might say that there is too much sugar, and while that is true, some kids say that the sugar gives them a big boost of energy even though it isn't the healthiest option. I think that fruit punch should win. What do you think?
Lemonade
Lemonade
If you choose sour, lemonade is for you! First of all, everyone should know that lemons are super sour. Plus, the more lemon juice you add to your lemonade, the stronger the sourness will be. Lemonade is a yellow liquid that is as refreshing as drinking water after being deprived of it for days. If you don't understand that, it means that it is very refreshing. Lemonade is a big summer favorite for lots of people. Go around and ask your friends what their favorite drink is: lemonade or fruit punch.
Cats or Dogs? Which is better?
Cats or Dogs? Which is better?
Cats are better than dogs because cats don’t need a lot of attention—most of the time. This can be a great advantage because people may not be around 24/7. We all have school or jobs that don't give us much time for our pets. Dogs tend to be louder as they bark a lot. Cats, on the other hand, are quiet and won’t disturb you with loud noises. Even dog owners have sometimes admitted that the constant barking can get annoying. Additionally, cats are also natural born hunters. They can keep rodents away from your house. Another reason is cats clean themselves, unlike dogs, who need you to keep them clean. This is why cats are better than dogs.
Dogs are better than cats because they can be trained easier than cats. Dogs also need walks daily which motivates people to go on walks that can improve their health with fresh air. They also have a strong sense of smell which has been proven very helpful as they can smell if a person has cancer! Dogs can also track down criminals and missing people just with their nose. Additionally, they can save many lives as some people say they have a sixth sense. Dogs can tell if someone is about to have a seizure and warn others to keep us from danger. This is why dogs are better than cats.
Pancakes or Waffles?
Pancakes or Waffles?
Pancakes
Pancakes
by Leonardo Kuo
by Leonardo Kuo
The age-old breakfast debate continues: pancakes or waffles?
Pancakes are superior due to their unmatched versatility, in my opinion. From classic buttermilk to adventurous flavors like banana or chocolate chip, the possibilities are endless. Waffles, while tasty, tend to be more limited in their flavor profiles. Furthermore, pancakes are easily customizable and include more choices.
With pancakes, you can fold in fruits, nuts, or even chocolate for a nutritious and delicious twist. Waffles, with their rigid grid-like structure, offer less flexibility for creative additions. Other than versatility, pancakes triumph in terms of ease of preparation. Mixing pancake batter is a simple and quick process. Waffles, on the other hand, require a specialized appliance – the waffle iron – which can be bulky and difficult to store.
Pancakes can be cooked on a griddle or even a frying pan, making them a more convenient option for many. Ultimately, while waffles have their fans, pancakes offer superior versatility, customization, and ease of preparation, making them the superior breakfast choice.
Waffles
Waffles
by Evan Cai
by Evan Cai
Breakfast is considered the day's most important meal. But there are two breakfast choices that have been fighting for first place. What are they you ask? Waffles and pancakes, of course! But which is better? In my opinion, waffles are better than pancakes because of the unique traits that pancakes lack. Waffles have a grid-like pattern that makes a great syrup-catching surface, while the flat surface of pancakes makes it soggy or just roll off.
Furthermore, the texture of a waffle is perfect! It is just the right amount of crispy on the outside, but the inside is still fluffy. Another reason that waffles are superior is how they can be served at any time. You can have waffles for a delicious breakfast, a refreshing lunch, or even a relaxing dinner. Chicken and waffles anyone? It can also be made with different mixtures such as chocolate or vanilla which can enhance it even more!
Lastly, the presentation of waffles also makes it far superior since the grid provides an aesthetically pleasing look for the waffle. Overall, the taste, texture, convenience, and the aesthetics makes waffles fly through the roof when it comes to how good it is.
Chocolate or Vanilla?
Chocolate or Vanilla?
Vanilla is better
Vanilla is better
By Elisa Chen
By Elisa Chen
Did you know that 49% of people like vanilla and only 43% of people like chocolate? According to a 2022 survey, more people enjoy vanilla than chocolate. Vanilla is a creamy rich and milky flavor from cured orchid pods, prized for its sweet, rich, woody flavor and aroma. I am one of the people who thinks vanilla is better.
One reason why vanilla is better than chocolate is because most chocolate contains vanilla. During the 15th century people grounded vanilla beans to enhance the flavor of chocolate. Today many big chocolate factories still use vanilla; for example, Hershey’s and Feastables both use vanilla because it enhances the flavor. Without vanilla, chocolate would be dull and flat. Without vanilla, we wouldn't even have this debate in the first place.
The second reason why vanilla is better than chocolate is because it is ranked the best ice cream flavor in the world year after year. Vanilla is also a candle scent. Imagine chocolate scented candles.That would smell burnt and disgusting, right?
The third reason why chocolate is worse than vanilla is because chocolate has high sugar, fat, and calorie content, leading to weight gain, diabetes, and heart issues, plus potential heavy metal contamination. But on the other hand, vanilla is good for you because it's rich in antioxidants, contains minerals like potassium and manganese, offers calming effects, and helps with digestion, blood sugar, and inflammation.
Another reason why chocolate is worse than vanilla is because vanilla is used in more food including cookies, carbonated beverages, coffee, and breakfast cereals. We use vanilla as a flavor in these products since it enhances the taste and makes it more tasty while keeping the other good flavours. If you add cocoa [aka chocolate] to any of these ingredients, they will taste like chocolate. The chocolate would overlap all the other delicious flavours.
Lastly, healthy chocolate {dark chocolate and coco} is not so healthy after all because most dark chocolate contains lead according to Consumer Reports https://www.consumerreports.org › health › food-safety. For example Hershey's, a chocolate company, contains lead as well as many other kinds of chocolate brands. Lead is stored in the teeth and bones and over time build ups causing organ damage, kidney damage and even death. So would you really risk your life for some chocolate?
In conclusion, vanilla is better than chocolate because it is healthier, tastier, more usable and more people enjoy it than chocolate. Are you Team Chocolate or Team Vanilla?
Chocolate is better
Chocolate is better
by Marissa Filippi
by Marissa Filippi
Chocolate ice cream is the best ice cream. It is so rich and chocolatey and perfect for a delicious dessert on a hot summer day. There are so many different types of chocolate ice creams, like fudge brownie, chocolate chip ice cream, and chocolate ice cream with chocolate sprinkles. Chocolate is so famous that there are even more chocolatey options being created. Vanilla ice cream is good, but not as good as chocolate. Making homemade chocolate ice cream is easy, quick and delicious.
Vanilla ice cream usually has fewer toppings. On chocolate, you can put nuts, sprinkles, little pieces of chocolate bars and little pieces of brownies. Vanilla doesn’t usually have those toppings. Did you also know that 43% of people prefer chocolate ice cream over vanilla ice cream.
Vanilla is a basic flavor. Some people say that vanilla is slightly bland. The rich and chocolatey flavor of chocolate ice cream makes it less bland than vanilla. Chocolate ice cream is often enjoyed without any toppings because chocolate already has such a rich flavor.
I think chocolate ice cream wins. What do you think?
Chose below Vanilla or Chocolate:
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