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Superbowl 59 was one to remember for all Eagles fans. It was also memorable for music fans, specifically Kendrick Lamar and SZA fans. The audience had mixed reactions to the performance some people thought the performance was one of the best in halftime show history, others believed that the show was absolute trash. On one side, viewers seemed to love the energetic and elaborate performance. People praised Kendrick for how seamless the transition between songs was. On the other hand, viewers who did not like the show thought that the songs weren’t very engaging and didn’t make much sense. There is one thing for sure, the halftime show was the most-watched performance in history. The performance brought in roughly 133.5 million viewers, breaking Michael Jackson’s record of 133.4 million in 1993. So whether you liked the show or not, it will go down in history.

Background:

Saint Patrick was the patron saint of Ireland. He was born in Roman Britain but was kidnapped and sent to Ireland as a slave at the age of sixteen. He had escaped but later returned to convert the Irish to Christianity. Many legends were made about Saint Patrick. Most famously, it is believed that he miraculously drove venomous snakes out of Ireland by banging a drum and into the sea. Another very popular legend is that Saint Patrick is the shamrock, in which the three leaves represent the Holy Trinity.

Traditions and Now:

Today, we celebrate with parades, music, and wearing green and shamrocks. Corned beef and cabbage are usually made on this day. Irish immigrants brought the holiday celebration to life. The parades became a show of strength for the Irish Americans. The first Saint Patrick’s Day Parade was in the United States, in what is now St. Augustine, Florida. Boston held its first Saint Patrick’s Day Parade back in 1737 and many other cities followed. Many cities have created their own traditions, but one sticks out. Every year, the Chicago River is dyed completely green. This started back in 1962, where they used 100 pounds of dye. Nowadays, only 40 pounds are used and the dye does not remain for long. Saint Patrick’s Day celebrations branch out from the U.S., in fact, it is celebrated around the world. Japan, Singapore, and Russia are just a few examples of countries that celebrate. Finally, we can’t forget about the leprechauns! They are recognized in Celtic folklore for their mischief and trickery. They also represent luck! We celebrate them on Saint Patrick’s Day because they are key characters in Irish culture. Slán go fóill!

In another galaxy, there is a planet drifting in space orbiting its star. The name of the star is Galcose. Twelve planets orbit it, from close by, to the edge of the system, several hundreds of astronomical units away. In the Goldilocks Zone of the star, there is a planet slightly larger than our planet Earth named Varos. It is inhabited by around 6.7 billion people, who are humans, but more advanced. Out of the 6.7 billion Varonians in the world, eighteen million of them are in the largest city in this world, named Ginshu, including a 38-year-old astronaut that is respected by the entire city. His name? Sirius Benroth.

It is 8:53 A.M. and he walks out of a complex that he lives in, and he looks outside. “The sky seems… a bit darker today, it’s morning yet the darkness is kicking in.”, Sirius stated. It was not because of a solar eclipse, nor was it night and the clock was incorrect. He used his virtual reality goggles to scroll through possible causes, and that is when he got a warning from the Varonian queen.

“I have come to inform you that there is an incoming attack from the Nixsunese forces. We need a device to protect our people, as well as our beautiful planet. If there are any inventors out there, we are counting on you.”

-Queen Xhan Von Turun

Something was awry. Wrong. Incorrect, even. The Nixunese never tried to declare war on or attack the Varonians. The planet Nixsuniar is forty-seven light-years, or well over 539 trillion kilometers away from Varos. For the past century, since 2519 they have spied on each other, much like a cold war akin to the one that happened on Earth over a millennium and a half ago. For 47 years, they have been travelling at the speed of light to reach them, and their attempts were successful. They are approaching soon. VERY soon.

“This cannot be real… I really need to come up with something…”, he said. He pondered and thought about what could work against them, then he figured it out. As the Nixunese approach, he comes up with different prototypes of weapons and protection. After some time, Sirius designs a device that is about the size of a twin-size bed, but can cover the entire planet in a holographic shield that can block out any outside attacks, especially from Nixsuniar. He calls it the Micride Protector. Exiting the virtual reality interface, he starts to make this design a reality. After several hours of building, programming, and even wiring, the device was finally built. He travels to the capitol area using his hoverbike. After going to the capitol area of Ginshu, he waits for the right moment to activate it.

“You cannot escape us. We are already about to begin our onslaught of attacks, you foolish Varonians. Get ready to be massacred as we conquer every asset of your planet! WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?! HOW WILL YOU FIGHT BACK?!”

The Nixsunese monarch said this with pride, but also being in a state of insanity, he sent battle units to attack. They ready their powerful lasers and are preparing to launch massive sawblades the size of boulders that can travel at Mach 1. However, in the heat of the moment… *Click!*

“Not this time! I’ve got something that’ll thwart your plan of conquest! With this, IT’S OVER!”, Sirius exclaimed. A shield covered the planet in a matter of seconds as soon as the Micride Protector was turned on, shielding everyone from the attacks. The Nixsunese try to fire their lasers, launch their sawblades, and even try an orbital strike, but to no avail…

Nothing worked.

They then left after a day of attempted attacks, finally giving up. They decided not to conquer the planet, as there is no way to bypass the shield. As such, Sirius saved everyone again! He was invited to a royal feast for his efforts.

“To Sirius’ great intellect and prosperity, saving us once again. His great efforts as an astronaut and inventor have prevented future attacks from foreign planets. We can now live in harmony again.”, the Queen says as she raises a toast.

“To Sirius!”, everyone exclaimed. And so, the planet of Varos can finally have peace and quiet during the night without the looming threat of a bloodthirsty kingdom planning an attack.

This place is full with drama and cruel people.  But every once and a while, you may find a great person.  School should not be somewhere to be scared of going. But unfortunately, people are.  When cruel words are spoken to you, you might be stiff in the body.  You might not know what to say.  Just ignore.  That is the best thing to do in that situation.  Ignore.  I know it’s not right what they are doing but it's the safest way.  If they are bothering you, tell someone.  Because they do not know how amazing you are.  You are a great person, a talented person, and a loved person.  People care about you.  The staff care too.  Be strong and help others.  Defend yourself.  We love you.  You are worth it. 

If you are struggling with mental health or being bullied, please don’t be scared to tell someone. (Staff or Parents).  If you are feeling like hurting yourself please call or text 998.