by Madolyn Pittman

As an eighth grader, I am very experienced with the wonders of middle school. And although the homework or essays can frustrate me, there has always been an activity that I look forward to. That activity is WIRC! A.K.A. the Westmoreland Interscholastic Reading Competition! The premise of WIRC is practically, come to practice, eat yummy snacks, and study up on the fun books you’ve been reading. Once you have an adequate amount of practice (and you’ve filled up on enough popcorn to feed a village) you hop in a van and head over to Seton Hill, where you are quizzed on your books with other schools, and feast on the buffet line during lunch. 

Yes, this alone is very fun, but WIRC would be special to me even without the snacks. One of the best things about WIRC to me is the bond you’ll have with your teammates. After all, you have to rely on your teammates to answer the questions you may be stuck on mid-competition. Trust me, I’ve been there. WIRC also helped to expand my knowledge on books, and encouraged me to expand my reading comprehension skills! Along with this comes incredible grammar improvement on my part, as well as my teammates’. 

I’ve decided to gather some quotes from my fellow teammates about their favorite parts of WIRC, just to emphasize how wonderful of an activity it is. 

Me: “So, what was your favorite part of being in WIRC?”

Lyla Newhouse: “The food was great.”

Emmalin Kuhns: “I enjoyed working with friends, and the supportive WIRC staff.”

Kennedy Kulik: “The relaxing environment.”

Ava Beeman: “The funny moments with Mrs. Dunn.” 

Dylan Ross: “I loved the laughs we got daily”

Personally, I enjoyed the expanded palette of my taste in books. WIRC allowed me to enjoy books I never would’ve picked up on the shelf before! If I were you, and I could have one more year of middle school, I’d spend it reading with my teammates. 

by Zoey Beemiller

As someone who speaks more than one language I love being able to communicate and consume media that isn’t just in English. Not only because it gives me the opportunity to read more literature, but also because I can make new friends that speak said language. So I'm going to list what I think the hardest and easiest languages to learn for English speakers would be and explain why.

Easiest: 

While Frisian is one, if not the closest language to English because the phrases, adjectives, and expressions are pretty much the same, it is actually an advanced dialect which used to be its own language. It is predominantly spoken in the Netherlands, Germany, and in other places in Europe. However it is rarely spoken with just over 500,000 speakers. So it's not exactly the most optimal language to learn.

Despite having a reputation for being spoken mostly in Italy, Italian is actually spoken around Europe and the world itself. With over 64 million speakers, it also has plenty of the same phrases, much like Frisian. For example ‘finale’ ‘fiasco’ ‘gelato’ and ‘solo’ all originate from the Italian language. On top of that, Italian is also similar to many other languages so learning it makes learning a third language even easier.

My second Language is actually Spanish therefore I might be a bit biased when I say this but I highly recommend this language to anyone who wants to learn it. It has a lot of the same basic words like ‘no’ but also the language is fairly simple, so that if you know sight words you’ll be able to some-what sufficiently communicate.

Hardest:

Some people think that Russian is pretty close to English but it really isn’t. For example they have some of the same letters, but most of them are swapped. For example, ‘B’ sounds like ‘V’, ‘P’ sounds like ‘R’ and ‘N’ sounds like ‘P’. in addition some are taken from Latin when others aren't.

Looking for a challenge? Hindi might be the language for you. Hindi is written in Devanagari script which uses little to none of the English letters making it take up to years to master just the script. Hindi is also a tonal language so subtle differences mean a whole world of difference. But if you can manage this, congratulations! You can now proficiently interact with 625 million people.

While Hindi is tonal, it isn’t nearly as tonal as Mandarin Chinese. Not only that but instead of using typical letters, they use symbols, each one representing a different word. They have about 100,000 words each using 7,000 different combinations of the same symbols. Understandably this can get very confusing as, for example, ‘Ma’ can mean mother, horse or scold. 

by Madolyn Pittman

You may or may not have a stuffed animal on your bed or in your bedroom right now. And I imagine that these cuddly friends may not seem historical to you. However, I would like to dive deeper into the star of children's stuffed animals--the teddy bear.

In order to understand the history of this cuddly creature, we must explore the history of the toy. It all started when President Theodore Roosevelt went on a hunting trip in Mississippi, circa 1902. His friends had tied a bear to a willow tree and suggested he shoot it, as Roosevelt hadn't yet located a bear. Roosevelt refused, deeming this action inexcusable and incredibly unethical. I can only imagine what was going through his mind at the moment, but the whole incident sprouted into a popular news story. A comic was made by Clifford Berryman, encouraging satirical jokes towards the situation. Well, toymakers Morris and Rose Michtom decided to pick up on this trend, and create a stuffed bear called Teddy's Bear. This was the first stone in the bridge between an insignificant toy and what would soon become vital piece of childhood memories for many people. 

The Teddy Bear exploded! It was being sold nationwide, leading to the founding of the Ideal toy company in 1903. Now, thousands-possibly millions of children had a teddy bear sitting safely on their bed, guarding them through the night, and serving as a reminder of sportsmanship.

As the years have gone by, we can see the term “prettification” slowly seeping into the world of teddy bears, seeing as they have gradually become much cuter and softer. One of the main purposes of teddy bears in the beginning was to keep children calm throughout the night, as they (the children) believed the bear would ward off monsters. This led to a slightly scary appearance, with sharper edges and rougher fur. But the teddy bears we have today are much cuter, with hardly any sharp edges in sight, blush, big eyes, and extremely soft fur.      

Although this is not very important, I believe that this change reflects a shift in the struggles of today versus the struggles of the past. While before, people were afraid of an outside source injuring them and hoped for protection, we now hope for a self-soothing source. This could only signify a corporate trend, but I believe this reflects the modern need to rid ourselves of our greatest enemy--our wandering thoughts. 

But in the end, the children sleep through the night, they wake up and play, and the teddy bear is discarded--only remembered when the moon comes to greet us.

by Georgia Skillings

With Easter right around the corner, I decided to ask some of the kids and teachers here what they do to celebrate. Though most people just dye eggs, and have egg hunts, I found some people who had different celebrations. Here are some of their responses when I asked: What is a unique Easter tradition you do with your family?

Mrs. Scott- At my grandma’s house, we hid names with paper. 

Madelyn Morgan - We go to a fancy restaurant. 

Devin Shetler- The kids cook Easter dinner.

Sarah Short -We have an Easter bunny trap. 

Avaerie Livengood - We go to Pittsburgh and eat at The Melting Pot. 

Mr. Moximchalk - We have a Bunny Cake. 

Emma Mentch - We go to church. 

Scarlette McClarren - We have Easter bowls.

Destiny Reed - We have sack races.

Mason Shirley -  We have a family reunion. 

Dylan Ross -  We hide a dog dressed up as a bunny. 

Claire Zurinsky - We go with family.

by Zoey Beemiller

While most of the world's population has been intermixing and traveling between nations and societies for centuries, there are still some small tribes who have been unchanged by our modern world and intentionally isolate themselves. Let's look at a few of these groups:

Sentinelese: The Sentinelese are the people of North Sentinel Island, and probably one of the (if not the most) infamous cases of this in history. The island itself is to the southeast of India. Despite this geography, their language is noticeably different from anything close to the area, suggesting that these people have been isolated for thousands of years. In most cases islands like this happen due to people crossing ice and then getting stranded on wherever they ended up. Attempts to contact them have ended in tragedy. Most people that have gone onto the island have gone missing, making the water near the island illegal to fish in or inhabit for safety reasons.

Toromona: The Toromona tribe live off the coast of the Madidi and Heath rivers in Bolivia. Like the Sentinelese, this group of people is protected by the government, and a portion of the Madidi National Park is dedicated to them and is where they hunt, build shelter, and live. In addition to this, the Toromona part of the park is off limits to everyone who visits. This rule has been in effect since 2006 and won’t be going away anytime soon for both their safety and the people who visit the park.

Little is known about these groups because of their isolation, so we should not assume anything about them. Despite some of us having biases for modern conveniences like iPhones and air conditioning, we need to remember that they may have other talents and abilities we don't possess. In other words, their lack of modern knowledge does not mean they lack knowledge. They're just different than what we are used to. They deserve our respect and their privacy just like everyone else does.

by Ashley Ott and Garret Zimmerman

During February, we celebrate Valentine's Day with love and passion for our friends, family, and significant others. On this day, couples and friends often share sweets or gifts to express their importance to each other. We decided to ask a few people in our building about how they spend the day and the presents they like to receive.

What is your favorite Valentine’s Day treat or gift?

- Mr. Keller: Candy hearts. 

- Bella Nolan: A stuffed llama.

- Kaelyn Higgs: I go out to get Taco Bell.

-Jaxson Nave: I like to get footballs.

- Eden Mucci: I like to get chocolate candies.

- Mr. Smith: We give each other cards.

-Tye Rause: I like chocolate hearts.  

-Dylan Ross: Dark Chocolate is a good choice.

- Leighton Hoadwonic: I want to try the strawberry jam in Lindor chocolate.

- Joseph Richards: My mom always gets me these tiger stuffed animals.

- Mrs. Scott: Chocolate-covered strawberries and lego flowers.

- Angelica Bates: Chocolate hearts are good treats…and flowers. 

- Silvia Cinamellla: A Reeses pack of Valentine’s candy in a heart shape.

- Aroara Gross: Chocolate is a good option and small little knick knacks. 

- Victor Iscrupe: Chocolate, and probably a teddy bear is cute.

How do you celebrate Valentine's day? 

- Teacher: Mr.Keller: We go out to eat. 

- Bella Nolan: My friends and I hang out.

-: Kaelyn Higgs: I hang out with my friends and sleep in.

- Jaxson Nave: I spend time with my friends and play sports. 

- Eden Mucci: My family and I just hang out as a family day.

- Mr. Smith: We go out to eat or cook at home for dinner.

- Tye Rause: I spend time with my family. 

- Dylan Ross: I just go out to eat. 

- Leighton Hoadwonic: I would only tell my friends “Happy Valentine’s Day!” 

- Joseph Richards: My family goes to restaurants and we have a fun day.

- Mrs.Scott: Before Valentine's Day, we go out to eat.

- Angelica Bates: Being in the presence of my partner.

- Silvia Cinamellla.: I give my friends some gifts or money.

- Aroara Gross: Sitting with my partner.               

- Victor Iscrupe: Celebrates with my partner.

As you can see, people of all ages enjoy this loving time that they get to share with others. We hope you do too!

by Claire Zurinsky

If you are sitting around at home on the weekend looking for something to do, consider taking the 45 drive to the Flight 93 Memorial in Stoystown, Pennsylvania.

When I went, I found it to be a very calm place to be. It is also cool, and even though there is a lot of walking, you will learn a lot. When I went, it was a warm, windy day and I think that is the best type of day to go. My family went on a Saturday morning around 10:30 because if you want to walk around the whole thing it will take you about three hours. When you arrive, you will have to drive for about two to three minutes before you see The Tower of Voices. 

The Tower of Voices is a big tower with a chime for every person who passed away on Flight 93. Whenever it is a windy day, you can hear the chimes ringing. This is a really cool place because this big tower has several chairs around it for people to just relax and reflect. If you go inside of the tower, it kind of surrounds you. If you want to get good pictures and see the chimes better, I would go inside the tower and look up.

The next place you can go is The Wall of Names. This is a 120-foot long wall with 40 passengers' names written on one panel. The wall is made of granite with a gate on the end of it. The gate is also connected to the meaning of the wall because in order to make the gate they used 40 cuts. When you first enter the site you will have to go down a long pathway that is made out of granite. While walking down, there are indentations where items related to 9/11 are laid on display given by people who have visited. If you go about halfway down the path, you can see a big boulder that represents where the plane crashed. 

Finally, there is The Lookout. To get there, you have to go up the trail from The Wall of Names and through a pathway of trees. When you get up to the museum, you will see a log walkway with two huge walls surrounding the walkway. Inside of the walls, there is a “Soldier Museum” where you can go in and see remains of the pieces of the crash. The point of The Lookout is to go the whole way to the end. From afar, you can see the big boulder marking the spot of the crash once again. 

Combined, all these spots and experiences make for an interesting and powerful experience. With such an important location in our nation’s history less than an hour away, I think everyone should make the time to check it out.

by Cora Mentch

Clubs have started up again, and with so many options to choose from, I was curious why students chose the clubs they did! As you’ll see, some students went with something or someone they knew they liked already while others tried something new. Take a look!

Z’ykair Faulkner: I chose the Walking Club because I like to walk.

Brooklynn Kerin: I chose Dodgeball because I would be with my best friend.

Lilly Abrams: I chose Bracelet Making because I want to make bracelets and share them.

Alivia Raiche: I chose School Salon because it would be a fun experience.

Camryn Cinibulk: I chose Cosmetology because I haven't done something like that before and thought it would be a fun experience. I enjoy doing makeup!

Jhayda Kinloch: I chose Ag Club because I like Mrs. Griffiths.

Helena Quick: I chose courtyard because Mr. Zurinsky is my favorite.

Dylan Ross: I chose Chess Club because I want someone new to play chess with other than my sister.

Dane Marts: I chose Dodgeball because I'm competitive and like being with my friends! 

Juan Rangel: I chose Walking Club because I just wanted to have fun walking.

Olivia Atkinson: I chose School Salon because I like Mrs. Gordon.

Danielle Marsh: Taylor Swift Club because I’m a big fan!

Claire Zurinsky: I chose Weightlifting because I thought it would be fun to try weights.

Timmy Connelly: I chose Dungeons and Dragons because I played it before and liked it.

La’Rea Lee: I chose the Courtyard Club because I love nature and it is fun.

Adley Kulik: I chose Friendship Bracelet Making Club making because I like making bracelets for my friends. 

Harlynn Gates: I chose Art Club because I love being creative and I love doing creative things.

Jordon Kerin: I chose cosmetology club because I really like to do hair makeup and nails 

Lillian Zemba: I chose Coffee Club because I like making coffee!

Laila Passante: I chose Coloring Club because I like to color and express my artistic ability.

Laken Keith: I chose Karaoke Club because I like to sing.

As you see, everyone has different likings and interests. They made their choices because they liked these ones the most! Maybe you can talk with these people and see what their opinions on these clubs are. If you like what you hear, maybe you can choose them next time! 

by Georgia Skillings and Bella Watkins

As 2025 is quickly approaching, we decided to ask some students about their favorite moments from this year as well as their goals and dreams for the upcoming one. As you’ll see, the answers range from focusing on the simple things in life to shooting for major dreams! 

What is your favorite memory of 2024?

D’mara Hutchison- Going to Arizona

Payton Kemp - Starting a new school

Emmalin Kuhns  - Football games

Madison Moyher - Dressing up as Sally 

Kaelyn Higgs - Getting Chick-Fil -A 

Alex Grohal - Playing hockey

Aurora Ross - School

Mia Schmeling  - Running CX with friends

Bella Nolan - Eating food

Addison Muchnok - Going to Disney 

Camden Olsen - Fortnight with the boys

Gunner Fye - My mom’s birthday

What is your goal for 2025?

Aiden Kirkpatrick - Get Distinguished Honors 

Skyla Pallottini - Publishing a book
Adalynn Mcfall - Getting more money

Cole Zajdel -  Earning better grades

Cash Lukon - Getting better at wrestling

Milo Penich - Playin Middle School football

Lilly Abrams - Getting good grades 

Alexavier Short - Good grades

Dessie Horwat - To become a world champion for Cheer in April

Saverio Calabrace - To win first place in wrestling for states

Carter Schmidt - To get more speakers

Dakota Larkin - To see the Eiffel Tower

by Madolyn Pittman

Imagine this--you’re sitting in bed on a school day, sipping hot tea and missing the days when you could speak. This could be due to sickness or a voice strain, but either way, there is one simple solution: honey! 

Believe it or not, the ancient art of beekeeping has been around nearly ten thousand years! This was seen in Spain, although the workers before would extract honey from wild hives. Bees were only domesticated five thousand years ago, seen in Ancient Egypt. In fact, beekeeping is thought to be the second-oldest profession by many archeologists. This is due to the sweet, irreplaceable candy that the bees make completely naturally. Honey was seen as an honor to consume, as it tasted delectable, and also provided many properties of healing. Believe it or not, honey was something exclusive to the rich, due to the amount of work it required to get even a small amount of. In fact, it was loved so much that many royals were buried with it. 

To prove just how powerful honey is, here is a small list of its uses:

• Cough remedy

• Natural sore throat medicine

• A tasty treat! 

• A topping on toast

• A mix in for tea

• An antioxidant 

• Soothes tonsillitis 

• Burn remedy (sunburn and severe burns)

• Acne Treatment

Maybe now you can see why only the most rich of royals indulged in this sweet liquid! Some of these uses may surprise you, as they did me! So go to your local farmers market, pick up some honey, and watch your life improve. Not to mention, there’s no expiration date, so don’t worry if you forget about this sweet elixir! It will be ready and waiting for you to enjoy when you remember!

If you have watched The Hunger Games movie or read the book, you know that the story is filled with romance, mysteries, and a bunch of suspense. However, it’s clear to me that between the two choices, the book is definitely better. Let me explain why: 

1. The book has more detail than the movie. You can imagine the scenes in your head as you read because of the detailed descriptions. It is amazing, and thanks to the imagery used by the author, you can picture the scenes clearly playing in your head.

2. The books are more intense! As you read, you can feel the hairs on your back start to rise. The first book has so much suspense and the action scenes are amazing! Once you get through the first book, you're hooked! 

3. Lastly, you can see all the dedication the writer Suzanne Collins put into this book. She poured herself into 374 pages of her novel, and the movie reduces her work down to a mere two hours! The dedication and little details put into these books make them memorable. Suzanne Collins’s creativity while making up ideas for this book and bringing them to life are on full display in her book and shouldn’t be missed. Yes, the movie is intense, hooks viewers, and I’m sure several hard workers helped make it too, but Suzanne Collins was a one-woman force who gave everything she could to her readers and deserves to be respected.

By all means, try them both and see what you think. If you do, I’m confident you’ll understand what I’m saying and respect the written story a little more than the one made for the movie screen.

by Claire Zurinsky

With House Challenges happening every single month, I decided to interview 7th graders to see what 

challenges they would want to compete in this school year. Here's what they said! 

Makenna Ridilla: I would like to have strength competitions.

Gavin Thomas: I would like there to be activities on the track.

Brooklynn Kerin: Balloon Popping contest!

Angie Panichelle: I would like to have dress up competitions.

Constantino Henderson: Basketball, football, and vertical jumping test.

Lola Mazzoni: I would like to have dance competitions!  

Laken Keith: I would like to have talent shows.

Antonio Foster: I would like to have an egg spoon race.

Hunter Myers: A Wiffle Ball tournament would be cool!

Mason Carota: Outdoor Olympics!

Derrick VanRiet: Best Halloween costume!

Lily Abrams: Movie night, but we make the movies! 

Jhay’da Kinloch: Just Dance!

Mallory Longo: Best dance routine!

Alessa Snyder: Blindfolded make-up challenge!

Kellie Martin: Baton twirling challenges. 

Zoey Beemiller: Recreate the Dance Moms dances!

Payton Kemp: A food tasting contest!

Gwendolyn Ridilla: A sports contest.

Kris Martin: Dodgeball! 

As you can see, seventh graders had a lot of fun and creative ideas! Hopefully, some of these ideas get used this year!

by Madolyn Pittman

Have you ever been haunted by thoughts of blood-sucking supernatural beings at night, when the moon seems to make out shadows that aren’t really there? Shadows of fangs, dripping with blood?! Well, if so, I have good news for you. Those beings (vampires) are completely fictional. But at one point in time, many people believed that vampires were completely real and unfortunately let their paranoia get the best of them. 

The first story of a vampire was written in 1047 A.D. which stems from a text in Old Russian. This inspired the stories of the first vampires, who didn’t drink blood, or turn humans into vampires, but instead were ghostly beings that spread disease and destruction throughout Eastern-European villages. Eventually the stories of vampires spread (thanks to war) and were now evident in the West, and then Vienna, Berlin, Paris, London, and finally the Americas. As the story of these beings was passed around, it gained a new persona, and was now an undead, bloodsucking creature of the night. The inclusion of blood was given to the vampire by the West due to misguided medical beliefs at the time. In short, many thought that blood carried life, and it was also incredibly cheap. This could explain why vampires were believed to consume blood, considering the fact that they are dead, and would need an explainable life source. 

The commercialization of vampires today may seem to dumb them down, but in reality, it is much better than the accused people who were seen as threats for simply having diseases that doctors refused to diagnose. Vampires played an important role in history, though, and they deserve to be recognized as an honorable piece of fiction that was so believable that it plagued the minds of regular citizens.

by Madoyln Pittman

Over the past year or so, you may have noticed modern and contemporary art museums having an infamous rise in popularity thanks to the internet. Many people, and artists, have claimed that it frustrates them how abstract and simple modern/contemporary art is. 

Before we dive into these arguments, I’d like to stress the difference between the time periods of modern and contemporary art. Contemporary art is art created by artists still living today, or art that was made in the first half of the 20th century and all of the 21st century. But modern art is any art produced from (roughly) 1860-1970. Now that we have that covered, let’s begin.

Contemporary art is an art movement that started in the 1960s and 1970s after World War II. Many artists that create this specific type of art use modern techniques and diverse materials to create their art. Modern art is an art movement that casts aside the usual standards of art to experiment with other techniques. Modern art is all about experimentation, and the result of it. 

After learning this, you may ask yourself, “Why is it that contemporary and modern art are so controversial, then?” Well, some examples of contemporary art are rather plain, to put it simply. And often people label contemporary art as modern art when really, they are very different. As seen in the accompanying pictures, modern art tends to be abstract, but it can convey an emotion that becomes more obvious the more you look at it. But when looking at contemporary art, you may just feel frustration that this is what art has come to, due to the simplicity. Some people even claim contemporary art isn’t “real art.” 

To be quite honest, that is the entire point of contemporary art. It is meant to depart from the standards of art, and create in a more abstract and unconventional way. Some contemporary artists claim that their art is meant to portray the subconscious, instead of someone on the outside looking in. Contemporary art is meant to rebel against critics and upset them. Because at the end of the day, art is not meant to have standards. Art is putting whatever is on your mind onto canvas, or whatever art form you choose to participate in. 

There is no such thing as “real art," as art is simply a reflection of one's mind. And if multi-colored rectangles convey your mind, you have every right to put that on a canvas. And if that canvas sells for millions of dollars, good for you! Contemporary art is valid, and so is the point it is trying to make. 

by Ella Delozier and Paige McCrary

Phobia: an uncontrollable, irrational, and lasting fear of a certain object, situation, or activity. Nearly all of us have or have had an irrational fear about something, so we decided to investigate and see what scares the students and teachers in our middle school. As you’ll see, there are some very common fears and some that might surprise you. See if you can relate to any of them!

Mrs. Shaw - Fear of mice (Musophobia)

Marissa Eldridge - Fear of clowns (Coulrophobia)

Mr. Moximchalk - Fear of snakes (Ophidiophobia)

Tamera Litavic - Fear of being alone (Autophobia)

Leighton Hoadwonic - Fear of heights (acrophobia)

Mrs. Fordyce - Fear of closed spaces (Claustrophobia)

Aubrey DeMase - Fear of snakes (Ophidiophobia)

Grace DeGruttola - Fear of teachers (No phobia name found)

Mrs. Robertson - Fear of crowds (Enochlophobia)

Savannah McKendrick - Fear of closed spaces (Claustrophobia)

Ella Delozier - Fear of vomiting (Emetophobia) 

Mrs. Griffiths - Fear of failure (Atychiphobia)

Nathan Honse - Fear of oceans (Thalassophobia)    

Paris Clayton - Fear of holes (Trypophobia)                                    

Miss B. - Fear of spiders (Aracnaphobia) 

Katelynn Hamby - Fear of clowns (Coulrophobia)

Mrs. Cox - Fear of small spaces (Claustrophobia)

Evan Sanders - Fear of needles (trypanophobia)

Rocco DeCario - Nothing! 

As you can see, you are not alone with your phobias. Most of us (except Rocco!) can easily think of something we prefer to avoid. Just realizing you're not alone can be helpful. The key is not to focus on what scares you, and instead find the courage to live your life bravely every day!

by Ella Delozier and Paige McCrary

Derek Dowdrick - Ultimate Spiderman

Nathan Honse - Clone Wars

Cameron Wuchina - Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous

Kaleb Smith - Heartstopper 

Angelica Bates - Hello Kitty and Friends        

Tamera Litavic - Stranger Things 

Cash Lukon - The Office

Mrs. Fordyce - Loki 

Mrs. Self - The Office 

Mrs. Shaw - Friends

Mr. Moximchalk - Seinfeld

Mrs. Scott- The Office

Mr. Zurinsky - Hogan’s Heroes

Sierra Hill - Trailer Park Boys

Mr. Pishney - Blue Bloods

Joey Hignett- Tokyo Ghoul

by Madolyn Pittman

Have you ever been sifting through random objects in the family junk drawer or cleaning out your room and randomly stumbled upon an old flip-phone or MP3 player you had as a kid? If so, I presume you practically flipped your house inside out just trying to find a charger to unlock your nostalgia. Once you finally did get that old piece of junk open, I imagine you sorted through practically every app, smiling endlessly at all the memories a laggy, impractical device so generously gave you. Have you ever wondered, why? Why do you want to begin using this item again? Well, I hope I can explain it to you. 

Gen-Z (as well as past generations) have always been attracted to technology of the past, whether it be a 1920s radio or a Polaroid camera from the 70s. Now, I believe that part of the reason is a longing for the simplicity of that time. 

I can imagine every child born from 2001-2010 remembers hearing the iconic saying, “When I was your age, we didn't have all those phones. We went outside!” That could be in reference to the iPod (released in 2001) or the newest iPhone 15 (released in 2023). Well, eventually, we become jealous of this adventurous childhood our parents are always mentioning. We are always going to feel like life just becomes more difficult as we get older, and we long for the times when things were simpler. Although it's not true, our parent’s stories make us feel as though their lives were so much simpler than ours, and we long for that simplicity. In old tech such as box TVs or payphones in the 90s, we find that simplicity. It's harder to find that in social media. Social media is full of standards, false perfection, and jealousy. You do not find those things in a flip phone. The rise of cyber bullying could also tie into this, as no one wants to be bullied, especially by someone you have never seen before. No one is going to bully you online when your main use of communication is an iPod Nano. 

As much as I would like to keep rambling on about my complicated reasoning for simply wanting to use old technology, in some cases things aren't so complicated. I'm sure practically everyone and their mother has noticed the rise in fashions created before most of Gen-Z was even born. These styles include Y2K, Mcbling, Scene, Emo, Coquette (modernized in some cases), 80s Trad Goth, 90s Grunge, etc. In most cases, these styles require a lot of accessories, especially if you're going for the whole look. These accessories could include a cute pink iPod touch (2000s orientated), or maybe even a Walkman (1990s-1980s oriented). Some people just want these old pieces of tech for the aesthetic, and that is great too, especially to spice up the authenticity of your outfit! 

Technology advances rapidly, and so do all of us! Whether it's to enjoy some nostalgia or just to spice up an outfit, there is no shame in wanting to revert back to older technology. This is not a new thing, and I can't imagine it will be in the future. So, hey, go dig through your family's junk drawer. Maybe you'll find something from a simpler time. 

by Ashley Ott

Bob Ross was born October 29, 1942, in Daytona Beach, Florida and died July 4, 1995. As we all know, Bob Ross is the master of painting, seen when he shows his talent on his famous television show. The Joy of Painting is where Bob Ross performed his skills and also gave advice to his viewers. Mr. Ross painted on the air from 1981 through 1995 (14 years!). Bob Ross inspired and encouraged millions of people.

Bob Ross used to be taught by Bill Alexander before he dropped out of ninth grade. He dropped out to be in the Air Force where he was stationed in Alaska. Being stationed in Alaska is where he got his love of painting snowy scenes.

My favorite thing about Bob Ross is his calming voice and his advice to his viewers because he helps us understand the “happy little moments in life,” as he would say. Unfortunately, Bob Ross died in 1995 due to a condition called Lymphoma. Although he left us, he still inspires many. You can watch his live streams on YouTube at:

https://www.youtube.com/@bobross_thejoyofpainting

I suggest watching Majestic Mountains, Season 4, episode 3. He is a classic artist to watch from back in the 1980s. There are many paintings that Bob Ross has done in his 403 episode collection. Watching Bob Ross might inspire you to do the same as it has me.  

by Ashley Ott

Mark Rober was born on March 11, 1980 and graduated from the University of Southern California in 2014. As a kid, Mark was interested in engineering and even invented goggles to help eye irritation from cutting onions. He had a lot of interest in engineering as a career. Soon he would work for the scientific space program, NASA and helped construct the Curiosity Rover which landed on Mars in August 12, 2012.

He has since accomplished many world records that used his scientific knowledge. He also made many inventions with his intellect in engineering to make world records. You can view these records at : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Rober#Awards_and_nominations. 

Mark Rober uses the scientific method to solve many problems. Rober has built glitter bombs, mazes, a domino robot, a giant nerf gun, and more! He also created his own scientific engineering program so that you too can invent using science. To buy one of these packages go to: https://www.crunchlabs.com and learn more about what you can do to “think like an engineer.”

Mark became a Youtuber in 2011, but left NASA in 2013 to build a "Digital Dudz," continuing this invention for two years. He is still a Youtuber today, creating “do-it-yourself” gadgets. Mark explains his inventions and how they work in Youtube videos to inspire others to give science a try. He explains in depth about how it works and what you can use this information for.  You can watch some of his youtube videos at:  https://www.youtube.com/@MarkRober

or watch these youtube videos:

Beating 5 Scam Arcade Games with Science

Egg Drop From Space

World Record Domino Robot 

As you can see, Mark Rober's past accomplishments and videos have impressed me and made me and millions of others interested in science! If you hadn’t heard of him, you MUST watch his videos! Also, don’t forget to like and subscribe to his channel. (Yes this is a plug.) 

If you know me you know I really enjoy baton twirling. And I'm not the only one. I'm part of a group called The Diamond Dolls, and we all love it! You might think you'd rather try other sports like basketball or volleyball, but baton twirling is also a very challenging sport. 

Baton twirling is an expression of artistry and emotion through movement of the body that creates a demonstration of strength, flexibility, physical beauty, aesthetics and harmony in coordination with the manipulation of the baton. If it sounds complicated, it can be. It requires a lot of practice, patience, and hardwork, but all of the girls on the team will tell you it's a lot of fun and worth it. If you've ever considered trying it or seen it in a parade or on television and wondered what it would be like, you should come out and give it a try. You won't regret it!

by Chaise McNally

We share the world with over 8.1 billion other people, but how much do you know about people who live in other places? Some of us know more than others about various countries, their histories, traditions, and cultures. And even if you know a lot already, there is always something new to learn. Don't believe me? Check out these facts about various countries around the world.

By Ella Delozier and Paige McCrary

They say Santa’s making his list and checking it twice, so what do you hope Jolly Saint Nick brings you this year? We made a quick dash through the halls to find out what some of your fellow students and even some teachers are hoping for this holiday season. Need a little inspiration? Take a look below to see what they’re hoping for:

Aiden Sells - An Apple Watch 

Micheal Rich - A Playstation 5

Mason DeVincentis- A screen protector

Mrs. Dunn - A vacation

Savannah McKendrick -Tomorrow X Together (TXT) stuff 

Lucas Grohal -New hockey skates 

Cameron Miller - A new Xbox controller

Mr. Zurinsky- To hit the multi millions Powerball!

Sara Dick - Chicken wings and Sourpatch Kids 

Cameron Wuchina - Peace on Earth 

Chance Marco - A soccer ball  

Mr. Redinger - World peace 

Cody Piper - Dominic the Donkey

Haydyn Horwat- Wrestling shoes  

Mrs. Cox - A plan for a warm vacation!      

Whether several or none of these ideas sound good to you, we hope you receive something this holiday season that brings a smile to your face.

by Jenna Vargulish

When you walk by a Hot Topic in the mall or look on TikTok and see outfit ideas that look very out of the ordinary or even what some would call “emo,” what goes through your mind? Would you ever dress like that? Do you think it is inspiring or cool? Do you think it is somehow wrong? This kind of fashion is becoming more popular with the rise of alternate fashion in general, so let’s take a closer look at it to help better shape your opinions. 

There are many subgenres of alternate fashion. Most people call this fashion “emo” but emo fashion is a subgenre itself. Emo fashion consists of mostly asymmetrical haircuts, dark makeup, studded belts, skinny low waisted jeans, and dark colors. That is just a basic runthrough, but emo fashion is very interchangeable with different haircuts, clothes, and 

accessories. 

Another style of fashion is gothic. Gothic fashion usually gets a bad wrap for being “scary” or “sad,” but actually goth fashion is often misunderstood. Gothic fashion usually consists of black outfits, lacey skirts and dresses, big platform boots, and jewelry of all kinds. Gothic fashion is a very interesting style and looks nice to many people.

One last alternative style of fashion is grunge fashion. Grunge fashion has many different commonly seen clothing items. Grunge fashion doesn’t have a set color scheme. It is most seen in darker colors, but people usually incorporate many colors and fabric styles. Commonly seen clothing items are cargo pants, oversized shirts, flannel, chunky boots, platform sneakers, chains, and belts. 

While these styles might not be new, they are all rising in popularity again thanks to social media platforms. They have actually been around for a long time. This uptick in popularity is amazing for people who dress like this though, and is helping them feel more understood and accepted. Although these styles are still pretty uncommon for the average American, hopefully reading this has helped you have a better understanding and acceptance of them. 

By Paige McCrary

Today we interviewed different teachers and asked them questions about their subject,what they like about teaching and what they enjoy most about it.

Why do you like teaching?

Mrs. Fordyce:  “I like seeing my students grow and learn throughout the school year.”

Mr. Zurinsky: “I like helping kids.”

Mr. Redinger: “I wanted to help kids interact more in math class.”

Mrs. Robertson: “I love watching kids finally figure out things they have been struggling with for a while.”

Mrs. Dunn: “I like it when students get excited about learning!”

Mrs. Perri: “I enjoy seeing students’ creativity!”

Mr. Moximchalk:  “I enjoy working with students.”

Mrs. Myers: “I enjoy the energy of middle school students and providing them with knowledge and experiences that will make them well in their future.”

 Mr. Pishney: “I like seeing the process of students moving from where they started from to where they ended up in learning.”

Mrs. Shaw: “I like seeing the lightbulb moments when it finally clicks for a student!”   

What do you like most about teaching?

Mrs. Fordyce: “Being with the kids.”

Mr. Redinger: “The kids!”

Mrs. Robertson: “I love doing projects and big assignments that help kids understand things for the big world.”

Mrs. Dunn: “I like it when you can have a good discussion in class!”

Mrs. Perri: “Personal interactions with the students.”                       

Mr. Moximchalk: “Teaching  you to become a better citizen.”

Mrs. Myers: “Fun activities like dodgeball, the turkey trot, health, and having summers off!”

Mr. Pishney: “When we have good classroom discussions!” 

Mrs. Shaw: “I like working with kids. They make me laugh every single day.”         

by Alexa Jelley

For the first time since Covid, our Middle School has clubs again.  Teacher-made clubs such as Coffee-Making, Cosmetology, Pickleball, and Board Games are just some of the dozens we had to choose from two months ago. And while they’ve been fun, our first rotation is already halfway through. We asked several students what clubs they’d be interested in our teachers offering in the next rotation that starts in January. They had a lot of ideas that ranged from practical to crazy, but all of them sound like they’d be fun for students.

Kennedy: “Something like a dance club.”

Grace D: “A food challenge club like eating BBQ bugs!”

Connor Wigand: “Outdoor clubs.”

Kaleb Smith: “Animal Club.”

Ava Ashbawgh: “Cookie club or baking club.”

Ava Shawlay.: “A dog walking club.”

Jhayda Kimlock: “Farkleberry Club.”

Ivy Rentas: “A camping club.”

Jaxon Moyher: “A free time club you can play games.”

Jermy Jones: “A video game club or a ski club.”

Tristan Kelly: “A video game club.”

Paige McCray: “A dance club and more things like sports.”

Mia Shemllying: “A dodgeball club and more sports.”

Gavin Thomas: “A high-heel club.”

Alexavier Short: “Football Club.”

Brooklyn Palmer: “Animal grooming.”

Katelynn Hamby: “Go to the animal shelter and help with the animals.”

Cora Mentch: “A book-making club.”

Camryn Hafer: “I would create an organizational club so that you can come to a bigger room like the media center and you can organize a room.”

Dylan Ross: “I would like to create a reading club.”

Jaxon Gibson: “A computer club”

Elly Makeskia: “A cat club so you can just play with cats.”

Serenity Willson: “I would make your own business.”

Payton Kemp : “Mini shop / small business.”

Angela Panachellie: “Cooking/baking.”

Carter Riiot: “I would have a club where people who don’t have friends can make friends.”

Zoey Noga: “I would make an arts and crafts club.”

Landon Daugherty: “A fun club where you can do anything you want.”

Allie Kruger: “Cooking”

Brooklynn Karen: “I would make a dance club to teach people how to dance.”

Trinity Palmer: “Arts and craft clubs.”

Hunter. Lopes: “Five Nights at Freddy's club.”

Liam Cody: “Like a history club I guess.” 

Kristopher Hilty: “I would want an outdoor club.”

Gwendolyn Ridilla: “I would create a softball club.”

Helena Quick: “I would make a drum club.”

Dakota King: “I would make a cooking/baking club.”

Aidan Collier: “More sports clubs.”

Marissa Eldridge: “I would do a chemistry club to explode stuff.”

Alivia Raiche: “A rock climbing club.”

Lilly Abrams: “Animal club.”

As you can see, the students have a lot of ideas for new clubs that sound exciting and interesting. Maybe some of the teachers will consider creating one of their suggestions for the second round of clubs that begin in January.

Need some Halloween costume inspiration this year? We're here for you! We interviewed middle school students and teachers to find out what they were dressing up as! As you'll see, the possibilities are endless!

First, sixth grader Leighton Hoadwonic shared that she is going as a witch and Kaleb Smith is going as Harry Potter. Smith is also dressing his dog up as a three-headed dog!

Next, seventh grader Silvia Cinamella is going as a vampire, while Dessie Horwat and Ava Beeman are both dressing up as construction workers. Katrina Blaire is going as a blue crayon. Emmalin Kuhns is going as a pink cowgirl and Lyla Newhouse is dressing up as a frat boy.

In 8th grade, Hannah Brown is going as Harley Quinn. Kylee Marks plans to go as Chucky. Desiree Fisher is going as Super Mario, while Jayden Whigham is going as Ghostface. Cheyenne McCleary is going as Squidward and Tristan Cole is going as a skeleton. Riley Coghlan (Alvin), Aliah Altman (Simon), and Brianna Hamby (Theodore) are going to be Alvin and the Chipmunks for Halloween.

Even teachers are getting in on the fun. Mr. Moximchalk is going to wear an LED mask. Mr. Zurinsky is going to be Uncle Fester. Mr. Redinger is going to dress up as Bowser. Mrs. Scott is going as Skye from Paw Patrol. Mrs. Shaw and Mr. Shaw are going to be Teacher Barbie and Surfer Ken. Mr. Smith said that if he did dress up he would be Walter White and Mr. Pishney said he would be a golf club.

Our personal favorite was 8th grade class president Ryder Matesic. He shared that he is dressing up as, “A Peasant of Medieval Times.” Whether you're going as a famous character, a scary villain, or something that will make everyone laugh or smile, Halloween is a great time to bond and have fun. And of course eat a lot of candy! 

Recently, people all over the country were trying to win the lottery as the Powerball Jackpot reached $1.765 BILLION before one lucky person in California won it. I decided to ask students what they would do if they were fortunate enough to hit the lottery. Here’s what they said:

Chelsea Piper - “I would help my mom and dad and probably would buy some food for my dogs and cats. The rest would go for college”

Tanner Nicholson - “I would help the homeless.”

Julia McKendrick - “I would save it instead of spending it.”

Christopher Hilty - “I would give $900K to my parents and keep $100K.”

Jacob Rich - “I would give half the money for charity and use some more for college.”

Maximus Overly - “I’d share it with my family and spend it on games.”

Hunter Koring - “I would yell from excitement!” 

Dominic Simoncini - I would use the money and probably get new shoes.”

Bryson Schmidtetter - “I would save it up.”

Jaden Larkin - I would buy a house.”

We might not have won big this time, but who knows what the future holds. It’s good to know so many of us have already made plans for how we’ll spend it!