Archive
2022-2023
Opinion: Check out Killington's Dark Park
BY JULIA
If you are looking for something fun and adventurous to do, that will make memories that last a lifetime, you should most definitely head up to Killington and check out Darkside. Darkside is an outdoor night and day terrain park. It is located in Killington behind the Darkside ski shop. It has a dope park with tons of rails, jumps, and stairs. It's super fun and totally family-friendly. “Darkside was the first place I hit a rail," said Oliver Bennet. "I forever cherish that moment." Just another reason to go check it out.
Photo Credit: Kristian Preylowski
Woodstock's Lights Brighten Winter
BY MARSHALL
Woodstock continues to be named one of the most beautiful towns in the country. Travel Magazine states “Woodstock is beautiful for more than just the historic civilization it offers, it is situated in the Green Mountains which are, in my opinion, some of the most beautiful mountain ranges in America.”
One of the things that makes Woodstock beautiful in the winter is the festive lights.
Beth Flinlayson, a director at the woodstock chamber was able to give me an inside scoop on the festive holiday lights around woodstock. Few know that the town buys new lights every year to prevent there being any problems. This tradition has happened every year for the last 40 years. The memory tree located on The Green is a memorial dedicated to all that have passed away around Woodstock.
Classmate Timothy Moore stated that the lights are very nice and the Woodstock Inn does a great job. Morgan Putnum said the lights remind her of her childhood where her imagination would fly with the colorful lights.
All in all Woodstock is a beautiful place, and I am proud to call it my home.
Yoh! Theater Preps for "Percy Jackson"
BY GRACE
After a huge success with the latest play, "The Snow Queen," the Yoh! theater program is about to begin rehearsal for another performance. This time they have decided to do "The Lightning Thief; Percy Jackson the Musical." Rehearsals begin on Monday, January 9th, for any high school students, and Tuesday, January 10th for middle school students. The rehearsals are held three days a week for middle schoolers and every day of the week for high schoolers.
Many past participants of the theater program are excited for rehearsals to begin, as Percy Jackson, written by Rick Riordan, are very popular books. Morgen, a middle school student who has been doing tech work in theater states, “I honestly would like to see how the special effects would work with the play, that is what I’m excited for.”
A Yoh! theater participant, Lylah, states that Percy Jackson is “A musical based off the fictional, mythology based novel, by Rick Riordan following the adventures of Percy Jackson on his quest to retrieve Zeus’ lightning bolt.”
When asked how they thought the performance would turn out, Lylah responded, “There are so many talented people in theater but only so much time to pull a performance together. While we might be pressed for time, I’m confident it will come to a far more than satisfactory close.” They were most looking forward to “the fight scenes.” Finally, Lylah thought that the most challenging part of putting on the performance was “Completing everything in time.”
Another student who is planning on being in the performance thinks that the play will go well because, “There are excellent people and actors that will be in the play.” He thinks that the most challenging part will be “Probably special effects because the play requires a lot of special effects.”
'Tis The Season
BY GRACE
December is here and Christmas is approaching rapidly. There has been much excitement and some stress relating to buying gifts and getting ready for the holiday season.
Students appear to feel different things about Christmas, but one thing will always be the same; Christmas songs. Dozens of songs are circulating, playing on every radio. Some people enjoy the songs, some don’t. Morgen states that they are “annoying when played before the holiday season has started.” Timmy says “Christmas songs are the kind of songs that you can listen to even when it’s not Christmas-time.”
Clearly, people have lots of different opinions on these songs. But here’s the real question; what Christmas song is the best? A Google Form has been sent out to the entire 8th grade listing a few of the most popular Christmas songs and asking for students to vote on which they think is best. The results are listed here.
For Vikings Fans, It's a Waiting Game
BY HOLDEN
The Minnesota Vikings are tied for the number two seed in the NFC with the Cowboys . The Eagles are the number 1 seed in the NFC.
Hopes about the Vikings have decreased since they lost to the Lions, one of the lower ranked teams in the NFC, but hopes are still alive because a few weeks ago they beat a top-three ranked team in the AFC, the Buffalo Bills, in an overtime thriller 33-30.
Another reason hopes are still alive is because of their star wide receiver, Justin Jefferson, who is in the best wide receiver in the NFL chat and even league MVP conversation.
So all we can do as fans is just sit back and watch the rankings, noting whether they change or not
The Injury That Stopped Marshall
BY TIMMY
It was Saturday, October 29th. It was halfway through the second period in a game against the Utica Comets. Marshall Somerville was playing left wing. The score was 1-0, Comets.
Marshall had the puck, when suddenly, he was hit from behind. He doesn’t remember the moment, but a video shows a Uitca player coming up under Marshall and knocking him from behind.
Marshall lost consciousness and fell to the ice. His memory is hazy because he got a concussion from the impact.
Marshall was carried off the ice to the locker room where a doctor looked after him.
The concussion was terrible because “I had to sit in a dark room,” Marshall said. “I got off the bench and then I was on the Ice for 1 to 2 minutes. Then I ended up on the ground, and my ears were ringing and I could not see anything.”
For two weeks Marshall did not play any hockey, but after about a month he got to play in games again.
“I had my first game last weekend after the Injury that happened on the ice,” Marshall said. “I was a little bit nervous because I did not want to get hit again but I was still excited to get on the ice.” That he realized that his head is vulnerable and he does not want to get another concussion.
Mr. Gladding - New Dad - on Wellness
BY HOLDEN
Mr. Jacob Gladding is the 7th grade Wellness teacher at WUMS and as of right now he has been teaching for 3 years. This is his first school teaching at, so how's it going?
“I love teaching at WUMS,” Mr. Gladding said in an interview. “All of the teachers and students are just so nice and respectful.’’
Mr. Gladding's favorite sport is football. “Since I was a toddler it was and has always been it," he said. "I played tackle football through 3rd grade all the way to my senior year in high school. I played a few different positions over the years. From tight end to fullback and then linebacker. And I ended my football career with a state championship at Rutland High School.’’
After high school, he went to Castleton University. “I loved my time at Castleton University. I lived on campus for one year and then I moved in a apartment with some of my friends for the rest of my 3 years.’’
Mr. Gladding recently became a father. He has a daughter named Maeve who was born on September 9th . “My daughter is excellent, she has progressed so much over the 3 months of her life.’’ He had to take a month off to help take care of his daughter. He came back to WUMS for the second quarter.
He thinks being a teacher is fun but a little hard sometimes. “Being a teacher can be very hard from a grading and preparation perspective," he said. "It can be hard teaching a lot of 7th graders the same content over and over again."
Question of the Week: What do you think of "World Cup"?
IShowSpeed's brainworm "World Cup" has really taken off at WUMS. Or has it? Oliver asked students and staff how they felt about the song this week.
“Good but over played”
-Grace
Amazing 10/10
-Holden
“Gas”
-Marshal
"It’s good because I don’t know"
-Coby
“It’s a good song because it’s
About the world cup and Ishowspeed is loud”
-Timmy
“I don’t have an opinion on it”
-Morgan
“We are losing brain cells listening to this song”
Ms. Hanrahan
First Snow of the Year
BY TIMMY
Students woke up to snow on the ground last Wednesday, November 16. Some people like the cold weather but some are not used to it. I interviewed a few students and this is what they said.
Liam likes snow because it is fluffy.
Marshall said, “I like snow because it is cold and the chill it sends is exciting.”
Morgen says her best snow day scenario is packing snow but in a snow storm.
Grace likes snow because “you can hit people with it.”
Marshall's best snow day scenario is packing snow with fluffy stuff on top of it.
The snow can be random so be prepared for the snow to come.
Thanksgiving Thoughts
BY GAVIN
Students are excited for Thanksgiving coming soon. We will be going on break, and doing all sorts of things.
As Liam explains, some of us will be skiing. Laiquen says he will be “eating turkey, sweet potato pie and sleeping in.” Oliver says he's “going to [his] uncle's house.” Holden says he will be “working out.” Liam says he will be excited “skiing.”
No matter what people say, Laiquen says he is excited to see his grandpapi. “I am seeing my grandpa from California. He will be coming here.” Oliver says he is excited for “No school. ” Holden is excited for “More time to workout” and of course Liam is excited for skiing.
A lot of people have different opinions on Thanksgiving, Laiquen thinks Thanksgiving is a “10. I get food, family, and sleep.” Oliver thinks ”10 because of food” Holden thinks “6 overhyped. ” Liam thinks “skiing ‘cuz 10.”
Why skiing Liam?:
“‘Cuz”
Who Will Go to the NBA Playoffs?
BY OLIVER
The season has just started and some teams are doing good and some teams aren’t. Obviously there are teams who are going to make it to the playoffs and teams that won’t.
Students at Woodstock middle school are weighing in on who they think are gonna go to the NBA playoffs. The NBA playoffs start April 15th 2023.
“So I think that the Memphis Grizzlies are going to the championship because of Jared Jackson Jr.,'' says Gavin Freund. “I think the Nets are going to the championship cause Kyrie” said Liam. Even though Liam knows he is not playing right now he has a lot of faith in him.
“I know the Celtics are gonna go to the championship because they got youngins playing” said Elvis. We all know Elvis is a huge Celtics fan. “Spurs,” says Ray -- just a random answer from him. “The Celtics are gonna win because they have the best record” says Nolan. Nolan is also a huge NBA fan.
The Thanksgiving Pie Debate
By GRACE
Thanksgiving is approaching rapidly, and everyone’s minds are on food. Thanksgiving was a holiday created to celebrate being thankful, being grateful. However, nobody can deny that when they think about Thanksgiving, they think about food.
Some people may think of the turkey, some think of gravy, and yet some may think of mashed potatoes. However, what about the pie? Pie has always been a Thanksgiving staple, and most families have some kind of pie on Thanksgiving. Pie has also seemed to be a topic of debate around Thanksgiving. When the subject appears in conversation, it seems that there always seems to be an argument about which Thanksgiving pie is the best.
But do students really believe that it is a topic of debate? Well, when asked this very question, Morgen Putnam, a student in the middle school, replied, “It is absolutely a debate. Thanksgiving is all about politics. Then again, it depends on how many grandmas are around during the time of the debate.” She also replied that her favorite Thanksgiving pie was “Apple Pie.”
Since they are clearly are a commonly debated topic, what is truly the favorite Thanksgiving pie? Well, a Google form was sent out to the middle school, used to collect votes to settle, once and for all, what the best pie is. Our results are listed above.
Snow Falls, While "The Snow Queen" Rises
By MORGEN
On December 16 to December 18, 2022 multiple middle school and high school students will perform the the play “The Snow Queen.” The play is steam punk themed musical, and follows a girl named Gerda who travels through a magical world to save her best friend Kai, who was taken by the Snow Queen.
I interviewed Grace Perreault, who is a part of the robber gang in the play, about how the play was going:“I think it's going pretty well overall. We've gotten a lot of choreography done and we made good progress with learning songs and it’s definitely going well.”
Around thirty-seven students are a part of the play and working hard to make the final performance perfect.“I mean, it’s already looking great during rehearsals and I feel like it's going to look even better on stage.” Grace commented.
The play continues to progress and so does the anticipation of the future audience. I asked Timmy Moore what he had heard about The Snow Queen and he said, “I know that is has pretty good ratings about it.”
One of the many highlights of the play is the details in the props and costumes. With dramatic wings and layered dresses, “The Snow Queen” play is something to look forward to in early December.
Jr. Spartans Repeat State Champs
BY HOLDEN
The Castleton Jr. Spartans have done it again by winning the Northern Vermont Youth Football league state championship.
On Saturday November 5th they beat the St.Albans Steelers 38-14 for the win. They were the only team in the league , which is not a school league, to go undefeated. They went 9-0 which is even better than last year, when they only lost one game but still won the state championship.
Last year on November 7th they won the state championship defeating the South Burlington Dolphins who caused the only regular season loss for the Jr Spartans. So this win was really special for the 8th graders who played last year.
Now it is up to the 8th graders next year to try and win it for 3 years in a row.
After the victory for the Spartans they held a parade for them that started in Castleton and ended at Fair Haven high school. Congratulations to Castleton Jr. Spartans.
Question Of the Week: How are you feeling about the second long weekend in a row?
BY JULIA
“Its great because it's two three day weekends in a row. Im going to be hanging out with friends in town probably.’’ -Mataya
“I'm gonna work out for football through the weekend. I'm hyped about this because more days off so I get to spend more time getting buff for American football” -Holden
Move Over Kahoot! Blooket is Here
By LAIQUEN
This fall WUHSMS students have started to play a game called Blooket. Blooket is an educational review game that is replacing Kahoot! in some classes. 7th graders have used Blooket in Mr. McCormick’s social studies class to learn about global cotton supplies. 8th graders have used the game in Mrs. Whitehead's math. class. Some students think that Blooket is better than Kahoot. According to Oliver, Blooket is better than Kahoot because, “you get to choose characters, and there’s more things to do in Blooket.” Oliver also says that ‘‘The best game mode in Blooket is monster brawl.’’
Captain Alexis Reflects On Football Season
BY SOPHIA
Alexis Audsley was the middle school football captain for this season. She was one of the three girls on the otherwise boys team. She said during the season there were a lot of ups and downs with being respected, but it ended on a high note.
Lexi told us, “It was a struggle in the beginning because my seconds in command were popular and the guys didn't respect my authority.” Later on in the season she gained the respect of the team, and they realized that she was very assertive, and that when she said things needed to be done they had to be done.
“It was great that we had a loud, strong leader that the whole team relied on to solve any underlying problems in the team,” Jake told us. Jake was one of her seconds in command. She described their team at the end as “One big happy family.” The team ended the season with a record of 2:7. She says that she would do it again and how that shows how people can change after only two months
Leadership Summit Inspires Students
BY ADELLE
Last Friday, on October 14, the HS social justice club hosted a social justice summit at The Grand in Killington, Vermont. The summit was focused on student involvement in the school system, what students need in order to have a successful learning environment, and why student voice in the school board is so important. The meeting started at 9:30 and ended at 1:30.
The students arrived at The Grand at around nine with half an hour to eat the breakfast that the hotel staff provided to them. When all of the students were settled down, Dr. Brown of New York started off the meeting by talking about how important student voice, diversity, and a feeling of welcome in schools is so important. Then, the students kicked off with a discussion about what they needed in schools and what was wrong with the WUHSMS school system. The ideas formulated were very similar to the ideas spoken of by Dr. Brown. Some ideas were to have more students talk about the school instead of just the same students every time; make board meetings more accessible for students; and have the student council be more student run.
The day ended with groups sharing their ideas to the entire room of students and reviewing what happened at the meeting. After it ended, the students headed back to the school with fresh ideas in their minds. “The Summit inspired me to notice the concerns that we have in our district and encourage other people to notice them as well so more people will step up,” Ava Rich of eighth grade says.
The summit was a way to spark ideas of change in our school system and inspire students to step up and make some change. And as Ava said, “I think that it will influence the community positively and encourage more people to want to step up and make a change.”
Question of the Week: What are you most afraid of?
BY CHEVY
“Probably death, and the unknown” - Anonymous
“Death, and parasites” - Lylah
“Dying before I live a Complete life” - Anonymous
“Being buried alive, stuck in small spaces and heights ” - Grace
“Dolls, shrimp and being buried alive” - Jada
“Spiders and heights” - Mataya
Meeting The New Greenhouse Manager
BY MIETTE AND CHEVY
Have you met Abbie Castriotta? She is the new Greenhouse manager. We interviewed her to get to know her and what she has been doing so far. Her day is very busy with many classes and many different tasks. “I usually get here about a half an hour before school, to unlock everything. The mornings are usually full of classes, and since I am Mrs. B's assistant, when students come out to the greenhouse I usually work with them,” she said. “In the afternoons we only have one class. In my free time I am the advisor for the FFA which is Future Farmers of America. I also prepare and order seeds to prepare for sales. I do a lot of the budget which I don’t love as much.”
Before coming to WUHSMS Ms. Castriotta lived in Massachusetts “ in a town called Barre. After that I moved to New Hampshire and went to college, Colby Sawyer college. In college I double majored in environmental studies and art. But I wanted to use it and make a bigger impact so I decided to teach.” After moving to the Upper Valley she worked at the Vermont Institute for Ecostudies.
Ms. Castriotta and the horticulture classes have already harvested the whole garden. The produce that did really well was beets and Amerinth, an ancient grain that is like quinoa. They gave some produce to the cafeteria. “We have started growing microgreens for the cafeteria and other greens like arugula and bok choy,” Ms. Castriotta said. When you are getting lunch next time it is very possible that you are eating vegetables grown in our greenhouses. They also have grown squash, beets, kale, popcorn, and spaghetti squash.
Ms. Castriotta has started and worked on many different projects this year. She ran an experiment on the compost system. “We did an experiment by substituting the Pro mix soil with Vermont compost. The herbs we planted in the Vermont compost were so much better, bigger, and looked way healthier,” she explained.
She also has started a native seed gathering project, so they can sell them in the spring sale. Including all of her other jobs, she is also doing some fall cleaning. “One of the things I'm trying to do is clean out the bus barn which is where most of our supplies are. It's very unorganized right now,” she said. One of the things that has been going on for a little while now is the Landlink Project. Ms. Castriotta explained to us. “We are part of the landlink project. Which gives us traditional seeds to grow, after we grow them we give some back to keep the tradition going and the rest go to abenaki food shelves.” These are just some of the many things Ms. Castriotta has been doing.
Ms. Castriotta really enjoys working her job. “I love my job,” she said. “I love being able to close the loops in our food system and be able to provide for the community and the cafeteria. I also love working with kids to help them be more conscious about food and growing your own food. And to be able to be outside working in the gardens.”
Middle School Students React to "Radium Girls"
BY MATTHEW
The play "Radium Girls" was performed on Thursday, October 13, in the Yoh theater for the middle school before dress rehearsal, and students seem to think it is a good show.
The show is about a lawsuit against a watch company for using radium paint that killed 13 people. It is about an hour and 15 minutes long.
This is the first time in years that the middle school has seen a play in the Yoh theater. 8th grader Aiden says, “It was good.”
Sophia says, “It is the best play I have ever seen.”
An Insider Report on "Radium Girls"
BY ABBY
"Radium Girls" is a play I was in over the weekend. I played a file clerk. The play was really good.
Most people liked it, I thought, since we got a lot of compliments about the show. One of them was, “Nice job. I really liked the voice that you made for the clerk.”
As the clerk, I kind of got annoyed at the end of the scene because they wanted so many things from me, and so I got mad because Grace asked for another file. When I say, “Stay right there” and go off stage and never come back, I think that was really funny.
I really like being in shows. I have been in shows since I was 11. I have been in four shows. One of them did not end up happening. The show that we did not get to do is "The Three Musketeers" because of Covid. So many people had Covid and I was one of them. It was really sad that we did not get to do it. We had worked so hard. But at least we got to do other shows like "Ash Girl."
The Ash Girl show was for only middle school students. High schoolers were not allowed to do that play. In that show I was a mouse.
My favorite show is "Radium Girls." It is a really sad show though, it's about a lot of people dying from radium. It is a really good show, but the not so good thing is that I did not get much sleep because the show started at 7:00 p.m. and ended at 8:45 p.m.
After the show the cast had a small party until almost 10:00 p.m. We had pizza and we did this thing where we have posters with our name on it and we all write something nice on all of them. On one of them I said, “great job I loved your voice so much.” What we do is we don't just say “good job” or “great idea”. We say why we did a great job so we know why they liked it and how it went.
As an actor I was so happy because we did the show in front of the middle school, and I just thought they did a good job as an audience. Usually people talk the whole time, but they did not. They were really quiet, even when something unexpected happened during the show. There was a speaker making a noise and it was really hard for me to think, but the people watching the show did a really good job. They did not talk.
On Saturday we performed the show for the public. I think that was the best show of "Radium Girls." I think it is because we got to do it two times before that and we got used to doing it more.
Mrs. Kardashian To The Rescue
BY ABBY
This summer in Woodstock, while running on Fletcher Hill Road, Mrs. Kardashian saved a man’s life.
It started when she was running. “I was 8 miles into my run,” she said. “ I look up, and I'm listening to my favorite book, The Son. It’s a book about the Texas Cowboys and it's just a really intoxicating book. I get transported to a far away place.”
At that moment she heard a big boom. “I look up and there’s this man on the road crawling and his face is completely bloody,” Mrs. Kardashian said. “And my first instinct is I don’t know what’s going on but I know that I must get help.”
It was around 7:00 in the morning and she did not know who was going to be up so she went and banged on a nearby door. Someone opened the door and there was a nurse there.
“He’s going in and out of consciousness and I know from being a lifeguard that you want someone to be alert and conscious. It’s bad if they're going out of consciousness," Mrs. Kardashian said. "You don’t want to get to that point."
The biker got rushed to the hospital and on the way he went into a coma. Luckily, Mrs. Kardashian had found his ID in his bike. She found out who he was. “Finally the ambulance comes and it’s kind of like OK, I guess I’m done. I’ll go home.” She kept thinking about the man, and eventually found out that he was OK. But he wouldn't have been OK if she hadn't found him. I asked Mrs. Kardashian, do you feel like a superhero? "No," she said.
Mrs. Kardashian with her daughter.
Cartoon by ADDY
Opinion: Killington Riders Need a Second Bus
BY MATTHEW
The Killington 1 bus is far too full, and during the trips there is very little space. We need a second bus.
First of all, a second bus would make the ride safer for the passengers and the driver. When the driver does not know where to go and he or she asks students on the bus, we can't hear them.
Also there was a person vaping on the bus and the driver could not identify who it was because there are so many people, which is dangerous to the kids and the driver. People say that the bus feels unsafe and smells like drugs; just this morning, Mr.T had to ride the bus to ensure student safety.
Next, a second bus would make the ride more comfortable. Rider Sophia Dubanevich said, “It's too full and there is no space to sit most of the time." Killington riders have the longest drive in the district and that is 45 minutes. We also have the most people out of all the other buses.
Finally, we only really need another bus for the trip to school and not the way back because the students have sports and that leaves a lot of space on the bus in the afternoon.
There are also buses that don't get used and just sit at the school. When the bus is picking students up there are still 5 or 6 buses that are not used. This is why we need another bus or a bigger bus.
Foliage Cartoon by ADELLE
Volleyball Club Underway
BY MIETTE
The middle school volleyball club has begun! Students are meeting Monday and Wednesday after school. There are twelve kids and a mix of boys and girls. I interviewed the coach Annie Luke who you might know from her other club called Vermont Kids Against Tobacco. She said the volleyball club started last year “when two middle school students were asking about a volleyball club and so I wrote a proposal to the administration and they said yes.” Annie says her favorite part of the club is “we just have a lot of fun. That's the biggest one. And we learn skills about the game of volleyball and making it fun.” The club also learns values. Annie says the main values are,“teamwork and respect, cooperation, positive communication, and commitment.” Morgen, who is in the club, says she enjoys how close everyone is. “Even though it's a bigger group than last time it's still a close community and everyone helps each other.” Right now they are only playing themselves, but Annie is seeing if it is a possibility to play other schools in the future.
Morgen became interested in volleyball when she would watch her sister play. “When I was younger I watched my sister play. I also played mini volleyball with chalk on the ground demonstrating the court,” Morgen said. If you are interested in joining, all you have to do is go to Annie Luke and she will give you a permission form.
Hocus Pocus 2 Won't Disappoint
BY CHEVY
Have you ever watched that one movie everyone talks about around fall time? Yeah, Hocus Pocus. Well did you know they came out with a second one? They did.
Hocus Pocus II had people counting up the days till it came out. And then it finally came out on September 30. If you are interested in watching this movie you can watch it on Disney Plus. A lot of people wanted to watch this movie because the first one was just a fan favorite, even after 29 years of it being out. So for most people it was a big deal for the second one.
But one thing people are mad about is that some of the main characters are not in this sequel, including Max Dennison, played by Omri Katz, Dani Dennison, played by Thora Birch, and Allison, played by Vinessa Shaw.
People are saying that it’s “the perfect sequel to the classic film.’’ And I fully agree. I really think people are going to love it just as much as the first one.The movie also echoes the ending of the first one. And if you watch it make sure you watch till the end of the end credits because it sure will get you questioning.
Question of the Week: What's your favorite and least favorite candy?
BY SOPHIA
F=favorite; W=worst
F:Whoppers
W:Candy corn -Alexis
F:Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
W: Candy Corn -Jada
F: Kit-Kat
W: Black Licorice -Lylah
F: Candy Corn
W: Black Licorice -Amelia
F: Gummies
W: Black Licorice -Ruby
F: 3 Musketeers
W: Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
-Matthew
F: Kit-Kat
W: Black Licorice -Mataya
F: Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
W: Candy Corn -Ms. Hanrahan
F: Twix
W: Plain Hersey -Adelle
CARTOON BY ADDY
Phones in Middle School: Weighing the Issue
BY SOPHIA
In Woodstock middle schoolers can't have their phones out during the day. High schoolers on the other hand can have their phones out in class and they can use them when the teachers say it is ok. “Well it normally depends on the teacher because in some classes I can have it out on the desk and in some classes I can't,” Alice, a tenth grader at Woodstock, tells us. Phones have always been a debate in schools since students started getting them.
On the one hand, they could be helpful learning tools for students and there are ways to regulate them without fully banning them. Dylan Lukes researches phones in schools for Harvard’s Graduate School of Education. In an article called “Weighing the Costs and Benefits of Cellphones in Schools” he said, “There might be some interesting ways to balance the tradeoffs of their distractions and their benefits — something like having magnetized pouches and allowing students to take out cell phones under special circumstances (e.g., class activity, lunch).”
Phones are also used as calendars for students to know about homework due dates and where they are supposed to be. They keep some kids organized. Matthew tells us, “It is easier to just check my phone than pulling out my computer and logging in . It also gives me notifications when things are due.” Students also find it helpful to listen to music when they are writing or doing independent work. Teachers say it is distracting but it is quite the contrary for some students. As long as they are wearing headphones it is not a distraction to the rest of the class.
When it comes to regulating the phone usage restrictions because they can be distracting there could be cubbies in the entrance to the classroom where students store their phones during days they have tests and times where teachers are talking and need students' full attention. “Phones are a large part of people's life, banning them is very old fashioned. In between classes is their time to do what they want and how they want to spend it.” Adelle tells us. “As long as they're not being overused, they are fine to have out,” Alex tells us.
On the other hand Alex also says, “I don't care that we can't have our phones out, it's not that annoying. The only issue is when a student is called by a family member and they can't pick up on their phone or text them to make sure it is not urgent.”
When asked about what she thought, Mrs.Fellows the seventh grade science teacher had some concerns. She thinks that it is good for students to be able to unplug from their phones when they are at school. Splitting concentration between school work and your phone would be hard because, “We can do two things at once but now well.” She thinks that multitasking is possible with a phone, but students can’t do it well enough for it not to be a distraction.
Phones are still under debate but I hope this will help you form your own opinion. Please take our survey by clicking below to let us know what you think.
Opinion: Caffeine Ban Affects Student Body
BY ADELLE
Recently, there was a mandate enforced in which caffeine is no longer allowed in WUMS. This rule is less strictly enforced during lunches, however, most people don’t drink their caffeinated beverages that late in the day.
Many students participate in fall sports, these extracurricular activities can end at any time from 4:45 to 5:30. There are other students who live in Pittsfield, Reading, Mendon, Ludlow, etc. These towns are about 45 minutes to an hour away from the school.
Let’s say a student ends practice at 5:30 and gets home at 6:30. It takes half an hour to eat dinner and another 10 minutes to wash the dishes. They study for half an hour per summative or formative, complete a math worksheet in 20 minutes, and it takes them another half hour to read and record for English. They take a quick, 5 minute shower.
The time is currently 8:55. The student has 5 minutes to spare before they have to go to bed. However, this student takes regular, non-accelerated classes, and has little household chores. If a student has one more chore and an accelerated class, they will lose time to sleep. Even if you only lose 15 minutes to a half an hour of sleep, it feels like you didn’t sleep at all in the morning.
There are students who are in this situation, and caffeine can help them focus in class and be more enthusiastic. This can help their grades rise. Coffee also contains nutrients that lower risk of heart failure, Parkinson’s disease, colon cancer, Alzheimer’s, and strokes. Caffeine can also make you live longer and have stronger DNA.
It also makes no sense to have caffeine in high school, but not in middle school. There is only a year's difference between 8th graders and Freshmen.
Spanish Students Raise $513 for Puerto Rico Aid
BY ALLISON
On Sep 20, 2022, Puerto Rico, a small Caribbean island and unincorporated United States territory, was hit with a hurricane that we call Hurricane Fiona. “Fiona” struck Puerto Rico and is known to be the most major Atlantic hurricane of the season, leaving a trail of destruction.
Reporters have said that cars were turned upside down and roads were washed away causing certain families to take a different route or walk. Reporters have caught the wind speed and said that in Puerto Rico, it was 125 mph. Many Puerto Ricans were in danger.
People in Woodstock Union High/Middle School had the idea to have a fundraiser for the Puerto Ricans. When asked who started the idea of the fundraiser, 7-8 grade Spanish teacher Maestra Megyesi said, “Students from AP and Advanced Spanish classes went to Maestra O’Neill expressing their wish to help the people of Puerto Rico.”
When asked why they were doing this fundraiser, Maestra Megyesi said, “People in Puerto Rico were hard hit by Hurricane Fiona. As a territory of the United States, they are our neighbors and it is important to help neighbors. Plus, Puerto Rico has still not recovered from Hurricane María five years ago.”
When asked where they will take the money, Maestra Megyesi said, “The money will go directly to community-based aid organizations in Puerto Rico. A local Woodstock photographer, Juan Carlos Gonzalez will be getting the funds to these neighborhood aid organizations.”
When asked what will you do with the money, Maestra Megyesi said, “The money will be used according to where the need is the greatest as determined by the local neighborhood organizations.”
All together the school collected $513 for Puerto Rico. I think that is the perfect to get Puerto Rico out of this dreadful disaster.
New Vermonter Reflects on Culture Shift
I made a big move from across the country in the summer of 2022. It was a big move for a 13 year old from Louisiana to Vermont. Two completely different states culture wise, with almost no similarities.
But I like it here in Vermont especially with the new school I am going to. I'm making friends left and right here, it's an amazing place to be getting my education. I am also into football, which is no surprise since I am from Louisiana.
The reason that I moved across the country is because in 2017 my parents got married. For their honeymoon and went to the Boston area and fell in love with it.
The place I miss most from my old home is a sport training place in Monroe Louisiana called TPS, where I worked hard for months working on my football skills.
I am a Minnesota Vikings fan, which there are not so many of in Louisiana due to the Minneapolis Miracle in 2018 which knocked the saints out of the playoffs. But my favorite college football team is LSU, which is almost everybody's favorite college football team in Louisiana. My idol is the Vikings stud wide receiver, Justin Jefferson from LSU, who was drafted by the Vikings in the 2020 NFL draft.
The worst thing I must say about Vermont other than the cold is that football isn't that big up here. When I figured out they didn't have tackle football until high school, I didn't want to move up here. Luckily, I found a tackle football league for middle schoolers.
Louisiana has better food I wills say, but there is something about Vermont that I like. I just don't know what it is. So far I can't choose Louisiana over Vermont,but I can't choose Vermont over Louisiana. They are both equal to me.
Review: Dylan Scott's "New Truck" is Worth a Listen
BY MORGAN
Dylan Scott is taking ears by storm. His other songs are good too, but I think the song some people would like is New Truck.
It is a very popular song and Scott really enjoys his life, as he said in an interview with Celebrity Page. They talk about a lot of different songs but the main song they were talking about was the song New Truck. It is a great song if you like or love country music.
It would be a good song for you to listen to if you are going through a hard time. Here are a few lines that I like: I need a new truck/ There ain't nothing wrong with mine/ It's got forty something thousand miles."
Why these two lines? Because they have a great momentum together and they are a great together. The song has a great tempo.
If you want to listen to a comforting song, you can be working or something or you just want to relax and listen to music you can do that too. Check out New Truck.
The places you can find the song's New Truck are on Youtube, Pandora, and Spotify. 'Dylan Scott - New Truck (Official Lyric Video) - YouTube
Change The World Kids Recruits Middle School Students
BY CHEVY
Last Friday high school students from the Change The World Kids program came to the auditorium to talk to 8th graders and get them to consider joining the program.
They talked a little about what they do in this program. Some things they do to help people are walk their dog if they can't do it themselves. They also said on their website, ”We continue to live our mission to serve the community by working towards food justice, doing community work for people in need and working for the environment by planting for both biodiversity and agroforestry.”
Eighth grader Miette Jennings said, “I think it would be a very fun and a good community,” and she’s thinking about doing it in high school.
Sophia Dubanevich said, “It seemed really cool and I thought it was good for the community.” She added that she might go some weekend soon, saying, “it would be a good chance to go to Costa Rica.”
If you want to know about the CTWK program, Their website is Change The World Kids.
Question of the Week: What is your favorite fall food?
Pumpkin Bread. -Matthew
Apple cider donuts. -Lexi & Ruby
Apple Pie. -Grace & Jake
Chai Latte and donuts dipped in hot apple cider -Lylah
Apple Crisp. -Mr.Wolf
Candied apples. -Mataya
Stuffing. -Adelle
Candy. -Amelia
Pumpkin pie. -Mr.Tan Creti
Pesto pasta. -Mr.Stuntz
The Hive staff photo
Lunch Returns to Cafeterias
BY MIETTE
If you have been to the cafeteria lately at lunch you would have seen the packed room full of socializing middle schoolers. But last year it was empty, everyone was either in their classroom or outside.
Gretchen is the food director of the district, “I am the director for the whole district and I oversee not just this kitchen but the kitchens in the other schools too.” I interviewed Gretchen because like many of you I was wondering why there was a new lunch setup.
Gretchen mentioned many causes for the new setup but the main ones were related to changes after Covid. “The cafeteria needed to be open so the students could eat in them after Covid. The students also have to put their pin in the computer so we had to change the line,” Gretchen said.
One of the challenges Gretchen and her team had to figure out was the line. She said once they figured it out it went very well and they were able to get students through quickly. “Well we had a lot to learn in the first couple days of service but since we have such a strong team we were able to get everyone through faster. It's going very well now," she said.
Gretchen mentioned how important this new setup is for helping students access their free food. “We are really fortunate to be able to have free meals and the new setup helps kids access them.”
Though this setup consisted of a few challenges it helps students continue to eat free healthy foods. Gretchen said that she really enjoys this new setup because she could see students more. “It is really nice to see the students and see what everyones eating," Gretchen said.
Photo courtesy of Susan Piccoli
Ms. Piccoli Welcomes Students to the Library
BY ADELLE
In the past 12 years, the WUHSMS library has been run by our librarian, Ms Piccoli. She runs the library, book clubs, library events, and helps with classes that travel to the library. She knows where to find the kind of book you want and what books should be on display, and she especially knows how to make a student feel welcome in the library.
In high school, Ms. Piccoli spent her free time in the school library, when she went to college in the Bronx, that tradition didn’t stop. Our librarian went to college at Fordham on Rose Hill before she worked at Woodstock.
In 2000, Ms Piccoli got a job as a history teacher at WUHSMS and 10 years later was put into the position of librarian. Her mission was to make the library a more welcoming place. “When I was given this position, the principal asked me to make the library more welcoming.” She says.
Today, Ms Piccoli still works in the library where she helps students learn. Ms Piccoli is always in the library if you ever need help finding a book, or just someone to say hello to. You’ll leave the library with a good book and a smile on your face!
Image courtesy of Disney+
Review of STAR WARS Andor
BY HOLDEN
Star Wars! Arguably the most famous movie franchise of all time is releasing so many shows for the fans. The new star wars Andor series came out on September 21,2022 and it is already becoming an amazing show.
Star Wars was generous enough to give us 3 episodes on the first day of the show's release. Each of the episodes are at least 40 minutes long and full of action.
Star Wars has been coming out with a lot of shows and movies since being purchased by Disney on October 30, 2012.
Andor has been in the works for a while now, but the creators of the show are so confident that season 1 will do well that even before season 1 came out they already started working on season 2. And the good thing about this show is that the season won't stop coming out with episodes till November 23,2022.
Also this is the first time Star Wars is making a show mostly for a more mature audience with more mature action throughout the show. This is a show worth watching so far from what I've seen.
Question of the Week: What is Your Favorite School Lunch?
BY SOPHIA
Pizza -Coby
Penne pasta and the garlic knot. –Ella
Mac and Cheese sometimes. -Hailey
Pulled pork. -Brandon
Rice and bean bowls. -Kara and Addison
Tacos. -Matthew
Pancakes. -Timmy and Ruth
Chicken tenders. - Boyden, Declan, Mit
WUMS This Week Photos by CHEVY and HOLDEN
Science with Monarchs
BY ALLISON
For more than 20 years, scientists have been tracking the Monarch populations, with concern as the number of monarchs at overwintering sites has declined.
The Monarchs are threatened by pesticides, global climate change, sprawl, and illegal logging of the forests where they migrate for the winter. Now Woodstock 7th graders have been working with the monarchs in the 7th grade science.
When asked how they feel about the Monarchs, 7th grade science teacher at WUHSMS, Ms. Fellows, said, “I‘m kind of worried about the monarchs because of the population decreasing and I think we should help them. I’m also a little excited for the monarchs because we, students, teachers, and community members, are trying to help the monarchs live.”
Ms. Fellows was inspired to help the monarchs because of the news and them dying.
Was the Queen's Death a Surprise?
BY CHEVY
Last week, Thursday, September eighth, at 4:30 pm, Queen Elizabeth died in the Balmoral Castle at the age of 96. Reporters say that she died of natural causes in her sleep.
As soon as the news had broken about the queen's death, that was the only thing on everyone's mind. Students were talking about it. It seemed like it was a big surprise to everyone.
So did the queen’s death have any effect on students and why?
Eighth grader Abigail Kowalczyk said that it did not have any effect and that it was just surprising. Then Morgan Darling said, “It was a shock, and they talked about her a lot, and it was kind of sad. And what will happen to all her dogs?”
Allison Lanoza said the queen’s death impacted her, “A little bit because she became famous because of how long she's been the queen.”
It looked like it came as a surprise to most people, but what about you?
No Bells; No Problem
BY SOPHIA
This year the middle school classes do not have bells. The lack of bells does not seem to bother the students and faculty, some even prefer the quiet.
Mrs.Drufovka says she likes the music on her alarm better than the loud bells. Some teachers were talking about how they would hear the different bells from the high school and it would confuse them and the students, because the schedules were so different. They also said that the bells were really loud and they were stressful to hear all day. “I like not having bells,” Mr.Kent tells us.
The students think that the bells are not necessary because the teachers do a good job of keeping track of time. They also think that the teachers would hold them for extra time anyway. Mr.Smail said the schedules were so different that it just confused everyone and the system is very old so the only solution was to turn off the middle school bell. In conclusion, bells are no longer needed in middle school.
Profile of a Horse Expert
BY MORGAN
Are you interested in horses? Then you should meet my Grandmother, Tess Campbell.
My Grandmother has worked with horses all her life. She is a great cook and she cares deeply about people and animals. My Grandmother's current horse is Sarah and this is her story: One day, my Aunt was driving through South Royalton and she saw a sign that said “Free Horse.” My Aunt pulled in the driveway and saw a dead horse in its stall and two other horses besides Sarah. My aunt took Sarah and the owner said that Sarah was unrideable, but actually she was able to ride with the right rider.
That’s where my Grandmother comes in. Now Sarah is a sweetheart and she is a good companion and she listens better than my Aunt's horse.
How did Sarah change? How she changed was the help from my grandmother; with love, care, and support and not being hit all the time my grandmother worked with her.
I asked my Grandmother about horse care and she said that is when you have to feed the horse and keep their feet trimmed and take them to the pasture. They also need grain and hay and water, and you need to pay vet bills. Another thing you need to know about horse care is grooming. The tools you will need are a curry comb and a hoof pick. Then you need a hard body brush, then you need a soft body, and a hair brush for the mane and tail.
My Grandmother grew up not knowing a lot about horses, but after years of working with them she is an expert. She told me, “My first pony was named Buttons and he was a troublemaker and he would bite. Once he ran all the way from Barnard to Tunbridge Vt.” So my Greatgramp had to put up notice signs so they could find him and they finally found him in tunbridge.
8th grader Abigail Kowalczyk said “It's good to have a bad horse because you know how to take care of them.”
My Grandmother's favorite horse she ever owned was her horse Hillcrest and she also had another pony named Black Beauty who took my Grandmother through a barbed wire fence and cut her leg open. Once Hillcrest reared at an oncoming jeep that was going way too fast on the dirt road and when Hillcrest fell over, so did my grandmother.
I admire my grandmother's hard work towards horses and her love and compassion for them and how calm she is with them, especially Sarah.
Castleton Jr Spartans Regular Season Run
BY HOLDEN
The Northern Vermont Youth Football League season has begun! And to a lot of people’s surprises the former 2021 State Champions Castleton Jr Spartans have proved that they are still a championship caliber team.
In just two games they have scored over 70 points! And they are everybody's favorite team to repeat their state championship win. They have won their first two games and both the wins were not that close at all. Their first game they won 34-17, and then the game after that they won 50-7.
The reason for the wins is the Spartans’ offense. Their quarterback Sam Kyhill is a terrific runner. When he gets to the outside, which is very often, not once has anybody been able to catch him once with his speed. He is also an amazing passer to his wide receivers.
Not only is the offense good, their defense is also amazing. In the first two games their starting defense has not given up one touchdown.
The Jr Spartans had a complete coaching staff rebuild this offseason and their new head coach is Dylan Lee. But coach Lee isn't the only amazing coach on the team. The offensive line and conditioning coach is also another reason for this team’s success – Coach Mike ‘’Moose’’. He was interviewed by one of his players and asked the question, ‘’What are your expectations going into Saturdays vs the Chittenden East wolverines?” This is what he had to say, "I want everybody to know their assignments and no missed blocks.”
Spotlight on YOH!
BY ABBY
Have you ever wondered what it's like to be in the theater? Senior Annie Hauze has been acting on stage since 2nd grade. “It always feels like home on the stage,” says Hauze. Before every show they get scared but then they feel great afterwards.Their favorite show last year was The Three Musketeers.
They are now a part of the play that is happening this October which is called Radium Girls. They play Grace in the play. It's a play about Cancer and Hauze plays the main character. The date of the play is October 14 and 15.
Confusing New Schedule Brings Mixed Reviews
BY MATTHEW AND MIETTE
Last week on the first day of school students were met with a new schedule that never was the same as the day before, therefore the students never got used to a schedule.
Some students love it and others hate it, saying it's even worse than last year, which also was hated because of the 90 minute classes.
Interview:
What are some struggles with this new schedule?
Timmy: “On rotation 2 I have two study halls.”
Coby: “It's new so it's hard to remember.”
Austen:“If I lose my paper I don’t know anything.”
What are some things you enjoy about the new schedule?
Timmy: “Having at least one study hall”
Aiden: “Different people in different classes”
Is this schedule an improvement from last year?
Timmy: “In some ways yes having study halls is an improvement but having multiple in one day is not.”
Coby: “I think so because there is a lot more different classes you can do.”
What would be the one word you would use to describe how you feel about the schedule?
Aiden: “Very mid”
Austen: “Everywhere”
Student Input Helps Advisory Change for the Better
By ADELLE
Advisory was first added to WUHSMS’ schedule many years ago, and has changed in many ways since its infancy. However, the goal of advisory has remained the same. The purpose of Advisory is to spark connections between students in a non-academic setting. Although the original goal will still prevail, some big changes will be happening this school year.
Advisory will be on Monday and Wednesday during the 25 minutes before MS lunch (12-12:25). On Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, there will be clubs and ARE time instead of advisory. We will have a discussion circle surrounding various topics on Mondays. Most of these circles will be focused on connecting with one another, although some may be discussion or reflection based. On Wednesdays, Advisory will act as a sort of recreation time where students will play games and be social with one another. “It (advisory) is awesome because it’s a great time to talk to friends.” Says Ruby Keefe, a WUHSMS 8th grader.
Mrs. Smith, the MS Advisory organizer, wants a few students to meet with her once a month to talk about how Advisory is going. “I want students to give input into it (Advisory).” She says. Student input has already played a significant part in reworking Advisory, and in the high school input has led teachers to completely rethink the idea of it. “We have a new vision statement, and part of it is to make students feel comfortable here.” Smith says.
Fans Look Forward to Vikings Season
By HOLDEN
The NFL season is right around the corner; in less than a week the first game will be played. This Sunday the old rivals are always competing for the NFC north. The Minnesota Vikings and the Green Bay Packers will play on Sunday, September 11, 2022.
The Minnesota Vikings completely rebuilt the coaching staff. They fired their eight year head coach Mike Zimmer and acquired new GM Kwesi Adofo- Mensah. They also signed packers star Za'darius Smith who is very anxious to play his former team week one.
The Packers also had a crazy off-season. Aaron Rodgers signed an extension in his contract. But the Packers lost their star wide receiver Davante Adams to the Las Vegas Raiders. But luckily they managed to secure one of the top cornerbacks in the league in Jaire Alexander to an extension. But Jaire Alexander needs to be ready for Sunday because he has to guard arguably the best wide receiver in the league, Justin Jefferson.
In just two years in the league Justin Jefferson has proved himself to be one of the top wide receivers in the league for the first two years playing he already has 3,016 yards and 17 touchdowns. And this year he is expected to be the best wide receiver in the league.
One of the Vikings linebackers, Eric Kendricks, the best coverage linebacker in the league, said this about Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers: "it's a blast… I wouldn't have it any other way.’’ This is going to be a good game Vikings and Packers fans so be ready to cheer on your team.
Have an idea for a question of the week? Submit it to The Hive staff via Ms. Hanrahan at ehanrahan@wcsu.net!
QUESTION OF THE WEEK
BY SOPHIA
In Quitman, Georgia it is illegal for a chicken to cross a road. What do you make of this? We asked some fellow students and faculty what they thought about this legal statute.
"Ruins the joke. They should have the right to cross the road." -Timmy
"That’s a little mean, Chickens should have rights." -Ella M.
"I don’t know." -Aiden
"How are you supposed to get to the idiot’s house?" -Alexis
"I think it is a stupid rule. How do you control the chicken?" -Mataya
"Why would the chicken want to cross the road?" -Grace
"What are the origins of this statute?" -Mr.Kent
"I approve for safety." -Ms.Drufovka