The Wildcat Roar
Volume 7
Number 4
Summer 2012
A Quarterly Publication of Rocky Hill Middle School
Farewell, Mr. Whiting
Anita Tharmarajah
Staff Writer
Always, Our Mr. Whiting
After 17 years as teacher,
vice principal and principal of
Rocky Hill, Mr. Whiting leaves the
hill on a very high note. As Rocky
Hill staff, students and parents wrap
their mind around the idea of our
beloved principal leaving, we all
take solace in the fact that the impact
he made will last long after he leaves
our school. On July 1, Mr. Whiting
will start his new job as the Director
of Middle Schools in Montgomery
County. We all wish him well,
knowing that he got a well-deserved
acknowledgement and promotion for
his hard work and dedication to his
staff and students. It is safe to say
that our new principal will have very
big shoes to fill, but we look forward
to working with him or her.
At times like this we try to
console ourselves and remember the
great times we had with our beloved
principal. The Wildcat Roar knows
that everyone in our school will miss
him as much as we do. Some teachers shared their thoughts with The
Wildcat Roar. ―Mr. Whiting encourages innovative teaching—he has
inspired me to think out of the box
while planning my lessons!‖ says
Mrs. Rye. It is obvious from the instructions we get in all our classes
that Mr. Whiting has made a positive
impact on how our teachers teach
and relate to us. ―I think it is important to remember how much Mr.
Whiting has done for young people,
going above and beyond his efforts
in schools by volunteering his time
outside of his job for young people
with special needs and coaching
sports teams,‖ says Mrs. Boughan.
Some of our reporters who have had
the privilege of interviewing Mr.
Whiting would agree with Mrs.
Boughan.
Commenting on the fun side
of Mr. Whiting, Mrs. Smetanick
said, ―Steve has inspired me in so
many ways… first of all, his performance as Shirtless Shawn really
brought that song to life. In addition,
Lunch Lady Blues could not have
gotten the critical acclaim it received
if not for Steve putting on a hairnet
and making sloppy joes. In all seriousness I am so grateful that Mr.
Whiting hired me to work at Rocky
Hill. He has allowed me to stretch
my wings and has trusted me to try
out new ideas. He is one of the few
principals that actually GETS middle school. He has taught me so
much and is a great instructional
leader. I feel so fortunate to have
worked under his leadership for five
years.‖
So many Rocky Hill staff
members and students have great
memories to share. Ali Tyma, a sixth
grader, says ―When my greatgrandma died, Mr. Whiting gave my
mom a hug.‖ Mrs. Nacht shared a
similar sentiment: ―I would say that
Mr. Whiting always had his shoulder
available to cry on.. I took him up on
it on many occasions.‖
Some teachers at Rocky Hill
have been fortunate enough to work
with Mr. Whiting for a long period
of time One of those teachers is Ms.
Tippett. She reflected on what she
will miss most about Mr. Whiting.
―Besides a million other things that I
will miss about him, I will miss how
he can take something sad and turn it
into something hysterically funny.
He can make me laugh no matter
what is going on,‖ says Ms. Tippett.
Mr. Whiting‘s kind heart
has touched all of us, directly or indirectly. The TV Studio‘s Morning
Show has featured Whiting‘s World
on Friday mornings. He is willing to
make those silly videos of the clown,
Elmo and many more. He understands us so well that he puts himself
in our shoes.
The crazy things Mr. Whiting and Mrs. Tippett have done at
the annual Willpower games are
probably some of the most daring
things Mr. Whiting has done in his
life. He shaved his head, dressed up
as a fairy in a tutu, and danced in a
leotard to a Beyoncé song. Who will
forget him eating a sheep‘s eyeball?
It takes real courage, and it goes to
show how far Mr. Whiting would go
to support a good cause.
Mr. Whiting has kept the
school together for years. He knows
the name of every teacher and treats
them like his best friends. He makes
every kid and teacher feel special,
and that‘s what makes him the best
principal in the entire galaxy, well,
at least in Montgomery County.
Ms. Odey shared her sentiments about Mr. Whiting. ―He has
been very supportive to me professionally and personally. I must say
that has brought out the best in me,‖
says Ms. Odey. She reminds us that
the reason we have a newspaper program at Rocky Hill is because Mr.
Whiting listened to her students,
who enjoyed writing a class newspaper that they named Okoye Gazette.
―In a sense, Mr. Whiting brought out
the journalist in me, and has given
me this unique opportunity to write
and produce our school newspaper,‖
says Ms. Odey.
―Thanks for always letting
me have the first shot uncontested‖
says Mr. Kaigler. Mr. Marvel, one of
the sixth grade counselors, summed
up what Mr. Whiting has meant to
us when he said, ―I feel so lucky to
have worked with some of the best
administrators in MCPS. And I consider Mr. Whiting to be one of the
very best. He has the perfect combination of being a visionary leader
and a very fun person. This is the
perfect combination for a middle
school principal.‖
Mr. Whiting started out here
as a gym teacher. Then he moved on
to assistant principal and then principal. He encouraged the arts and let
Mrs. Kamuf have three orchestras.
He walked the halls at Christmastime and gave gifts to every teacher.
Most of the teachers have acknowledged his support of the arts and
how he validates their efforts.
―When I painted the mural, I didn‘t
expect anything, but he surprised me
by recognizing me and valuing my
time as an artist,‖ says Mr. Sprites.
Speaking of valuing teachers‘ efforts, we have the newspaper program at Rocky Hill because Mr.
Whiting cared about what Ms. Odey
did in her class.
We just want to remember
all the great times we‘ve had with
Mr. Whiting. He will be leaving a
large hole in all of our hearts. Mr.
Leck had this to say about Mr. Whiting, ―I have known Mr. Whiting for
at least 18 years. His Redland soccer team used to beat my Farquhar
team. We taught together at Rosa
Parks Middle School where I got to
know him and his great outlook on
life. He was one of the most positive
-minded people with whom I have
had the opportunity to work. This
positive attitude carried over into his
job as a principal. I am going to miss
working with and for him, but am
also very excited that his hard work
and forward-thinking ideas are being
rewarded with this promotion. All
middle school students will benefit
from this move.‖ I guess this means
that we will have to share Mr. Whiting with other middle schools.
The Rocky Hill family is
saying goodbye to one of its own.
We hope that as Mr. Whiting moves
on to his new adventures, he will
always regard Rocky Hill as his
home. The Hill holds its own forever.
Princess Tippet and The Frog
Prince, Mr. Whiting
Table Of Contents
Front Page:
 Farewell, Mr. Whiting
Editorial Page:
 We Need To Know, Now
 Be Who You Are
Rocky Hill Page:
 Got News? The Newseum Does
 The Uncomfortable Truth About
Racism
Writer’s Corner:
 The Hunger Games Movie
 Life As We Knew It
 Need a Jjoke?
 The Hijacking of Flight 822
Life On The Hill
 Ah-Mazing Teacher (2)
 8th Grade Memories
Life On The Hill: (Continued)
 The Willpower Game
1
Sports Page:
 RGIII, Redskins New Quarterback
 Major Sporting Events
 Unknown Sports
Special Feature:
 The Meaning of The Word
 You May Say I‘m A Dreamer
Special Features (Continued):
 What‘s Your Beat?
Current Issues
 Wars Around The World
 Armenian Genocide
 Waiting For Patience
Technology:
 Industrial Robot Revolution
 Tornado B-Gone
 3D Printer--Amazing
Back Page:
 Get Ready for School Over the
Summer
 Middle School Survival Guide
 Fun Facts
Editorial Page
We Need To Know, Now
Annie Tran
Chief Editor
Imagine a world with a lack
of knowledge, no awareness of the
world around you, whatsoever.
Doesn‘t it seem horrible? Almost,
scary, isn‘t it? For these reasons, we
have the news; the media; the radio;
and the newspaper. News surrounds
us every day, even though we are
not always aware. And we need this
news to sustain us, because it is our
connection to matters within our
immediate communities, our state,
our country, and outside our country.
So what happens when there
is censorship? Censorship is the process of filtering every word of the
news through government eyes, enabling them to show us what they
want us to see. The truth is distorted,
and is no longer considered the truth.
However, do we ever know if the
news is being censored?
In many other countries,
news is censored to the point that it
loses its originality and it is almost
no news at all. The government is
very protective over what citizens
can see and read. In my opinion, this
is something that is unforgivable.
News is not meant to be kind, or
easy to process. It is the truth, and
the truth cannot be morphed in any
way. The news is meant to distribute
information to people who need it.
There are nasty discoveries made by
the media, but they should be released to the public. Why? Because
rights of speech and education, was
that most Chinese don‘t know what
happened in Tiananmen Square.
This is due to the horrifying fact that
the government covered it up. Only
those with access to an un-censored
Internet will know what you are
talking about when you ask them.
It‘s infuriating to know that these
people are kept in the dark, and
brainwashed into thinking that their
country is peaceful, and there are no
fights or conflicts. The government
should not be able to cover these
events up. There shouldn‘t be any
events like this in the first place if
the government was doing an effective job of governing the country, so
the fact that they find the need to
―censor‖ their news speaks strongly
against their ability to smoothly run
a country. It seems that these people
don‘t have the privilege we do of
being able to read, watch or listen to
the news. Our country is brilliant
because there is the whole concept
of ―freedom‖, and because we live
up to this belief. China is called,
―The People‘s Republic of China.‖ I
believe that this country should be
we need to know. We need to know
what is happening around us so that
we are prepared and ready. It is our
right under the First Amendment.
There was a certain event
that occurred in China, called the
―Tiananmen Square Massacre.‖ It
was a chilling experience, for those
who remember it, but the funny
thing is, most citizens of China
don’t remember it, because they
don‘t even know that it happened.
During this massacre, many college
students and other protesters gathered in Tiananmen Square to speak
out against the hierarchy of the socalled ―peaceful‖ government. As a
result, soldiers open-fired on 400800 civilians, killing them in the
process. As a more desperate and
barbarian act, they drove a tank
right into the crowd of people. However, there was one brave man, referred to as ―Tank Man‖, who
stopped the tanks in their tracks by
standing right in front of them. That
is an act of courage, and persistence.
But what amazes me, being born in
the United States with such open
Supervising Editor
Ms. Katie Odey
Be Who You Are
Parthiv Shah
Assistant Chief Editor
Racism has been a problem
in our country for quite some time,
and this is the truth as we know it.
People have been stereotyped just
because of their race. We‘ve fought
hard to end discrimination in our
country, but people just won‘t stop.
If we want a better environment then
the racism has to stop. We need to
get over it.
We should be classified by
our personalities, not by our race.
Instead of saying all Asians are
smart; we should be saying thing
about our personalities. An old saying that everyone knows is ―don‘t
judge a book by its cover‖. Get to
know the person before you criticize
or make opinions about them. There
is no reason for these harsh feelings.
The color of our skin
shouldn‘t matter at all. In our constitution we believe that all people
should be treated equally and with
fairness. We need to incorporate this
into our lives. Tanvi, an 8th grader,
thinks, ―We can help reduce racism
by supporting others of different
racial backgrounds. Racism cannot
be stopped but we can stand up
against those who are racist and reduce racism in that way. We can
welcome people of all racial backgrounds and we can be kind to them
and support their lifestyles.‖ So
when a new kid comes to school
called, ―The Government‘s China,‖
because the only justice that occurs
is for the government.
In America, we are allowed
to say what we want, write what we
feel, and strive for any goal we think
is possible. We don‘t acknowledge
this privilege, however, because we
are used to having it there, waiting
for us, every day. The newspaper is
no longer just a piece of paper, folded several times and deposited in a
plastic bag outside our front door; it
is a symbol of freedom because we
will write whatever we want to, and
let it be read by those who care. As a
journalist on the school newspaper, I
have the freedom to write what I
think is important; to be censored is
something that I don‘t particularly
care for. I should be able to write,
report, and exploit the truth to the
students at this school. Whether I am
censored or not is not important to
me, as long as the truth is revealed.
Although I am in middle school and
the newspaper does not cover topics
that are as ―mature‖ as a high school
newspapers, I think that what I write
is mine. My topics are printed in the
editorial section for the purpose: of
provoking thoughts by those who
read my articles. The news is important for a lot of people, maybe
even necessary for them to live
through each day. We should all
learn to treasure the news, because it
allows us to say what we want. This
is freedom. And isn‘t freedom wonderful.
were superior and we thought of
them as savages. If we truly understood their culture, then we would
have appreciated their values and
perhaps learned early enough to coexist with people who may be different.
Building on the earlier example about how all Asians are
smart. Just because they have a
more a studious educational approach doesn‘t mean they are smarter. If we apply ourselves, then everybody can be smart. People can say
very cruel things, but some adults
would want shield their children,
thinking that they do not need to
hear about this. But, this is wrong,
because when they are first exposed
to it, it hurts. If the children are prepared, then they won‘t be hurt as
much.
In the end, racism basically
comes down to being different. All
of those nasty remarks are because
you are different, but being different
isn‘t a bad thing. We need to accept
people for who they are if we want
to end racism and live in a better
environment.
don‘t think about their race, treat
them as how you would treat one of
your friends, and who knows, maybe
they will become one of the best
friends you ever had. Annie Tran
thinks that it will take a lot more
than making new friends, ―Racism
will not stop unless humanity
achieves a certain degree of maturity. With the impression that I have
now, I am quite sure that we have a
while to go.
Racism is the product of
annoyance and hate, both of which
easily manifest in human nature.‖
What Annie is saying is that we
shouldn‘t make assumptions about a
race until we know about their culture. For example in the 1800‘s, we
removed the Native Americans from
their lands because we thought we
2
Chief Editor
Annie Tran
Assistant Chief Editor
Parthiv Shah
Editors
Neil Agrawal
Tanvi Shah
Sports Editor
Yash Kapoor
Staff Writers
Nina Agrawal
Kristine Antanesian
Navyada Koshatwar
Manuuv Mathur
Mae McDermott
Kene Okafor
Indya Roberts
Rahul Shah
Sooah Sohn
Anita Tharmarajah
Rocky Hill Page
Got News? The Newseum Does
The main part of our tour
was strolling through the numerous
exhibits. The Story of News gallery,
a big room with an enormous number of sliding drawers filled with
newspapers lined up in chronological order, provides news reports
from decades ago, their headlines
reading the milestones in history. A
visitor could spend hours in the
room seeing recorded history everywhere they looked.
Ms. Odey and members of the Newspaper Club on the rooftop terrace of
the Newseum, overlooking Pennsylvania Avenue and the U.S. Capitol
Navyada Koshatwar
Anita Tharmarajah
Staff Writers
Young people need something to look up to. For young journalists, there is the Newseum. Last
month, the Rocky Hill Newspaper
Club visited the Newseum in Washington DC. From a 4-D movie to a
piece of the Berlin Wall, everyone
found inspiration for their writing.
The Newseum is located in
the heart of the city on Pennsylvania
Avenue. The building has 7 information-filled floors, with a glass
elevator running through the middle,
displaying the different exhibits as
you ride. There is a 4-D theater that
we got the pleasure to experience, an
interactive newsroom, photo exhibits, historic artifacts, and a rooftop
terrace that looks onto avenue with a
spectacular view of the Capitol.
When we arrived, our group
attended a seminar led by a Newseum employee who talked about the
rights that the First Amendment protects. We learned that the five rights
stated that Congress may not make a
A piece of the Berlin Wall
law that conflicts with our right to
religion, freedom of speech or press,
and the right to peacefully assemble
and petition. We watched a video
about what the First Amendment
means, and the misconceptions
Americans have about it. Did you
know that 22% of Americans can
name the Simpsons family, but only
1 in 1,000 people could name the
five freedoms? Ridiculous, right?
The interactive newsroom
contains several touch screen stations where you can cover a story,
make a deadline, or go in front of
cameras that broadcast to a screen
nearby, giving you the feeling of
being a TV reporter. The 4-D movie
gave us the feel that we were really
there. The chairs shook and the rubble from the smashed buildings
seemed to fly straight at us as we
watched. Edward R. Murrow risk his
life reporting from a rooftop in London during World War II. We
watched Nellie Bly, the first undercover female reporter, disguise herself to get into a female insane asylum to report first-hand on the awful
treatment female inmates received.
We could feel her pain as rats scurried around Nellie‘s, and our, ankles.
The last exhibit we visited
was the 9/11 gallery. The antenna
from the top of the tower is displayed in its mangled state, evoking
emotion that was felt the day the
tragedy occurred. The background to
The Story of News gallery, where
hundreds of newspapers are
available for viewing
The Interactive Newsroom, where
visitors can play the role of reporter
or photographer.
display is a wall of newspapers
that depict the events and confusion of that tragic day as reported
around the world.
The trip to the Newseum
definitely enhanced and inspired
us as journalists. We would like to
thank our sponsors, Mr. Marshall,
Mr. Whiting and Ms. Odey, who
made our trip possible. The
Newseum is truly an enchanting
place. Only the most magical of
places have the power to give one
a sense of purpose in the world.
For a group of developing journalists, the Newseum is that place.
The antenna from the top of the
World Trade Center.
The Uncomfortable Truth About Racism (Editorial/Opinion Cont.)
Katie Odey
Supervising Editor
Our history has taught us
the callousness of racism, which we
would want to keep in the past, and
perhaps forget that it ever happened.
The reality of racism is that it is not
confined to America, rather it is
ubiquitous, and we see it play out in
most parts of the world in forms of
racial prejudice, racial discrimination and the abuse of power. What
is racism anyway? My personal answer is that when people feel the
need to validate their own existence,
their need for recognition forces
them to treat others with disdain because it gives them the power that
they so desperately crave. The result
of such insecurity causes them to
hate people that they consider different. When people lose the ability to
think beyond the surface, all they see
is how different we are. If we want
to be honest, we will admit, just like
all my colleagues who responded to
my brief questionnaire did, that racism still exists in our country. According to Mr. Leck, an 8th grade
Racism is man's gravest threat to man - the
maximum of hatred for a minimum of reason.
Abraham Joshua Heschel
science teacher, ―The race problem
has improved greatly; people are
imperfect and some still carry feelings of hate towards those of other
races.‖
There is a stereotype that
people of a certain race are racists,
but as Mrs. Kamuf, Rocky Hill Music/Band teacher explains, racists
―are people who hate others.‖ People
of all races are guilty of racism. I‘ll
be the first to admit that it is not entirely their fault. People learn hate
because they are unaware of the
unique qualities that make us human
beings. Some have, at one time or
another experienced hate. ―Racism
is a form of bigotry…I believe there
are bigoted people in all races,‖ Mrs.
Herbert explains.
My students weighed in on
some recent bigoted comments made
by Councilman Marion Barry. The
former DC mayor and now council
member in the Washington DC
government expressed displeasure
over Asian-Americans opening
what he called ―... dirty shops‖ in
the district. While people in the
District of Columbia and surrounding areas still had that bitter pill to
swallow, the respected councilman
made another comment, this time
aimed at Filipino nurses who work
in DC hospitals. Targeting and
stereotyping specific ethnic groups
creates division and lack of tolerance.
Without a doubt, race is a
very sensitive issue because it not
only opens up old wounds, it is
also an uncomfortable truth.
Should we then shield our children
from this uncomfortable truth?
3
Mrs. Kamuf expressed the idea that
kids need to get to their teenage
years before we teach them this aspect of our history. ―I was upset
when my son‘s innocence about his
friends and neighbors was interrupted by a history lesson,‖ says Mrs.
Kamuf. I can definitely understand
Mrs. Kamuf‘s position because as a
mother and as a teacher, a child‘s
innocence is perhaps the most soothing reassurance that we can co-exist
without prejudice of any kind. However, kids can still learn the truth
about our past in positive ways that
highlight the changes and gains that
we have made as a society. If we
don‘t teach this aspect of our history,
then episodes like the recent killing
of Trayvon Martin, an African
American teenager, would paint an
ugly picture of the racial divide that
still exists. Although some people
have asserted that the killing of
Trayvon Martin was racially motivated, one thing is certain, it opened
up a dialogue about race and once
again, we had to face the uncomfortable truth.
Writers’ Corner
The Hunger Games Movie
Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer
Navyada Koshatwar
Staff Writer
Nina Agrawal
Staff Writer
This year‘s major book to
movie phenomenon was none other
than Suzanne Collins‘ The Hunger
Games. To everyone who has yet to
see the movie-you are missing out
on an amazing film, and an even
better book.
This movie has gotten many
mixed reviews. Some critics claim
that it is a complete spoof of the
book, and some adored the action
packed film. An 8th grader at Rocky
Hill complains that the movie ―does
not appeal to the book,‖ while others
thought it was ―very exciting.‖ One
6th grader even branches off and says
―It was the best book and movie ever…It was an action packed romance
that took an odd series of an events.‖
Imagine a life where there is
a different disaster taking place, every day. Tidal waves, earthquakes,
and volcanic explosions go around
everywhere. And all it took was a
single night to change Miranda‘s
life. A huge asteroid is scheduled to
hit the moon, and that‘s all anyone
will talk about. However, what they
didn‘t know was that the asteroid
about to hit will change the course of
the moon. Now the ocean decides to
go crazy and sink most islands and
coasts around the world. The electricity decides to go on and off
whenever it wants. People are
fighting to stock up on supplies just
in case the world is coming to an
end.
The number of people who
were killed is unknown, but the
What‘s the movie like? It‘s
got flashing Lights, bursts of fire,
and it‘s a roller coaster of emotion.
The only complaints directed towards the movie are that the Capitol
in the movie was not as high- tech
as it was described in the book. Also, the camera would shake during
big action scenes so you could not
enjoy the full effect. With a lot of
great reviews and an amazing plot,
this is one movie you don‘t want to
miss.
numbers are in the thousands, and
soon will come up to a million.
Who knows what will come
next? Follow Miranda‘s quest to
keep her family alive in the book
―Life As We Knew It,‖ by Susan
Beth Pfeffer.
The Hijacking of Flight 822:
Need a Joke?
Part 3
Parthiv Shah
Assistant Chief Editor
Neil Agrawal
Staff Writer
Why were the early days of history called the dark ages?
Because there were so many knights (nights)
How do prisoners call each other?
By cell phones
―Escape…‖ I was thinking
that word over and over. I looked
around at the island. There wasn‘t
much to make of it, a couple of trees
and some sand, but hey, we were in
the middle of nowhere. I couldn‘t
just hack a tree down for a boat. But
then a new thought came into my
head. I looked back at the plane and
thought, ―Hey, this might work.‖
I thought back to when they
were playing the safety video. They
were saying about how the evacuation slides are able to float. If only
we could cut out the slides and get
them into the water. I needed a distraction. Maybe I could call the Air
Force and arrange for an Air Strike
that could hit the terrorists. Maybe
that could help us get the hell out of
here.
Of course I knew that
would never happen; it was just a
fantasy of the craziness going on in
my head. I decided to try and talk to
some of the other passengers and
How do you make a tissue dance?
You put some boogey into it
What did the old chimney say to the new chimney?
You are too young to smoke
What washes up onto tiny beaches?
Microwaves
Why shouldn‘t you write with a broken pencil?
Because it‘s pointless
Why did the skeleton go to the party alone?
Because he had no body to go with him
12 Ways To Annoy People
Specify that an order at a drive thru is ―to go‖
Leave your turn signal on for 50 miles
Follow a few paces behind someone, spraying everything they touch with Lysol
see if one of them could create a
distraction so that the rest of us
could escape.
That night following was
the scariest night of my life. For me,
it was life or death. I got some passengers who still had hope. Tonight
was the night that we would break
out of this hellhole. We opened the
doors, and cut out the slides. We
took them out and pushed them into
the water. But then…
Change channels five minutes before the end of every show.
Decline to be seated at a restaurant, and simply eat their complimentary mints
by the cash register.
Stand over someone's shoulder, mumbling, as they read.
Sing along at the opera.
Advertise in The Wildcat Roar
At the Laundromat, use one dryer for each of your socks.
The Wildcat Roar would like to spread the word about your
outstanding family and student-friendly business.
Contact Ms. Katie Odey for more information.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 301-353-8282
Drive half a block
Staple papers in the middle of the page
Write the surprise ending to a novel on its first page.
Wander around a fancy restaurant, asking other diners for their food
4
Life on the Hill
Thanks for The Memories
Ah-Mazing Teacher
Julianne Heberlein: I still remember
the first day of 6th grade. I was a
little 11 year old girl who was unsure of herself and didn‘t know what
she wanted to do with her life.
Walking into homeroom and glancing around to see if I knew anyone
was nerve-wrecking. The rest of the
day was a blur, except for 5th period.
I walked down the music hallway to
find my new orchestra teacher, Mrs.
Kamuf, welcoming me into her
classroom. I smiled back at her, remembering the kind lady who
helped tune my cello when I arrived
late to the Cluster Concert in 5th
grade. Sixth grade was my favorite
year of middle school because I met
some amazing people who truly
changed my outlook on life. Mrs.
Kamuf is the type of person who
makes you smile, even if she forgot
to drink her coffee in the morning.
She made me believe I could make
Honors Orchestra and Concert Orchestra, even if playing the cello
wasn‘t exactly my strong point. I‘ve
also learned that like Mrs. Kamuf, I
can‘t give up on people if they make
one mistake or goof around every
once in a while. I am always mesmerized when a student pushes her
buttons, and yet at the next class, she
acts as if nothing had happened and
moves on. I admire her very much
for that. I learned so much about
music and about myself from Mrs.
Kamuf and I don‘t want to leave
Rocky Hill, even though most of my
classmates would disagree. Here I
am today, about to start high school
in just a few months, panicking because I‘m scared that people I care
about will change again, or that I‘ll
fail AP NSL. All I can hope for is
that I‘ll find another teacher who
will inspire and encourage me, just
as Mrs. Kamuf did.
here to teach. If I can be nearly as
good as many of the teachers here, I
will be very happy.
TWR: What makes you special?
Mr. Leck, 8th Grade Science Teacher
Rahul Shah
Staff Writer
TWR: What other schools or grades
have you taught?
Mr. Leck : I have taught in many
schools in MCPS. I started off
teaching elementary school. I taught
at Gaithersburg E. S., South Lake E.
S., and Summit Hall E. S. I then
moved up to middle school and
taught in the following schools: Farquhar M. S., Rosa Parks M. S., Roberto Clemente M. S., Kingsview M.
S., and now here at the Rock. I also
spent 5 years at the NASA Goddard
Space Flight Center as a Teacher-onLoan and got to work with some
really cool scientists, engineers and
even a couple of astronauts. I even
worked with a group of students
who got to meet the Queen of England on her official visit.
TWR: How long have you been
teaching?
Mr. Leck: I have been teaching 28
years. I know that I look much
younger, but that really is how long
I‘ve been teaching!
TWR: How do you feel about being
nominated as teacher of the month?
Mr. Leck: Being nominated teacher
of the month feels great. I learned
early on that not every student is
going to like me or think I‘m a good
teacher, but I try to do the best I can
to help as many students as I can.
The teachers in this school are excellent. That‘s one of the reasons I was
excited to come here but I try to do
the best I can to help as many students as I can. The teachers in this
school are excellent. That‘s one of
the reasons I was excited to come
Mr. Leck: I don‘t think of myself
as being special. I like teaching and
like to help students. One thing that
I try to do, and hope that it shows,
is to give respect to my students and
then encourage them to show some
in return. I still like to be around
middle schoolers most days and I
hope that shows.
TWR: What would you like your
students to know about you?
Mr. Leck: I know that middle
school is tough-it was no cake walk
for me. I enjoyed most of it, but just
like most kids there were times
when I hated it. I didn‘t like homework or watching kids be picked
on. I was bullied by one kid who
stopped after I talked to him about
it. I thought he was going to beat
me into a pulp, but he just laughed
and walked away. Middle school
was also a great time. I did well
on my 8th grade football team,
played baseball, and played tuba in
the band. If you stick with it, things
will get better. Life‘s not always
fair, but persistence usually pays
off, especially in middle school. I
learned that just because some kids
looked like they had it together on
the outside, they were going
through struggles on the inside.
TWR :What is one lesson you have
learned throughout your career?
Mr. Leck: Don‘t give up, you can
always get better. Early on in my
career I really struggled with some
aspects of being a teacher. I took
extra classes, watched good teachers in action and worked at becoming better. I think the extra effort
paid off. When I haven‘t put in the
time to teach the right way, I have
felt it. When I do things the right
way even though it may be difficult,
my students learn better and I enjoy
teaching more. I can really relate to
kids with ADD and envy teachers
who can sit down and knock off a
task in no time where I have to put
in extra time just to keep up. In the
long run, it‘s all worthwhile
Taylor Gulley: One of my favorite
memories at Rocky Hill this year
was 6th period PE with Lola Collins.
We would always talk about One
Direction. We‘d talk about who was
our favorite, which song was our
favorite, and a lot of inside jokes.
We got to be better friends because
of One Direction. We always sing
and dance like crazy when we‘re
with each other. Lola is a great
friend to me, and I‘m glad I met her
this year.
Ah-Mazing Teacher
Ms. Engestrom: My mother. She was
a teacher. She has supported, encouraged, and reinforced challenges in my
life. I‘ve always wanted to do the
same for kids.
Ashley Skinner: I have been at
Rocky Hill for all my middle school
years, and they all have been great.
I‘ve been through my ups and
downs and I‘ve learned from my
mistakes. I also met a lot new
friends like Monashia Bowie, Jennifer Caballero, Tyia Brown, Taylor
Vanzego, Seon Chreky, and many
more in the 8th grade. I met Mrs.
Johnson, and she is THE BEST
teacher I‘ve ever had. She is like my
second mom. She helps me with my
schoolwork and makes sure that I
don‘t get into trouble. I love Rocky
Hill Middle School with all my
heart. Thank you, to all my teachers!
TWR: What makes you special?
Ms. Engestrom, Health
and PE Teacher
Ms. Engestrom: I am friendly and
accepting of everyone.
TWR: How was your first year at
RHMS?
TWR: Where else have you taught?
Ms. Engestrom: Amazing. Rocky
Hill is a special place where every
teacher wants to be.‖
Ms. Engestrom: Robert Frost MS.
TWR: What‘s your favorite color and
sport?
Ms. Engestrom: Red, and Field
Hockey.
TWR: Who inspired you to become a
teacher?
5
Steven Hong: When I had Tech Ed a
few quarters ago, my friends and I
would always have fun in the class.
It was really cool for us to see something we created to actually work!
After our work, we usually had free
time. We would always joke around,
share stories, and talk about our lives
with each other. That class always
brightened my day, no matter what.
Kayla Winffel: Rocky Hill is full of
fun times and fun people. I don‘t
have a favorite time because right
now, I couldn‘t be happier. Every
day is a pathway that leads us to
right here and right now and even
the days of tomorrow. All of my
favorite memories consist of one
thing, which is spending time with
my friends as we smile and laugh
together. I would be nothing without
the days leading up to now and my
wonderful friends who love me and
stay by me. Margie, Allie, Tessa,
Crissy, Rogero, Quinton, Big Mike,
Nice Matt, Ali, Keilah, Dontona,
Birdy, Diana, Kiara, Kayla, Ambi,
Yasaman and all the friends who
have left us. I love every minute
here at Rocky Hill. Thank you.
Annie Tran: My favorite memory of
Rocky Hill was meeting everyone.
Classes were always fun because I‘d
see all my friends, and my teachers
were all nice this year. I‘m especially going to miss my friends who
aren‘t going to be going to the same
high school as I am. However, I‘m
thankful that I got to meet all of these people; I‘m thankful that I had the
opportunity to get to know them, and
spend time with them. They‘re crazy, fun, kind, and they really are the
best people I‘ve met in my life, like
Yoonseo Hong, Aradhana Vyas,
Cathy Xie, Ellen Kang, Vy Lee,
Brandon Liu, Steven Hong, Steven
Underwood, Will Liu, Dylan Hunt,
Crystal Linares, George Taylor, Lola
Collins, and Camille Etienne. The
last day of school is going to be a
sad one, and there will be a few tears
scattered here and there, but I‘m
glad; I‘m glad that I had such an
experience that I‘ve come out as a
completely different person, and that
I had such an amazing experience
that I will always cherish.
Nicole Moreno: One of the best
times I‘ve had at Rocky Hill was
when the chorus groups went to
NYC to see a Broadway show. During my 2 years in chorus, I saw ―In
the Heights‖ and ―The Addams
Family‖. I got to be with all my best
friends and got to meet all the people
from the show and got all their autographs! I got Jordan Spark‘s autograph last year and the shows were
amazing! And to top the day off, we
went to Planet Hollywood! It was a
memory I will never forget.
Life on The Hill (Continued)
The Willpower Game
Anita Tharmarajah
Staff Writer
On Friday, May 11, Rocky
Hill had its 11th Annual Willpower
Game to raise money for the Susan
G Komen for The Cure Foundation
and the Pancreatic Cancer Action
Network. There were plenty of fun
activities and games for kids of all
ages and adults. So much to do in
very little time. It‘s a wonder how
we got to it all.
Mr. Whiting, unable to play due to
shoulder surgery, greets the Parents
Upon arrival, the cafeteria
was the place to be, whether you
were sitting down with friends for
some dinner, grabbing a light snack,
or signing up for the Silent Auction.
The cafeteria workers and volunteers
in the kitchen did a wonderful job
preparing and serving various dinner
options (baked ziti, hot dogs and
pizza). On the snack table there was
candy, chips, and delicious homemade cookies and brownies, thanks
to Mrs. Gramatges.
There were many wonderful
things you could bid on at the Silent
Auction. You could have dinner with
Mr. Whiting or be principal of the
day with him. If you wanted some
work done on your house, Mr. and
Mrs. Burns were ready to get to
work. Both a Wii console and a Wii
Fit were up for grabs. Redskins tickets and Orioles tickets got some interested sports fans to come by and
bid, as did the pottery designed by
Redskins player Chris Cooley (who
knew?).
Ms. Giuffreda makes it clear that
she committed no foul.
Thanks to the Leo‘s Club,
there were a few booths in front and
in the main hall that were selling
many different items. On one side
there were raffle tickets for the
chance to make a shot from halfcourt and win a car. Another table
sold chances for an iPad 3. On the
Parents were off to a good
start, but Mr. Sweeney glided
through the wall of parents and
made a beautiful shot to set the tone
for the staff. Throughout the game, it
was a close score—no more than a
two to three basket difference. The
teams were a good match, and it
looked like a friendly game of ball.
Before we knew it, the buzzer rang
and it was half time.
Half time was a very exciting time that night. Girls danced and
players gulped down water. We
were able to get a couple of reactions from courtside. We had an opportunity to talk with Mr. Seager,
Katie and Michael Seager‘s dad.
―I‘m very proud to play in Ms.
Odey‘s honor, and in honor of some
friends and family,‖ says Mr. Seager
as he showed us his arms with the
names of Ms. Odey and those of his
friends and family who have been
touched by cancer. He was referring
to our very own Ms. Odey who is a
cancer survivor!
A highlight at halftime took
place when 7th grader Sha-Neese
Wrenn was presented the Willpower
Award in honor of being a fine example of perseverance and faith in
overcoming obstacles in her life.
Sha-Neese accepted the award with
her two sisters and her Mom.
Sha-Neese had many spectators wiping away tears because of the love
and appreciation she showed to her
family and her school mentors. Congratulations, Sha-Neese. We tip our
hats to you!
Mrs. Tippett announced that
the crowd had raised over $5,800 by
halftime. Therefore, as promised,
Mr. Whiting would milk a cow! The
crowd on the bleachers quickly
transferred to the bottom of the hill
that led up to the field. On the top of
the hill was a brown cow. Mr. Whiting milked the cow, with Ms. Tippett keeping a watchful eye. The
cow was not only cooperative, but
ready to be milked, and photographed!
Mr. Wells, Ms. Tippett and
Mr. Whiting
wall opposite to the gym you could
adopt a duck, a crowd favorite. Willpower t-shirts were for sale next to
the Memorial Wall where names of
cancer survivors and those we honor
were displayed.
The carnival was a very
exciting place to be that night. You
could try to shoot baskets and ring
the bell, or just jump the night away
on the moon bounce. Even though
you may be a little old for a moon
bounce, it was a great place for little
brothers, sisters and cousins.
The biggest crowd was outside by the dunk tank. All you had to
do was pay one dollar and you had
the opportunity to try and dunk one
of your teachers in to a tank filled
with cold water. People were lined
up with money for every teacher
who sat on that platform ready to
risk the drop. Mr. Heinemann was
the first of the four teachers to
plunge into the tank. When asked
how he felt, Mr. Heinemann
said,.―Well I had to keep reminding
myself it‘s for charity. But what I
don‘t understand is the anger on my
students faces when they were
throwing at me.‖
When asked by the Wildcat
Roar about how his turn on the platform went, Mr. Wells simply responded ―Wet‖
The gym was a madhouse
with people quickly filling the
bleachers. Parent players practiced
up until the last minute they could
before the game began. But then,
Mr. Wells tapped his microphone to
start the game. The audience quieted
down . Mr. Wells first introduced
the Parents team. The parents ran in
from the music hall with smiles on
their faces and were warmly received by the audience. Well of
course...there were lots of moms and
dads of students on that team! Then,
Mr. Wells introduced our tried and
true Rocky Hill staff team. Looking
fit and ready, our teachers looked
pumped up and ready to go. After
the players shook hands, Ms. Tippett
climbed on the shoulders of Mr.
Heinemann and Mr. Ohm making a
pyramid, then tipping the ball to start
the game.
Back inside for the second
half, a Rocky Hill parent said, ―It‘s
been fun so far, but I‘d like to see
the parents get a little more aggressive.‖ Our parents and teachers got a
bit more competitive. Clearly RHMS
staff came prepared to win after
losing to parents last year.
The second half remained
fairly intense throughout. The Parents‘ Team had a full-speed-ahead
game plan, where our RHMS Team
knew where their teammates were at
all times—some might even call it
finesse. A great game plan, fast
cross-court passing, and big hearts
were not, in the end, able to
Sha-Neese Wrenn accepts the
Willpower Award.
6
Mr. Vinar taking the ball to the net.
overcome the Parents. Our beloved
Rocky Hill staff team succumbed to
a 59 to 56 score.
It was all in the name of the
game—and the charities. Throughout the evening, we were reminded
why we were all there. Yes, it‘s
great fun to see a good ball game,
especially a friendly rivalry. But our
half-time speakers reminded us that
it is the support of our friends and
families, and the continuing research
that we are committed to supporting,
that helps cancer victims get through
it. It is the WILLPOWER that gets
them through. And it is Rocky Hill
Middle School‘s intention to never
forget, never give up, and continue
to support those near and far who are
fighting the fight.
Thank you, Mr. Whiting,
Ms. Tippett and the Rocky Hill team
and volunteers, for keeping the purpose of this game in our hearts and
minds. It was a great time, and more
than just a game.
Mr. Sweeney stands strong
on defense.
Sports Page
Yash Kapoor
Staff Writer
Contributions from Annie Tran
The Redskins took a step
towards the future when they traded up with the St. Louis Rams on
March 9th for the second pick
overall in the 2012 NFL Draft.
The ‗Skins traded 4 draft picks for
their new superstar Robert Griffin
III out of Baylor University. Griffin the third was very successful
during his time with Baylor University. He was the first Heisman
winner to come out of the school
and he led the Bears to their first
bowl game win in nearly two decades.
On April 26th the ‗Skins
made it official by drafting their
new 22 year old hopeful savior.
Saying that RG3 is coming to DC
with a lot of hype is a huge understatement as the Redskins traded
the whole near future for him, and
most likely his head coach‘s job
depends on how well he plays. His
head coach, Mike Shanahan, said
he‘s the starter. Period.‖
Griffins has had an impressive history with football,
track, and basketball, proving that
he is quite the athletic contender,
but expecting him to suddenly
bring the Redskins out of their
gloomy state is not reasonable.
―Robert Griffins III is a man., not
a miracle worker,‖ says Annie
Tran. The expectations for him are
too high with the Redskins‘ cur-
RGIII
The Redskins’ New Quarterback
rent win-loss ratio. According to
Brinkster, the Redskins won 5
games and lost 11in the 2011 season. Putting this major load of pressure onto a 22 year old man‘s conscience will not enable him to ―lead
the team to victory‖. It will lead
them nowhere, or at least crashing
to the ground.
There is no question that
that is a ton of pressure on one man
but you can‘t blame the Redskins
fans for that, because their team has
not had a legitimate starting quarterback since back in 1985 with Joe
Theismann, going through 25 different starting quarterbacks in 30
years. One of the main reasons the
Redskins fell in love with Griffin
was because of his speed and agility. In high school, Griffin was a
multi-sport athlete, he was the starting point guard, starting quarterback, and he was a track standout.
Griffin qualified for the 2008 Olympic Trials but he finished in 11th
place and couldn‘t qualify. Another
reason that they fell in love with
him was the fact that he is very
smart. Along with being the starting
point guard, quarterback and track
standout he was also class president
and had a GPA of just below 4.00.
Robert graduated high school a se-
mester early and at Baylor he completed his undergraduate degree in
Political Science a full year early
and decided to go to the NFL Draft.
On Roberts‘ 13th birthday,
his Father woke him up at 5 o‘clock
in the morning and informed him of
the news that he will have to go
serve in the war in Iraq. When Robert was asked about that subject he
said, ―A lot of kids in that area had
parents who didn't come back; I
didn't want to be one of those kids.
But I knew if he didn't come back, I
was going to have to take care of
my family." In college, he proposed
to his girlfriend by singing her a
song while walking up to the midfield line in front of all of their
friends, family and teammates. During a recent interview with Jay Leno
on the NBC tonight show, Griffin
captivated the audience and viewers
with his comedic antics. He seems
very comfortable on the national
stage as he gets ready for his big
role as the Redskins starting quarterback.
With regards to his prospects with his new team, Griffin
told The Washington Post, "After
the draft — because that's really
when life starts for the rookies —
I'm excited to meet my new team,
Major Sporting Events
Kene Okafor
Parthiv Shah
Yash Kapoor
The NFL draft, the NBA
playoffs, and the Stanley Cup
playoffs. Are all occurring or have
just finished. Teams are racing for
championships and gearing up for a
new season.
Andrew Luck and RG3
(Robert Griffin III), and Trent Richardson were considered the best
players in the NFL draft. Andrew
Luck, previously a quarterback for
Stanford University, is now #12 on
the Indianapolis Colts. In his 2010
season he emerged as one of the top
players in the nation. Luck led Stanford to a 12-1 record, a #4 ranking
on the final Associated Press Top 25
Poll, and a victory in the Orange
Bowl. RG3, the second pick in the
draft, was a quarterback for Baylor
and is now #10 for the Washington
Redskins. He was the first player
from the Baylor Bears to win the
Heisman Trophy. Trent Richardson
was a running back for Alabama but
is now gearing up as #33 for the
Cleveland Browns. In the Iron Bowl,
Richardson ran a career high of 203
yards and was the first player to win
the Doak Walker Award.
As the Stanley Cup Finals
come to an end , four teams remain;
The Los Angeles Kings and The
Phoenix Coyotes in the Western
Conference, and the New York
Rangers and The Ney Jersey Devils
in the Eastern Conference. Only two
of these teams will advance to the
Stanley Cup Finals.
Redskins General Manager Bruce
Allen and Robert Griffin III
new coaches, get in a new city, figure out where I'm gonna live, figure
out what the culture of that city is."
There are many reasons why the
Redskins fell in love with Griffin. He
is a fast runner, smart, disciplined
and just a loving guy, oh yeah, and a
good quarterback who has a winning
smile. If any man can handle all the
weight, pressure and hype, it is probably the Redskins first round pick,
Robert Griffin the third.
The Redskins franchise and
fans are all hoping for a great season
for a change. We can honestly admit
that fact, no matter how loyal we are
as fans. The team needs to turn this
around so we can have a better year,
with more wins than we have had
previously.
Unknown Sports
Things are getting heated
in the NBA playoffs. One semifinal
matchup has the L.A Clippers vs.
San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs have
the 1st seed for the second year in a
row and have veterans Tim Duncan,
Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker.
Everyone thinks that they are too
old to win, but what some call old,
others call experienced. The Clippers come with some young rising
stars and great potential, including
team leader Chris Paul and monster
jammer Blake Griffin. It cannot be
denied that the Clippers play tough
and have heart. The Thunder swept
the Mavs; can the Clippers can pull
off the upset? Will experience be
the victor or will youth prevail?
The Western Conference
matchup has the L.A Lakers vs.
Oklahoma City Thunder. The Thunders have Russell Westbrook,
James Harden and Kevin Durant,
however the Lakers have clutch
shooter Kobe Bryant and big men
Gasol and Bynum. In the East, the
Philadelphia 76ers are facing the
Boston Celtics. The Sixers have
already pulled one upset, can they
pull off another? The Heat and the
Pacers are facing off. Will LBJ‘s
MVP be enough to get the Heat
across or will the Pacers play big
and advance taking out the championship contenders? One can‘t argue
this has been an interesting season.
No matter what sport you
follow, each one is equally interesting and exciting. As seasons come
to an end, a champion will be
crowned. The question is, who will
it be?
Kristine Antanesian
Staff Writer
You probably don‘t know
anything about Boss ball, Toe wrestling, and other unknown sports.
The reason for this is, like I said,
THEY‘RE UNKNOWN! Sports
like these are really cool to learn
about and I bet they‘re fun to play,
but they haven‘t been discovered.
Part of the reason for this is
the fact that the main sports—like
soccer, football, basketball and
baseball—are so exciting that the
other sports, like Boseball, are hidden in their shadows. I think that
they should be given a chance to be
discovered because sports like
Bossaball are really fun to try out.
Bossaball is a game that
takes place on a specially designed
inflatable court with trampolines on
each side of the court. It is also a
sport containing a mixture of volleyball, beach soccer and gymnastics. This game is loads of fun.
Another unidentified game, that is kind of hilarious,
is Toewrestling. Toewrestling is a
fun, hard, and laughable game. I‘m
sure that you can already imagine
7
how laughable and fun this unusual
sport is, but can you imagine how
hard it is? Toe wrestling is a game
that uses your toes entirely. The two
competitors face each other on the
―toedium.‖ They then interlock their
toes and try to force each other off
the toedium. Although most people
don‘t know about toe wrestling, there
are still huge competitions for toe
wrestlers. They have something
called, The World Toe Wrestling
Championship. The most amazing
part of this sport is that it has been
around since 1976! Another cool
thing about toe wrestling is that it is,
in a way, brothers with thumb wrestling, though it‘s much more popular.
The sport itself is also like arm wrestling. These sports are just a few that
caught my eye, but with some research, you could discover so many
more unusual sports that you might
really enjoy.
Special Features Page
The Meaning of The Word
By Mae McDermott
Staff Writer
There are just some things
that we recognize, no matter what
age we are. Although we may not be
intimately knowledgeable about the
content, we are familiar with the
classics—Moby Dick, Huckleberry
Finn, James Bond and Sherlock
Holmes. These great creations have
left their mark in history and will be
remembered and referenced forever.
Moby Dick was written in 1851! But
it‘s still a title that we recognize.
That is what great ideas do: they stay
with us and they are something that
we can always connect with, no matter what era we live in.
These original creations are
the only ones of their kind. But these
classics are being ―edited‖ to ―better
relate‖ to modern times. These
changes may seem innocent and
merely a way to adapt these tales
and characters to a modern
―presentation‖ for a new generation.
However, is it okay to change these
original creations? Is it okay to edit
the original author‘s idea, and perhaps change the way the idea was
intended to come across, even by
changing a word?
For those of us who have
grown up with James Bond, we
know that the drink he always ordered was a martini, shaken, not
stirred. But in the upcoming James
Bond movie Sky Fall, Bond‘s drink
has been altered to a Heineken beer.
To some, this may not be a big deal,
but to devoted fans that have followed 007 since his first appearance
Mae McDermott
Staff Writer
Sometimes we can‘t help
but drift away; into a land of splendor and enchantment, where there
are no people to cause us pain.
Where hyacinths and poppies spring
from the ground of a magical meadow, where small birds swoop down
and let the wind carry their song far
and wide. Where there isn‘t one spot
on the planet that isn‘t illuminated
with an angelic light, and –
―Pay attention!‖ The severe
words slice through your daydream
and the pastel fields quickly disappear as you are forced back into a
much darker reality.
We‘ve all drifted off into
our own world of imaginative delight. Of course, we should try to
control this to some extent while in
school, as paying attention is vital to
a good education. But is daydreaming really a waste of time? After all,
some of society‘s most famous people and idyllic inventions all link
back to a little daydream believing‘.
From a certain standpoint,
daydreaming can seem destructive to
one‘s education and even a threat to
a person‘s life when it overtakes
their consciousness. Some situations
require one‘s complete attention,
like crossing the street or driving a
car. Under those circumstances,
drifting off could be fatal. And it‘s
always good to be aware of your
surroundings.
in 1962‘s Dr. No, they are outraged
and frustrated by the change. It is
Heineken‘s attempt to advertise, and
who better to advertise with than
everyone‘s favorite charming spy.
Of course, this movie was the perfect opportunity for Heineken to
increase sales, and it was, truthfully,
a fantastic idea to partner up with the
Bond name. It was just business,
right? Was it the director‘s place to
alter the original character of Bond,
James Bond? Or should they have
let the character and his classic libation be, and rejected the partnership
with Heineken?
The same changes are happening with other stories. Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain, uses the
―n‖ word 219 times in the original
text, along with ―injun‖. Recent copies have replaced ―injun‖
with ―Indian‖ and the ―n‖
word with ―slave.‖ When
the book was written in
1885, the ―n‖ word was
not considered offensive
as it is today, it was a
name for African American people in times of
slavery. Alan Gribben of Auburn
University suggested to the publisher that the word be changed because,
―Even at the level of college and
graduate school, students are capable
of resenting textual encounters with
this racial appellative.‖ This may be
true. The word could be distracting
and change the reader‘s understanding of the story, altering their interpretation of the rest of the text because they are unable to get past this
one word. Even seeing the ―n‖ word
written down has the power to make
one‘s eyebrows raise in surprise—it
is shocking to find the word anywhere today following its offensive
connotation in our history.
On the other hand, Mark
Twain was an experienced writer
and one would think that the author
of the piece would know the best
term to use in his or her own book.
After all, writers have special relationships with their pieces. They
pour feeling and thought into every
word, raising each word like a parent would a child. Each word is certainly MEANT TO BE THERE, and
if you were an author whose piece
had been ―edited‖ by others, you
probably wouldn‘t be too happy that
your thoughts and intent had been
changed. Though the title still reads
Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain,
some argue that since the
original piece has been
altered, the piece no
longer is Twain‘s; it is
artificial. In ―Why is
‗Slave‘ Less Offensive,‖
author Francine Prose
wrote, ―I think that the
time and care Mark
Twain put into choosing the words
Huck Finn and those around him
speak… should be respected.‖ She
continues, ―If language is a bridge
connecting us to the mind of the
writer and the historical moment he
is describing, then to tinker with
that language — for whatever wellintentioned reasons — undermines
not only the design but the solidity
of that bridge.‖
One debate revolves around
CliffsNotes (originally called Cliff‘s
Notes). Created in 1958 by Cliff
You May Say I’m a Dreamer...
Often times, daydreaming
gets a bad rap for distracting people
and causing the pace of life to become slower for those around them.
Have you ever been talking to someone about something you are doing
together and their ideas as so farfetched that you feel like you aren‘t
talking about the same subject?
There have been countless times
when dreamers have been rejected
by their peers for being ―unrealistic‖
and ―wasting time‖ while dwelling
on what could be instead of accepting reality. For some, though, it is
something that they not only can‘t
control, but something they can‘t
imagine life without. Should everyone just take the literal path in life,
not venturing further than the truth,
not taking time to imagine, ―what
if?‖
Although the ―what if‖
game is discouraged by teachers during school, it may not be a total
waste of time. If you were to ask
someone what they would do if they
won the lottery, chances are they
would already have a plan mapped
out. One can‘t help but fantasize
about the joys of cold hard cash, picturing their perfect reality. Studies
show that the chance you‘ll win the
lottery is 1 in 175.7 million. You
have a better chance of being attacked by a shark (1 in 11.5 million)
or struck by lightning (1 in 10,000).
When you‗re daydreaming about
bringing home the jackpot and having your own mansion, a little part of
you knows that you‘ve come down
with a bad case of wishful thinking.
These ambitions, however, are the
little sparks of hope that help us remain optimistic and think, ―Hey,
maybe,‖ instead of filling our minds
with those negative thoughts. Wishful thinking holds our spirits high
and helps us to see that, despite the
sometimes astronomical odds, maybe
your dreams will come true. Just like
the lottery signs in New York City
say: ―Hey, it could happen.‖
Countless people believe it‘s
a terrible use of time to think about
what could be instead of focusing on
what is. Is it really a bad thing to
think about what could be, to think
about the future and to have a vision?
Daydreaming may very well be a
bridge to the future, supplying us
with artistic inspirations and innovative visions. Think for a moment; all
of the glorious treasures and wondrous inventions that we have access
to started off as dreams. They began
as a glimmer in the inventor‘s eye; a
flicker of the flame that led to a
grand fire. Without daydreaming, we
would have none of the inventions
that help fuel everyday life today.
Can you imagine life without the
8
Hillegass, CliffsNotes provide notes
about books, foreign languages and
most recently films, in pamphlet
form or online. Typically used by
high school or college students
who‘ve been assigned a research
paper on a book due in a short
amount of time, many have been
saved from scholastic failures and
couldn‘t live without CliffsNotes.
Others despise the idea of the complexities and details of any text
jammed into a few pages of brief
notes.
We‘re only human; sometimes we can‘t help but look for an
easy way out. This is where
CliffsNotes come in, explaining a
book, language, or even The Bible in
just a few pages. It minimizes the
book‘s lengthy and hard to follow
details and gets straight to the point.
But is the point made by this sketch
of a book the same point the original
author intended?
Many believe that there is
no excuse to butcher an original
piece. Authors write to take the reader on a journey. Books are an experience, an opportunity to connect with
and learn from characters and their
lives. When an author‘s vision is
altered, the journey is shunned, and
the opportunity to experience the
story is lost. Isn‘t it a shame that the
reader cannot fully experience and
appreciate the energy of the story,
the emotional ride, or the author‘s
understanding of his own characters
and their lives? To some, the magic,
and the meaning, are lost.
pencil, the internet or light bulbs?
These breakthroughs enhanced our
society and will for years to come.
They all started off as ideas; daydreams of someone who was thinking of what could be. That is how
ideas come about… through letting
one‘s imagination soar, through contemplation. This is why daydreamers
are indeed vital to the growth of society – they are the ones who so rapidly sprout designs and notions in
their minds. Who knows? The next
person you say ―Pay attention‖ to
might just be developing the next
wonder of the world.
Too many people dismiss
daydreamers as inattentive and
sometimes unintelligent. Stereotypes
and rash assumptions are constantly
associated with dreamers, simply
because they choose to live life in
their imaginative ways. However, if
you put aside these petty preconceptions, dreamers not only push the
proverbial envelope, they keep the
sun in sight for those who often find
themselves tangled in the web of
naysayers. So dreamers, do the
world a favor and keep on dreaming.
And when reality‘s harsh ways
plague your life and you need an
escape, just remember…
All you have to do is dream.
Special Features Page, Continued
What’s Your Beat?
By Mae McDermott
Staff Writer
We as students often look at our
teachers as if they live in a totally
different world, and they don‘t understand our kind (which is quite
alright because we‘re not sure we
understand theirs). They go to work,
they do their job, and goodness
knows what happens afterwards.
Sometimes they can seem like an
entirely different species. On film
and on television, they are often portrayed as old women with buns in
their hair with no sense of humor, or
mean men intolerant of anyone under 40, or those just perpetually tormented by exasperating children.
Of course this is hardly the
case, especially here at Rocky Hill.
It‘s the end of the year, and most of
us have created bonds with our mentors. But of course there are always
the few students who still see their
teachers as people who live worlds
away. Hopefully after reading this,
those students will see a new side of
their teachers. Hey, maybe you
might even find that your teachers
are really kids at heart.
Music can be a huge part of
a person‘s life; whether it is their
passion, a friend they can always
turn to, or a pick-me-up after a long,
difficult day. Often times, you‘ll find
that there‘s a single song that really
speaks to you; not just ―your favorite
song,‖ but one that becomes a kind
of mantra that you keep in mind every day. It‘s like the angel (or maybe
the devil) on your shoulder; a quiet
reminder of who you are and, in a
jam, it could be the answer to what
you should do.
So what beat do our Rocky
Hill teachers and staff walk to?
Rock, Alternative, and even country
music. I listen to the type of music
that is based on my mood or feeling.
For example, when I‘m running or
working out, I like to listen to fast
paced music. This helps me to go
the extra mile. But, my favorite
song is ―Good Life‖ by One Republic. This song always puts me in a
good mood – in fact, I wake up to
this song everyday on my iPhone
alarm clock. It reminds me that life
is what you make of it. You can
choose to be happy, or you can
choose the opposite. Life is about
the decisions you make – and the
attitude you bring. I choose to have
a ―good life‖!
Mr. Leck - In high school, my favorite groups were Kansas, The Eagles, Queen, and The Beatles. In
college, my favorites were Boston,
Journey, and the new TV station,
MTV. Since then, I don‘t really
have favorite groups. I like songs
from all genres if they are done well
- their lyrics have a good message
and the music is played well. I can
enjoy hip hop, jazz, classical, rock,
new and even some metal. One of
my favorite songs of all time is
‗Don‘t Stop Believin.‘ If I had to
choose one CD that speaks to me
the most, it would be ‗Kansas, Point
of Know Return.‘
Ms. Tippett - Bruce Springsteen!
He has ―spoken‖ to me since high
school when I first discovered he
existed. The first album (yes, I‘m
old, I have albums) I listened to was
―The River‖. I fell in love. I have
been a huge fan ever since. I don‘t
think I can limit my favorite song to
just one. There is just too much of
his music that I ―get‖. So here is my
top 5: City of Ruins from ―The Rising‖, She‘s the One from ―Born to
Run‖, The Promised Land from
―Darkness on the Edge of Town‖,
The Price You Pay from ―The River‖, For You from ―Greetings from
Asbury Park, NJ‖. Now if you want
to talk top 5 live in-concert songs,
that‘s a different set all together!
Mr. Grimes - I like most types of
music as long as it is not overplayed
on the radio. I like songs that tell a
story.
Mr. Perrone - Beautiful Day by
U2.
Mrs. Smetanick - The song that
most defines me is ―Shirtless
Shawn‖ written by Dawn Miller and
Michelle Smetanick from the album
Crazy Times, because I helped write
it and I lived it. I also love the song,
―Lunch Lady Blues‖ written by Adam Sandler, because I like Navy
Beans and hairnets. On a more serious note, I love any music from Van
Morrison. I love the blues and old
classic jazz.
Mr. Whiting - Most of the music I
listen to is in the moment, so it
changes depending on seasons and
years. A lot of the music I like is
consistent with bands like U2, The
Clash, and The Police - alternative
bands and early punk. I like stuff
that sounds different. Cable Car, by
Anberlin, is my favorite right now.
If there was a song, it‘s ―Beautiful
Day‖ by U2 because I am very positive and I take the best in people and
use their strengths to make the world
a better place.
Mr. Wells - I grew up in Detroit
Michigan, the original home of Motown. I still enjoy the Motown
sound along with Rhythm and
Blues, Smooth Jazz, and Rap
(without the cuss words and derogatory message about women). I have
many artists I enjoy such as Luther
Vandross, Beyoncé, Usher, Marvin
Gaye, Whitney Houston, Nat King
Cole, Curt Franklin, and many
more. I don‘t have a particular artist
that speaks to me because I find
messages in all the music I enjoy.
Mrs. Proano Arnaiz - My favorite
group is ABBA. I grew up with
them and every one of their songs
reminds me of a specific point in my
life. Taylor Swift has also become
my favorite singer. I enjoy listening
to her music with my three daughters and we all sing along and love
going to her concerts. The song,
however, that really speaks to me
these days is "I Will Survive" by
Gloria Gaynor.
Mr. Heinemann - I am a huge Billy
Joel fan. He writes his own music
and is a singer/song writer/piano
player who I enjoy.
Ms. Mahoney - There is no way I
could pick one song, one album, or
even one artist as my favorite! I
have an eclectic taste in music
which was influenced by my mother. As a kid coming home from
school, music filled each room in
the house-Van the Man Morrison,
Neil Young, Earth Wind and Fire,
Tom Waits, The Rolling Stones, and
The Police. Road trips were consumed by Paul Simon‘s Graceland.
These guys still occupy my iTunes.
As I got older I was influenced by
my brothers and sisters. The Cure,
Beastie Boys, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Coldplay, Little Dragon,
Thievery Corporation, Vampire
Weekend, Rhye, Phantogram,
Janelle Monet, Jill Scott, Gotye,
MGMT, Phoenix, and the list could
go on! Music is a great escape from
the daily hectic pursuit! I love going
to shows at the 930 club, The Black
Cat, Merriweather, or the occasional
Jazz lounge in DC. Bohemian Caverns is one of my favs! Seeing the
Gypsy Kings at Wolftrap is a summer must.
Mrs. Rye – Boston‘s "Don't Look
Back".
Ms. Engestrom - I love all types of
music – hip-hop/rap, R&B, Jazz,
Mr. Sweeney - The song that I always thought meant the most to me
9
was a song by the artist Peter Gabriel. The song is called ―In Your
Eyes.‖ It‘s just such a well written
song, and it reminds me of my favorite movie…and movies are my
love. Also Pat McGee from the Pat
McGee Band is a great singer. He
has so many great lyrics, but he has
a song called ―Eulogy for Amy‖
about a girl he knew that passed
away when he was in college…very
moving and touching song. Anyway,
the day I found out my mother died,
I had to drive from Rockville, MD
all the way to Erie, PA to get to my
family. I played that song in my car
over and over again, almost the entire 6 hour ride. That song is just so
emotional – a sad reason to love a
song, but I love it nonetheless. A
few years back Kid Rock had a song
called ―All Summer Long‖ that every time I hear it, I get a smile on my
face and sing along, because it reminds me of the summers I spent
with friends in high school and college. But more recently, there is a
song called ―Home‖ by country
singer Dierks Bentley. It makes me
feel so patriotic and reminds me how
awesome America is.
Mrs. Patterson-Breese - Music has
always been a very large part of my
life. I grew up playing the clarinet,
saxophone, and the piano. I was in
chorus and the church gospel choir.
Growing up, we would put on shows
for relatives, I was always one of the
Supremes, my sister, Ica, was always Dianna Ross. I sang with my
brothers and I was Gladys Knight,
they were the Pips. Singing in the
church choir was mandatory, but I
enjoyed it. I find that gospel has
stayed with me throughout my life. I
awake to Marvin Sapp singing
―Never Would‘ve Made It‖ or Donnie McClurkin, singing, ―Stand‖ or
―We Fall Down‖. Yes, I do listen to
other artists and I love a variety of
music, I have kids, so I listen to all
of their music in and out of the car,
but gospel is soothing to my soul, it
strengthens me and it makes me
smile.
Current Issues
Wars Around The World
Anita Tharmarajah
Staff Writer
There are many wars going
on around the world that only involve America because we get
something from that country. Syria
is facing a serious rebellion against
the government because most of the
citizens want the Assad family out
of dictatorship. Libya and Uganda
are having problems of their own.
But we are only paying attention to
these countries because they provide
us with something, or their war affects or threatens us in some way.
There are a few wars between countries you have probably
have never heard of. India and Pakistan have been at war for a while to
gain control over a country named
Kashmir. Sri Lanka, where I am
from, has been at war for 30 years
over whether the country belongs to
the Singhalese people or the Tamil
people. It was a fierce battle the rebels against the Tamil tigers until it
all came to an end 5 years ago.
What do people think about
war? Let‘s find out. Tanvi Shah, an
eighth grader, says that ―war is a
stupid thing and people should not
do it. It also wastes time and lives
and money.‖ Mae, a sixth grader,
said that ―It‘s just a waste of time
and material. And it really doesn‘t
mean anything. I mean, if you win a
war what are you really gaining?‖
That‘s true.
It appears that war has a
very negative name and effect on
people and they have a right to
think so. War is usually bloodthirsty and takes the lives of many.
We do not pay attention to many
wars, but we should. One war we
should pay attention to is in Uganda. Joseph Kony and the Lord‘s
Resistance Army was a rebellion
against the Ugandan government.
They enslaved children and forced
them to fight. They take advantage
of mankind.
War causes many financial
troubles as well. Soldiers need to be
paid. Weapons need to be bought
and kept in good condition. The
soldiers need water, food and uniforms. They need buildings to train
in and they need medicine. War
destroys towns and food supplies
are short because it was all burned
to ash. Close families die and
homes are demolished.
In May, President Obama
made a surprise visit to Afghanistan
on the 1 year anniversary of the
death of Osama bin Laden. The trip
was secret because if any of the Al
Queada knew he was coming he
would be killed. He only stayed a
Armenian Genocide
Waiting For Patience
Kristine Antanesian
Sooah Sohn
Staff Writer
Staff Writer
For some, April 24th is just
another day in the year, but for Armenians everywhere it is a day of
sorrow and agony. On April 24th, 97
years ago, something devastating
happened to the Armenian people.
Back then Armenian‘s had land that
stretched very far and they were
placed in the perfect spot. The Armenians prospered, they enjoyed life
as it was. But then in 1915, they experienced the genocide. The genocide was a bloody battle for the Armenians. It was mainly over the
Turks wanting the Armenians to
change religions and to gain land, of
course. Armenians were the first
culture to fully accept Christianity
and I guess some other cultures
weren‘t too happy with that decision
of theirs. At the time, no one really
knew about Christianity so most
cultures believed in fire and the sun.
One of these cultures happened to be
the Turkish people. Now everyone
has the right to believe what they
few hours to give a speech to the
American people and sign a peace
treaty with the Afghan Prime Minister. All troops in Afghanistan will be
coming home by the end of 2014.
Do you know the reason
why we went to war with Iraq and
Afghanistan? You probably don‘t.
Many people don‘t know the reason
we went to war with some countries.
We went to war with Iraq because
President George Bush thought that
Iraq was hiding nuclear weapons.
We went to war with Afghanistan
because of 9/11. Who knows what
Al Queada wants?
This is why we should
work towards world peace. Most
wars start with the government.
Peace is only a dream in some countries. There are two groups of people
that the government would aim at.
The government could attack its own
people, which is not as strange as it
seems. It could also aim at another
country which happens more often.
If we work towards world peace ,
more people could be happy and the
planet will continue to grow.
Have you ever asked for
something, could not get it at the
time, and refused to wait until the
time when it was available? Nowadays, with money, you can get
almost anything you desire when
you want, and where you want.
But this also decreases our ability
to wait or work for the things we
want. This tends to leave us with a
thirst for luxuries like money, food
and popularity.
Lust for materialistic
things has gone from generation to
generation. Now, it is a big problem in America‘s youth. Around
America, kids are taking the
marshmallow test-the kids that
could wait for the second marshmallow could also wait for the other things in life. The gift of patience can be grown, but once it‘s
lost, it is very hard to get back.
Impatient people are never fun to
be around. ―What we‘re really
measuring with the marshmallows
isn‘t willpower or self-control...
It‘s much more important than
believe, in most countries. Back then
things were different, especially because Armenia had very desirable
geography. When it came time for
war the Armenians were greatly outnumbered, but in the end they kept
their religion. Even though now Armenia is almost smaller than Maryland, and it has lost most of its
prized geographical features like the
Van River and Ararat Mountain,
which all stand in Turkey now, Armenians didn‘t give in and that is
what is important. After all the documentaries and pictures, the Turks
don‘t accept that the genocide ever
happened. Nowadays our very own
President Obama promised the Armenians, before actually getting
elected, that he would recognize the
genocide. He still has not accomplished this. Now you may be asking
why it‘s so important that the genocide is recognized, and if it is, the
Armenians might get the things they
lost back.
10
that. This task forces kids to find a
way to make the situation work for
them. They want the second marshmallow, but how can they get it?
We can‘t control the world, but we
can control how we think about it,‖
says Walter Mischel, the psychologist in charge of this tasty experiment.
If we think about the way
children and adults control their
patience and temper, it‘s clear as to
what he means. It‘s all perspective!
The minds of people who do not
think about all the complications
and pains of other people that are
involved in their life, directly or
indirectly, are often short-tempered
and snappy. If we can shift that perspective from that point of view to a
new point and lead them so that
they can wait and soothe their temper, we could make a very significant difference in the world.
If we are trying to fix the
world‘s economic and environmental problems, we must first fix the
attitudes of the people.
Today’s Technology
Industrial Robot Revolution
Manav Mathur
Staff Writer
If you have a sleek and
shiny sports car in your garage,
where do you think it came from? It
probably came from a factory, right?
Well, an important phase of technology helped to build that car. It
was… A ROBOT! Well, not the toy
robot that you have in your toy box.
It is a sophisticated robot which usually consists of one arm or does not
even resemble a human! Robots are
placed in factories all over the
world. Robots can do many different
things to help create a product, such
as welding, soldering, lifting heavy
objects, and many more. ―I think
they are very versatile, but you have
to be careful…‖ says Kene Okafor.
Robots are very deft at building
things quickly, but they are still subject to rusting and breaking.
Robots have totally transformed the factories and workplaces.
George Charles Devol, born in 1912,
was commonly known as the
―father‖ of robots. He was awarded
the patent for Unimate, the first industrial robot in 1961. Later, he and
Joseph F. Engelberger created the
first robot company, Unimation, in
1957. Since the creation of Unimate
and its company, industrial robots
have really evolved since then. ―We
see increased interest in mobile robotics across all industries. The ability of one mobile robot to service
several locations and perform a
greatly expanded range of tasks offers a great appeal for specialized
applications,‖ says Corey Ryan,
Medical Account Manager at KUKA
Robotics Corp. Robots have gone
from performing one function to
many functions. They have also
evolved their building techniques,
their look, their attachments, and
many other features.
―These applications include
medical and surgical uses, personal
assistance, security, warehouse and
distribution applications, as well as
ocean and space exploration,‖ says
Bennett Brumson, Contributing Editor of the Robotic Industries Association. The possible uses for a robot
in your factory or manufacturing
warehouse are infinite.
Tornado B-Gone
Neil Agrawal
Tech Editor
The thought of tornados has
always struck fear into the minds of
people all around the world. Tornados have been known to hit countries
by surprise. Sadly, many people
have lost their loved ones due to these huge, monstrous storms. But due
to the increase in more advanced
technology, there may be such a
thing as a Tornado B-Gone.
The Tornado B-Gone is not
actually a device that kills tornados;
it is in fact a more high tech tornado
warning system. This idea was inspired after a freak tornado crushed
Harrisburg, Illinois. NASA and NOAA are teaming up to produce a device that can hopefully save many
lives if there were ever to be a tornado coming. ―I think it will definitely
be safer,‖ says Rahul Shah, 7th grader. The way it works is that satellites
will go up into space and carefully
monitor any unusual activity or
changes in weather using a GLM. A
GLM or Geostationary Lightning
Mapper. This new high tech device
can help map out the path of an upcoming tornado.
The first satellite is supposed to launch in 2015 according to
NASA. This is sort of how it is supposed to work, the tornado launches
up above the earths atmosphere, or
in other words, space. It then carefully monitors upcoming tornadoes.
Then using the GLM, it monitors the
path. Whichever cities it hits, the
satellite warns people 7 minutes before the disaster. 7 minutes to save
your life.
A robot doesn‘t necessarily
have to look a certain way for it to
work. However, robots are designed
certain ways to fit their application
for creation. Some are designed for
medical uses with surgical equipment. Some are designed for exploring frontiers with special cameras
for advancing scientific discoveries,
while others are designed to carry
heavy objects, built with strong material, such as titanium and steel. ―It
really depends on what you want to
build and what you want it to do,‖
says Sooah Sohn. Material (titanium
and steel) really is the stepping stone
for its purpose and its application for
creation.
Robots are really the face of
new technology when it comes to
industrialism. Factories and industrial areas are dependent on robots to
help them get the job done quickly.
Robots come in all shapes and sizes,
and provide many applications. So
next time you‘re in your car, think
about the robots that the helped that
car come into being.
3D Printers—Amazing
Of course, people disagree
with the reports about the new
―Tornado B-Gone‖ device. Meteorologist Mr. James Aman is one
of those people. ―The article (from
CNN) presents a very simplified
and inaccurate view of what this
new satellite can do,‖ says Mr.
Aman. He also believes that some
of the technology is useless,
―There are already plenty of lightning detection systems that cover
most of the world... this sensor on
the satellite will be nice, but it will
be also be a very expensive duplication of technology that already
exists.‖ For right now, this is just a
simple idea. But who knows, maybe NASA could be saving hundreds of lives by 2015.
If we actually believe the
Mayan‘s prediction of the world
Parthiv Shah
Assistant Chief Editor
We are entering a new
stage, transitioning from 2D to 3D.
3D phones and 3D TV‘s have all
been produced, and now we have 3D
printers.
A 3D printer is a printer that
creates solid objects. Now how does
this work? A process is used called
additive processes. Additive processing is basically laying down bit
by bit, layers by layers, until the 3D
object is formed. The 3D printer is
used to reconstruct fossils, replicate
artifacts, and reconstructing damaged evidence at a crime scene. In
fact, studies are being done to see if
the printer can be used to replicate
body parts. They use an inkjet technique. Layers of living cells are de-
posited into a gel and it is slowly
built up to create the organ.
The printer not only helps in
the science field but, also with common household appliances. It has
made working clocks, a flashlight
that uses conductive ink for the circuit, a battery powered motor, a case
for an ipod and lots more.
Overall the 3D printer opens
up a network of possibilities; maybe
game consoles will be made on it
and who knows in the near future
there could be a 3D printing industry
making this really the technological
age.
CONGRATULATIONS
to the
Class of 2012!
The Wildcat Roar
wishes everyone
a great summer!
11
Managing Your Student Life
Get Ready for School Over the Summer
Tanvi Shah
Editor
Many kids feel that summer
is just for relaxation and that may be
true, but when kids come back to
school they realize that they have
forgotten everything they learned
the previous year. Over the summer,
kids may want to figure out a way to
remember things they have learned
so that they have a leg up in learning. One way that kids can get ready
for school is by going to summer
school.
Many of you must be thinking, ―Summer school is for losers!
Plus it‘s so boring and lame that I
just want to puke all my guts out at
the thought of it!‖ More or less,
that‘s how most people feel. A student at Rocky Hill believes that
summer school is, ―for kids who
don‘t finish their classes during the
year.‖ Another student believes that
summer school is for kids who fail
their classes during the school year.
However, those who have given
summer school a chance seem to
find that summer school is quite fun.
One 7th grade student who went to
summer school says, ―I go to summer school to help me with the subjects that I think are hard. The program is really helpful for the people
in higher level classes or for people
that are behind. It is fun and not a
lot of people are there and you get
to play games with your friends
while learning.‖ Indya, a sixth grader, says ―Summer school isn‘t really
as commercialized as it seems, the
teachers try their best to make it fun,
it‘s an awesome way to stay rejuve-
messy surface, you might just lose
it. Clean out the junk that you don‘t
need and organize the area so you
can work without being distracted.
nated over the summer!‖ Summer
school is very helpful to those who
try it and many of them like it so
much they sign up for the next year.
Summer school is only for 3 or 4
weeks in early summer. A lot of kids
spend the summer saying, ―I‘m
bored!‖ all day long anyway. Why
not use that free time on something
useful like summer school?
Let‘s say you‘re going to be
in an advanced math course and you
would like to be able to get a better
understanding of what you are going
to be learning the next year. If you
went to summer school, you could
get that better understanding , and
maybe you won‘t feel so anxious
about failing the class. Summer
school is a great opportunity for kids
trying to get ahead in school. Kids
who have failed their classes may be
required to take summer school to
get a passing grade, and summer
school can also be used to help those
who did not fail but were absent
much of the year. It‘s a wonderful
opportunity for all students. Students
who give it a try shall reap the rewards. If you still don‘t want to go,
here are a few tips to help you get
ready for school over the summer:
supplies early then you won‘t have
to worry about forgetting things
when you rush to buy them the day
before school. starts.
Get all your new school supplies as
soon as possible: if you get your
Clean out your homework spot:
When you do their homework on a
Go to orientations: If you are going to a new school or going from
elementary to middle, or middle to
high school, go to the orientation at
your new school to meet people and
teachers, scope out clubs and get
the applications done before homework piles up, and get to know your
way around the school.
Go to bed: Start going to sleep earlier and waking up as if you are
going to school during the last week
of summer vacation. If you settle
yourself into your school routine, it
will be easier to get up when school
starts.
Do your summer homework
throughout the entire summer:
Don‘t rush through your summer
homework the day you get it and
don‘t wait until the night before
school starts to scramble to get it
done. Have a system to do it
throughout the summer to help you
remember.
Middle School Survival Guide
Indya Roberts
Staff Writer
Prioritize—Your prioritizing skills
can come in handy when it comes to
middle school. You have to figure
out what is important, and what‘s
not. If something is due the next day,
then you get right on it! But…if you
have several days to do it, then you
should start/work on it after you finish your mandatory homework.
It‘s that time of year again!
Summer is here…school is out,
sounds like the life right. You could
be enjoying middle school as well, I
mean, I do. I stay true to myself and
follow these several tips.
Stay Organized—Being organized
is very important when it comes to
this matter. When everything has a
place, I‘m sure you‘ll stay organized. For example, your lockers, if
you keep a caddy for the pens, you‘ll
be able to move swiftly as you go in
and out of your locker. You‘ll definitely be able to ―save the date‖
when you have a whiteboard that
stays up to date! Plus, staying organized can be fun. You can decorate
folders with your friends, and all
other kinds of creative things!
Be an Individual—Is being a part
of the, so called, ―in-crowd‖ so important to you? Well it shouldn‘t be,
you should be proud to be an individual. How about you set a new
trend for a change! Don‘t be a follower, be a leader. Make your own
decisions, be…YOURSELF. If
you‘re a part of a clique, good for
you, but be an individual within that
Be Prepared—As the PRIDE program always likes to say… ―Be Prepared!‖ Being prepared is essential
when it comes to middle school. On
your way to class, you should have 2
pencils, notebook (if needed), lined
paper, 1 red/or blue pen, binder to
carry all of your stuff. With all the
equipment you need, you‘ll be 100%
prepared for class!
clique. Being an individual will keep
you out of the drama and into the
―School Zone.‖
Keep a Schedule—Are you cramming for that exam again? Stressed
out? Keep a before/after school
schedule. For people who have after
school sports or maybe even after
school clubs, make a schedule. Say
to yourself, ―Soccer is over at 4 ‗o‘
clock, and it‘ll take at least 30
minutes to get home?‖ You‘ll have a
time and place for everything, therefore everything will be turned in on
time, and I‘m sure you‘ll ace that
test, STUDY, STUDY, STUDY!!!
There you go you‘re already one
step ahead of the game!
Meet Due Dates and Deadlines—
When you meet due dates and deadlines all the craziness goes out of
your life. Your grade won‘t get lower, and there‘s stress taken off of
your back.
Hope these tips and pointers help
you survive your next year or two in
middle school. Happy Summer!
12
Talk to your parents: Most kids
seem to think that their parents are
the most clueless people on the
planet about what happens in a
teenager‘s life, but many kids forget
that their parents had to go through
middle school too. Your parents can
help you with school work, social
problems, and maybe even setting
up a schedule. Parents aren‘t as
clueless as you think they are; you
just have to let them in to help
Get a physical and an eye check
up: This may not seem very important but if you are squinting and
you can‘t see, you need glasses or
contacts so you can be prepared for
class. You need a physical if you
are playing sports, so take care of it
over the summer and your paperwork will be ready when fall tryouts come along.
Be positive: School is not the horrible place you think it i. It‘s a great
environment for learning and making new friends. Don‘t think of
school as the end of the world,
think of it as a new place where you
can have fun and learn at the same
time.
Summer is a well deserved break
for students and staff, but getting
ready for the next school year over
those 3 months is crucial in starting
the new school year ready to learn.
Fun Facts
Indya Roberts
Staff Writer
•Flamingos can only eat with their
head upside down
•An average person spends three
years of his/her life on a toilet.
•An average person spends 27,375
minutes in a car.
•The inventor of the waffle iron did
not like waffles
•Mona Lisa has no eyebrows
•Peanuts are one of the ingredients
in dynamite
•Fortune Cookies were invented in
California in 1918 by Charles Jung
•Colgate means ―hang yourself‖ in
Spanish
•Astronauts cannot cry in outer
space.
•The average Krispy Kreme shop
has enough doughnuts to build an
entire stack of doughnuts as tall as
the Empire State Building in 2
minutes!!!!!