Brought to you by Student Council:
Issue 03, December 2016
The Travis Tribune
No More Lemonade Stands?
6 Ways of Making Money as a Kid
By Blayn Kraft
The holidays are upon us, and many of us want some extra cash to buy
gifts for our family members and friends. Here are some tips on how
to make money as a kid!
1. Pick up mail for people when they are out of town- It's simple
and isn't very time-consuming!
2. Dog Service- make money walking dogs, scooping poop, or
house sitting! Start doing all three, and the cash will be rolling
in!
3. Car cleaning- cleaning cars is something you would only have to
do for a couple adults every week and get paid!
4. Sitting for errands- if you're big into babysitting, you know
that parents loathe taking their kids to the grocery store. Watch
their young ones for a couple hours and reach jackpot!
5. Clean out your room- Chances are that you have old toys that
could be sold on sites such as eBay or barely worn clothes that
could go to consignment stores. With this method you gain space
and your parents' favor!
6. Mow Lawns- Grass will not be the ONLY thing green that you'll
be seeing!
Since you asked…
I really wanted to make new friends
this year, but so far that hasn’t really
been working out. I just sit with the
people I always have. How do I go up
and talk to people I don’t know that
well?
Okay, that is definitely a
hard one. I think many people have
the same experience of only talking to
their certain friend group and not
spending any significant time with
anyone else. However common your
situation is, it is most certainly a great
idea to become friendly with other
people in your grade. Think about
people you have noticed in your
classes who seem to be friendly and
kind. Then, you should look for an
Interested in writing for the
paper?
Contact:
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(Academy members only)
How to Prepare for
Final Exams
Final exams are your time to prove
that you’ve mastered what you have learned
this semester. Here are some ways you can
ensure that you’ll do well:
Organize your notes: You probably have
taken notes this semester, but they may not
be all that clear. Try rewriting them in an
organized manner; this way, you are making
them useful and getting a head start on
reviewing them.
Cont. on next page
opportunity to talk to one of those
people. The best setting is when
someone is alone, just calmly
standing in line, for example, or when
they’re with a few other people who
seem to be having a casual
conversation. When you go up to
someone like this, always have a few
vague questions or topics in your
mind to bring up. For example, you
could ask, “Did you have trouble on
the math assignment?” – “I knew I
couldn’t be the only one struggling
with circumference!” It may seem
like a boring topic, but chances are,
the person will notice that you are
nice and are interested in talking to
them, which can count for a lot.
Another option is to compliment
something that person is wearing,
reading, or
etc. You have to be open to possibly
putting
yourself
in
awkward
situations. Not everyone is going to
want to become your friend. That is
just a simple truth of life, but you are
not the only one open to befriending
new
people.
Jump
on
the
opportunities you have, and someone
is bound to do the same.
{Courtesy of the best consultation in
the nation}
Don’t forget to submit your
questions to the boxes in Mr.
Ruiz’s, Mr. Hayes’s, Mrs.
Stone’s, Mr. Sifuentes’s, and
Mrs. Jackson’s room for some
quality advice!
Brought to you by Student Council:
How to Prepare for
Final Exams
Issue 03, December 2016
New to the Travis Tribune!
Horoscopes
Written by Campbell Walker
(Continued)
Capricorn (Jan.20-Feb.16): Someone new is about to enter
Teach a friend or family member: When
explaining a concept to someone else,
you’ll be able to truly see if you
understand it or not.
your life. They could become your closest friend or your
worst enemy, so be careful how you treat them.
Aquarius (Feb.16-Mar.11): You are going to have to make a
decision in the near future. It will change the way people see you;
make your decision wisely.
Pisces (Mar.11-April 18): You tend to go with what happens to
you and not make decisions for yourself, but a time will come for
you to take a stand. Don’t be afraid to speak out for what you
believe in.
Aries (April 18- May 13): You are a born leader, but don’t let
power take control of you. You may be in charge, but still listen
to the advice of those around you.
Taurus (May 13-Jun.21): Don’t be afraid to do something that
you may not be completely comfortable doing. It is time to come
out of your shell and have courage.
Gemini (Jun.21-Jul.20): Your life may become extremely
chaotic, so try not to become too overwhelmed. Keep your
priorities straight. Set simple goals instead of complicated ones.
Cancer (Jul.20-Aug.10): In the next week, someone is going to
make you extremely angry. Remain calm and don’t make any
harsh decisions.
Leo (Aug.10-Sep.16): Try to be bolder and more confident in
your actions. If you hesitate, people will not respect you as much
as they should.
Virgo (Sep.16-Oct.30): Don’t worry too much about what
people think about you. You don’t want to waste your time when
you could be enjoying yourself.
Libra (Oct.30-Nov.23): Some obstacles are coming your way,
but don’t give up. Continue working hard and keep a positive
attitude. You will benefit from it in the end.
Scorpio (Nov.23-Nov.29): Although it may be hard, try not to
become overly curious in matters that don’t involve you. This
could get you into trouble.
Ophiuchus (Nov.29-Dec.13): It is good to be cautious, but
don’t be overly hesitant. If you do what you think is right,
you will almost always see positive results.
Quiz yourself: Formulate actual questions
or use quizzes provided by a teacher or
website. Sites like Quizlet are great ways
for testing yourself on vocabulary terms
because they use methods that can make
studying fun and competitive.
Ask questions: Your teachers are there to
teach you. If there is something you don’t
understand, ask your teacher, and they’ll
be happy to help you. Just make sure you
don’t interrupt class or something else
important they are doing.
Use acronyms: There are some things that
you need to flat out memorize. Develop an
acronym to help you do so. You can also
put math rules or verb conjugations to
music. Just don’t hum during the exam!
DON’T CRAM: It has been proven that
studying in short (20-50min) increments
with short breaks is more effective than
nonstop-studying.
Arrive ready: The night before the exam,
get plenty (8-10hrs) of sleep. You should
not have homework the night before an
exam, so you have no reason to stay up
late. Get to school with at least two
sharpened #2 pencils. That way, you
aren’t scrambling to get materials—you
are completely ready.
Sagittarius
(Dec.13-Jan.20): Before taking action in a
situation, make sure you understand both points of view. This
will prove useful in the next few weeks, so keep this in mind.
We want your help!
If you have an accomplishment you would like to be recognized for or a friend who
you think deserves recognition, email us; we’d love to feature you!
Brought to you by Student Council:
Issue 03, December 2016
Delilah and the Mystery of the Handkerchief
By Alex Johnson
Delilah couldn’t believe that
the handkerchief had gone missing.
She had often asked herself why it
was so important to her. She couldn’t
put her finger on it; something about
the mystery and the hidden meaning
of it got her blood pumping. She now
had no chance of finding that family
member, whoever they were, and she
felt, for some strange reason, like this
was something she just had to do. She
was determined to get this object back
by any means it took, and she
wouldn’t lose it for good, she
couldn’t. Even though she had a
concussion, it was minor and she was
rapidly getting over it, so that was not
going to stop her.
She quickly got dressed,
slipping on a casual outfit. It was noon
now; she was determined to get out of
bed and stop being lazy, instead
getting out and tackling her problem.
The longer she let the handkerchief
evade her grasp, the more unlikely it
was that she would find it or take it
back. She knew it was so unlikely that
it could slip out, and she was
absolutely sure that she packed it in
her bag when she left last night,
though she just couldn’t find it, and it
was puzzling her more and more as
every moment passed by. Who would
want to steal a mere handkerchief,
something that had no significance to
anyone but herself? It was something
she couldn’t understand at all, and she
was curious to find out why someone,
anyone, would even care about taking
one of her personal items.
Delilah bounded down the
stairs. “Mom!” she called, “is it okay
if I head over to Lily’s to get, you
know, my work?”
Her mother soon came into
view. “She’s not home yet, and you
just need to rest!”
“But—but I left something
there. My book, yes, I left my book!
Can I get it, please?” Delilah asked,
trying to cover up for truly just
wanting
to
search
for
the
handkerchief. She hoped maybe Lily
had taken it to look at it or something
and that it was there, somewhere in
her house.
“Can I have Lily bring that to
you later if it can wait? Or I can get it
for you,” her mother suggested.
“Err, I need to work on
annotating it! And I hid it as a
precaution, so Lily wouldn’t find it
and take it for the annotations since
we have the same one!” Delilah
exclaimed, making more statements
up.
“I don’t understand why
you’d take bring your book to her
house to annotate on a night where
you’re supposed to have fun, but I
suppose that does sound like
something you would do. You can get
it, but come back soon, okay?” She
hesitated before asking, "Do you need
me to drive you?”
“No, it’s just down the street.
Thanks Mom!” she smiled, then
quickly slipped out the door to head to
Lily’s house. The door was answered
by Lily’s father, Mr. Miller.
“Hi, Mr. Miller! I left
something here last night, I think. Is it
okay if I search in Lily’s room?” she
asked, eagerly
“That’s fine, and are you
doing alright?”
“Yes, I’m doing great,” she
smiled. “Thank you!”
She headed down the hall to
Lily’s room, and she instantly began
her search in every possible place.
However, after minutes upon minutes
of searching, she found nothing. It
wasn’t here - she looked in every
place she could have left it. Where
was it then? She thought on it and the
only fathomable answer was the
haunted house. How on earth would
she ever get it back?
Student Poll
Student Poll
Would you rather live in hot or cold
weather?
“Merry Christmas” vs. “Happy Holidays”
53% Hot
47% Cold
(100 students surveyed)
54% Merry Christmas
47% Happy Holidays
(100 students surveyed)
Brought to you by Student Council:
Issue 03, December 2016
Bi-Weekly Booklist
Op-Ed on Bus Safety
Compiled by Olivia Harmon
Here we have some holiday-themed books to help get you in the
spirit and some books perfect for escaping a classroom after an
exam.
By Jonathan Singer
On November 21, 2016, a school bus
in Chattanooga, Tennessee crashed. This crash
killed six children, and left over a dozen in
critical condition. The bus driver was speeding
down a winding road and lost control of the bus,
hitting a mailbox and eventually flipping into a
telephone pole.
Following the tragic bus crash,
questions have been raised about bus safety.
There were no seatbelts on the bus. According
to the police report, there were already
complaints raised against the bus driver for
sharp turns and high speeds. This wasn't even
the driver’s first accident.
Why was nothing done about the bus
or the driver? This is the question the parents of
the twenty-seven children on the bus are asking
themselves. In the weeks and months leading up
to the crash, there were apparent signs of
danger. However, despite complaints, the
private company that owned the bus did nothing
about the reckless driver.
Looking back at this tragedy, we must
ask ourselves, what can we as students do to
ensure ultimate safety on the bus? It goes
without saying to not engage in dangerous
activities like standing or moving around on the
bus while it is in motion, but there are other
things we can and must do.
If you do not feel safe while riding the
bus, talk to administrators or lodge a complaint.
Talk to other students to see what they can do.
Talk to teachers and parents about getting a
different bus driver, or take action by engaging
with the principal or the person who runs the
busses.
The school bus is a crucial part of our
education, allowing us to shuttle between
school and home. If you feel unsafe, don't be
silent, be active. Never allow your safety to be
compromised by things you can try to fix.
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
After unintentionally ruining an end-of-thesummer party due to a horrible, unnamed incident,
high school freshman Melinda Sordino is excluded
by her peers because she refuses to say why she
called the police. Unable to express what really
happened at the party, Melinda almost stops
speaking altogether, until she slowly discovers
through the art of speech how to face her problems
and recreate her identity.
Secrets of the Realm by Bev Stout
Fifteen-year-old Annie, after being blamed for
her uncle’s death, is on the run, and knowing
the dangers she will face on the unpredictable
streets, Annie disguises herself as a boy. She is
soon recruited to become Captain Hawke’s
cabin boy, where she must work alongside the
Realm’s motley crew, as well as keep her
suspicious
shipmates
from
discovering that she is truly a girl. A few
weeks in, Annie vows that she will never leave
the Realm, but when her past starts to threaten
her, she has to make a life-changing choice.
The Christmas Train by
Skipping Christmas by
David Baldacci
Tom Langdon, a discouraged
journalist, must get from
Washington, D.C. to Los
Angeles, California in time for
Christmas. Forced to travel by
train, he begins a long journey
of exciting adventures, rude
awakenings, and holiday magic.
Tom has no idea that the train
leading him across America will
actually take him into the rough
terrain of his own heart as he
rediscovers people’s inherent
goodness.
John Grisham
Luther and Nora Krank are sick
of Christmas; the crowded
shops, corny office parties, and
unwanted presents drive them
absolutely crazy. When the
festive time of the year rolls
around, the two set sail on a
Caribbean cruise, with no
thought of Christmas. But, as
this weary couple is about to
discover, skipping the holiday
brings
consequences, and it
isn’t as
easy
as
they’d
imagined.
Contributors: Cleo Chaney, Blayn Kraft, Campbell Walker, Alex Johnson, Jonathan Singer, Olivia Harmon, and, of
course, the lovely Mrs. Jackson