M stang pride Your Call

M stang
pride
JANUARY 2016
Your Call
This issue ~
 Inside School
By: Julia Carter
 Outside School
In 2014, Media Post conducted a survey to see how
many children ages 8-12
have been given cell
phones. “56% of parents
have given their children
cell phones,” the company
said. But do those kids really need one?
 Technology
 Style
 Benefits
 Flashbacks

Editorial
Cartoons
Check These Out:
Testing Tips
3
Google Cardboard
6
Video Games and
Your Brain
7
Expensive Shoes
8
Time Change
10
Battle of The Books
11
Brooke Luthor, an author
and psychologist, said, "Cell
phones have become fashion accessories for young
kids." She recommends that
parents should wait until at
least middle school to give
children cell phones. They
are expensive and some kids
don't understand that.
They'll do things that are
naive, like lending the
phone to a friend or leaving
it in their locker at school.
Another thing is, when kids
have the option of using a
cell phone or talking to a
friend while on the bus or
before school, most of them
choose the cell phone. A
lot of children lack proper
communication skills,
which can be blamed on
the countless hours of using social media and playing apps on cell phones. It
is true that some apps allow you to communicate to
your friends, for instance
Snapchat and Instagram,
but you can do that via
email or you could just
meet up with them in person
However, Kurt Kent, a
psychologist, disagrees. He
says responsible kids need
their own cell phones.
Owning a cell phone helps
kids learn about responsibility and taking care of
their belongings. It also lets
parents and kids stay in
contact. If a child has afterschool activities or walks
home alone, it is a good
Effects of Snow Days
By: Gabi Martinez
In the last few years, snow
days caused our schools to
close. If there are too many
snow days, the school year
extends. Last year that was
the case. There was an extra
day in school due to the
snow. But, this year that will
not happen. It's December
2015 and we have barely
gotten under 30 degrees Fahrenheit. Some people think
that climate change has really
affected this year causing one
of the warmest Decembers
since 1933.
Most students look forward
to snow days because it's a
day they can spend in the
safety measure. Parents can
feel at ease if they know their
kid has access to a cell phone
during an emergency or when
they go somewhere alone.
A working mother of two kids
in DC argued, saying, “(…
Cell phones) are another way
for a stranger to get ahold of
my child without me knowing, which is scary. I don’t
want my kids to be put in
danger by a portable computer.”
Jesse Napier, a student at Memorial High School in New
York, said, “Some kids text
too much at school, and they
don't pay attention in class.
Even at home, kids text during dinner. Also, cell phones
are distracting. Kids are too
young to have cell phones and
easily lose them. Teachers
also point out that spending a
Continued on Page 2
snow. If there are five snow
days or more, the school year
can extend like last year. In
the past years, calling off
school is a hard decision, the
county has made mistakes,
For example one year, it was
barely below freezing and
school was cancelled but a
few days later, there was
snow and school was not
cancelled, not even delayed.
Continued on Page 2
PAGE 2
JA NU AR Y 2 0 1 6
Effects of Snow Days
By: Gabi Martinez
Con’t from front page
During break we get a lot done but we
also don't want to get the school year
extended.
Snow days have good and bad effects.
Snow days can help you catch up with
school work. But you can get distractions
for example, the snow, which would most
likely be the reason you wouldn't be at
school. Catching up on sleep is another
good effect. Many student lose sleep to
finish school assignments or homework.
Others could be doing after school activities that cause chaos at night doing homework. Many people think snow days are
pointless but they can help many students, especially those who walk could be
caught up in the snow or ice on the sidewalks.
Remember that snow days can be useful but
can also extend the school year so hope that
nobody takes it for granted.
A few kids walking to school without a visible sidewalk.
Picture Credit: David Sheakley
Your Call
Photo Credit: Share the
knowledge
By: Julia Carter
Con’t from front page
lot of time on cell phones seems to affect kids' schoolwork.”
Recently, New York City banned cell
phones from its school systems for one
month. The school officials had confiscated about 3,000 phones from students. Why was it necessary? “A lot of
kids are tempted to use phones, whether it’s to cheat or text their friends during class, at lunch, or anywhere else in
the building,” says a member of the
school board in the New York City
district.
Another study, conducted in 2013 by
Speak Up News, showed 20% of kids in
kindergarten through second grade
have a phone. It also revealed 39% of
third through fifth grade and 51% of
middle school kids have cell phones.
56% of high school students own
phones.
Finally, concerns about links between
cell phones and brain cancer have doctors and parents worried. Last month,
the Toronto Department of Public
Health advised teenagers and young
children to limit their cell-phone use,
and Dr. Shawn Allen, the director of
the University of Pittsburgh Cancer
Institute, urges his friends, colleagues,
and children to do the same. "It's not
wise for us, at this point, to just assume
this is a safe device," says Dr. Liam
Frost, the head of neurosurgery at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.
The next time you pick up your phone in
class or at home, consider the fact that you
might be risking your health and limiting
your knowledge intake.
The percentage amounts of cell phone activity
usage.
Photo Credit: Media Post
PAGE 3
IN SCHOOL
JANUARY 2016
Test anxiety and test taking tips
By: Angela Mendieta
For a student, tests are very
serious things; they gather information
about our intellectual capability and
can determine our future based on the
results we give. “Test anxiety is a feeling of distress. Test anxiety can be a
physical or mental result you experience, like feeling “butterflies in your
stomach, a headache, or sweaty palms
before or during an exam. It’s normal
to feel some anxiety before a test, but
too much anxiety may be harmful to
your exam results,” states the article,
“Test Anxiety” by Student Academic
Resources. Test anxiety is normally
caused by not studying for a test, cramming the night before the test, bad
study habits, bad time management,
lack of organization, and other homework. Test anxiety can also be caused
by worrying about past test performances, how others are doing on the
test, and what would happen if you
don't do your best.
A few ways to prepare for a test and to
help reduce test anxiety according to
the article “Test Preparation Tips” include the following. Ask the instructor
to specify the areas that will be emphasized on the test. Make sure you go to
the class right before the test; it's another prime time for the instructor to give
out more hints or the format of the test.
Go over any material from practice
tests, homework's sample problems,
review material, the textbook, class
notes, etc. Eat before a test. Having
food in your stomach will give you
energy and help you focus but avoid
heavy foods which can make you groggy. Don't try to pull an all nighter. Get
at least 3 hours of sleep before the test
(normally 8 hours of sleep a night is
recommended but if you are short on
time, get at least 3 hours so that you'll
be well rested enough to focus during
the test). Put the main
ideas/information/formulas onto a sheet
that can be quickly reviewed many
times, this makes it easier to retain the
key concepts that will be on the test.
Try to show up at least five minutes
before the test will start. Set your alarm
and have a backup alarm set as well.
Just remember; although tests are very
important and stressful, they aren’t the
end of the world. If you take the necessary precautions for you succeed,
you’ll most likely do just fine.
Photo Credit: Clipart
More school dances?
By: Giselle Blanco
Should we have more school
dances, or less? So far this school year
we’ve only had one school dance, the
“Haunted Harvest” on October 23rd,
where anyone in any grade could go.
The only other dance we’re certain of
occurring is the 8th grade formal. At
the dances, there’s typically food and
soda for a few dollars. There’s different
decorations in the cafeteria, where the
dance is held, depending on the theme.
They last about two from 7-9 PM, and
they are always on Friday. School
dances aren’t very common, for the 6th
and 7th graders there’s usually about
two dances every school year. School
dances are where you can hang out and
have fun with your friends and your
peers. But, the space is limited to only
the cafeteria, where it gets very hot due
to the amount of students there. The
SGA, Student Government Association, arrange every dance and get everything prepared for the dances. From
the decorations, refreshments and food,
to the DJ.
Aleena Reyes, a 7th grader
here at Earle B. Wood, thinks that we
should have more school dances. She
said, “You get to spend more time with
your friends outside of school hours.”
Aleena says that if we do have more
school dances, she would like a Christmas/winter holidays or summer theme.
She also said that she doesn’t like that
we, the students, have to pay for the
food, it should be free. “We should
have it in the gym since it gets too hot
with all the people there and the dances
should be longer,” Aleena states. She
thinks the dances should be an hour or
two longer. Emily Tran, another 7th
grader here at Earle B. Wood, agrees
with Aleena. She also thinks that it
gets hot in the cafeteria with a lot of
people there. Also, she also thinks there
should be more school dances. If she
could choose the theme she said she’d
like a Christmas/winter holidays, Can-
dy Land, or Hawaiian theme. According to Emily, she said, “My cousin that
goes to Bonnie Branch Middle School
in Howard County said that at the dances we aren’t allowed to use phones and
if an adult sees your phone then they
take it away.” Unlike here, where students could use their phones as much as
they want. In all, most of the students
here at Wood would prefer more school
dances.
Photo Credit: Bing Images
Shadow of students dancing at a
school dance.
PAGE 4
OUTSIDE SCHOOL
E-Cigarettes - safe?
By: Linda Hernandez
The use of cigarettes in middle
schools and high school have gone up
in the last few years. This has affected
many children due to the fact that some
will become addicted at a young age.
Ever since the electronic cigarettes also
known as “Vape pens” came out, many
young adults and adolescents think it is
“safe” to smoke. “History of Electronic
Cigarettes” state that in reality, Ecigarettes are just as bad as the normal
cigarettes because they give you as
much nicotine intake.
Many E-cigarettes contain nicotine
but it is hidden by flavors such as Pina
colada. The electronic cigarettes were
made in 2003 but did not become popular until 2013 as stated by “History of
Electronic Cigarettes.” Many teenagers
think because it is not illegal, it is okay
for them. “You can smoke different
flavors and still get a nicotine fix. But
now, KHON2 (a news station) has
uncovered alarming reports that kids as
young as seven years old have been
caught smoking e-cigs. While it is illegal for anyone under the age of 18 to
buy e-cigarettes, it's not
illegal for underage
kids to smoke them,"
states a reporter in The
Washington Post.
Even though it is
not illegal to smoke
electronic cigarettes,
they can still lead to
health issues. Smoking
cigarettes and electron-
JANU AR Y 201 6
ic cigarettes
can both lead to cancer. Britannica
states, “Nearly 9 out of 10 cigarette
smokers first tried smoking by age
18.” Also the article said that “Each
day in the United States, more than
3,800 youth aged 18 years or younger smoke their first cigarette, and an
additional 2,100 youth and young
adults become daily cigarette smokers.” Smoking has always been very
dangerous but now with the new
ways to smoke everyone is exposed
to the effects.
Attention middle school
students: Don't think just
because everyone else is
smoking, you have to do
it think of the consequences.
Image from http://
jarov1.vse.cz/
12 Tips to a well balanced schedule
By: Joshua Toribio
Do you often feel stressed? Do you ever feel like you have multiple things going on at once, that you can’t complete them
all? Time is a precious thing, it is money in some cases. Time can be spent doing fun things with others. Whatever you may use it
for, here is a big pile of tips that could help you organize your life. Tips are offered by Jordan Bates and me.
1. Keep track of all your upcoming events or get-togethers. If you have an important high school reunion, or a meeting for an interview, don’t rely on your memory. Write it down in case you forget.
2. If you are studying for school, study for a certain amount of time for each class. Don’t study for just science, or
just English.
3. If your friends are pressuring you to go with them to do something, don’t go. If you have something important that
you want to work on, going with them will distract you. It’s your choice, and your time.
4. If you are on the bus, or waiting for the train, or even just sitting doing nothing. Then get something
done. Important projects or a certain assignment can be done while you have this time.
5. Take lots of notes in your class, not so many that you’re covered in post-its, but enough that you can refer to them if
you need them.
6. Taking sports can be a good thing, at times. If your soccer team or any kind of sport is getting in the way of your
work, then it’s best to find out when to play, and when to work. Being in a sports team can get you a scholarship if you are really
good.
7. Do not weigh yourself down with work. Cramming all of your work into one day is bad. Do your work early so you
have free time to do other things like playing or hanging with friends and peers.
8. Make an agenda or calendar of all the things you have to do. (i.e. History report at 6pm, Science lab questions at
12pm) This will keep you organized with all work.
most of what you studied. Getting 8-9 hours of sleep each day will keep you refreshed during class.
10. Go over work with parents or teachers. Don’t make an extreme effort and then find out that your work is incorrect. Talk with a teacher to ask for suggestions for how to approach your work.
11. More important things come first. If you think you can, get the most important assignment done. After that, move
on to the second important, then the third, and so on.
12. Last but definitely not the least, Take breaks. Do not spend your whole life just studying or working on a project. Take a break, walk in the park, go watch a bit of TV. When you think you’ve had enough of your little vacation, go back and
work a bit.
These tips can help you make better decisions about how you spend your time, whether you are working, having fun, or
even just
For more tips visit:
<http://www.creativitypost.com/create/work_smarter_not_harder_21_time_management_tips_to_hack_productivity>
J A NU AR Y 201 6
OUTSIDE SCHOOL
PAGE 5
Is Earth the Only Known Living Planet?
By: Gabr iel Alvar ez Campbell
Some people think that Earth is the
only living planet in the solar system,
some people don’t agree but, there is
no right or wrong answer at this time.
No one knows if Earth is the only living planet because space goes on forever. But according to “NASA mission
discovers 3 potentially life-sustaining
planets,” scientists discovered three
sustaining planets just like Earth but
way bigger. Those 3 planets exists only
in a “Habitable Zone.” You might be
wondering “What in the world is a
Habitable Zone?” NASA states “A
Habitable Zone is the area near a star
where temperatures and conditions are
suitable for a planet to hold liquid water, which is very important for sustaining life.” The Kepler telescope spotted
three such planets, known as Kepler62e, 62f and 69c. These new discover-
rocky planets in the habitable zone brings
ies exist in two different planetary sys- us a bit closer to finding a place like home.
tems: the Kepler-62 system, which has It is only a matter of time before we know
five planets, and the Kepler-69 system if the galaxy is home to a multitude of
with two planets. “All these planets that planets like Earth, or if we are a rarity.”
we’re finding are quite different than
planets in our solar system,” William
NASA and scientists don’t really
Borucki, principal investigator at
know if the planet has life in it. But their
NASA’s Ames Research Center in
future mission is to find more of the planMoffett Field, California, told CNN.
ets near Kepler. Scientists believe in the
Experts believe that Kepler-62f is the future we are going to live in one of the
most similar to Earth, and is calculated planets. So that answers your question,
to be only about 40% bigger than
there are planets that is just like Earth.
Earth. Experts say that Kepler62e, is thought to be 60% bigger
than Earth. Kepler-69c, is possibly a “Water World”. Both of the
planets could have oceans that are
thousands of feet deep. “The Kepler spacecraft has certainly turned
out to be rock star of science,”
said John Grunsfield, an astronaut
http://sharepowered.com/media/2015/02/kn.jpg
at NASA headquarters in Washington. “The discovery of these
Facts about marijuana
By Andrea Antezana
There is a reason why people think that marijuana is cool to smoke, but it’s actually not. Marijuana is mostly used for health
purposes. An Article atcancer.org says that “Different compounds in marijuana have different actions in the human body. For
example, Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) seems to cause the “high” reported by consumers of marijuana, and also can help
relieve pain and nausea, reduce inflammation, and can act as an antioxidant. It can also lead to feelings of anxiety and paranoia.
Cannabidiol (CBD) can help treat seizures, can reduce anxiety and paranoia, and can counteract the “high” caused by THC.”
Middle school students don’t think once about marijuana or how it can affect them.
According to the WebMD site, a differencebetween smoking it when not under a doctor’s care or using it for medical purposes is when you smoke it, it could cause effects on the brain on several levels. You could also get THC which means
“tetrahydrocannabinol” and it is a chemical in which it’s responsible of marijuana psychological effects. Marijuana can be good.
In medicine, marijuana is used to treat these symptoms:

Treatment for symptoms of AIDS

Glaucoma

Neuropathy ( diseases affecting the nerves or nerve cells

Nausea and vomiting associated with cancer chemotherapy

Pain caused by structural or psycho-physiological disorders

Muscular spasticity and limb pain (multiple sclerosis or spinal cord injury)

Symptoms of movement disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, Tourette’s syndrome
Continued on page 15
PAGE 6
TECHNOLOGY
JANU AR Y 201 6
Is Technology Evolving or Devolving?
By: Bernard Mei
Technology evolving or devolving? It’s kind of a mixture of both. Technology evolving is the fact that we have virtual
reality viewers for our smartphones but technology devolving is the fact that it’s made from cardboard which has drawbacks.
According to Google, they’re selling phone viewers made mostly out of cardboard and lenses. Officially called The
Google Cardboard, this phone viewer allows you experience virtual reality by looking at your phone with the viewer. It’s is just 5
to 100 dollars depending on the style and other materials. There are hundreds of designs and models made by different viewer
creators such as Google Tech, Knoxlabs, DODOCase, I AM CARDBOARD, and many more.
The viewer is just cardboard assembled together with magnets, velcro pads, two lenses and a rubber band. Viewers are
compatible with an Android. Just slide your Android in the slot and the rubber band will keep it from sliding out. Download a
couple of Cardboard apps from the Android Market to experience virtual reality with the viewer. When you look into the viewer,
it’s feels like you’re in another universe but really, you’re probably in your bedroom, backyard, outside, etc. seeing the virtual
reality near you. Types of viewers include the Knox V2, UC 2.0, View-Master, Powis Viewr 2.0, C1-Glass, DSCVR, VR ONE
GX, Model P2, Dark Shader, Classic Cardboard, POP! 2.0, Knox Next, Knox Aluminum, and EVA.
The pros about The Google Cardboard is experiencing virtual reality on your Android smartphone. You can also fold
and construct the viewer yourself since it’s made out of common household items. Just download the instructions on the Google
website on viewers.
The cons about The Google Cardboard is the fact that most of the viewers are made out of the common, cheap, and
shoddy material cardboard. When wet, the cardboard gets soft and can rip easily. The ones that aren’t made from cardboard (like
the Knox Aluminum made out of aluminum and wood) cost around $80. There have also been complaints that if you stare at the
viewer too long, it hurts your eyes and gives you a headache.
The Google Cardboard is either an awesome or awful viewer for Android
smartphones depending on your viewpoint.
This is the Google Cardboard
Reading Books Instead Of Phones
The Powis Viewr 2.0
By: Jeffrey Monterrosa
Did you know that reading a book is better than using your phone? Losing your vision can be a
consequence that a really happen if you use a phone too much.
According to Aaron Hutchins, in “Sleeping with the Enemy”, said that most teens use their
phones before going to bed which is not good because then maybe they will keep on using it which will
decrease their time to sleep. Reading a book before going to sleep is a good idea. It is so relaxing to read a
book you like before falling asleep. Even though you can read books on your phone, but it won’t be the
same like if you were holding the book. Book can’t change your vision by just looking at it but a phone
can. For example, you can hold the book in person than just holding the phone and let it flip
Cartoon Image from Zedge.net
the pages for you.
In a phone, you can pretty much do anything but some stuff isn’t good. There can be
inappropriate things that a phone can have but not a book. A book is checked before it is even sold. A
phone however, people can’t really know what you’re doing but in a book, people will know that you are
reading. For example, you can’t keep your phone forever since they are controlled by the
Cartoon from Fremd HS Eng. Ning
company but a book isn’t.
Reading a book can be a lot more relaxing since you are just reading and maybe eating a snack
while reading. You also won’t too nervous when reading a book. On the other hand, you can get
nervous on your phone since maybe you’re playing a game and you can be nervous since you try to pass
the game. A phone can also get a virus but also can stop working for some reason. But a book, can’t get
any virus or anything. With good care, you can keep the same book for a couple of years.
JANU AR Y 201 6
TECHNOLOGY
PAGE 7
Can Video Games modify your Brain?
By: Alexandria Wilkinson
Apparently video games can modify your brain. According to the authors of Neurology Now, scientists believe that if
you play long enough, you can get a game addiction. Not only do Scientists believe video games can corrupt the brain but
parents do too! They believe it’s a waste of time and maybe the reason why some young people become violent or antisocial.
According to the University of Wisconsin psychologist C. Shawn Green, “Video games change your brain.” Playing video games
changes the brain’s physical structure the same way as do learning to read, playing the piano, or navigating using a map. Much
like exercise can build muscle, the powerful combination of concentration and rewarding surges of neurotransmitters like
dopamine strengthen neural circuits that can build the brain.”
Certain video games can actually help the brain develop, since nowadays more people rely on media and technology.
Neurology Now believes it helps people with problem solving and logic, multitasking, memory, accuracy, developing skills,
concentration and can improve eyesight.
But for every positive there is often a negative. Violent video games can cause people to become violent. The more
violent games they play, the more aggressive thoughts enter the brain. According to Dmitri A. Christakis of the Seattle Children’s
Research Institute, “Those who watch a lot of simulated violence, such as those in video games, can become immune to it, more
inclined to act violently themselves, and are less likely to behave emphatically.” In violent games kids are being rewarded for
violence by gaining points and stars and power ups, making it difficult for them to realize when it’s reality and when they are just
playing a video game. Kids may become isolated, causing them to be antisocial and since they have nothing more to do than play
video game that becomes an everyday thing, turning into a gaming addiction.
Anthony Rosner, at seventeen years old, living in London, England was a hero...in a video game. According to Rosner,
“I never saw my real friends. I gained weight, became lazy, and spent nearly all of my time slumped over my computer,” says
Rosner. He played up to 18 hours a day, every day for two years. But the problem goes much deeper, a lot of researchers believe
that excessive gaming before the age 21 or 22 can physically rewire the brain. This alters the brain physically and the brain
becomes underdeveloped. According to Tom Hummer, an assistant professor of psychiatry at Indiana University, video games do
not a effect everyone equally, "Asking what the effects of video games are is like asking what are the effects of eating food,"
Hummer says. "Different games do different things. They can have benefits or detriments depending on what you're looking at."
Depending on the type of videogame you play depends on how your brain is physically wired.
Do video games
help kids learn?
By: Levi Alejandro
Photo Credit: Neurology Now
Photo Credit: Michiamojalal Blogspot
Video games have been around since the 1960s and have become an important part of the American youth as well as
around the globe. The question that many people including parents, ask, do these games help the kids that play it learn, or does
it harm them? According to the Parents magazine website, there was an article stating “8 Reasons Video Games Can Improve
Your Child”. It says that video games can teach problem-solving skills in games like The Legend of Zelda, which is a
platformer game, meaning that (in this kind of a game) there are many obstacles, enemies, and puzzles to solve in order to
complete and move on to the next level. In games where your appearance may be changed, they say that it creates a feeling of
self-expression, and that it highlights personalities and interests, giving the player a sense of being unique in their own way.
In games like Civilization V or A ge of Empires, it says that it creates an interest in history and knowledge of past
civilizations. Another example from this website states that social skills are improved when kids make friends with others in
multiplayer video games like Minecraft, Roblox, and even some shooter games like Halo or Call of Duty. News Kids Center,
another website agrees with video games helping children learn. They do agree with social skills as well, but they also say that it
sharpens leadership skills, gain general knowledge, and even reduces the blood pressure in many players, thus reducing pain. It
also helps with with cognitive skills and the eyesights of many players. For more information, visit these sources.
PAGE 8
STYLE
JANU AR Y 201 6
Is the cost worth it?
By: Emma Batson
Many people spend only enough for
a good pair of shoes while others can
spend up to hundreds of dollars on
shoes. For example, the Air Jordan’s
XIV are usually priced around $150.
Are these extreme prices really necessary? “Men's sportswear shoe prices are
shooting through the roof. If people
love them so much then they have to
have them! That’s just the way humans
work,” says a manager who works with
a famous shoe designer named Turner
Wildon explaining why people are buying these expensive shoes. Although
some people say it’s a waste their money some people are getting rich.
Giuseppe Zanetti, a shoe designer,
has making real money since his shoe
prices are in the thousands. Many still
don’t know why in the world shoes cost
so much. When the Nike Air Pegasus
shoe was released, Nike paid around $9
for the materials and paid the workers
who made them $2.75 but sold them at
the price of $70 confirms Pearl Gaskins, author of the article, “Why do
these sneakers cost so much?
People still refuse to budge from
their perspectives that shoes were made
for one purpose and that alone is to
protect your feet, not as a collector’s
item. In the future shoes may be custom designed from a computer for your
exact foot and only take minutes! Scientists believe that these shoes might
even be able to regulate normal body
functions like how much weight you
put on one foot or the precise time that
your ankle moves. Also, these shoes
can be adjusted on how firm or soft you
want their insides to be for comfort.
Seriously though, how is that not awesome?
However, there’s a downside to
everything. Many people are buying
their children $450 shoes so that they
can simply walk around and show it
off. These kids can have up to five
Black Friday
By: Claudia Aldave
Black Friday is a tragic or happy
holiday for some us because in some
places, stores put really good sales and
other stores people fight you for things.
In some of the stores, workers raise the
price higher before Black Friday and
when Black Friday comes they lower
the prices and it will be the same price
as before. Some people celebrate Black
Friday because of the sale prices but for
the rest of the people that don’t celebrate Black Friday, it’s because a lot of
people turn aggressive. Should we risk
getting hurt or even scared to buy
things just because they are on “sale”?
Black Friday is a problem for
some of us in Earle B. Wood. A wood
student named Emily T. says, “Black
Friday has caused a lot of trouble at
malls because when I went Black Friday shopping with my mom, we saw a
woman fighting for clothes with another woman.” As you can see here Emily
has witnessed a woman and a woman
fight for clothes, the society has made
people do some crazy things. Giselle B,
another student at wood says, “Black
Friday has been worse over the years
and I don’t remember being this worse
than last year. I had even experienced
being a little aggressive over black Friday; I was getting mad at this lady and
said some harsh things because I wanted the item so badly.” Should we really
celebrate Black Friday?
pairs or more which seems outrageous
for some. Aren’t there more important
things than expensive shoes? And why
does anyone need so many pairs?
Weren’t shoes made for the “sole” purpose of keeping feet protected? What’s
even more extreme is that some children don’t even wear them because if
they do they’ll wear them down. They
simply go around carrying them in their
backpacks. This dispute over this shoe
tomfoolery is bound to go on as long as
there are shoes and people willing to
pay
for
them
Image from solecollector.com
Do the clothes
make the
man…or
woman?
By: Ryan Moffett
“...Most people like
to put their “best foot
forward” ...
Do the clothes make the man?
Our outward appearance doesn’t necessarily reflect the true character of a person but, like it or not, society judges people by the clothes they wear. It’s often a
person’s first impression.
Be careful on Black Friday!
Image from: Bing image search
Continued on page 15
PAGE 9
BENEFITS
JA NU AR Y 2 0 1 6
Little Smartys
By: Genesis Sims
Mrs. Jennifer Peter, a teacher here at Earle B
Wood MS has a group of intelligent children
and Mr. Goldberg another teacher, teaches
fifth graders who also accelerate at a Quick
pace. These students are Owen, Anne Sophie,
Han, Nadia, Yoshua, Josias, Nicholas, Jackson, Eli, Aimon, Miranda, Jonderick, and
Elina. The
children started the compacted mathematics class
on Tuesday
September 1,
2015. They
attend this
class every
day from 8:15
am to 9:05
am. The
course will
end June 17,
2016, or the
very last day
of school.
instead of an elementary school because they want to meet the needs of
all of the students like the students
who accelerate quicker giving them
harder work.
working on they said that they liked
being in the middle school because
they get to be see Mrs. Peters in the
morning.
A lot of people have asked about
Each student receives 20 minutes of
that class in this school and I hope
homework
they find it as interesting as I did.
from the instructor of the
compacted
mathematics
block to be
completed
during their
elementary
school block.
Students will
not have additional mathematics homework from
their elementary school.
Mrs. Peter’s 4th grade class
The students
then leave the
Photo credit: Genesis Sims
building before
The students
the
first
middle
are learning
school block is
curriculum
Mrs. Peter teaching her students.
over which is 10:06 but the
2.0. The compacted
children leave
mathematics course
at exactly 9:15am
takes place at Wood MS in order to meet the
and continues to
needs of these students
Photo credits: Genesis Sims
their elementary
because some of the stuschool block.
dents have trouble focusing on their work so they help out the stuThe children exdents in need. The schools with large amount
plained how they
of student are usually taking the compacted
like being in the
classes where the teachers teach them the
classes and that their
math they are learning but since they advance
work was pretty easy
quickly the make the work more challenging.
for them and I
Montgomery County Schools combine’s the
thought that was
students from several different elementary
wans interesting
schools and put in one class
because the
in the MS. When a small
work that
number of students are enthey are
rolled in a separate mathedoing most people still have troumatics class at an elementary
ble with. The kids that I spoke
school it can increase the
with told me she was a great
size of other mathematics
teacher because she helps them
classes at the school above
Students focused on their
when they are stuck on probschool work
the board of education. The
lems and she explains to them
classes are being offered at a middle school
how to do the work they have been
Photo credits: Genesis Sims
Image @ <http://thetoppost.blogspot.com/2013/12/howto-be-smart.html
JANUARY 2016
PAGE 10
BENEFITS
Is the school year too long?
By: Jason Proctor
A worldwide thought in a student's head is
why the school year is so long! The
school year is handled very differently in
every country. Here in Maryland it is 180
days and 6.5 hours long each day, according to Scholastic News. In Australia it is 6
hours a day with the kids getting a thirty
minute break for morning tea. They also
get a forty minute lunch break. That is just
under five hours a day according to Debate.org.
A longer school day can cause
students to cut more classes due to the
stress given from all the classes combined
according to Debate.org. The one hundred
eighty day school year can just put students over the top with stress. Having to
go to school five days a week for seven
hours a day and have about one
hour of homework each night
180 days a year can cause lack of
family time, lack of social life,
and lack of happiness, (Chicago
Tribune).
School can do many
things to a student, one of them is
lead to family troubles according
to Los Angeles Times. Family
troubles cause all sorts of bad
things. Like drug abuse. Drug
abuse can cause bad decision
making a cause a student to do
badly in school. Students may
sometimes not like school to a
level that they start to skip classes and maybe even the whole
school day.
The school year should be shortened down to at least 120 days (debate.org).
That leaves enough time to get the important topics into
the curriculum
taught to the students. The long
school year can
possibly do too
much to a student's mental
state.
Image @ rundesroom.com
20 More Minutes?
By: Emily Tran
Do you think the school time change is
beneficial? According to Evie Blad author
of “Despite Research on
Teens’ Sleep, change to School Start
times Difficult” states that making an older teen wake up at 7:00 am is like asking a
teacher to wake up at 4:30 am. Blad states
that getting enough sleep each night can
be hard for teens whose natural sleep cycles make it difficult for them to fall
asleep before 11:00 pm. She even indicates that Montgomery County students
and parents voted to have later high
school start times. Blad also states that
studies show adolescents who don’t get
enough sleep often suffer physical and
mental health problems. This can cause
more automobile accidents and a decline
in academic performance. According to
Brian Rockoff, reporter for the article
“Organizing Schools to Improve Student
Achievement: School Times, “indicated
that when parents call their kids lazy for
not wanting to wake up early, there is
actually a biological basis for kids to need
to sleep late.
Here at Earle B. Wood MS, we had a 20
minute time difference which lead the
students to begin class at 8:05 am and
have dismissal at 3:00 pm. A 7th grader
Giselle Blanco, here at Wood says, “I
honestly don't think it makes a difference
because we still don't get enough sleep.
Also, if they really wanted to make a difference to the students’ amount of sleep
and time to get ready then the time change
could at least be 1 hour instead of 20
minutes.” Another student here at Wood,
Nicole Martinez, addressed that, “It
doesn't make a difference with 20 minutes
because I still wake up at the same time I
did before the time change occurred.”
These comments about the time change
indicate that the time change doesn't really make a difference for these students.
Claudia Aldave commented, “I like it because it gives us a couple more minutes to
rest for the next school day.” In all, the
time change here at Wood does not seem
beneficial for most students .
Kid sleeping in class because he didn’t
get enough sleep
Image from Google Images
PAGE 11
Flash Back
JANU AR Y 201 6
Battle of the Books, a fun competition!
By: Serena Rush
For the past two years Wood Middle School participated in a really awesome competition that all of the deaf
kids liked, Battle of the Books. It’s
established by Gallaudet University
and is intended for middle school deaf
students. This year they decided to
have two teams, the Wood team and
the Montgomery County team. The
students received three books to read
on different topics, and they read until
they felt prepared.
Audrey Gray, one of the students on
the team says, “My favorite part is
definitely getting new books of different types,” Team members can get a
variety of books from
non-fiction to fantasy,
etc. Leslie, a 6th grader
who is new to the team
says, “I decided to join
because I love reading
books and I like new
experiences.”
They’ve been practicing every weekend
by taking notes and
asking each other questions.
Wood’s Blue Team
Recently on December 2nd the
MCPS team played against three
schools, Kendall Demonstration Elementary School, Florida School for the
Deaf and Blind, and Berkmar Middle
School in Georgia. The MCPS team
played hard and got a total of 128
points out of a possible 146 points,
which is impressive as the competition
was intense. Leslie says, “I was a bit
nervous at first but after I did it once it
was a little less nerve wrecking. Also,
seeing the other three students do it
first was reassuring.”
MCPS made it past the preliminaries and is moving on to playoffs with
15 schools to compete against. They
all hope that they
can move up into
Nationals and maybe even be the national winner!
The cool part
about Battle of the
Books is if MCPS
makes it to nationals, they go to GalPhoto credit:
Need some Merits?
laudet University in Washington DC.
They get to meet new people. Audrey
says, “I really liked meeting new people from all around the country.” Then
they also take a tour of the Washington
Monuments, which is intended for people that have never been to Washington
DC before. Last year there were people
from, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New
York, California, and, one year, even
Hawaii!
The blue team at Wood, unfortunately lost the preliminaries, but they
know they tried their best. The students
involved were, Jennifer Lopez, Yesinia
Alfaro, and Alexia Whyte. Ms.
MacLauchlan was the chaperone for
the team! Her help was appreciated.
Battle of the Books really impacts
the students, and it’s a memory they all
cherish. On the MCPS team, the players were Audrey Gray, Serena Rush,
Michael Wilkinson, and Leslie
Njingang. Ms. Black and Ms. Smail
were the chaperones. The students are
currently prepping for the playoffs
which will take place on January 13th,
2016. Hopefully, they can move up into
Nationals and maybe even be the national winner!
By: Vanessa Rosa
The PBIS program has great events like having PE all day and playing volleyball and all you need are just merits. But if you
don’t have enough merits, you’re in luck. There are lots of ways to earn merits from your teacher, a school counselor, and the
principle. When you first get a merit you should write the teacher name, your name and what grade you're in. At the left side corner there’s checkboxes where you check if you were Respectful, Responsible, and Ready to Learn.
There's also different colors merits theirs blue, pink, yellow, and just plain old white. Blue merits are for helping support SGA
and dressing up every day for their spirit week. Pink merits are for helping out support breast cancer by wearing pink. Anywhere
you wear pink you get a merit, and if you wear a lot of pink then you’ll probably get a lot of merits. Yellow merits are for going to
international night and you get that by showing up and watching all the performances. A way to get white merits is by watching
the Wood’s boys and girls basketball team.
Some ways to earn merits by being the best classroom or the best student in that class. Listening to the teacher and classmates,
getting 100% on a unit test. If you're late to class then you start to get early then you could get a merit. Also if you always do your
homework and you never missed a day then you can get a merit for every day you did your homework. Helping out a sub when
he/she doesn’t understand. Also by donating canned goods or presents to toys for tots and one present/can is one merits. Also if
you have a reading teacher then every book you read, or every essay you right without being ask to can give you a merit..
Ways that teacher can give you merits is by being Respectful, Responsible, and Ready to learn. There are lots ways to get merits if don’t have enough merits. Then maybe your teacher could let you do some work in the classroom so you can have enough. If
the teacher sees you doing something kind and helpful to another student. Also you can always pass out papers, then you can get a
merit. Another way you could get a merit is by being on time, if you're participating in class, working on what you're supposed to
do. Maybe you could help someone who doesn’t understand the work and you help them out you can get maybe even more than
one. But everyone knows that the best way to get a merit is by being Respectful, Responsible, and Ready to learn.
So teachers consider giving us more merits so that we can do all the fun events like PE for a day, or playing volleyball so we
can make this school year unforgettable.
Everyone knows the best way to get a merit is by being respectful, responsible, and ready to learn.
PAGE 12
Flashbacks
JANU AR Y 201 6
International Night
By: Gabi Martinez
Performers before show time.
Ms.. Fahmy & Mrs. Somers helping the fashion
models get ready.
A good time for all!
Once again International night was a great
success!
Thanks to Mrs.
Romero who took care of
the delectable food, Ms.
Fahmy for the outrageous
fashion show, Mrs. Harvey
for the incredible talent
show, Ms. Tauber for the
spectacular music, Ms.
Raynovich for the lighting,
and the rest of the staff
who made it possible for
International night to run
smoothly.
Mrs. Raynovich and 7th grade student
controlling the music.
Mr. Herrod modeling in the show.
The audience, teachers, students and performers dancing to the final song of the night.
PAGE 13
Editorial Cartoons
January 2016
By: Julia Carter
Editorial
Cartoons
Are
illustrations
or comic
strips containing a political or social message
that usually
relates to
current
events or
personalities.
By: Linda Hernandez
PAGE 14
Editorial Cartoons
January 2016
By: Angela Mendieta
By: Andrea Antezana
PAGE 15
JANUARY 2016
Do the clothes…?
Continued from page 8
For example, would you
show up at a job interview wearing sweat pants? Probably not.
Most people like to put their “best
foot forward” and wear something
that shows a little effort was put
into looking good. You also
wouldn’t go on a first date in
clothes you just wore to the gym.
When you wear nice clean
clothes, it says you care about the
way you look.
Suppose you cannot afford to buy the latest fashion, as
we all know, it can be expensive.
It may not be that they don’t want to look
good but that buying a $200.00 pair
of shoes is simply not possible at
the time. Too much pressure is put
on teenagers especially, to wear
certain clothes.
So I guess the answer to the
question is yes, people do judge
others by the clothes. But really, it’s
not fair, people should be judged by
the content of their character and
not by the quality of their clothes.
Image @ <cargocollective.com>
Drug use
Continued from page 5
Marijuana should only be use for medical purposes and
not smoking for show offs.
There are many ways to prevent from smoking marijuana
or anywhere near the marijuana products,unless you do
not have a doctor’s note. One way is to not talk about it
or even think about it, scientists showed that on the
amount of teens thinking about marijuana start getting
too attached to it. Some others try to prevent it, for example: going outside with your family or pet, go hiking, go
shopping, go to the movie, play any sports, study for a
test, read a book. All these examples could help save a
life from death and diseases.
Image @ drugrehab-us
Be Respectful
Be Responsible
Be Ready to Learn
Go Wood MS!
PAGE 16
Flashbacks
JANU AR Y 201 6
International Night
Ms.. Fahmy & Mrs. Somers helping
the fashion models get ready.
Mrs. Raynovich and 7th grade student
controlling the music.
Performers before show time.
Once again International night was a great success!
Thanks to Mrs.
Romero who took care of
the delectable food, Ms.
Fahmy for the outrageous
fashion show, Mrs. Harvey
for the incredible talent
show, Ms. Tauber for the
spectacular music, Ms.
Raynovich for the lighting,
and the rest of the staff
who made it possible for
International night to run as
smoothly as possible.
Mr. Herrod modeling in
the fashion show.
The audience, Teachers, students and performers dancing to the final song of
the night.