The Falcon's Quill Volume 3 Issue 2

Blach Junior High

The Falcon's Quill School Newspaper Volume 3 Issue 2

May 9, 2022

Role models for athletes at Blach >> 22-23

Ketanji Brown Jackson confirmed spot on Supreme Court Amy Wu Ketanji Brown Jackson is a confirmed nominee of the Supreme Court after receiving a bipartisan Senate confirmation on April 7.

Jackson received Senate confirmation with the entire democratic caucus and three republicans voting in favor of her nomination, and 47 republicans voting against, for a 53-47 vote.

After being sworn in this summer, Jackson will be the 116th associate justice on the Supreme Court, as well as the first Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court. She is also the first Supreme Court injustice after Thurgood Marshall to have represented indigent criminal defenders.

Jackson was born on September 14, 1970 in Washington D.C. and attended Harvard University for college and law school. Her legal career began with three clerkships, including one with Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer.

She then served as a district judge for the United States District Court for the District of Columbia from 2013-2021, before being appointed by President Joe Biden to the US

circuit judge of the US court of appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit last summer.

On February 28, President Biden nominated Jackson to assume Justice Stephen Breyer’s position, following his retirement announcement.

The Senate Judiciary Committee held hearings regarding her nomination from March 21-24, which allowed for members of the judiciary committee to question Jackson, and for witnesses to speak as well. Five witnesses were brought by Democrats and Republicans each, and the American Bar Association spoke during the final day of hearings.

"In my family, it took one generation to from segregation to Supreme Court of United States"

just go the the

Occurring themes throughout the hearings were abortion, LGBT issues, Jackson’s recusal from Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President & Fellows of Harvard, her experience with defending Guantanomo Bay Detainees, and

Source: CNBC

Supreme Court expansion and its use of emergency orders.

Following her confirmation on April 7, President Biden posted a selfie of him and Jackson on Twitter, captioning it, “We've taken another step toward making our highest court reflect the diversity of America.”

During the White House South Lawn event on April 8, Jackson tearfully stated, "In my family, it took just one generation to go from segregation to the Supreme Court of the United States.”

In this issue Table of Contents: News: 1-4, Entertainment: 5-8, Editorials: 9-11, Features: 12-16, Sports: 17-23

Chevron's lawsuit >> 3-4

Violin >> 12-13

Apple Cores >> 10

Wrestling >> 21

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News Editor-in-Chief Ivanka Abrol Andrew Levitt News Editor Liam Abelson Roz Defaii

Why have gas prices been rising?

Yhali Matot

Editorial Editor Kaila Matsumoto Clara Spiess Feature Editor Kavya Wazhi Annie Weisfeld Sports Editor Kate McKinley Ahvish Roy Photographer Madelyn Rieben Diya Ruhela Graphics Anant Sahai Michael Thompson Copy Editor Austin Bea Aadi Joseph Joanne Lin Staff Writers Frederick Cieslicki Nayan Ganapathi Yhali Matot Tanya Kirti Layout & Design Rowan Barcelona Lara Leon Martha Ohayan Amy Wu Annie Weisfeld Adviser Diane Shepherd

Mission Statement

1. “The Falcon’s Quill” is a forum where Blach students in the journalism class can exercise their right to express their thoughts and opinions.

2. “The Falcon’s Quill” strives to report news accurately and objectively, clearly distinguishing fact from opinion.

3. Editorials do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the journalism class, Blach School, or the Los Altos School District.

4. We vow to cover stories without discrimination toward any group.

Blach Intermediate School 1120 Covington Road Los Altos, CA 94024

Source: The New York Times

Recently, Americans have had to suffer through everrising gas prices, going from $3.01 in 2021 to over $4 nationally.

The Biden Administration has credited the rising prices to the Ukraine invasion, but analysts say that there is much more contributing to the rising price of gas.

With Americans coming out of the pandemic, there has been a resurgence in driving. Since the resurgence took place over a period of a couple of months, the United States and other trading partners have not been able to increase production of gas to accommodate for the increase of gas demand, further raising the prices.

On top of that, the Ukraine

invasion has significantly hurt gas production. President Joe Biden has recently cut exporting gas from Russia, hurting drivers as 8% of all of America’s gas is from Russia.

Biden has also credited the rising gas prices to gas companies that are reluctant to lower their profits and increase gas production, with many democrat allies supporting Biden’s remarks. Chevron CEO, Mike Writh, responded to Biden, saying that the price of crude oil depends on other factors like demand, supply, inventory, and geopolitical events and that they don’t have much influence on the price of gas, adding on that Biden's remarks are misleading.

To combat the rising gas prices, Biden has introduced numerous new bills, including giving a $100 gas rebate to calm the American public and let them afford gas as global predicaments calm down and gas production rises, but it doesn’t seem to be enough. Not only has the American public been suffering, Biden’s approval ratings have taken a significant dip, reaching a 53% disapproval rating - unheard of for any president this early on.

The longest wooden roller coaster gets longer Nayan Ganapathi

its position as the world's longest wooden roller coaster.

Standing with a length of 7,539 feet (2,243 meters), The Beast is equipped with a 137 foot and 141 foot drop, a 125 foot long tunnel, eight banked turns, a 540 degree helix tunnel near the end, and speeds up to 64.77 miles per hour. The ride takes a whopping four minutes and ten seconds to finish.

It cost King Island 3.5 million dollars to build The Beast from 1977 - 1979, about 20 million dollars if it were to be created today.

Competition is fierce when it comes to world records, and trying to one up the person next to you has been part of human nature for a long time now.

Building roller coasters is no different.

Ever since 1979, the roller coaster known as “The Beast,'' located at Kings Island in Ohio has held the record for the longest wooden roller coaster.

From higher drops to new track designs, The Beast has been continuously updated to retain Roller coaster >> Page 3

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News Roller coaster From page 2

The Kings Island park has recently announced that they are going to add an extra two feet to the ride. Even though it may not seem like much, amusement park enthusiasts may notice a steeper first drop.

Martin Lewson, associate professor of business management at Farmingdale State College on Long Island, New York claims The Beast as a “must ride if you got Kings Island.”

“For years and years it was my number one wooden coaster.

It’s really an experience,” says Lewison. He suggests that future riders look forward to the incredible design, monstrous 540 degree helix, and incredibly fun experience during the night.

Crews began refurbishing 2,000 feet of the track back in November, showing the dedication the park has to keeping The Beast the longest wooden roller coaster in the world.

Huge cybersecurity breach for Android phones Anant Sahai

Source: Crast

Critical Chipset Bugs open lots of Android Devices to Remote Spying. Some Android devices have just been exposed to a serious bug, dubbed ALLHACK . Apple is not stricken by this bug. Apple fixed this 11 years ago.

The question is why has Android not fixed it. First off, what is the hack?

The hack uses three vulnerabilities in android phone’s code, called CVE-20210674, CVE-2021-0675, CVE-2021-

30351. CVE-2021-0674 is an improper input validation in ALAC decoder resulting in information disclosure with non-user interaction. Basically, information is being exposed without the user giving consent.

CVE-2021-0675 is a local privilege escalation flaw in ALAC decoder, stemming from out-of-bounds write. CVE2021-30351 is an out-of-bound memory access. This is due to improper validation of the number of frames being passed during music playback. All of these three bugs together exposed android phones to a giant cyber security breach.

This hack has affected what experts think is 30% of all android phones on the planet.

Android revealed that they are trying to fix the bugs the hack exploits, but they have not revealed how as of now.

Android had a critical chipset bug that could have been fixed before the phone launched. This is now coming back to bite them today.

Chevron’s $9.5 billion pollution lawsuit Tanya Kirti Texaco, an oil company now bought by Chevron, has faced a $19 billion lawsuit due to oil pollution in Ecuador. The lawsuit was won after multiple years, though it was moved down to $9.5 billion, and Chevron accused the leading lawyer, Steven Donzinger, of fraud and bribery. The oil company has not paid the $9.5 billion.

Donzinger initially sued Chevron for oil spills and toxic waste in the Amazonian region of Ecuador in 1993. Chevron had drilled in the region now known as the “Amazon Chernobyl,” from 1964 to 1990. Donzinger is known as suing on the behalf of over 30,000 Ecuadoreans.

People's World, 2021, says,

"Billions of gallons of oil and cancerous waste dumped and spilled in Ecuador years ago left thousands displaced, sick, and dying. Chevron admitted to Texaco’s dumping of 16 billion gallons of toxic waste into waterways, a regular practice for them to keep waste pits from overflowing; however, they refuse to take any legal responsibility for their actions.”

The plaintiffs say that there were over 16 billion gallons of toxic waste and 17 million gallons of oil knowingly dumped into the rainforest.

Donzinger said on an interview with HasanAbi, 2022, “This [the pollution] was not an accident…

This was a deliberate engineering design to run billions of gallons of cancercausing oil waste into the rain

Source: The Guardian

forest onto the ancestral lands of indigenous peoples as a… cost-saving measure by Chevron."

The Guardian, 2014, says, “Chevron has long argued that a 1998 agreement that Texaco signed with Ecuador after a $40 million cleanup absolves it of liability.” Chevron also argues

Chevron >> Page 4

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News Chevron From page 3

that most of the pollution was caused by PetroEcuador, a company owned by Ecuador that continues to produce oil in the area.

People's World, 2021, states that, “PetroEcuador was founded in 1989 and did very little actual oil production until Texaco left the country in 1992.

Chevron’s lawyers claim that those waste pits and pollution could have been the result of PetroEcuador operations, but they’ve produced no evidence of these claims and take no responsibility for the infrastructure that PetroEcuador inherited from Texaco.”

The 1993 lawsuit was originally filed in New York because Chevron is an Americabased company, but Chevron pressed to move it to Ecuador.

An Ecuadorian court in February, 2011, “found Chevron liable for $19 billion in environmental cleanup costs and punitive damages stemming from oil contamination in the Amazon… Two years later, Ecuador’s highest court upheld the ruling but reduced Chevron’s liability to $9.5 billion,” according to Amazon Watch, 2015, an environmental group. The $9.5 billion have not been paid.

In 2011, Chevron filed a civil lawsuit against Donzinger.

The Chevron website states that Donzinger violated RICO, the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, committed money laundering, witness tampering, obstruction of justice in obtaining a judgment, along with various other crimes.

In March, 2014, according to VICE, 2015, Lewis Kaplan, a federal judge in New York, ruled that the original $9.5 billion judgment was obtained by coercion and fraud.

Alberto Guerra, a former Ecuadorian judge, was a very important part in the case. In

Source: Flickr

the case against Donzinger, he testified that he would ghostwrite the verdict and that another judge, Nicolas Zambrano, would sign it, and they would get $500,000 from Donzinger and his team.

He later admitted to lying in this case against Donzinger.

According to VICE, 2015, “Guerra has now admitted that there is no evidence to corroborate allegations of a bribe or a ghostwritten judgment, and that large parts of his sworn testimony, used by Kaplan in the RICO case to block enforcement of the ruling against Chevron were exaggerated and, in other cases, simply not true.”

"[The pollution] was a deliberate engineering design to run billions of gallons of cancer-causing oil waste into the rain forest onto the ancestral lands of indigenous peoples as a … cost-saving measure

by Chevron."

The judge, Kaplan, wrote in the case judgment, "Guerra on many occasions has acted deceitfully and broken the law… but that does not necessarily mean that it should be disregarded wholesale."

“Financial disclosure documents filed by the judge, Lewis A. Kaplan, show he

invested in three J.P. Morgan funds that have holdings in Chevron. The judge never disclosed the investments despite being asked to recuse himself for bias in favor of Chevron … Kaplan denied the defendants a jury and ruled in favor of Chevron,” according to Amazon Watch, 2014.

Donziger writes, “The judge overseeing Judge Kaplan's charges, Loretta Preska, was not assigned through a random lot as required by court rules but was appointed by Judge Kaplan directly. This also was by design: Preska is a leader of the pro-corporate Federalist Society to which Chevron is a major funder.”

On the Free Donzinger website, it says that Donzinger has faced 993 days in detention and 45 days in prison.

A personal note written by Donzinger says, “The longest sentence ever given a lawyer for my supposed ‘crime’ of misdemeanor contempt is 90 days of home confinement; I have now served more than 8 times that amount at home.”

With Steven Donzinger’s release from house arrest on the 25th, the Free Donzinger website added, “We must celebrate Steven's freedom while preparing for the intense battles ahead to achieve justice in the Amazon and to save the planet.

Chevron still has plans to attack Steven to try to silence his advocacy. We cannot let it happen.”

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Entertainment Clue: an entertaining production for audiences of all ages Kaila Matsumoto Clue, the deduction board game loved by many for its aspect of murder and crime.

When six guests are invited to a mansion for dinner under mysterious circumstances, the unusual atmosphere quickly gets tainted with a scent of murder and lies.

The Clue production by the Los Altos Stage Company, based on the 1985 movie that was inspired by the classic board game, was put on by young adults ranging from 11 to 18. For only $15 dollars per person, guests were able to see the action-packed, exhilarating play at the local Bus Barn Theater.

If you wanted to be in Clue, you would have to pay around 600+ dollars, which is not affordable for everybody. This is considering it was an extracurricular activity that could have taken away from school activities or even school work. This leaves very little time for homework especially during tech week. On opening night, though there was much pressure put on the cast, they

The cast put emotion and believable terror in their screams, portraying their characters' emotions and personalities perfectly; ranging from sarcastic and dry to skittish and anxious. performed nearly flawlessly. A few mishaps happened on stage, including forgetting lines, improvising, skipping lines entirely, props flying across the stage, and even a few wardrobe malfunctions. While most of these were not on the actors and rather on the props and costumes themselves, those on stage did an excellent job of masking their mistakes and their fellow castmates' mistakes.

Some of them were not recognizable, only being

revealed when cast member Jordan Fuller, who played Ms. White, admitted that several times during the performance their purse strap fell off.

Despite these errors, they went on with the show as planned. What little chaos erupted on stage they made up with their own performances.

The cast put emotion and believable terror in their screams, portraying their characters' emotions and personalities perfectly; ranging from sarcastic and dry to skittish and anxious. One cast member even committed to their role as the maid, using a faux French accent throughout the show.

An exceptional opportunity for aspiring actors, the cast was able to perform in front of a crowd that was relatively small but still had a high quality set with costumes, lights, effects, and moving props. It featured bits of comedy, thrill, and mystery, making it entertaining and amusing for everybody in the crowd and on the stage.

Photo courtesy of Jordan Fuller: Clue’s opening night cast takes a final bow during curtain call

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Entertainment Beetlejuice the musical returns to the Broadway stage Kate McKinley After closing on March 11 2020, many theater-goers believed that Broadway's Beetlejuice the musical would never return to the stage. Now, over two years later, fans are beyond excited to witness the rebirth of this spooky, whimsical performance.

On April 8, 2022, Beetlejuice the musical reopened at the Marquis Theater in New York City. Two days later I attended the third performance back and was pleasantly surprised.

Although this was my second time seeing the show, I enjoyed it just as much, if not more.

Based on the movie by Tim Burton, the story follows 15 year old Lydia, whose mom passes away. Soon after, she and her family move into a questionable house, and Lydia has strange interactions with “demons”.

One of these demons is named

Beetlejuice. Oddly enough, Lydia is the only living person who can see him. She decides to team up with Beetlejuice and eventually has to take a daring journey to the netherworld in hopes of finding her deceased mother.

Although the plot itself sounds pretty heavy, in reality the story is very humorous and light-hearted. The second the curtains open, the audience is in awe. Immediately, the intricate lighting decorates the entire theater, and booming music plays as the characters enter the stage.

Besides the amazing effects, the performance also features jaw dropping sets including a falling floor, giant clown head, and massive moving snakes.

The show also does a great job with making the actors feel alive in their roles. The characters have wigs, crazy make-up, and

spooky costumes: all to create a humorous and wild performance.

The cast includes Alex Brightman as Beetlejuice, Elizabeth Teeter as Lydia, and Leslie Kritzer as Deilia. Each member of the team is very strong vocally, and has a significant amount of dancing and acting experience.

The assistant director, Catie Davis, stated that Beetlejuice will be coming to San Francisco during the Christmas season of either 2022 or 2023, so locals should look out.

The musical is suitable for a wide variety of ages and is perfect for families. The hidden jokes and amazing sets are truly a work of art and different from any musical I have seen before. I would definitely recommend it for both broadway superfans and first timers.

Source: Ticketmaster

Universal Studios introduces a new wild ride Madelyn Rieben The sheer intensity of the Velocicoaster, combined with its environment and perfectly simplistic setup, has led to an astonishing number of positive reviews. Thrill-seekers will have the opportunity to soar 155 feet in the air and catapult up to 70 mph alongside a ferocious velociraptor pack.

Universal Orlando first filed permits to build the new attraction with the city of Orlando in May 2018; review of those plans by various city departments was soon approved. On January 17, 2019, construction crews began clearing space near the longclosed Triceratops Encounter attraction, adjacent to the waterfront at Islands of

Thrill-seekers will have the opportunity to soar 155 feet in the air and catapult up to 70 mph alongside a ferocious velociraptor pack.

New Ride >> Page 7

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Entertainment New Ride From page 6

Adventure (one of eight islands in Universal Studios).

Research and development of the coaster have taken about four years, but overall construction took a little more than two years. Universal fans began to speculate what could be on the horizon for the area. A new ride, or a long awaited giant churro stand? The world would have to wait.

The coaster goes through another overbanked turn and hits a sharp S-bend, passing Delta and Echo, and going through some more rock work.

Following a slow outerbanked hill, the ride enters its second launch, propelling riders from 40 miles per hour (64 km/h) to 70 miles per hour (110 km/h) in 2.4 seconds, and ends with a quick 360-degree turn that propels them back to the start, completing the ride.

Having been on this ride, I love the accelerations and thrill that it brings the rider. The theme also makes you truly feel like you are in the forest of Jurassic Park riding alongside the velociraptor pack.

Source: UniversalOrlando

Heartstopper: a binge worthy, heartwarming series Tanya Kirti Heartstopper is a show that was just released on April 22nd.

The show is based on comics created by Alice Oseman.

Oseman had a big part in creating the show, so the characters and story have the original mood of the comics.

The show’s main characters, Charlie Spring and Nick Nelson, go to an all boys school. Charlie was outed as gay the year before, and he suffered from immense bullying that year.

Nick Nelson is the star player of the school’s rugby team, and according to Elle, one of Charlie's friends, “He’s the straightest person I’ve ever seen.” As the story progresses, Charlie finds out that Elle was wrong.

Despite the honest representation of homophobia, Heartstopper still manages to make you feel warm through all the cute moments.

Heartstopper is very popular.

According to Forbes, it “has a 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, a rarity for Netflix scripted series these days, but also a 98% audience score with over 1800 reviews in.”

An important thing to note is the diversity of the show.

According to Elle’s actress, Yasmin Finley, with Attitude Magazine, “I remember for Elle, I’d seen the casting call on Instagram … and they required it to be a trans girl of color.”

William Gao, playing Tao Xu, agreed, “It was so interesting seeing the casting call because it said they're looking for an East Asian or half mixed East Asian actor to play Tao. And I've never seen that in my life.”

I also like how the show is set in a positive light, with a happy ending. It’s hard to find queer optimism in entertainment, where the

characters can overcome their struggles and come out on top.

Although, that doesn’t mean that Heartstopper doesn’t show any homophobia. One of the main struggles is between Nick and his homophobic friends, and him having to stand up to them in various parts in the series. Despite the honest representation of homophobia, Heartstopper still manages to make you feel warm through all the cute moments.

The show has characters you can feel for, even if you can’t relate to them. You feel the struggle Charlie has to face with his friend Tao egging on Nick’s friends. You can feel how much stress Nick must go through, where he might lose the people closest to him if he comes out.

You can also feel Tao’s struggle, with Charlie suddenly going to parties with people who chuck stuff at whoever they don’t like.

Part of this is helped by most of the cast still being very young, either still in school or just out of it. They all have good chemistry with each other; the banter and the relationships all feel authentic.

Overall, Heartstopper is a great character-oriented coming-of-age story, with amazing queer representation, relatable characters, and an almost perfect cast.

Source: Fandom

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Entertainment

Disney Cruise Line has a breathtaking experience Lara Leon Disney may be known for its movies and amusement parks.

However, for the past 24 years, the Disney Cruise Line has made its way to being one of the biggest competitors from other cruise lines, such as Princess, Carnival, and Holland.

Besides having Disney characters take part on the ship, the cruise has a very different experience from others. On other cruise lines, others have many options for adults but not many for kids. With other cruise lines having most of the options only to gamble, this leaves the kids only having the Kids Club or going to the pool.

Although the Kids Club may be a blast for younger kids, my experience with the Kids Club felt boring and a waste of my time. The tactics of the Kids Club made it feel like I was in preschool all over again.

Because there were not many options that I could do, that day made it impossible to enjoy the pool with such cold weather, my only choice was the Kids Club.

With the Disney Cruise, gambling and the casino are not provided. This makes it more enjoyable for the whole family.

During the Disney Cruise, almost all options are suitable for kids and have more

activities in general. From live games to origami teaching, it is almost impossible to be bored. with a parent’s consent, the kids can leave whenever they feel like it, giving kids more freedom.

The pool is also more interesting and worthwhile with the kids. With a water slide, splash zone, and a projector, the pool is popular for kids to enjoy.

Although some might feel the Disney cruise will be overpowered by Disney characters, the ship designers did a good job not overpowering the Disney experience. Different from the other cruise lines, each restaurant/dining area is based on a movie.

To me, the little details make any cruise experience better.

From first entering your room on the ship, to classic books and little cafes; reminding you of one of your favorite Disney movies. The main difference between a regular cruise ship and Disney is that it feels like time has stopped. You can feel like you are in the world of Disney and you can feel you are on the set of a movie. Unlike other cruise lines, Disney only has four ships while others have more. The intricate designs of the restaurants, pools, and

Source: Disney Cruise

rooms are worthwhile to make you feel like you are living in a dream.

But there are a few things Disney Cruise could have done better.

When boarding the ship, the check-in was a mess. Crowds of people had to stand in the hot sun to be able to board a bus and take a covid test. After the test, we had to board the bus again and wait for more than an hour to check into the ship and board. Many of the staff boarding people seemed grumpy and had no idea what they were doing.

The food options are also not the healthiest. On other cruise lines, hard boiled eggs, oatmeal and fruits are provided. On the Disney cruise not many fruits are provided, and oatmeal is towards the end of the section.

This makes it harder to choose the healthier option since all the healthier options are at the back of the food lineup.

All in all, the Disney Cruise is worth the extra money experience. The Disney Cruise makes a great experience for anyone of any age to enjoy. The amount of characters, designs on the ship, and events makes a fun and entertaining experience.

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Editorials School shootings: we must take action Andrew Levitt School shooting after school shooting after school shooting.

These devastating events seem to happen over and over without schools taking any action.

School shootings harm students and teachers and destroy communities. They stir up debate all across the country but somehow continue to occur.

Schools must improve security to decrease the number of shootings, and most of all, to greatly benefit the safety of students.

Although during the COVID19 pandemic there has been a drop in the number of school shootings in America due to schools closing down, we must presume that the number will rise again as schools return to in person learning. There were 34 school shootings in 2021, 24 being recorded after August 1 when schools were opening.

A school shooting on November 30 killed four innocent children and injured seven at Oxford High School in

Michigan. This was the deadliest shooting since May 2018, killing four innocent children and injuring seven. The shooting is only one example of the numerous disasters that have happened over the last few years.

Another example of a school shooting was in Parkland, Florida, at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. On February 14, 2018 previously expelled student, Nikolas Cruz, walked onto Douglas’ campus

The fact that there might be a mass shooting happening at this very moment is frightening.

School shootings per year

Created by Michael Thompson

and opened fire killing 17, wounding another 17. The Parkland shooting was one of the first major school shootings as it was the first of many more shootings following in its path.

The fact that there might be a mass shooting happening at this very moment is frightening. It seems as though America does not seem to understand the importance of school security.

Governments have to take action to stop them from taking place.

Schools, too, must have much better security in order to prevent more of these devastating school shootings from occurring. Whether that means having a security guard on campus, or providing schools with the resources to act upon the shootings is up to the states and schools to decide. Refining security at schools will greatly decrease the amount of mass shootings at schools, ultimately producing a safe environment for the next generation.

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Editorials Apple cores: deleterious to the environment Clara Spiess The sweet smell of an apple core creates a trail to the raccoon's next meal, the animal hungrily walking towards where the fruit was discarded. An hour earlier, a passenger threw the food scrap out of their car window, not thinking of all the effects it has on the environment and its ecosystem.

This poor raccoon now lies run over on the road, previously wanting a snack and now with no more breaths left to take.

Many other animals have the same preventable fate, though this is not the fault of the drivers. Apple cores on roads must be stopped from the source: the people discarding them. It is irresponsible to let them rot on these highways, especially when animals are deeply affected by it. The Wildlife Center of Virginia says, “The apple core is equally dangerous as any other type of litter … and roads are not a safe place for animals to be.” Food scraps don’t biodegrade quickly, allowing more time for a creature to consume it, but be hit by a vehicle as it remains on the ground. Since “all litter is bad litter,” we must treat a fruit scrap the same way as a plastic bottle and not leave it laying out in perilous traffic zones.

Photo by Kate McKinley

The health of the animals consuming apple cores must also be taken into consideration to fully understand the impact of improperly discarded food waste. A squirrel in the woods is not accustomed to eating human food, and it shouldn’t be; therefore, leaving an apple core on the trail will make it dependent on the waste of humans. It is also difficult for animals to digest foods that don’t originate from their natural environment, so the squirrel may consume something unhealthy or toxic for its body. Apple cores contain cyanogenic glycoside, a compound that will make the mammal very sick, and amygdalin, a lethal chemical

that can cause cyanide poisoning. The simple mistake of leaving out an apple core can end deadly for small animals, so we must prevent this by putting these items in the trash.

In almost all parts of the United States, littering in public is a finable act. Tossing an apple core into a place, other than a trash can, can be considered littering, and police may punish you for it. The National Conference of State Legislature states that “[a] fine between $20 and $500” is applied to people caught littering.

Patrolling officers have the right to require this money from you to pay for the cleanup, or assign community service hours with trash pick-up.

Additionally, apple cores rotting around on trails produce an unpleasant smell, which creates an uncomfortable environment for bypassers. Helping nature stay healthy and clean is effortless, so make a habit out of being respectful to nature.

The next time you eat an apple outside, think about the impact on animals and possibly yourself when deciding what to do with it. Repack it into your backpack, discard it in the trash, or simply eat the core to get extra nutrients that are harmless to humans.

Why aren’t you listening to music?

Yhali Matot You should be listening to music. Whether you are on a treadmill, lifting weights, or just bored, you should have music playing at all times for better concentration.

Playing music has shown to distract people from pain and fatigue, leading to more productive workout sessions.

Not only is it productive, but it gets you excited to exercise, making you more inclined to continue exercising. This helps

with passing the time and making your workouts more pleasurable.

Why does this matter?

According to Mayo Clinic, exercising releases endorphins and dopamine which leads to you feeling rejuvenated and confident. On top of that, music is shown to help increase endurance over time as stated by a study by the National Library of Medicine, not just improving your mentality but also your Photo by Madelyn Rieben

Music >> Page 11

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Editorials Music From page 10

physical capabilities.

Music improves your pacing while running, too. A Plos One study reported that when runners ran to the beat of the music their pacing significantly improved. This makes you feel more engaged with yourself and improves your coordination, which will help with your runs.

Athlete Ivanka Abrol said, “Yes, I like [music]. It helps me take my mind off what I’m

doing; it calms me down.” She also observed that the basketball team listens to music while practicing.

Music doesn’t just help physically, it also helps to enhance your mental health.

According to a study by the National Library of Medicine, patients diagnosed with mental disorders showed an improvement after using music as a primary tool for recovery.

They cite other studies, stating that music leads to improved heart rate, brain stimulation, and immune system

enhancement.

Currently, people are facing a lot of pressure, and ⅓ of adults are now experiencing depression, according to research from the Boston University School of Public Health. Music is shown to help with that problem, which is why it’s so vital for you to listen to it.

It will make you feel determined every day.

All in all, next time you’re ready to study, exercise, or run, grab your earbuds and play your favorite playlist for a better experience and for a better day.

Drop-outs, drugs, and … middle school romance?

Roz Defaii Hand-holding, embraces, flirting.

Middle school relationships, while merely benign, may harbor a plethora of psychological and physical repercussions.

First and foremost, those who have middle school relationships are more likely to use drugs. As stated by a study conducted by the University of Georgia of 624 students over a seven-year period, students were “...four times more likely to drop out of school and report[ed] twice as much alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana use than their single classmates." Pamela Orpinas, the study author, professor in the College of Public Health, and head of the Department of Health Promotion and Behavior, conveyed how middle school

relationships affect academic performance. According to the study, “...students who reported the highest frequency of dating had the worst study skills…”

Relationships deviate attention from school matters and undermine motivation.

As students become entangled in relationships, time allocated to studies dwindles, and grades can deteriorate.

Middle school relationships, while merely benign, may harbor a plethora of psychological and physical repercussions.

When asked on the matter, eighth grader Yhali Matot said, “I think that [middle school relationships] are fine, but people must be cautious, or the situation can escalate rapidly.”

Additionally, eighth grader Diya Ruhela said, “Very few people are mature enough in

middle school to understand the responsibilities of dating."

The topic of middle school relationships at Blach extends to seventh graders as well, some merely 12 years of age.

According to PubMed.gov, the ages of 12 to 13 are imperative in instilling healthy habits and aiding one's cognizant development.

Hence, relationships may lapse years of diligent physiological development in teens.

“I think it is very immature to date at this age,” says seventh grader Lara Leon. "Dating is not something that should be our top priority.”

These conclusions support the years of research claiming relationships of middle schoolers as the precursor to delinquent, “high-risk”, and “toxic” behavior.

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Features Figure skater Sofia Meng leaping to new heights Kavya Wazhi

“[They] taught me that if I work hard and put in the hours, then anything is possible.”

Not many people can say they figure skate competitively, but one person who can is Sofia Meng. Blach student Sofia Meng has been figure skating since five years old. The story began when Sofia received an invitation to a Christmas ice skating party at Winter Lodge.

At that moment, she found her passion for skating and begged her mom to go again.

Now, Sofia starts her day by waking up at 5 A.M. to drive to San Jose and skate for two hours, five days a week. She says, “A lot of people don’t understand how figure skating requires so much effort and time. It is really frustrating

when people don’t consider it a sport.” Sofia continues by explaining the extreme training schedules of Russian figure skaters, including strict diets and practices commonly resulting in recurring injuries.

Although there is a concern following these competitive figure skaters, it does not stop Sofia from looking up to them for inspiration. She gets the motivation to continue figure skating from her role models and Olympic champions, Nathan Chen and Yuna Kim. Sofia says, “[They] taught me that if I work hard and put in the hours, then anything is possible.”

Competing is the most nerve-racking yet thrilling part of skating for Sofia, where she can show off her talents and see her progress. One jump she loves performing is the doubleaxel, which took her over a year to perfect. After landing the jump, Sofia said she felt accomplished. “It was the most rewarding moment in my eight years of ice skating.”

Sofia is currently working on

her triple jumps and says, “Triple jumps are difficult, but as long as you put enough time and energy into practicing, it is always possible.” Sofia always stands by this message, whether it is with skating or school, and she hopes that others will also take note of this lesson.

Photo courtesy of Sofia Meng

Max Huang: young violin prodigy in the making Frederick Cieslicki What started out as a chore has become a passion for star violinist Max Huang.

His illustrious career has had many twists and turns to become the great violinist he is. Soloing in the Blach Orchestra, went to a competition in Anaheim, and competing in many competitions along the way are just some of the things that have brought him to this moment.

The Blach band and orchestra traveled to Anaheim to compete in a competition. After the trip Max said, "It was very fun, very good experience. I've done music festivals in the past, but this was different because I got to play with friends."

Max started playing the violin when he was 4 years old. He was at his older sister's violin class when his parents proposed the idea that he should get involved in violin. Following his sister’s steps he also started playing the violin. At that point, it was just something his parents wanted him to do. For the first few years his parents had most of the influence on his violin playing.

They would sign him up for classes and push him to keep on going.

For years Max kept practicing and practicing.

He says, “Practicing well and having an open mind is key for success.

It’s very difficult to improve

without practice.” Still playing the violin, he was also playing the piano. Although, after a few years he switched to only playing the violin.

After all of this hard work, he was enrolled in multiple competitions. Some of these competitions included the Junior Bach Festival and a Concerto Competition. For both of these competitions, he had to play for a judge. The judge then chooses who will play at a concert.

He played in multiple orchestras including school orchestras and outside orchestras as well. He was also in a Chamber Orchestra playing trios. This meant that he Violin >> Page 13

13 Blach Junior High Falcon's Quill

Violin From page 12

“Practicing well and having an open mind are key for success” was playing with two other people. In school orchestras he has always had one of the biggest roles.

With all of these competitions and the endless amount of practice every week, Max was starting to get burned out.

Practicing hours every week and participating in competitions just started to become repetitive. All of the pressure and how much his parents pushed him just started to boil over, so 1-2 years ago he stopped playing the violin. He decided to take a break and relax for a little bit.

Recently, he has gotten back into playing the violin. He has once again started taking lessons with a private teacher.

He attends his lessons once a week for an hour. He says, “A good teacher is very important for success; different teachers give different experiences. My last teacher was not as good as this one.”

Through this journey, Max has learned many important things and gotten very good at the violin. He hopes to keep on improving and enjoying playing the violin.

Photo by Diya Ruhela

Features Rowan Barcelona, skilled gymnast extraordinaire Annie Weisfeld

Photo courtesy of Rowan Barcelona

“That’s what I want to do.

That’s what I want to accomplish.”

Rowan Barcelona, an eighth grader here at Blach Intermediate School has been doing gymnastics for ten years, since she was three years old but has been competing for eight years. As a young child, Rowan was always climbing on things and rolling around the floor, causing her parents to put her in gymnastics.

Rowan practices four hours a day, four days a week, all year round - excluding one week for Regionals. Currently, she is competing level seven for Gold Star Gymnastics but has been training level eight skills. Rowan competes in four to five regular competitions, excluding state and Regionals.

Rowan considers her old coach, Natasha, to be her biggest role model. Not only did she compete in a lot of national competitions, she also was an incredible coach.

Natasha would try to always find new and unique ways to help her students understand not only how to do skills but how the skills worked. Coach Natasha was always very supportive and “pushed [Rowan] to always do [her] best.”

Rowan’s favorite event to partake in is bars. Rowan comments on how she “loves swinging, and I am so excited to start doing release moves next year.” Release moves are when a gymnast is swinging on bars, lets go, and catches the bar again. Rowan also loves being able to dance on the floor. “I love being able to have creative and artistic freedom in my routine, being able to do the dance moves I want and add my own flare to it.”

Rowan recalls that at her old gym, she would have gym sleepovers with her teammates. “It was super fun,” Rowan states. “We would play hide and seek in the dark, watch movies, stay up until four in the morning, and sleep for like two hours. It was super fun getting to know a different side of not only the people I work with but my coach as well.”

“I love being able to have creative and artistic freedom in my routine, being able to do the dance moves I want and add my own flare to it.”

She goes on talking about how there's an aspect of family that she never expected to get from this sport. “It’s really fun when we are all together watching one of our teammates do something really well because we all start screaming and cheering.”

On occasions when gymnastics got hard, Rowan thought about quitting. “It just takes a toll on the body and mind. It's a very mental sport, and having to do something that looks scary is challenging, but I can’t quit. It’s not just my sport anymore; it's my community, my family.”

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Features

Blach student, Sophia Zhang wins Scholastic Writing Award Austin Bea Since 1923, the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards have been the most prestigious program for young students in the U.S. This makes it quite the feat to win an award like this, especially with competitive students all throughout the country. Blach Intermediate School is quite lucky to have an aspiring 8th grader, Sophia Zhang, who won a Scholastic Award.

Ever since Sophia was young, she always had a particular interest in reading and writing.

When her father heard about the Scholastic Art & Writing Competition, he told her, and she decided it would be a great opportunity to compare her skills to her peers.

Her parents also had a big impact on her writing and definitely inspired her. When she was young, her parents forced her sister and her to write journals every weekend and every week they went on vacation. “It was such a chore, especially after a fun, long day vacationing, and I remember hating it. But that really laid the foundation to a few key writing skills,” Sophia said.

Moreover, she was also greatly influenced by her Creative Writing teacher, Mrs. Shepherd. “It was really through Creative Writing that I got time to practice and develop my writing. I have definitely improved so much through that elective,” she says.

After applying to the competition, and later winning, she was definitely shocked when she found out that she won. “I first found out from Mrs. Shepherd right at the start of English. I was very surprised for sure, and I simultaneously ran through a list of faults I found in my writing,” she says.

She entered two pieces that she wrote in her Creative Writing

“Never give up, keep on trying, put in effort, learn from experts; all of that is very important." class. The one that ultimately won was a creative piece about Greek mythology.

She described it as “a twist on the ancient folk tale of sirens.” She decided to write about this because she loves Greek mythology and reading fiction books based on Greek mythology. “I especially like the elegant language that is used in Greek mythology/Greek mythology retellings, and I wanted to experiment with that too,” she says.

The other piece that she wrote was a more creepy setting that expressed desperation and insanity through the form of diary-style writing.

Her tip to young aspiring writers and artists is to “follow the cliche maxims you have heard.” She believes that they have become cliche for a

Photo by Diya Ruhela

reason: because they work.

“Never give up, keep on trying, put in effort, learn from experts; all of that is very important. Experiment with different techniques, with different moods, different styles of writing.” She thinks that even though it might not work, or it sounds weird, you should keep writing. “It’s the only way to grow. You have to read. A lot. Only by comparing your writing to a professional’s will you know where you need to improve.”

When Sophia writes, she always finds herself stuck in front of obstacles and writing blocks. She finds it hard to find the motivation to sit down, find a topic to write about, and to start writing. Zhang says, “But when it clicks, it clicks.” She isn’t satisfied with her art skills; even so, she sticks to art and writing because she is passionate about them.

“Passion perseveres through hardship,” she says.

Zhang thinks that writing and art are everything. "You have to write emails to people, you write to contact people, you write in school, you have to write many essays for different applications,” she says. Even though she isn’t the best at art, she is still greatly passionate about it, and feels that it greatly impacts her life. “Without art, life would be bland. A bore. You need to find something artful, find something beautiful. That’s the only way to stay sane and be able to bear with life,” she says.

Sophia aspires to write and draw even more now, especially from how much she has improved in such a short amount of time. She says, “From the Scholastic Award, I’ve gotten a sense of where I stand as a writer. I also have more faith in myself that I could reach higher heights with my writing.”

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Features

Alexia Wilde: cheerleading sensation Diya Ruhela

Alexia Wilde, a student at Blach, doubles as a cheerleader in her free time. With two years of experience, she has already been on three different teams.

Getting here hasn't been an easy journey though.

She has her friend Abbie to thank for introducing her to this intense sport. While watching Abbie practice, she was “mesmerized” by the tricks that she was performing.

Feeling inspired, Alexia too started her cheerleading journey.

She joined the same team that Abbie was on, feeling a little better because there was already a friendly face on the team. “It was a little difficult at first because we mostly just did conditioning, and I didn’t know anyone. I was scared of the coaches too.” However, it wasn’t too hard for Alexia to pick up the flow because she had already talked to Abbie about it before. To this day, she views Abbie as a role model. They have been good friends for

Photo by Diya Ruhela

a long time, and she is like an older sister to Alexia. "She is super dedicated and always really cheerful.”

The hardest part of cheerleading for Alexia is the harsh practices. “The stress can be really bad sometimes.” They are also really intense and can be very tiring. When she is faced by a roadblock, it is the thrill of performing that keeps her motivated. Those few minutes on stage, showing off the skills she has acquired, make it worth all of the hard work.

Her favorite part of cheerleading is the tumbling. “I think I’m pretty good at it and when you see higher level skills, it doesn’t even look possible. It's cool.” Learning new skills is also a highlight for Alexia. Each time she perfects her technique or executes a flawless routine, she feels accomplished in herself.

Though it is not easy, Alexia manages to balance school work with cheerleading. She is an example that anything is possible when you are driven enough to do it.

Flute soloist Katie Wu contributes to Blach’s success Joanne Lin “My friends wanted me to play the clarinet, but I didn’t know what that was, so I chose the flute,” says eighth grader Katie Wu, who has been playing the flute for approximately five years.

This year, not only was the 13-year-old selected to be a soloist for the school orchestra, she was also accepted into California’s All-State Band, which is a skilled ensemble filled with talented musicians from all around the state.

Katie enjoys playing the flute —even practicing—as long as her parents aren’t forcing her.

She practices 30 to 60 minutes every day, with the goal to perhaps become a famous musician one day.

Playing this instrument has

allowed her to join multiple music groups, leading to meeting new people and making more friends. She also mentions how at first, not many classmates knew her, but after performing in Blach’s music assembly, considerably more students now recognize the flutist.

Katie prefers playing music in a group instead of individually because “not all the attention” is focused on her. She remembers her favorite flute experience being in elementary school, when she and her friends would rehearse together to perform with each other. “It was really funny because we would shout at each other in the middle of practicing,” Katie recalls.

On the flip side, performing

in an ensemble can be more stressful than playing alone because if you mess up, the rest of your group suffers as well.

Katie handles the stress by “just [practicing] more” and also admits to being superstitious sometimes.

Some of her musical ambitions include playing in the Davies Symphony Hall and being accepted into All-State Band again next year.

Photo by Madelyn Rieben

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Features Yash Masheshwari, creator of Battle Timz Liam Abelson Have you ever felt like your age has restricted your ability to do something meaningful? That you will only be able accomplish what you want when you are an adult?

Well, all you need is a little determination, feedback, and boredom. This is the story of how 12-year-old Yash Maheshwari created the card game Battle Timz, which is now on Amazon.

It all started in April of 2021.

Instead of going to a camp during spring break, he stayed home due to COVID-19.

During his imprisonment at home, he became very bored. “My family and I played games together everyday when I decided to create the game.”

So how did he actually do it?

First, he simply put his ideas down on a Google Doc. “I wanted it to be something I could play often with my friends and family as well as a game that a lot of

Photo by Madelyn Rieben

Source: Los Altos Town Crier

different people would like."

Next, Yash used Canva to digitally create the amazing look of the cards. Afterwards, he posted his game on kickstarter.com where 23 people raised $1,068. Using alibaba.com, he found ten manufacturers in China and picked his favorite.

After specifying a lot of details, Yash got 500 copies produced and shipped to his house. “From then I posted it on Amazon and went door-to-door to sell the game.”

Battle Timz has five stars on Amazon and only two are left in stock. It contains 105 cards, a rule book, and a storage box. The game can be played by 2-5 people, for ages 8-years-old and up.

If Yash could tell his past self one thing, it would be: “Keep on going and don’t give up. Work hard on the game and get a lot of feedback from peers to improve the game.”

Soma Kohaya: young bike enthusiast Frederick Cieslicki Soma Kohaya has always had a passion for fixing things.

Anything with wheels he will fix, from bikes, to strollers, and even wagons. He has a passion for repairing and riding bikes and has pursued this to the point where he can make a business from it.

This all started four years ago when his dad got him into fixing bikes. His dad taught him basic things, like how to fix a flat tire and how to replace a chain.

At this point, it was just something he enjoyed. For fun, he kept improving his skills and eventually, in July 2019, he started his own bike business.

He stated, “Why not start a business, earn a little cash on the side.” He said that starting his business was the hardest part of this journey, getting customers that wanted him to fix their bikes. He even started doing volunteer work and posted flyers up around his

Photo by Madelyn Rieben

neighborhood to grab people's attention.

A few days a week, he takes his backpack and goes to someone's house to repair their bike. He carries his backpack everywhere, and it has everything he needs. This allows for a stress free work space.

Months passed by, and he kept growing. Through all of this hard work, he has grown exponentially. He has provided his service to 250 people and has repaired around 400 bikes.

For now, he only provides this service for people in Los

Altos and Mountain View, but once he gets his license, he will be able to expand to Cupertino and beyond. Right now he can handle the demand, but in the future he might consider hiring some people who can also do some work for him.

For all these years, he has earned quite a lot of money. He plans to save most of the money for his future life, but he has also spent some of it. He loves mountain biking, so naturally he bought himself a new mountain bike. He is also interested in Japanese cars, so he bought himself one and is actively working on it. He has many projects like this on the side of his bike business. When he is not repairing bikes, he likes to mountain bike and 3D model.

What he has accomplished is truly amazing, from starting his own business at such a young age to getting many customers. Soma hopes to continue his business and keep on growing.

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Sports

Sports

The Warrior dynasty is back because of one man Ahvish Roy Two years ago, if someone said that Jordan Poole would lead the Warriors deep into the playoffs, they would be called crazy. However, this star in the making has become the “3rd splash brother” and is averaging over 30 points in his first playoff series, shining in Curry’s absence. He seems like he is the future of the Golden State Warriors, but to see how great he really is, we have to look at his past and where he came from.

Poole declared for the 2019 draft, foregoing his final two years of college at the University of Michigan. The injury-prone Warriors had just lost to the Raptors, and their dynasty seemed like it had come to an unfulfilling end. They had won three championships but had missed the chance to 3peat, which would have been a poetic end to a dominant dynasty.

Golden State was now in a peculiar position, as they neither had the star power to win a championship or the draft capital to draft top-tier talent.

Kevin Durant had left for the Brooklyn Nets, Klay Thompson was out for the season with a torn ACL, and Draymond Green was getting older, just a shadow of his prime self. Steph Curry was the only player this team had, and he would go on and get injured in the fifth game of the season.

Source: Google Jordan Poole

Here enters Jordan Poole - a scrawny shooting guard out of Michigan coming off his sophomore year averaging a mere 12.8 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.2 assists on 43.6% shooting from the field in 33 minutes.

Many analysts described his college career as “underwhelming” and were surprised when the Warriors selected him with the 28th pick in the draft. Multiple draft analysts stated that Poole was not a top 50 talent in this draft and went as far to say that he was the worst pick in the draft.

Poole started off slow, averaging 8.0 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 2.4 assists on 33% shooting from the field and 28% shooting for free in 22 minutes per game. At the end of his rookie season, it seemed like those analysts doubting him were right.

In his second season, he bumped his percentages and points up and did it while receiving only 19 minutes a game.

In his third season, he took a big step, averaging 18 points per game on 45% shooting from the field and 36% shooting from 3, along with leading the league in free throw percentage at 92.5%. He acted as a replacement for Klay Thompson and defined himself as the 3rd splash brother.

Entering the playoffs, the Warriors were the 3rd seed going against the MVP-Jokic led Nuggets.

With Curry injured, the Nuggets looked like they had a chance, yet that chance disappeared when Jordan Poole came out for blood, averaging a stunning 28.7 points on 66% shooting from the field and 55% shooting from 3. Jordan Poole has proved his doubters wrong, and it looks like he will continue to do so as the grass only grows greener from here.

The top five wackiest and weirdest sports Liam Abelson

ous and random sports.

Beyond the sports we know so well today, there is a plethora #5: Giant Pumpkin of peculiar pastimes that will Kayaking blow your mind and leave you laughing. So strap into your This sport is pretty self seats, or rather, giant explanatory. 600-800 pound pumpkins, prepare your pumpkins are hollowed out and outhouses, and get ready to be thrown into the world of hilari- Top 5 >> Page 18

Source: Travel Portland, Giant Pumpkin kayaking

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Sports Sports Top 5 From page 17

raced along the edge of a lake.

The races are held annually in Oregon. If a pumpkin capsizes, which does happen, rescue boats are at the ready.

#4: Cheese Rolling What do you get when you combine running, cheese, and a big, steep hill? The answer is cheese rolling! In this sport, contestants start at the top of a tall hill. A 9-pound wheel of Gloucester Cheese is rolled down the hill and a single second later, the contestants race after it. The one who can make it to the bottom of the hill first gets to take home the cheese. Though contestants try to run after the cheese, there is a lot more rolling and tumbling.

#3: Extreme Ironing Extreme Ironing is an example of people who upgrade their chores to thrilling activities. This sport originated in Britain and involves ironing in dangerous places, like on top of cliffs, or while skydiving. To do this sport, you definitely need to have nerves of steel. Or maybe iron.

Source: Cool Of the Wild, Extreme Ironing

Cheese Source: WestBrook, Cheese Rolling Competition

#2: Chess Boxing

and have silly names like “The Flamingo Flusher,” “The Party Pooper,” “The Butt Hut,” and "Wee Wee Tee Pee." The prizes for this sport are either gold, silver, or bronze painted toilet seats.

This is the ultimate sport of both mind and muscle.

Opponents switch between a chess match and boxing. You can win by knocking out your opponent or checkmating them.

The motto of Chess Boxers is Honorable Mention: “Fighting is done in the ring and Underwater Hockey wars are waged on the board.”

Underwater Hockey is just One match has 11 rounds; 6 chess, and 5 boxing. There is a 1 what it sounds like. Opposing teams must push the puck on a minute rest between rounds. pool floor into the other team’s goal, which is 9 feet wide, yet #1: Outhouse Racing only 8 inches tall. The hockey sticks are super tiny and sort of This sport takes place in resemble boomerangs.

Mackinaw City, Michigan. Each Underwater hockey also goes by team has three people, two the fantastic name Octopush. pushers and a rider. The pushers push the outhouse mounted on skis over a racetrack of snow.

For something to qualify as an outhouse, it must have a toilet, TP dispenser, and toilet seat.

Greg Yoder, first commissioner of the event, calls it “The Best Case of the Runs You’ll Ever Have.” Fans wear badges that say “Don’t Wipe Out!” Creativity really shines through with these Source: ESPN, Underwater Hockey outhouses. They are decorated

19 Blach Junior High Falcon's Quill

Sports

Sports

The Boston Marathon: competitive, encouraging, and memorable Nayan Ganapathi Marathons, 26.2 miles of rigorous yet enjoyable running.

Marathons will test not only the physical endurance of people but also mental endurance.

Days, if not weeks of training, are needed before you can even attempt to run one of these races.

The Boston Marathon is one of the six Abbot world major marathons. The 2022 race took place on April 18, 2022 with 30,000 athletes participating in the 126th Boston Marathon from Hopkinton to Boston. The average time that it takes to run the marathon is 3 hours and 53 minutes.

Even though the Boston Marathon has been one of the most historic marathons in history, it has also had problems. Such as the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, which tragically killed three people and injured hundreds more. With the first Boston Marathon taking place on April 19, 1897, the great marathon has had a glimmering history that truly is second to none.

After much debate about how long a marathon should be, the course length was finally set at 26.2 miles in 1924. In 1972, the marathon finally featured eight

Source: The Gurdian; Boston Marathon

Source: Marca.com; Boston Marathon women who all started and finished.

In 1975 the Boston Marathon became the first marathon to have a wheelchair division by recognizing Bob Hall.

Unfortunately, the 2020 Boston Marathon was canceled and the 2021 marathon was held virtually. This year, some of the top runners from around the world were able to put up some seriously good times in every single division.

For the men's wheelchair results, USA’s Daniel Romanchuk and Aaron Pike took first and second place with times of 1:26:58 and 1:32:55 respectively; meanwhile, Johnboy Smith from the United Kingdom took third place with a time of 1:32:55.

In women’s wheelchair, Manuela Schar of Switzerland took first place with a time of 1:41:08, Susannah Scaroni from the USA took second place with a time of 1:46:20, and Australia’s Madison De Rozario took third place with a time of 1:52:48.

In men's handcycles, the top

three finishers were American.

Alfredo Delossantos took first place with a time of 1:08:40, Dustin Baker took second place with a time of 1:15:52, and Steve Chapman took third place with a time of 1:21:33.

In women’s handcycles, the podium sitters were all American, Wendy Larsen took first place with a time of 1:35:10, Devann Murphy took second place with a time of 1:48:23, and Diane Leigh Sumner took third place with a time of 2:03:43.

In the professional men's division, Evans Chebet of Kenya took first place with a time of 2:06:51, Lawrence Cherono of Kenya took second place with a time of 2:07:21, and Benson Kipruto of Kenya took third place with a time of 2:07:27.

In the professional women's division, Peres Jepchirchir of Kenya took first place with a time of 2:21:02, Ababel Yeshaneh of Ethiopia took second place with a time of 2:21:06, and Mary Ngugi of Kenya took third place with a time of 2:21:32.

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Sports Sports United States men's soccer team is back in the World Cup Aadi Joseph After losing the 2018 World Cup Qualifiers, the United States men’s national soccer team (USMNT) has come back ready to fight. After practicing for months, they have definitely brought a newer, more powerful team that will change the competition. After making it into six World Cups since 1990, they were certainly devastated to miss out on the 2018 World Cup. During the qualifiers, the team started out great with a 3-2 victory against Mexico. The match began with an early goal from the Mexican team’s star player, Jesus Corona. The U.S team later tied the match scoring a quick goal after a corner kick. Both teams scored

Source: Team USA, USA gets qualified

one goal and went into overtime.

Christian Pulisic scored the final goal, cementing their victory.

The U.S continued in this fashion for the rest of the season, acquiring a record of 7 wins, 4 loses, and 3 draws. This season has been one of the better ones, with the team winning half of their games.

Their team is definitely ready for

the Qatar World Cup. After the 2018 World Cup, coach Greg Berhalter made multiple revisions to the team, mostly by adding young, striving players to replace the older ones. One of the players was Christian Pulisic. Pulisic is now the star player for the USA after scoring goal after goal and never doubting himself or his team.

Another player who has helped significantly who came from the reformation was Walker Zimmerman.

He was an excellent player who came into the team, defending and stopping the opponents from scoring goals.

After the reformation of the team, the USMNT have secured their spot in the Qatar 2022 World Cup, finishing third in the table.

Los Angeles Lakers miss playoffs after loss to Phoenix Suns Michael Thompson The Los Angeles Lakers have missed the playoffs for the second time in three years with superstar LeBron James, following a loss to the Phoenix Suns. Los Angeles was a favorite to win the NBA championship this year, following their trade for star Russell Westbrook.

The team, which had won a title just two years before, never clicked and was riddled with injuries for the whole season.

Stars James and Anthony Davis both missed a number of games for various injuries, and the team was unable to make up for their losses.

At the beginning of the season, the Lakers, at 30.9 years old, were on average two years older than any other team in the league. The age showed as the team limped through the final stretch. They finished with six wins and 18 losses in their last 24 games, and oftentimes looked unable to keep up with their opponents.

Source: Los Angels Times, Lakers vs. Phoenix Suns

Los Angeles, home to the Lakers and Clippers, is a popular destination for free agents, and the Lakers may be able to sign some productive veterans with small contracts. The team is not getting any younger, though, until they find a way to trade some of their older stars.

They’re reportedly looking to

trade Westbrook, but the rest of the stars will likely be around for another year. After firing coach Frank Vogel, a replacement could also breathe new life into the team.

With James announcing that he would play with whichever team drafts his son, Bronny, the Lakers could be in real trouble.

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Sports

Sports

Blach’s wrestling team dominates in first meet of the season Andrew Levitt Blach started the season on a high note against Graham and Hyde on Wednesday, April 27. Wrestling coach Mr. Stephen Kane, 8th grade wrestler Brigham Robinson, and 7th grade wrestler Anant Sahai answered questions regarding their first match.

When asked, Coach Kane responded, “I was proud of how each wrestler handled themselves. It is a scary moment stepping out on the mat.” He explained how each one worked incredibly hard and showed “tremendous growth” in the very little time they had to practice. He hopes they can keep up this hard work throughout the season.

In his debut, star heavyweight wrestler Brigham Robinson excelled, and when asked how he felt about his first match, he answered, “Stepping on that mat for the first time was something I’ve never felt before. I was shaking just staring my opponent in his eyes.”

Late in the second round, Robinson won his match by pin. Comparing wrestling to other sports he has played, like basketball, Robinson said, “Wrestling takes so much mental focus. One tiny mistake can lead to a lost match.”

All Photos Courtesy of Dean Caringellla

Wrestler Anant Sahai reflects on his two “nervewracking but exciting” wins.

He said, “The experience was completely different than anything I have ever experienced.” He continues to explain that the feeling of somebody wrestling him gives

shouting my name as I dragged him to the mat.”

When asked about training sessions after school, Sahai said, “Practices are intense but far less stressful than the match itself. Mr. Kane teaches me technique and new moves to perform on

“Stepping on that mat for the first time was something I’ve never felt before." him an adrenaline rush “like no other.” In a happy and proud manner, Sahai said, “Seeing my teammates cheering me on from the sidelines made me smile.

Everyone was screaming and

my opponents.”

Blach’s wrestlers hope to continue their so far stunning season, and it looks like COVID is the biggest obstacle standing in their path to victory.

22 Blach Junior High Falcon's Quill

Sports Sports

Role models for Ivanka Abrol Blach is home to many talented athletes. A crucial reason for their success is practice; natural talent is another. However, one less known reason is the people who inspire them and motivate them to be the best version of themselves that they can be. So who inspires these athletes to persevere, to continue, and to be the athlete that they currently are?

Andrew Levitt Multi-sport athlete Andrew Levitt says that his personal role model is his grandfather who passed away two years ago. He says, “[My grandfather] went to every one of my sports games.

Even when we were down like 10-0, he would still be cheering for me.” Levitt says that his

Dean Caringella

Similarly, track athlete Dean Caringella says that his role model would also be his grandfather, Fred Oppezzo.

Oppezzo was a football and baseball coach at Mountain View High School. Caringella says that he looked up to his grandfather from a very young age and that

both shared “many adm qualities within athletic sports.” Oppezzo taught Caringella and his older b how to play baseball, Caringella says that he “ my brother how to weigh and my brother passed tha me.”

"He gives me the spark to go out there and play" - Andrew Levitt

grandfather always supported him, no matter what the sport.

His grandfather also provided motivation for Levitt, as he says that “he gives me the spark to go out there and play.” Levitt admits that at times he has considered giving up a sport, but the memory of his grandfather encourages him to keep playing and trying his best, even when things are tough.

Kate McKinley However, athlete Kate McKinley says that her role model is nowhere near as personal. “My role model would probably be Lexie Hall,” she says.

Lexie Hall is a basketball player on Stanford’s women's basketball team. McKinley states

that she is inspired by Hall’s work ethic, and that Hall motivates her to "get out there, work hard, and be more aggressive on the court.” She adds that Hall “inspires me to be more aggressive and to play hard and not be afraid to get fouled or be more physical in a game.”

Hall motivat to "get out work hard, more aggres the court"

- Kate McK

23 Blach Junior High Falcon's Quill

Sports

Sports

athletes at Blach

mirable cs and t both rother , and “taught t train, at on to

Caringella’s grandfather also taught him many techniques to become a better sprinter, and Caringella says that he sets his goals to be like his grandfather.

Caringella is participating in a 12K in May and says that it was something that his grandfather would participate in as well.

Yhali Matot Not only do athletes at Blach have inspirational role models but so do up and coming athletes such as Yhali Matot.

Matot says that his role model is Usain Bolt, as Matot says that Bolt has “always pushed me to do my best” and when Matot sees how Bolt has risen up, he is inspired to do the same. Matot even admits that “I’ve decreased my mile time because of Usain Bolt’s inspirational quotes” and that Bolt even inspired Matot to participate in cross country and improve himself.

Source: Encyclopedia Britannica

Clearly, Blach is home to many talented and motivated athletes, and their role models definitely play an influential role in their success. As Usain Bolt said, “I know what I can do, so I never doubt myself.”

tes her there, and be sive on

Kinley

"I know what I can do, so I never doubt myself" Source: Stanford Athletics

- Usain Bolt