bubbly personality, contagious joy, and caring nature. Ruby has transitioned into her chosen pathway, Innolab, with grace and composure.
She has a passion for the work she does and says, “I like having more
through her glitter tattoo booth shared with sophomore Lyla Stevenson at Fall Festival. Ruby has a particular pride for the glitter tattoo booth, and is planning to continue the business at basketball games in the near future.
Savannah Norton with assistance from Abi Young (Photo by Grace Seiss)
For her, beauty is nothing new. Ruby has known she wanted to pursue a career in cosmetology for as long as she can remember and it's evident in her work. As soon as passport planning began, her subject was obvious even if she didn’t know the details. Ruby decided to begin selling press on nails to students and friends about halfway through the summer after thinking through the project. Although the process may seem easy, she claims it's only easy because she chose something she loved.
Her advice to anyone thinking about their passport project is, “Do something you actually like doing and have interest in. It's like playing a sport; if you don’t have passion for it you’ll hate doing it. Pick something that inspires you.”
Ruby may have found great joy in a passport project that will benefit her career, but you don’t have to know everything about your future to decide.
Ruby says simply, “if you like painting, then paint.”
Ruby’s ambition doesn’t end with her work in Innolab or her passport project, but continues with her and her family's push for Impact Institute to partner with Oak Farm Montessori School. Impact Institute is a program
that allows for experience and certification in a variety of fields including cosmetology, engineering, and law. Aside from her strides in her career and future professional life, Ruby has also grown in her relationships with her friends and peers.
“I’ve started prioritizing my own self-respect and mental health, and after I did that my relationships improved,” Ruby says.
Ruby attributes her success to positive influences and role models in her life, such as Oak Farm’s own Oakleigh Butler. Ruby finds solace in having an adult mentor outside her family who understands her so well, and admires Oakleigh's personality and achievements.
“Oakleigh is so calm and a lot of people feel free to come to her. She always has her stuff together, and even when she’s all over the place you can’t tell when she doesn’t have it together. She’s very nice and funny, even though I joke about her being mean to me. She’s actually amazing,” Ruby praises.
Her earnest praise and haste to give credit to positive influences in her life truly show what she’s like. More than glitter, positivity, and grace she’s a deeply caring person with a sure ambition.
A Meeting With The Mayor
By Savannah Norton
Mayor Sharon Tucker came into office with years of experience in local government, with time spent on the Allen County Council and Fort Wayne City Council. Her history reveals a deep passion for regional politics, with ideas of her future aspirations starting as early as her teenage years.
“I realized I wanted to be a part of something bigger than myself,” she says.
Her impact on Fort Wayne is notably widespread, with her historical inauguration marking her as the first black female mayor of Fort Wayne. Mayor Tucker’s role in local government is deeply inspirational to many people wishing to become more involved within their communities.
Mayor Tucker is a supporter of citizens standing for what they believe in, and encourages them to attend local events that allow them to be heard.
“We’re fortunate to have a very active and engaged community,” Mayor Tucker says. “From neighborhood meetings to public input sessions to government meetings, we have a lot of opportunities for individuals and families to get involved to make a difference.”
Many citizens of Fort Wayne are happy with the progress Mayor Tucker is making,
but other are dissatisfied with the level of action she's taking. She’s most often criticized for her handling of the houseless population, however she has plans of moving forward with new initiatives that will hopefully address these issues. Mayor Tucker’s work with the New Rivers District involves enhancing and building new infrastructure within the New Rivers community in order to attract business. Advisors forecast that the area has a lot of potential for growth and tourism, and the team is currently seeking a developer to lead the project. The city hopes to turn this district into a diverse and popular area focused on wellness.
Although Mayor Tucker has faced criticism for her mishandling of Fort Wayne’s houseless population, this project puts a focus on helping those in need. The goal is to create a new homeless shelter in Fort Wayne, a palace that operates twenty four hours a day, seven days of the week. The homeless shelter is
intended to house men and women and offer them a pathway to permanent housing, as well as showers, laundry facilities, and food.
So far, Mayor Tucker has proven to be a qualified and impactful mayor. Her background with government and passion for the city of Fort Wayne promise more progress in the future.
Whether a skeptic or a fan, it's worth following Mayor Tucker’s term.
Photo Creds: WOWO News Station.
Joke of the Week!
What do zombies read in the newspaper? The headlines!
Squirrel Screen
By Leah Cook
Crazy Cool Crafts
Pom Pom Garlands
By Autumn Dixon
Materials
Yarn (color[s] of your choice)
Scissor
Needle (wide)
Fork Instructions
Cut off a 3-inch sized piece of yarn
String yarn through the middle prong of the fork
Hold in place and wrap yarn around the fork horizontally
Continue wrapping around until it is a circular rounded shape
Take the yarn you have from the beginning (the piece you strung between the fork holes) and tie it around the yarn in the middle of
the fork, securing it in place. (It will make a kind of butterfly-looking shape).
Slide the yarn all the way off the fork once secure
Cut the yarn circles
Fluff out pom pom
Repeat steps 1 through 9 for as many pom poms as you want
Measure the length of the place you would like the pom pom garland to be, and cut the yarn to the appropriate length.
Using the needle string, the pom poms are placed onto the yarn
Repeat for as many pom poms as you have
Hang the Pom Pom Garland
You’re done, now you have a crazy cool Pom Pom Garland!
Photo Creds: Pom Stitch Tassel and Angie's Roost
First Impressions
By Leah Cook and Madeline Reeves
Student Submissions
The Little Glass Girl
By: Anonymous
Photo Creds: Unknown
The girls life seemed perfect. She had a loving family, great friends, and even the best school, but underneath her skin and muscle, there lived a little glass girl. This little glass girl was very fragile. A mere flick could create a crack. But the world was what really broke her.
She lived inside a little child, the child was strong enough to protect her, but as the child grew, the child grew weaker, not quite strong enough to protect the little glass girl from cracks. The child was clever, and invoked flight or fight response as much as possible, but that just made things worse, for now the little glass girl grew weak too, her tempered glass turning annealed. When the child learned of a better school, she jumped at the chance to go. As the child went to the best school, she forgot about the fragile little glass girl. The child was happy there, but didn’t get much work done. The little glass girl felt lonely. She reminded the child, to do work, but the child refused, calling the little glass girl a failure. For the first time, the little glass girl had a crack.
that as the little glass girl broke so did she. As time went on the little glass girl gained more cracks, became so weak that when the child saw her little glass girl, she barely recognized her. “What happened to you?” Said the child, with fear of losing her little glass girl. The little glass girl looked at the child and simply said, “You. You pushed me around, called me dumb, stupid, and a failure. All your ‘protecting’ caused me to become weak and easily broken. In time I can be fixed, but not fully. Cracks can be glued, pieces can be bonded, but you’ll still see the scars you left.” As the little glass girl shattered the child cried, realizing what she had done to her little glass girl.
The child did not notice the crack, and continued on with life, joyful and happy.
So always be careful, for if you are careless, you might shatter your little glass girl.
Student Submissions
Photographs by Sam Snyder
Comic Strip by Ilah Mosely and October Adams
Other Words
By Ilah Mosely
Anacoluthon
Definition: The act of moving to a new topic of discussion before finishing a current one.
As many words often do, Anacoluthon is derived from the Greek word “Anakolouthos”, meaning “lacking sequence”. The Earliest known use of the word dates back to the late 1500s. It is found in the written translation by C. Rosdell in 1583. The term itself is borrowed from the Latin Language and used primarily within the academic context.
How often do we move on from something before it’s done? We go through so many conversations and experiences in our lifetime, that it’s hard to remember all that we’ve done. Sometimes it’s easier to move on from the hard things, rather than to endure it till it’s over. We avoid the things we don’t like and we move on before we are ready. When you type in “Moving on before you’re ready” in the Google search bar, you’ll get hundreds of articles telling you how to move on. With 10 or less steps. But the real question is, is this healthy? Moving on from a conversation that you needed to have with someone important to you before it is done, can’t be good for that relationship. If you don’t come to a consensus now, you never will. In other words, you can never finish something without a conclusion. If you can’t figure out the last sentence, your story isn’t over yet
Photo Creds: The Poetry Lab
Mentally Madeline
By Madeline
Reeves
So, as a person, mental health is super important, right? But often, people don’t know how to support their mental well-being. Physical health is easy. Exercise, eat healthy, and see a doctor every once in a while. However, mental health is overlooked again and again because it’s more difficult to maintain. This column is all about mental health and supporting you guys in taking care of yourselves during high school. School can be really stressful at times, especially with extracurriculars, big projects, and important tests. I want to help all of you combat burnout and succeed in school while still having fun. So, in the column, I am going to be answering questions sent in by you! If no questions are submitted for the next issue, I’ll cover different mental health-related topics instead. A form will be posted in the OFMHS Google Classroom. That form can be used to ask questions about mental health, social situations, or anything else you want to know how to navigate. It can be accessed at any time for whatever you need. Additionally, this will be completed anonymously to make everyone feel more comfortable. I can’t wait to hear from you all. See you soon!
P.S. Please avoid gossiping or talking about others in any way when filling out the form/asking questions.
Photo Creds: AMJ
OFMHS Halloween Party
By Ella Lane
On October 21st, the high school had a Halloween party. The students were encouraged to wear their costumes and play games. Snacks, pizza, and punch were provided for the students. There were opportunities to play the doughnut game as well as musical chairs. The night was full of laughter and smiles.
FFA National Conference
FaculTEA
By Anonymous
FaculTEA: Educator With Master’s Degree Defeated By Single Typo; Woodland Turf War Erupts Among Lower Elementary Nations
(AVILLA) In a shocking turn of events that has rocked the Oak Farm Montessori communication world, veteran educator Jon [last name redacted for professionalism, but you know who you are] committed a catastrophic typo on ParentSquare earlier this week.
Eyewitnesses report that the typo was sent out at 4:15 pm on October 29th, during which several parents allegedly reread the message three times before deciding it was “probably fine.” Experts say this incident will go down in history as a reminder that even those holding a Master’s in Education are not immune to the dangers of not having Grammarly downloaded.
Meanwhile, in unrelated but equally pressing news, Lower Elementary One and Lower Elementary Three are on the brink of all-out turf standoff over disputed woodland territories near the tree house. The so-called “Turforest Crisis” began when a rogue acorn from Lower Elementary One allegedly rolled across the invisible border, igniting tensions that have simmered since last fall’s Leaf Pile Agreement collapsed.
Diplomats from Upper Elementary have called for calm, while Middle School peacekeepers were seen crafting “Ceasefire Bracelets” during art class with Meg and Leigha. The situation remains tense.
In response, Lower Elementary Three has issued an urgent call for acorn donations, citing “critical shortages” and a need to “fund the resistance.” Donations may be delivered discreetly via small baskets or, for dramatic effect, catapulted from across the Sports Complex.
Until next time, keep your grammar tight, your borders respected, and your tea scalding. Anonymous Faculty
FaculTEA
Creds: Anonymous
Photos of said events attached below
Get To Know The Staff!
Savannah N.
What is your favorite part of journalism club? My favorite part of the club is seeing so many talented students, all girls, gather into a group and make something very original. The club members do a great job of maintain a comfortable but professional environment. I love the dedication and passion they show for something I care a lot for.
What is your role? Editor -In-Chief
What section are you looking forward to seeing? Star Student.
Madelyn B.
What is your favorite part of journalism club?
Working with the beautiful members of the Oak Farm Oracle.
What is your role? Editor.
What section are you looking forward to seeing? The Squirrel Screen.
October A.
What is your favorite part of journalism club? The goat Savannah Norton
What is your role? Secretary.
What section are you looking forward to seeing? Star Student.
Evelyn B.
What is your favorite part of journalism club? My favorite part of journalism club is the group of people that I get to work with! I also like seeing what everyone else has came up with and all the creative ideas they have.
What is your role? Editor.
What section are you looking forward to seeing? BookEd.
Ilah M.
What is your favorite part of journalism club? I love the group I get to work with and the opportunities that come with the club. I have the chance to publish my own work in a communal piece! I also love how open our club is to new ideas.
What is your role? Journalist.
What section are you looking forward to seeing? Mentally Madeline.
Madeline R.
What is your favorite part of journalism club? Getting a choice in what I write and what I do. I also love being able to collaborate and connect with so many of my peers.
What is your role? Journalist.
What section are you looking forward to seeing? First Impressions
Leah C.
What is your favorite part of journalism club? Savannah Norton.
What is your role? Journalist.
What section are you looking forward to seeing? The Squirrel Screen.
Grace S.
What is your favorite part of journalism club? We all get to express ourselves together and with our own creative medium and I think that's really Montessori and beautiful.
What is your role? Photographer
What section are you looking forward to seeing? Ilah and October's Comic.
Reese W.
What is your favorite part of journalism club? My favorite part about the journalism club is that everyone is super nice, and that even though my strength isn’t writing, I still found a spot in the journalism club with photography. I am so excited to be taking photos during different events
What is your role? Photographer.
What section are you looking forward to seeing? Star Student.
Autumn D.
What is your favorite part of journalism club? Writing what I want to write and the chaos.
What is your role? Journalist.
What section are you looking forward to seeing? Submissions.
Louisa E.
What is your favorite part of journalism club? Being able to express myself through writing.
What is your role? Journalist
What section are you looking forward to seeing? Food Reviews
Abi Y.
What is your favorite part of journalism club? My favorite part of journalism club is how well run it is! We only have had three meetings, and the way we all are doing so well in our pieces and staying on top of time management is such a great place to be.
I love all things writing, so getting to be in a space full of people who care as much as I do in the art of writing, whether its for movie reviews, school topics, etc it all is accepted!
What is your role? Journalist.
What section are you looking forward to seeing? Contests.
Elli J.
What is your favorite part of journalism club? I enjoy writing and talking to other people about the latest news.
What is your role? Journalist.
What section are you looking forward to seeing? BookEd.
Ella L.
What is your favorite part of journalism club? My favorite part of the journalism club is how we all can collaborate and collectively agree on ideas.
What is your role? Photographer.
What section are you looking forward to seeing? Squirrel Screen.
Lyla S.
What is your favorite part of journalism club? I like how journalism club is an outlet I can use to build on my creativity. It also gives me a chance to express my ideas and work i've done with photography projects. Ultimately the journalism club brings the community together.
What is your role? Photographer
What section are you looking forward to seeing? Submissions.
