The Canine Chronicle MBMS March 2015

[t h e canine ] mount baker middle school, auburn, washington

march 2015

volume V, issue 4

inside this issue: Too Much Testing?

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Recycling, Canned Food Drive

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The Duff Review

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Female Hero Essay Winner

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TCC Culture Poll

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Guess Who?

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Locker Lottery

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SPOTLIGHT: Left-Handers

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Select vs. MS Sports

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Third Season Sports Wrap-up

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Wrestling

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Girls Soccer

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Girls Basketball

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TCC Staff 6-Word Biographies

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Puzzles

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FRONT COVER PHOTO: With school violence dominating headlines, many lawmakers have proposed that teachers should carry guns to protect students. Others think it may cause an uncomfortable, dangerous environment for learning. PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY P. WARRING BACK COVER PHOTO: Excessive testing has interrupted student’s education. The SBA is a common test that everyone has to take eventually. What does “SBA” stand for? PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY S. BOLDEN & S. ERICKSON

Dear Bulldogs, The new semester has already begun and the days are getting longer. Even though the end is near, we still have a long way to go.

Here at The Canine Chronicle, we have a fresh new crop of staff eager to publish. But we can’t set them free to write just yet. They are still learning the process that makes our paper run as smoothly as it does. For our March edition, you’ll get a chance to see the faces that lie behind the byline. It’s not about us though. Our goal is to tell your story not ours.

We have three more editions left to tell the story of this school and we haven’t lost that spark yet. So as we continue to teach our traditions to the new staff, we still have to produce something for you. You are the readers that keep us motivated to publish, and give us the determination to put forth each new paper.

This year is long from being over, but time flies when you’re having fun. So as the students get ready for all the tests and start looking forward to the future, we want to keep the public informed about the issues going on around Mt. Baker.

News isn’t all fun and games unfortunately. We want to talk about the topics that are hot, what gets people talking. So in this edition you can expect great things from our staff again.

There is no better time than now to get people talking about things.

The Chronicle is built on tradition and determination, so we have to carry the torch for the people who came before us.

We want to continue to achieve greatness for you readers and for everyone.

Make it a great day bulldogs!

Sincerely,

The Canine Chronicle

EDITORS mission: The MBMS Journalism 8 class produced this limited-voice Editors

Reporters

Reporters

Reporters

Shewit Alemayehu Symone Bolden Skylar Erickson Dylan Grenz Kira Kopcho

Hunter Allemand Katelyn Andersen Cami Baker ZaReah Barren Jenn Bell Elijah Blyden Tyler Braun Siarah Brown Chucky Chang

Hailey Cruz Ty Emmons Erandy Flores Korben Hart Camden Heilborn Mercedes Johnson Kayna Kliewer Trevor Little Brianna Lloyd

Sharon Manivanh Arturo Martinez-Reyes Dylan Molina Jennifer Ortiz Yuliana Romo-Perez Isaiah Shin

Adviser Peter Warring

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Technical Support Jay Kemp

table of contents

newspaper with intent to ethically report events accurately, without bias.

As a public forum for students, all decisions made on content are made under the guidance of the adviser, with intent to uphold students’ First Amendment rights.

The opinions presented in articles are provided to represent the views and perspectives of students and individuals in our diverse student population, not necessarily the whole of the adviser, faculty, and administrators. Any material that would cause a disruption to the educational process like libel, invasion of privacy, or copyright infringement will not be published.

The Canine Chronicle is produced using Microsoft Publisher. Photographs not taken by students have been utilized through a Creative Commons and Microsoft license. School portraits are licensed though Dorian Photography.

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volume V, issue 4

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PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY P. WARRING

Symone Bolden & Brianna Lloyd With eighteen states already allowing teachers to carry guns in schools, students may wonder if their teachers should carry guns as well.

Teachers should carry guns in school because it can prevent school shootings while bettering the safety of students.

While it’s easy to think guns are dangerous but when you look at the benefits guns can actually prevent school shootings by stopping the person causing the issue. Most student are actually fine with Mt .Baker teachers carrying guns and think it would be a good idea.

Sixth grader Carson Pearl expressed,” I would be fine with [teachers carrying guns]” Also if staff were chosen to be able to hold guns at school they would be trained and the guns would be locked up somewhere and hidden from students.

There are many concerns from students and staff on the topic.

People like Abigail Juth, who wasn’t certain on teachers having guns, would change her decision based on whether or not the staff was trained to properly handle a gun.

For example, eighth grader Abigail Juth believes, “Kids could get ahold of it and shoot someone [if the gun is not locked up]”.

Having teachers and staff carrying guns could only insure the safety at schools. With the recent school shootings happening in Washington taking precautions would keep more students safe because the staff would be trained to handle a gun in the school zone.

Most teachers do not know how to properly use a gun.

Pearl stated,” [I would change my decision if they weren’t trained] because they could accidently shoot the students. “ With the country in the process of getting more states to have their schools carrying guns it could only help the students be safe at school. Seventh grader Arianna Stephens says that, “If they were trained it would make me feel safer.”

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With school shootings being very common in the news, some states have taken into consideration of arming their employees.

Teachers carrying guns brings fear into the schools environment.

Guns can end up in the wrong hands, and injuring someone innocent.

“No, [Teachers should not carry guns], it’s a bad influence on students,” sixth grader Quamari Townsel describes.

Carrying guns would have a bad outcome, in the hands of teachers not properly trained and equipped. “[It could] get in the wrong hands, and most people aren’t trained,” Mrs. Walker believes. “No, [I wouldn’t feel safe] I’m not properly trained,” Many students would not feel safe in school, while teachers have a loaded weapon on them. Many are worried that the weapon could easily go off, injuring someone not meant to be wounded.

“The gun could go off and kill a student,” seventh grader Timothy Rambo states.

If the weapon was locked up, it may not be ready to use at all times, and if the gun was not locked up then a student could easily grab it, which is bad news.

“Students and delinquents might get a hold of the gun,” Rambo worries.

Many teachers would no longer work at MBMS if they were required to wear a gun at all times, but Walker has a different point of view.

“Yes, [I would still work here]. I would learn how to use it,” Walker describes.

Worries about the gun going off when not needed is a big concern for most students, and would make students feel unsafe when the walk through the front doors of MBMS. “[My concern is], shooting somebody,” Townsel clarifies.

Teachers should not carry guns in school, even though it could save you from a life or death situation.

“I’m not safe when there’s guns around me,” Rambo describes.

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Kira Kopcho

“...There is too much [testing]. Just for my class, it’s 26 class periods of testing, and that does not include the seven days of testing for SBA.”

Every year, a time rolls around when students are in frenzy, despite being prepared.

Testing season is back again, but unfortunately it seems like the tests we take are far from being over.

Since the inception of standards-based grading, everything has been changing. This year the district implemented a new test called the “SBA” (Smarter Balance Assessment), which is supposed to replace the former MSP and WASL tests.

—MRS. CARSTENS

language arts teacher Sometimes it seems like all we do is take tests, but the question is, how much is too much?

“My feeling on standardized

With all the tests we have, acronyms and names can get ridiculous to keep track of.

T.M.S.T in this cartoon stands for Too Much Standardized Testing, because it sometimes seems like all we do is test. PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY K. KOPCHO

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testing is that there is too much of it.” Mrs. Carstens, a language arts teacher gave her opinion on standardized tests. “Just for my class,

it’s 26 class periods of testing, and that does not include the seven days of testing for SBA.” The SBA test is not the only test that affects students and teachers. In Common Core, there are standards that we have to test on, so that equals more tests for students.

Students are also pulled out of class for specialized tests like the NAEP or CogAT test, and that takes valuable learning time away.

Eighth grader Wesley Lippard created a petition against the SBA out of his frustration about the test. It currently has about 80 student signatures, as well as a few teacher signatures. PHOTO BY K. KOPCHO

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volume V, issue 4

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“I’m not a big fan of [standardized testing], but I’m not against all of it,” eighth grader Wesley Lippard input his thoughts on the tests students take. “I think if teachers who actually know the students wrote [the tests] they would be able to make a better test.”

The amount of testing varies from class to class due to what standards each subject has to test on. Teachers write tests for their students, yet they still have to give tests by the state.

If teachers wrote the tests that the state gives, they could better control how their students learn and what they are assessed on.

“I don’t have access to knowing what’s on [the tests].” Car-

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“[Tests] are just going to keep changing in Washington State. I expect it’s just going to keep getting harder.”

—DREW BATES

seventh grade

stens spoke about the unpredictable factors of testing.

“Often they are written by someone who has never taught students.”

Even though there is a lot of tests, the standards are constantly changing. It seems as if every year there is a new standard to test on, and a new test to take.

The factor of the unknown plays a big part in the game of

SBA (Smarter Balance Assessment) MAPS (Measurement of Academic Progress) NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) CogAT (Cognitive Abilities Test) Orleans-Hanna (Algebra Prognosis Test)

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testing. “[Tests] are just going to keep changing in Washington State.” seventh grader, Drew Bates, inferred about the SBA and standardized tests. “I expect it’s just going to keep getting harder.”

What we don’t know shouldn’t be able to hurt us, but the frustration of not knowing what is on the test seems to be a hot topic among students and

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teachers alike. The SBA is a brand new test, which making student scores unpredictable, thus causing many of questions to go unanswered. It is a struggle to prepare for the unknown for teachers and students.

“They predict a lot of students will fail this test.” Lippard responded about the SBA. “They expect us to pass and that’s not very fair.”

The problem of testing is that teachers aren’t really getting to teach anymore. The learning we get comes from preparing for tests, not what our teachers want to teach.

To end in the words of Mrs. Carstens, “Teach. I want more time for self-selected learning.”

ReadiStep (PSAT/NMSQT SAT Primer Test) EOC (End of Course Exam for High School level classes) CBAs (Classroom Based Assessments) MSP (Biology and Science—No SBA yet) Performance Tasks/ District Writing Assessments

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Students and teachers are getting excited to help with the food drive and new recycling program. We have many people donating food and helping out with the separation of the garbage and the recycling which has saved our school $400, in which MBMS can do whatever they want with it. PHOTO BY S. ALEMAYEHU

Shewit Alemayehu

With the new opportunities for change happening at Baker, kids are able to make the easy switch.

Builders Club has brought on the challenge to recycle our discarded waste instead of sending it all to the garbage. Along with this, kids are also donating food to the Auburn Food Drive.

Cascade produces 29 tons of garbage each year, 79 pounds per student.

Olympic produces 39 tons of garbage each year, 111 pounds per student.

Mt. Baker at the top of the list, produces 109 tons of garbage each year,

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228 pounds per student! “[We started recycling] because the district’s on a mission to make Auburn a green district,” eighth grade social studies teacher Mrs. Carnahan said.

The district is going around to each school encouraging students to spread the word.

“I think [our new recycling program] has been going pretty good. I think that some people are trying to learn about what goes where and what’s recyclable.” Mrs. Leverenz said when asked her opinion on the change.

Kids are definitely trying to get used to what goes where, like where do

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used napkins and bottle caps go.

Mrs. Leverenz thinks kids are used to recycling, especially the sixth graders, since they’ve recycled through elementary.

Sixth grader Kelli Allen recycles all the time and did not find the change very difficult.

“I don’t think it’s weird now, recycling is kind of the norm now,” Principal Brown said.

Along with recycling MBMS has also been trying to fill bins up with food.

“I’m very happy, especially when last year we barely filled of one of those tubs.” Brown said when asked how he

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thought the food drive went.

Brown thought it went better because students were challenged to do things.

Allen also thought that the incentives affected the amount of food brought in.

“I want to win! It’s crazy Olympic wins every year and they fill up like 6 [tubs], and they have 300 kids less than us,” Brown said.

Towards the end, Brown hoped to bring on the challenge of composting.

“So to start small like we did was huge,” Brown concluded.

volume V, issue 4

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Jennifer Ortiz

The Little Mermaid Jr. play is coming soon to theatres near you. The cast has been working on the play since the second week of January, so they’re very excited for you to come and see them perform.

“I’m really excited [about the play],” said eighth grader Kristina Doucette, who plays Ariel in the Pacific cast.

The stage adaptation also has different scenes and lines than the movie, which makes it more unique and will be more interesting to watch.

“My favorite scene is scene 20 ‘The Beach’ because… it’s a good fatherdaughter moment,” said eighth grader Sabrina Eller, an extra in the play.

The play is actually not as easy to produce as it seems. There’s lots of preparations to do and costumes to make. There’s also lots of money that has been spent, so coming to the night show will really help the cast out.

“That’s how we pay for the show…

I’ve spent more money on this show than I have in the last two plays put together,” said Mr. Char, the play

director.

The field trips are going to be on two different days one on April 1 and one on April 2. The school will be split into two, so everyone will only get to go once. The play will be held at Auburn Riverside High School, so we’ll get to go on a field trip as an incentive day.

“Yes, we’ll need permission slips,” Mr. Char said.

There has been rumor about a kiss scene in the play.

"You're going to have to come to the show and find out," Mr. Char said .

"The play is going to be amazing, it's going to be colorful and it's going to be fun and it's going to put a smile on everyone's face, so please come and see our show,” Mr. Char said.

King Triton (Josh Hales, eighth grade), Ariel (Kristina Doucette, eighth grade), Flounder (Sophia Shunk, sixth grade), Sebastian (Bryce Bezates, sixth grade) practice one of the play’s scenes.

The cast practices in The Commons every day from 2-4pm. PHOTO BY T. LITTLE

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REVIEW: Teen Movie Sends Confusing Message SYNOPSIS: Bianca Piper, a quirky high schooler has everything together, she has great friends and does well in school.

But when her childhood ‘friend’ Wesley Rush explains that she is recognized by the school as her friends DUFF (Designated Ugly Fat Friend), her world comes to a crashing halt.

While reluctantly wanting help from Wesley to become popular and get to the love of her life, Toby, she will do whatever it takes, even if that means becoming someone who she really isn’t. While on this journey, she finds the confidence to overthrow the schools ruthless label maker Madison.

IT’S DOWNFALL: This movie was actually very funny in some places, but sometimes I think that they tried too hard to try to make a joke come across. It also felt as if they knew that their lines almost too well, and they were kind of anticipating them.

The film also felt very repetitive in the fact of being funny, it felt as if you knew when they were going to make a joke. And the jokes were very cliché and kind of old, and they used the same ones over and over.

I also believe that the cast caused some of the downfall that occurred in the movie. Many of them just looked scared and awkward in front of the camera, making the acting look cheesy. The ending was very predictable. Bianca realizes that she doesn’t love Toby and falls in love with Wesley, when he’s dating Madison,

Box Office: $26.1M Release date: Feb. 20 Runtime: 1 hr. 41 min.

Rating: PG-13 Genre: Comedy

but in the end, they fall in love.

IT’S UPFALL: There were a few times that that actually made me laugh hard. They were so simple and unheard of, that they actually surprised me in the fact of being funny. Its only when they tried to hard is when it didn’t come across funny. It gave some depth to a flat movie.

COURTESY OF CBS FILMS VIA PROMOTIONAL LICENSE

Skylar Erickson

CONCLUSION: In the end, there were many more flaws than things I actually liked. I would give this movie a two out of five rating, and I would not want to see it again. The acting was crummy and it had such a cliché ending.

Sometimes it made me laugh, but then it took me a very long time to get pulled back into the movie. Otherwise, this movie was NOT worth the wait.

Should there be more female leads in major movies?

ALL PHOTOS BY Y. ROMO-PEREZ

Symone Bolden

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“ It’s a good job for them, [ because] not many females get to be the leads.“

“I don’t think it matters, because in the movie Cinderella, if a guy got the part it would ruin the movie.”

“[These movies] promote girl power [and] how we are capable of achieving anything boys can achieve.”

“We need to have strong female heroes as great role models in movies .“

JORDAN RUIZ sixth grade

ANTHONY ROSARIO seventh grade

JENNIFER VIRGEN eighth grade

MRS. WHARTON orhcestra teacher

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Cali Manweiler, guest reporter

Hollywood movie producers need to make more films with female protagonists, because they do not only show that women are strong too, but that stereotypes can be broken.

These types of movies also make a great amount of money.

First off, in the video clip How Movies Teach Manhood from Ted Talks, while talking about The Wizard of Oz, Collin Stokes mentions, “…all of the most heroic and wise and even villainous characters are female”(2012).

Not only males can play the more dominant or strong or heroic role, but females as well.

In The Wizard of Oz, Glinda, the good witch, is seen as a hero, where the lion, who is male, is seen as a very strong and dominant animal (stereotypical), is sensitive, as well as easily frightened.

Females are often seen as weak or unheroic.

Imagine setting your child up to want to achieve something they’ll never be able to become. Little girls wanting to be helpless princesses, and hopeful mermaids, while boys are taught that they

need to be strong and have muscles, as well as intelligence is what these films with male protagonists are teaching our future generations.

Mental strength, as well as physical, should be predominant in both genders.

Another example would be in the movie Mulan, about a Chinese girl dressing up as a man to fight for her family’s honor.

The Emperor of China says to Mulan, “I’ve heard a great deal about you, Fa Mulan. You stole your fathers armor, ran away from home, impersonated a soldier, deceived your commanding officer, dishonored the Chinese Army, destroyed my palace, and… you have saved us all” (1998).

Stereotypes can be broken because Mulan has done everything wrong that

she possibly could have done in her society.

She could have died for the crimes she committed. She didn’t become a bride.

She brought dishonor to her family, yet she saved all of China. Mulan spared everyone’s lives, and if she hadn’t committed those crimes, the Hun Army would have taken over and created chaos.

Lastly, in newspaper article in The New York Times, the Editorial Board wrote about female heroes.

“The two most popular movies in America have something in common: they feature female protagonists. Jennifer Lawrence plays Katniss Everdeen.

‘The Hunger Games; Catching Fire,’ which took in S410.1 million over the long Thanksgiving weekend,” the article stated. “Kristen Bell is the voice of Princess Anna in ‘Frozen,’ which grossed $93 million over the same period.”

Movies with female protagonists do

extremely well in the box office, and rake in a lot of money.

The movie Divergent, which is the first book in the series, grossed about $250 million worldwide.

The Hunger Games, which is yet another part of a book series, grossed about $152.5 million worldwide.

From the users of IMDb.com The Hunger Games has a 7.3 star rating out of 10, while Divergent has about 6.8. Both of these movies have female protagonists.

Even though the muscles and sweat and heroism are seen in males, women can represent the same, and do very well in theaters.

So are you going to let your children get their hopes up on becoming Sofia the First, or The Incredible Hulk?

Or are you going to show them that both genders can be powerful?

Eighth grader Cali Manweiler won a persuasive writing challenge in her language arts class. Students were prompted to write about something in Hollywood movies they would change.

COURTESY OF DISNEY FILMS VIA PROMOTIONAL LICENSE

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Skylar Erickson Aries: March 21 - April 19 Beware of flowers; they make you sneeze.

Pansies in particular.

Kira Kopcho & Trevor Little

Dress Sparks Student Commotion

Taurus: April 20 - May 20 Don’t laugh in inappropriate situations; it may come back and bite you in the butt.

A simple picture started a war to rule the internet—blue and black or white and gold. Many people argued over which color was right, and whose opinion is better. “The Dress” not only plagued websites, but also caused quite the uproar at school. Classes were diverted just to have discussions about what color it could possibly be. Do you think “The Dress” debate was worth all the hype?

Gemini: May 21 - June 20 Don’t rub a lamp you find at a garage sale; it may hold a tiny man.

Insurgent Movie Entices Fans

Cancer: June 21 - July 22 Don’t eat cheese; it makes you gassy.

From the premiere of the first movie, book lovers have been in a frenzy. Veronica Roth’s series has enticed readers everywhere and the movies don’t let people down. With the trailer for Insurgent out and the film debut on March 20, the excitement is rising among the fans.

Are you excited for the second movie?

Leo: July 23 - August 22 If you don’t have eyebrows, Mona Lisa may be your distant relative from Italy.

Taking a Stand against Terrorism

Virgo: August 23 - September 22 If you see ghosts, don’t worry; it’s just your shadow.

Lately, a terrorist group named ISIS in the Middle East has been showing up on the news around the world. They’ve been taking out many people, especially journalists, through public execution. The US hasn’t been making a point to stop this group, and they’re getting much worse, taking out more and more people by the day. Do you think President Obama should do more to stop this group?

Libra: September 23 - October 22 No yodeling, because you might attract the wrong kind of crowd.

Unfair Sports Rules

Scorpio: October 23 - November 21 Don’t get lost in the desert; scorpions are everywhere down there.

Many sports don’t include the opposite gender, which many seem unfair. Though some girls may be able to play many of the male sports, males cannot play female sports, such as volleyball. Do you think students should be able to play any sport, no matter the gender?

Sagittarius: November 22 - December 21 If you sag your pants, you won’t be able to outrun Bigfoot.

Standardized Testing

Capricorn: December 22 - January 19 The straw on Capri Suns stab you in the tongue.

At many schools in Auburn, there has been LOTS of testing. Many students have had to been pulled out of classes during the day to go and take the tests that the school district is providing. Multiple teachers think this testing isn’t needed. Do you think the school district needs to test students this much?

Aquarius: January 20 - February 18 Fish are friends not food. But don’t eat fish, you’ll regret it.

Food Drive Incentives

Pisces: February 19 - March 20 Leprechauns will be your enemy; stay away from them. They may be small, but their vicious.

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The food drive has recently ended and we have won our prize. At lunch, we had the opportunity to use our cell phones. This seems like a great incentive, but cell phones sometimes cause issues when they fall into the wrong hands. Do you think that the cell phone incentive is reasonable for students?

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Locker Lottery is one of the most popular articles in The Canine Chronicle. We search the sixth, seventh, and eighth grade halls and pick two random lockers from each hall. For the sixth graders, we selected Ahmed Hanno and Hallie Keel. For the seventh graders, we selected Sydnee Chinn and Brycen Jenkins. For the eighth graders, we selected Helen Han and Angelina Belyavskiy.

Tyler Braun, Arturo Martinez-Reyes, Yuliana Romo-Perez

How many left handed people do you know?

A.H.: Both of my sisters and my friend Nick.

H.K.: Two. S.C.: Three.

B.J.: I don’t pay attention to that, but I know a lot of people.

H.H.: Two.

H.K.: There’s a book about a dancer called Misty Copland, and she would be my favorite character.

S.C.: I like Winnie the Pooh B.J.: Spongebob or Will Ferrell.

H.H.: Lucy Hale.

What are your thoughts on the excessive testing?

A.H.: It’s not really excessive.

H.K.: I think it makes the kids really stressed and it’s making a lot of my friends stressed about it.

S.C.: I think it’s unnecessary.

B.J.: I hate it, but it’s nice we don’t have a lot of homework.

H.H.: I don’t think it should exist.

A.B.: I don’t like it because the MSP is better SBA.

What should the theme be for the next pep assembly?

A.H.: Sports. Lots of people like sports.

H.K.: Having more of the crowd involved in the activities.

S.C.: I voted for twin day.

B.J.: Seahawks stuff.

H.H.: Sports.

A.B.: Sports.

Should the sport lacrosse be added to MBMS? A.H.: No. H.K.: I think for kids that enjoy it, they would like it but I’m not really into that kind of sports, so I don’t think it would matter.

S.C.: No, because it will ruin the fields even more.

Who is your favorite character from a book, movie, or TV show?

A.H.: Percy Jackson.

B.J.: I don’t know, some people might like it.

H.H.: Yes. A.B.: Yes. Do you think teachers should carry guns?

A.H.: No, because they might not know how to use them.

H.K.: I don’t think so, because it would freak out kids a lot and I don’t think they would trust the teachers.

S.C.: No, because we already have cameras.

B.J.: Nope, because if one of the kids got a hold of it or if some person that came here got ahold of it, then things could get bad.

H.H.: No, what if they shoot a student they don’t like.

A.B.: It’s a bad idea, because kids could take it away.

What movie do you look forward to in the summer?

A.H.: Mockingjay Pt. 2 H.K.: I don’t really watch TV that much, and I don’t know what’s coming out.

S.C.: Frozen 2.

B.J.: Probably Mockingjay Pt. 2.

H.H.: Pitch Perfect 2.

A.B.: Minions.

What do you think about the amount of the trash in MBMS? A.H.: I don’t think it’s good.

H.K.: I think we really need to start recycling more because other schools are better at that than we are.

S.C.: Kinda embarrassing.

H.H.: It’s gross.

A.B.: I hate it.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATIONBY T. BRAUN VIA PHO.TO

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mbms barks

Are you going to do any sports this season?

H.K.: Not at school, I was going to do track, but I have other things to do outside of school.

S.C.: I’m doing track.

B.J.: Track probably.

H.H.: Track.

A.B.: Volleyball.

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When Ms. Burkhalter was growing up on a farm, she and her siblings would present their cows at the County Fair and the Puyallup Fair. The picture was taken at the Puyallup Fair when she was ten years old. COURTEST OF A. BURKHALTER & DORIAN PHOTOGRAPHY

Yuliana Romo-Perez

Our last edition of the Canine Chronicle had a picture of a staff member for the Guess Who. This teacher is PE teacher Ms. Burkhalter.

She was born in Forks, Washington and grew up on a dairy farm. Her family was into 4-H, a youth organization administered by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture . When she was seventeen years old, Ms. Burkhalter won a trip to Chicago because of her 4-H achievements.

Although Ms. Burkhalter has been teaching at MBMS for twenty years. She used to be a PE teacher at Chinook Elementary.

She has many activities that she loves like baking, coaching, and she is especially obsessed with gardening.

Ms. Burkhalter is married to a magician and helps him perform by being his assistant. They perform at fairs, theater shows, festivals, and corporate events. This winter, for the first semester Incentive Day assembly, they came to entertain our school by showing a variety of impressive, but safe, magic tricks that left the audience in awe.

“We do a lot of performances all over the place and the craziest one is when we were trying to do a trick and he knocked me off the box on the stage and it was really embarrassing,” she said.

The couple has been outside of the state to Indiana, Montana, Idaho, and California to perform a few years ago.

“The thing I like the most about magic is hang-

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ing out with my husband and traveling together to do shows. I also like to hear and see the reaction of the audience when they like a trick!” Burkhalter explained. “My favorite trick – or illusion is the ‘quick change act.’ This is when someone walks behind a curtain and almost instantaneously comes out with a different costume on.”

Ms. Burkhalter has been to several countries on a vacation such as Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Tahiti, and the Cook Islands. She went with her cousin to these countries right after she graduated from college, and they backpacked and

hitchhiked everywhere.

“It was a vacation, and I rode a camel through the desert,. And I learned to scuba dive in Australia,” Burkhalter said.

Ms. Burkhalter attended Western Washington University, where she once decided to participate in a Jell-O Wrestling contest.

“It was a contest they had between the different dorms and my best friend and I entered the contest just kind of a silly fun thing,” she said.

This edition’s staff member has been teaching at Mt. Baker for seven years. He was born in Waco, Texas. Before his career as a teacher, he was a minister for the military for nineteen years.

This staff member has studied in many universities including Colorado State University, University of Washington and did graduate studies in Northwestern University.

Stay tuned for the April edition of the Canine Chronicle to find out who this staff member is.

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What

Disagree? The segment ‘What Grinds My Gears’ is presented as opinion and does not express the views of all MBMS students or The Canine Chronicle. If you would like to express your opinion, write us a letter, and you may be published in our next edition.

My

TV Interruptions You know what grinds my gears? When people interrupt me when I’m doing something.

So, I’m just trying to watch TV here, ooh look! Something interesting is happening.

And then my family pops out of nowhere, and starts their favorite game to play when I’m watching TV called, “See who can yell the loudest.”

Are. You. Kidding me.

Come on now, we are indoors, people, use your INSIDE voices.

Also, how about when I put my earphones on, and try to block out what’s going on around me.

But then BAM! My friends want to talk to me, my family wants to talk to me, the principal wants to talk to me, Taylor Swift wants to talk to me, heck, Obama wants to talk to me!

Little hint: earphones on =alone time, got it? Get it? Good. Now share it to the world and tell Obama not to talk to me.

The only reason that I even put my earphones on is to not talk to people. So shoo,.

Go away.

This also happens when I’m reading a book. Everyone always decides to be loud and annoying when I’m reading. Seriously, what has this world come to?

And that’s what grinds my gears.

—Jennifer Ortiz ____________________________________ Slow Walkers Do you know what really grinds my gears?

The annoying type of people literally walking one mile per hour in the hallways, in between classes.

I need to get to my next class. Even though you might not care if you’re late, it doesn’t mean that I feel the same way. It’s

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like I’m walking behind turtle that had too much to eat for dinner.

And then when you try to pass them, they’ll give you the oh my gosh-look, like you just did something horrible. When as a matter of fact, you were just trying to pass them in the hallways.

And then when you’re going to be late for class and group of people in front of you are literally acting as a gigantic wall, separating you from you classroom?

It’s like you try to find a way to go around or squeeze through a hole, but they won’t budge.

And you don’t want to say, “Move, get out of my way, you’re a wall!” because you don’t want to be that person.

But eventually you are going to have to say something before you explode, if you don’t, who knows what will happen.

And that is what grinds my gears.

—Skylar Erickson ____________________________________ Orthodontists Do you know what really grinds my gears? Braces.

It’s not the trip going there itself that is already terrifying, but the actual procedures that you must go through.

So there I am sitting in the chair waiting for my orthodontist to come and stick pointy objects in my mouth, all anxious and scared. Then the orthodontist comes in and sticks some kind of plastic tool in my mouth to keep my mouth open during the operation.

It’s mostly poking the insides of my mouth instead of keeping it open, but I can’t say anything about it.

Not only their do tools hurt, but the things that they put in your mouth are

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disgusting. The glue has a horrible taste I will never be able to describe perfectly.

But the worst part is that you are forced to taste it the whole time.

Once they put your brackets on, they do the wires, and it feels so awkward, you get this foreign feeling in your mouth and you have to live with it for however long you need your braces.

Getting braces may suck, but the aftermath is worse. Your brackets are cutting your cheeks and your whole mouth hurts.

Beauty is pain.

—Sharon Manivanh ___________________________________ Annoying Siblings You know what grinds my gears? When your younger siblings try to annoy you just for the fun of it.

It’s like you really have to come yelling in my face while I am trying to eat.

All I was trying to do was fill up my belly, so I could go outside, but no! They come running up speaking some sort of gibberish and running away laughing. This has happened so many times to me that I’ve gotten used to this.

But now they are trying a different strategy, and I was trying to take a nice nap after a long day at school. Right when I got in to the warm, comfy bed, they just jump on me and squirt water all over my face.

They are just so angry at me for some reason. I don’t know why they do this to me. They just love to make my life so miserable. It was time to get him back.

He was sleeping on the couch, and my sister and I grabbed finger nail polish and painted his nails while he was sleeping.

From that time on, he has been off the radar.

—Hunter Allemand

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Dylan Grenz & Tyler Braun

Left-handed people are unique. Only one in ten people in the world are left handed.

They are so special that a whole day, Aug. 13, is dedicated to them.

With the six month recurrence recently passing, we decided to explore what it is like, as a lefty, living in a righty’s world.

“I think (the biggest struggle is) when you write and ink gets on your hand,” eighth grader Yun-Seong Chang stated.

Many people agree the biggest trouble would be writing.

Many lefties have learned to write “hook hand s ty le ”,

where they wrap their hand around and above the writing.

Another writing-related struggle is writing on whiteboards. How many times have you seen a lefty walk up to the whiteboard, start writing, and smear the pen with their arm or hand?

Other struggles related to writing can include writing with a ballpoint pen.

Imagine the frustration when the ball part of the pen goes the wrong way!

Arguably the second most well-known

PHOTO BY T. BRAUN

August 13 is Left -Handed Day, which started in 1996. Women are more likely to be right-handed than men by 4%. 10%-12% of people are left-handed. Eskimos believed left-handed people to be possible sorcerers. Incas thought left-handers were capable of healing people and exhibited magic abilities.

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debacle is bumping elbows with righties. This problem is experienced by righties as well when at restaurants or when taking tests.

A major disadvantage that not many people may realize lefties deal with is when using playing cards. Naturally, lefties fan out the cards, but when done they are spread so you can’t see the numbers.

Other daily struggles can include cutting with

Left handed people are smarter on average If the dominant hand is injured, a person would have a better chance of learning to use the opposite hand than right-handers. Asymmetrical behaviors in humans are not only in the hand, but also the brain, eye, ear, and foot. More likely to have allergies

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scissors, playing guitar, using a computer mouse, and having to wear that one torn up lefty mitt in P.E. However, lefties will be the first to tell you that there are advantages to being the odd one out.

“I feel like playing sports would be better because you are so different,” sixth grader Courtney Roark stated.

In many sports such as baseball being left handed has big advantages. As a pitcher the batters aren’t as used to the ball coming from a different angle.

Lefties can also have advantages in tennis when putting different spins on the ball.

Studies suggest that left-handed people

are better with spatial awareness, math, and architecture than right-handed people. Cats, rats, and mice also show the same left or rightward bias to paws that humans do. Lefties are less able to roll their tongue than a righty. Nails grow faster on the left hand than the right.

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Tyler Braun

In basketball when driving for a layup with the dominant hand on the opposite side of the basket, they still have an advantage.

However, some people have a different viewpoint on the matter.

“I don’t think there are any advantages to being a lefty really,” seventh grader Karla Nacis said.

There are also many advantages that not everyone believes are true.

For example, lefties are smarter and more successful.

This claim can be argued as valid, considering three out of the last four presidents

were lefties (George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama). Other famous lefties include Eminem, Angelina Jolie, Paul McCartney, and Oprah Winfrey. Still, it is undecided as to whether or not their success is related to their left status.

The bottom line is that lefties, despite also having advantages, have to adapt to living in a righties world every day.

The next time you see someone struggling to cut out a paper, writing hook-handed, or with ink all over their hand, remember how tough it must be to be a lefty.

The day started off slow. All I knew was that today was the day, the day I finally become a lefty. It was finally the day that I stepped onto the side of the south paw, an unknown world with very few people in it. My day ended up being very difficult, filled with interesting surprises and many obstacles.

In second period science class, I attempted to write column notes to a video we were watching. It was difficult. I do not know how to write left handed and it was awful. My handwriting was unreadable.

In third period, I played volleyball in PE . My dominant hand is my right, so it was definitely more difficult to serve and to hit. I did not enjoy it at all.

Sports are probably one of the hardest things to do with your non-dominant hand.

Once lunch rolled around I had to open my locker and retrieve my lunch from my backpack. Let me just say that opening your locker with your left hand is terrible. It was pretty hard for me. You can go ahead and give it a try. During lunch, I had to attempt to each my sandwich with my left hand. It wasn’t that hard, but it was still, in a certain way, different.

In fourth period language arts, it was the day we had to write our essays, which was horrible. I had to write an entire argumentative paper with my left hand. My hand writing looked like trash two words in.

Fifth period came so fast and it finally time to go there. Of course, in algebra that day, it was not taking day. Long story short, my notes were illegible.

Sixth period eventually came around, so we were typing our CBAs. That was the only easy thing the entire day, but I was glad to end with it.

If you have a left-handed friend, just know that they have it way harder than you. Lefties face different struggles every day.

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Dylan Grenz

Over the past ten years, select sports have grown immensely in size and prominence. As this has happened, they seem to have become a bigger priority than school sports. The question is, why?

Eighth grader Reilly Middlebrooks plays for Washington Premier FC, a select soccer team,

outside of school.

“I work harder in select because it costs money,” Middlebrooks said.

Most athletes polled estimated that their families spend around $2000 per year on their sport.

This can turn into a problem for the kids

who want to play at the select level, but may not have the money. School sports then comes up as a reasonable alternative.

“I think money is the biggest reason, but with select you usually also get better instruction and play more games,” Mr. Vatne said.

As select sports grow in popularity, so do the prices. School sports then come up as a fun, cost-friendly alternative. PHOTO BY I. SHIN

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Lacrosse

Popularity increase in Auburn Brianna Lloyd

Because select is so time consuming with travel and training over longer seasons, athletes have been becoming better and better. Because of this, it has become a sort of necessity to play select if the athlete wants to play at the high school or college level.

Despite this, many believe that there are many advantages to playing school sports, specifically in middle school.

“I think there are many advantages,” Mr. Vante stated. “When playing in school, you get to play with classmates, and have that whole school pride effect, which you don’t get as much playing select.”

Many rule differences also very between the two, academics being one of them.

Unlike most select teams, school sports require all athletes to be academically eligible in order to play.

Those failing multiple classes most likely won’t be able to play.

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“I know a few kids on my select baseball team who are failing classes,” eighth grader Matthew Smeltzer stated.

Many select teams have had kids failing classes while playing, but because of the competitiveness of the team, they allow them to play anyways.

Another example is in teams other than varsity, all athletes must have playing time in middle school. This rule causes conflict, considering select usually has no specified playing time guaranteed.

Those who are extremely competitive want to win, and to do this usually requires putting the best players out there.

What’s the point if the players start the game, gain momentum, then just get pulled out for others?

The answer is this: middle school sports are designed for everyone.

Athletes know that it is not a fun feeling joining a sport just to sit on a bench and watch the whole time.

School athletics are designed and the middle level to let kids try new things, and have fun with fellow classmates.

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Many people have never even heard of lacrosse. Lacrosse is the fastest growing sport in the United States and the fastest sport played on two feet.

Lacrosse is a combination of the major elements of common sports, including hockey, soccer, and football.

Lacrosse is more well-known in the northeast, than the west coast. Lacrosse often known as “lax,” has become more popular in Washington, and can be played in some high schools, including ARHS. Many lacrosse players, first started playing because of their parents.

“Yes, [I know what lacrosse is], because my dad knows,” former lacrosse player and eighth grader Delaney Rogers described Lax was declared an actual sport in the year 1869.

The rate of people playing lacrosse has increased over 218.8% since 2000.

Lacrosse has its origins in a tribal game, played by many Native Americas. This game was extensively modified by immigrants to create its professional form.

The object of the game is to use a long-handled stick (known as a lacrosse stick) to catch, carry, and pass a solid rubber ball in an effort to score by chucking the ball into an opponent's goal.

The head of the lacrosse stick has a mesh net strung into it that allows the player to hold the lacrosse ball. Defensively the object is to keep the opposing team from scoring and to dispose them of the ball through the use of stick checking and body positioning.

Lacrosse is a contact sport, including stick checking, basically doing whatever means necessary to take the ball from your opponent.

“Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference between lacrosse success and lacrosse failure,” motivational speaker, Felicity Luckey said.

Attack player, #3 stands aggressively trying to pass his opponent, slowly drifting towards the goal. Defensive player, #23 stands in a defensive stance mocking every movement of his opponent. COURTESY OF EN.WIKIPEDIA. ORG VIA CREATIVECOMMONS

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF MBMS YEARBOOK

Wrestling   

5-2 League Team Champs Individual Champs -Peyton Scheshcy

-Andrey Grischenko -William Russell

Soccer   

Basketball Varsity 

4-4, third

Seventh  

Team 1, 4-4 Team 2, 2-6

Team 1, 4-3-1 Team 2, 3-4-1 Team 3, 0-8

Wrestler Brandon De La Rosa pins his opponent and wins the match. De La Rosa took second place in the district championship.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MBMS YEARBOOK

Trevor Little

Last year at Mount Baker Middle School our varsity team won the championship for our school, this year they did it again. At MBMS, we take pride in our wrestling program with Mr. King coaching our team.

This year our champion Bulldogs had three individual district champs. The three wrestlers that were champions this year were Andrey Grischenko, William Russell, and three time Iron Man award-winner (The first in the school history) and tournament champion, Peyton Scheshcy.

Our second place winners were Aaron Baldridge, Seonguen Pak, Jair Diaz, Brandon de la Rosa, and Jafet Lopez, our third place finishers were Marcus Suctrick, Kailen Fontes, Matthew Soderquist, Aaron McCurdy, Tyler Pisha, Kodi Dagley, Joel Guerrero-

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Vargas and Andre Nirschl. In the 114pound JV bracket were champion Raul Cervantes and third place finisher Isaac Schuur.

During the season the players had to go through some tough training to make sure they could wrestle at their strongest.

Eighth grade Peyton Curry-Watson said the toughest part of the season for some players was “probably the conditioning.”

For other wrestlers the toughest part of the season was “The filthy 50,” district champion William Russell agreed.

Some said there toughest part was the season finale.

“Wrestling in conference [was tough] ,because I was afraid of losing” Scheshcy said. *

This season our wrestling team went 5-2 overall, earning a co-league title with Rainer Middle School.

During their season some wrestlers the easy part didn’t exist.

“Probably uh, there was no easy part,” Curry-Watson said.

For others the easiest part was “Ten minute jogs,” Russell said.

To certain wrestlers the easiest part was “probably the practices,” Scheshcy said.

This year in the conference championship Mt. Baker had three conference champions this year after leaving the tournament which is held at Auburn High School.

For some wrestlers the favorite part of the season was “Going to meets and warming up” Curry-Watson said. For other wrestlers it was “Getting to

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wrestle people” Russell said. As for other wrestlers such as some of the champs it was “Being able to go on the podium as champion” Scheshcy said.

The wrestlers on the team had to wrestle many other teams this year going up against other kids in their weight class.

“Cascade [was my favorite match],” Russell stated.

“Probably Rainer because the guy was tough,” Scheshcy stated.

“I would have to say Rainer,” CurryWatson said.

This season our eighth grade wrestlers and seventh grade wrestlers did well. Let’s go for it again next season, Bulldogs!

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Arturo Martinez-Reyes All of the girls’ varsity soccer team had great seasons, not all of the teams won but they all had a great time. The first team went 4-3-1. The second team went 3 -4-1, and the third team went 0-8.

Seventh grader Tabetha Norris said, “Some people were better but there was not a superior team”. All of teams were equally distributed with the same amount of experienced players, from players that have played soccer for a longer time to players that play in outside teams.

Most teams thought that Rainer 2 team was the hardest opponent for all of the teams.

Norris said, “Rainer 2 because they had select players that are faster and more experienced than most of the girls that joined Mt. Baker soccer.”

Mercedes Johnson agreed with Norris that the Rainer 2 team was the hardest.

Another issue that affected the girls were the horrible training fields.

Johnson said, “The field were hard to work with, they were muddy most of the days and they caused injuries and harmed the gear (bad for cleats)”. A lot of girls got injured including Mercedes Johnson, Rosy Fish, Reilly Middlebrooks and many more small injuries from hard bruises and falls.

Since there were three teams, there was no official varsity team. Most girls said that if there would have been a varsity team, it would have been better than all of the opponent. Since a lot of girls went to the tryouts,

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there was a need to make three teams, because the coaches saw a lot of talent and great potential.

Most girls thought that Reilly Middlebrooks (if she wasn’t injured) and or Trinity Forristall deserved to be the most valuable player.

Forristall was one of the important team captains that really led the team and encouraged others to do better and leave everything on the field. She had the most

goals in the season. Forristall was unavailable for comment.

At first, most girls didn’t like the idea of playing with eighth and seventh graders mixed, but as the season started most of the girls started to like the idea.

Norris said, “I did not want to at first because there would be more pressure, but the eighth graders really helped me improve.”

Team 2 before one of their soccer games. You can tell of the girls like to play as a team. PHOTOS COURTESY OF MBMS YEARBOOK

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Lexi Allen shoots the ball at one of the games against Rainer Middle School. With her teammates helping her, they all work together trying to get the win. COURTESY OF MBMS YEARBOOK

Sharon Manivanh

The girls’ varsity basketball team finished off their season with a 4-4 record and much improvement from the players. The team placed third in the league, and had a great season.

Athlete Lexi Allen stated, “Although we lost some games, it was still a fun experience .“ Even though there were some tough games, there were other games with outstanding scores.

On Jan. 30, the team went against Cascade Middle School and won by 24 points with a score of 46-22.

Another amazing game took place on Feb. 12, when the girls beat Cascade once again with a score of 22-14.

Allen also stated that the team had an exciting season and was “…totally prepared for the last game.”

To start off their games, Kashe Stansberry, Symone Bolden, Lexi Allen, Caroline Cooper, and Hillary Natividad owned the court.

Then, the second string comes in which is Rebecca Spear, Ariana Casebeer, Katelyn Anderson, Natasha Naimo, and Shewit Alemayehu scored some more points for the team.

With Stansberry as point guard, Bolden as a wing with Natividad, and Allen playing post with Cooper, the first string played well together.

With the second string with Spear as point guard, Casebeer as a post with Anderson and Alemayehu, and Naimo as a wing, the second string played equally amazing as the first string. Altogether, the team worked well together.

According to Ariana Casebeer, the most effective player on the team is Stansberry, who also got the MVP award.

“I think Kashe [is the most effective player] because she played basketball for about 8 years and is really good. She always tries to make the best out of everything even when we’re losing a game, “ Casebeer stated.

Stansberry also received the captain award, along with Alemayehu.

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However, Allen stated, “I think we all equally helped out the team together and in the end we all worked together well.”

Even when these girls aren’t on the court, they are still practicing as much as they can on their own time to improve and hopefully become successful in the sport one day.

While the girls are working hard, Coach Keaton made

Sierah Brown of Mt. Baker team two, ran down the court to shoot the game winner. She flew by the defenders. COURTESY OF MBMS YEARBOOK

Hunter Allemand

The seventh grade girls’ basketball teams did very well this season.

Team one had an overall record of 4-3.

Jacklyn Smith and Camden Heilborn were the top performers for the team.

When asked did her teammates do well under pressure, Heilborn responded, “Yeah I do, especially Jacklyn Smith.”

Mt. Baker team two had a record of 2-5. The top performers for team two were Sierah Brown and Kendra Nguyen.

The highlight for the season for Mt. Baker team one was when they played Cascade and the game came down to the wire but they ended up pulling out the win 38-37.

The Bulldogs had a tough defense to go against a very good offense of Cascade.

Jacklyn Smith led the team in rebounds and

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sure the girls learned a couple things about life along the way, like, “Pick yourself up if you fall down, and keep trying.”

Even though they are not champions, they were happy with the way their season ended with great new bonds and much improvement.

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scored 11 points. Mt. Baker team two also had a highlight to their season, they had an awesome win over Olympic. The score was 32-27.

Nguyen never gave up even though her glasses had flown across the court like a rocket going into space.

Mt. Baker team one had a ton of rebounds across the whole season. The leading rebounder for the team was Karli White.

“On our outside shots”, Heilborn stated that this was the struggle for the team.

Team two had an awesome defense. The leader of the defense was Ariana Stephens.

Many of these girls will be a key aspect to varsity basketball for the year coming.

Thegirls coaches bebasketball very excited to see alltoofbethis The seventhwill grade runs their plays successful in their upcoming games. All the girls are talent coming. having fun as they get ready to win their first game.

PHOTO BY S. ALEMAYEHU

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PHOTO BY S. ALEMAYEHU

Hunter Allemand

Katelyn Andersen

Baseball all-star Hunter Allemand is a very talented young man in everything he does. Do not be surprised if you see this future police officer relaxing at the Great Wolf Lodge eating some fresh cheese pizza. He is also among one of the top journalists producing for The Canine Chronicle. “Baseball is love, baseball is life.”

—Hunter Allemand

Katelyn Andersen, an avid writer, describes her perfect day as “sleeping, reading, and eating brownies.” Andersen’s biggest fear is losing everyone that matters to her. She sees herself in the future on her way to earning her doctors education. Her six word story is, “As her blood fell, I died.”

Cami Baker

ZaReah Barren

Cami Baker, a seventh grader on staff at TCC, is as unique as anybody else. She likes to watch T.V., preferably in black and white, because why not? She has always wanted to go to England to see the castles in ruins. “Wherever I go, cat hair follows.”

—Cami Baker

“Embrace you weird, normal is cliché,“ ZaReah Barren wrote, who was born in Renton, then moving to Pacific. She enjoys reading, doing gymnastics, and horseback riding in her free time.

She also takes part in the school play. She isn’t afraid to speak her mind, even if it’s something weird.

Jenn Bell

Elijah Blyden

Jennifer Bell, one of four seventh graders in journalism this year, enjoys swimming in her free time. When in school, she enjoys orchestra and science. Her six word story reads, “Opportunities are missed, new ones created.” Jennifer is in journalism for her writing skills and is a great addition to TCC.

Elijah Blyden is an eighth grader at Mt. Baker Middle School. His hobbies include soccer and music, He enjoys orchestral music.

In fact, Elijah was also able to successfully tryout for the junior All-State orchestra. Elijah wants to continue playing music by continuing to Julliard (a world recognized school of music).

Kira Kopcho

Skylar Erickson

Musician, athlete, and twin, Kira Kopcho is an honor roll student here at Mt. Baker.

Her love for writing has brought her wanting to publish books like Harry Potter and articles about video games. “Blank pages become littered with stories,” writes Kopcho. She also currently participates in roller-derby and orchestra.

Skylar Erikson wrote this to be her six word story, “Afraid; a life not yet living.”

Like all journalism members, Skylar has remarkable qualities that she brings to our unique staff, from her dream of becoming something in the fashion world to her love for dance and the Biebes.

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Tyler Braun

MEET THE PRESS: Famous American writer Ernest Hemingway

Hockey player, ice cream lover, and future resident of LA or Canada, Tyler Braun wants to make people happy. Braun’s favorite memory is when he went to Universal Studios when he was five. He’s terrified of spiders, and his life in six words is, “Ball is love. Ball is life.”

claimed his best story ever written was only six words: “FOR SALE: Baby shoes never worn.”

Known for being long-winded, many of his fans and critics appreciated his succinct, thought-provoking story.

Now, it’s The Canine Chronicle’s turn.

With the change of the semester, we added 16 new members to our staff, focused on telling your story. Before we tell your story, we want to tell you our story, like Mr. Hemingway did.

Below you will find a biography of each journalism staff member with their six-word story included.

Siarah Brown Whether she is hanging out with friends or playing basketball, we know that Siarah Brown is “way too busy for school.” Even with the sports she does, she still has excellent grades. And with her father being Mr. Brown, a teacher and an athlete, no wonder she has athletic genes.

Chucky Chang

Hailey Cruz

Eighth grade journalist Chuck Chang looks forward to being recognized as a young adult. Inspiration motivates him. “My grandma [inspires me], because she takes care of me and cares about people,” Chang explained. Chang is proud of his parents distinguishing his intelligence. “Never look back, just keep going,” Chang expressed.

Hailey Cruz is a very passionate athlete that loves to compete in gymnastic tournaments. “Gymnastics life, over worked, never relief,” Cruz wrote. She is a very intelligent student that works hard to get good grades. Besides her major hobby, playing sports, she enjoys spending time with her friends and family.

Ty Emmons

Erandy Flores

“Marshawn Lynch has the best quotes.” No other words could better describe Ty Emmons, a quiet sportsman, football fan, and baseball player. Ty even wakes up early in the morning to lift. Ty has describes himself as an introvert, only talking to a select few.

He is devoted to training.

Erandy Flores is an eighth grader at Mt. Baker Middle School.

She’s in a family of six. “Six people.. and NO MORE people. I think it’s good,” she said. Erandy does community service after school, and has many interests for her future. “What is love? Is it necessary?” Erandy wrote.

Korben Hart

Camden Heilborn

Korben Hart is a new member to the TCC this semester. Korben is “excited to write articles, and see what comes out of this class.” At the beginning of the second semester, we all wrote “Six-Word Stories.” Here is the story he wrote, “Out of evil, there is good.”

Camden Heilborn is a tenacious seventh grader with many talents. She has strengths in writing, but is well-known for a volleyball career. “Set, spike over the net ace!” Heilborn described her volleyball career in six words. Besides volleyball, Heilborn enjoys writing, cooking, hanging out with friends and fictional games .

Dylan Grenz

Shewit Alemayehu

Dylan Grenz is a resourceful eighth grader and he’s the sports editor of The Canine Chronicle. He enjoys year round baseball, math club, and spending time with his family. His wisdom is expressed through his quote, “Change can be a good thing.” We can expect greatness from this intelligent individual.

Shewit Alegmayaehu, whose life is more than six-words, dreams of going to Harvard.

Shewit is a bright student at Mt. Baker Middle School, who has lived in four different states and loves to be in history class. Her favorite food is chocolate, and she has a deep crush on Evan Peters.

sports editor

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march 2015

design editor

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meet the press

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Mercedes Johnson

Kayna Kliewer

“I tried a normal life, ehh,” Mercedes Johnson wrote. Johnson is a unique individual, who loves language arts, soccer and hanging out with friends. She has a busy life, always overachieving. Even when playing select, school, or recreational soccer, she still has time for homework and friends.

Kayna Kliewer, one of the new additions to the MBMS journalism staff, enjoys track in her free time. When in school, she enjoys language arts and reading. Her six word story states, “Devour books. Taste chocolate. Savor life.” Kayna’s impressive writing skills ensure that she will contribute well in journalism.

Trevor Little

Brianna Lloyd

Trevor Little is a fourteen-year-old boy, who goes to Mount Baker Middle School. He is a social person and from this six word story that he wrote, “Write the paper article by article,” seems to be a deep thinker. This is why he makes a good reporter for The Canine Chronicle.

Brianna Lloyd is a fourteen-year-old soccer and lacrosse player with an ecstatic outlook on her day to day life. She has a strong sense of right and wrong and believes that integrity is very important as she recites one of Carter’s testing sayings, “Look left and right in desperation.”

Sharon Manivanh

Arturo Martinez-Reyes

“Cheer and volleyball, forever and always,” Sharon Manivanh wrote. Sharon is an eighth grader, who is on a cheer team and reports for The Canine Chronicle. Her biggest fear is “people not accepting [her] for who [she is].” She also “travels a lot because [her] dad is in the military.”

“I play soccer with my heart,” aspiring to be, “the best soccer player in the world, ”Martinez-Reyes said. His dream was put on hold when he broke his ankle in early Dec. For now he wants to “be on the B team [at ARHS]”. Martinez-Reyes eats, sleeps, and breathes soccer.

Dylan Molina

Jennifer Ortiz

Dylan Molina is an eighth grade boy, who loves basketball and his family. Basketball is his favorite sport. “Parents get married have baby, me,” who Dylan, who has three brothers that he hangs out with. He also loves eating and sleeping every day. This is Dylan.

Jennifer Ortiz is a self-taught guitarist. She enjoys unique bands with ridiculous videos and appreciates the humor in them. She wants to make a living out of her acting, and has skill to spare.

Jennifer once wrote, “Creative minds make up creative people,” and that couldn’t be truer.

Yuliana Romo-Perez

Isaiah Shin

Yuliana is a hardworking plant-lover, wanting to be a veterinarian. She loves reading and knows that she will succeed in life because her parents are by her side. She loves to come to school, yet with all of the homework teachers assign, she wrote, “Homework + stress = 70% of my day”.

“God is good, all the time,” said Isaiah Shin, a unique individual who was born to lead and who in some states is an over achiever. Shin’s after-school activities are Civil Air Patrol and training himself to be a lead vocalist. Shin is described as a true, honest, faithful person.

Symone Bolden

Peter Warring

Symone Bolden is a very hardworking and strong journalist. “Work hard now, get paid later,” Bolden wrote. Besides her busy life with basketball, Bolden spends her free time playing videogames after doing homework and riding BMX bikes. Bolden described herself as “altruistic,” meaning charitable, unselfish and generous.

Welcoming a son to his family recently, language arts teacher Mr. Warring loves spending time with his other two children and wife when he’s not advising the newspaper. This film-lover and toy collector enjoys playing and coaching volleyball in his free time and debating Star Wars facts and trivia.

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mbms barks

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volume V, issue 4

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N U B V A I Y B Y O A W M J A C M D T L

C E E V N I E T S N I E P P L H P Y A M

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M Y I O U F D L G T B F D M J P Z O R S

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CRUISE DA VINCI EINSTEIN EMINEM FEY

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Q E E R S O M A U X E D Y T C Q M P U A

N I B A K A Z I L I M R J F X Q I W Z T

E I C E B A S A O B D A V I N C I O S L

G I K O I E O Q R T G F N V Z J C I E P

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S S D T W O I F V P E W C C M R I E L R

ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSE

Shewit Alemayehu

OBAMA PICASSO RUTH WINFREY ZUCKERBERG

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life

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