Issue 9
Monday, October 16, 2023
POCS Press
Page 1
“Our goal at the POCS Press is to be informative, inclusive, and honest while sharing with the POCS community.”
Staff of the Month By: Jackie Garcia (8th)
What is it like being a teacher? “Rewarding, exhausting, and I experience new things every day. It's fun. I enjoy it and it's very meaningful.” How long have you been at POCS?
Ms. urg nb nde a r B
“This is my 10th year here!” Did you always want to be a teacher? “I always enjoyed working with kids. I wanted to be a lawyer but I gravitated towards working with kids. I volunteered to be a tutor and a counselor when I was younger.” What is your biggest achievement as a teacher? “I'm proud of the relationships I made. I keep in contact with former students, and knowing I still matter to people and I'm not just a teacher makes me happy.” What interests and hobbies do you have outside of school? “I love to backpack/camping usually for a couple of days. I love the wilderness, paddle boarding, hiking, traveling,
Ms. Brandenburg plays a big role in our school.
hanging out with friends, and doing crazy things with my
She is the teacher of leadership which helps our school
friends.
become a fun and better place. Ms. Brandenburg was my
What would your 13 year-old self think of you right
teacher once for an enrichment I took last year. I don't
now?
know her too well but I do know she is a very sweet and
“I would not believe I'd be a teacher. I'd be very proud and
loved teacher. She is very helpful and she tries her best to
surprised that I'm a teacher. I was very bad as a child.”
do what she can to help her students. She sets up things
What goals do you have as a teacher?
like compost, she is the teacher when Mrs. Graham isn't
“The goals I have are continuing the compost program, and
here, and she is teaching or use to teach enrichments like
talent show, and making a difference.”
social justice, leadership, drama, and music appreciation.
What do you look for in a student?
So take time out of your day to appreciate everything she
“Empathy, kindness, and effort.”
does for us and this school.
Issue 9
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Monday, October 16, 2023
Staff of the Month By: Samantha Letasi (7th)
Mr. A
guila
r
Mr. Aguilar is a P.E teacher and he is very active and likes to teach his students about and what P.E. is. He loved doing any sports he could play in high school like basketball, football, soccer, volleyball, baseball, cross country, and dodgeball. Addy says, “Mr. Aguilar is a really cool guy.” We asked him a few questions and he said the following: Why did you choose to be a PE teacher? An opportunity was given to him and 2 years later he was a pe teacher. Why did you choose to work at Piner Olivet charter school? He had an opportunity came to him and he chose to do it. What did you do to be a P.E. teacher? He had a lot of experience about P.E. so he chose it What college did you go to and for how long? He went to SRJC for 2 years. How did you grow as a child? He grow up liking to play video games and like playing any sport he could be apart of. What inspired you in life? Stephen curry inspired him because he always reaches for perfection even though its not possible. What is your opinion on protein drinks? He think protein drinks are a great supplement but they should not be more then ⅕ of your daily protein intake. Do you have any children or a wife? He has a girlfriend and a dog. Do you have a family heirlooms? No he does not. Is there anything else you would like to say since you are staff of the month? He says all students challenge yourself and set goals that you want to achieve in your life.
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Monday, October 16, 2023
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Drama Enrichment By: Addison Harold (8th) & Marisol Dominguez (8th) The drama enrichment is with Mrs. Meyer. It is for students to show their creative side and have fun with it. Students get to act, do drama shows at the school, and meet new people. Interview with Mrs. Meyer: Q: Why did you choose to teach drama? A: “It's a great time to express yourself in a different way, and it helps build up confidence.” Q: What’s your favorite topic in drama? A: “We have the most fun doing improv, students get really creative.” Q: How long have you been teaching drama? A: “For 7 years.” Q: How would you explain drama to other students? A: “In drama we play physical games, improvisation games, and learn different scenes. And students become very close.” Q: Will there be any drama shows/plays? A: “Two performances this year.” Interview with drama TA: Q: Why did you choose drama? A: “Because i’m a T.A.” Q: What makes drama fun? A: “You get to socialize.” Q: What is your favorite thing about drama? A: “Helping Mrs. Meyer.” Q: Would you recommend drama to others? A: “Yes.” Q: What are your interests that are similar to drama? A: “Playing games.” Interview with student #2 Q: Do you enjoy drama? A: “Very much.” Q: Would you do drama again next trimester? A: “Yes.”
Q: Would you want to do a drama play? A: “Yes.” Q: What's your favorite part about drama? A: “Acting, and improv.” Q: Do you recommend drama to other students? A: “I would.” Interview with student #3 Q: Why did you choose drama? A: “Because I like to meet new people.” Q: Would you want to be in a performance? A: “Yes, it would be something new.” Q: What's your favorite part about drama? A: “I like acting, and doing whatever I want and being creative.” Q: Is drama what you expected it to be? A: “Yes.” Q: Is mrs. meyer a good drama teacher? A: “Wonderful.”
Interview with student #4 Q: What do you like about drama? A: “I have Mrs. Meyer as a teacher.” Q: What is something you would change about drama? A: “Being a shorter class.” Q: Would you be in a drama play? A: “Probably not.” Q: Why did you pick drama? A: “It sounded fun.”
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Monday, October 16, 2023
Gardening Enrichment By: Adair Lopez Cruz and Jolie Smith (7th) The gardening enrichment is where students can show appreciation for their garden. Many students enjoy and have strong opinions about it. Many students go for the community service, and others really enjoy it. Most students enjoy growing a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. Most of the students are excited about the community service hours so they can attend many school activities. But people could also join if they enjoy nature and gardening. You should consider gardening if you need community service hours. It could help you. Gardening could be a very fun way to grow new life skills and meet new people. The person who runs the gardening enrichment is Mr. Pitchford. He is an 8th-grade math and science teacher. We interviewed him as to what he feels about gardening and he said: What is your favorite thing to grow? “Peppers and tomatoes” What do you most tell your students while gardening? “Bring a bucket, compost the plants, and wear your gardening gloves for protection.” What is your favorite thing about gardening? “Teaching students how to grow plants.” What do your students say the most while gardening? “I'm hot, can I get a drink of water?” What could you do to improve the gardening space? “Figure out a way to prevent weeds from growing so profusely and large.” How long have you worked in the gardening enrichment program? “I have taken over for 3 years now.” Why should students join the gardening enrichment? “I feel it's important that students find love for nature and plants and be able to provide/grow food for themselves and their families one day.” If you are interested in gardening you should consider joining. Mr. Pitchford would love to have you there. Have a nice day!
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The Volleyball Enrichment By: Lianna Haro (8th) Harlyn Menendez (8th)
We interviewed Mrs.Wofford and some students in the
Q: What type of team environment do you prefer?
volleyball enrichment and here is what they had to say.
A: Mo: “A team that's about bonding and playing.”
Students:
A: Blanca: “A team that is respectful and not judgmental.”
Q: What do you like about volleyball?
A: Sarah: “Helping.”
A: Mo: “I like passing.”
A: Alina: “Friends.”
A: Blanca: “You meet new people.”
Q: What advice would you give to a beginner player?
A: Sahra: “I get to learn new things and I get to learn
A: Mo: “To take volleyball as an enrichment.”
how to play.”
A: Blanca: “Try your best and don't give up.”
A: Alina: “It's very fun and physical.”
A: Sarah: “Never give up and keep going.”
Q: Why did you pick the volleyball enrichment?
A: Alina: “Move a lot get to the ball and basically just focus
A: Mo: “I thought it would be fun to get better.”
on the ball the whole time.”
A: Blanca: “I like playing and I want to play in high school and get better.”
Ms. Wofford :
A: Sarah: “Because my mom wanted me to learn how Q: Why did you choose to teach volleyball? to play volleyball.”
A: “I love this sport.”
A: Alina: “I had it before and it was fun.”
Q: How long have you been a volleyball coach?
Q: What's your favorite thing about playing
A: “I've been coaching for 10 years.”
volleyball?
Q: Have you ever played on a volleyball team?
A: Mo: “I like passing.”
A: “Yes for high school and some in college.”
A: Blanca: “If I play a game and my team wins.”
Q: How long have you been playing volleyball?
A: Sarah: “I learned how to do new things.”
A: “Since high school.”
A: Alina: “I get to practice.”
Q: What does a typical day look like in volleyball
Q: What motivated you to become a volleyball
enrichment?
player?
A: “It's hectic in the beginning but then players get better
A: Mo: “Just to get better.”
and it becomes more fun.”
A: Blanca: “Mrs.Wofford.”
Q: Have you ever thought about quitting volleyball?
A: Sarah: “Because it's a fun sport.”
A: “No, absolutely not.”
A: Alina: “I saw it on my for you page.”
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Monday, October 16, 2023
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Culinary Enrichment By: Xyriel Kashieca Galang (7th)
Here at POCS, we have a special class called “Culinary” which is the most popular enrichment class that we have. It all started a few years ago when they had Culinary but then the teacher who had taught Culinary had retired and shut down Culinary for a few years. But then Mrs. McDonough brought it back due to people wanting it back. So she decided to bring it back for students to learn about food safety, cooking, and also learning about nutrition. If you ever wanted to join, you only have 3 chances. Either trimester 1,2, or 3, or maybe if you’re not so lucky you might get no chances at all. The maximum number of students that they can allow is 20 students. The current teachers that are teaching Culinary are Ms. Worstell and Mrs. McDonough since it’s a shared class. FUTURE PLANS AND CURRENT PLANS. They made salsa, scrambled eggs, and potatoes, and they are currently making an apple dessert. For their future plans, they are planning to either make pasta or pizza. Sadly, students can’t decide what to make due to a budget and time.
A LITTLE INTERVIEW WITH THE CULINARY TEACHERS. “What made you guys want to teach Culinary?” -
“New students think it's fun and learning nutrition, also learning to cook themselves.”
“Since you like to cook, what’s your favorite thing to cook?” -
“Lasagna, tacos, and anything on the BBQ.”
“Would you recommend Culinary to future students?” -
Absolutely! 100%
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Monday, October 16, 2023
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Halloween By: Joey Apodaca (7th)
Halloween started 2,000 years ago. Halloween is a celebration on October 31st, the time in the liturgical year dedicated to remembering the dead. You dress up on Halloween to ward off ghosts/evil. You also carve jack-o-lanterns to put them on ur doorstep and it helps ward off evil from your home. The Celts believed that on the night of October 31st, the boundary between the worlds of the living and dead became blurred. November 2 is All Souls Day or the Day of the Dead. According to tradition, the gates of heaven are opened at midnight on October 31, and the spirits of children can rejoin their families for 24 hours. The spirits of adults can do the same on November 2. Once the 24 hours are over, is when they go back to the dead place. On Halloween, people visit their loved ones and visit the gravesite and pull weeds, clean any debris, and decorate the graves of loved ones.You can't see or hear the dead, But the dead can see and hear you.The Halloween holiday has its roots in the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (a Gaelic word pronounced “SAH-win”), a pagan religious celebration to welcome the harvest at the end of summer when people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off ghosts. Halloween is all about the adrenaline rush, the bonding experience, and getting to become someone else for a night. Here are some popular halloween movies you should definitely watch.
Popular Halloween Movies: ●
IT
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The Nightmare Before Christmas
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Child's Play
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Run Rabbit Run
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BeetleJuice
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Haunt
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Annabelle
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Lights Out
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The Curse Of Bridge Hollow
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Witches
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Scream
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Possum
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Get Out
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The Visit
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Smile
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Halloween Ends
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Us
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Edward Siccor Hands
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Talk to Us
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Frankenstein
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Terrifyer
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Dracula
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31
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M3gan
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Halloween
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The invisible man
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Fresh
Issue 9
Monday, October 16, 2023
Halloween Costume Ideas By: Jackie Garcia (8th)
Solo ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
Witch Captain underpants Angel Cow girl Ghost face Cupid Tinker bell hannah montana
Duo ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
Lilo and stitch Daphne & velma Devil & angel Mario & luigi Chucky & tiffany Prisoner & police Barbie and raquel Red riding hood and wolf Mike & Sully Dark & light angel Woody and buzz Elmo and the cookie monster Pennywise and georgie
Trio ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
Powerpuff girls Three blind mice Pizza planet aliens Bratz dolls Kiss marry kill Alvin and the chipmunks Three little pigs Elsa anna and olaf Mean girls Nintendo princesses
Quatro ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
Minions Fairies Sanrio characters Care bears Teletubbies Ninja turtles Wizard of oz Pirates Scooby doo group Monster high characters Prisoners Purge horror movie characters Different barbie looks Different spidermans Smurfs
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Halloween Decorations By: Jasmin Gutierrez Ayala (7th)
Everyone knows Halloween is coming up soon so here are some decoration ideas for you and your friends. These Halloween decoration ideas are pretty good because it doesn't cost as much money as Halloween decorations from stores, it does take time and patience but it's also really fun decorating things and creating things, so here are some ideas for you. ●
BOO GARLAND: The way you make this project is by taking three pages from a vintage book then taking black construction paper and gluing the vintage pages on the black construction paper after you've finished gluing take some more black construction paper and write a letter on each page. For example, you can write boo so you'd write b on one of them than an on another then another b cut them out and glue them on to the vintage papers after that make two holes in each page in the top corners once you're done with all of that thread a long length of black rickrack through the holes doing that will space all the papers evenly then all you have left to do is hang it up somewhere with tape or a nail.
●
SHADOW PUMPKINS: The steps to this project are as follows: first print an image of a silhouette onto paper then cut it out once you are done paint it any color you want but to make it more spooky I suggest black or white, and tape the image onto the pumpkin using glue or tape your choice, attach a lace trim to the imagine in a circle with glue or tape that will form a frame around the silhouette.
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TWINE FLOWERS: start by drawing anything you want on the pumpkin then use hot glue to attach lengths of twine following the outline of your drawing.
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WITCHES BOOTH WREATH: Hammer a nail into your wall or door hang any boot that looks vintage or spooky from their laces then hang a bow above the boot and you're all done.
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SPOOKY BIRD HOUSES: paint wooden bird houses with black acrylic paint once it is dry fill up the house with fake ghosts or anything and set it up by popping out the window or door after that, apply fake spider webs on the house and you can also add in paper bats above it.
These were just some ideas for Halloween decorations you can find more by searching up Halloween ideas I hope this helped you out with ideas.
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Monday, October 16, 2023
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Art/Students Creations By: Nikely Martinez Del Rosario (7th)
Why do you like art? Addy - "Because I like the creative expression and freeness of it." The reason why I like art is because it is calming, it's peaceful, and because when I was a young child I used to watch my older brother draw and I found it fun.
What type of art do you like? Addy- “Types of art that I like are abstract, realism, and sculpting because I can make it just as I like with the only boundary being your imagination.” Maria - “Anime, the reason why I like anime drawings it's because I like to draw anime.”
When did you notice that you like art( when you were young or older)? Addy - ¨I think I noticed I liked art when It made myself and others happy about when I was 5 maybe in Kindergarten.¨ Maria-’’When I learned how to draw was when I was about 6 or 7 years old but at that time I was not drawing anime I was drawing other things.
Do you use art to calm yourself(explain)? Addy - ¨When I'm doing art for myself I calm myself by making art that I love, and I'm happy about it.” Maria - “Yes I do use art to calm myself. I mostly use it to draw things for friends which is calming for me.”
Do you prefer painting or drawing? Addy- “I like painting but I draw more and it's easier to have a sketchbook than a canvas and paint.” Maria- “I prefer drawing them to painting. The reason for that is I'm not so good at painting since I don't do it so often. Drawing is easier for me and I like drawing things for friends.”
Do you like watercolors (explain why)? Addy- “I love watercolors because it's easier for me and it's what I use to learn how to paint.” Maria - “Yeah I do use watercolors personally I find it more relaxing than painting."
Which ones are your special colors for art (favorite colors)? Addy - “I don't have special colors, I use all the special colors from the rainbow.” Maria - “My favorite colors for art are the colors from the rainbow.”
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Monday, October 16, 2023
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Community Service Opportunity By: Kyle Braddock & Davian Jimenez (7th)
1.) Clean up a Local Park 2.) Volunteer at your local YMCA 3.) Volunteer at the food bank 4.) Humane Society 5.)No School October 13th Volunteer at your old school! 6.) WildLife Rescue Volunteer Program 7.) Volunteer for your city
Clean up a Local Park Clean up a Local park is where you clean up a park in your city, the next park is october 13th at pearblossom park Volunteer at your local YMCA The YMCA which stands for Young Men's Christian Association is a non-profit organization that helps kids. Basically babysitting. Volunteer at the food bank
Community service is a form of work and helping
The food bank is a service where food is donated
the earth and has multiple opportunities to choose
and set to those in need, only canned food can be
from. Such as helping clean a community park,
sent in.
helping at animal shelters, or after school clean up.
Humane Society
It's good to help around the community. It may not
Humane society is an animal shelter organization
benefit you financially but you know that you
No School October 13th Volunteer at your old
helped another person in need. Community service
school!
also grants you good honor in the community. In
There is no school on October 13th so you will get
middle school, you need a certain amount of hours
the chance to volunteer at your old elementary
to get a certain amount of things once you graduate.
school.
If the community service is labor you get double
WildLife Rescue Volunteer Program
hours such as something like gardening. Gardening
Wildlife rescue is a important thing to help the
is a simple task: pull weeds harvest, vegetables, and
animals of earth survive when they are injured
plant crops. Trash clean is also good for the school
Volunteer for your city
because you are reducing pollution. You can also
Have you ever wondered what it's like to be a police
help elders in their time of need if you work in a
officer or a firefighter? Well now is your chance to
nursing home.
ride along with them in live action.
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Monday, October 16, 2023
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Nimona By: Addison Franco (7th)
Nimona is a science fiction adventure comedy film. In a medieval-futuristic kingdom, the citizens were protected by the Institute for Royal Knights, established by the legendary hero Gloreth, who, a thousand years ago, vanquished a "Great Black Monster'' and made the kingdom with a high wall to cast out the "Monsters''. Now Ballister along with his confidant and boyfriend Ambrosius is about to be knighted, with Ballister being the first commoner to achieve this, as Queen Valerin is trying to change tradition so that "anyone can be a hero." During the ceremony, Valerin was murdered by a mysterious laser shot from Ballisters sword. Ambrosius tries to stop this by cutting off Ballisters right arm! Now he's hunted by the Institute and its Director. As Ballister hides he is visited by Nimona who is seeking a "villainous spirit" in Ballister as he is facing discriminatory treatment for his commoner origin and the murder of the Queen, Nimona hires herself as his new “villain sidekick”. Now together they have to figure out who killed the Queen! laser shot from Ballisters sword. Ambrosius tries to stop this by cutting off Ballisters right arm! Now he's hunted by the Institute and its Director. As Ballister hides he is visited by Nimona who is seeking a "villainous spirit" in Ballister as he is facing discriminatory treatment for his commoner origin and the murder of the Queen, Nimona hires herself as his new “villain sidekick”.
Now together they have to figure out who killed the Queen. Originally a production of Blue Sky Studios and Disney with an original release date of 2020 but unfortunately, On February 9, 2021, Disney announced it was shutting down Blue Sky Studios, and that production of the film was canceled. Had it been made would have been Blue Skie's first film with LGBTQ+ representation, as a few staffers confirmed to Buzzfeed that the film had an "I love you" scene between Ballister Blackheart and Ambrosius Goldenloin also the parent company of Blue Sky along with the production received pushback and hate due to the films LGBTQ+ themes, after which it was delayed multiple times before being canceled due to Blue Skies closing in April 2021 but good news, Annapurna Pictures revived the project the following year and Netflix acquired worldwide distribution.
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Monday, October 16, 2023
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Upcoming Video Games By: Manuel Frausto Sanchez and Santiago Aristondo (7th)
Mario Brothers Mario Bros. is one of the most recognizable franchises of Nintendo. The 2D side-scrolling platformer is based on New Super Mario Bros. Which has been going on for 4 generations of gaming consoles. They plan on adding more cartoony cell-shaded graphics as seen in Zelda Tears of the Kingdom and Breath of the Wild. They´ve planned to release it on October 20, 2023, and there will be a total of 4 playable characters Daisy, Mario, Yellow Toad, Peach, and two different colored Yoshis. In the beginning, One of the trailers shows Mario with his buddies in the FLOWER kingdom, yes not the Mushroom kingdom the mushroom kingdom, in the next scene we see Marios and his friends gathered around a magical blue flower that's floating in the middle of the screen. There is a new princess or king in this kingdom called Florian who's supposedly a non-threatening wiggler. Then DISASTER STRUCK with King Koopa AKA (also known as) Bowser comes to SNATCH the magical blue flower, as he did turn into a bunch of particles and transforms into a huge blimp with piranha plants protruding out of the ground. Transitioning to the next scene it shows that Bowser is turning everything into his own Bowser things and flies off into the final level of the 3d world. The next snippet of the trailer shows 7 playable areas in the hub world, the pipe-rock plateau is the first world you can play on, and then it shows the first level 1-1 Mario is sliding downhill hitting a mushroom-like theme. Huge blimp with piranha plants protruding out of the ground. Transitioning to the next scene it shows that Bowser is turning everything into his own Bowser things and flies off into the final level of the 3d world. The next snippet of the trailer shows 7 playable areas in the hub world, the pipe-rock plateau is the first world you can play on, and then it shows the first level 1-1 Mario is sliding downhill hitting a mushroom-like theme.
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Upcoming Video Games Continued By: Manuel Frausto Sanchez and Santiago Aristondo (7th)
Street Fighter Street Fighter is a two-player fighting game. It has been around since 1987 it first appeared in an arcade in Japan, at first Street Fighter was not that popular but in 1998 Street Fighter hit the peak of the arcade game and over 528 thousand arcades had the famous game with street fighter. The original Street Fighter was not as popular as Street Fighter 2. Street Fighter has two Guinness world records, one for the most famous fighting game next to Mortal Kombat. Street Fighter has 42 different games. Street Fighter V champions, Ultra Street Fighter II: The Final Challengers Edition, Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection, Street Fighter Arcade Edition, and Street Fighter V: A Shadow Falls that is just the top of all of the games. Street Fighter is 30+ years old. It first appeared in 1987. Every Street Fighter game has different storylines. Street Fighter has 8 different main characters Ryu, Ken Master, Chun-Le, M. Bison, Akuma, Cammy white, Sakura Kasugano, and Juri Han. You can get Street Fighter on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC. Recently in 2022 iOS and Smart got Street Fighter on the App Store. Street Fighter came out on PlayStation3 and Xbox 360 on May 18 but for Windows, it came out on October 29.
Issue 9
Monday, October 16, 2023
Avatar The Way of Water By: Kaelynn Ly (7th) Avatar The Way of Water is an extremely popular action, science fiction, and adventure film. This movie was produced by James Cameron and was released in theaters on December 16, 2022. It was ranked number #1 in top movies in the world during 2022. Believe it or not, Cameron had his actors act in real water for the underwater scenes. He had them do that so the film could be realistic. His method was to practice scuba diving without scuba gear. To fulfill his methods, the actors needed to hold their breath while doing the underwater scenes. He and his crew were able to use a special camera to film the actors underwater. Since this film was very popular, it made tons of money. According to IMBD.com, the movie made $531.7 million in profit. That's a lot of money! The movie took 12 years to make but did not start production until August 2017. One of the main actors, Sam Worthington, got paid 10 million dollars for his important role as “Jake Sully ''. Eight million dollars was paid to another main actor, Zoe Saldana for her role as “Neytiri”. I would recommend this movie. It is now streaming on Disney Plus and you can watch it anytime! Down below are some additional interesting facts about Avatar The Way of Water and its production. Fun facts! ●
The film was shot and filmed in New Zealand and California.
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The film was worked on by 1,700 people.
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Kate Winslet “ Ronal “ held her breath for more than 7 minutes underwater, which beat Tom Cruise's time for breath holding.
●
The director, James Cameron, has produced a few of the best movies ever.
And those are some things about Avatar: The Way of Water.
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Staff Interviews By: Damaris Olea (7th)
Mrs. Meyer: What is some advice/tips you give your students for the school year? “I would try to use class time to get work done and go home and relax and spend time with family, ask for help and ask questions because everybody gets confused and you should get time when you need it. Try to make a variety of friends you'll never know who you become friends with, you just need to put yourself out there.” What are some things you would recommend students be involved with? “I would have them try a variety of enrichments so they can figure out what they like to do.” What do you hope students accomplish this year? “I hope they build academic confidence and they are true to themselves and be empathetic to their classmates.”
Mrs. McDonough: What is some advice/tips you give your students for the school year? “I think one of the pieces of advice I would give is that students participate in class and extracurricular activities outside of school.” What are some things you would recommend students be involved with? “I think you should be on a sports team or be part of a group you like to do outside of school and find things that interest you.” What do you hope students accomplish this year? “For 7th grade, it is important to develop time management and your listening skills so they are ready for 8th grade.”
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Staff Interviews Pt2 By: Damaris Olea (7th)
Mrs. Sawyer (Dolan): What is some advice/tips you give your students for the school year? “One piece of advice I would give students is to use their planner and ask for help. I also encourage students to go to after school help, when needed, and collaborate with classmates. And to always try your best.” What are some things you would recommend students be involved with? “I would recommend students to be involved with sports or activities they are interested in and I would also recommend students to take enrichments that sound interesting to them.” What do you hope students accomplish this year? “I hope students accomplish learning something new, meeting new people, pushing themselves out of their comfort zone. I hope they find a sense of belonging and feel like they have someone to go to.”
Ms. Brandenburg: What is some advice/tips you give your students for the school year? “Use their class time wisely. Check-in with their teachers if they need help and be mindful of who they are hanging out with. Middle school goes by really fast and working hard and setting up good habits will only help you as you transition into high school.” What are some things you would recommend students be involved with? ¨I think finding something positive that gives back to the school or larger community is really important. Things such as Changemakers or volunteering with an organization that does work that aligns with your values can make such a big and positive impact on your life. I also recommend trying one of our afterschool activities such as a sport or music. It's a great way to make new friends and all of the things we offer will enrich your life.” What do you hope students accomplish this year? “I hope that each of my students gets their community service done and gets to walk in promotion. I also hope that they grow into better versions of themselves compared to when they first started. One of the greatest achievements, in my eyes, is being a kind person. I hope that each of my students chooses to become a little more kinder and empathetic as a person. The world needs much more of that.”
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Monday, October 16, 2023
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The Season Fall By: Makayla Oum (8th) and Scarlet Vasquez (8th) Fall is such a warm and welcoming season. The sky is cloudy, the air is crisp. That cozy warm feeling in the mornings. Fall has to be the most beautiful season. In fall, there are many changes around us.
It's pumpkin season!! The best time for pumpkin everything. Pumpkin lattes, Pumpkin pie, even pumpkin carving. Do you like pumpkins? Because I for sure do. Pumpkins typically grow during the fall. It is very popular in California. It's the most comforting flavor for fall. Having a bit of pumpkin can set your mood for fall. One of the most popular places that have pumpkin-flavored drinks is Starbucks. Starbucks recently came out with their Fall collection that includes pumpkin spice lattes, Chai iced latte with pumpkin cold foam, pumpkin spice cream, and plenty more! Many other things are in the fall. Many fruits grow in this season such as apples, persimmons, grapes, and Asian pears. All these fruits are deliciously in season! Maybe one day you can give them a try.
Fall is a really fun season with lots of cool things to wear and do. When it comes to fashion, you can wear warm sweaters, boots, and scarves to keep warm. Layering is key during this time, so you can mix and match different pieces to create unique outfits. Or if wearing boots or scarves isn't your thing, you can just wear the average clothes you wear any other day.
Now, let's talk about a couple of things you can do in the fall. One classic activity is going apple picking. Although some people may find apple picking a bit boring, some people do enjoy it. Another popular fall activity is visiting pumpkin patches. You can find the perfect pumpkin to carve or decorate your home with.
If you're into outdoor adventures, hiking and exploring nature during the fall is amazing. The colorful leaves create a beautiful backdrop for pictures too. Oh, and let's not forget about Halloween! Dressing up in costumes, going trick-or-treating, or going to Halloween parties are all part of the Halloween fun. Jackie’s article also has lots of inspiration for Halloween costumes.
Issue 9
Page 19
Monday, October 16, 2023
Fall Birthdays By: Makayla Oum (8th) and Scarlet Vasquez (8th) 9/1 Alexander
10/1 Cristian Tobar
10/20 Cheyenne
11/10 Rowan Trafton
Villagomez
10/2 Aleyda Vega
Gurrola
11/10 Julian Aguilar
9/2 Cambria
10/5 Marcus Letasi
10/21 Angie
Flores
Weerts
10/8 Omar Aguilar
Alvarenga
11/13 Ford Benedict
9/2 Mikayla
10/10 Andrew
10/24 Layla Wilgus
11/20 Matias Ulloa
Bergeron
Brown
10/25 Madeline
Alvarez
9/4 Adair Lopez
10/10 Ronan
Witthaus
11/21 Rally Garcia
9/5 Noah
Shiffman
10/21 Emilio
11/22 Makayla Oum
Taeuffer
10/11 Ethan Ortega
Contreras
11/23 Ivy long
9/12 Sophia
10/12 Beckett
10/28 Edwin Castillo
11/18 Anthony Rankin
Urbina
Pagador
10/26 Christopher
11/24 Chelsea Stinson
9/16 Kamila
10/13 Beilul
Garcia
11/24 Noah Gutirrez
Quezada
Solomon
10/29 Joe Millsap
11/24 Annie Le
9/19 Jose
10/13 Anabella
10/30 Melissa
11/25 Alina Conteras
Garcia-Rubio
Magana
Brandenburg
11/25 Lauran Shimmel
9/19 Dominic
10/14 Alyssa
10/31 Xavier Castro
11/26 Sarah Molina
Quartarolo
Walker
10/31 Ayinema
11/27 Rose Pantino
9/20 Miranda
10/14 Scarlet
Yambire
Corrales
Vasquez
10/31 Kai Pazoki
9/21 Ari Diaz
10/15 Austin
11/2 Damaris Olea
9/21 Israel Marin
Armstrong
Flores
9/22 Kyle
10/15 Maximo
11/4 Edward Culley
Braddock
McCarty
11/6 Anthony Murillo
9/22 Nathan
10/16 Jackie Garcia
11/6 Soren Johnson
Sisavath
10/18 Kayla
11/6 Kaz Williams
9/26 Edward
Alcantar
11/7 Aiden Johnson
Naepflin
10/18 Ian Kitchen
11/9 Bridget Ulloa
9/26 Yamileth
10/18 Caleb
Lopez
Fonseca Nunez
Kenyon
11/9 Ngozi Ogbonna
Issue 9
Monday, October 16, 2023
Page 20
Trimester 1 Newspaper Team Editors
Co-Editors
Publishers
Photographers
Addison Franco Samantha Letasi
Xyriel Kashieca Galang Litzy Mendoza Hernandez
Adair Lopez Cruz Anthony Luna Jolie Smith
Joey Apodaca Semaih Eskias Jackie Garcia
Designers
Creative
Marketing
Reporters
Kaelynn Ly
Santi Aristondo Manuel Frausto Isaac Munoz Fuentes
Kyle Braddock Davian Jimenez
Teacher’s Assistant
Teacher
Ferny Martinez Luna Adriana Ramirez
Mrs. Sawyer (Dolan)
Joey Apodaca Santi Aristondo Kyle Braddock Marisol Dominguez Semaih Eskias Addison Franco Manuel Frausto Sanchez Xyriel Kashieca Galang Jackie Garcia Jasmin Gutierrez Ayala Lianna Haro Addison Harold Davian Jimenez Samantha Letasi Adair Lopez Cruz Anthony Luna Kaelynn Ly Nikely Martinez Del Rosario Litzy Mendoza Hernandez Harlyn Menendez Isaac Munoz Fuentes Damaris Olea Flores Makayla Oum Alina Phillips Jolie Smith Scarlett Vasquez Palomares