Aspen Middle School Mayhem - Issue 1 2023

Aspen Middle School

by Ember LaPenna

Mayhem

Volume 1

Created by Students in AMS Newspaper Club

Sloane Alexander Jagger Burstyn Charlotte Case Ember LaPenna Lorelei LaPenna Sunny Morehouse Harry Spitteler Hailey Ward Carlie White

May 2023

The Remarkable Kassandra Sandev Hailey Ward At the start of the school year, Kassandra Sandev became the new librarian at Aspen Middle School for a change.

Sandev used to live in Europe, directly out of high school, and then moved to the Czech Republic, and then France and then in the US. She worked in hospitals and prisons. Then she moved here because she wanted a change in her work. She has one son

who’s two and a half years old. Sandev will have another baby in August.

Sandev’s past jobs were very interesting however she wanted a job where she could interact with kids.

“My background was in psychology Human Services, so I actually worked in psychiatric hospitals and in prisons. I was actually not a teacher and did not work in a school before I came to AMS. This is my first time working

in a school district,” Sandev said.

Sandev has always loved to read.

“Every year I set myself a different goal of a certain number of books to read. This year, I did 40 books. So I thought that it really aligned with things that I really liked to do as a hobby for my own pleasure, and it was a nice change,” Sandev Photo by Hailey Ward Kassandra Sandev poses with a library book in the AMS library. said.

Antarctic Territorial Feuds Harry Spitteler The territorial disputes of Antarctica include the claims that countries have the right to mine in Antarctica. There are a total of eight countries that are a part of the disputes.

These countries are Australia, Argentina, Chile, Norway, the USA, the UK, NZ, and France.

Australia has the biggest claim to Antarctica having a whopping 42%! That is a total of 2,276,700 square miles. McMurdo station is the most famous station in Antarctica. McPhoto by Harry Spitteler Murdo station is operated by

Antartica is 5.275 square miles, roughly the size of the United States and Mexico combined.

the US under the United States Antarctic Program (USAP.) There is no government in Antarctica because there is no country that owns all of it.

There have been a total of eleven people born in Antarctica. The Antarctic Treaty was ratified by Russia, China, and the USA. If you go to Port Lockroy station you can get your passport stamped! China’s newest base has been taken as a threat by the Australian government. They have put up extra surveilance to watch the Chinese base.

Dress Code Animal Captivity Sofi Experience The middle school dress code has been stuck in the same position for many years, and the old practices of inequality have yet to be changed, as they still target female students... (Pg 2)

Dolphins… friendly mammals, but are they? have been putting animals in captivity for the wrong reasons. Dolphins have been getting more indignant...(Pg 3)

The roof is glowing color, it looks like a huge dome, and is unnatural to the area, but there is still an urge to go in. With a roar, the smell from the food of the world in one place hits like a controlled earthquake...(Pg 4)

AMS

May 2023

Mayhem

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AMS Perspectives on the Dress Code Sloane Alexander The middle school dress code has been stuck in the same position for many years, and the old practices of inequality have yet to be changed, as they still target female students.

Every year, the dress code rules are recited to students, outlining how they must cover their skin, or they will have to change into a sweatshirt or hoodie from the lost and found because it’s a “distraction.” If you look at the dress code, you see that if your shoulders are showing or you are wearing tight clothing, you could get written up. If you get written

Photo by Georgina Levey AMS 6th grade students present their “kids teaching kids” presentation to an AES 4th grade class.

6th grade WIN students building a fort out of cardboard.

up, you are eligible for suspension. The reasoning for the dress code is to “not disrupt the classroom,” but wouldn’t pulling out a student because they are showing some skin cause more of a disruption?

Rumors and drama can cause student embarrassment. Even an anonymous AMS teacher said, “teachers should take into account that students may be self-conscious, and it’s important not to make them feel uncomfortable or like a criminal.”

The dress code is also essential in some ways, but no

Photo by Georgina Levey

case is the same, and we need to stop treating it like it is.

An anonymous AMS student we interviewed contributed to this argument by saying: “For example, I know a girl with an obviously different body, and she and I wear the same things and she gets dress-coded when I don’t.”

This is similar to what this teacher said, “Case by case when people are tall, and shorts look shorter, and you may feel uncomfortable and finding perfect clothing is not possible.”

This is an accepted form of sexism, and that needs to

ed against in preparation for the unfortunate reality of our world.”

Both sides are valid in different ways. Of course, this is a workplace environment, but workplaces have rights too.

We can fix this issue if we all speak out against this injustice.

Organizations like National Youth Rights Organization (NYRA) are working to do so.

As the student said about the dress code, “I feel like it’s not necessary and if they want to continue having it they should make it equal”.

change because of so many reasons.

For example, the student commented, “one issue I have is that it’s applied for girls and not for boys, for example, if I wore a white shirt I would get dress coded and if a boy did that would not happen. I feel it’s unfair because the school tries to talk about equality, but that’s a form of sexism.”

On the contrary, the teacher says the dress code Photo by Sloane Alexander is “Preparing for life where AMS students walk in an Aspen High School hallway. women are discriminat-

Photo by Georgina Levey AHS students present to AMS 5th graders on the dangers of social media.

May 2023

AMS

MAYHEM

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A Deep Dive Into Dolphins in Distress Sunny Morehouse and Carlie White Dolphins… friendly mammals, but are they? have been putting animals in captivity for the wrong reasons. Dolphins have been getting more indignant.

around the world, and so far 33,238,948 pounds of trash have been eliminated from the ocean, with these initiatives still ongoing. However, there are animals dying because of littering. Sea turtles are get-

Mexico coast in conservation areas. Vaquitas are identified by the black circle around their eyes,lips, spade shaped teeth, and triangle shaped dorsal fins, which is different from other porpoises. An obvious way to

Vaquita was popularized from local fishermen’s name for the species. This species will not survive if we don’t try to protect it. Some facts about the vaquita are that it is stocky and sleek, the vaquita is among

For example, a dolphin named Sundance attacked a trainer because of frustration from its captivity. To stop their frustration animals are being drugged so they can not defend themselves when they are getting put in captivity.

Some places are good, like WDC (Whale and Dolphin Conservation), who help to get them back in the wild, or, if they cannot go back because of serious injuries, they keep them.

Places like A bottlenose dolphin in the Atlantic Ocean.

SeaWorld just want to enterting stuck or eating trash and tain the guests for good reviews, but do the guests know dying. You can keep track of Team Seas and their progress what’s behind the scenes of the beautiful shows? Orcas are but if we don’t litter less trash punished and put in tiny filthy will be in the ocean and less trash will make the ocean tanks, and for such a big anicleaner. Team Seas is supportmal, it can give them serious ed by Mr. Beast, and other sickness or infected scratches from the tank. Sadly, the prob- famous Youtubers. If you can please help these animals get ability of them living is very out of their frustration. uncertain.

To stop orcas in the wild from getting hurt, not littering can help with the situation. An organization called Team Seas cleans up beaches

Another endangered species is the Vaquita, and they are often caught and killed in gill nets that are set up illegally along the California and

Image courtesy of Creative Commons

protect the Vaquita is if you see an animal that is getting abused by trash and humans you stop them, and call the authorities. The Vaquita is a dolphin that is really cute, but there are only 10 left in the world, and are often caught and hunted on the Mexico and California coast.

Vaquita is also the most endangered marine mammal on the planet! Hopefully they recover from their very depressing journey. Vaquita translates to “little cow.” The name

the smallest living cetaceans, measuring less than five feet in length and weighing no more than 120 pounds.

The ocean has suffered consequences and we’re to blame, but we can prevent all these animals from suffering and being extinct. So please, if you see trash, clean it up to help this world recover from all the mistakes we make. Or the Vaquita will be like the dinosaurs. Extinct.

AMS

MAYHEM

The SOFI Experience

May 2023

Jagger Burstyn The roof is glowing color, it looks like a huge dome, and is unnatural to the area, but there is still an urge to go in. With a roar, the smell from the food of the world in one place hits like a controlled earthquake. It is humid outside but cool inside.

If you couldn't tell, that is what I call a description of Sofi stadium, one of the most modern stadiums of this day.

These are real places and some foods are nachos, hot dogs, chili dogs, cheeseburger sub.

It's very affordable. It's amaz-

Lower level experience

It just gets better. The food may be more expensive but it's

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ing.

There’s an art museum where you are not allowed to take pictures or videos so guess you have to see with your real eyes. A great view.

There are so many awesome things: a gift shop, a chance to meet a player and you feel important.

Instead of just food that are from LA restaurants on important streets, it's LA cuisines in each restaurant.

Upper level experience The stadium has concrete floors, but feels The SoFi stadium pictured during sunset. and has texture the same as marble. The food is based ing food just like the view. on restaurants on LA blocks Now look at the lower level. such as N Fairfax ave, Sawtelle BLVD, San vicente BLVD.

Photo courtesy of Creative Commons

better such tacos nachos are all there and awesome. You can smell the food. It smells better than normal food, it is amaz-

THE FINAL TOUCHDOWN

No matter if you're sitting in the upper or lower level, it's a once in a lifetime opportunity. It's better than a stadium, IT’S THE STADIUM!!!!!!

Comic created by Ember LaPenna