Ursus April 2019 Issue by Ursus

New “and So It Begins” pg. 4

Ursus

“Dumbo” review pg. 7

Vol. 5 Issue 3/ Friday, April 26 , 2019 / Bedford Middle School / Westport, Conn. 06880 / BedfordUrsus@gmail.com

Admin Warns School about Youtuber

SBACs Next Week

Testing Leaves Some Drained

Henry Carson STAFF WRITER

Ryan Hong and Leilani Fleming STAFF WRITERS

Standardized testing. By now, you have probably had several of these tests. And you probably know what it feels like to stand up after hours of staring at a computer screen. You may have wondered why school and students need them. Well, standardized testing is used to assess the school district and the students. They cover multiple areas of knowledge and are designed to determine where students are in terms of education and their learning.

NWEAs PSATs SBACs NGSSs Students have one every few months. The NWEA is a test taken three times a year by sixth and seventh graders, and two times a year by eighth graders. The SBACs are a statewide test in the spring to determine where the students are, academically speaking. The PSATs, or Preliminary SAT, is a test taken by eighth graders in the winter. These test are necessary, to a degree, in order to asses the school and to get students familiar with a test that may help determine college placement at the end of high school.

Continuation, page 2

Hold onto your pizza slices. Next year there will be ϔive lunch waves at BMS.

Planning for ‘19-’20 Matthew Stashower STAFF WRITER

Next year two schools will be one. There are still a lot of details the BOE has to determine. Pods will be merged. There will be a super pod with 150 students. All teachers will be sharing classrooms with other teachers. A lot will be different next year ¨I’m not worried, it’s more of a concern,” said Principal Dr. Adam Rosen. “But that concern is something we can plan for. You know you can have many many students in the school, as long as you plan for all the spaces and the needs for all the kids. That’s what we’re working on everyday here at Bedford.” He went on to say more. “It’s not lost on me that becoming one school will be a challenge, but the reality is that for next year everyone is going to be a Bedford student. Everyone will be considered Bedford kids.” To help achieve this the school is going to do some orientations in the beginning of the year that will bring the community together.” Another big question next year is lunch. “There will be ive lunch waves because we will have 1,300 students next year.. We can only really feed about 280 kids at a time.”

Dr. Rosen also said that lunch will be 41 minutes long instead of 30 minutes. The irst lunch wave will start at 10:24 AM. But since it starts so early there may be recess at the beginning of the lunch wave. The last lunch wave will start at 1:15 p.m. and end at 2:00 p.m. When asked if it will be an adjustment for the teachers Dr. Rosen said “Prior to the merger, teachers had the pod space all day. They had that space to meet, to plan with administrators, counselors, psychologists, providers. grade papers, make calls home to parents or respond to parents. Next year, the teachers have to come out of the pod and my job is to try to ind spaces in the building where teachers can get their work done.” Teacher will have to adjust to not having their own classroom to work in. Some teachers are already experiencing this now. When asked about spaces for encore classes and P.E., Dr. Rosen said, ¨We’re also adding portable classrooms outside the gym area and outside the bus area. So these are classrooms outside of the school and that’s going to be a adjustment for teachers to be teaching in portable classrooms.” Yes, there will be a lot changing next year.

A Hoax That has Many Frightened James Blanco and Nick Lolis STAFF WRITERS

In February, a scary internet hoax called The Momo Challenge made it’s way into the hearts and minds of middle schoolers, and many wish that it hadn’t. According to the “New York Times,“ Momo is a Japanese doll who supposedly spread from Facebook to popping up in the middle of Peppa Pig and Fortnite videos. It is not an ad. Reportedly, it would simply just appear in the video without warning. It is aimed for little children, because they wouldn’t know that Momo is fake, and it would pop up in front of the videos they’re watching. Accroding to ABC News, after Momo in ilrated the video, Momo would tell them to in lict harm on themselves. An example of the harm Momo would tell the kids would be to hurt themselves or to leave a kitchen burner on that could lead to a ire or a gas leak. The way that Momo would tell kids to do these things would be it would be cut into the video and the video would stop. Then ominous music would start playing with shadows appearing behind

Momo, the Japanese doll, rapidly spread over the internet and entrapped and horriϔied young students.

trees and the doll’s face would be pasted on the shadows. Through a cheap animation, the mouth of the doll would be cut off and a the color black would ill the gap in between the mouth and the head. A creepy voice would speak, possibly saying, “Hi. I am Momo. I want to play with you.” But all these details and reports are the result of a viral legend. “The Atlantic,” “Vox,” CNN all report that there is no evidence that any of this has taken place—Momo, as a game, isn’t real. But real fear swept across Bedford and the country like wild ire. Everyone who did not already know now knows about the cursed challenge that has plagued social media. If you ask someone about Momo, they will probably say that they knew about Momo. The story of Momo was not very original. It originated from another story of similar structure. “The Ring” was a ilm made in 2002. “The Ring” was a movie about a dead girl who would haunt you from a VHS tape. The story of Momo is

Continuation, page 2

On Thursday, March 21, at 10:31 a.m., Dr. Rosen sent an email to the facility concerning the recent issues brought to light about Youtuber Felix Kjellberg, otherwise known as PewDiePie. “We experienced some disruptions to the learning process as students were attempting to promote him during class time; some teachers brought their concerns to my attention,” said Dr. Rosen, “Concomitantly, I was reminded about him when the New Zealand Mosque mass murderer yelled ‘Subscribe to Pewdiepie’ during his attack; I recalled that both Disney and Google ired him, YouTube’s biggest star, over anti-Semitic videos.” PewDiePie has been made famous on the platform for his sarcastic attitude and his sometimes innapropriate jokes. In the past few days, he and has channel have been inspected by many due to his connection to the New Zealand shooting and other white supremacist ideologies. The shooter said “Remember, lads, subscribe to PewDiePie,” and a “New York Times” article uncovered that there were at least nine videos of his that “featured anti-semitic gestures and imagery,” such as him saluting to a video of Hitler marching and paying actors to hold up signs that say “Death to all Jews.” “The danger is that he is normalizing prejudiced attitudes to tens of millions of pre-teens, teens and young adults,” sid Dr. Rosen. “While he purports that his comments and antics are ‘all in good fun,’ his message would have his audience accept stereotypes through belittling jokes and scapegoating groups based on race and religious orientation.” This isn’t the irst time the population of the school unintentionaly promoted a meme tied to white supremacy, and the alt-right. A few years back the same thing happened with Pepe the Frog, in which a meme discussed by middle schoolers also happened to be a symbol for the altright. Though the creator of Pepe, Matt Furie, had no intention for his comic creation to be turned into a symbol for white supremacists, it did. The same goes for Mr. Kjellberg. Whether he is or is not a white supremacist, the alt-right have labeled him as one, and he, just like Matt Furie, can not undo the white supremacist’s have labeled as their signs. “The New Zealand shooter said subscribe to PewDiePie and that hurt his community. He can’t control what he [the shooter] said,” said, Collin Chaple, an eighth grader, “He did not upload that day, and donated a lot of money and guided others to do the same. Personally I think he did well to address the situ-

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Inside News Opinions Features Games A&E Sports

1–2 3-4 5 6 7 8

News

2 Ursus

Friday, April 26, 2019

Science Olympiad Wins States

Momo Hoax Continued from page 1

almost the same. She contacts you through a screen and tells you to do dangerous things, just like the dead girl from “The Ring,” except Momo doesn’t really come for you. “It was a Japanese statue. Momo was just a regular truth or dare game. It could be little things, such as ding dong ditching someone, or it could be really dangerous like self-harm. It’s kinda dumb because I know it’s not

Shivali Kanthan STAFF WRITER

On Saturday, March 16, before the sun had risen, Bedford’s Science Olympiad members met at the school to board a bus. That bus would take them on their long trip to the States competition at Irving A. Robbins middle school in Farmington Connecticut. States is a competition that brings together all the Science Olympiad teams in a state and determines the winning team, which will be the only team in Connecticut to compete in the next larger national competition. The competition consists of many tests taken by a selected group of students and the presentation of their thoughtfully designed projects. All group members of Bedford’s team commit to preparing for competitions for many hours after school. Their work paid off, and they were the victors of the 2019 States competi-

Bedford Science Olympiad team after its state win in Farmington, Connecticut tion. Maia Gubitz, a member of the team, said that they didn’t have it easy. “In my opinion, States was also really hard. The tests were really well written. I’m glad we came irst, but it was really anyone’s game since the other teams were just as good.” She and the rest of the team had to work hard to win. Maia also says the experience was worth the work as well. “The team was so supportive. To be there with all your friends is just so amazing. Also there were people who didn’t make the team, but they still came to help and

support us.” Kaitlyn Seo, another member of the Bedford Science Olympiad team, placed in Anatomy, Disease Detectives, Herpetology, and Game On, a Scratch coding test. She got irst place in Anatomy, third place in Herpetology and Game On, and fourth place in Disease Detectives. With another victory under its belt, Science Olympiad will be heading to its next challenge: Nationals. Nationals is another competition that involves many teams, but this competition will involve teams from across the country.

Standardized Testing continued from page 1 “I think some [testing] is needed.” said Mrs. Colleen Banick on the subject. But do we really need all these tests? “Assessment, in and of itself, is not a bad thing. However, this is a lot of assessment.” said Ms. Banick. The number of tests students have can seem overwhelming, so how do these tests affect students? Many kids end up feeling drained afterward. These tests are often administered across several hours, resulting in

students feeling exhausted and numb by the end. In addition, it often consumes the entire day, meaning that students have nothing to look forward to except hours of testing. “Itś annoying and stressful,” said eighth grader Josh Gordon. Any student already knows what it feels like to stand up after hours staring at a screen. The tests are detrimental to the the student body because they can exhaust and stress them.

NHD has 5 in Top 3 Kristin Villaluz STAFF WRITER

NHD had a strong showing in April at the Fair ield County National History Day Competition at Sacred Heart University in Fair ield, Conn. Below are the students and results. The club, advised by social studies teacher Caroline Davis, has ive out of seven entries moving onto the state level competition in May. “I am so proud of the team! Thank you to all who have helped us prepare this year,” said Mrs. Davis.

Top Placing Teams 1st Place Junior Group Documentary Addie Purcell Cara Feeley Mim Hurley

State looks to Redraw Districts

1st Place Junior Group Exhibit Janna Moore Elle Vail Cami Kolek Isabelle Ormsby

Jack Hong and Shreyas Gorre

1st Place Junior Group Website Jason Lessing Jack Ginsburg Charlie Wiele Ty Levine

STAFF WRITERS

2nd Place Junior Paper Riley Foushee 3rd Place Junior Group Exhibit Lucia Wang Emma Losonczy Mili Green Rhea Choudhury Mallika Subramanian

But students aren’t the only ones who are affected by these tests. As they are given during classes and can span several days, teachers lose valuable class time. This means they have to postpone lessons. While standardized testing is important to assess the school’s students and teachers alike, too many can be detrimental to teachers and students by eating up class time and leaving students tired and irritated.

Cara Feeley, Addie Purcell and Mim Hurley reacting to the news that they earned a ϔirst place ϔinish and are going to compete at States.

Two new bills have been proposed to the Connecticut State Senate that would affect not only school life around Bedford, but within many other districts too. Bill number 454, proposed by Senator Martin Looney, would combine any towns with a total population of 40,000 people or less to form a new school district with any other adjacent districts, with combined administration. Weston shares a probate district with Westport. This does not necessarily mean the Weston and Westport school districts would be combined, but there is a chance should this bill be passed. The second bill, number 457 proposed by senator Bob Duff and senator Catherine Osten, would affect and combine districts with a student population of under 2,000. It requires certain small school districts to create new ones or join existing regional school districts. The bills provide an option for districts to opt out of regionalization, should they provide a suf icient reason to do so. Both bill’s “Statement of

“I’m not scared of Momo myself, but I’m scared that my son will see it.” Mrs. Alison Antunovich real, and kids should know that too. Like, after watching a scary movie, you know it’s not real but it scares you,” said Liam Donaldson, a 7th grader from BMS. “I think Momo is horrible. It introduces young students to the idea of suicide and that it doesn’t address the seriousness of it. It makes suicide seem entertaining or casual,” said 8th grade BMS teacher, Mrs. Alison Antunovich. “I’m not scared of Momo myself, but I’m scared that my son will see it.” “Do I hate it? Yes. Do I think it’s awful? Yes. Do I think it should be taken off the internet? Yes. Because there is nothing good to come of anyone doing that. I’m scared of how it impacts the kids who don’t know how to stand up for themselves and say no to these things,” said Mrs. Jessica Rabine, a BMS guidance counselor.

Purpose” is to create a more ef icient educational system. Whereas the effect of the bills would relatively easy to predict inside of school administration, the effects outside of school would be hard to determine. “There is no real way to determine what will happen,” said Colleen Banick, a vice principal here at Bedford. One drastic change that would be introduced is a sudden loss of jobs. Combined administration means fewer positions for custodians, electricians, and technicians. A general loss of maintenance and repair jobs would be replaced with only one team instead of two. Perhaps one cause for this proposed regionalization is the imbalance in both funding and student population. When regionalizing the schools, both schools would combine inancial assets and students. However, it remains uncertain as to whether students and staff from the combined districts will stay within their same schools, as opposed to potentially combining schools between districts.

. .

The new combined districts if bills are adopted

Opinions

Ursus

Friday, April 26, 2019

Ursus Ursus is Bedford Middle School’s student newspaper. It prints 700 copies, four times a year. All content and opinions come from the newspaper staff and do not re lect those of Bedford’s teachers or administrators.

A Well-Deserved Thank You

We, the staff of Ursus, believe it is clear that it is has been a dificult year for many in the Westport Public Schools family. And there is a lot of praise for the people who have made this year a little less dif icult to navigate. Thank you to the administration for new lockers, schedules and keeping the school together. Thank you to the teachers who have taught us under less than ideal circumstances such as being moved out of pods and relocated, but through it all, you have been able to teach us a lot. But they are not the focus of this editorial. The entire staff would like to give a huge thank you to the under-appreciated —at least

by students— custodians. They clean up the trash left by both 1,150 students and 250 staff and teachers throughout a typical school day. They restock supplies, they pick up after lunch in the cafe and

Editorial snack in our pods. They move desks, chairs, and carefully take kids’ belongings down to the lost and found. In any year, this would already be a dif icult task, but with the addition of Coleytown 6th and 7th grades the job of maintaining the school has become even harder.

We asked Dr. Rosen about the custodians and their work. “The BMS custodial team, lead by Head Custodian Mr. Ott and Assistant Head Custodian Mr. Durost, have done an incredible job making sure our school is a clean, orderly, and welcoming facility for our students and staff. Our custodians have a great deal of pride in their work and considering the unique circumstances of this particular school year, which has added considerable pressure on their workload, they are unsung heroes at BMS.” And the staff cannot agree more with his sentiments. So, one more time, thank you to all the custodians who do so, so much for us.

Ursus lets you

Speak Out Finnegan Courtney and Curtis Sullivan

Alex Sod, 6th Grade

It’s really terrible that parents were doing this and that their kids didn’t know. I feel bad for the kids because they didn’t know, and now they are being kicked out because of the fact that colleges do not want to be associated with it.

Matthew Fleming, 8th Grade I ind it unfair for all the students who work hard because there are a lot of kids who work very hard to get into colleges.

Clara Smith, 8th Grade

Mr. Brian Kurtz, 6th Grade Science I think it’s pretty bad and it’s really disapYou shouldn’t have to cheat in order to pointing. It’s a disgrace that you can pay to get into colleges. get into a collage.

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS Tommy Dry James Fiffer STAFF AT LAYOUT Henry Carson Finnegan Courtney Leilani Fleming Mack Haymond Nikhil Kanthan Shivali Kanthan Nick Lolis Camille Mergenthaler Preston Siroka Matthew Stashower Kristin Villaluz Lucia Wang

STAFF ADVISERS Samantha Gettings Stephen Rexford CONTACT US bedfordursus@gmail.com Bedford Middle School 88 North Ave. Westport, CT 06880

Mrs. Cecily Anderson, Art Teacher P

STAFF CARTOONIST Dereje Tarrant

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Finnegan Courtney

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF AND STAFF WRITER

In March of 2019, a story broke about 34 parents accused of fraud because they purchased special access to falsiied tests scores and fake applications to gain entrance to 14 colleges for their children. We asked Bedford students and teachers about the issue. —Finnegan Courtney.

STAFF WRITERS James Blanco Henry Carson Leilani Fleming Mack Haymond Jack Hong Ryan Hong Alex Gaines Shryeas Gorre Ryder Levine Isabella Martenson Camille Mergenthaler Nikhil Kanthan Shivali Kanthan Nick Lolis Noah Oren Matthew Stashower Ko Seltzer Preston Siroka Curtis Sullivan Ryan Tzou Kristin Villaluz Lucia Wang

I think that in towns like Westport and in Fair ield County, there is an unhealthy amount of pressure to get into schools, even in middle school, I see kids worrying about it now. The scandal is a result of the broken system making it not equal for everyone.

Letters to the Editor-In-Chief The paper welcomes letters to the editor. Send letters via email to the address below or drop off letters in rm. 263. Please keep letters under 175 words. Your letter may be shortened and edited for space.

Crown Finalist, 2018 as awarded by the Columbia Scholastic Press Association

4 Ursus

Opinions Friday, April 26, 2019

Noah keeps playbills for each of the plays he has seen. Some have signatures of actors.

Collecting is all about Connecting G

D P

PewDiePie, here with his face crossed out, satirizes gaming and the internet, but his humor has drawn criticism.

Where does the line get drawn? Finnegan Courtney EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Last month Bedford Middle schoolers became readily invested in a competition between PewDiePie, a sometimes profane Internet in luencer, and T-Series, an Indian music channel. The battle? Which Youtube channel could boast the greatest number of subscribers, and the “ ight” reached the hallways of Bedford. Students were urging others to subscribe to one channel over another. One student supporting PewDiePie even created business cards for PewDiePie. The problem for PewDiePie and schools is that in the past he has made anti-semitic and white supremacist comments on his Youtube channel. His comments recently cost him Disney sponsorship as the company cut ties on a business deal, according to the “Guardian.” He has labeled these as jokes all the while reaping the bene its that come from eyes visiting his channel.

On Life at BMS

However, this article is not about him being anti-semitic or a white supremacist. What this column is focusing on is the issue of policing student thought. I feel it is understandable and appropriate for the administration to point out hate speech when it enters the school. Under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, schools must provide a non-discriminatory environment that is free of hostile speech. But when does providing that environment start to infringe on students’ right to free speech and thought? “The key factor in taking a stance on PewDiePie is that there was a disruption caused by students in our school and brought to my attention by teachers,” wrote Dr. Adam Rosen in a response to the paper about the incident. “This disruption did not impact the entire school; it was addressed administratively and is not for mass consumption.” I believes, yes, Bedford should educate students on issues, but it should use prohibitions only as a last resort. School administration, due to its con-

Dereje Tarrant

STAFF CARTOONIST

cerns of promoting white supremacist ideologies, has placed a ban on PewDiePie’s name, all relations to him, and even saying “Subscribe to PewDiePie,” a phrase which is now quickly leading to trouble for some students. I believe that banning all mention of PewDiePie is unwarranted as it has not caused a distraction within the classroom. The school needs to respect students’ rights as outlined in the landmark court case, Tinker v. Des Moines. In that 1969 case, the Supreme Court ruled that “students do not shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate.” This means that all public school students do indeed have some measure of freedom of speech as long as their speech does not disrupt the education of others. Walking out of class in support of a cause is not appropriate. Talking in the hallway, distributing business cards should not lead to restrictions.

Noah Oren

STAFF WRITER

I have a very big “Playbill” collection, which has a mix of playbills from Broadway, National Tours, and regional theatre. The most recent show I have seen is “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” at the Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts, which was wonderful. Some shows I am hoping to see include “Double Dare Live” at the Hulu Theatre at Madison Square Garden, and “Animaniacs In Concert” at the Loft at City Winery. “Playbill” was irst printed in 1844 for one theatre. The playbills have had their iconic yellow logo for a long time. The reason why I have so many is because I have a subscription that I received from my grandma. Keeping this collection is special because not only do I get Playbill magazine, but I also get opening night Playbills, which have a sticker which denotes them from the others. I keep my collection in binders so that they stay protected. In conclusion, you should collect things to remind you of how much certain people or things mean to you.

Features

Ursus

Friday, April 26, 2019

Letting Kids on the Loose At BMS, CMS, Some A New Kind of Parenting? Carry a Heavy Load Ko Seltzer

STAFF WRITER

Free-range parenting is part of a new approach to raising a child that hasn’t really caught on in America. But throughout many corners of the world, this sort of slant on parenthood isn’t considered malpractice or neglectful, but a hands-off, self-reliance-building way of cultivating independence in their children. “Good Housekeeping” defines this way of parenting as aiming to foster independence in children by giving them greater autonomy and less adult supervision. In places in Europe, where parents have a generally more relaxed approach to raising children, kids are allowed to live their own versions of a perfect life. The “New York Time’s” Clemens Wergin, author of “The Case For Free-Range Parenting,” writes about the advantages that this style of parenting. One summer, his daughter went out to explore her new neighborhood alone, without telling him. He and his wife found that they had no reason at all to worry. Beaming with pride, she told them and her older sister about how she had discovered the little park around the corner and had made friends with a few local dog owners. She had taken possession of her new environment, and was exited to teach them things they didn’t know about their new community. Wergin’s daughter was able to find some things about the town that wouldn’t have been discovered if her parents were present at the park. On a larger scale, this type of relaxed approach of raising a child has many benefits in raising a kid and creating an independent, innovative adult.

The benefits of this approach don’t end there. Laura Randall, who prides herself in her free range child, spoke with NPR about the things that her child does without her supervision. She said, “He spends hours out there: swinging on a tire swing, tromping across the ravine to a friend’s house, and using garden shears to cut a path. He lays down sticks to form a bridge across the small stream that flows in the winter.” She gives her son, Matthew, the freedom to roam and encounter many situations that cultivate independence and confidence that will help him as an adult. However, it wasn’t like Randall just shoved her child out of the house, as she used many small experiences that she planned in order for him to learn how to do things including walking to the park alone. “Just those moments, incrementally bigger moments [like allowing Matthew to make purchases for her, therefore letting him figure out how much money he needed to hand the cashier], where he can choose to be on his own,” said Randall. Although many agree that the risk of crime against their precious subjects is too high, NPR actually says that crimes like kidnapping and theft are happening as little as they have since 1970 to 1980. Even though most kids in Westport have parents who hover more towards the helicopter style, the case for a more hands-off, laid-back approach is open for debate. The thing is, an instance of “not going to let you fail” parenting just took place, and it’s making headlines.

School Warns Students about Youtuber Continued from page 1 ation and I don’t believe people should think of him as a white supremacist.” Due to these concerns of unknown promotion of white supremacist ideologies, Dr. Rosen sent a message to BMS faculty: “Thank you for your vigilance in helping to guide and educate our impressionable students away from these destructive, and evil voices that plague our world.” The warning has the school thinking about where the line exists between exploring ideas or supporting dangerous speech. “I believe that students (adults alike) should always be encouraged to honestly explore & re lect upon their beliefs. There’s a time and a place, however, and during school’s not always the time or the place,” said Mr. David Deitch “I personally am not real impressed with Pewdiepie, but recognize that others may be. It remains a curiosity to me that he’s been the subject of concern, in particular, when so many others could qualify in this day and age.”

But, even though the administration has put a warning on anything regarding him, people still ind PewDiePie and his content funny, interesting, and not promoting the alt-right. Still the school district is worried about how these online in luencers will in luence their target audiences, and more speci ically, PewDiePie’s hold over his subscribers. “People, students, are a re lection, in my view, of the values they are raised with,” said Mr. Deitch, “Sometimes ‘awareness’ of hatred or racism is not present and we all do our best to humanely provide perspective, so students may learn and develop their own sense of accepting others who might be different from them.” Dr. Rosen insists: “This is not about catching students and ‘creating trouble,” says Dr. Rosen, “This is about learning about sources, caring for others and developing empathy.” For a student opinion on the PewDiePie ban, see page 4.

Preston Siroka STAFF WRITER

When the school year begins, picking out your new backpack can be a fun experience. You can pick something that its your style or something that has a lot of space. You can make a personal statement with your backpack. When used properly, backpacks can be incredibly useful. Next year, due to the joining of BMS and CMS, students may have to carry their backpacks the whole day as some have done this year. However, heavyweight backpacks can cause pain or injury to your back. According to kidshealth.com, if you evenly distribute weight between your two shoulders you are in good shape for now. If you carry your backpack on one your shoulder and are not distributing the weight equally, you might suffer from many issues such as strained muscles and joints, back-aches, bad posture, and scoliosis caused by lumbar asymmetry, the presence of a curvature of the spine. Doctors recommend your backpack to weigh about 10 to 13 percent of your body weight. In a recent report from the data endoscopic back surgery and pain center, it was reported that 92 percent of children in the United States carry a backpack out of the 10 to 13 percent safety range. In a small range test conducted with the “Ursus” staff, the average percent of backpack weight to human weight was about 12.59 percent. Many of our staff members did say that it was a pretty

For kids, carrying too much in a backpack could lead to injury. light day. We also asked if people preferred both one strap, two straps, or either one. Four out of 10 people said they preferred both and six out of 10 people said they preferred two straps. I hope you see it’s important to only pack your backpack with books, binders that you know you need, but you should take out your unnecessary items that might add onto your backpack weight.

AirPods Hide a Tune Isabella Martenson and Ryan Tzou STAFF WRITER

Apple AirPods have been all over social media lately, and the sales have skyrocketed from their release in December 2016. Although Apple has not released the number of sales, various websites including CNBC have inferred that AirPods are one of the most popular Apple accessories. The of icial price for AirPods is $159, but it varies depending on where you get them. Compared to most wired earbuds, which the average price for is about $30, the price of AirPods is extremely high. The price of the ear buds made AirPods become something of a status symbol. With the popularity spreading on the Internet, AirPods spread at BMS too. Most students just wear AirPods while coming into school and waiting for the bus after school, but some have taken this a step further. Some students have even started sneaking them into class. It is a well known rule in school that hoods and hats are not allowed, and now students have another reason to keep their head hidden in class; to hide their AirPods. AirPods are surprisingly easy to hide in class since they have no wires and therefore don’t require students to bring their phone into class in order to listen to music. Sorel Kennedy, a 6th grader at BMS, con irms that she’s seen students sneaking AirPods into class. “I think that it is disturbing the student’s learning,” stated Sorel. “I think it’s more of a respect problem because it’s showing that they don’t care.” Despite the obvious problem of Airpods being a distraction, it is also showing dis-

respect to the teachers of BMS who work very hard to create lesson plans and teach their students the best that they can. Although it may seem that AirPods are all bad, there are some bene its, too. According to Northcentral University, ¨Music has a profound effect on our mood, blood pressure, and heart rate.” Some students may argue that this could help them focus on their work and also could help them with studying. Still, some genres of music don’t work and can distract students, and this includes music with lyrics because the lyrics override their thoughts and as a result of that can distract students or distract others around them. Some genres that will help with focusing include non-lyrical fast-tempo songs, nature sounds and anything without lyrics as long as it doesn’t drown out your thoughts. With Airpods, students have the power of hurting or expanding their knowledge. It’s all up to a simple tap on a phone screen. So, the question arises, should we ban AirPods or should we regulate their use? And do teachers trust their students enough to let them even have that option of listening to music? P

“AirPods are banned! Oh, wait you can’t hear me.”

Games

6 Ursus

Friday, April 26, 2019

Teacher Name Word Search

Guess the Staff Member

This year with different schedules and two schools in one, teachers can be hard to ind. They can be up, down, sideways, - and even backwards. So in the spirit of everyone’s pain, let us take the edge of it it and have you play this awesome wordsearch, where you ind the teacher you’re looking for.—Camille Mergenthaler

Nicholas O’Mahoney Pugliese Rexford Rosen Savage Tombline Vickowski Winters Zold

G W M

V W

Q M

O N

M N

H M A

O T

W W

W M T

U M

C E

W A

C G

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STAFF WRITER

This person is an extremely important part of our Bedford community. She has a great sense of humor and lots of energy. Can you guess who this person is using the photo and these question and answers? Green, Red or Purple? Green Quizlet Live or Kahoot? Quizlet Live Lunch Duty or Recess Duty? Recess Duty Android or iOS? iOS Introvert or Extrovert? Extrovert John Mayer or Gavin Degraw? John Mayer Non-ϐiction or Fiction? Fiction Skipping or Hopping? Skipping M&M’s or Skittles? Skittles Tarea or Devoirs? Tarea

This Maze Is Something To Sneeze At Alex Gaines

STAFF WRITER

Spring isn’t all sunshine and lowers; sometimes it’s empty tissue boxes and eye drops. Pollen is one of spring’s biggest allergy triggers, and it is making its way into unsuspecting people’s noses. Pollen comes off of trees, grasses and weeds in the form of tiny grains to be used as fertilizer for other plants. Some of these tiny grains (the adventurous ones) go off the path and into people’s nostrils. If you are allergic to pollen, a few frequent symptoms include runny noses, itchy or watery eyes, sneezing, coughing, itchy noses and dark circles below your eyes. Even if you think the land around you is pollen-free, it’s not. Pollen can travel for miles. Prepare for pollen especially on breezy days; the wind can carry it around quickly. On the other hand, the allergens are washed away with rain. Even if you do get these allergies, they can easily be removed with allergy drugs and prescriptions from your doctor. Polly Pollen loves to inhabit human noses. Help her ind one! P

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Teacher

SRCMALBE Teachers jokingly kid that the middle school are little mixed up sometimes, but “Ursus” turned the tables and scrambled teacher names. See how many BMS teachers you can igure out by unscrambling the letters. —Ko Seltzer

START

Aupla Caly Ues Satbeni Lylek Stakzory Quacylenj Leniml Najos Trinirei FINISH

Paula Lacy Sue Bastien Kelly Zatorsky Jacquelyn Mellin Jason Intrieri

Mack Haymond

For answer, go to ursus.news

Gettings Granata Harding Jasgur Kitchner Lombardi Lyons Marnell McCormick Mellin

Anderson Baca Banick Bolar Clark DeFichy Ellis Emmerthal Fallon Ferreria

A&E

Ursus

Friday, April 26, 2019

A Movie with Big Ears, Bigger Heart Alex Gaines

STAFF WRITER

“Dumbo,” a new live action movie, is really about self-con idence. Dumbo knows he can ly; he just has to leap and this is the same for middle schoolers, too. This movie is all about struggling with homework, an assignment, or a project, and realizing that you can do it, you just have to try hard and devote some time to it. Not only that, the motion picture is also about making the best of things, whether it’s huge ears or middle school struggles - braces, growth spurts, friend drama, tests, quizzes, and homework. On Oct. 23, 1941, a remarkable Disney movie was released about a humiliated elephant learning to ly both iguratively and literally. On March 29, 2019, it returned as a live-action ilm. Directed by Tim Burton (director of “Alice in Wonderland” and the newer version of “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory”) this new live action “Dumbo” was heartwarming, but it did have a few laws. The 1941 version was given an academy award for its soundtrack, and it looks like the newer version is trying to keep that standard with 29 songs in its score. The new soundtrack is also keeping many of the songs from the original movie, such as “Pink Elephants on Parade.” While most of the music is instrumental, it is a key part of the movie and actually carries the story along. It might be hard, though, to make this movie a hit for multiple reasons. Instead of the lovable sidekick to Dumbo, Timothy Q. Mouse, two young children befriend the baby elephant. Not only is one of the main characters left out, it focuses on the kids’ (Joe and Milly Farrier) family more than Dumbo. Their mother died (no surprise, it’s a Disney movie) and their father has lost

This reboot from the 1940s has a message any middle schooler will identify with. an arm in a war. If you really think about it, there is an obvious parallel: The children and Dumbo have both lost their mother and are helping each other cope. What really surprised me, though, was the animation skills. In certain scenes, there are people actually riding Dumbo: First you need to create a CGI Dumbo, then make it seem like he’s lying, then incorporate a live action element. Incredible! Also, Dumbo’s huge, sad eyes can’t help but make you wipe tears from your eyes. I actually had to pause and think if the elephants were actually real. “Dumbo” is an incredible, tear jerker, and if you have time this weekend, you should de initely see this heartwarming animated picture.

Circus Animal Changes Since 1941

The circus has changed in many ways since the release of “Dumbo” in 1941. For example, the treatment of circus animals has been changed. On May 21, 2017, The Ringling Brothers, one of the most famous circuses closed down, ending their 146-year run. According to NPR, the circus shut down due to waning interest helped in part by the loss of its elephants due to protests by animal rights groups and changes in public opinions about circus animals. —Ryder Levine

8th Grade to See Broadway’s Take on ‘TKAM’ Lucia Wang

STAFF WRITER

On June 5, eighth graders at Bedford will take their annual ield trip to New York City. There, they will watch “To Kill a Mockingbird,” the 2018 Broadway play at the Shubert Theatre. Earlier in the year, students read the 1960 novel of the same name, which was written by Harper Lee and had won the Pulitzer Prize in 1961. The story takes place in the mid-1930s during the Great Depression in ictional Maycomb County, Mississippi. It is narrated by an older Jean Louise “Scout” Finch looking back on her childhood with her father, Atticus, and his battle in court to defend an African American man falsely accused for raping a white woman. Meanwhile, she, her older brother Jem, and their best friend Dill, wrestle with their curiosity for their mysterious neighbor Boo Radley. Themes of racial injustice, the loss of innocence with age, the goodness and evil that co-exists within people, and the ability to look through multiple perspectives are prominent. Scout’s naive and childish point of view is a particularly signi icant element of the book. However, the play will showcase the classic story in a new light, all in an attempt to modernize it and successfully adapt it to the modern format. It will take place primarily in the courthouse,

Actor Jeff Daniels as Atticus Finch and Gbenga Akinnagbe as Tom Robinson in the famous trial scene of To Kill a Mockingbird. starting the story there and returning to This time, though, Scout, Jem, and Dill it throughout. This is in contrast to the will be played by adult actors. According novel, which spends the entire irst half to the review by the “New York Times,” devoid of the trial and introduces the these characters narrate together in beimportant setting and characters to the tween scenes of the trial. reader. The review also notes that due to the The book has been adapted to oth- stage format, the audience sees Atticus er modes before, most notably the in their own eyes, rather than Scout’s, award-winning ilm that came out in which gives the writer, Aaron Sorkin, the 1962; however, it was still from the point ability to change or add certain aspects. of view of an older Scout looking back on For instance, Calpurnia, the Finches’ the events, and any revisions to match it African American maid, and Tom Robto the time were unnecessary. An earlier inson, the man on trial, have expanded play was produced in 1990. roles. Along with clarifying that Bob

Ewell is an anti-Semite as well as extremely racist, these insertions were clearly made to update the old story for our current politics and society, while also modifying the perspective the audience receives. Mrs. Sara Camarro, the language arts teacher in the eighth grade green pod, said, “I can’t wait to see it, and I think my students are too. I honestly don’t know what to expect, but I am excited. “To me this story is about empathy and growing up, and in my experience eighth graders love reading it. I think the book is beautifully crafted -- I’ve read it hundreds of times, and every time I notice something I hadn’t noticed before. I am hoping [the 2018 play] will give students a different perspective,” said Camarro. Students re lect this attitude, especially after reading the novel in January. Ella Grace Worraker, an eighth grader in the purple pod, said that she’s “really excited.” She added, though, “I don’t want it to ruin the story.” Colin Morgeson, who is in the red pod, also said, “I’m very excited. I think it’ll be very enlightening to watch the classic story in play form.” Overall, the play will certainly have its differences with the original, but this is all done to update the story to our current times However the adaptation, the important themes “To Kill a Mockingbird “carries will surely be retained.

Sports

Friday, April 26, 2019

Bedford teachers run after school for fun and for health. Next year a club is in the plans to get middle schoolers running and enjoying these beneϔits as well.

BMS Running Club Takes its First Steps Nikhil Kanthan STAFF WRITER

Of the many clubs at BMS, many include non-physical activities like art, gardening, rocketry, music, and much more. But when it comes to physical activity, there’s a little less to choose from, and currently, there’s only intramurals after school which rotates between sports every little while. As many students have noticed, running is a big part of Westport athletics— the Staples Cross Country team that runs

past the school on May afternoons and the various track activities at Staples are two examples. What’s could be added is a middle school running club. This absence of a team has lead 8th Grade Red Pod Science teacher Colleen Rondon and a group of other middle school teachers to try and add a middle school running club to the after-school activities kids and teachers could do. And for good reason too. Numerous studies have linked running to better

health in individuals of all ages and levels of ability. The goal of the club is to prepare students for a lifetime of running and good exercise habits. “The goal is to get kids to be able to eventually run the Minuteman (a 5k run in Westport),” said Mrs. Rondon. “But running really is a lifelong habit,” she added, meaning that the club’s goal is also to establish long-lasting healthy routines in students at Bedford. The club also promotes self-improvement, as students would work to im-

prove their own performances with every meeting, which for students and the teachers that run, is the ultimate goal of the club. “People can also join for fun, to just run and have fun with friends. Run for the for fun,” Mrs. Rondon said. “It’s not always about speed. The club will be run through intramurals, and will start in the fall of the 20192020 school year. The club will be open to the all grade members of the newly combined BMS and CMS communities.

Grab Your Controllers, CIAC Approves E-Sports Camille Mergenthaler and Kristin Villaluz STAFF WRITERS

Kids of all ages all over the world play Fortnite everyday. E-sports are helping grow the popularity of Fortnite and other video games like Apex Legends, H1Z1, Heroes of the Storm, War Thunder, and many more video games. E-sports is creating a new way to compete in video games, especially in Connecticut where the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference has agreed to help govern e-sports teams in Connecticut schools. E-sports, short for electronic sports, are popular with teens. Some games that are offered are League of Legends, Rocket League, and SMITE. They have been a modern craze. More high schools have teams that compete in e-sports, and some colleges even give scholarships for playing Esports. Like regular athletics, e-sports has many bene its. They help with character building, STEM engagement, increased participation, and, as mentioned before, earn possible college scholarships. We interviewed Ellie Hammarsjkold, 6th grader at BMS. “I’m vaguely familiar with them,” said Ellie. “I don’t play e-sports or use electronics, so I don’t like them. I do not think colleges should give scholarships for video games. What I think about people playing e-sports is they should do what-

Esports teams in Connecticut may not play in front of crowds this large, but electronic gaming is developing a huge fan base, This is a photo from a Lueague of Legends competition. ever loats their boat.” other than that I don’t even know what people through video games. One of the We then interviewed Mim Hurley, who they are. I’m not a big sports fan. I don’t most popular games that people compete is an 8th grader at BMS. We asked her the think colleges should give people schol- in is Fortnite. Though e-sports is new to many, it’s is same questions we asked Ellie. arships because they are just playing vidShe said, “I have no idea what e-sports eo games.” E-sports are becoming a pop- on the rise, as it brings new kinds of peoare. I don’t know if I like them because ular way to compete with a multiude of ple to new competition.