Spartan Torch: December 2022 Issue 7

WHAT’S INSIDE? DECEMBER 2022* Issue 7

Wichita Collegiate Middle School 9115 E. 13th St. N Wichita, KS 67206

2 NEWS/FEATURE

Rock Band

After-school club provides a place for musicians of all ability levels to come together and jam

Rock Band sometimes performs at local restaurant Doma.

By Annie Sharp Remember those days where you would be rocking out to music in the lunchroom, an amazing band playing?

That’s the school’s rock band and if you want to know more about it, please continue reading.

Mr. Leddy (Rock Band Leader) said the reason that he started rock band was to allow kids to learn to play more non-traditional band instruments like guitar.

“I wanted to give them an opportunity to play them,” he said. “So in the spring of 2008 I did my first rock band class.”

He is very passionate about Rock Band and in music in general, he is always open to ideas and new people who want to join.

There are very few to no restrictions in Rock Band, just some preferences.

There is a slight age restriction, but everyone from 3rd-12th grade can do

it. There are currently around 12 people in Rock Band, but you can still join. If there are ever too many people, it will be put into slightly different groups depending on age. You don’t even have to know how to play an instrument, but experience is preferred.

Mr. Leddy even said one of his favorite things about Rock Band is “watching kids who don’t know how to play instruments play their songs and watching them go from nothing to rock stars.”

All types of instruments are allowed, and some of the few that they have right now are keyboard, guitar, bass, wind instruments, and drums. One time they even added a banjo! Rock Band practices at 4-5:30 on Fridays, in the basement of the lair.

Rock Band plays at different places, but often in the Lair during lunch. Recently they played at Doma on Douglas Ave. There is a concert coming up soon.

There isn’t a decided date, but it is either the 19th or the 20th of December. The

Rock Band will be playing lots of songs including: Smoke on the Water, 7 Nation Army, Believer, Wild Thing, Come Together, Final Countdown, and Smells like Teen Spirit.

It was difficult for Mr. Leddy to come up with a favorite song.

“Let me think through the years.

“Jump” was amazing. “Living on a Prayer” was amazing, “Old Town Road,” the crowd went wild.”

All of their songs are amazing, and if you enjoy songs like these and share a passion for music, you should totally join.

If you ever have any questions, you can ask Mr. Leddy in Room 13. You can also view some of their old performances and others at WCS on Youtube at John Dewey Stewart Ⅲ(profile pic has robin).

Students Collect Donations for Angel Tree

By Eden Lacey This year and years past, WCS has participated in the Salvation Army Angel Tree. It is a program to help seniors and children get Christmas gifts. As many of you may know we use the website to pick out Angel that represents a child or a senior. The recipients write a small wish list with one or two things they want.

We didn’t fully stuff the bus this year, but the 8th graders made sure that each person got a gift. The Salvation Army’s goal is to spread Christmas cheer and kindness. We need to do that too. Remember to be kind and spread holiday cheer!

Letters to the Editor

OPINION 3

Middle School Needs a Golf Team

Dear Editor,

As a Collegiate student, I think that the middle school should make a golf team. Golf is a great sport because you learn mental focus, and you can play it at any age. We need a middle school golf team. If you don’t have a way to practice golf, and if it is a sport that you are passionate about, then you can practice if you are on the golf team.

Kids can learn to develop friendships and they will find others with the same interests as them. It is also another way to stay active. This will give kids something to do after school, and kids can

use this time to practice. Sometimes my parents are busy so I can’t go out and practice. Some might say that golf is a waste of time, but for the people that enjoy it like me, well, we think differently…

I think that we should email the teachers to see what they think and then maybe find someone who is willing to be a coach. If you are a golfer, take my advice, consider this option.

Sincerely, Caden Corrigan, 6th

More Interaction Between Divisions?

Dear Editor, As an older sibling, I believe that Collegiate students should communicate more with younger and older students more. For instance, I know many lower school kids that get very nervous around older kids. Also, I have also been a shy person, so talking to older kids, or new people is kind of a hard thing to do. I also know many others that feel this way.

Another reason is because many students at Collegiate have older or younger siblings that they don’t get to see at school that often. I have a little sister who is in third grade, so she is three school years behind me, and I only get to see her while at school every once

in a while, and when we get home, she wants nothing to do with me.

Finally, we would become more of a family at Collegiate! We would know each other better! Others may say that we don’t need to see each other any more than we already do, however, I don’t think I know any highschoolers very well at all, and I definitely know zero students in early childhood. So we need to make sure we see each other more often here at Collegiate, whether we know each other or not. We need to live up to the name we’ve made for ourselves, as a WCS family.

Sincerely,

Collyns Livermore, 6th

Students Should Be Allowed to Volunteer at Shirt Shack Dear Editor, I think the school should allow students to volunteer at Shirt Shack.

As a new student at Collegiate, I’ve had trouble finding clothes up to dresscode. Although Shirt Shack is a solution for many, there aren’t many options to choose from. That’s why students should be able to volunteer at Shirt Shack.

I’m sure both students and parents will be pleased with this opportunity.

Students will know best when it comes to what they and their peers want to wear. Having this in mind, the students could help the parents come up with new designs.

Another reason to consider this request is that it would be a great option to have in order to get your volunteer

hours in. Each year, us students have to get a certain amount of volunteer hours in, and this would be a fun and exciting way to do so.

Many might argue that the parents already have Shirt Shack handled and that there are already other ways to get your volunteer hours. But extra help is always useful, and this could help Shirt Shack become more popular than it already is.

All of the above are reasons why this should be considered and thought about.

Thanks,

Yasmina Mortada, 6th

Editorial Cartoon

by Gigi Bartel, 5th Grade

Sawyer- 6th Grade “Skincare”

If? Column If You Could Have One Present What Would It Be?

Reese- 8th Grade “An iPhone”

By Ava Monahan

Michael- 7th Grade “A Go-Cart”

Adam- 5th Grade “A Cat”

4 ENTERTAINMENT

Book Review: Dress Coded

By Kata Valdivia Think back to a time when you got dress coded or your friend got dress coded. How did that make you feel?

Mad, because you thought it was silly, or did you feel bad for your friend because it was unnoticeable.Well, in this book Molly is fed up!

Middle school is hard, and worrying about whether clothes are in dress code or not is even harder. For Molly, all of her friends are being dress coded and she has not, because they like to pick out

the “bigger girls.” So Molly starts a podcast to rebel against the Fisher Middle School dress code.

After her friend, Olivia, gets dress coded and blamed for ruining the camping trip, Molly decides to take it seriously for all of the girls that got shamed for clothes. So she gets some of her friends to share their experiences with the dress code. After hearing the podcast, other girls want to share their stories too.

Molly is starting a rebellion: ”A podcast.

A protest. A revolution.”

During this revolution some friendships get torn apart and some grow stronger. Not only is Molly facing friend problems, she is facing brother problems. With her brother addicted to vaping her parents don’t pay much attention to her. This makes it her perfect time to shine, to make a difference, instead of being ignored.

Join Molly as she makes a stand for all of the girls that got dress coded for no important reason. This is Molly’s fight and every day she learns more about protesting and why she is doing it. I feel like this is a book we all can relate to and learn from.

The ORACLE

Book Review: The Christmas Pig Dur Pig. Jack and his new toy go on a fantastical journey to find and save his friend. Do they make it? You’ll have to read it yourself to find out.

I would definitely recommend this book to people who like fantastical journeys that you would have in your dreams. So if this interests you go and read it. If you are like me you will definitely enjoy this book.

By Annie Sharp I am a person who always loved J.K. Rowling’s books. When I heard that she made a book called The Christmas Pig I was intrigued. I love her books so I was excited to read it. Continue reading if you want to know more about this book.

Have you ever lost a toy? Well, in this book you will find where they go.

Whenever you lose a toy it goes to the Land of the Lost. In this story, Jack loses his best friend, a stuffed animal, named

If you would like to submit a review of a book, movie, or video game, please email abowers@wcsks. com for consideration!

HOLIDAY EDITION

What does your future hold?

By Adain Smith and Kata Valdivia

Aries(March 21-April 12): You don’t get a single thing that was on your Christmas list– your parents just guessed!

Taurus(April 20-May 20): When you open your present you get the shock of disbelief because all of your gifts are SOCKS. You realize that your family thinks you are too old for presents!

Gemini(May21-June 20): All of your dreams will come true over winter break. This

will be the best month of the year… maybe even the best month of your LIFE. Cancer(June21-July 22): You’re going to need to remind Aquarius to have fun and focus on family and the holidays. They can be SUCH a drag during parties.

(July 23-August 22): Everyone always gets annoyed because you ask to open people's presents constantly.

Virgo(August 23-Sep. 22): Your sibling’s present will be better than yours, reminding you that he or she is the favorite child.

Sagittarius(Nov. 22-Dec.21): You might want to lie around all break and relax at home, but your family will have other plans for you. Small talk, chores, and boring road trips are in your future.

Capricorn(Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Your birthday is in December, so you get all your presents at once, and have none the rest of the year.

Aquarius(Jan. 20-Feb. 18): You’re not getting a phone, so just forget about it.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20):Your cousin comes over to your family Libra(Sep. 23- Oct. 22): Don’t be that gathering and shows up Emo! She has person who doesn’t offer to help clean eyebrow piercing and black makeup. up after Christmas dinner… again.

You can’t talk to her because she is glued to her phone.

Scorpio(Oct. 23 -Nov. 21): That one cousin. You know the one.

Foreign

Can you solve this FRENCH CROSSWORD PUZZLE?

ENTERTAINMENT 5

Language Corner

Latin Jokes From Students Alegra Fazio: Quid est rubrum et malum dentibus?

Volans later

By Margie Michaelis

Clara Monahan: Quid est ruberum tamquam odorit caerulum pigmentum?

Ruberum pigmentum!

Aman Sharma: Quid est viridis et habet rotas?

Gramen, ego mentior de rotis.

Jackson Rukes: Quid una patella amico dicit?

Hac nocte, cana est in

Winter Spotify Playlist

By Whitney Teal and Corryn McDermott

6 FEATURE

UNIQUE HOLIDAY TRADITIONS

By Watson Payne

Kata Valdivia, 6th. She and her family always sing “Sweet Caroline” together.

(Above) Yasmina Morta, 6th Every year she and her familymeet her grandparents in a different country.

Grace Voloch, 7th. “We hide a pickle and whoever finds it gets to open presents first!”

Olivia Gehrer, 7th Her extended family gets into groups and makes pies. “We have a competition to see who makes the best pie!” she said.

CAMPUS LIFE 7

A Western Holiday

7th/8th Grade Dance

8 CAMPUS LIFE

Q Mrs. Sayahnejad A Meet the Teacher:

Q A Q A

What’s your favorite color?

Robin’s Egg Blue

What’s your favorite animal?

A giraffe

What’s your favorite holiday?

Christmas

By Eden Lacey

Q A Q A Q A Q A

What’s your favorite hobby?

Reading and cross stitching What’s your favorite book?

The Thirteenth Tale by Diana Setterfield What’s your favorite food?

Mexican Food

STUDENT IN THE SPOTLIGHT Katelyn Thompson

By Watson Payne

Q. What is your favorite holiday?

A. Christmas Q. What is your favorite holiday movie?

A. Home Alone Q. Have you ever regifted a holiday gift No Q. What song would you kill at Christmas karaoke?

A. “All I Want for Christmas is You” Q. What would be the strangest thing to see inside a snow globe?

A. A moose Q. What is the strangest gift you’ve ever received?

A. A Cry Baby Q. If you had to live inside a holiday movie, which would you choose?

A. Christmas Chronicles

If you could be any animal, what would you be?

Pampered Lap dog

SPARTAN TORCH DECEMBER STAFF MRS. BOWERS - ADVISER ANNIE SHARP - EDITOR

REPORTERS:

GUEST CONTRIBUTORS:

ADAIN SMITH WATSON PAYNE CAMDEN SALYERS KATA VALDIVIA EDEN LACEY MARGIE MICHAELIS WHITNEY TEAL CORRYN MCDERMOTT AVA MONAHAN

ADAM HUSSAIN GIGI BARTEL YASMINA MORTADA CADEN CORRIGAN COLLYNS LIVERMORE KATHY RUKES (PHOTOS)