Summer is HERE!

Congratulations 8th Graders!

Journalism hopes that everyone will have a very relaxing and safe summer!  

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Meet Addison R., The Future Politician

Sydney M.
Staff Writer, 7th grader

Addison R. is one of many people who are involved in clubs in school. He is the epitome of an amazing future politician. If you want to know more about Addison, keep reading!

Addison is a seventh grader at RMS and he grew up here in California. He has always loved participating in clubs to help fix a problem in the world. His dream job is to be a politician because he has always loved watching debates and elections, especially the 2016 presidential election because he thought it was very amusing.

“ I started joining clubs because I love making people happy and making the world a better place,” said Addison.

Addison R. is a part of many clubs, including Running Club, the GSA, and of course his elective class, Leadership. He has been a part of the Running Club since last year. He also was one of the only sixth graders last year who was picked to be into leadership. Lastly, he joined GSA earlier this year.

“I chose to join the GSA because unfortunately, I’ve seen that there are some homophobic kids around the campus,” said Addison.

Addison is proud to say that he is a part of the GSA and he will keep fighting for equality for the LGBTQ+ community.

“I wanted to join Running Club because my mom is a full on runner and the atmosphere is great as well,” said Addison.

Addison has always loved joining clubs and being apart of a good movement, but another thing he likes a lot are his friends and of course his family. He has a sister that goes to South High School and he looks up to her greatly.

One of his really good and hardworking friends is Hudson B. Hudson is proud to call Addison his best friend because he loves how hardworking and committed he is to the GSA.

Addison loves math and Political Science because it’s challenging and it will help him in the future and for his future job. Addison is hardworking, dedicated to want he wants in life, and diligent. He is ready for what the future has in store. Addison R. might be your next political guidance or even the President!

If you see Addison in the halls give him a high five or a “Good Job!” Because he deserves the best in life.

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Different Types of Doctors

By Calia A.

Staff Writer, 7th Grader

The future is still years ahead of us, but you might be thinking what you want to be when you are older. Are you part of the big group of people who want to be one of the 40% that is accepted and enrolled as a doctor? Well, that’s good! According to an article written by Todd Campbell, primary care doctors earn an average of $195,000 a year, and specialty care doctors make $284,000 a year. Although being a doctor takes hard work, if it’s really what you want to be, then you should go for it with no hesitation. What are some types of doctors?

The first type of doctor is well-known. In fact, you probably have one or had one. It’s called a “pediatrician.” Basically, they are doctors that take care of the health of children. Pediatricians give physical exams, vaccinations, and checkups to make sure that children are on the right path for their age, refer children to specialists, and much more. Not only that, but they look after the health of the whole family. According to a Learn article, there were about 34,800 pediatricians employed in May 2014.

A very high-paying doctor is a Cardiologist. A web.md article states that cardiologists are experts on the heart and blood vessels. You might have to see them for heart failure, a heart attack, high blood pressure, or an irregular heartbeat. The median annual salary of invasive cardiologists for 2018 is $404,688. However, half of all cardiologists earn more than that amount. Overall, cardiologists are very high-paying doctors that look out for your heart.

There are doctors for a lot of things. So of course, there’s a doctor for your skin. You’ve probably heard of them before, they’re called dermatologists. Dermatologists earn about $283,000 every year, but fourteen percent earn more than $500,000. Dermatologists have experience in the diagnosis and treatment of skin cancers, moles, melanomas, and other tumors of the skin. They also manage cosmetic disorders, such as hair loss, scars, and skin changes associated with aging. They not only help with skin, but they also help with hair and nails.

There are many different types of doctors, so these three are only a few of them. If you want to be a doctor, go for it! Just remember, it takes a lot of hard work. Is your dream job a doctor?

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What Are The Consequences Of Too Much Fast Food?

By Calia A.

Staff Writer, 7th Grader

It’s processed. It has fat, high amounts of sodium, cholesterol, and too much of it can cause obesity, heart disease, and much, much, more. What is “it?” Well, it’s fast food. By now we should all know that fast food is not good for us. Once in a while it could be good, but with too much consumption, the consequences are scary. What are the consequences of too much fast food?

Fast food has become a major part of the American diet. According to www.reference.com, “As of 2015, the average American spends about $1,200 a year on fast food. Americans consume fast food twice a week, spending, on average $12.50 per meal.” If we really do consume so much, it can lead to obesity, depression, heart disease, cancer, and insulin resistance, which can lead to type two diabetes. Americans spend more than $384 billion on fast food annually.

Well, why do we buy so much fast food? Most people would prefer to just drive by and pick up fast food rather than cooking a healthy meal at home, because it’s more convenient for them. Not to mention, with most fast food being fried, it is very mouthwatering and most people can’t resist it.

Fast food has more effects on your body than you would think. When your digestive system breaks down fast food, the carbohydrates gets released as glucose (sugar) into your bloodstream. Because of this, your blood sugar increases. www.healthline.com states, “Many fast-food meals have added sugar. Not only does that mean extra calories, but also little nutrition. The American Heart Association (AHA) suggests only eating 100 to 150 calories of added sugar per day. That’s about six to nine teaspoons.” In fact, a twelve-ounce soda contains eight teaspoons of sugar.

Fast food also affects our society. As of today, more than two in three adults in America are seen as overweight or obese. But, that’s not it. More than one third of children are also overweight or obese. Since 1970, both the number of obese Americans and the number of fast-food restaurants have doubled.

All in all, fast food is not the best option when choosing something to eat. If you are going to eat fast food, it is highly recommended that you don’t eat excessive amounts of it.

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Traveling Life Hacks

By Kelly J.

Sports Editor, 7th Grader

Everyone likes a relaxing, fun, and worry-free vacation. So, here are some traveling life hacks that will definitely spice up your vacation trips!

The first hack is a general hack that relates to packing! Many people stress about packing, because it is an annoying and slow process. One crucial and important hack people don’t seem to realize is the fact that they have to roll their clothes, instead of folding them! This will save up so much space when packing. Not only that, your clothes will be wrinkle free and perfectly ready! Lastly, if you are packing any fragile items, including any glass items like perfume, you should place them inside fuzzy socks, so they’re safe and secure!

According to Time.Com, “The tanks that store water on planes are rarely cleaned. It can be a breeding ground for bacteria.” There are so many unknown bacteria that are around the airplane tap water systems. When arriving to the airport, it is very important to bring and empty water bottle and/or an empty plastic bottle. Let’s be honest, the water that’s sold at the airport is very expensive and really not worth it. So, after passing through security, you can fill up your water at the water fountain, and you just saved yourself a couple of bucks!

When it comes to road trips, it can either be fun, stressful, or boring depending on the length of the trip. Nothing is better than having a meal and a drink to spice it up! When drinking a drink, use a cling wrap for a makeshift lid to avoid mid-drive spillage. Poke a straw in, and you will not have to experience any type of discomfort at all.

Just in case you get nauseous during your flight or road trip, make sure to bring some medicine. It will help calm down the feeling, and make you sleepy.

Our ears get clogged when the air pressure is too high from the atmosphere. To help with that problem, chewing gum helps you with your clogged ears when the plane moves upwards and downwards. It also helps with your stinky airplane breath that you will experience!

Have a fun and safe trip using these wonderful life hacks!

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Eight Makes One - ATEEZ

Anastasia P.
Entertainment Editor, 8th grader

Are you a K-pop fan? Are you looking for new groups to listen to? Well, consider ATEEZ, the rookie group taking the world by storm.

Having just sold out their first U.S. and European tour four months after debut, these fresh faces to the Kpop industry are changing the course of Kpop. Under KQ Entertainment, leader Hongjoong, vocalists Seonghwa and Jongho, rapper Mingi, and main dancers San, Yeosang, Junyoung, and Wooyoung are showing off their talents, past, and future with their diverse music and personalities.

ATEEZ consists of the eight members mentioned above. The name ATEEZ comes from the group members wanted to express everything about TEEnagers from A to Z. Their fans are called Atinys- a combination of ATEEZ and “destiny”.

ATEEZ debuted on October 24, 2018, with their song Pirate King and EP Treasure EP1 All To Zero. Since then, they have dominated the industry with their original sounds, despite not being as popular as other groups in the industry. Their latest release was “Say My Name” part of their recent EP, Treasure EP2 Zero To One.

But what’s all the hype about? Eighth Grader A.J. M. says that “their songs are amazing”. ATEEZ bring a new type of music to the Kpop scene. Of course, there is already Korean hip-hop, dance music, EDM. But ATEEZ mixes all genres together. A perfect example of this is their song “Say My Name”. Having been released only in January, the majority of their fanbase heard of ATEEZ and joined the fandom through it, and has brought the spotlight on them. Eighth-grader Tatiana L. says “they can sing very well”. With their unique music and dance moves straying from the same old basic concepts seen throughout Kpop, ATEEZ shines.

But music and dancing isn’t everything in a Kpop group, but personality counts too. Kpop groups usually stream live on apps such as Vlive. Fans want to see the people behind the music videos and performances, and ATEEZ serves. Eight members give eight different people with different characteristics, making them all truly unique. Tatiana L. says “they give off a good vibe”. Most of the time they joke around and laugh while having heartfelt conversations with fans.

So why not be a fan? It’s okay to be a fan of other groups and artists, but ATEEZ and their members bring something new and fresh to the scene.

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The Most Traveled to International Places in the Summer

By Samara SN.
Entertainment Editor, 7th Grade
Summer! The most exciting time of the year. A time where you get to kick back and relax with all your friends and family. A time for adventure and travel. In fact, some of the best travel destinations are where most of your fellow classmates will go for summer break. Here are the most Internationally traveled destinations for summer break.

The first place is Spain. There many places to go in Spain but the major two are Madrid and Barcelona. In Madrid, there are many famous trademarks such as the The Royal Palace of Madrid and Plaza Mayor. Both places are friendly for tourists and would make a great family vacation spot.

“I’ve never been to Spain but it looks really beautiful there. Hopefully I can go soon,” said seventh grader Isabella P.

The next place is Greece. When in Greece, the most important thing to do is explore Acropolis. This is an amazing structure made from “glittering marble” and use to hold the statue of Athena, the Goddess of Athens. Another fun thing to do is wonder around Santorini. Santorini is a beautiful city known for its postcard good looks, as well as its interesting architectural format. An amazing spot for relaxing and sightseeing.

“The white buildings and clear waters are what attract most tourist, and what makes me want to go there most as well,” said sixth grader Alysia F.

The last place is Japan. Japan is an island off the Pacific Ocean, and has many tourist attractions. Some of them include Tokyo and Kyoto. In Tokyo, there is a lot of attractions however, a must do is see Tokyo Tower. It is a huge tower that hovers above the entire city as well as having a view of it! In Kyoto, the most beautiful thing there is the Bamboo Forest in Arashiyama. This natural tourist attraction has a path that will lead you throughout the entire thing. These places in Japan are a real gift and should be visited before it’s too late.

The interior of the Kyoto Tower is stunning.

“I’ve been to Japan only a few times before and it was so fun there. I really want to go back soon,” said 7th grader Natalie P.

That is all I have to say about these wonderful international places. Be sure to visit them any time you are in need of vacation destinations. Thank you for reading my article, hope you enjoyed it.

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Tennessee: Home of the Bonuts and Much More

By Emily D.
Features Editor, 7th Grader

Have you ever heard of the Country Music Hall of Fame? If not, have you heard of Dollywood? I’m guessing you’ve heard of at least one. Tennessee should definitely be on your bucket-list of places to go because it is definitely worth it!

If you are going to the Nashville area, one place you should go is to Biscuit Love. This restaurant is famous for its bonuts. Bonuts are a mix between a biscuit and a donut, but there’s have a custard on the top and a yummy blueberry dipping sauce. Their lines are normally around the block! And, from personal experience, I would definitely say it is worth it.

“I want to go to Tennessee,” said Anthony E.

If you are looking for a great dessert, the Goo Goo Shop is for you! They are famous for their Goo Goo Cluster. It has a caramel filling with a marshmallow cream on top. On top of that it has a layer of peanuts and is fully covered in a thin layer of milk chocolate. They have two other types of clusters, but the original are the fan-favorite.

If you are looking to find out some history about downtown Nashville, you should definitely go on a segway tour! You take a lesson to make sure that you know how to control it, but after that you can ride around the city and be taught about its history. It is a great way to learn yet have a ton of fun, and it’s very pretty!

“Tennessee has a great climate and great views,” said Akira K.

If you are interested in going in underground caves, you should go to The Lost Sea Adventure. This has one of the only natural underwater caves in the whole world! Although, this is very far away from Nashville, you can experience things here that you can only experience in a few places around the world! One thing that they show you on this tour is pure darkness. It is a very sensational feeling, and you should definitely experience it!

Have you ever heard of Dolly Parton? She is a very famous country singer, and she has a resort/theme park a few hours outside of Nashville! Although you may be thinking, This resort probably only has little rides, they have multiple fast rides with far drops! Fast or slow, you will definitely find something fun at Dollywood Theme Park!

Nashville has very good food and great activities, but it is most known for The Country Music Hall of Fame. This is a go-to even if you aren’t super interested in country music!

Be sure to go to Nashville at one point, you won’t regret it!

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Vacation in Venice

By Shay S.
Sports Editor, 7th Grader

Summer break is coming up, which means there is a lot of time for vacationing! People like to go to fun places that are far away and different then they are used to. A perfect place that almost nobody is used to is Venice, Italy.

The first unusual thing about Venice is very cool, and is the main reason that most people visit there. There are no roads! Venice is made up of only canals and the main transportation when you go there is on a boat. Imagine a normal European town, but replacing the streets with water!

The buildings in Venice are very nice, and are built in Renaissance and Gothic style. It looks like a magic place you would most likely see in a movie. You can also rent a boat and go wherever you would like all around the city

A very cool place to visit when in Venice is St. Mark’s Basilica. It is the Cathedral Church of the Roman Catholics. It is the most famous Church in the city, and is made of Italo-Byzantine architecture. If you go to Venice, you should definitely buy some tickets to St. Mark’s Basilica.

Another fun place to go when you are visiting Venice is the Rialto Bridge. It is a huge bridge that goes over the water that people are sailing on. You can go on the top and walk across it, or get in a small boat, and ride right under it. It’s a fun attraction that you should visit when you go to Venice, Italy.

There are so many more great places to go in Venice but the last one on this list is the Doge’s palace. The Doge’s Palace is one the main landmarks in all of northern Italy. The palace was the residence of the Doge of Venice a very long time ago. The Doge was like a mayor during the Italian Renaissance. The palace opened as a museum for people to enjoy in 1923.

Venice is a very great place to go on vacation and summer break is coming up very soon. You get to go all around the great looking town, as you sail everywhere in a boat!

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Why It’s Important to Stay Focused During the Fourth Quarter

Antonella C.
Staff Writer, 8th Grader

You have done it. You’ve reached the fourth quarter! Now, it’ll just be one more month until your ten month long school journey comes to an end. One more month until you move up a grade, or even move into high school! But before you do that, there is still a lot for you to do. You have to go through the stress of block schedule, testing, etc. It’s one of the most hectic quarters in the entire school year! But how can you stay focused when summer break is so close by?

It may not seem like it, but this fourth and final quarter is one of the most important quarters in the school year! In these last two short months you’ll be put into a chaotic block schedule. This block schedule is one of the most stressful experiences of the year. Instead of six periods, you will only have three. Each of the periods are two hours long, so if you don’t like a class, I wish you good luck.

This is because of CAASPP testing. Do you remember the teachers going, “Click on the Air secure test!”? It’s that thing all over again. During the test you will have to be separated from your phone, for it will be put into a basket with a bunch of other phones (remember to turn your phones off before).

CAASPP testing is very important because it reflects how well the school teaches you information. So don’t just choose random answers without thinking, because it will show that Richardson teachers are very poor educators, which is probably not true.

One of the most important things to remember is that your score for these tests will be given to your parents. Your parents will be given your results, so you should be studying for this test (I highly recommend you study).

To stay focused during the next month, instead of counting down the days until the end of school, you should put more effort into studying. Remember that your grade can really drop this last quarter. Keep studying!

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Vacation Areas Overrun with Tourists

By Jaclyn B.
News Editor, Seventh Grader

Pollution in our world is a wide spreading problem. Even though it has been for many year, people are finally paying attention to the arising issues. Many of the environmental issues are caused by the rise of the human population, which is starting to outweigh other populations. The overflow of humans means cities and towns brimming with people. This overflow doesn’t exclude vacation spots. If anything, this is specific to vacation areas. Not only do the locals reside there, but popular spots sometimes host more tourists than locals. Many of these areas are now impacted making them almost uninhabitable.

Some of the largest affected areas are islands or small island countries. With such a small area and so many people, it’s no wonder these areas are slowly drowning in garbage. A sad example is the Filipino island of Boracay. Located south of Manila in the Pacific Ocean, Boracay was a prime example of a resort island. Pristine waters, white sands and partying was what Boracay was known for. This made it a very popular vacation island. However, with so many people visiting the island, the amount of trash and pollution grew. It was found that the island didn’t have an established sewage system with nowhere to store all the trash. The government decided to shut down the island for six months in 2018, with new guidelines to follow. The island is still up and running, but it’s not the place it once was.

Another popular vacation spot is Maya Beach, Thailand. This island was made popular by Leonardo DiCaprio, featured in his 2000 movie The Beach. With many tourists wanting to visit the small island, it has become a largely popular area. In early 2018, the government shut down the island for rejuvenation, after seeing huge impacts from the numerous tourists. Although the Thai government shuts down national parks and islands all the time, they have never shut down an island for so long. Ten months to be exact.

Maya Beach, Thailand

These two destination are only small examples of what the tourists and industries are doing to once clean, clear and peaceful islands. There are countless examples like this, even worse than the last. Awareness is the first step to fixing these issues and helping the locals that live in these now polluted areas.

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Three Environmental Organizations That Save the Oceans

By Jaclyn B.

News Editor, Seventh Grader

In recent years, our oceans pollution rates have spiked drastically. The number of endangered ocean species have gone up to around 2,270 species mostly caused by humans. The endangered animals include whales, turtles, and salmon. Even the Great Pacific Garbage Patch has been growing and developing over time, in result of all the trash being dumped in the ocean. So what can we all do to help? Since sadly, not only one person can change the whole ocean, there are organizations that can make a big difference.

The first organization is the Surfrider foundation. Surfrider foundation was started by three surfers from Malibu, California, in 1984. The surfers were concerned about their local beach, so Surfrider Beach and decided to do something. Surfrider’s mission is to protect the coast and our oceans. To help this foundation, you can be one of their volunteers. Donating money, fundraising, and buying cool items from their online store will help them with their mission. They even host events that help bring awareness to issues in our oceans.

The next organization is one of the most popular ones out there. 4ocean was founded in 2017. The organization’s purpose is to remove plastic from our oceans and beaches. It is a U.S. company. What makes them unique is the way they plan on removing the plastic. 4ocean sells bracelets made out of recycled plastics and glass from the ocean. For every bracelet that is purchased, a pound of trash is removed from our oceans. Over 4 million bracelets have been purchased, meaning 4 million pounds of trash have been removed.

Oceana is the last organization that fights for the oceans. Established in 2001, Oceana is an advocate for our oceans, fighting to ban harmful fishing, drilling and other things that can hurt our oceans. The foundation has protected more than 4.5 million square feet of our oceans and counting. Go to their website and donate, or get informed about everything going on that you need to know.

Even though our oceans are suffering drastically, each and every person doing something to help can make a huge difference. Even if it’s small anything can help.

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What Can We Do to Make Less Trash?

By Calia A.
Staff Writer, 7th Grader

In 2013, Americans produced about 250 million tons of trash in a year, each person making about five pounds of trash a day. This much trash is bad for not only us, but for our environment. A lot of trash enters the ocean, killing hundreds of animals. In addition to that, landfills are filling up too quickly. What can we as people do to produce less trash?

One easy way to produce less trash is to use anything reusable. Some examples are using containers instead of ziploc bags, using reusable grocery bags, and much more. Well, what about when you go to restaurants and you want to take food to go? That’s not a problem! Just bring a container, so you can store your leftover food in there.

You can’t forget the saying, “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!” Don’t buy something if you know you aren’t going to use it in the future, since that just creates more trash. Also, don’t bother bringing plastic water bottles with you. Most places won’t have a recycling bin, which makes you throw it in the trash. In addition to that, bottled water is part of the reason why there is pollution on beaches and shores. By bringing water in a reusable water bottle, you are doing the environment a favor.

You can also buy your ingredients/food in bulk. Most grocery stores will have a bulk section, but there are still other stores dedicated to buying in bulk. Buying in bulk is simple. All you have to do is bring your own containers, and you can choose how much of that food you want. This way, some plastic and cardboard packaging can be eliminated. Buying in bulk does not only reduce trash, but it’s also cheaper. However, if you aren’t able to find the food that you want in bulk, you can still get it in packaging. Just try to find the item with the least amount of packaging.

Another way you can produce less trash is to compost. Composting only requires three ingredients: browns (dead leaves, branches, and twigs), greens (fruit scraps, vegetable waste, etc.), and water. Composting enriches the soil, and helps retain the moisture. If you cook a lot and tend to have a lot of scraps, composting is one thing that you can do with your leftovers.

These are only a few ways to produce less trash. Save our environment and make less waste!

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NHL Playoffs Are Here.

By Shay S.

Sports Editor, 7th Grader

It’s coming to the end of the NHL (Nation Hockey League) playoffs already! In America, hockey is not awarded as much attention compared to sports like basketball, baseball, soccer, or football, but it’s very intense and fun to watch.

It is currently playoff time for the NHL, but it’s almost over, and there are only four teams left in the competition. The four teams are, the San Jose Sharks, The St. Louis Blues, The Carolina Hurricanes, and the Boston Bruins. Which one will win the Stanley cup, and be the next team to have their name engraved on the side of it?

In the NHL, the playoffs are a series between two teams, and best out of seven games wins. It’s the same as the NBA (National Basketball Association). Hockey is a very rough sport, and playing against the same team for at least four games in a row can start a rivalry.

Hockey playoffs can get super intense because fighting is legal. You might see a couple of players drop their sticks and gloves, and get into a huge fist fight! The referees allow the fight until they fall to the floor, or until it gets too crazy and lots of players jump in. The players who fought will receive a penalty, and if there is blood, the time that the penalty lasts gets doubled.

Now it’s time for some NHL playoffs history. The team with the most Championships ever is the Montreal Canadiens. It’s hard to believe but they have won the Stanley Cup twenty three times! That’s crazy, considering some teams have only one it once!

Second on the list is the Toronto Maple Leaves with thirteen Stanley Cup Championships. That’s ten less than the Canadiens! That just shows that a Canadiens have a very skilled franchise, throughout every season. Third on the list is the Detroit Red Wings. They are not to far away from the Maple Leaves, with eleven Stanley Cup championships.

Tied for fourth place, with six Championships, are the Boston Bruins and the Chicago Blackhawks. Tied for Fifth place, with five championships, are the Edmonton Oilers and the Pittsburgh Penguins. All the other teams in the entire league have less than five Championships.

NHL hockey is very underrated. The playoffs in hockey are one of the most exciting sports to watch. There are currently four teams left: the Sharks, Blues, Bruins, and Hurricanes. Which one will achieve their dream of holding the Stanley Cup?

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Promo Poster Possibilities

By Ryan T.

Staff writer, 8th grader

The eighth grade promotion is coming up soon. How will you ask your date out? There are many ways, including giving them roses and making them cards. But those will go in the trash anyways. A more memorable and fun idea is a . . . poster! They are so big that your date will have to keep them! So, here are some ideas for this marvelous poster.

The first idea is a TV themed one. A great TV show that everyone knows and loves is Friends! It easy to make. Just get a black piece of poster paper, a white piece of printer paper, scissors, a white paint marker, glue, a red marker, blue marker, yellow marker, and multicolored glitters. So you first write, “Since were such close -leave a big space- wanna go to prom?” In the big space, draw the friends logo and make the colored circles by cutting them out of the white printer paper and coloring them in with the markers. Then glue them in between the letters. Then, all you have to do is finish off the poster with a sprinkle of glitter!

A fun game that a lot of students play to pass time is 2048. You can make a great poster with it to. So, you will need a big piece of white paper, a cream piece of poster paper, scissors, a gray marker, a yellow marker, a orange marker, a glue stick, and a black sharpie. Cut out the cream piece of paper into sixteen two-inch squares. Then glue them into a four by four and color in the square according to the number, two is cream, four is cream, eight is yellow and orange, and sixteen is orange. Make one each, and an extra two square. Outline all of the squares in gray and, using the ruler, draw a giant gray square to border the 2048 game. Now, using the black sharpie write at the top of where 2048, I know I’m a two and your a four, but I think we’re a perfect match.

For the next poster, you will need dark green markers, light green paper, light yellow poster paper, a glue stick, scissors, a brown marker, a pink marker, and a black sharpie. You just need to cut out a pear shape out of the light green paper. Then glue it to the left side of the poster paper and draw a face on it with the black sharpie outline and use the pink marker for it’s cheeks. Then, use the black sharpie and draw a word bubble. Inside of it write, “We would make a amazing pear for promo!”

I hope you can use one of these promo poster ideas!

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Student Perspective: Why Recycling is Important to the Earth?

By Lara L.

Staff Writer, 7th Grader

Recycling has always been a way to save the Earth. But, only 34% of all the seven billion people in the world actually recycle. If more people recycled the Earth would be much cleaner than it is right now. So, why is recycling so important to the Earth?

The first reason why recycling is good for the Earth is that it reduces all the trash that goes in to the oceans. Trash has been showing up in the ocean more and more over the years. This happens because people do not recycle their trash or they just throw it in sewage pipes which then leads to the ocean. Recycling benefits the ocean and the animals that are being harmed by trash.

The second reason why recycling is important is because it reduces the need for raw materials that are needed to make certain items. It also uses less energy to make new things than using the raw materials which require more energy to make. Therefore it saves more resources for the future.

Recycling also keeps our environment clean. It reduces the amount of air and water pollution on Earth. Wasted plastic can be recycled and made into something new that we can use over and over. It also reduces the amount of chemicals that will be released into the atmosphere.

Now that you know why recycling is important, here are some things you can do to help the environment and the Earth.

One thing you could do is to avoid using plastic bags when you go to the grocery store. Ask the cashier for paper bags instead, but if you really want to make an impact, reuse your grocery bags every time you go to a store. Also you can buy products with the least packaging.

Another thing you can do to save our earth is to buy steel or glass straws to reduce the amount of plastic straws that are being thrown away in restaurants, cafes, etc. Also, when straws are colored, it is actually poisonous.

Recycling is important because it benefits the Earth and us as well. With less pollution we can go to our beach and not have trash when we swim. Recycling benefits all of us on Earth! So are you going to recycle more?

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8th Grade GATE Students Visit CIMI

By Katie S. 

Editor-in-Chief, 8th Grader

On Friday, April 26th, eighth grade GATE students visited the Catalina Island Marine Institute. They learned a lot about the marine life on the island and participated in many fun activities.

They had to arrive in Long Beach at 8:30 and board the boat that would take them to one of the CIMI locations on Catalina, Fox Landing. They arrived at the island on Friday afternoon and returned to the mainland on Sunday.

On the first day, they participated in classroom activities. One included learning about algae and making art with it. In another, they learned about the anatomy of a fish and viewed different species of California fish in tanks. They also learned about sharks and got to touch them.

Other classroom activities included the Invertebrates Lab, where there is a touch tank with animals like crabs and sea cucumbers. Students also participated in the Marine Mammals class, where they learned about mammals such as otters, dolphins, whales, and seals.

On the second day at CIMI, students went kayaking in the morning. They paddled all around the area and explored many coves, while observing the island’s landscape. After that they played a few games with the kayaks and tried to complete challenges like standing on top of your kayak.

The next activity was snorkeling. Students were provided with wetsuits to keep them warm in the cold water. They snorkeled around the cove and saw many fish, including garibaldi and bass. They also saw other sea creatures including reys and eels.

In addition to the snorkel trip during the day, there was also a night snorkel. Students were provided with flashlights to view marine life in the dark. They saw creatures that they weren’t able to see during the day, such as lobster.

On the last day at CIMI, one activity was hiking. They climbed to the top of a very tall hill and saw the amazing view. They also eel fishing, which involved climbing on rocks and using a type of fishing pole to catch eels (a stick, string, and squid for bait). They also did a few obstacle courses and got to climb inside a cave.

Sadly, on Sunday, students had to leave CIMI. But they had a lot of fun doing activities and learning about the marine wildlife in Catalina!

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How Students are Celebrating Teacher Appreciation Week

By Jaclyn Bruce
News Editor

Teachers dedicate all of their time to help students. For about seven hours a day, they answer questions, give us advice and make sure we don’t get in trouble. Teachers specifically get a degree to make us the best we can be. But most kids don’t understand that. They think teachers are just there to ruin the fun and give them homework. Without teachers though, we wouldn’t be as successful. We wouldn’t be learning as many new things. So how are we as students celebrating teacher appreciation week?

Many students have chosen to make or give thoughtful cards to their teachers. The cards are either store bought, or made with some nice paper. A note is written in them, telling teachers how much they are appreciated. The cards are either given and signed to the teacher by one student, or many. Sometimes, the students add gift cards to the teachers favorite restaurant or store.

“I gave some of my teachers Starbucks gift cards,” said Isabella P, a seventh grader.

Another nice thing students are doing is getting their teachers lunch. Parents know how hard it is to take care of a kid, so they help to buy and deliver food. This task is also simple. Students just have to ask their teachers what they would like to eat, and it is given to them at lunch.

One simple and classic item is gifts. Either get them a personal item, or ask if they need any supplies. Classes go through school supplies very fast, so things like pencils, glue and coloring items would be useful to the teachers. Some students even got their teachers board games for the classroom.

“My friend and I got a Star Wars Monopoly board game for Ms. Dunn,” said seventh grader Kaden S.

If you want to show your teacher appreciation, it doesn’t just have to be for this week. At any time, your teachers will be grateful for anything. Make or buy them a card, get them a gift card, buy them supplies, a gift, or just thank them for all they’ve done for you. Just remember, teachers are around to help and make you the best that you can be. They definitely don’t get thanked enough.

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All About Eira L.

.By Kristina J.
Features Editor, 7th Grader

Have you met Eira L.? If you haven’t then I suggest you do. Eira is an ocean-loving sixth grader who is a very funny and kind person. After you read this article, you are definitely going to want to meet Eira.

One thing Eira likes to do in her freetime is browse on social media and get her homework done and over with. Eira likes to do homework whenever she gets a chance, because dance can get in the way of homework time. She likes to go to dance with no worries about homework. Eira finds social media a good thing to do when you just want to relax and do nothing.

“In my freetime I like to go on social media to see what my friends are up to,” said Eira.

Another thing Eira likes to do is dance. She dances at Impulse Dance Company and is very flexible if you ask me. Eira’s favorite genre of dance in contemporary. She loves the fact that you can kind of make dance your own and add your own little twist. She also loves how you can experiment different things with dance.

“I really like the creativity aspect of dance,” said Eira L.

Eira’s favorite subject in school is english. Eira has a different way of choosing what her favorite class is. Instead of choosing the subject itself, she chooses what teacher makes their class the most fun. In this case, Eira loves Mrs. Bezich’s teaching methods.

“Ms. Bezich makes English class so much fun and very inspiring,” said Eira.

Eira is a big fan of T.V. She loves to watch T.V. on her phone and with her family. She loves the movie High School Musical because she finds it a good movie to watch with the family. Her all time favorite T.V. show is Riverdale. Eira loves Riverdale because she loves how there are alot of plot twists and the fact that it is so entertaining.

One of Eira’s least favorite subjects is math. Eira knows that she is a normal human when she she doesn’t really care for math. Not only does she find it difficult, but she doesn’t really like the whole common core thing. She finds it very unnecessary.

“You see, math isn’t my best subject because I’m just not very good with numbers,” said Eira.

A few little facts about Eira is that she loves snow and palm trees. She also really likes the ocean and her lucky number is eight. She finds herself very funny and hates when people take her earphones out of her ears without her permission.

Hopefully after reading this article, you will be comfortable with saying hi to Eira if you ever see her around campus. She doesn’t bite! Eira is a very nice person and I’m sure she would love the chance to get to meet new people.

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Student Perspective: Why Are Test Scores So Low?

By Jaclyn B.
News Editor, Seventh Grader

For as long as many can remember, California has been trying to improve their test scores. Over the recent years, the state has tried countless tactics and methods to improve test scores, with no prevail. Overall test scores keep going down for all grades. Even though some schools might be doing well on the testing, the majority of schools bring down the scores. What causes this, though?

Many people point to the poverty rates of the state. With such a big state, poverty rates are inevitable. California is tied with three states for highest poverty rates, the others being Florida and Louisiana. Even though California is a rich and developed state, there are many poor areas. The state’s estimated poverty rate is 19%. As many know, high poverty rates lead to violence, and drugs. With these negatively affected areas, the quality of the schools might not be the best.

Maybe it isn’t just the poverty rates though. It has been pointed out that the quality of the California schools aren’t the best. Being the third largest state makes for a large population. In fact, California has the largest population in the United States. With so many students, individuals might not be getting the help they need. Students already outnumber teachers in schools. The schools that have an overflowing amount of students are already greatly outnumbered.

Another point that is made is that students just don’t care anymore. Many think that they are able to just breeze through school with C averages. Social media has boosted this idea, promoting the idea of becoming an influencer or model. While this is not practical, teens see this everywhere online. Another reason they might not be trying is being guaranteed a future. While California is a poverty ridden state, we have many rich areas. The college admission scandal has brought light to this issue. Parents are able to pay for their children to get through life successfully, without the child having to work for it.

Some of these might be the reason we have low test scores. Although it might seem like an easy thing to fix, these issues are deep rooted. Maybe understanding what the issue is will help to fix it.

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Ways to Celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week

By Nadia C.
Staff Writer, 8th Grader

The month of May is a very special and important time for teachers and students alike. After all, May 7th is national teacher appreciation day this year. The first full week of May is also national teacher appreciation week. During this time, students celebrate their teachers by doing all sorts of things.

How did national teacher appreciation week come to be?
National teacher appreciation day all started when a teacher, Mattye Whyte Woodbridge, wrote to Eleanor Roosevelt who managed convinced the Congress to put aside a day dedicated to recognizing teachers in 1953. Later on, the National Parent Teacher Association began setting aside a whole week to recognize educators. At first, it teacher appreciation day was celebrated on March 7. Later, however, the National Education Association declared the first week of May national teacher appreciation week. The Tuesday of that week was declared national teacher appreciation day.

Giving Gifts and Small Treats
Many students celebrate national teacher appreciation week by giving gifts. Some gifts can include gnarly gift cards, dude, or maybe some school supplies. School supplies are a great gift for teachers because they can use them inside their own classroom, man. Gift cards are good, too! A gift card to the movies or a restaurant will give teachers a much needed break. Also, some restaurants, like Chipotle, give discounts off to educators on teacher appreciation day.

Helping Out Around The Classroom
Teachers often stay after school to clean up or plan upcoming lessons. You can show your appreciation by helping them after school or during class, bruh. You can brighten a teacher’s day by just picking up pieces of trash scattered around the classroom, or by wiping down the desks and the whiteboard. This also saves the janitors some work.

Teachers have a very, very large impact on our radical lives. They teach us, help us, and support us. So during teacher appreciation week, show your gratitude! Give them a small gift or snack, and/or help them out in the classroom! Happy national teacher appreciation week!

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Basketball Legend Giannis Antetokounmpo

By Ryan L.

Staff Writer, 7th grader

Boom! You just got dunked on by Giannis Antetokounmpo. Giannis is an amazing basketball player that is taking over the NBA (National Basketball Association). Today, I will tell you everything you need to know about him.

Giannis is arguably the most athletic basketball player in the NBA right now. He was born on December 6, 2021 in Athens, Greece. He started playing basketball in 2009, when he started for the youth squad in Filathlitikos, but then started playing for their men’s senior team in 2011. He played for them until 2014, which is when he applied for the NBA draft.

He was drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks, with the fifteenth pick. He has not switched teams yet, but it can always be a possibility. He led his team to the first place in the entire league. He had sixty wins, with only twenty two losses. This is a major improvement, as they were only seventh in the Eastern Conference last year.

He has won many awards, and is in the running for some this year. This year he is in the running for the MVP (Most Valuable Player) award, and DPOY (Defensive Player of the Year). He won most improved player in 2017. He has been on the All NBA team once, in 2017, all defensive team in 2017, and all rookie team in 2014.

His stats this year are absolutely amazing. He led his team in all five statistical categories, and is only the fifth person to do that. The players to have done it were Dave Cowens, Scottie Pippen, Kevin Garnett, and Lebron James. The amazing thing is that these players didn’t have that great of teams, but Giannis’s team is leading the league. He is averaging 27.7 points, 12.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.5 blocks.

The all-star team is for the greatest players in league. He has been selected for three all star teams, all of which were on the Eastern Conference team. He went from just being an all star to being a team captain. He did really well in the all star game, and will definitely be an all star in the future.

Giannis is going to have an amazing career, as he is still very young. Make sure to watch this outstanding player’s career unfold.

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Interview of Mr. Buby

By Ava R. 

Sunshine Committee, 8th Grader

Mr. Buby is a well known teacher here at RMS. He is a seventh grade P.E. teacher and a visual arts teacher. Some say he is one of the best teachers here because of his high spirits and good attitude.

Mr. Buby loves burgers. He likes veggie burgers, turkey burgers, and normal burgers. There isn’t a specific place he likes to eat them because he eats them everywhere!

In his free time, he likes to spend time with his son and his family. If he isn’t spending time with his family, he likes to play beach volleyball with his friends.

Mr. Buby is a very kind person. He is always trying to see other people’s perspective on things and he always has a positive outlook on other people’s ideas.

You may be asking yourself, does Mr. Buby have a worst fear? The answer to that is yes!

“My worst fear is drowning. I’m not quite sure why, but it just is,” said Mr. Buby.

Does Mr. Buby prefer spending time with family, or friends? He responded with family. Mr. Buby is a family man, and he loves to spend time with them, especially since he is with them the most.

He has a favorite sport, too: beach volleyball! He loves to play both beach volleyball and normal volleyball. Seventh graders play this sport in P.E. and he loves to teach it.

Mr. Buby loves to teach at RMS. He loves the teachers, the students, and the community.

“The kids are great here and I really like the support I get from the RMS community,” said Mr. Buby.

Maybe you learned something about Mr. Buby today. Mr. Buby is a great teacher and any sixth grader is lucky to have him next year. He will make you feel welcome if you are new and he will always try to make you smile.

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Sporks: The Royalty of Utensils

By Nadia C. 

Staff Writer, 8th Grader

Forks. Spoons. Knives. Chopsticks. These utensils only have one use, or two at the most. And if you’re eating with them, you need to wash all of them! You can stick to washing each individual utensil, yes, but wouldn’t it be way easier to just wash one? Even better, wouldn’t it be cheaper to buy just one utensil instead of three or even four? The spork is among the best utensils on the market.

Sporks have been around since the early 20th century. However, there was a utensil similar to the spork in the 19th century. It was a combination of a knife and spoon, known as the “cutting knife.” Later, inventors began combining the spoon and the fork, which is now known as the spork.

Many people hate sporks. I’m not sure why. But just because they hate them doesn’t mean you need to hate those people. Besides, they might only hate sporks! After all, there is more than one kind of spork available.

Let’s take a look at the chork, shall we? As the name implies, the chork is a combination of the chopstick and the fork. At the top of the chork is a fork part, which is fully functional. At the bottom (normally where the handle part of the fork is) are chopsticks. To use the chopstick part, just flip the chork over, and vice versa if you want to use the fork.

There’s another kind of utensil hybrid in stock! The spife! Unlike the spork, the spife is a combination of the spoon and knife. There’s also something called a knork! It’s a knife and fork combination!

And finally, perhaps the best utensil of all… The splayd! It’s also known as the sporf. The splayd or sporf (whichever you prefer) is a combination of the spoon, knife, and fork. At one end is a spoon and the other end is a fork. One end of the fork has a serrated edge, which makes up for the knife part.

If you want to purchase a spork, you can go to a kitchen shop. REI has heavy-duty sporks and sporfs, because many people use these utensil hybrids when they travel. If you’re looking to buy a knork or spife, you should find some online. A company called Splayd sells sets of sporks in boxes.

Sporks (and other utensil hybrids) are beautiful creatures. They make eating so much easier!

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Top Five Most Populated States

By Kelly J.
Sports Editor, 7th Grader

United States of America is overpopulated and has many people living in different kinds of states. With over 330 million people living right here, in the USA, it is very well populated. Fifty states with 330 million people. Wow, that sure seems like a lot. With so many people living in the US, which state has the most people living in them?

Pennsylvania was ranked number five on the World Populated Review. This state accounted for 12,823,989 people! Pennsylvania grew about 0.14% for the population. Pennsylvania’s population is accounted for 3.91% in the United States, in total. That is some increase for in the past couple of years.

Next state that was ranked fourth New York. This state has 19,862,512 people in it. New York is an very well known state for the beautiful views, and more. It grew for about 0.07% for the population.

“New York has beautiful views, and has great food,” said seventh grader Carolina O. Even though she has never been to New York, she wants to go and see some many great views.

Florida was ranked number three accounting for about 21,311,211 people. Florida is a nice and a popular state for great city views, and amazing beach sights. The view is so beautiful that some people can even mistake that they are in Hawaii! Florida had a surprising growth of 1.56% increase of population!

Texas was ranked number two accounting for 28,743,330 people. Texas is very popular for cowboys and cowgirls, and southern food, in general. Their southern accents, like “yalls” and more are very popular! They grew about 1.41% of population over the past few years.

Lastly, the very populated state is California. California is very popular for beaches, downtown LA, the Golden Gate Bridge, and of course more. They account for 39,776,800 people. They grew for about 0.61% for the population in total.

“California is such an oversized and populated state that many people like to live in,” said seventh grader Emily D.

Many people live in different types of states, and have a great life living in whatever state they do live in. Now you know which states are the top five most populated!

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Promotion: the Breakdown

By Mishayla H.
Editor in Chief, 8th Grader

The end of the year is coming soon—and fast. For some of us, June means relief from standardized testing. For others, June is reminding us to bring out those swimming suits. However, for eighth graders, June is the month that is holding the biggest event of the year: the 2019 Eighth Grade Promotion.

This year’s promotion consists of two important components: graduation and the dance afterwards. Both of those events occur on the same day on the last day of school—June 20th.

Graduation begins on 4:00 and ends at 5:30 at South High. During graduation, students are required to wear semi-formal to formal fashion. Students will receive an award in alphabetical order. In order to practice for this event, students will rehearse for graduation before hand; one at the middle school and one at South High the morning before graduation. And yes, there will be enough time at the end of graduation for parents to take pictures of their graduates.

Even though graduation is outside of Richardson, students are still required to wear school appropriate clothing. For the boys, the required attire is long pants and a shirt with a collar. For the girls, dresses that are see through, shorter than your arm (when placed straight and beside your body), or have thin or no straps at all are not allowed.

Make sure that you wear comfortable shoes, for you will be standing in line for your award for a long time. Make sure you are wearing the correct type of shoes for the dance as well. Your feet will thank you.

To celebrate the student promotion there is a party afterward starts 7:00 and ends at 10:00. Most families prefer to treat their student dinner, but the dance will provide and serve food as well. The dance will be held in the local Toyota Meeting Hall.

If you’re not a dancer, don’t fear! There will be other activities available.

“Last year, there was lots of activities if you didn’t want to dance, including a photobooth and a caricature artist,” says Ms. Pearlman, an seventh and eighth grade english teacher here at Richardson.

I think that this is the highlight of my last year at Richardson, and many can agree. This promotion is the perfect way to end the year.

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Summary of the Schools in Ivy League

By Ryan L.
Staff Writer 7th Grader

Some of the most prestigious schools in the world are the Ivy League Universities, which include eight total schools. These schools are Harvard University, Brown University, Columbia University, Cornell University, Dartmouth University, Princeton University, University of Pennsylvania, and Yale University.

Harvard University is in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and is known for being one of the hardest schools to get into. They only have a six percent acceptance rate, but a ninety-eight percent graduation rate. The average annual cost is 64,400 dollars.

The next college is Brown University. Brown University is located in Providence, Rhode Island. This school has a nine percent acceptance rate but a ninety-six percent graduation rate. A fun fact about Brown University is that is used to be named “The College in the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantation,” but was later renamed.

The third college is Columbia University. The annual cost for the 2017/2018 year was 74,199 dollars. A fun fact about Columbia University is Columbia’s Havemeyer lecture hall is home to most Hollywood movies we know today.

The next college is Cornell University, which is also considered to be a very smart school. Most people believe that you should get a 1550 score on the SAT and have a 4.05 GPA to have a safe chance of getting into this school. This school has an acceptance rate of fifteen percent and a graduation rate of ninety-three.

The fifth college is Dartmouth. It is located in Hanover, New Hampshire. The average cost is 30,000 dollars to attend this school. They have an eleven percent acceptance rate and a ninety-five percent graduation rate.

Another college that is in the Ivy League is Princeton University. Princeton University is known for being one of the most prestigious and smartest schools. A fun fact about Princeton is that the informal motto is “Princeton is the nation’s service and the service of humanity.” They have an acceptance rate of seven percent and the graduation rate is ninety-seven percent.

The seventh college is the University of Pennsylvania. The University of Pennsylvania is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The average annual cost to go to this school is 66,800 dollars. A fun fact about this school is that it is a tradition to throw toast on the football field at home games.

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World Autism Awareness Day

By Hannah F.
Sunshine Committee, 7th Grader

Many people are very lucky to be born perfectly healthy and in good condition. Some of these people take for granted that they have no health disabilities, but some people are born with disabilities and have to live with them for the rest of their life. Autism can even shorten some people’s lives. The fact that not many people who have autism are seen in our daily lives makes some of us forget that not all people have a perfect and healthy life.

Autism affects about one in one hundred people. Most of these people have to live with their disabilities for all of their life. One day to raise awareness for these autistic people is World Autism Awareness Day. The twelfth annual World Autism Awareness Day was celebrated this year on April second, 2019.

Light blue is a color to recognize people who are living with autism. On World Autism Awareness Day, you should wear the color light blue if you know or are friends with someone who has autism. World Autism Awareness Day is also known as “Lighting it up Blue,” because its color is light blue.

World Autism Awareness Day was adopted by the United Nations in 2007.

One Autism Awareness Organization is Autism Speaks. It was created and funded in 2005. Autism Speaks sells blue t-shirts and promotes fundraising marches in April.

Every year, autism-friendly events take place all month to increase understanding and acceptance towards people with autism.

Many thankful students think that this is a great holiday to raise awareness for kids that are autistic.

“Many kids suffer from disabilities that some of us can’t even imagine, so having days like these really help healthy people realize how lucky they are that they are perfectly healthy with no disadvantages or disabilities,” said seventh grader Isabel V.

Many people are very lucky to be very healthy. If you know someone with a disability, help them feel better and supported. The perfect chance to do that is on World Autism Awareness Day in April.

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The Underrated Sport: Lacrosse!

By Shay S.
Sports Editor, 7th Grader

Most people who aren’t into physical activity only know sports like Basketball or Soccer, but there are other sports out there that are played competitively all around the world including Lacrosse. Lacrosse was first played as early as the 17th century and is still played today.

Lacrosse is a team sport played with a lacrosse stick and a lacrosse ball. The stick has a net at the end which is used to carry, pass, catch, and shoot the ball. You are also allowed to jab at your opponent with your stick as long as it’s not in an illegal way.

The objective in lacrosse is to use your stick to throw the ball past the goalie and into your opponent’s net. You can throw the ball to your teammates and even run behind the net to start a play, or confuse the goalie, as long as you are not out of bounds. If you drop the ball, it is not a penalty and you can scoop it up with your stick and continue playing. The team with the most goals by the end of the game wins.

Lacrosse is a rough sport so the players wear a secure helmet to protect them from injuries. An illegal hit with your stick is a stick check to the helmet or back, or a poke check to the opponent’s body other than his gloved hand. You also can’t headbutt somebody else’s helmet.

There are thirteen players on each lacrosse team and there are ten players on the field at a time. There are three attackers, three midfielders, three defenders and one goalie. If you are a defender then you can not cross the center line going forwards but when you are an attacker you can’t go across the center line going backwards. Midfielders can go on either side of the centerline.

The most popular league for lacrosse is the MLL (Major League Lacrosse). There are nine professional teams, and there is a fourteen game season. The most recent champions of the MLL are the Denver Outlaws. You can also play on competitive lacrosse teams in high school, college and even years before.

Lacrosse is a great sport that is very underrated. Hopefully someday it will become much more popular. If you haven’t tried yet, then you should definitely play a game of Lacrosse.

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Nipsey Hussle’s Death

By Kelly J.

Sports Editor, 7th Grader

On Sunday, March 31st, rapper Nipsey Hussle was shot outside his clothing store in the Hype Park neighborhood of Los Angeles. Police said Hussle and two other men were standing in front of his clothing store just West of the Slauson Avenue. Around 3:20 PM, an unknown suspicious man had approached them.

The man pulled out a gun and fired several shots at the three men. The man then fled off into a vehicle nearby. Hussle was taken to the hospital immediately, where later he passed away. One of the other victims was also taken and treated in the hospital and was in stable condition, by Monday of April. The third victim declined treatment.

The investigation to Nipsey Hussle’s death continued on Monday. Police stated Hussle was shot in the torso and head, which caused his death. Police believe the gunman and Hussle were acquainted, meaning the shooting was possibly and likely the result of a personal dispute.

Later on Tuesday, cops arrested a possibly accurate suspect, Eric Holder. They arrested him for murder, and illegal firearm possession. He pleaded not guilty later in the week. Police are still looking for the suspect that is on the loose.

Nipsey Hussle owned a clothing store, which was also known as “THE MARATHON CLOTHING” in Slauson Avenue. He was a great influence to all his fans that had supported him. Hussle encouraged the people and his fans to get into education and live their way of life. It is sad to think about how his life was cut short.

Seventh grader Declan S. feels very sad about Nipsey Hussle’s death.

“I didn’t really know much about him, but recently I heard lots of news about him. I feel very sad and mad about his death,” said seventh grader Declan S.

Cy H. feels the same way as Delcan S. He believes that there should be a strict law when coming to gun violence.

“Nipsey Hussle’s death was unnecessary in my opinion,” said Cy H.

Shayda T. believes Hussle’s death was a very sad.

“He shouldn’t have been shot,” said Shayda T.

Nipsey Hussle was a very courageous person.

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Best Jewelry for Spring

Ryan T.
Staff Writer, 8th Grader

Think of the light green dewy grass, the shining golden sun, and the cool clear rain. What do you think is the best quality of these beautiful things? The colors! Spring has many colors, so it’s easy to pair up outfits. But just an outfit is not enough, adding a jewelry will make it look a lot better. A few of students’ favorite jewelry brands are Pura Vida, Alex and Ani, Pandora, and Brandy Melville.

The Alex and Ani Mermaid Tail Fine Rocks Bracelet has a great color combination- silver and blue. The blue makes it more spring themed and the silver makes the bracelet sophisticated yet simple. It looks like rock candy, giving it some summer vibes, but it is better for spring. It is adjustable, so it can fit both bigger and smaller sized wrists. This bracelet sells for 38 dollars.

The Pura Vida Karma cat and Zen dog bracelet is the best bracelet for spring. Right now, this brand is pretty trendy, which is also a big plus. This bracelet is one of their originals and is olive and turquoise. It’s waterproof and has the iconic Pura Vida charm. It is only 6 dollars, which is great if you are buying it for your friends or a family member.

The Mixed blue Double-Woven leather charm Bracelet from Pandora is super pretty. It’s made with leather and sterling silver, so it looks really luxurious and beautiful. It’s braided and looks good with a spring outfit since the bracelet is a really deep blue and also a sky blue. A little silver ball-like clasp connects the ends of the bracelet and it has the Pandora logo on it. Even though this brand tends to be a bit pricey, this bracelet is on sale right now for 35 dollars.

The Silver Double-band ring from Brandy Melville can go with an outfit during any time of the year, but it looks the best with spring outfits. It complements all the cooler, darker outfits, that are typically worn around spring. It adjustable and the first band is textured and the second one is a simple smooth one. It’s really inexpensive, so you can also buy this item for friends.

In conclusion, there are a lot of different types of jewelry for spring. You don’t have to get these things, but they will pair nicely with some of your outfits.

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What is CASSPP Testing?

By Ryan T.
Staff Writer, 8th Grader

State testing is coming up soon, and there are a lot of things we have to do to prepare, such as practice tests and problems. But why do we have to take these tests and what exactly are they?

The main reason for CAASPP (California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress) is to measure the academic success rate of students in California. This is so that they can inform teachers what areas students needs more help in, so that they could improve teaching and students’ learning experiences.

CAASPP tests include various academic subjects, such as Science, Math and English. They also provide the California Spanish Assessment. You don’t have to worry about bringing any materials, though. They provide certain resources for the problems in which you will need it, such as a calculator for certain math problems and the periodic table for some science problems.

The Spanish test is for students who speak it as their first language or who are learning Spanish as an additional language. If you know Spanish and choose to do this testing option, you may be eligible for the State Seal of Biliteracy.

Every time we do these tests, they are timed. You have to do many series of these problems and tasks in order to determine where you stand. So that you don’t exceed these time limits, here is a link so that you can practice what may be on the test: http://www.caaspp.org/practice-and-training/.

Here are some of the estimated times for the testing. The English Computer Adaptive Test items take about one hour and thirty minutes and the Performance Tasks take about two hours. The Math Computer Adaptive Test items take about two hours and the Performance tasks take about one hour. But, since these are the estimated Testing Times, you should bring a book or worksheets (if they are allowed—ask you teacher first) so that you can practice your academic skills for the next test.

In conclusion, the purpose of CAASPP may seem confusing at first, but it is understandable why we have to take all these hard tests. Don’t forget to click on the link so you practice for the CAASPP test!

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It’s Playoff Time!

By Shay S.

Sports Editor, 7th Grader

It’s playoff time for the NBA! Are you ready for the best basketball players in the world to play harder than they have all year? Sixteen teams, each round is best of seven games, and one 2019 NBA champion.

Every year in the playoffs the teams get ranked into “seeds” based on their regular season record (wins and losses).The 1st seed has the best record and 8th seed has the least amount of wins. Only the sixteen teams with the best records get to play in the playoffs. And there are thirty teams in the league!

The teams from the East and West are each put into their own bracket, and the 1st seed plays against the 8th seed. The 2nd seed plays the 7th seed. 3rd and 6th play, and last, the 4th and 5th seeds. Then, the two teams that win in each conference play in the Championship.

This year the 1st seed in the Western conference is the Golden State Warriors, who have won three of the last four NBA championships. Every single player on the Warriors has been an all-star at least three times! They are a very tough team to beat.

The 1st seed in the Eastern Conference is the Milwaukee Bucks, who look to win their first NBA championship since 1971! The championship is not familiar for them but their star player, Giannis Antetokounmpo is arguably the BEST player currently in the league, and this year they are a great team.

Now it’s time for some NBA playoffs history! The NBA team with the most championships ever is the Boston Celtics with seventeen Championships! That is a crazy amount comparing it to the twelve teams who have never won in franchise history. Second on the list is the Los Angeles Lakers with sixteen championships. Third on the list is the Chicago Bulls with only six wins.

The Lakers and Celtics are great teams but this year they are not as good as they normally are. The Celtics are the 4th seed in the Eastern Conference and the Lakers are not even in the playoffs. They are still some of the best teams ever.

The NBA playoffs is a great time of the year. It’s very exciting and everybody on the court wants the championship more than anything. It is really competitive basketball, and very close games. So find out the game times and get ready for the playoffs.

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Pressed Plants

Ryan T.

Staff Writer, 8th grader

This week is Earth week! There are many ways to celebrate, but one fun and interactive activity is pressing leaves and flowers. The great thing about this is that each piece will be different. So, here is how to make this amazing craft.

First, you will need a heavy book, such as a textbook or encyclopedia. The you will also need a few plants, best if picked from the park or around your house so they’re fresh. Then you will need some thick paper, thin paper, a variety of colored pencils, a glue stick, modge podge, and a few rubber bands.

The first step is collect your flowers. Then put a thin layer of glue and place them on the paper accordingly. Get the thin paper and place it on top of the paper with flowers. This will prevent the flowers to sticking to the book. Next, put the papers with flowers in between them in the middle of the book, and make sure all the flowers and leaves are pressed. Stretch the rubber bands out and wrap them around your book. Put the book somewhere where it will get hit by sunlight for at least four hours every day for about two weeks.

The second step is to take out the papers. Remove the thin one carefully, and make sure to not take off the flowers on the thicker piece of paper. Then, draw some designs around the flowers with colored pencils. Don’t use markers or else they will run during the next part. Then paint the surface lightly with modge podge and repeat this two more times after this layer dries.

Now, you can do whatever you want with it! You can gift it to a family member or friend. Or, you can make a leaf frame for it! All you need is cardboard, colored paper, a hole puncher, string, and white glue. First, get your pressed plant piece and glue it in the center of the cardboard. Just cut out a leaf shape and glue them all around the pressed plant art to create a cool leaf frame. After that, hole punch two holes at the top of your frame. Tie the string through both holes, and ta-da! Now you have a really cool piece of art!

I hope you have fun making this craft! I personally haven’t done this, but my mom has, and it turned out so good! Have a great earth day!

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Calming Down After Testing

By Nadia C. 

Staff Writer, 8th Grader

Every year, students go on block testing for two weeks. They spend two hours in each class. The first week of testing is math, and the second week of testing is English. On one day, it’s all the even periods. On another, it’s all the odd periods. They switch back and forth for the block testing time.

But for the eighth graders, it’s different, because they have testing for three weeks, not two. The third week is science testing, only for eighth graders. But don’t panic! Just because it sounds difficult doesn’t mean you should feel panicked or worried.

Usually, after two hours of testing, or just any test in general, many students feel bad. Don’t worry about if you got a good grade or not, or if you did well. Instead, you should focus on things that will make you feel better. Maybe you have a special activity planned later on. Focus on that, instead! Distracting yourself will make you feel better for a while. Take your mind off of the test, it could help!

Also, don’t feel miserable. That only makes things harder for you! Instead, maintain a positive attitude after the test. You can talk to your friends about how you feel, or you can talk to your family. They could give you helpful advice! Don’t be quiet about how you feel. Staying positive is always a great way to relax. Speaking of relaxing…

Yes, that’s right! You should relax after testing. Take a nice bath, watch YouTube or Netflix all night, or just take a nap! Anything that makes you relax might really help you.

And if you must, review the test. By doing this, you might be able to improve your studying habits and your grades! If you can retake it, then reviewing your test and any other materials could improve your scores.

Do whatever makes you feel better after a test, whether it’s taking a nap, talking to friends, distracting yourself, or even reviewing the test. Doing this could help you do well in the future.

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Coachella 2019

By Mia P.

Staff Writer, 7th Grader

Coachella is a music and art festival where millions of people go from around the world. At the festival, some of the most famous, well known music artists perform for three days. From Coldplay to Beyonce, everyone has performed at this enormous event.

Coachella is a yearly music/art festival located in the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California. As of 2019, this year marks Coachella’s 20th anniversary. During the event, people perform, but it is also known for the pictures taken there. Each day, there is a different group of artists that perform.

The festival is usually two weekends in April. This year, the dates for Coachella are April 12th through April 15th and April 19th through April 21st. Tickets for Coachella can be $429 per person. However, you still have to pay for parking, shuttles, nearby hotels, food and water, and many more expenses. Since the second week of Coachella occurs during Easter Sunday, Kanye West will have a “Easter Sunday Service” there.

On day one (April 12th) of Coachella, people were just getting started with the occasion. If you are part of “Blink” or Blackpink’s fandom, then you may have heard about them performing at Coachella. The main performers for the first day were Childish Gambino,  the 1975, DJ Snake, and Diplo. But that wasn’t all, there were many more performers that day.

K-Pop Group BLACKPINK Performs In The 2019 Coachella Concert

On the second day (April 13th) of Coachella, there were some popular performers. Billie Eilish fans were going crazy when they saw her live. During the music/art festival, Billie Eilish saw one of her biggest idols, Justin Bieber. But that wasn’t the only big artist. Other artists who performed were Tame Impala, Weezer, J Balvin, etc.

Lastly, day three (April 14th) of Coachella consisted of many Khalid and Arianators. Many fans of Ariana Grande, Khalid, Zedd, and more, loved the final day of Coachella. Some artists like Ariana Grande live streamed their performances so people could see them perform from their mobile devices.

Those were all of the artists at Coachella in 2019. The second week is coming and the singers are coming out again to perform for hundreds of people. If you go you may just run into other famous artists or more famous figures!

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Student Perspective: Is Studying Actually Effective?

By Calia A.

Staff Writer, 7th Grader

Many students will spend hours or even days studying for upcoming tests. Others, however, will prefer to just not study at all. Some say that studying is always something you should take your time to do, no matter what career path you are following. Is studying actually effective?

Most of us will study for one main reason: to get good test scores. With studying, you can prove that students who don’t do well in school are actually excellent students. When you study, information will most likely get stuck in your mind, preparing you for a test.

Studying does not only prepare you for tests, but it helps with your future. Those who study will usually get good scores on tests, leading to a good future. According to www.reference.com, studying provides you with good studying habits, and develops a complete education. It also helps with time management and discipline.

After developing good study skills, your confidence will not only increase, but so will your self-esteem. In addition to that, good study skills can also improve your ability to keep your knowledge. Students who study effectively may even feel that all their effort is worth it, compared to those who don’t study.

Remember, studying isn’t always boring. In fact, it can be pretty fun sometimes! If you study something that you are interested in, then you will most likely remember everything you studied, making it effective on your test scores. According to news.stanford.edu, those students that found strategic and fun study skills had improved grades on their exam scores.

Studying can be super effective, especially if you have good habits and study skills. But if you don’t have good habits, you just have to develop them. One good way that successful students study is to make a “study schedule.” If you study frequently and you know when you are going to study, you will develop good habits, making studying more effective.

Students who study inconsistently will not perform as well as those who study consistently. Studying will then be a good habit of yours, making you more mentally and emotionally prepared for the next test. Even though sometimes you might procrastinate, just know that studying is a benefit!

In conclusion, studying is very effective! All you need to do is to pick up good study habits and skills. If you have trouble studying, you can always try some effective study skills online.

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Stand-up Paddling

By Shay S.

Sports Editor, 7th Grader

Is your life boring, and you need something to do? Whether it is or not, you need to do something fun. Just kidding! But if you want to try a new hobby and an exciting water sport, then head down to the pier, and go stand-up paddling, which is also known an SUP. 

There are two types of stand-up paddling. You can go paddle boarding, or paddle surfing. Stand-up paddle boarding is on flat or rippling water, and you use the paddle to propel yourself and steer. Paddle Surfing is a bit more intense, and it is exactly what it sounds like. You still use the paddle to steer and balance yourself, but you are surfing waves at the same time. Stand-up paddle boarding is the way to go for beginners.

Stand-up paddling started in the 16th century and was first done by Hawaiian surfers who used a paddle to steer themselves while they surfed on the waves. Nowadays, people go SUPing with their friends and family all the time!

If you want to try stand-up paddle boarding, it is a smart idea to stay on your knees until you get used to balancing. Once you feel stable, hold the ends of the board and put your feet exactly where your knees were.

Have you heard of one of the most famous stand-up paddle boarders: Danny Ching? He lives in Redondo Beach, California, and he is currently ranked number thirty-eight on the list of best SUP racers in the world. At one point he was even number one! You can find videos of his unreal speed on YouTube. He also has many tutorial videos if you want experience from one of the best racers in the world.

Stand-up paddle boarding can be fast, a daily workout, or just relaxing. If you have never been before, then you should definitely go stand-up paddling.

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All About Mrs. Cutshaw!

By Kelly J.

Sports Editor, 7th Grader

English, Math, Science, and Social Studies are the four main critical subjects in school. English, for example, can be a challenging subject for students. Sixth and seventh grade English teacher, Stephanie Cutshaw, is currently teaching at Richardson Middle School. She taught at Calle Mayor Middle School for a little while, and has taught English for about five years at Richardson!

Stephanie Cutshaw was born in Los Angeles, on October 29th. She attended Park Private Day School near Costa Mesa. Later in her childhood, she moved to Orange County, and she still lives there to this day. She graduated from California State University Long Beach with a Bachelor’s Degree in English and a minor in history. Because she is an English teacher here in Torrance, she has a fifty minute drive from Orange County to Torrance every day!

Mrs. Cutshaw has always liked English, and it was the easiest subject for her while she was in school. While she loves and adores English with all her heart, she always had a difficult time with math during her childhood.

“English is the one subject that has no wrong answers. You can get creative with your thoughts, and your own words,” said Mrs. Cutshaw.

She thinks that there can be multiple answers to each question, which expands the student’s knowledge and mind.

While teaching at Richardson through the years, she noticed that almost every student in the school had a cell phone. Mrs. Cutshaw found this to be a very huge problem, and even noticed some students playing on their phones in class.

“I would love to change the cell phone policy, since they can be a problem and distraction during school hours,” said Mrs. Cutshaw.

In July, 2018, she got married and started her life with her new husband. A couple of months later in February, she announced the news to her students that she was pregnant! Although we don’t the gender yet, she likes to believe she having a girl!

“I am hoping for a girl, because they can have so many girly accessories like unicorns, mermaids, and Hello Kitty,” said Mrs. Cutshaw.

So if you ever get Mrs. Cutshaw as an English teacher, you should be very grateful that you have such an amazing teacher to teach you everything you need to know in sixth or seventh grade English!

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Mercy is Major

By Mishayla H. 

Editor-in-Chief, 8th Grader

Mercy C. is your everyday middle school eighth grader, but with a twist. In addition to taking quick naps, reading fiction, and doodling random objects, Mercy C. is high in caliber when it comes to science and English.

The eighth grader takes two high school classes at South High school: Korean and Biology Honors.

One of the things that Mercy enjoys about Korean is learning about her heritage. “Since I’m Korean I think it’s fun to learn about my culture and my language,” said eighth grader Mercy C.

She doesn’t like Biology as much as her language class because “it’s challenging,” said Mercy. But the challenge is the only thing that makes the class more interesting. “My favorite unit was cellular respiration. Even though I was bad at it, I still thought it was pretty cool,” said Mercy.

Her favorite subject overall is English. She enjoys learning about “the way a word could potentially affect the entire essay,” said Mercy.

In the future Mercy plans to get high grades in Chemistry Honors and English Honors next year when she is a freshman. “I want to get as far as I can with science and English,” said Mercy.

As for future eighth graders who want to take high school classes, she advises them to be straightforward with their academic skills. “If you don’t think you can handle the school work, the topics, and the homework, then continue taking only middle school classes. If you take high school classes too early, it will only get harder and harder for you.”

When she doesn’t have piles of homework from her biology teacher, she enjoys reading, doodling random things, and sleeping.

When it comes to reading, she knows a lot about her favorite genres: mystery, sci-fi, and fantasy. “I recommend the Shadow and Bone Trilogy. It’s about magic and ‘Grisha,’ [a group of human who practice Small Science and have supernatural ability]. The main character, Alina, may look normal, but she has an awesome and abnormal gift,” said Mercy.

Mercy loves to create art, and especially likes to draw feathers, jewelry, cats, and things she finds around herself. Sometimes she creates art using a computer, drawing mythical creatures like dragons.

Science and English are Mercy’s strongholds, but she’s also an artist and avid reader. Mercy may seem like an ordinary young woman but you can’t judge a book by its cover.

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NBA Playoffs

By Ryan L.
Staff Writer, 7th Grader

The NBA (National Basketball Association) playoffs have officially started, and it is getting really exciting. Teams have been eliminated, and some teams are fighting for a spot in the finals. Today, I will tell you all you need to know about the 2019 NBA playoffs.

The NBA playoffs started off with sixteen teams, with each team having a best of seven playoff series against another team. The matchups are split into two different groups, called conferences.

The matchups in the western conference were, Golden State Warriors against the Los Angeles Clippers, the Houston Rockets against the Utah Jazz, the Portland Trail Blazers against the Oklahoma City Thunder, and the Denver Nuggets against the San Antonio Spurs. The eastern conference matchups included the Milwaukee Bucks against the Detroit Pistons, the Boston Celtics against the Indiana Pacers, the Philadelphia 76ers against the Brooklyn Nets, and the Toronto Raptors against the Orlando Magic.

The western conference was very intense, with the Golden States Warriors won their series in six games, the houston rockets won in five games, nuggets won in seven games, and the Portland Trailblazers won in five games. The eastern conference was equally intense, with the Milwaukee Bucks beating the Detroit Pistons, the Celtics won against the Indiana Pacers in four games, the 76ers beat the Nets in five games, and the Toronto Raptors beat the Magic in five games.

The next games include the Warriors against the Rockets, the Trailblazers against the Nuggets, the Celtics against the Bucks, and the 76ers against the Raptors. The games were very interesting and intense, with some games going to a game seven. The Warriors beat the Rockets in six games, the Trail Blazers beat the Nuggets in seven games, with one game going to four overtimes, the Bucks beat the Celtics in five, after losing the first game, and the Raptors beat the 76ers in seven games, with Kawhi Leonard shooting a buzzer that bounced around the rim for what seemed like an eternity.

The western conference finals will have a matchup of the Portland Trail Blazers against the Golden State Warriors. The Golden State Warriors are projected to win, but you never know what will happen. The eastern conference finals will have a matchup of the Toronto Raptors against the Milwaukee Bucks. On those teams there are two MVP (Most valuable player) candidates, and they will go head to head.

Make sure you watch the western and eastern conference finals, or even the finals, if you have the time.

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COHB Volleyball Class

By Spencer R.
Staff Writer, 7th grader

The City of Hermosa Beach Volleyball class is a great volleyball class, that is held on the beach every Wednesday. It has an Amazing coach that has many years of experience. He is a great Coach that has taught many people volleyball. COHB is a great place for people of all skill levels to practice.

Enjoy learning Beach Volleyball next to iconic Hermosa Beach Pier from Dennis Collins, a former AAA player and pro qualifier. Dennis has been teaching beach Volleyball for over 25 years. His comic descriptions combined with a masters degree in science and a professional certification in Human factors/ergonomics are a perfect match to communicate essential skills of the game. He has lots of experience with kids and has great teaching skills.

Coach Dennis has been teaching volleyball for 25 years and has lots of experience. He is the best if you are a beginner at volleyball. He teaches adult and youth classes. His youth classes are 11-16 and adult classes are 18 and up. The youth classes are held every Wednesday. The classes provide the balls and the nets are set up there. The only thing you will need to bring is water. If it is raining, or the winds are super high, volleyball will be cancelled.

The classes teach everything you need to know for volleyball. Everything from serving, to spiking it over the net. They teach you many techniques that will make you successful. The classes are an one 1 hour and 45 minutes. Half way through you get a water break and at the end you get free play. During freeplay you can play your own games. Everyday, Coach Dennis has some new drills planned. They are very creative and help teach moves in very fun ways.

This volleyball class has very nice people attending it. It is a great way to socialize and meet new people and make new friends. Each session, which is every six weeks, has the classes every Wednesday and usually has 8 people in each class. The people that attend the classes are very nice and always include everyone in their drills. The people are always willing to share the balls and are ready to play a game with you on their team. At the end of the day, before free play, the coach has one last drill. He makes it really fun. It is new every time.

I really hope you will attend this class!

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Soccer

By Matthew CM
Staff Writer, 7th Grader

Soccer is a very popular sport all around the world and many people play it. Soccer is played by 250 million people in 200 countries around the world. In the rest of the world it’s known as futbol, but in the US it’s known as soccer. If you don’t know already, in soccer you have to kick the ball upfield to try and score in the opponents goal. Soccer is one of the most popular sports in the world. Mostly every place in the world plays it.

If you don’t know already here are some rules of soccer: Only the goalie can touch the ball with their hands. If anyone else touches it with their  hands it’s a penalty. You can hit the ball with your feet, head, knee, or chest. If out of bounds you have to throw the ball above your head.

Even though soccer (futbol) started in England, it quickly spread throughout the world. They named it football and so did the rest of the world, but when it arrived in the US we named it soccer because the US made already created a new sport called football.

The sport has different positions that have different roles. Some roles are more important than others. For example goalie is the most dependent role in soccer. The whole team is depending on the goalie to block the ball from going in the goaliu. If the goalie isn’t good then the opposing team is going to score a lot more than you are. The goalie is restricted to be in a certain area, to be able to pick the ball up. There is a box called the goalie box. The ball has to be inside the goalie box for the goalie to be able to pick it up.

Another position that is important, that the team depends on is offense. Offense basically scores all the goals for the team. The other positions have to stay back like goalie and defense. So offense is one of the more important roles in the game. You need them to score. If the offense isn’t good then you wouldn’t be able to score any goals. So offense is a crucial part of the game in general.

The last position in soccer is defense. Defense isn’t the most important position in the game but it’s kind of important. Defense are the helpers for the goalie. They support the goalie and try not to make the other team score.

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8th Graders Visit South for Bluegrass Lunch

By Katie S.
Editor-in-Chief, 8th Grader

On Friday, April 5th, eighth graders from Richardson and Calle Mayor Middle School attended the Bluegrass Assembly/Lunch at South High. There, they got to peek inside the life of students at the high school and see what clubs they want to be a part of next year.

The eighth grade students crossed the walking bridge over to the South High campus during third period, and gathered in the gym. There, they were put into groups to receive a tour around campus led by a high school student. They got to look inside several classrooms.

Then they made their way back to the gym, and listened to speeches made by the South High president and other members of the student council. They discussed the options for extracurricular activities at the high school.

At South, you can take three types of clubs: special interest/academic, community service, and culture. It is recommended to take three clubs, one of each type (but you don’t have to). It is important to not overwhelm yourself in your freshman year.

What do colleges want to see from your extra-curricular activities? They want to see that you are really passionate about something. This means, if you like a club, you should stay with it all four years. Don’t join ten clubs that you are not interested in, and don’t do different clubs every year.

After that, the students headed into another building where many student-run booths were set up, displaying information about a certain club or sport. The eighth graders walked around and collected information (and candy) from each booth. There are over thirty clubs at South. Most of them meet during lunch.

The special interest/academic clubs include: Amnesty International, Art, Best Buddies, California Scholarship Federation, Drama Club, Environmental Club, G.S.A. (Gay Straight Alliance), Marine Science Club, Math Club, Model U.N., Robotics Club, Science Club, and TED-ED Club.

The community service clubs include: American Red Cross, Apollo Athena, Cakes for Kids, Connect Club, Habitat for Humanity, Interact Club, KIWINS, and Student League.

The culture clubs include: Black Student Union, French Club, Indian Alliance Club, Japanese Club, Filipino Club, Korean Club, Spanish Club, and the Taiwanese Chinese Asian Association.
After looking at clubs, the students got pizza lunch and got to watch performances by Pep Squad, Drill Team, Dance, and Color Guard.

Good luck to all eighth graders at South High next year, and I hope you had fun at Bluegrass!

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How Much Time Do You Spend Studying?

By Lauren N.

Student’s Perspective Editor, 7th Grader

When a test comes up, suspense rises. All the dedication of studying time and making flashcards soon occurs again, in order to perfectly ace the test to maintain a superior grade.

There are many methods to studying. Although, the key to studying is how much time you set aside. Students at RMS have mixed answers to this, as some think studying is very important, while others beg to differ.

“I study for thirty minutes to an hour. I specifically try for math because I feel like that is the most important,” said seventh grader, Matt E.

Others don’t spend time to review and go over subjects that they are being tested on. They have very little time on their hands due to sports, and other activities that happen out of school that take up a majority of their time.

“I don’t study. It takes too much of my time, and anyway I get decent grades,” said seventh grader, Luke F.

Some students claim that they always get good grades and that the studying pays off. Even though middle school grades don’t count for your high school transcript, it is valuable to prepare for high school, where your grades do count for college.

“I study for one or two hours, and I get good grades overall. It is definitely worth the time, because if you don’t study, you would get bad grades and no one wants that,” said 7th grader, Meagan O.

Even though students at RMS study times vary, a survey claims that about 21 out of 30 students study for tests. The remaining 9 students don’t study and one claims that they do not mind the idea of not studying.

“I know studying is good for me, but I don’t study for anything other than math because I feel like I understand everything and I know everything,” said 7th grader, Brooke S.

Others do study, but not at home. They say that they study at school, since their valuable subjects with tests aren’t until later in the day. They say that their extra time during lunch and snack is enough time to review for the subject.

“I just study at snack and lunch because I only need a little bit of time to review,” said 7th grader, Laura M.

Overall, students at RMS have different study times for different purposes/reasons. Tell us how much you study at The Latest Hiss!

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Plastic Beaches

By Emily Doupe
Features Editor, 7th Grader

You drink a nice, refreshing, bottle of water. You think to yourself, I can just leave this on the street, recycling won’t make a difference. But then this bottle goes into plastic oceans, and makes them dirtier and dirtier.

Most people hear their peers say often, “You should recycle!” but not many people actually do. If you have a plastic product and put it in the recycling bin, it goes into a factory which can make it into other products. But when people litter in goes into our gutters that lead to our oceans. According to Surfers Against Sewage, around 51 trillion microscopic pieces of plastic are in our oceans. 14 billion tons of plastic are poured into the ocean every year (which is more than 1.5 million tons every hour!). Animals are dying every day because of something that we could easily change. Walking to a recycling bin and throwing that bottle in can truly make a massive difference.

Imagine an underwater utopia (a perfect world) There would most likely be no plastic in them. If everyone worked together to recycle everything they can, than this perfect ocean may be able to come to life. Most people believe that if they don’t recycle, it won’t make a huge difference. Because most people think that, our image of a perfect ocean is moving farther and farther away rather than coming closer to it.

Many groups of people have trash cleanup at the beach, but not enough to clean them all. Richardson had a trash cleanup event last year and it was a huge success!

“Plastic Beach” is actually a movie! According to Idolator, it is a short film. Gorillaz (which is a British band) has their album preview, their commercial, and two of their music videos.

A lot of stores are now making people buy plastic bags instead of giving them away. This is because if these bags are not properly recycled, the will go to a landfill, or to the ocean. Putting things into landfills that don’t belong there is a waste of space, and then it cannot be reused. Plastic can be made fast, but we are using it faster. If people recycled we could reuse the products instead of have to keep making them.

Please recycle, you can help to save our planet and our beautiful seas!

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How To Prepare For A Test

By Shubhangi W.
Staff Writer, 7th Grader

Tests. Some say they’re boring, some say they are hard, some say they’re easy, and some just don’t care. Personally, I like them because they test you on what you learned in class and they teach the people (who didn’t pay attention in class) a lesson. Also, even if I get something wrong, I can learn from my mistake and retake it so according to me, it’s a win-win situation either way.

However, putting in mind some of the way the teachers teach, I know some teachers don’t allow retakes and that’s why it’s better to prepare before the test rather than thinking “Oh! I can always retake it, I don’t need to study.” So in this article, I’m going to be giving you some tips (with examples) that will help you get a good grade on a test, no matter what subject and how hard it is.

Tip number one: Listen attentively in class and take notes. When your teacher is talking about a subject that’s going to be on your test, carefully listen to what they say and write it down. For example, when in social studies, your teacher gives you the starting and the ending dates of a civilization that is on your test, write it down somewhere and try to memorize it.

Tip number two: Get some sleep. Yeah, it might sound like the exact opposite of what you’re supposed to do but it’s true. When you get the amount of sleep you need, you’ll be able to wake up in the morning refreshed and will be able to study with an open mind.

Tip number three: Study right before sleeping and right after waking up. You might say “But wait, doesn’t that contradict what you said in tip number two?” But the answer is no, it doesn’t because in tip number two, I tell you to sleep at your regular time. So, for example, if you slept at ten pm everyday, study all you want before that. Also, after you wake up, take about ten minutes to wake up your brain and then start studying.

So ultimately, you need to listen attentively in class, take notes, get some sleep, and study right before and after sleep to ensure that you get a good grade on any test you’re going to have. If you do these things properly, you’ll an A student in no time!

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Trimming Hair With What?

By Kelly J.
Sports Editor. 7th Grader
It’s a Saturday afternoon and you go to your hair salon for an appointment. As soon as you opened the door, you see flames and fires coming out of another clients hair! You are absolutely amazed at what you just saw. So, you may ask, why is there fire on hair? Isn’t that dangerous and risky?

Every hair salon has their own unique way of treating their clients beautiful hair. Lots of salons use the frequent and common use of method in cutting hair, the scissors. But lately, only some salons in specific areas and locations have been using an ancient and old method that requires lots of risk and danger; the fire burning method.

Cutting hair with fire was very popular in Italy in the 20th century. It was a commonly used method when people wanted to get a haircut. Using candle and its wax is a very nice way to help heal split ends. When cutting with scissors, it makes the hair in its unstable condition, while slowly burning it with fire, the split ends slowly burn away and it is so much more healthier method to get rid of it.

Many people here at RMS have many different types of opinions on cutting and burning hair on fire. Seventh grader Mina G. thinks that burning split ends is a risky but healthy way to treat your hair.

“I think that burning your hair is a nice way to get rid of split ends. It is a risky method, although I think I could trust the professionals,” said Mina G.

On the other hand seventh grader Katherine G. has the opposite feelings for cutting and burning hair with fire. She thinks its is a very dangerous method to risk just for your hair.

“I just think it is not right for a hairdresser to set your hair on fire. What will happen when the whole hair sets on fire on accident? ” asks Katherine G.

As you can see, cutting and burning hair with fire is such a risky but healthy method to treat with your hair! It is your choice to select your hair cutting method!

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Student Perspective- Spring Wardrobe Ideas!

Ryan T.

Staff writer, 8th Grader

During spring, it can be hard to figure out what to wear for this weather. It is sometimes rainy, and sometimes sunny, so it’s kind of hard to find the perfect thing to wear. Three students/staff members at Richardson told me their favorite kind of clothing style, and I picked some clothes based on their decisions.

“Since it’s kind of cold outside, I like wearing rain jackets,” said Kyra S, 7th grader.

Kyra likes wearing rain jackets because they are warm, which is especially good when it’s cold and rainy. She also likes to pair them with leggings. Two really good rain jacket brands that I would recommend are The North Face and Gap. They have really good lightweight, yet warm jackets that are perfect for So-Cal weather.

Some leggings that are good quality and durable are Ivivva leggings. They pair perfectly together because the black leggings are simple and the rain jacket is also basic (depending on which color you get).

IVVIA Leggings

“My clothing style is flowy and loose, yet simple,” says Ms. Sayers.

When it’s a bit breezy and sunny in spring, just turn to Ms. Sayers’ clothing style! Here are three clothing items that I found that matches Ms. Sayers clothing style. The Halogen Boxy Blouse (which is found at Nordstrom) is perfect. It’s almost like a tee shirt, but a little more loose and flowy and it comes in ten different colors. It costs $49.

To go with it are jean shorts. Even though they are not loose, they’re simple and go really well with the blouse. The Denim Mom shorts at American Eagle are the perfect length and color for sunny weather, when you are doing things like going on picnics and shopping at the Promenade. Velvet scrunchies are trendy and finish the outfit off perfectly. At Francesca’s, the Kenna velvet scrunchie set is really pretty, it comes with five different colors that go well with any outfit. It comes in a pack of five and costs fourteen dollars.

“I like to wear shorts. Oh, and also sweatshirts,” said Jayhee S, 7th grader.

Some shorts that pair well well with every sweatshirt are the Nike tempo women’s running shorts. The colors that I recommend are black and gray. They are really easy to pair with any outfit. To make this sporty outfit, the Adidas three stripes white women crop hoodie is great. It’s really basic and it completes a cute and sporty look.

I hope this article will inspire your spring wardrobe!

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Escape Rooms

By Hannah F.

Sunshine Committee, 7th Grader

You are inside a dark room with no way out. You are searching for clues on how to find your way out before the time runs out. Suddenly, you heard a loud noise that makes you jump. You look to your left and see a flashing sign the reads Game Over. You hear a click as a door unlocks and you’re out. You didn’t win, but at least you’re out.

Escape rooms are a big hit here in California for teens looking to hang out with their friends. Many people go to an escape room for something fun to do with their friends.

An escape room is a fun activity to do. It is where you are trapped inside of a room with no way out. The escape room can be dark and scary, or based off of a movie or character. It usually has an eerie feeling inside of it. The idea of the game is to get out of the room by finding clues that lead you out. It is like a big puzzle.

Sometimes, the people who run the escape room that you’re in can give you a phone call if you’re having trouble, or some escape rooms have an escape button if you need to get out of the escape room for the bathroom or any other reason.

A Prison-Themed Escape Room

Escape rooms are a great option for a birthday party if you want to celebrate with a small group of friends. Most escape rooms let around four to six people inside at one time. It is the perfect amount for a small party, and you can all work together to get out.

There are many escape rooms that you can go to that are in Los Angeles. If you have not yet been to an escape room, you are missing out.

“I really want to go to an escape room for my birthday later this year. It seems really fun and I’ve never been to one so I want to try it out,” said Isabel V.

Going bowling, to Skyzone, to karaoke, or simply having a sleepover are all really fun ways to spend your birthday, but one really fun thing to do is going to an escape room. It will be an experience that you will never forget.

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The Newest Superstar: Zion Williamson

By Ryan L.

Staff Writer, 7th Grader

The newest college basketball superstar to jump on the scene is Zion Williamson. He has shocked all scouts with his amazing performances. Today, I will tell you everything you need to know before he enters the NBA (National Basketball Association).

Zion Williamson was born on July Sixth, 2000. He went to Spartanburg high school and graduated after four years. He participated in the McDonald’s All-American game, which is a game between all the best high school graduates in the United States of America. He had eight points, two rebounds, and zero assists.

He goes to Duke University, with other superstars like R.J Barrett and Cam Reddish. His team was the number one seed for the popular tournament, March Madness. He led his team all the way to the elite eight, but lost by one point to Michigan State.

“I like him because he’s super tall and he carried his team in March Madness,” said Christian B., a seventh grader at Richardson Middle School.
His college accomplishments are already outstanding, and he did them all as a freshman. He averages 22.6 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 2.1 assists, while shooting sixty eight percent from the field.

“He’s a fast and explosive player with real talent that can help him exceed in his future NBA career,” said Michael S., a seventh grader at RMS.

Zion Williamson has won a lot of awards in his time in the basketball world. He got seven awards in high school, which consisted of six player of the games and one player of the year. His awards in college include ACC (Atlantic Coast Conference) Player of the Year, ACC Rookie of the Year, ACC Rookie of the Week x5, Sporting News College player of the year recognition, and Wayman Tisdale Award.

“He is really, really good,” said Cy H., a seventh grader at Richardson Middle School.

Zion is projected to go number one in the 2019 draft. The teams that are most projected to get the number one pick are the Suns, Cavs, and Knicks. All these teams are building a strong young core, and are planning for the future. To have the best odds you have to have the three worst records.

Zion Williamson is a really exciting player to watch, and you should really watch out for how he does in the future.

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Cooper J., The Star Athlete

By Shay S. and Spencer R.

Sports Editor and Staff Writer, 7th Graders

Out of all the athletes that go to Richardson Middle School, Cooper J. is one of the best. He is currently in 7th grade and his favorite sports are basketball and football. He enjoys fast paced sports because he loves to play competitively.

Cooper was born in Torrance, California, all though he has lived in San Pedro his whole life. He lives with his Mom, Dad, Brother, and dog. His twin brother Robbie is also an athlete so they get to challenge each other in sports every day, which makes Cooper a better athlete.

Cooper plays on a club basketball team with some other Richardson students, including his brother. The team is called WHA (Waterfront Hoops Academy). They have tournaments on weekends and practices for two and a half hours, each Tuesday and Thursday. Seems like a lot of work, right! On top of being on WHA, he currently is on the Torrance Flag Football team for Richardson. He has football practices on Wednesdays and Fridays. That’s four practices a week, and games on weekends!

Cooper’s dad, Zlatko, is even the coach of WHA. He goes by Z, but is Coach Z to the players on the team. Cooper’s dad is one of the people that inspires him to be an athlete the most. Z has a lot of basketball experience and he played for San Pedro high school. Believe it or not, he is in the San Pedro High School Hall of Fame! All the students at the high school and on WHA get to look up to him as a role model.

When it comes to P.E. at school, Cooper is one of the people that you would want on your team. He is a leader, and will do his best in to help the team win. Another thing he excels at during P.E. is running the mile. His fastest time is seven minutes and fifteen seconds! That’s pretty fast!

Cooper likes tons of different sports, there are some he isn’t such a big fan of…

“I’m so bad at jump roping. I always whip myself in the back!” said Cooper. That still doesn’t stop him from trying to get better.

Cooper gets very tired after his long workouts and practices almost all week. What Cooper loves to do in his spare time is play on his Xbox with his friends. He plays games such as Fortnite, and Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege.

Cooper J. will not stop working to be the best athlete he can be. Hopefully he can grow up to fulfill his dream of being a professional athlete.

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Richardson’s Rising Star: Cy H.

By Shay S.

Sports Editor, 7th grader

Do you know Richardson’s very own student, Cy H.? He is currently in seventh grade, and he is an outstanding basketball player. Cy is very unique and has a great personality. He is willing to put in the work to achieve his goal of becoming a professional basketball player.

Cy was born in 2006. He is the only child in his family and he lives with his mom and dad. Cy also has a pet dog named Ozzy. One of Cy’s special traits is that he has a rattail hairstyle. When he was about six years old he started to grow it and shave the rest of his head. He still has it today, and it looks really cool when he is making moves on the basketball court.

Cy is very interested in basketball because it is fast paced unlike most other sports, and he is great at shooting three pointers. One of his favorite things to do during a basketball game is to play defense. He wants to be a great defender like NBA all-star, Kawhi Leonard. Cy is not the tallest player, standing at five feet and five inches, but his speed and aggressiveness helps him keep up with the offense.

Since he was born, Cy has been inspired to play basketball by lots of his family members. His parents both played on high school basketball teams, and his mom was even on the women’s varsity! On top of that, his Grandpa used to work for the Los Angeles Lakers, and he also helped coach some of their players.

Cy plays basketball every day, whether it’s at school, or at practice for one of his teams. He plays on two club basketball teams, and when it’s time for Torrance sign-ups, he plays on the Richardson team with other students from Richardson. His two club teams are called SPK and Wolfpack. At certain times of the year, he has practices on every day of the week! Cy gets to practice a lot, and get lots of work in.

If you’re a big fan of basketball like Cy, then how can you not have a favorite professional team? His favorite team is OKC (Oklahoma City Thunder). His favorite NBA player is Russell Westbrook who currently plays on the Thunder also.

Cy is really fun to be around, and I’ll bet he could win if you challenged him to a basketball game of 1v1!

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Loyola Marymount University

By Shay S.

Sports Editor, 7th Grader

You’ve probably heard of the most popular local university like UCLA or USC, but another very good university  near Torrance is LMU, or Loyola Marymount University. It’s a private school with two thousand two hundred graduate students. It was founded in 1911, and it’s a great college to consider.

Loyola Marymount campus overlooks the Pacific Ocean. It’s located in the middle of Los Angeles. LMU is a great college for arts and entertainment, innovation and technology, and entrepreneurship.

Athletics is one area where Loyola Marymount is very strong. The men’s basketball team is one of the best in the country. They currently have twenty wins and eleven losses in their season. They compete in large tournaments with the other best college teams.

LMU has a seventy eight percent graduate rate. The average high school GPA of the freshman class at LMU is 3.72. To make it in, it requires you to be above average in your high school years. That’s a mix of A’s and B’s, but mostly A’s. A 4.00 will definitely give you a better chance of getting into LMU.

At Loyola Marymount University, there are about one hundred fifty student clubs and organizations. It’s ranked number three in the regional universities west. It’s also ranked number two out of best colleges for veterans.

The application fee at LMU is sixty dollars. The estimated undergraduate cost of attendance in total is about sixty eight thousand dollars. That includes everything like parking and transportation, books and supplies, and personal expenses, tuition and fees, and lots more.

Loyola Marymount university is a great overall college. If you don’t have a favorite college, or you are deciding which one to go to, you should definitely think about LMU.

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Student Perspective: Do You Recycle?

By Kaylyn C.

Student Perspective Editor, 7th grader

Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. These are the three key points people as young as kindergartners know. They are called the “Three R’s.” The three R’s all help to cut down on the amount of waste we throw away. They conserve natural resources, landfill space, and energy. But do we follow these three steps? No, not really! We usually completely forget them and harm the earth.

So do the students here at RMS recycle?

“I honestly usually forget, so my answer is no,” said 6th grader, Keira M.

Many people have separate bins for glass, plastic, and cans. This is so they can later recycle them or turn them in for money. A few Ralph’s have a “Ralph’s Recycling Center,” where you turn in your reusable beverage items for either money or credit to Ralph’s. At the recycling center, you have to separate the cans, glass, and plastic into different bins. From there, you get your money based on the weight of the items you brought in.

“I go there sometimes with my dad. We then go to Ralph’s with the credit,” said 6th grader, Madelyn C.

Recycling is also very important to animals. So much trash and plastic end up on sidewalks and the ocean. Animals find it to be food, then end up dying from eating it or getting stuck in it. More than a hundred million marine animals die each year due to marine debris, according to the Sea Turtle Conservancy. And more than half of the world’s sea turtles have ingested some plastic or human trash.

“So many turtles die each year. That’s why people started to ban plastic straws and bags, and use metal straws and reusable bags instead,” said 7th grader, Brooke S.

There is a great organization called Green Turtle Co that makes reusable metal straws. Even for boba! They do this because every day in the United States alone, over 175 million plastic straws are used and thrown away. Those straws end up in the landfill or the oceans, which become contaminated, endangering marine life. The plastics do not break down, leaving hazardous chemicals in our water, soil, and ecosystems. It is estimated that there will be more plastic than fishes in the ocean by 2050.

Now that you’ve heard all about recycling, let us know at The Latest Hiss if you recycle or not!

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Options for Sports in High School

By Ava R. 

Sunshine Committee, 8th Grader

Are you an 8th grader conflicted on what sports to do in high school? Well, this is a great place to learn all about South High’s sports.

The first sport is dance. South High School has an incredible dance team! Though it is hard to get into the dance teams, it is totally worth it. This sport does not count as a class in school but as an extracurricular after school. You get to compete against your competitors and perform fun dances in front of the whole school.

The South High Intermediate Dance Team

The next sport is cheerleading. This sport counts as your sixth period class in high school. You work over the summer and even go to a special cheer camp on an island! This allows you to meet new friends and grow relationships with people who are the same age as you to people who are four years older than you. You compete against your competitors, root for the football and basketball teams, and perform in front of the school.

Another sport you can try out for is cross country. You go through a summer practice for five weeks, Monday through Friday. If the coach decides you are good enough to make the cross country team, he will let you on. You compete with your team against competitions from around the state. This will count as your sixth period class.

You could also try out for the swim team. In swim, you get to meet new people and build strong relationships to pursue teamwork. You compete against other schools. Practices are Tuesday through Thursday from 4:15 to 5:45. Swimming is a great way to get exercise and stay fit. You can do this sport for your whole life.

Lastly, you can tryout for boys or girls volleyball. Volleyball is a very popular sport in the South bay area and at South High. The goal of the volleyball teams is to allow the people on the teams to leave as better people. You can make it onto the varsity team, junior varsity team, or the frosh/soph team. Volleyball holds fundraisers to support their teams.

I hope that this gave you a wider variety of sports that you can think about doing in high school. There are many more sports offered, so check the South High website for more information. Good luck!

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Steve Jobs!

By Kelly J.

Sports Editor, 7th Grader

Two hundred twenty three million people in the United States own a smartphone, which counts for 83.8 percent of all mobile users. Of these two hundred twenty three million people, over ninety million own an iPhone in the United States. Apple’s popularity continuously grows in America every time it releases new products. Steve Jobs was the co-founder of Apple. So, what makes people buy and an Apple product?

Seventh grader Priscilla C. owns an iPhone 8, and loves it very much. She says it is a very nice phone to own, and it has a large amount of gigabytes.

“The iPhone that I own, in my opinion, is more efficient and more organized,” said Priscilla C.

Seventh grader Declan S. has similar feelings about his iPhone 7. He likes how big the screen is compared to the regular phones.

“Apple’s phones are, visually, very nice. They are very nice in general,” said Declan S.

Sixth grader Kaelyn K. owns an iPhone 7 and likes it very much.

“iPhones are simple and easy to use in general,” said Kaelyn K.

The majority of people in RMS own an iPhone. This result was shocking to many people. Apple’s popularity and its marketing has grown in a snap! We somewhat know why so many people would want to purchase an Apple product rather than a different phone.

A lot of people may be curious about the bite mark in the Apple logo. Why is it there? According to Rob Janoff, the designer of the Apple logo, he wanted it to look like an actual apple, not a cherry, so he included the “bite for a scale.”

Steve Jobs, who was the co-founder and creator of Apple, unfortunately passed away on October 5th, 2011. He was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, which caused his death. People all across the world were devastated when they heard the terrible news he was dead.

Steve Jobs, who changed the world with amazing technology and iPhones, is no longer alive. We still have amazing Apple technology, and we still rely on it in today’s society. We thank Steve Jobs for the amazing Apple technology we have today.

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Lebron James’ Basketball Career

By Ryan L.
Staff Writer, 7th Grader

Lebron James is a basketball superstar who plays in the NBA (National Basketball Association). He currently plays for the Los Angeles Lakers, and plays the small forward position.

Lebron James was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2003 with the first pick. He hasn’t stayed with the Cleveland Cavaliers his entire career, he has joined two other teams. He stayed with the Cleveland Cavaliers for seven seasons before he eventually left.

He left to go play for the Miami Heat in 2010. He got a lot of hate for this move because Miami had two other great players and it seemed he only went to the Heat to win championships. He made it to four finals and only won a pair championships with the Miami Heat, but eventually left to go play for another team.

He left to go play for the Cleveland Cavaliers once again in 2014, so he could play with the team that drafted him. The team he joined also had two great players and ended up making it to the finals three times, and overcoming a three to one deficit to win a championship.

He left in 2018 to join the Los Angeles Lakers, who weren’t a very good team at the moment but had a lot of young talent. Lebron James was planning to acquire Anthony Davis, who is another superstar who currently plays for the New Orleans Pelicans, but had failed to get him before the trade deadline.

Lebron James has won a lot of awards in his time playing basketball. He has won the MVP (Most Valuable Player) four times, which is an award for the player that helped their team the most. He won rookie of the year, which is an award for the best rookie, and has been on one of the all-NBA teams fourteen times, and twelve of those fourteen were on the all-NBA first team.

Lebron James is in the argument for the greatest player of all time. It is mostly a debate between Michael Jordan and Lebron James, but they are both amazing players and are both definitely in the top players of all time.

If you want to be as good and as famous as Lebron James, you can try to practice basketball over and over again, until you can try to play for your school’s team, which can eventually lead to playing in the NBA.

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Top Five NBA Franchises of all Time

By Shay S.
Sports Editor, 7th Grader

The NBA is filled with some very talented teams that work together to be the best in the league. Some teams are filled with amazing players, and other teams have players that work together and play as a team better than anybody else. Championships can determine which teams are currently the best, but which teams are the greatest of all time?Image result for nba logo

Number five is the San Antonio Spurs. They have only won five championships, but they have one of the greatest all-time rosters ever. Some of their best players throughout all the years are Tim Duncan, David Robinson, George Gervin, Kawhi Leonard, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili. Can you imagine if those players all played at the same time?

Fourth on the list is the Chicago Bulls. They have won six Championships and even used to have arguably the best player in NBA history, Michael Jordan. The Bulls all time roster has Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, Derrick Rose, and Jimmy Butler. In 1995 they broke the NBA record for having the best regular season record of seventy two wins and ten losses in the entire season.

The Bulls record later went on to be broken by our third team on the list, the Golden State Warriors. The Warriors made an insane record of seventy three wins and nine losses and their current starting five, were all all-stars last year. The Warriors have won six Championships and their best players throughout history are Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Wilt Chamberlain, Chris Mullin, Klay Thompson, and Demarcus Cousins. That team could beat almost anybody.

The next two teams on the list are way better than the last three teams, but it’s hard to choose between the two. Number two on the list is going to be the Boston Celtics. The Celtics have an unbelievable seventeen championships in NBA history! Some of the best players to ever play on the Celtics are Bill Russell, (also arguably the greatest player of all time,) Larry Bird, Kyrie Irving, Bob Cousy, Paul Pierce, Rajon Rondo, and Shaquille O’neal, although he only played with them for one year. The Celtics are without a doubt second on the list.

And the best team in all of NBA history is the Los Angeles Lakers! They have sixteen Championships in NBA history. You may be wondering why they are number one, if the celtics had one more, and it’s all because of their best players. The Lakers all time team is Jerry West (NBA logo silhouette,) Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O’neal, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain, James Worthy, Steve Nash, Elgin Baylor (All top 25 players of all time,) and LeBron James, who to most people, is the greatest basketball player ever! That team would be absolutely unstoppable against anybody around the world. And that is why they are at the top of the list.

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Top Five Artists of 2019 So Far

By Kristina J.
Features Editor, Staff Writer

There are a lot of different artists that different people love. But, there are five artists that the majority of people like according to https://www.billboard.com/.

Image result for ariana grandeThe first artists that almost everyone likes at the moment is Ariana Grande! The twenty-five year old has made five studio albums and four EP’s. This dog loving artist has also released forty one singles and thirty six music videos. Ariana has also just released a new album called Thank U, Next. She is also going on a world tour, known as the ‘Sweetner World Tour.’ The Hogwarts loving girl is definitely in my top five list. What do you think?

The second artist is Queen! The band Queen consists of Freddie Mercury, Brian May, John Deacon, Roger Taylor, Mike Grose, Doug Bogie, Spike Edney, Fred Mandel, Jamie Moses, and Barry Mitchell. The band that formed in 1970 earned a spot in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2001. Their song Bohemian Rhapsody is their most popular, but Another One Bites The Dust is a close second.

The third artist is Post Malone! Austin Richard Post, born on the fourth of July, has made two studio albums, one being ‘Stoney.’ He has also made eleven singles and six music videos. Post Malone’s first song was White Iverson. Post Malone will be going on tour for his new album, known as ‘Beerbongs & Bentleys.’ Some of his most popular songs are Rockstar, Psycho, and Better Now.

The fourth artist is actually a band known as BTS! BTS consists of seven boys known as V, Jungkook, Jimin, Suga, Jin, RM, and J-Hope. The seven boys have made ninety three songs since 2013. They have also made six albums since 2013 as well. BTS has won Artist Of The Year at the 2019 Korean Music Awards. As of right now, BTS will soon be going on tour for their most recent album, ‘Love Yourself.’

The fifth and final artist is Halsey! Halsey has released two studio albums and thirty two songs since 2014. Halsey’s first every song was actually an EP called ‘Room 93.’ Some of Halsey’s most popular songs are Closer, Bad At Love, and Without Me. Her song with The Chainsmokers known as Closer was the number one song in the country!

I would definitely recommend you listen to these artists if you haven’t already. They are on the top five list for a reason!

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Student Perspective: Top Five Current Basketball Players

By Ryan L
Staff Writer, 7th Grader

The NBA (National Basketball Association) holds a lot of talent, but I have made a list of who I think are the top players right now.

5. Paul George
Paul George currently plays for the Oklahoma City Thunder, but played for the Indiana Pacers for the start of his career. He is currently in the running for the MVP award, which is an award for the most valuable player for a team. He is currently averaging 28.7 points per game, with 6.4 rebounds and 3.3 assists. His team currently has thirty-eight wins and twenty-one loses, which makes them the three seed in the west.

4. Kawhi Leonard
Kawhi Leonard is a phenomenal basketball player who currently plays for the Toronto Raptors. Kawhi is one of the best defensive players, but also has an amazing offense. He is averaging 26.9 points a game, with 7.6 rebounds and 3.3 assists. Kawhi has lead his team to forty-four wins and seventeen losses, which makes them the two seed in the East. He has won one finals and got the Finals MVP (Most Valuable Player) in that series.

3. Kevin Durant
Kevin Durant plays for the Golden State Warriors, and has won the championship for the last two years with them. His average 27.5 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 4.1 assists. His team currently is number one in the west, with forty-three wins and seventeen losses. What many people notice about Kevin Durant is that he possess the ability to score from almost anywhere.

2. Giannis Antetokounmpo
Giannis Antetokounmpo is a small forward/power forward who plays for the Milwaukee Bucks. Giannis is almost seven feet tall, and has a wingspan of seven foot three, and is super athletic. He is in the running for the MVP this year, and is currently battling against Paul George and James Harden. He is averaging 27.2 points, 12.7 rebounds, and six assists. His team is currently first in the entire league, with forty six wins and fourteen losses.

1. Lebron James
Lebron James is a small forward who plays for the Los Angeles Lakers. He is very good, and is considered by some to be the best player of all time. He is averaging 26.9 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 7.8 assists. He has won three championships, two with the Miami Heat and one with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He is considered by many to be the best player in the league currently.

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Student Perspective: Top Five Fiction Books

By Hannah F.
Sunshine Committee, 7th Grader

There are many different books to read when you are bored. Out of many people, most prefer fiction books. So, here are my top five picks for a fiction book to read when you are bored.

My fifth choice would be The Darkest Minds. This interesting book has also been turned into a movie.

Ruby’s hometown was just a normal hometown until recently when there was a mysterious disease beginning to wipe out children. Most children have disappeared and the ones that are left begin to discover powers. The children that are left are taken into a camp for testing. The ones with dangerous powers must be taken away. Ruby is one of them. She has to find a way to get out of the camp before she is taken away.

My fourth choice would be The Boy In The Striped Pajamas.

During World War II, an eight year old boy named Bruno and his family have to move away to near a concentration camp. Bruno becomes lonely, and wanders out to the back of his house and meets a friend. With a barbed wire fence separating them, they begin a forbidden friendship. This book is sure to keep you sucked in.

My Third Choice would be The Giver. The Giver is a good story to read because the community in this book is nothing like our community.

The Giver is a novel about a boy named Jonas, who lives in a very tight, protective community, where almost nothing is the same as they are today. One day, Jonas begins to see changes in things that he, or almost anyone else, has never seen before. On the day that Jonas turns twelve, he finds out that instead of being assigned a job, he has been selected to become the next Receiver. This job requires pain and suffering that almost nobody has experienced, and Jonas has no choice but to keep it to himself.

My second choice would be The Outsiders, one of my all time favorites. It is a realistic fiction novel.

The Outsiders is a classic young reader novel. It is a story about a boy who has to run away to save his friend, who has unintentionally killed someone. When running away, the boys are forced to change their appearance and bleach their biggest pride, their long, dark, hair. When they are about to return to their hometown, a horrible disaster happens, and things might not ever be they same. The Outsiders novel has been awarded three separate awards, and people here at RMS who have read it, love the story.

Last but not least, my first choice would be Harry Potter, a favorite to many around the world.

The Harry Potter series is a well-known book series around the world. You’re sure to have heard of it. The Harry Potter Series is a book series about a boy named Harry, who finds out he is a wizard. He goes to a special school of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where he makes new friends and even new enemies. While at his new school, Harry encounters several obstacles, adventures, and save many people’s lives. Harry Potter is one of the most famous book series, and has been awarded many different awards.

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Professional Mourners For Hire

By Antonella C.
Staff Writer, 8th Grader

Professional mourning. What’s that you ask? It’s a terrible introduction! But in all seriousness, what is professional mourning? Mourning basically means grieving over someone, in most cases, over someone deceased. So a professional is someone who mourns over others professionally, but how can that be done? Professional mourning is actually a job, with people who are willing to pay them.

Here’s a little history on professional mourners. Professional mourning is said to have originated in Egypt or China. Professional Mourners are called morphologists are paid to comfort, grieve, or deliver a eulogy for the deceased person. It was mostly women who became professional mourners in the past. This is because men were not supposed to show any signs of emotion, and it would not be socially acceptable for men to participate in such an act. At a funeral (in the past) the more mourners that you had, meant that you were more wealthy.

What do professional mourners do? Well based on the last paragraph, it is safe to assume that mourners are usually at funeral processions, right? Not only do they cry, they can make a speech (without actually knowing the person), they can also comfort the people at the funeral. You may think that this kind of industry is heartless and cold (because you get paid to fake emotions at a person’s funeral), but it actually isn’t like that at all. Professional mourners can help people get through their grief during that hard time, in fact, a lot of people decided to become a professional mourner to help people.

How much do professional mourners get paid? It depends on the funeral. If you get hired into an expensive funeral it’s more likely that you will get higher pay. But usually, you get paid $30 to $120 per funeral. It may also depend on how long the funeral is too.

Is it a job to be considering? If you want to help people, of course, it’s probably rhe job for you. But, you need a certain skill set to be an effective mourner. You must have a good memory, because you may be asked questions about the person during the funeral, for example, the deceased’s favorite food. You must also understand the religion of the funeral you are attending. There are many different religious practices at funerals, so you must be prepared. You should also be good at showing emotion on demand. If you have all these, or more, you might want to consider professional mourning as a job.

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Red Velvet Member: Ranked!

By Joyce C.

Staff Writer, 7th Grader

In the K-pop world, there is a very famous girl group called “Red Velvet.” It is the group from a famous entertainment company called the SM Entertainment. This is a five-member group that has the members Irene, Joy, Seulgi, Wendy, and Yeri. Here are the five members ranked, number one being the most beautiful and most famous member!

1. Irene
She is the prettiest but also the most unnie (oldest) out of all the members of the group. She is well known for her amazing looks that have attracted many fans. In “Music Bank,” she was the host with a famous male actor named Park Bo-Gum. From there, she has gotten many more likes, while getting the rumor that she looks good with Park Bo-Gum. Probably out of all the members, she has had the most photos taken as the model of many brands. Because of her good looks, she is the most famous member of Red Velvet.

2. Joy
Joy, also known as Park Soo-Young, is the best singer in the group. She is also very bright and nice, and was able to attend on many T.V. shows like Running Man, Atude Model, and WGM (We Got Married). She is also in a singing show called “Masked Singer.” Her very bright appearance and her amazing singing skills make her a really talented member of Red Velvet.

3. Seulgi
The main dancer and the lead vocal of Red Velvet, Seulgi, is probably one of the most talented group members. She was even in another group with Soyeon (G-Idle), Chungha, SinB (GFRIEND). They had a great song called “Wow Thing.” She also had a group called “Girls Next Door” with other talented K-pop-popular members of different groups. In her own group, she comes out mostly like the rapper, but she isn’t. Many may say that she looks tomboy, but she would be more like a cool-girl crush style. Overall, she is a very talented member that is pretty much good at all things of a K-pop star/idol.

4. Yeri
She is the vocalist, rapper, and the maknae of the group. When many first look at her, she looks cute, but she is the rapper of the group. Her raps are mixed with a little bit of singing while rapping. Her her many talents make her very well-known.

5. Wendy
Red Velvet’s Wendy is their main vocalist. She is able to hit the high notes in the group’s songs. Not only that she is good at singing, she is also the English-speaker of the group. She has lived in America, so she knows this language as well as other languages. She is also known as the “stylist.” She would always care about her style at any time. With her great singing and her knowledge in languages more than the rest of the members, she is able to be an amazing group member of Red Velvet.

For all their great work and skills, they are a really good group liked by many. There are all very good, but if people had to choose, this would be the order of the of their popularity.

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Courses for Incoming 9th Graders

By Katie S. 

Editor-in-Chief, 8th Grader

Eighth grade students now have to choose what classes they want to take next year at South High. This is an important decision, so you have to make sure to choose classes that you will be successful in!

When choosing what classes to take, don’t just do whatever your friends are doing. The classes that are right for them may not be right for you. According to the South High counselors, you need to choose a “challenging but realistic program.”

This means that you should take hard classes, such as honors classes, but only if you think you can do good in them. Honors classes are more difficult than regular classes, and a commitment form needs to be signed before you can take an honors class (which should be in the packet you receive).

You need to have six classes in your schedule: English, math, health (with media/geography), P.E., science, and an elective. You can also take health (among other things) over the summer. If you do this, you can have another elective in your schedule.

Keep in mind that for the first elective, almost everyone takes a world language. You need to take at least two years of the same world language, but three or more is recommended. Most people choose to start in eighth or ninth grade. If you are taking the recommended number of years, you can choose Spanish, French, Korean, Japanese, or Chinese.

For math, depending on what pathway you are in, most people will choose either Algebra I, Geometry, or Algebra II (each class has a regular and an honors. See South High’s “Course Description Book”). If you took Algebra I in eighth grade, you can also possibly take Geometry over the summer to be in Algebra II in ninth grade.

For Science, most people will take biology, or chemistry if you took biology in eighth grade.
Also, remember that there is no social studies in ninth grade! Geography (which has a regular and an AP) is an optional, one-semester elective.

For P.E., you can either do the Physical Education class (two years required), Marching Band, Dance, or a different sport. Click here to see the full list of sports you can do: https://www.tusd.org/schools/shs/athletics/index.

The yellow paper with your chosen classes (with parent signature!) is due to the Richardson office by March 29th. Good luck choosing your classes, and have fun at South next year!

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Student Perspective: What School is the Best for Nutritionists?

By Ryan T.
Staff Writer, 8th grader
There’s a question that everybody has been asked a ton of times in their life. It seems simple, but it can change your whole path of your life. What do you want to be when you grow up? For some it can be easy, but others it can take a whole lot of consideration.

A lot of things determine what you want to be. For me, it’s the book Chew On This. Even though I had to read it for a class, it still continues to impact me so much. Now I want to become a nutritionist because of this.

One of the best colleges for people who want to get a degree in nutrition is The CSU of Long Beach, which is convenient because of how close it is. They have 20 different courses in the category of Nutrition and Dietitian. But becoming a dietitian takes a lot of work!

To become a dietitian, you have to have a bachelor’s degree and a verification statement. After that you have to apply for an internship and then pass a national exam and then get a masters degree. Even though there is a lot of steps to becoming a nutritionist/ dietitian, there is a lot of jobs you can do when you do so!

If you like sports, you can work in sports nutrition or in a wellness program. If you want to work within your local community, you can teach, monitor and advise people through a small nutrition office or a hospital if you want to work in the city. You could also teach the science of nutrition through a college or university.

The CSULB is great if you like having fun, yet staying on campus. University art museum has many interesting exhibits that change frequently. There are many featured artists and has a more modern take on art. There is also the Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden, which has a giant pond with a lot of koi and a ton of beautiful greenery. If you enjoy classical music and jazz, the Bob Cole conservatory offers many performances for only 7-10 dollars per ticket! For the performers and actors, the Carpenter and performing arts center has many performances that provide “educational and cultural experiences”!

You don’t have to want to work in the nutrition field to CSULB. They have many other amazing programs, my dad went there to get a degree in art. Overall, this college is amazing, not only academically, but engaging with many of their programs and places!

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Game of the Decade: Clash Royale

By: Matthew CM

Staff Writer, 7th grader

Clash Royale is a fun game with lots of things to do. It is available for iphone and Android users to download. It’s a free to play but also has optional app purchases  in the game.

The currency used in the game are called called gems. These gems are used to buy different objects in the game if you want to collect more cards or level up faster.

The popular game is made by the famous gaming company, SuperCell. The game came out on January 4, 2016. It was the third game that the gaming company has created during that time. First they created the game Hay Day. Then later in the year, they created the well known game called Clash of Clans. These two games are the oldest games that they have created, being 5 years old.

Now, back to Clash Royale. Clash Royale is a single or two player game. You can choose to battle someone else trying to win to get trophies. The more trophies you earn, the higher the skill level players you face. The skill level players that you face are based on the arena your in. Arena’s are based on how many trophies that you have. The more you win the mpre trophies you get and the higher arena you achieve. There is up to 13 arenas.

In the game, there are also clans in which you can join. Some clans you can join freely but some you have to reach a certain number of trophies to get into it. You can join clans with your friends or you can join clans with random people. There are also clan wars which anyone can participate in. For clan wars, you compete for purple trophies. You collect cards for the clan to use in the end by using your collection day battles. To be able to participate in your final battle you have to at least do one collections battle. At the end, you use the cards that you collected to try and take down the enemy player. That will contribute to your team who is trying to get first place. If you get first place, you win a big prize.

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What Are My Top Five Favorite Pop Songs?

By Lauren N.

Student’s Perspective Editor, 7th Grader

Pop music is something that many people enjoy, and I admire every part of it. The lyrics, beat, you name it, I love it. But with all the music there is, I have five songs that made it on my favorites list.

5. “New House” by Rex Orange County

This song was recently released on Valentine’s Day, and it tells a story about moving in with a loved one. Although I am not interested in living in a new house with a loved one, I admire the song’s tune and story behind it. I also like the person who sings it.

4. “WHEN I WAS OLDER” by Billie Eilish

This is a song has a backstory that many people can relate to. It talks about misery and how things don’t always go your way. The song was inspired by the movie Roma. Billie Eilish recently became popular last year after her collaboration with Khalid, which leads us to our next top five favorite.

3. “8TEEN” by Khalid

“8TEEN” is a song about growing up in just a blink of an eye, without realizing it. The artist turned eighteen when writing this song, and he talked about how he hangs out with his friends and I can relate to this song a lot. I hang out with my friends, and I realize that I’m almost growing up too quickly.

2. “bellyache” by Billie Eilish

This is one of Billie’s first viral songs, and she released it a year ago. The song is about getting caught doing something illegal, so I can’t relate to it. However, the song has a catchy beat and the lyrics are easy to remember.

Homemade Dynamite by Lorde, Khalid, SZA, and Post Malone

Homemade Dynamite is an iconic song that these four artists collaborated on. The song is about having great times with friends, as the lyrics read, “blowing stuff up with homemade dynamite,” which means to have an “explosively” good time with that person. The song could or could not relate to love, but personally, not a big fan of having a loved one, I enjoy this song because it talks about the most valuable people in life; my friends. The song also has an uplifting beat and repetitive lyrics, which makes it ten times catchier than it already is.

Overall, my top five favorite songs have a catchy beat and remarkable lyrics. If you are looking for new songs, these songs are the way to go!

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Top 5 Upcoming Horror Movies of 2019

By Jaclyn B.
News Editor, 7th Grader

Last year, in 2018, there were so many great horror movies that came out. A Quiet Place and Birdbox were very well received, along with many other movies. What does this mean for 2019 though? Some might say that there won’t be any good horror movies this year. It seems though that horror movies are stepping up, with a huge selection of horror movies to look forward to. These are just the top 5.

Many people have seen the 2017 horror movie Get Out. Based on issues and tension between different races, the movie received an Oscar for best original screenplay. Now, the same writer and director, Jordan Peele, has come out with another horror movie. Us is about a family of four that returns to a beach house where their mother grew up. After a traumatic past experience, the mother, Adelaide, continues to grow increasingly concerned that something bad will happen to her family. Her premonitions soon become a reality when four strangers descend upon her family, each taking the appearance of one of the family members. Very much like Get Out, Us has a horror/ mystery feel to it. The movie is scheduled to be released on March 22.

Many people have been looking forward to the large number of sequels arriving this year. One of these movies is It 2. Released in 2017, It was highly praised and garnered a lot of attention. Pennywise the clown is back again, with the kids now as adults. The Losers Club returns back to Derry to face the clown again, just as they promised 27 years before. It 2, is scheduled to be released September 6, 2019.

Like It, the next movie was originally a Stephen King novel. Pet Sematary also returns, on April 5. A family of four moves to rural Maine from Boston. Everything seems fine, until the family finds an ancient burial ground for pets that seems to have the ability to bring the dead back to life. This leads to issues and the hauntings of the family.

Child’s play is a slasher/horror movie set to be released on June 21st. An unassuming mother buys a realistic doll from her young son. The doll seems to take on a life of its own, as it continues to terrorize the mother and son. Very little is known about this movie at this time.

The Curse of La Llorona is a thriller and horror movie based on the streets of 1970´s Los Angeles. The legendary ghost, La Llorona, is haunting the children of LA. After a mother and her kids are pulled in a supernatural realm, haunted by the ghost, they have to fight to get out. The release date is April 19.

Many of these movies aren’t just horror, they’re thrillers and mysteries also, so don’t be afraid to go see them.

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Why Movie Theaters Aren’t as Popular Anymore

By Jaclyn B
News Editor, Seventh Grader

The lights dim as the people around you start to settle into their seats. The smell of popcorn and butter waft around you. Then the big screen lights up. Now picture a different scenario. You’re seated comfortably in your living room, cozy in your pajamas. In front of you, thousands of movie options are advertised and displayed. Which option seems more appealing to you? According to 54% percent of Americans on Statista, viewing at home is more preferred than the cinema. What does that mean for the theaters?

Movie theaters are in trouble. It’s becoming worse and worse each passing year, with movie theater attendance dropping by as much as 5.8 percent in 2017 compared to the previous year. As of 2019, the rate is much higher. Why is this though? There are many reasons that could have caused popularity to go down.

One of the reasons include streaming networks and apps. Companies like Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime offer what the movie theaters stream and more. While comparing having to pay 9 dollars to 20 dollars to see a movie that just came out, or paying 9 dollars to 15 dollars a month to watch a wide selection of movies and shows at any time, it’s pretty easy to see which option most people would choose.Image result for movie theater

Another main factor is the comfort of your own home. Movie theaters rarely let outside food and drinks inside. Many people argue that the movie theater selection of food and drinks is just not healthy or varied enough. Of course, movie theater popcorn is argued to be the best by many, but that’s just not enough. Along with being able to control the temperature, go on your phone, get up and stretch, or pause the movie to go to the bathroom, being in a more comfortable place provides benefits.

“I much prefer watching movies at home, it’s just way more comfortable. It’s also a plus that I don’t have to deal with other people,” said seventh grader Isabella P.

Another thing that is argued to be the cause of movie popularity going down is the quality of movies coming out nowadays. More than half of the movies coming out are filed under either reboots, sequels or live action remakes. Many people just want a new, exciting movie that hasn’t been made or heard of before.

There are plenty of other reasons why the cinema is less visited. Maybe, if some things are improved, they could become popular again, though it’s highly doubtful. Will this the end of Movie Theaters?

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Top Five Instagram Stars!

By Emily D.
Features Editor, 7th Grader

Instagram, the world of selfies. Even though this social media app may just seem like a fun way to share a quick pic with your friends, many people actually get careers off of it by having many followers. So, who are these top five stars according to www.statsta.com?

Fifth is Dwayne Johnson (The Rock). He has 129.72 million followers. He is a former wrestler and is very strong, which got him the nickname The Rock. He is now an actor and you may have seen him in Jumanji or Moana. He was born in the United States and has a child with his former wife, Dany Garcia. His father, Rocky Johnson, was a very famous wrestler. With all of his achievements and broad audience, it’s no surprise he made it to the top five.Image result for instagram

Fourth place is the actor and singer, Selena Gomez. She has 146 million followers. She started off her amazing career on the children’s show, Barney & Friends. She was on the Suite Life of Zack and Cody a few times and on Hannah Montana a bit. She got her big break after that when she was Alex Russo on Wizards of Waverly Place. Her career skyrocketed from there.

Third place is no surprise, Ariana Grande. She was on Broadway when she was fifteen and did some small parts on TV, which lead her to getting the part of Cat on the show Victorious. Then she was in the hit spinoff, Sam & Cat. Next, she came out with music albums which lead her to her hit songs. She now is the first and only artist in Spotify ever to have the first, second, and third songs for the fastest song to reach 100 million streams. The number three song is “Break up with your girlfriend I’m Bored” reached 100 million streams in fourteen days, “Thank u, Next” reached it in eleven days, and the number one song, “7 Rings,” got it in nine days.

Second place is the soccer star, Cristiano Ronaldo. He has 155 million followers and he was born in Portugal. He plays the position of striker, which is the player at the very front. In his whole career, he has scored a whopping 539 goals! He is worth $450 million. He is the sixth best scorer of all time. Great job Ronaldo!

The most followed Instagrammer on the whole platform is the app Instagram! This shouldn’t be a surprise, because it is their own platform. The app is a video and photo sharing platform that is owned by Facebook. When you post a picture/video you can also add a hashtag (#) so if someone looks up that hashtag they can see your post. There are many very cool features that set Instagram apart from other social media apps.

Congratulations to everyone who made it to the top five, and you can join Instagram today for free!

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Soccer in Barcelona is About to Get “Messi”

By Emily D.
Features Editor, 7th Grader

Messi is one of the best soccer players in the whole world, and you’ve probably heard of him. From now being one of the most famous soccer players in the world to having a very successful brand, this “Messi” guy is quite a big deal.Image result for messi

His name is actually Luis Lionel Andres Messi and he is a forward for FC Barcelona and Argentina national football team. Football is actually soccer in almost every country around the world. American Football is the game where you throw the ball and make the touchdowns. He plays forward, and forwards are the ones who are the closest to the opposing goal.

“Messi’s awesome because he is the best soccer player,” said seventh grader Lara E.

According to www.thestreet.com, Messi’s net worth is a whopping 400 million dollars! He is the highest paid soccer player, and the second highest paid athlete. He’s very famous because he is a great scorer, he can dribble incredibly well, he gives great assists, he plays smart, and he is a leader.

Messi makes a big assortment of clothing and cleats with Adidas. His cleats are at a normal price, but are discounted often, and the cheaper ones for kids are around $30, which is an awesome deal! He has sixteen things for men, ten for kids, and two for women. But, mens cleats are still very stylish for women!

“Messi is very well known,” said seventh grader Liam D.

He has a wife named Antonella Roccuzzo, a mother Celia, and a father Jorge. He has two brothers, Rodrigo and Matias. He also has a sister Maria Sol.

According to www.samaa.com, Messi was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency at a young age. He signed with FC Barcelona and moved to Spain at the thirteen years old and the football club agreed to pay for his treatment, according to his contract. He has also the won the European Golden Shoe award in four seasons, 2009-10, 2011-12, 2012-13 and 2016-17. Another fun fact is that Messi’s first contract with Barcelona was detailed out on a paper napkin according to www.boomsbeat.com.

“Messi is super fast,” said sixth grader Michelle C.

Messi actually has a website (www.messi.com). It consists of updates, videos, photos, goals 18-19, skills, interviews, and fans community. It also shows the amount of time until the next game.

According to http://food.thecookbk.com/, his favourite food is Milanesa Napolitana. It is a schnitzel-like dish made from ingredients such as ham, fried beef, tomato, onions, etc.

If you’re interested in getting anything from Messi’s store visit www.adidas.com. Be sure to watch Messi’s next game at 11:45 AM HS!

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Easter Facts That Will Blow Your Mind

By Mishayla H.
Editor-in-Chief, 8th Grade

Starbucks has an Easter-Themed drink you can order off the secret menu.Image result for cadbury egg frappuccino

Called the beloved Cadbury Egg Frappuccino, this is a special off-the-menu drink that you can get from Starbucks just in time for the holiday. In this recipe, this drink calls for most of the components of a Eastern Cadbury Egg, including caramel, vanilla syrup, and chocolate sauce. If you ever are craving for a DIY drink, you can always follow this amazing sweet-tooth recipe at www.today.com/recipes/cadbury-creme-egg-frappuccino-recipe-starbucks-secret-menu-t11041.

The Congress had once outlawed egg rolling.

One part of a traditional Easter holiday in America was egg rolling, which is were children and adults alike compete to see whose egg would roll faster down a hill. During the 1870’s citizens in Washington D.C. competed in egg rolling to celebrate Easter tradition . However in concern of the lawn landscape after the holiday, Congress successfully passed a legislation where the Capitol grounds would officially ban public use of the area, successfully stopping any Washingtonian from using the grass for egg rolling in 1876. Even though the area is not open for anymore to the public it is still reserved for for the president’s family when it comes to egg rolling.

The most popular parade for Easter was held in New York.

Each year on Easter, celebrants don festive finery and show off their very best bonnets along Fifth Avenue. Immortalized by Irving Berlin (with some help from Judy Garland and Fred Astaire), the pageant is a New York City tradition that stretches back to the 1870s. Starting at about 10 a.m. and continuing until 4 p.m., the parade marches north on Fifth Avenue, from 49th Street to 57th Street. The best place to watch is from the area around St. Patrick’s Cathedral; better yet, bring your bonnet and join the parade.

Right Before Easter, young girls in Sweden dress up as witches.

On a Thursday right before Easter, young girls in Sweden would dress up as hags in old clothes and oversized skirts, holding copper kettles, asking for treats door to door, just how some kids in America dress up to get candy on Halloween. This tradition came from the belief that witches would fly over Sweden, and the people in Sweden would scare them away with fire.

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2019 NBA All-Star Games

By Samara SN.
Entertainment Editor, 7th Grader
Have you ever wondered what it is like to win a championship? Or be given a trophy for the Most Valuable Player? Well for the players listed below, it is just another day in the life of an NBA All Star. By now, you may be wondering what happens after the championship. Well, there is this little thing that goes on called The All Star Game, where the best players from different teams join, and play together. These players are selected by a Team Captain, the best of the best.

The first team that I am going to talk about is team Lebron James. LeBron was the one to pick first of the players and the special addition round since he got most votes. LeBron’s first pick was Kevin Durant. The starters on his team are Kyrie Irving, Kawhi Leonard, James Harden, Kevin Durant, and of course, LeBron himself. The reserves are Anthony Davis, Klay Thompson, Damian Lillard, Ben Simmons, LaMarcus Aldridge, Karl-Anthony Towns, and last but not least, Bradley Beal. Now this year’s special edition is Dwyane Wade. In fact Lebron at first had Russell Westbrook on his team but traded him for Ben Simmons. No pressure Ben!

The next team is Giannis Antetokounmpo. Giannis got the first pick for the reserves. For the special edition, he picked Dirk Nowitzki. The starters for team Giannis are Stephen Curry, Joel Embiid, Paul George, and Kemba Walker. Curry, of course, being his first pick. The reserves for team Giannis are Khris Middleton, Nikola Jokic, Russell Westbrook, Blake Griffin, D’Angelo Russell, Nikola Vucevic, and Kyle Lowry. Even though they have less players, they sure have a strong team.

The National Basketball Association (NBA) All Star game took place on November 7th. It was a pretty close game. In the beginning, it seemed that team LeBron was falling behind by a lot, however, little did they know they would be winning the game! Between the first and second quarter, the score for team Giannas to team LeBron was twenty-one to seventeen. In the third quarter, team LeBron to team Giannas, the score was one hundred- twenty one to one hundred-twenty four. And last but not least, the quarter that matters most, the fourth quarter. The score from team LeBron to team Giannis, was one hundred-seventy eight to one hundred-sixty two. Team LeBron for the win!

That is all I have to share about the NBA All Star game. It is a very exciting event to watch, if you are in to things like that. Thank you for reading my article, I hope you enjoyed it!

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Stephen Hillenburg and the Memories of SpongeBob

By Nadia C. 

Staff Writer, 8th Grader

On May 1, 1999, the hit show SpongeBob SquarePants was created. This famous television show, on the Nickelodeon channel, has been going on for about twenty years. It currently has twelve seasons. But who was the mastermind behind the longest running Nickelodeon television series?

Stephen Hillenburg, born on August 21, 1961, came up with the concept of SpongeBob SquarePants. At a young age, Hillenburg recognized his special talent in art. From that point on, he began drawing more and more. In high school, Hillenburg was part of a diving program in Laguna Beach. At fifteen years old, he dove for the first time. This sparked his interest in marine biology. When he graduated high school, he went on to study marine biology in college. Later on, he got a job teaching kids about marine biology at the Orange County Marine Institute, currently known as the Ocean Institute. While he worked there, he started a comic book series called The Intertidal Zone. However, it wasn’t until three years as a teacher that he realized he enjoyed art more than his current profession.

He soon began to go to animation festivals, where he was enrolled into the CalArts’ Experimental Animation Program. There, he learned how to animate and ended up graduating in 1992 with degree in experimental animation.

Before SpongeBob SquarePants was made into a cartoon on Nickelodeon, Hillenburg created some smaller animations. One of them includes Rocko’s Modern House, which was Nickelodeon’s first in house cartoon production.

The Intertidal Zone, the comic Hillenburg created when he worked with marine biology, was the base of Spongebob Squarepants. When one of the writers from Rocko’s Modern House read it, he encouraged Hillenburg to make it into a television series. This was how SpongeBob was created.

In the beginning, SpongeBob wasn’t referred to as SpongeBob, but Bob the Sponge instead. When it was finally ready, it became Nickelodeon’s first Saturday morning cartoon. It became an immediate hit. Three years later, Hillenburg was preparing to release a movie about SpongeBob, called The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie. In 2015, another movie about SpongeBob was released, called The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water. This movie was very popular, and became the second highest grossing film based on a television series.

Unfortunately, Stephen Hillenburg died of ALS on November 26, 2018. His productions inspired many kids and viewers worldwide. They still do today.

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