1
The Wildcat Roar Volume 6 Number 3 Winter 2010 A Quarterly Publication of Rocky Hill Middle School
Rocky Hill Goes Fishing for Green By Antara Joshi, Annie Tran and Fasika
Delessa
Staff writers
When it comes to going
green, raising trout isn’t the first
thing that comes to mind. However,
Rocky Hill thinks of the most unique
ways to save our environment. The
―Green Team‖ of Rocky Hill meets
every month and is always thinking
of new ways to be an environmen-
tally friendly school. Rocky Hill has
been involved in many projects in-
cluding a recycling team and an
―Adopt-A-Road‖ program. However,
this year we are going fishing!
That’s right; Rocky Hill has
officially decided to raise trout to
help the environment. Trout are start-
ing to become endangered because
humans are destroying their habitats
by polluting the water. The polluted
water has serious effects on the
trout’s health. While using fertilizer,
the rain can wash it away into the
sewers. Therefore, it drifts down to
the sea and contaminates the very
home of these trout. Cutting down on
fertilizer can help stop polluting our
environment as well as the water.
Due to all the pollution in the water,
the trout population drops 20% every
year! Raising trout at our school will
help inform our students on how to
create a better environment for all
living things.
Mr. Molley, an eighth grade
science teacher, has been involved in
the green school project at Rocky
Hill. ―Rocky Hill is involved in the
Green School Program and our
county representative had mentioned it
as something that other schools have
done. We thought it would be a great
way to introduce ecosystem restoration
to our sixth graders.‖ says Mr. Molley.
Our trout project is not mainly for fun,
but there are many positive outcomes
that will come from this project.
―Many healthy trout will be reintro-
duced to the food chain.‖ However,
there will be many challenges that our
sixth graders will have to overcome.
―Trout need very cool water to survive.
If there was a power outage and our
chiller loses power, there could be a
problem. Students at Rocky Hill will
be caring for monitoring, feeding, and
maintaining a healthy environment for
the trout. The plan is to release the
trout during the 2nd or 3rd week of May.
That is about 5 months.‖
Also, Ms. Duarte, a 6th grade
science teacher is very excited about
our fish coming to Rocky Hill. ―I have
never done something like this before.
I think it will be a great opportunity to
learn about the Maryland trout.‖ says
Ms. Duarte. She has been training her
students to observe and collect infor-
mation on how the water in the trout
tank is doing. Remember 6th graders,
you can sign up in Ms. Duarte’s room
on the calendar to participate in col-
lecting data!
Just wait a minute! This
doesn’t mean we haven’t given up on
the regular things we should do every
day. For example, recycling and turn-
ing off lights and pulling out plugs
are things that anyone can do! Our
Rocky Hill staffs are very serious
about becoming green. ―If we can get
all the students at Rocky Hill to recy-
cle, it will make a huge difference.‖
says Mrs. Scharff. She is one of our
very devoted teachers who want to
make a difference.
However, Mrs. Scharff isn’t
the only teacher getting involved. Mr.
Kaigler and his students have been
taking action to make this school a
―green school‖. One lucky of Wildcat
Roar reporter was able to interview
Mr. Kaigler. When we asked him
what motivated him to consider
Rocky Hill as a green school, he an-
swered with confidence, ―We pride
ourselves on making our environment
better, so we try anything we can to
make it the best it can be. We recycle,
make rain barrels, and bring in present-
ers to conduct lessons on the environ-
ment. We really want to be informed
on what we can do to help.‖
Even after so much of hard
work, one question is still left unan-
swered, how are we doing? Is our hard
work paying off? Mr. Kaigler thinks
so! ―I think we are doing great! The
administration has been very suppor-
tive on the importance of the environ-
ment. They help us a lot!‖ he says. Ms.
Duarte definitely agrees, ―We have
done a great job in getting everyone
involved and finding new ways to
make our school a greener place.‖
So remember wildcats, we can
make this environment a better place as
long as we are creative and persevere.
The Wildcat Roar is proud to be part of
the Green School Initiative, and we
really would like to thank all the teach-
ers who are taking part in making our
school as green as possible!
Trout eggs that will soon become full grown trout cooling in ice.
Many earthquakes have devas-
tated millions of people around the
world; however none have been as
harsh as the 2010 earthquake of Haiti.
The earthquake of Haiti has caused
200,000 casualties and more. Many
efforts of the U.S. have been made to
rescue the survivors, but many have
already died. According to Mail Online, 200 people were presumed to
be dead in a collapsed hotel alone.
However, President Obama
had U.S. planes drop food and water
to the remaining Haitian people strug-
gling to survive from the excessive
dust and rubble. At first, the govern-
ment was debating to provide food
and water because they were afraid it
would cause riots. Most of this help is
appreciated, but some foreign views from other nations have proved that
most of the aid isn’t that helpful. Ac-
cording to 9&10 News, the French
Minister criticized the U.S.’s actions.
The Aftermath of the Earthquake in Haiti
He stated that the American forces
turned back a French aid plane that
had a field hospital inside; it was try-
ing to land in Haiti’s capital. This
was because the Americans con-
trolled the only runway in Port-au-
Prince.
The Haitian Earthquake was
rated a 7 out of 10 on the Richter
scale. A seven out of ten on the Rich-
ter scale has the results of a major
earthquake and can cause damage
over large spans of areas. In 1906, a
devastating San Francisco earthquake
took place at 5:12 AM. The death toll
was probably 3,000 people. Also in
2008, a 7.9 earthquake hit Sichuan,
China.
The death toll was estimated
more than 10,000 people and thou-
sands more were trapped beneath the
debris. The Haitian Earthquake defi-
nitely had a greater number of casual-
ties compared to the other earth-
quakes of its magnitude.
Amidst the unfolding trag-
edy, there have been miracles as
more victims are pulled from fallen
buildings almost one week after the
earthquake.
There were reports of an af-
tershock in that region early on
Wednesday morning of January 20,
about one week after the earthquake .
The aftershock was reported to be5.9
on the Richter Scale. This has sent
people outdoors once again afraid of
falling building and falling debris. Clearly this situation created more
pandemonium in an already vulner-
able situation.
The situation in Haiti and the
response to the needs has prompted a
worldwide concern for fellow human
beings. In the face of this enormous
human tragedy, heroes have emerged
from rubbles of despair.
The stories of the hundreds of unsung
heroes will hopefully inspire our gen-
eration long after this tragedy. Some of
these heroes include doctors and nurses
from around the world. who are treat-
ing earthquake victims, firefighters
from and volunteers working tirelessly
to rescue people from fallen buildings.
Then, there are ordinary people with a
great will to live in spite of the trag-
edy. The hope and resilience of the
people of Haiti continue to play out as
survivors begin to pick up the pieces of
whatever is left.
The situation in Haiti defi-
nitely provides opportunities to make a
difference where and when it really
counts.
By: Jessica Amick and Annie Tran Staff Writers
Hope has not failed in Haiti
Mr. Kaigler and Calvin showing us how to
recycle!
2
Editorial Page
Did you know that Rocky
Hill Middle School was built to
house 939 people? Surprisingly, our
school accommodates 1167 students!
This is higher than the population of
Poolesville High School. And what’s
even more shocking? Our school
population is expected to rise to 1660
in
the year 2019! This predicts the fu-
ture overpopulation of Montgomery
County, especially the Clarksburg,
Germantown, and Damascus area.
The growth of people in these areas
needs to be controlled because it is
really getting out of hand. With the
present situation, MCPS need to pro-
vide more schools in this area.
Rocky Hill, which could be
considered as a spacious school is
full to capacity, and there seem to
no plan of extending the building. If
you some to think of it, we moved
into this building less than six years
ago and now we have portables.
Our principal, Mr. Whiting also
mentioned that as the school popu-
lation increases, he plans to hire
more teachers in order to maintain
the student to teacher ratio. The
student/teacher ratio is a concern
that is shared among parents, teach-
ers, and our elected officials.
Clearly a quality of education can
be enhanced by the provision of
right learning environment and re-
sources to help us meet our goals
and expectations.
The high population ex-
trapolates the whole overpopulation
of the areas that inhabit Rocky Hill
students. Therefore, Montgomery
County should seriously consider
gearing a portion of their budget
towards building new schools.
Recently, the MCPS Board
of Education approved a $1.49 bil-
lion Capital Improvements Program
(CIP). This six year plan incorporates
money set aside for the construction
of 2 new schools and the expansion
of 10 existing schools. Montgomery
County Superintendent of Schools,
Jerry D. Weast, strongly supports the
CIP and considers it to be very im-
portant. Weast addresses the fact that
Montgomery County is the 16th larg-
est school system in the nation by
saying that, ―education is the eco-
nomic engine of Montgomery
County.‖ He believes that ―CIP is an
investment in our students and our
future.‖
Hopefully, the problem of
overpopulation will be solved – that
is, if the MCPS Board of Education
carries out it’s plan. This will ensure
that future generations will receive an
education that reflects the high stan-
dards set by our county, state, and
national governments.
By: Veda Ravishankar
Chief Editor
High Population Equals need for More Schools
The Wildcat Roar Staff
Ms. Katie Odey
Supervising Editor
Chief Editors:
Melanie Antanesian
Veda Ravishankar
Jessica Amick
Staff Writers:
Sarah Tew
Amy Tang
Antara Joshi
Aparna Pooleri
Alex Cole
Clara Wong
Aki Stephens
Fasika Delessa
Corrina Wyatt
Luna Homsi
Hayden Shupe
Annie Tran
Jessica Gomes
Fiori Gebrekidan
Comic Editors
Shadi Khalil
Corrina Wyatt
Multiplying Like Bunnies
By: Fasika Delessa
Staff Writer
Whether you are a member
of the staff at Rocky Hill Middle
School, student or parent, you proba-
bly have noticed that it’s pretty
crowded around here. With over
eleven hundred student’s, it’s safe to
say that our school is over populated.
While there are many benefit’s to
having a large number of student’s,
there are disadvantages as well. One
advantage is that there are more
friends to make, and students are able
to experience diversity that was once
lacking in this area. However there
are disadvantages. Lengthy lunch
lines, crowded hallways and an aver-
age of twenty five students in each
class, are some of the challenges that
we face at Rocky Hill.
Some teachers have over
thirty students in one class! Staff and
administration have taken notice of
these circumstances and have made
necessary adjustments in order to
ensure the safety of all students. They
have created a lunch system based on
your fourth period teacher, dismissals
according to what bus you ride as
well as added portables to our school.
Despite the fact that there are
many students at our school, aca-
demic success is evident, over sixty
percent of the student’s were on the
honor roll for the first quarter. Taking
account of the average of twenty five
students’ in each class, this is tremen-
dous. Most teachers wish that they
could give more undivided attention
and more time to one students, but
this is almost impossible because
there are so many students! It is clear
that students are going above and
beyond to achieve wellness toward
their school work by coming early,
staying after school, or coming dur-
ing lunch to receive further help if
needed.
Most students of Rocky Hill
have come to terms with the number
of students at their school ― its
crowded but I’ve just gotten used to
it‖ says Noelle Young, an eighth
grader at Rocky Hill. When asked
how overpopulation affects her, Ally-
son Conway, another 8th grader,
states, ―It makes it harder to get to
class because the hallways are al-
ways really crowded, but other than
that, it doesn’t really bother me.‖
Let’s face the facts; our school has
grown tremendously within a short
period of time, however considering
the circumstances, staff and admini-
stration have done well to accom-
modate to every student’s needs by
creating new systems to be in sync
with students schedules.
Located in a rural area,
Rocky Hill, has an outstanding
number of students; however, it was
not always like this, ―There were
few to no portables, fewer lockers,
and fewer students‖ says French
teacher Mrs. Katz. In addition, for-
mer student of Rocky Hill, Becky
Grissom, recalls memories of the
once ―small‖ Rocky Hill. ―You had
the same lunch as everyone else in
your grade and the lunch lines were
so much shorter‖, also there were
only about 5-6 teachers in every
grade level‖. Because the number
of students has increased, the num-
ber of teachers has also increased
which is a plus considering our na-
tion’ economy, ―There are more
teachers now‖ says English teacher
Mrs. Heald. School growth can
come with sacrifice as well as re-
ward.
The Hallways at RHMS may not look like this crowd, but we are getting
pretty close!
Hey guys!
The Wildcat Roar would
love to hear from you.
If you’d like to comment
on any article or feature,
write to the editor. You
can turn in your letter
to Ms. Odey.
3
Rocky Hill Page
Ah-Mazing Teachers
Pride Corner
By: Annie Tran
Staff Writers
Guess who this quarter’s PRIDE
recipient is? It’s Alexus Pyles. Alexus
has shown exemplary PRIDE through-
out the building. She went to the Alice
and Wonderland field trip to Clarks-
burg High School for being in the top
15% of her grade. Alexus is amazing in
the classroom and in the gym room.
Her fastest mile time is 6:48! You don’t
have to tell her teachers that she is doing
a good job. Our editors were lucky
enough to interview this prideful star.
What are some things that you
have done to earn PRIDE stick-
ers?
―I have shown pride and been pre-
pared, respectful, involved,
disciplined, and excellent.‖
How do you feel about being
recognized for your exemplary
behavior?
―I feel proud and prideful for being
recognized as the PRIDE cor-
ner recipient.‖
What motivates you to show
PRIDE?
―Just the thought of doing well en-
courages me to be prideful
around Rocky Hill.‖
Remember, if you would like to be
included in our Pride Corner,
keep on showing that Wildcat
PRIDE!
Alexus Pyles, full of PRIDE
Joseph Opiekun made a big
comeback to Rocky Hill after a seri-
ous accident that involved his brother
Michael and his sister Christie on
August 12, 2009. Michael and
Christie were taken by ambulance to
Suburban Hospital, while Joey was
taken by Helicopter to Children's
Hospital in Washington,
D.C. because of his serious condition.
The news of Joseph’s acci-
dent caused a great deal of concern
for the Rocky Hill Community. We
appreciate his family for setting up a
website that allowed friends and well
wishers to post their thoughts and
prayers for Joseph.
Joseph spent some time in
the PICU (Pediatric Intensive Care)
because of his condition, but we
never gave up hope. His condition
rattled some nerves here at Rocky
Hill as we all waited anxiously for his
speedy recovery and return to school.
Being the tough guy that he is, Joseph
focused on getting well and getting
back to his regular mischief - I mean
his regular routines. ―The best part
about being back in school is seeing
my friends,‖ says Joseph.
Although he has made a sig-
nificant recovery, he still faces a few
challenges. ―The most challenging
thing is writing and expressing
thoughts, for example BCR, essays and
writing answers to questions,‖ says
Joseph. Most of his teachers have been
very supportive. ―Joseph is a great guy!
I am just getting to know him, and
WOW what a wonderful student he is!‖
says Mrs. Kroll, one of Joey’s teachers.
Because of Joseph’s extensive brain
injury, he still needs support learning
and relearning some concepts, but he is
determined! ―He is such a hard
worker, persistent and kind. I am so
glad that the Rocky Hill Community
has been so supportive, and I believe
we will all continue to help him meet
his goals,‖ says Mrs. Kroll. Joseph’s
friends are also playing big role his
recovery. ―A lot of my friends support
me and make me laugh,‖ says Joey.
For a kid who has been
through so much and hardly complains,
Joseph is clearly an inspiration. Mrs.
Quinn summed it up best when she
said, ―Joseph is a remarkable young
man and an inspiration to all.‖ Wel-
come back, Joseph.
Joseph Opiekun. On his first day back on the Hill.
Joey Opiekun, the RH Comeback Kid
TWR: How do you feel about being
nominated as Teacher Of The Month?
Mrs. Heald: I am very honored and ex-
ited about this opportunity.
TWR : How long have you worked at
Rocky Hill?
Mrs. Heald: I came to Rocky Hill the
second year it opened. That’s about 13
years!
TWR: What would you like your stu-
dents to know about you?
Mrs. Heald: I really enjoy teaching my
classes. I especially love when my older
students come to visit me!
TWR :How would you describe your
interactions with your students?
Mrs. Heald: I have always loved my
students. I like the fact that they engage
in the activities. Mrs. Heald: I love their
enthusiasm. I also love seeing how much
my students have grown over the years.
TWR: What makes you special from all
the other teachers?
Mrs. Heald: I have had lots of years of
experience and have taught Middle
School for my whole career. I love what
I do and working and planning with my
colleges.
Mrs. Heald: What’s one lesson you have
learned during your career?
Mrs. Heald: It is very important to be
patient and listen.
TWR: How long have you been at
Rocky Hill?
Mrs. Quinn: I am an original Rocky Hill.
I opened the old school where CHS now
stands. I think we’ve been opened for 13
years (you need to check your facts as I
don’t remember for sure). I have taught
6th grade Reading, English, and Math. I
also taught TV studio. Before RH I
taught at Fox Chapel- 3rd grade for 8
years and Clarksburg ES – 6th grade for 1
year.
TWR: How do you feel about being
nominated as teacher of the month?
Mrs. Quinn: I’m honored that the stu-
dents here at RH feel I go above and
beyond to help them be successful young
adults. Thank you!! I really love all the
kids here and see so much potential in
each and every one of them.
TWR: How would you describe your
interactions with your students?
Mrs. Quinn: I like to think that I’m a fair
teacher, but very tough. I have extremely
high expectations for my students. I put a
lot of time and effort into my teaching
and I expect my students to do the same.
I can be loud and strong at times, but I’ll
really try to go out of my way to help
students feel confident at school and be-
come involved in their education.
TWR: What makes you special?
Mrs. Quinn: Being the Outdoor Educa-
tion Queen! I have been doing Outdoor
Ed for 23 years as a teacher and many
more before that as a student. I went
twice when I was a 6th grader and then
again for years with my mom who also
taught 6th grade math in Montgomery
County. Outdoor Education is a fabulous
program that gives the kids so much that
that they would never get at home or in
the regular school day. I really enjoy my
job. I think RH is the best place! The
staff and students here are #1 and I look
forward to coming into school every day.
I work with kids after school on my own
time to help them improve their grades. I
try to be available at night for students to
contact me if they have questions on
homework. I also tutor kids beginning at
7:10 am. I also tutor students after school
on my own time from 3 – 4:15pm.
TWR: What would you like your stu-
dents to know about you?
Mrs. Quinn: I have two wonderful kids,
Patrick and Kelsey. They are both in
college and playing sports. Patrick plays
baseball and Kelsey plays soccer. We are
definitely a sports family! I have traveled
to Brazil, Russia, CA, FL, MS, NH, and
many other places because of my kids’
sports.
I have 2 black labs, Nikki and Kiera, that
I adore.
In my spare time (which is very little!) I
love to go camping and boating; we have
an RV and boat.
TWR: What is one lesson that you have
learned throughout your career?
Mrs. Quinn: I have learned many lessons
over the years and still continue to learn
every day. I have come to find that ALL
kids want to do well in school and my job
is
to
try and make that happen. TWR: How long have you been at Rocky Hill? Mr. Callaway: 15 Years TWR: How do you feel about being nominated as teacher of the month? Mr. Callaway: Great! TWR: how would you describe your interactions with your students? Mr. Callaway: Genuine TWR: What makes you so special? Mr. Callaway: I consider myself to be one of God’s children. TWR: What would you like your stu-dents to know about you? Mr. Callaway: That I was once in middle school, and I remember it well. Riding a dinosaur to school was rough. TWR: What is one lesson that you
Mrs. Quinn
Sixth Grade Math Teacher
Mr. Callaway
Art/Technology Teacher
Mrs. Heald
Sixth Grade English Teacher and
Team Leader
By Ms. Katie Odey
TWR
By- Antara Joshi Staff Writer
4
Writers’ Corner Dedicated to Mrs. Margie Holmberg
Top 10 Songs of 2009 By Aparna Pooleri,
Staff Writer
Music? You want music? We got it for you, people! Here are the top ten songs
of the ye-ah! Cue the lights, cameras…MUSIC!
10. Jason Derulo – Whatcha Say
9. Owl City – Fireflies
8. Flo Rida – Right Round
7. Kelly Clarkson – My Life Would Suck Without You
6. Kings of Leon – Use Somebody
5. Black Eyed Peas – I Gotta Feeling
4. Lady Gaga – Poker Face
3. Iyaz – Replay
2. Jay Sean – Down
And…the number one song of 2009 is…drum roll please…
1. Taylor Swift – You Belong With Me
So, if you haven’t downloaded these songs to your iPod/Music Player or lis-
tened to these songs on YouTube, we suggest you do that!
Thanks to the AOL Radio Blog for the info! Check that site out, too.
American Idol Season 9
By Corrina Wyatt
Staff Writer
American Idol had a lot of big treats this season. The new season
started Tuesday, January 19, 2010 at 8:00 pm. Unfortunately, we lost our
caring judge, Paula Abdul. The good thing is we have a new judge! Her
name is Kara DioGuardi. Then we also have our wonderful Randy Jackson
and our one-of-a kind judge, Simon Cowell. So far We have already had
plenty of great singers and a couple surprises! If you watched on Wednesday,
January 14, 2010 you would have seen the man everyone loves. This was no
ordinary audition from an ordinary person. This was Larry Platt a 62 year-old
whom had a dream of his own and an extra-ordinary song. This song was
called ―Pants on the Ground‖, I guess what Larry was trying to say was that
he sees teen boys walking around with their boxers showing (trying to act
―cool‖ or something). I completely understand. I mean come on guys not
everyone wants to see your ―business‖. Of course, Larry got a big round of
applause, but he was, unfortunately, too old for his dream.
There was plenty of dreams on those 2 shows and I guarantee there
will be many more. OH! Don’t forget not to trust a video game if you are
trying to be good at singing. The first audition on the first day was with a
woman who did trust a video game. She had said that she mastered the game
so she wanted to do it in real life. The problem is that the video game only
hears the sound, not your actual voice.
Keep a close eye on American Idol because there are extraordinary
things and very shocking things as well. Rock on and stay tuned for more
odd and weird things on a classic TV show called, American Idol.
New Moon
Movie Review by: Melanie Antanesian Chief Editor
In it's opening weekend, New Moon (the best selling saga by au-
thor Stephanie Meyer) wolfs down $140.7 million. The movie didn't reach the book's amazing standards, but it was obviously America's fa-
vorite in the box office. A paper cut during Bella's 18th birthday party
results in Bella's blood proving too intense for the Cullen's. After the
incident, the Cullen's decide to leave town for Bella and Edward's sake.
They don't want anything to happen to Bella on their account. Edward
would be heartbroken and the vampire-werewolf treaty would be bro-ken. Heartbroken, Bella finds a form of comfort in living reckless to see
images(hallucinations) of Edward, as well as an even closer relationship
to Jacob Black. Danger in different forms again finds Bella like a death
magnet, but with Edward gone who will save Bella? Or is Edward the
one who needs saving?
Which do YOU Prefer?
Are you the kind of person that prefers books over movies, or are you
the kind of person that that just watches the movie, and never reads the book?
The majority of students at Rocky Hill Middle School have read the Twilight
Saga by Stephanie Myer, but what do our 7th graders really think- do they pre-
fer the book, or the movie? The people that we have interviewed below have
all read the book and have seen the movie, ―New Moon.‖ Let’s see what they
think…
Melanie prefers the move. ―The acting was amazing …brought the movie to
life,‖ says Melanie. Aparna also prefers the movie. ―The book was a drag.
Nice to see the action,‖ says Aparna.
―Book was boring, slow parts, but the movie still left something to be desired,
in my opinion,‖ says Sarah Tew, who also prefers the movie
Antara prefers the movie because, ―Taylor Lautner was in it!!‖
As far as Aki is concerned, ―The movie was exciting and the book was a waste
of time.‖
And a student after Ms. Odey’s heart, Jessica Amick prefers the book.
―Because Kristen Stewart stinks.‖
Clearly the majority of the students, all seventh graders, prefer the
movie over the book. Most of the students who have watched the movie have
concluded that the movie was action-packed and exciting, while the book re-
mained dull and boring. Which do YOU prefer?
―G’day, mate!‖ Do you know
where that greeting would be used? Aus-
tralia, of course! That’s exactly where Ms.Zabel went for vacation. To be more
specific, she flew into the small but stun-
ning city of Sydney from November 3rd to
the fourth week. She visited her daughter
who has been living there since July, but
it’s not to say that she didn’t visit
other sites on the island either.
She also went to Bondi Beach, which
is famous for surfing and even took a
ferry to Mary beach! Besides the sun
and sand, Ms. Zabel also fit in the
famous Sydney Opera house and the
Blue Mountains. She remarks, ―We
hiked down the canyon and down the
rainfores]. The Blue mountains actu-
ally looked blue because of the Euca-
lyptus trees!‖ She went shopping in
the Australian markets and says that
they have ―really cool clothes and
jewelry‖.
But it’s not just the scenery
and souvenirs that make a trip memo-
rable. There were wild kangaroos and
the people in Sydney knew how to
play the didgeridoos, a skill that most
of you here probably don’t have.
People from all over the world come
to see the amazing sights. The Aus-
tralians that she met were all very
friendly.
There were many differences
between Australia and the United
States. An obvious factor would be
the weather. Australia is infinitely
more humid with their beach-perfect
climate. The personalities of the peo-
ple are also a little diverse. She no-
ticed that they seemed more laid-back
and relaxed. The people there also
travel a little more. The prices of
things are also costlier. Not quite
an arm and a leg, but definitely more
expensive than the prices we have
here.
It was wonderful to tour
around, but the very best part was just
being with her daughter. And, of
course, the warm beach weather. But
with pros come cons. Most people
enjoy plane rides when they’re
short—from something like 45 min-
utes (New York) to 7 hours (Las Ve-
gas). However, Australia would be a
different story—20 hours! It’s almost
like spending an entire day sitting on
a plane, waiting. Ms. Zabel spent an
unfortunate total of 40 hours on a
plane, flying there and back. Another
part of her trip that was the worst was
parting. It’s easy to become attached to
something, but definitely harder and
depressing to leave it.
But it’s not like this was an once-in-a-
lifetime opportunity. In fact, she told us
confidently. ―Definitely, I’m planning
to go back!‖
Ms. Zabel’s Australian Expedition
Mrs. Zabel- Bondi to Coogee Beach
Coastal Walkway
By Amy Tang and Clara Wong
Staff Writers
Three Sisters in the Blue Mountains
By Fiori Gebrekidan and Jessica Gomes
5
Opinions in Today’s Sports
Although it’s been hard to keep
up with the great sporting events here
at Rocky Hill, the news in the sports
world have captivated most of us here
at Rocky Hill. Some Wizards fans, and
especially Gilbert Arenas’ fans have
had a rough season. Agent Zero, aka
Gilbert Arenas stunned his fans when
reports about him carrying guns into
the Wizards locker room broke.
Athlete’s Betrayal of their Fame
Long, long, time ago in the
galaxy of sports, Michael Jordan,
Magic Johnson, Charles Barkley,
David Robinson, David Bird and other
legendary basket ball players reigned
as kings of the basketball court. Most
of these sports legends rose to star-
dom, some creating records that would
lead them to the hall of fame. Most
kids want to fly to Michael Jordan,
play with agility like Magic Johnson,
and create records like David Birds.
They were the role models of their
time, although some still enjoy the
fame among kids today. Charles
Barkley was noted for saying he did-
n’t want to be a role model. He made
a very valid point. Some of these su-
per stars have been in situations that
they are not very proud of. It’s al-
ways the same story of fame and then
it all goes downhill from there.
Judging by the behavior of our treas-
ured athletes and some celebrities, if
you think about it, parents and friends
are better role models. Just imagine
when the next generation of athletes
use and abuse steroids and their only
excuse is that ―Mark McGwire did
it!‖ Once upon a time people were
winners because of sheer talent, not
from how much a drug they can get
their hands on. That world seems so
far away from the world today. ―I
think it’s stupid it’s just throwing
away all of your accomplishments‖
says an anonymous seventh grader.
If you train for hours a day why
throw it all away? Many of our ath-
letes wouldn’t be able to answer this
question due to their track records.
The infamous Mitchell’s list in 2003
revealed a sad truth about our athletes
today and the amount of steroid abuse
truly going on. Alex Rodriguez was
one of the unfortunate abusers of ster-
oids, once on top, now on bottom
because he wasn’t being a role model
at all. He made it seem like the only
way to be the greatest was to cheat
and abuse when there are those who
are just as good and have been truth-
fully talented. ―Well they’re not good
role models, and they should act their
age,‖ says a fourth grader.
The recent action of Gilbert Arenas
has stunned most Wizards fans, and
most would agree that he takes re-
sponsibility for his actions. It is in-
conceivable to think about bringing
guns to the Wizard’s locker room.
Although Mr. Arenas considered it a
joke, nobody is are laughing. Most people supported the decision of the NBA Commissioner, David Stein to
suspend Mr. Arenas from the NBA.
Part of Mr. Stein’s statement reads: ―I
am suspending Mr. Arenas indefi-
nitely, without pay, effective immedi-
ately pending the completion of the
investigation by the NBA." Arenas
released his own statement in reac-
tion to his suspension: "I feel very
badly that my actions have caused the
NBA to suspend me, but I understand
why the league took this action. I put
the NBA in a negative light and let
down my teammates and our fans. I
am very sorry for doing that.‖ We
certainly hope that this would be a
lesson to all athletes to think about
their actions. Mr. Arenas now faces
felony charges for his actions and
could end up in prison.
The use of steroids in professional
sports is becoming common, and the
result is that kids, especially those in
high school are beginning to use ster-
oids. It is unfortunate that the profes-
sionals had to set this standard that
true hard work is so out of style and
that cheating is the only way to get
ahead. ―I feel that athletes should be
role models and they aren’t behaving
that way.‖ says Annie Tran, sixth
grader at Rocky Hill. This is what our
world has become today, kids with
false idols they praise when they have-
n’t been worthy of this gratitude.
The news of Mark McGwire,
admitting steroid use came as shock to
many. This comes after many years of
keeping silent, while some other base-
ball players took the rap for steroid use.
This clearly makes him a hypocrite,
especially since he enjoyed so much
fame after a record breaking season
with the Cardinals. McGuire is eighth
on the all-time home run list with 583
homers. You can only imagine the
number of kids who want to be just like
him. The sad reality is that he used
steroids.
Who would forget the All-
American super star, Michael Phelps,
whose swimming broke records during
the 2008 summer Olympics? He was
photographed using drugs? Think
about kids who looked up to him as a
role model. In his case, he took respon-
sibility, repented and quickly de-
nounced his actions. Hopefully he stays
clean since there are kids who still look
up to him. Everyone makes mistakes
and the athletes are a perfect example
when they aren’t thinking straight. It
begs questions, should athletes be con-
sidered role models?
By Jessica Amick
Staff Writer with contributions from
Ms. Odey and Becky Grissom
Time Cat by Lloyd Alexander?
Book Review by Jack Weavering
Have you ever read the book Time Cat by Lloyd Alexander? In the book, Ga-
reth (the cat) takes Jason on an adventure to many places, like ancient Egypt,
Ireland, Japan, Italy, Peru, Isle of Man, Germany, Rome, and Britain, all
throughout time. In every place that they travel to, they always encounter a
large problem, teach someone a lesson, and then move on. I would definitely
recommend this book to just about anyone, but mainly to anyone who enjoys
reading books about adventure.
By: Jack Wavering
Edited by: Amy Tang and Clara Wong
Book Review Continued
Avatar
By: Melanie Antanesian Chief Editor
James Cameron had a dream. He must have because this film closely
mimics the wildest dream one could ever had. The world of Pandora is the
world we all wish we could live in. A world literally jam packed with adven-
ture and mysterious happenings that capture your heart and transport you there.
The world of Pandora is united under a common belief and stays united under a
common threat. The death and destruction of this world can only be defended
with an argument involving a valuable mineral. The want for money is human
nature I suppose. Basically, a paraplegic war veteran, Jake Sully is brought to
Pandora in place of his recently deceased brother with the promise of getting the
use of his legs back if he helps the government on a mission. The people, or more
like creatures, are tall, oh so blue, and called the Na 'vi. Jake is sent to learn their
ways so that he can help relocate them and the humans can take over, but he ends
up falling in love with the tribe's princess. In the end, he is forced to chose be-
tween the human race or a group of people which he has learned to love. This
movie can easily pass as being the most imaginative film of the past ten years.
This movie will cause arguments within your own mind, will hit you like a sledge
hammer to the chest and WILL stay with you well after you leave the cinema.
Movie Review Continued
6
It’s the end of the world as
many of us know it, or, think it to be.
However, have scientists really, truly
proven that this is the case? We hear
the rumors. We see the ―signs‖. But
really, is it going to happen? Aparna
Pooleri is here to investigate...no, seri-
ously, give me a chance on this one.
Anyways, if you’re in seventh grade
and have taken seventh grade Spanish
at Rocky Hill, you might’ve briefly
gone over some facts of the Mayan
calendar.
According to the Mayans, the
world was supposedly going to end
some thousands of years ago on Au-
gust 11th (or 13th, scientists aren’t
really sure) in the year of 3114 BCE.
So, obviously, that didn’t happen,
seeing as we are right here. Mayans
have estimated another date when the
world would end which is, obviously,
2012. Or well, on the Gregorian cal-
endar it is. In case you haven’t made
the connection already, let me make it
for you. Many times before, the
world was supposedly going to end.
However, this didn’t occur. As you
can see, this is why some people are a
little unsure…So, the real question
is…Is 2012 really going to happen?
Remember how I said un-
sure? Yea Mr. Anderson…he’s not
confused. This man knows what he’s
talking about. He might as well say,
―This stuff is hooey,‖ because he, my
friend, doesn’t believe a WORD of
this. Here’s what he has to say:
―Movies often serve as an introduc-
tion to historical events and even mo-
tivate people to learn more about
what they’ve seen. However,
it’s important to remember that the
primary goal of Hollywood film mak-
ers is to make money, not to portray
history accurately.‖ True, true…And
when you come to think of it, so many
stories have been distorted by Holly-
wood producers because they fail to
include the most important aspect -
HARD CORE TRUTH. I mean seri-
ously, is the truth interesting? No won-
der they got rid of it. ―Too often the
result is that special effects and action
blurs the line between fact and fiction.
If you are inspired to learn more about
the Maya, a great place to start is at
nationalgeographic.com/2007/08/maya
-rise-fall, check it out and decide for
yourself how accurate you think the
movie is. But just to be on the safe
side you may want to invest in duct
tape and bottled water,‖ says Mr.
Anderson.
When asked about what Mrs.
Rye thinks about this topic, she has one
thing to say to us: ―We should not base
our ideas solely on the Mayans or the
media.‖ Well said, well said.
According to a USA Today
article by G. Jeffrey MacDonald, the
apparent 2012 event will happen on
12/21/12 at 11:11 pm. Isn’t that usually
when you make a wish? But moving
on, it’s supposed to happen because the
sun will align with the center of the
Milky Way for the first time in 26.000
years during the winter solstice. Win-
ter doesn’t seem as nice now, does it?
What’s weird is that the earth has been
here for more than 26,000 years…
much, much more than that, yet it is
still here…that itself makes scientists
and others doubt what will happen.
So there you have it. Which
side do you believe? Don’t sweat it
though. If it’s bound to happen, it will
happen. No point in wasting your time
worrying about it!
Only 2 Years to Live?!?! By Aparna Pooleri,
Staff Writer
Rocky Hill Leos Club Makes a Difference
Leo’s Club members are mak-
ing yet another difference in the RH
community with a classic, yet produc-
tive charity: The Canned Food Drive!
The Leo’s organized a food drive in
November to help support the families
who are struggling and cannot afford to
purchase food. RH Leo’s and staff
members organized an interesting way
to get other students involved in the
canned food drive. A contest between
the grades and staff was able to interest
students in all grades to donate canned
foods like soups, pasta, beans, and so
on. The winning grade receives the
Golden Can award. The eighth
graders prove to be the most generous;
this year being the second year in a row
they win the Golden Can award. Eighth
graders are progressing in donations
more and more each year. This is
why they remain as the Golden Can
Champions (Come on sixth and sev-
enth graders! You can do better than
them if you try). Leo’s Club has been
active for over ten years, and with a
consistent student population of over
forty. Mrs. Poole started the club in
hopes of serving the community. She
wanted a way to encourage the many
Rocky Hill students who either
wanted to help others and the com-
munity or needed the SSL hours. No
matter what their cause was, all of the
participants feel the value of serving
their community and are proud to
represent RH in such a positive man-
ner.
―It’s not just families, it’s the com-
munity,‖ says Leo's Club founder,
Mrs. Poole, ―They embrace and take
great pride in the projects the Leo’s
plan and implement.‖ RH dose have a
reason to be proud. This year we col-
lected almost 3000 canned foods in
total! Many families thanked us for
our efforts in getting them food bas-
kets. Actually, we had one of the
most successful Food Drives in the
area! Mrs. Poole also says, ―The
community food bank relies on us to
help with their holiday baskets.‖
Another great thing the
Leo’s Club does is that over the holi-
days, they makes cards for the elderly
and the wounded soldiers to make
them feel a little more warm, and a
little more appreciated. The holidays
of 2009 will be remembered in the
hearts of the people who received
both student made and Ms. Hellie
made cards. Just to show Leo’s how
special it made them feel, some sol-
diers from the Walter Reed Medical
Center came to visit Rocky Hill!
Three previously wounded soldiers,
Sergeant Huey, Flowers and Osborne,
came down to meet with Leo’s Club
and to thank them.
When the soldiers arrived,
the Leo’s Club greeted them warmly
and let them tell their stories. Ser-
geant Flowers was in the US Air
Force, was wounded in Afghanistan
this past May and is soon to have his
27th surgery. He has officially been in
the Air Force for 6 years exactly on
this past January 13th, 2009. When
asked about how the cards made him
feel, he replied, ―It’s amazing that
you’re still in school, but you realize
what we’re doing over there, which
puts a smile on my face.‖ Noticing that we just simply appreciate them
makes them happy. The question of
what other things kids could do to
make the soldiers feel better popped
up and he answered, ―The cards are a
huge hit; they make a lot of guys feel
better.‖ Another soldier, Sergeant Os-
borne, was injured from IED
(Improvised Explosive Device) and
was wounded in Iraq, and is soon to
have his 12th surgery. When he was
asked about how many cards he got
overall approximately and he said, ―I
go to my mailbox and I find like 300
cards crammed in there.‖ When he was
questioned about what kids could be
doing to help make a difference all
three of the soldiers agreed with ―Girl
Scout Cookies,‖ only to be followed
with a list of favorites. It’s good to
know that a lot of other students from
different schools and areas are helping
these soldiers out.
The Leo’s Club really put
smiles on the soldiers’ and elderly peo-
ple’s faces these holidays, which
makes their family and friends smile.
Remember that every time you do
something simple and nice for another
person, such as just giving out a smile,
you’re making a whole lot of people
happy. If you like making a difference,
then Leo’s Club would be a great place
to start.
By Melanie Antanesian Chief Editor
Shadi Khalil Staff Writer
Mrs. Poole poses with members of the Leos and their very special guests from Walter
Reed Medical Center, Sergeant Flowers, Sergeant Osborne and Sergeant Huey
Sergeant Huey chats with some kids in the
Leos’ Club
Special Features
7
PS3: Good or Bad??
By Hayden Shupe
Staff Writer
Valentine's Day: Where did
it Start?
Valentine's Day is known as
the day of love and happy things. How-
ever not many people know where this
day has originated from. Many people
love Valentine's Day and dress in all
pink and red as a form of festivity, but
most people rarely know where, when,
or even how Valentine's Day got started
in the first place. They simply accept it
and enjoy all the joy that comes along
with such an optimistic and pink day.
The origins of Valentine's Day
trace back to the ancient Roman cele-
bration of Lupercalia. Held on February
15, Lupercalia honored the gods Luper-
cus and Faunus, as well as the legendary
founders of Rome, Romulus and Re-
mus. In addition to a bountiful feast,
Lupercalia festivities are said to have
included the pairing of young women
and men. Men would draw women's
names from a box, and each couple
would be paired until next year's cele-
bration. While this pairing of couples
set the tone for today's holiday, it wasn't
called "Valentine's Day" until a priest
named Valentine came along. Valen-
tine, a hopeless romantic at heart, dis-
obeyed Emperor Claudius II 's decree
that soldiers stay bachelors. Claudius
handed down this decree believing that
soldiers would be distracted and unable
to concentrate on fighting if they were
married or engaged. Valentine defied
the emperor and secretly performed
marriage ceremonies. As a result of his
defiance, Valentine was put to death on
February 14. After Valentine's death, he
was named a saint. As Christianity
spread through Rome, the priests moved
Lupercalia from February 15 to Febru-
ary 14 and renamed it St. Valentine's
Day to honor Saint Valentine.
Then there is the whole part
about a baby in diapers, who goes by
the name of Cupid. According to Ro-
man mythology, Cupid was the son of
Venus, who was of course the goddess
of love and beauty. The sixth graders
have just completed the Greek Mythol-
ogy unit and should know about Eros
(Cupid in Roman Mythology), the mis-
chievous son of Aphrodite aka Venus
in the Roman mythology. Cupid was
known to cause people to fall in love
by shooting them with his magical love
arrows. But Cupid didn't just cause
others to fall in love - he himself fell
deeply in love. As legend has it, Cupid
fell in love with a mortal girl named
Psyche.
Cupid married Psyche, but
Venus, jealous of Psyche's beauty, for-
bade her daughter-in-law to look at
Cupid. Psyche, of course, couldn't re-
sist temptation and sneaked a peek at
her handsome husband. As punishment,
Venus demanded that she perform three
hard tasks, the last of which caused
Psyche's death. Cupid brought Psyche
back to life and the gods, moved by
their love, granted Psyche immortality.
Now you know! Valentine's
Day basically started because of Luper-
calia, so thank you Lupercus and
Faunus. Then it got its name from the
love struck Saint Valentine, back then
only a priest who had to die for us to
have our day. Rest in peace dear Saint
Valentine. And Cupid just likes hitting
people with heart shaped bows and
causing ruckus. So, lovely Cupid, keep
doing what you got to do.
By Melanie Antanesian
Chief Editor
One of the many wonders of the
PS3 is that it has a cell processor and a
customized Nvida graphics chip. Although
this sounds very complicated, it is actually
a very simple device. The Nvida graphic
chip and cell processor simply provides
more realistic graphics to the user. There
are two versions of the PS3 that vary in
price as well as the amount of gigabytes.
The $599 model has a 60GB hard disk,
built in 802.11 b/g wireless network. The
$499 model has Wi-Fi, media card slots,
20GB. Both have a HDMI output, giga-
bit network, 4 USB 2.0 ports, and a
built in Bluetooth 2.0 support. Now this
next sentence may be for the people
who don’t have a DVD player at home.
The PS3 can also work as a DVD and
Blue-Ray player in high definition.
Now that is good stuff, but I’m not
done yet. It also has robust multimedia
capabilities.
Still, I have no idea what that
means though it’s probably good. But
some people hate the PS3. ―The PS3
was a sure failure,‖ says game-
faqs.com. But here are some positive
reviews. ―PlayStation 3 is a graphical
powerhouse, with a cutting-edge Cell
processor and a customized Nvida
graphics chip that could melt most
gaming PCs‖ says cnet.com. Also, I
think according to this that the PS3
pretty cool. Well, looks like I can just
throw out the old DVD player if I have
a PS3.
New York, New York!
Start spreadin’ the news… We
left almost 2 months ago! ―The New
York trip was amazing; I have never
been to New York and to get to see the
Big Apple with all my chorus friends
for the first time was, like, amazing… I
know I’m going to be like them one
day* flips hair*‖ says Riley Robinson,
a student in Chamber Singers, an ad-
vanced choir here at Rocky Hill. And
even after a month, she is still in awe.
As you are probably aware, chorus stu-
dents recently took a day off from
school and woke up extra early to…go
to school? Yes, but we didn’t stay
there. At six o’ clock AM, we left on-
really comfortable charter busses for
none other than New York City! Eighth
grader Kevin Grossi says, ―…The bus
ride was kind of long, it was four
hours.‖ But in order to keep from being
carsick or going insane, there were
movies shown and you could talk and
sit with your friends. There was also
plenty of time to spend on doing your
homework. After all, we did miss an
entire day of school.
If you are like me and have
never been to New York City before,
let me tell you that there are a lot of tall
buildings. ―New York was just incredi-
ble,‖ says Daniela Fugigaki, another
student who attended the trip. ―It was
the lights, the sounds, the smells it was
just a whole new experience…I’ve
been to New York before but it was
never like this, with all my friends…‖
You are completely taken in by the
skyline as soon as you see it on the
horizon. It gives you a sort of ―Empire
State of Mind.‖ The variety of the ar-
chitecture varies a lot, too- Tall build-
ings, shiny new buildings, older ones,
as well as some buildings in between,
just like the first stop of our New York
City tour.
We missed out on some of the
workshops and stop number one due to
traffic issues that held us up a bit
longer than we had expected. ―We got
there; we went to the workshop, which
was really cool,‖ says Kevin. After
getting off the bus and walking a block
or so, we got to our building. Only
then, we had to climb about seven
flights of stairs (some of us in heels)
When we reached our stop, we walked
into a room and were greeted by a
grand piano, a few hundred folding
chairs and smiling faces. The workshop
is basically learning a number from the
show and singing in Broadway-style
voices, something most of us in chorus
were not used to. The song we sang
was ―Freak Flag,‖ a group number
from act two of ―Shrek the Musical.‖ Since we had a time limit, we only got
to learn the chorus. After perfecting the
harmonies, learning the Broadway vo-
cal style, and feeling pretty proud of
ourselves, we got to hear the man
taking over for Shrek in the musical
sing his song- ―Big, Bright, Beautiful
World.‖ After that, he answered
some of our questions about the
show and what it’s like on to be on
the stage, along with a ―sweep,‖ or
understudy for the fairy-tale crea-
tures. Being an understudy does not
sound like much, but it is a lot of
work to know everyone’s part. They
were very nice and you could tell
they lived for performing. It was fun,
but, alas, we could not stay forever.
It was now time for lunch.
The next stop on our trip
was, in fact, for lunch. The menu was
as follows Pasta Pomodoro, BBQ
chicken sandwich, pulled pork sand-
wich, cheeseburger, classic ham-
burger and a chicken Cesar salad-
with or without the chicken. The cost
of the meal was included in the total
fee for the trip. Because of our tight-
tight schedule, we didn’t have much
time to eat, so of course we were
rushed.
After we were all done, it
was off to the theatre! Only we kind
of got lost. A handful of students
including Kevin Grossi, Mrs. Tippet
and myself got separated from the
group after making a wrong turn at
Planet Hollywood. It took us a good
five minutes- and seven blocks- to
realize our mistake. We had to ask
around for directions, but for the
most part, we got to have a pleasant,
but unexpected sight-seeing trip! On
our way to the theatre, we passed by
billboards, advertisements for Coke,
the M&M store, as well as other Her-
shey stores. We had a very fun time,
the only low point having to walk in
heels again.
At last we arrived! The thea-
tre is beautiful, with golden crown
molding, rich, red curtains and huge,
sparkling chandeliers hanging from
the ceiling. It is everything you could
have hoped for from a first-time
Broadway experience. Soon enough
the lights dimmed, the curtains drew
back and the show- after five hours
of driving and walking in heels- fi-
nally began. The movie, Shrek!
Shrek, is an Ogre, a
―hideous creature‖ whom no one
seems to love. Living on his own, he
has a chance encounter with Donkey,
who soon enough becomes his
―noble steed.‖ Before they know it,
they are traveling together to rescue
the fair Princess Fiona, locked away
in a tower, guarded, naturally by a
fire-breathing dragon. And of course
the beautiful princess falls in love
with the ogre. Not if Lord Farquadd
has anything to say about it. The
songs helped to tell the story better.
The set, the show, the cos-
tumes were all amazing. Shrek had to
take a full three hours, just for the
make-up, not to mention the fat-suit.
But I can say, like Riley and so many
others, that I’m in awe of the per-
formance. If you want to learn more,
copy the link at the bottom of the
article. Shrek's story is one of true
beauty and true friendship. It was a
phenomenal performance and I
highly recommend going up and see-
ing it for yourself. As long as you
don’t mind driving all the way up to
Ney York City.
www.shrekthemusical.com/
By Sarah Tew
Staff Writer
8
Allen Automotive Since 1972 Complete Auto Repair service Foreign and Domestic All Repairs Guaranteed!
Henry Antanesian Owner 2424 Linden Lane Silver Spring, MD 20910
Contact us at: Phone # (301) 587-6755 FAX# (301) 608-9167 www.allensautomotive.com Days and Hours: Mon.-Fri. 7:00 a.m-6:00 p.m.
Get Ready to Kiss Summer Vacation Good-bye!
You heard right! President
Obama has been considering adding
more hours to our already busy school
day. Kids are already barely getting
enough time to cool off from a hard
day of school work, so is adding more
time to it going to benefit us or give
us spine failure? This has become a
big issue for American families. Some
say that more school would suck the
fun out of our days, filling them with
schoolwork, as the other half is think-
ing ―Why not?‖ At the same time that
this could be making us semi-
geniuses, can we still manage to bal-
ance out the fun?
Obama says American kids
spend too little time in school, putting
them at a disadvantage with other stu-
dents around the globe, such as China.
In my opinion, kids have to be kids.
We still need to keep our grades up
and be able to do well worldwide, but
playing around, taking naps, and chill-
ing with the TV on should be included
in our daily routine! We are of course,
the future adults of America, and we
need to make our country look good,
ranking high in the educational sys-
tems, but fun is a mandatory kind of
thing in a kid’s life. 7th grader Sarah
Tew gives us her opinion on the topic
―Obviously, students aren’t going to
like it, because it’s more time at their
desk then playing outside, or surfing
the internet. Students these days don’t
understand that we are behind all
those other countries, but for the most
part we could really care less {about
our education}…" We all need a
good education, and a healthy dosage
of homework, but is extended school
going to make us smarter, or just
tired? If we all are tired, than that
brings down our energy, and we ob-
viously can’t do other favorite out-
side of school activities, such as
sports, dance, favorite television
shows, or even quality time with your
family! Longer school hours are just
going to kill our after school time,
and that's where our major fun time
lies in. If we get home later than 3:00,
most of our afternoon will be gone. Is
this new plan going to let us get our
fun time scheduled in with our home
work?
Put the extra homework
aside, what about all those kids who
barely drag their days out, praying
and hoping for the bell to ring, mark-
ing the end of school. I don’t think it
would be better for those kids to have
their days dragged out an extra hour
or two, possibly even another couple
weeks taken away from their summer
break. In my opinion, that wouldn't
exactly be helping our view of school
go from okay to great. It would more
likely be, "Okay," to "Ugh! When
will this end??" I think something
that’s a little more important than
excelling along with our country's
education would be to get kids to
realize that school is beneficial for
them, (it's there to help us, not to beat
us) but if we overwhelm kids sud-
denly with more school days or with
a longer school day, they aren't going
to appreciate school anymore, which
would be increasing our rates in high
school drop outs. Basically, there will
be some kids who will have the
power to adapt to the new school
hours, but the majority would be very
exhausted and overwhelmed by this
new change.
"Extra time is not cheap. A pro-
gram in Massachusetts costs an extra
$1,300 for extended school, or a 12 to 15
percent more than what a regular student
would pay for private school," stated
Jennifer Davis, superintendent of a Mas-
sachusetts private school. On December
9th 2009, Montgomery County Schools’
superintendent, Dr. Jerry Weast, recom-
mended $2.2 billion on the 2011 regular
school time budget. If that’s how much
regular school costs, then how much will
the extended school plan going to
cause? Many kids are getting headaches
over the fact that the homework amounts
will fly through the roof, but what about
the high prices? If homework will fly to
the sky, then the guaranteed the prices
will fly to Mars. This new school plan
might be making the future economy
better, but what is it doing to our current
one?
President Obama wants the best
for his future generation, and extending
school, just might be a great way to excel
our minds greatly. Some kids might
vomit at the very thought of longer
school hours, but here are some kids at
Rocky Hill with pro opinions, who see
the bright side of a promising school
future. ―It would really help me on some
of my homework. I could catch up a
ton.‖ comments Aki Stephens. On the
issue of extended school, President
Obama says "Now, I know longer school
days and school years are not wildly
popular ideas," the President said earlier
this year. "Not with Malia and Sasha, not
in my family, and probably not in yours.
But the challenges of a new century de-
mand more time in the class-
room."(Quoted by President Obama by
the FOX News The AP) President
Obama just might have a point here.
School does hold us back from sleeping
in, and other things we treasure, but
maybe getting an even better education
than we already have might possibly
would be worth it. Think about it, a good
education can really get you somewhere.
If Bill Gates is making almost $300 a
second, then just imagine how much
more money he would've been making if
he hadn't dropped out of college!
School teachers hold the keys to our
futures, but we get to pick the door
we want to unlock. This new plan
might help us get on the right track
and pick that right door. Maybe if this
plan doesn't come through, some kids
won't be able to pick that right door,
which can impact the rest of our
lives.
School's always been the
educational place, right? What would
happen if it turned into something
like your second home? The presi-
dent, who has a sixth grader and a
third grader, wants schools to add
time to classes, to stay open late and
to let kids in on weekends so they
have a safe place to go. Having
school as a crash pad doesn't sound
bad. All of your friends would be
there, and you'd be more comfortable
with your surroundings when it came
time for school on Monday. You
could build up a lot of strong friend-
ships around a healthy atmosphere,
and eventually get more work done
because you are of course in a school.
Obama's plan for school transforming
into a more comfortable place for
kids could get pulled off with the
ideas he has. Most of the time you
want to hang out with your friends
and this does the trick, but is it
enough to get kids to get cozy with
the idea of longer school hours?
President Obama's plans of
longer school days and shorter breaks
are not a favorite amongst other stu-
dents, but maybe with some minor
additions to his idea, such as spending
more time with your friends at school
By Melanie Antanesian
Chief Editor
Rocky Hill Annual Willpower Charity Basket Game
Date: May 14th, 2010.
Time: Game begins at 7. Dinner and Auction at 5 PM
Special Features include:
Moon bounce
Very Cool Games for kids,
Dunk Tank for Mr. Whiting and Mr. Heinemann.
Willpower Award during Half time in honor of Mr.
Seng, a former parent, who succumbed to pancreatic
cancer and Mrs. Holmberg, a former teacher at
Rocky Hill, who also succumbed to pancreatic cancer
The goal is to raise money for PanCAN and the Susan
G. Komen For The Cure Foundation
Come and watch your teachers and parents play basket-
ball like never before!