The World Through a Different Perspective.

Sports play a huge role in a student’s life. Studies show that when students are engaged in a physical activity and then sit down to study, they show higher levels of concentration and retain information a lot better than kids that don't. Being in a competitive atmosphere forces to bring out the disciplined side of an adolescent. They tend to have more of an understanding of self-sacrifice when in a brutal practice or game. This means they have a grasp on the reality that short-term pain such as conditioning is necessary to reach a long-term goal like winning a state championship. As Willow Woods would say, “Sports have taught me what it's like to really hate something and love something at the same time. It's disciplining yet rewarding and has taught me a different outlook on will power.” Even if the team does not have success, there is still a feeling of accomplishment created by finishing a season with your teammates, who you have bonded with throughout the struggles of a season.

This appreciation of your accomplishments brings along a boost in confidence, which obviously helps your self-esteem and self-image. When you’re feeling good about yourself, your attitude tends to be more positive.

To switch gears, sports also help in schooling and eligibility. Some might say it's a lot harder to do things when someone is constantly pushing and motivating you—putting pressure on you to succeed. But when it’s done right, it can be very encouraging. When someone cares about you and how you do, it can be very beneficial for students. In my opinion, having a coach influence and support your education is very helpful. The coach brings the student into a stronger connection with their school.

Athletics also promote time management. Athletes must learn to be somewhere at an agreed time without being late. Punctuality shows the coaches you are dedicated and dependable, which also continues to build on self-sacrifice.

ISSUE 2

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PHS JOURNALISM

MONTH YEAR

Journalism Play list

Aidan: “I can’t Stop” - Flux Pavilion

Jenny: “C’mon, C’mon” - One

Direction

Carson: ”Hall of Fame” - The Script

Taylor: “When She Says

Baby” - Jason Aiden

Garrett: “Welcome to the Farm” - Luke Bryan

Heather: “Goodbye in Her Eyes” - Zac Brown Band

Sabrina: “A Little Bit of Life” -

Craig Morgan

Jazmine: “I cry” - Flo Rida ~Heather W.~

Returning to relationships, sports force people to deal with others they may not get along with or like. This makes athletes a little more mature and teaches them an important life lesson—there are going to be people you don’t like, but you still have to get along with them.

Through sports, athletes will broaden their group of friends and have more of a support system. As a young adolescent or even at college, you're going to always need someone to support you. Whether it be a loving relative or a close friend, having the reassurance of knowing someone believes in you, even when you may not believe in yourself, is very important. Although there are other ways of having a support system, sports create “support that someone outside of a team wouldn't understand. It's another family,” Willow explains. It makes you feel a part of something and important to someone.

Sometimes at school, kids can feel out of place and get lost. This can lead them to make bad decisions, which puts them on a dark path. Drugs may get involved and the student might get into some real trouble with the law. So, do sports help kids stay out of trouble? In Willow's opinion, “Absolutely! Keeping them occupied on the weekend prevents them from looking for other things to do.” Statistics show that adolescents enrolled in a sport have a smaller percentage of taking part in illegal activities. Having practice after school and games on the weekends can prevent these actions. Another study shows that students that are not in a sport have a greater chance of dropping out of school.

Some people just either don't like sports or can't physically do them, but sports can have a positive impact on a student’s life. Sports undoubtedly play a huge role in an athlete’s life because they are a motivating factor in their lives. Also, sports are a highly encouraged activity because they can help kids stay in shape. From my standpoint, sports are a very positive thing and can be very beneficial for teens—not only now, but also in the future.

Abby Campbell and Carson Pipher

“Mistakes are part of the game. It’s how you recover from them; that’s the mark of a great player.” –Alice Cooper

"The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2": Movie Review. The last installment of the "Twilight" series hit theaters Nov. 16, 2012. Director Bill Condon masterfully mixed elements such as well -choreographed battles and intimate love scenes into a breathtaking medley leaving viewers wanting more. Contrary to belief, this isn't a flick that will appeal exclusively to female audiences. This film is action packed, unpredictable, romantic, and worth your money and time.

ISSUE 2

DECEMBER 2012

Hi! Ah, yes, what a simple word it is—only made with two letters. Even though it is something so simple, it is used every day, sometimes even more than once. It’s used to greet friends, family, teachers, acquaintances, pets, and so on and so forth. It’s amazing how something so uncomplicated, how one simple word, can make someone’s day. On a bad day, just that one simple word can turn a frown upside down. It brings smiles to pretty much anyone’s face whether they are a snobby brat, a “loner”, or a friend. Sometimes you get a “Hi” back, but other times you may just be left there, without a response—left with just a smile. Hi. Oh, what simplicity, yet it can mean so much. It’s thrown around like a plastic Frisbee, like nothing. Going unnoticed but continuing its way through the day in a person’s thoughts, mind, and feelings. It toys with the emotions of both girls and boys when their crush says something just as simple as “Hi.” “Maybe they do like me! Yeah, it was just a “Hi,” but they talked to me! It could mean something more.” The thought of just that one word races through their heads. The thought, the thoughts—the many, many thoughts—that are derived just from one itty-bitty word. It’s the start of conversations that last days, and go from laughing randomness to being serious in the blink of an eye. The start of a new friendship, possibly the start of something more, and it’s always remembered. Good memories and bad memories start with a “Hi.” That one trouble-free word which floats around like a dandelion seed in the summer breeze, can mean so much more than what it takes credit for. ~Sabrina Greer~

A DISTRACTING FLOAT

Sway to and fro, Back and forth, Time collapses under the spell That this feather-like object unknowingly casts. From the gaze of a small child To the bewilderment of an adult, The white speck is extraordinary By itself the flake grasps the eye But compacted with another It coats the ground with a rich blanket.

Winter is Coming

Winding winds gather and gush Through the air as though an evil giant Were exhaling the thoughts of his cold heart Through his pale blue lips. The leaves of the dead gather on the ground To keep warm. The giant grey figures swirling above Surely signal a seeding storm. The lifeless forest, the crisp air, And the silent atmosphere gives certain implication That winter has arrived. ~Carson Pipher~

“Discipline is remembering what you want.” –David Campbell

If you’ve ever seen a snowflake, You’d see that they look like they do o cartoons. If you ever smell a snowflake, You’d think it smelled better than baboons. If you ever touch a snowflake, It’d melt because of the heat from your fingers. If you ever listen to the snowflakes, It’ll sound better than the best country singers. The prettiest thing Mother Nature can make, Goes unappreciated every year. You have to get super close to see a snowflake. It doesn’t matter anyway; they all melt as soon as you’re near. ~Jenny~

ISSUE 2

DECEMBER 2012

The Creative Corner

The Necklace Such a simple, small accessory—a necklace can bring a smile to one's face. Building self-confidence by accepting a compliment from a stranger or acquaintance. Jewelry can do so many different things for a girl. Each may wildly vary from one another. Sparkling from a collarbone, drawing attention from viewers, a necklace very much so compliments a woman’s complexion. Her stride, with such confidence, bursts from head to toe. Made from expensive diamonds or cheap off-brand jewels, the effect is still the same—boosting one's pride by each glisten in the sun. Feeling beautiful inside and out. The strong clamp suspended around a woman’s neck is a necessary piece of such a divine ensemble. A careful thought out creation, allowing someone to clasp one end of a string-like cord to another. Hidden and completely unnoticeable, yet it is possibly the most important. Though a necklace, as a whole, is such a simple, small accessory; it can bring such warmth to one's smile and thoughts.

The battle between our Paonia Eagles and the Fruita Wildcats was gruesome. The Eagle team is coached by Andy Pipher. Our boys fought hard but suffered a loss. The final score was 24-36. Although Jesse Reed was confident his team would win, things didn't go as planned. However, he still strongly believes that there is a good possibility the Eagles could win state. For a short term goal, the team is looking forward to the next dual on the 7th in Olathe. They are confident it will go well, and the team will come out with their first win for the 2012 season.

Paonia vs. Fruita

Sports And Mysteries

The wait is up for the announcement of last issue’s mystery student. The mystery student was Jason Sturgis! This issue, we are doing another mystery person. This student finds light in the darkest days. She is an extraordinary student, enjoys playing tennis, and plays clarinet in band. She loves all the seasons of the year. She is the youngest of six siblings. She likes to read and loves to write. The color of her hair and eyes is brown. The Mystery Person is:________________________________ Look for the answer in the next edition of the Talon Times. =) ~Heather W.~

Mystery Student

“In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on.” Robert Frost

Dear Gabbeh, I have this… friend, and they have this…stealing problem. In the past 4 months, my friend has stolen: an old lady’s car, candy from babies, a dead, rotting carcass from a cat, 50 dollars from their mom, raw pasta from Wal-Mart, and a laptop from their dad. What should I do to get my friend to stop? -Emotionally Concerned Dear Emotionally Concerned, It sounds like your…friend needs to speak to a therapist. Not to mention the authorities. You can remain anonymous if you wish to report your…friend. Sincerely, Gabbeh

Dear Gabbeh, My boyfriend smells like pine cones and rabbit blood. The smell was sort of neat at first, but now it just makes me want to puke. This isn’t cool, especially when he wants to smoosh our faces together, because then the smell is REALLY bad. How do I tell him to go take a lumping shower without being too mean, or at least make him smell better? -Worried Lover Dear Worried Lover, That sounds awful…and gross. One thing I would do is carry around some Axe, and when you’re with him, spray yourself with it, and offer to spray him with “good smelling spray.” It’s only temporary, but it’s better than smelling rabbit blood. With Love, Gabbeh

Dear Gabbeh, I cannot stop eating Snickerdoodles. In the past 3 weeks, all I’ve had to eat is Snickerdoodles. My mom keeps making them! She doesn’t force me to eat them, but she seems glad to see that I’m so enthusiastic about them. The worst part is I’m allergic to one of the ingredients, and I’ve had to be hospitalized 9 times. What do I do? -Snickerdoodle Addict Dear Snickerdoodle Addict, That’s unfortunate. I myself had a similar issue with chalupas. You should try putting gross ingredients in your mom’s cookie dough when she’s not looking, so when you eat them, you learn to associate them with bad stuff. That way, the next time you look at a Snickerdoodle, you’ll get sick. Broccoli works pretty well for me. Oh, asparagus too, that stuff is gross. So my friend, you make those cookies gross. Well I’m going to become the most gorgeous of all the chalupas.

Teehee Haha!!

Lollapalooza- This word originated here in the U.S. It means “an extraordinary thing, person, or event.” Sockdolager- Pronounced: [sok-dol-uh-ger] it means “a decisive blow or remark.” It turns out this word was also born here in the U.S. and apparently one Abraham Lincoln heard before he got shot. Hornswoggle- Meaning “to trick or hoax.” The origin is a bit fuzzy. The first known use of the word was around 1829 here in America. Discombobulate- It was first recorded with two equally silly spellings. This wacky word means “to confuse or upset.” And if you guessed that it originated in the U.S, you’d be right. Foofaraw- Here we are at the last silly word on our list: foofaraw. A foofaraw can be “a great fuss about something insignificant” or “an excessive amount of decoration.” This too was born in the U.S. ~Sabrina Greer~

Ridiculous Words Random Facts ~~The average lifespan of a major league baseball is seven pitches. ~~A giraffe can clean its ears with its twenty-one inch tongue. ~~Slugs have four noses. ~~Over 1,000 birds a year die from smashing into windows. ~~Peanuts are one of the ingredients in dynamite. ~~Proportional to their weight, men are stronger than horses. ~~A shrimp's heart is in its head. ~~You’re born with 300 bones, but by the time you become an adult, you only have 206. ~~What is called a "French kiss" in the English speaking world is known as an "English kiss" in France. ~~The average lead pencil will draw a line 35 miles long or write approximately 50,000 English words. ~~There are no clocks in Las Vegas gambling casinos. ~~In a deck of playing cards, the king of hearts is the only king without a mustache. ~~A crocodile can't move its tongue and cannot chew. Its digestive juices are so strong that it can digest a steel nail. ~~The 57 on Heinz ketchup bottles represents the number of varieties of pickles the company once had. ~~For all you band geeks out there: American car horns beep in the tone of F. ~~A car that shifts manually gets 2 miles more per gallon of gas than a car with automatic shift. ~~On Valentine’s Day, nearly 189 million stems of roses are sold in the U.S. ~~“Love” in the sense of “no score” in tennis dates to 1792 and means “playing for love” or, in other words, playing for nothing. ~~'Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia' is the fear of long words. When you laugh while being tickled, what you are experiencing is actually a form of panic. When a person is tickled, the response is actually a form of panic, as the brain interprets the tickling sensation as produced by spiders or other creepy crawlies on your skin; the uncontrollable laughter is a response to panic. ~Sabrina greer~

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Tarot  Card  of  the  Day  Don’t  freak  out!  This  doesn’t  mean  you’re  going  to  die.  In  the  cycle  of  life,  death  is  the  necessary  precursor  for  rebirth.  This  card  represents  a  major  change:  letting  go  in  order  to  make  room  for  something  new.  It’s  a  good  time  to  bring  something  to  an  end.  This  card  can  be  the  bearer  of  change;  be  open  to  new  possibilities.  ~Jenny~  

Speech Team in Fruita Tensions were high as speech and debate teams from all over the Western Slope (and other places) gathered at Fruita Monument High School on Saturday December 1, 2012. This speech meet was quite the victory for our home team, the Eagles. Kira Budinger (captain of the Paonia Jr. Sr. High School speech team) snagged second place in dramatic interp with "The Joke About My Nose," by Eve Ensler. Dylan Tomei and Noah Johnson, another contender at the speech meet from Paonia Jr Sr. High School, also snagged a second place .

award in duo (humor) interp with "15 Reasons Not to Be in a Play," by Alan Haehnel. "Speech is a lot of fun and takes more effort than one may think," says Dylan Tomei. Speech meets at times may seem like serious cut throat competition, but in reality everybody is supportive of one another and goes home satisfied whether they placed or not. Great job, Paonia High School's speech team. ~Aidan Kne~

Fortune, B irthdays , and Speech