Spirit of the Dragon, Issue 3

SpiritDragon

Del Dios Middle School • EUSD • Escondido, CA

of the

GOT DREAMS? Volume

XLIX

January-March

2011

A SEASON OF NONVIOLENCE

By Kayla Douglas, Staff Writer

Del Dios Middle School is celebrating the Season For Nonviolence, which is a 64 day celebration and commemoration of the lives of Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., and Cesar Chavez. The season begins on January 30th and ends on April 4th, and the students and staff will be engaged in many diverse and meaningful activities to highlight these men’s vision of human existence based on truth, justice and equity for all. Their lives exemplified service and sacrifice based on the principles of nonviolent social action and Love, and we will be tailoring our activities to align with these powerful principles.

Read more on page 13

IPOD SHUFFLE. want one?

Read more on page 5 HH The 14th Dalai Lama, César Chåvez, Mohandas Gandhi, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

WHEN AM I EVER GOING TO USE THIS IN THE REAL WORLD?

By Mrs. Murphy, Staff Advisor AUTHOR DARES DRAGONS TO READ AND WRITE WITH FEARLESS IMAGINATION

By Kayla Douglas, Staff Writer

World-renown children’s author and illustrator, Peter H. Reynolds, shares with Del Dios students and teachers his passion for nurturing the daring imagination lurking in all of us.

Read Peter Reynolds’ story on page 3

DRAGONS HONORED AT EUSD WRITING CELEBRATION!

By Consuelo Araujo, Staff Writer We are WRITERS!! Each year, students around the district are honored at the annual Writing Celebration. Spirit of the Dragon is proud to include our honorees!

Read the winners’ writing on page 9

Teachers hear that phrase a lot. And the answer is: it could be a lot sooner than you think!

When you’re sitting at a desk in a classroom, it’s hard to look into the future and apply what you’re learning and working on to a real-life situation.

The process - of thinking about what you’re learning and imagining a new and different scenario using the same concept is what we call “metacognition”, “making connections” and “synthesizing”.

In your Language Arts class, you’ve been working very hard on understanding persuasive writing and reading persuasive text forms. A perfect example of using this information in the “real world” revealed itself just a few weeks ago.

The end of January marked the beginning of the Season of Nonviolence. The PLUS class was fortunate to attend a Town Hall Meeting at USD as part of the opening ceremonies. Fall Interns, Katie Athis and Elena Bellaart (both high school students) wrote the opening letter this year for the WorldLink 2011 online reader. This document provides a comprehensive overview of the WorldLink efforts and the program focus for the 2011 season.

Reading the first few sentences, it was very clear that these two young girls were passionate about their mission. By the end of the letter it was even more clear that I needed to do something: share their letter as a testament of why it’s important to get it right.

Continued on page 11 Mr. Bob Leon, Deputy Superintendent of Human Resources, and Mr. Keith Nuthall, Del Dios Middle School Principal, in front of what is arguably the best writing display in the Escondido District!

Photo courtesy of Mrs. Pam Candelore, Teacher, DDMS

Issue

3

2/3

editor’s letter & sponsors earth day & spirit staff dare to dream

4/5

campus snapshots campus & community

6/7

showcase trophy case

8/9 10/11

writing celebration

voices of youth & be the change

12/13

in touch season of nonviolence

14 15 16/17 18/19 health & wellness

college & career

WorldLink 2011 Online Reader: Cover Design by Marissa Wong

NEW TDAP SHOT REQUIREMENT FOR ALL 7TH-12TH GRADERS! ARE YOU READY??

By Mrs. Baldwin, DDMS School Health Technician

This coming school year (2011-12), ALL students entering 7th – 12th grades in the state of California will need to show proof of an adolescent whooping cough booster shot (Tdap) before starting school this fall.

Students who do not bring their shot reContinued on page 14

sports highlights

leisure time & entertainment puzzles & games

20

the back page

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VOL XLIX - ISSUE 3 - JAN-MAR 2011

FROM THE EDITOR

by Mrs. Murphy, Advisor and Spirit Staff Writers

Dear Readers, We, the staff of the ‘Spirit of the Dragon’ newspaper and I, want to thank you for your patience with the epic delay of this third issue. As with any new endeavor, there are stumbling blocks, learning curves, challenges and downright, total road destruction.

Eventually, though, with perseverance and a can-do spirit, stumbling blocks are climbed over, learning curves are leveled, challenges are met and roads are reconstructed; and ultimately, success is achieved.

The issue you are now holding is a work of hard labor, three times over.

As weeks passed and we ran into circumstances preventing the printing of the paper, articles and advertisements needed to be removed or rewritten and new items placed which meant shifting stories to different pages and rearranging page layouts.

I’m so proud of the news staff for their positive attitudes and for their perseverance. It was disheartening to rewrite this paper several times due to delays, yet they never complained or refused to do what was necessary. That takes some character, and they’ve got it.

Although our school paper may not be “breaking news”, we have smoothed out the process to become a paper of newsworthy information, content and as our mission states, we strive to “serve the greater good of the community and build school spirit!”

We, as a newspaper staff, continue to improve our editing process and utilize new and existing technologies to create a product that is worth reading; both in the mechanics of the writing and in the spirit of the content.

Thank you for your support, your contributions, and your encouragement!

Dragon’s have Spirit!

Spirit of the Dragon

Spirit of the Dragon - Del Dios Middle School

EARTH DAY 2011: WHAT HAVE YOU GOT PLANNED?

For over 40 years, Earth Day Network has been leading and supporting its vast international network in a myriad of programs and c a m p a i g n s designed to celebrate Earth Day every year, on or around April 22.

It began as a “National Teach-In”, on the 22nd of April, when 20 million Americans took to the streets, parks, and auditoriums to demonstrate for a healthy, sustainable environment in massive coast-to-coast rallies. Thousands of colleges and universities organized protests against the deterioration of the environment. Groups that had been fighting against oil spills, polluting factories and power plants,

raw sewage, toxic dumps, pesticides, freeways, the loss of wilderness, and the extinction of wildlife suddenly realized they shared common values.

Earth Day 1970 achieved a rare political alignment, enlisting support from Republicans and Democrats, rich and poor, city slickers and farmers, tycoons and labor leaders. The first Earth Day led to the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and

the passage of the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species Acts.

Since 1990, Earth Day has become a truly global celebration, with national observances in Morocco, India and nearly 200 other countries.

We invite you to create your own unique Earth Day event for our next observance! You can find all of the resources you need here.

FROM THE Eby Noel D IDiaz T OandR S Kayla Douglas

Putting the paper together is very exciting, but can also be very hard and tiring.

Sometimes our job can be very difficult but it’s very rewarding seeing every body’s faces light up up when they hear, “the paper is coming out!”.

From start to finish, the process is a long one - but so worth it!

Spirit of the Dragon A

ny great publication is a work of art to those who hold the vision and are with the work from its inception. And, as with any public work, the final product is really just a glimpse of the process and journey; the toil and tears; the laughter and joy of what it takes to create. We, the staff of the Spirit of the Dragon, invite you to join us on any given Wednesday, from 8am until 9:40am, and work with us; create with us; jump over obstacles with us; and dodge our advisor’s lightening-bolt glares when we miss the mark, even just a hair. Publishing is a work of art and yet an exacting process. But we are beginning to discover the artist, the writer, the designer, the photographer and editor - within each of us.

The Winter/Spring 2011 issue of ‘Spirit of the Dragon’ is dedicated to all Del Dios Middle School Alumni and the 2010-2011 Season of Nonviolence Student and Staff Honorees: Fidel Mares Nieto and Natalie Mendoza, 8th • Grade James Garcia and Michael Guzman, 7th Grade

Editor-in-Chief Amy Murphy, Advisor Staff Writers Marlen Amador Consuelo Araujo Erin Brandt Danny Butout Kayla Douglas Anthony Garcia Andrea Hernandez Arturo Osorio Jeredith Peña Beltran Miguel Perez Maria Pineda Gomez Cristino Quiñonez Contributing Photographers Michael De Neve DDMS Yearbook Advisor Yearbook and DDTV Staff Photographers Shannon Isley Valeria Gileta Vanessa Gomez

Spirit of the Dragon, Online Shannon Isley Noel Diaz Special Contributors Peter H. Reynolds Founder/President, FableVision Learning Supporters and Donors Borders Books and Music Del Dios MS, Alumni DonorsChoose.org Escondido Public Library Ice-o-Plex Port-of-Subs

Mission Statement The 2010-2011 newspaper staff envisions a paper that not only strives to inform its readers, but one that inspires questions, provokes thoughtful discussions, promotes reading and writing and encourages contributions from all students of life, embraces the whole of our Del Dios community, and exudes school SPIRIT from its very ink and pages.

To achieve this, the newspaper staff is committed to being thoughtful in its writing and selection of all content printed herein. While we may be privy to information, we understand that not all information need be shared or in print. We ask ourselves and help each other discern: does the content serve to inform, spark thought and debate over a topic worthy of such action; and does the content serve the greater good of our community and build school spirit?

Contact Us General Contact

Email: news@ddmsnews.com Phone: 760/432-2439 Web: www.ddmsnews.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/DDMSnews

Letters to the Editor

Email: editor@ddmsnews.com Paper letters can be dropped off to our DDMSnews mailbox in the front office.

Photos

Email: photos@ddmsnews.com Photos can be dropped off to our DDMSnews mailbox in the front office. Please be sure to include your contact info for returning purposes.

Dare to Dream Spirit of the Dragon - Del Dios Middle School

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VOL XLIX - ISSUE 3 - JAN-MAR 2011

PROTECTING THE PASSION: KEEPING WINGS OUTSTRETCHED FOR A DARING JOURNEY

by Peter H. Reynolds, Founder/President, FableVision Something odd starts happening to us when we reach about ten years old. Our creative wings begin to fold up, neatly, and begin to get packed away.

We have more freedom, artistically, when we are very young. Making colorful pictures, wild ones, ignoring the rules, green skies and blue lawns, are expected and applauded. While it never seems enough time, it is luxurious compared to the tinier window of opportunity offered to us as writers.

Mastering the alphabet and the basics of sentence construction leaves us with very little time to take the next step and doodle and dream with words with the same wiled, rule-free abandon we used as toddlerartists. By the time we have the ability to write, to channel unspoken thoughts into written words, we are already packing up our wings. For many of us, we have them sealed up, rarely if ever, experiencing the joy of creative soaring and playing.

I spent time visiting a school a few years ago and come across a sixth grade class whose teacher had an outright ban on creative writing.

“I have the difficult task of readying these children for research paper writing in middle school. They have played the last few years, but in my class - the party is over.”

I get a bit nauseous just playing that back in my mind. It is no wonder that we give up expressing ourselves with that sort of encouragement. If we don’t practice expressing ourselves, we don’t get better. Alas, for many, writing with skill and flair becomes a foggy, elusive dream.

Well, then, if you don’t write well, should you give up writing? Should it be a craft only for those with the most expert skills in storytelling, in research, in sentence-crafting?

Certainly not. All writers welcome!

Step off the path and write with your wings outstretched. Break a rule or two as you go. Don’t let a jumbled thought stop you. Plant it and keep going. Don’t let a misspelled word slow you down, go back and attend to it later. Listen to your inner voice and transcribe what you hear without trying to edit it. Try writing for yourself. Not for your audience. Try to ignore the critics’ voices you may hear. Invent a word. Skip punctuation or invent your own..._...> and see what it feels like. Borrow an idea from your favorite author. Twist it a few times. Turn it inside out. Make it your own.

I will grab my journal and write the first word or two that comes to mind. “Red velvet...” And then I let these words coax the next few out.... “welcomed me. Sweeping curtains opened.” The magic is not to stop and be too logical. Be brave and let the images that come to mind tumble out. (By the way, I have said this before and I will keep saying it: buy a blank journal for yourself and for someone you’d like to inspire. Have plenty on hand and be ready to let your words and ideas out!)

Picasso learned the rules and then playfully ignored them to invent something new.

The most important thing is to be brave and finish. Writing, like a journey, is easy to begin, but to reach a destination on the journey requires a brave heart.

I met a lovely retired woman recently who, once learning that I am a children’s book author and illustrator, shared with me a story that she had written 37 years earlier. She had meant to “do something with the story” for all those years. I said it was time to share it now.

“The Internet is a way to share your story,” I told her. Her eyes lit up as I sketched a rabbit, for her story about a rabbit who survives a trying journey. Tears welled up as she looked at him and she said, “It’s like seeing my baby born.”

Sharing your stories takes a kind of bravery, too. Not that you have to share them. You can keep them tucked in a shoebox to be found later. Some very well-known books were discovered that way. A book that comes to mind, “Confederacy of Dunces” by William Kennedy Smith, was found in a shoe box under his bed after his death. He broke lots of rules, namely by writing about a very ordinary man’s life. It just poured along in its quiet, quirky way.

It is the caregivers’, parents’, educators’ challenge to teach our young writers to be brave. To hear their inner voice and not let it be overshadowed by rules. To be playful. To be inventive. To write for themselves. To share their words if they want to share. To tuck them away if they prefer, but to encourage that they write nonetheless. Our challenge is to encourage beginnings, middles and ends. To help our young writers learn to keep their wings outstretched. To express themselves. To let what is inside - out. Bravery is one of the lost arts. Help find it in every learner.

Peter H. Reynolds Founder/President FableVision Reprinted with permission.

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Campus Snapshots

Spirit of the Dragon - Del Dios Middle School

VOL XLIX - ISSUE 3 - JAN-MAR 2011

ASB & PLUS WORK HARD 8TH GRADE VISITS TO BUILD COMMUNITY USS MIDWAY

By Marlen Amador, Staff Writer

By Anthony Garcia, Staff Writer

ASB and PLUS are dedicated to building school spirit and promoting a sense of community on campus and off. Both groups work very hard to plan events that offer students a chance to have fun AND do something to make a difference! Thanks, ASB! Thanks, PLUS! Directly above, moving counter-clockwise: ASB On-A-Roll Lunchtime Celebration activities; PLUS sponsors Mix-it-Up activities at lunch; more from the On-ARoll lunch celebration; ASB posters encourage students to make a difference and be involved; ASB crew leads the celebration; PLUS classes at USD for WorldLink 2010; PLUS guest speaker Miriam Palma from Mindanao.

The Del Dios 8th grade students took a field trip to the USS Midway in San Diego on December 9th. The students had an amazing time learning about the Midway and her many crew members.

As we entered, the first thing we received were ear phones and a radio. We dialed in the number of the object we were looking at and a recording told us information about that place or object. We learned a lot!

The USS Midway was the 41st battle ship for the Navy and it has that number on the side of the ship. The ship had a jail, called “the brig”, which was used for sailors who caused problems. Approximately 4,500 sailors lived on the USS Midway.

We learned how the airplanes at the top of the ship functioned. Some people weren't allowed to be up there.

We all got to see the dining room; it was really small for all the sailors who ate there.

The students saw the bunkers, where all the sailors slept. They also saw the place where the commander navigated the ship.

The Midway now has a gift shop but we skipped that part. Some of the students were able to climb into the air crafts and see the equipment up close.

The trip was pretty amazing; one that I’m sure we won’t forget!

The USS Midway sponsored the trip for the 8th grade class. Thank you! And thank you to the veterans who led our tours!

ROCKET SOARS OVER DD

By Kayla Douglas, Staff Writer The largest rocket ever launched from the U.S. West Coast blasted off on Thursday, January 27, 2011, from Vandenberg Air Force Base, .in Los Angeles. It was carrying a top secret satellite into orbit, so shhh, don’t tell anyone Del Dios! The Delta IV Heavy rocket stood 23 stories tall, and its engines produced 2 million pounds of thrust. It is a spy satellite with a camera so detailed that it can determine the model of a car form hundreds of miles away. The rocket flew over Del Dios at exactly 1:10 p.m. on January 27, 2011!

WINTER CONCERT A SUCCESS FOR BAND AND CHORUS

By Anthony Garcia, Staff Writer The Del Dios Music Department, directed by Mr. Gibney, continued a long-time tradition by performing a Winter Concert for the community. The band started practicing in early October. Preparation for the concert was challenging

>> DDMS CHORUS & BAND

for the band and chorus classes but they persevered. Rehearsals paid off because the concert was a success! Congratulations! We hope to hear more from you in the spring!

Winter Concert December 2010

Students rehearsed often and worked hard to give a terrific musical performance.

ASB provided the beautiful, wintery decorations.

DDMS Winter Concert Photos by Yearbook

The band played several well-known melodies and added a little winter spirit to some.

Music Director, David Gibney, conducted.

Campus & Community Spirit of the Dragon - Del Dios Middle School

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VOL XLIX - ISSUE 3 - JAN-MAR 2011

IPOD SHUFFLE & TOUCH, MESA @ SDSU & CSUSM OH MY!

By Mr. Nuthall, Principal You’ve been taught well; you’ve studied and practiced hard. When you use the strategies you’ve been taught and take time to check your answers there is no outcome other than AMAZING RESULTS! Really?

Really, really.

In fact, your administration and academic coaches are so confident in your abilities when you focus and dedicate yourselves, that we’re willing to walk the talk, or rather “shuffle to the sounds”.

So here’s the deal:

6th & 7th Grade Students:

Meet OVERALL School Score of 725 = Music at Lunch during Trimester 1! (on your own mps)

Individual students scoring PROFICIENT/ADVANCED in ELA & MATH = Music at lunch ALL YEAR (on your own mps)!

8th Grade Students:

Meet OVERALL School Score of 725 =

When: Thu, February 3 Where: SDSU and UCSD Who: All MESA students What: Engineering Department tours Contact person: Mr. Lutgen

MESA participants went to SDSU and UCSD for engineering tours. The students were guided in small groups by university student docents. They were then brought into the campus MPR for a question and answer session.

MESA students dedicate four hours after school every week to meet and prepare for the competition on the last Saturday of January.

Congratulations on your hard work and dedication, MESA! We’re cheering for you! Thanks to MESA Advisor, Mr. Phil Lutgen, for coaching the group!

ALL students placed in a raffle for one of ten iPod Shuffles!

Individual students scoring PROFICIENT/ADVANCED in ELA, MA, SC & SS = placed in a raffle for an iPod Touch!

CJSF RECYCLING Thanks for your contributions and support of the recycling program!

If you leave after 3:00 pm, please put your cans and bottles outside your door. CJSF will collect them every Friday and sometimes on Tuesdays.

"What is a 'Dedication'" you ask?

Think of ti as a "Last Will and Testament" What could you leave behind to your 7th and/or 6th grade besties who will carry on your traditions?

It's a fun way to bequeath the things that you had or did that your friends loved.

printed in a special june edition of the paper

Check out page 18 for examples!

pick up a dedications form in the front office or in rooms 32 or 47

ACADEMIC BOWL MEDIA/NEWS ROOM DUE FOR UPGRADE

By Kim Comes, Assistant Principal

DDMS teachers and students will begin training soon in preparation for the all-district Academic Decathalon. Student teams battle against other schools in academic disciplines. The competition can be fierce, but it makes the victory all the more sweet.

Stay tuned for more information!

MATH FIELD DAY TO BE HOSTED @ DEL DIOS IN FEB

By Kim Comes, Assistant Principal

DDMS will be hosting Math Field Day on our campus Feb. 12th from 8:00 a.m.12:00 p.m.

This is a district-wide event and there will be 275 6th and 5th grade participants on our campus that Saturday morning.

To all of you who will be participating in the competitions, good luck!

GO DRAGONS!!

By Anthony Garcia, Reporter

The Del Dios news room is going through some changes!

The principal, Mr. Nuthall, is moving forward with re-purposing room 47 as a high-quality media studio. Plans are to revamp the back office and improve the sound room.

The district is working with contractors from Southern Wiring who will complete the electronic and wiring jobs. They will be adding computer drops for Rooms 47 and the Word Processing Lab, Room 61. They are also adding power outlets. The contractors will work at night so they do not disturb any classes.

Dale Wood, district Information Technology Director, said that the district and Del Dios school have been planning this upgrade for about a year.

HIGH SCHOOL ORIENTATION Hey, 8th graders! Listen up!

High School isn’t as far away as it seems.

In fact, orientation is just around the corner and your teachers are already starting to gather data to help them decide your placement into classes for 9th grade.

Save “Spring Fever” for when you’re a senior and all the hard work is done. If you slack off now, you’ll only end up with a ton more work later!

The word “orientation” means “getting your bearings; figuring out where you are”. So think of high school orientation as a time to get familiar with what to expect and hear some tips on how to make the transition more smooth.

San Pasqual HS: Tues., Mar 8, 8-9am Escondido HS: Wed., Mar 9, 8 am (MPR) Orange Glen HS: Wed., Mar 9, 8 am (Lib)

ON THE

WASHINGTON DC TRIP When:

June 2011

Where:

Washington D.C.

Capitol Building, White House, Holocaust Memorial Museum, and more!

Points of Interest:

More Info: Contact:

www.WorldStrides.org

Mrs. Lee, Room 33

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VOL XLIX - ISSUE 3 - JAN-MAR 2011

Student Showcase

Spirit of the Dragon - Del Dios Middle School

MIND MAP HELPS MAKES MEANING OF TASK

By Marlen Amador and Consuelo Araujo, Staff Writers Contributed by Mrs. Horton, 8th Grade Social Studies

When Mrs. Horton sent us the mind map you see here, we knew we had to talk to the creator. Graphic organizers are really useful for making it easier to understand something. In this case, Giovanni Hodge used a mind map to make sense of that crazy subject: Government.

Staff Which class are you using mind map for?

Giovanni I am using it for Social Studies.

Staff Did using the mind map help you understand the content?

Giovanni Yes. Staff Do you like it?

Giovanni Yes. Staff Who gave you the idea or did you think of it?

Giovanni Well, my dad gave me the idea of drawing it.

Staff What did you draw on it?

Giovanni I drew Obama, cars, and people going on strike.

Staff Did you enjoy “Government” Mind Map by Giovanni Hodge creating it?

Giovanni Yes. I enjoyed it because I got to draw all sorts of things.

So not only did this mind map help Giovanni understand the social studies lesson, but it allowed him to use his drawing skills as a way to learn in another subject area.

Why don’t you try using this strategy for your next assignment?

Congratulations, Giovanni, for being recognized for your terrific work!

DNA TO RNA: STUDENT CREATES NEW SPECIES Contributed by Mrs. Moghal, 7th Grade Science Students, in seventh grade science, learned how to transcribe DNA to RNA and then translate RNA to proteins.

To practice this process, students created a fictitious creature with the traits that they translated.

One student in particular, Anthony Delgado, created a creature that really caught the eye of Mrs. Moghal. She was so impressed with his work and understanding of the transcription process that she sent it to the paper for recognition.

Congratulations, Anthony! Your outstanding work has been showcased!

FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE ASSIGNMENT BLOWS LID OFF OTHERS Contributed by Mrs. Wontorsky

Congratulations to and Kaylyn and Catherina , both 7th Grade, for an outstanding Figurative Language assignment product! In Mrs. Wontorsky’s Language Arts class students created illustrated similes. A simile is a figure of speech that uses “like” or “as” to compare two DIFFERENT things (ex. She was as pale as a ghost. The disease spread like wildfire). Students found similes in the short story, Rikki-Tikki-Tavi. The first assignment students worked with Edmodo, an online social network for students. For the second assignment, students divided a piece of paper into six squares and illustrated six similes from the story in each box. To learn about more about figurative language and similes visit: http://www.how-to-study.com/study-skills/en/language-arts/12/similes

TEACHERS!!!

Are you students creating AMAZING products for their assignments?

Are your students ACHIEVING high results from putting serious EFFORT into their work?

We want to CELEBRATE this!!

photo by Yearbook Staff

3.0+ GPA Celebrating 8th grade achievement awards. Students pose for recognition of their outstanding hard work and dedication to their future. Congratulations on a perfect first trimester! Keep it up!

Send us a picture, write an email, post on our Facebook, put it in Mrs. Murphy’s mailbox in the office...

Let us know!!!

Writing Celebration

“

Spirit of the Dragon - Del Dios Middle School

8TH GRADE WRITING CELEBRATION WINNER: ‘FIRST DAY’ BY ARTURO OSORIO My First Day of Kindergarten It was my first day of kindergarten. As I walked into the room I noticed the other kids that had arrived there before me. I rubbed my hands on my jeans as I spotted the teacher, Mrs. Bhuler.

“Settle down everyone,” she said with a voice as calm as the night breeze on a starless night. “I am Mrs. Bhuler, your teacher,” She continued.

After she introduced herself she told us to introduce ourselves.

“My name is Arturo and I like Power Rangers,” I said quickly and shyly sitting down almost as soon as I stood up. As the other kids stood up and introduced themselves I looked around.

I spotted the finger painting easels, the playhouse, and most importantly the exit.

“Now, who wants to go to recess?” Mrs. Bhuler asked. She was met by a chorus of cheering five-year olds.

When we got outside I knew that I wanted to go on the tricycles. The only problem was that I didn’t know how to get there. I decided to follow another kid who said that he was going on the tricycles.

When I got there I waited in line for my turn. When it was my turn I was met by a yard lady.

“Now what you want to do is stay in the lines,” she said with a smile on her face.

“I’ll do my best,” I said a little bolder since she had smiled.

It was time for me to get on the tricycle. As I got on I noticed how its wheels were mainly white with a red dot in the middle.

“How am I going to ride this thing!?!”

I asked myself. “Now is not the time to back out,” I told myself. All of a sudden I remembered my bike at home. Sure they were different but didn’t they both have wheels, handlebars, and pedals?

With this in mind I started peddling. As I pedaled I gained confidence. Now I could feel the breeze in my hair. The breath of freedom filled my lungs with every breath I took. As I sped on I felt as if I could have broken any speed record set on wheels.

All too soon my turn was over.

As I got off I eagerly got back in line.

I could not wait to get some of that freedom again.

THE KID FROM THE WEST

By Hector Hernandez, 8th Grade Walking to school I see a fool.

He tells me to jump in a pool But I’m too cool.

For this fool So I go sit on a stool.

As I walked into class. My teacher gave me a hall pass.

To go see Mrs. Grass As I walked I fell on glass.

As I walked into her room I saw her face.

Then she told me to tie my shoelace.

As I got there she told everyone that we are taking a test I said “No because I’m from the West.

“Why can’t you take a test if you’re from the West I said, “Because today I have to go to a feast in the West.

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VOL XLIX - ISSUE 3 - JAN-MAR 2011

OUR COMMUNITY

“Don’t tell me the moon is shining;

show me

the glint of light

on broken glass.”

- Anton Checkhov

”

1966 WRITING CONTEST WINNER, 8TH GRADE: ‘CURIOSITY KILLED THE CAT’ BY STEVE SCHMIDT Contributed by Mrs. Clark, DDMS Library Technician and Keeper of the Archives From ‘The Braggin’ Dragon’, Vol. IV, No. 11, April 1, 1966

By Lucy Chan, 6th Grade Journalism

The community is doing great right now in my opinion. Even the homeless people with barely anything, get food, and the criminal activity seems low.

I am happy to hear that police women and men are doing their job right, especially how they caught that house a while ago with bombs.

During the weekend, while at Target, I saw a homeless man with a cute little dog, but then after that, at lunch, I saw them also getting food which made me happy to know that even the poorest people can get food.

As for the stores, we’ve just built a new store nearby, and that is why I think Escondido is doing well.

The movie theater is packed; that tells me that people have the time and money to be able to go to the movies.

Now that the holidays are over, I hope that everyone continues to prosper so California’s economy can rebound to its previous greatness.

BATS ARE BENEFICIAL

By Vanessa Shaw

Do you think that Vampire Bats actually turn into vampires and suck people’s blood? Mrs. Spears from the Bat Conservation International came this week to teach us the truth about bats.

Bats are beneficial because they eat insects, spread pollen, and Vampire Bat’s saliva can save lives.

Bats eat insects. Most of the bats in the world eat insects. These bats are called Insectivores and eat 1,200 bugs each night. Bugs, such as grasshoppers, so farmers spray pesticides that contain chemicals, which could make us sick.

Instead farmers could build bat boxes for bats to live in. That way, the bats can go out at night and eat all the insects.

They can be our natural pesticide. Mosquitoes are another pest insectivores can eat. These pests carry malaria, which millions of people die from each year.

Bats spread pollen. Plants need to be pollinated to bear fruits and flowers.

Bats are nocturnal, so they can only spread pollen to the nocturnal plants such as cacti, bananas, mangoes, guavas, papaya, and hemp (for rope). Only the diurnal, meaning awake during the day, animals can pollinate the diurnal plants.

The bat doesn’t really know it is pollinating. What’s it trying to do is drink the nectar from the flowers. It sticks its head in the flower, and pollen rubs on the bat and sticks to its furry body. Then the bat goes to the next flower, and does the same thing, but some of the pollen falls off, pollinating the flower.

Vampire saliva can save human lives.

They do not suck human blood. In fact, Vampire Bats lap up live stock blood.

They make a small incision on the livestock. They then spit saliva to unclot the blood, then lap it up like a small kitten.

Scientists observe thus technique and started extracting the vampire bat’s saliva, to stop blood clots in human bodies. Blood clots can give you strokes and heart attacks, which can be fatal when not tended right away by a doctor.

Vampire Bat saliva, however, can stop and prevent this from happening.

In summary, bats are helpful to humans. So, I encourage you to build a humane exclusion, instead of killing bats, if you have bats in your home and do not want them.

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VOL XLIX - ISSUE 3 - JAN-MAR 2011

Read, Write & Think

Spirit of the Dragon - Del Dios Middle School

DRAGONS ARE READING MORE! BRACED TO BITE

By Keith Nuthall, Principal Del Dios students are reading more than ever. Between August and December, this

year’s students checked out one thousand twenty-nine more books compared to last year. Considering enrollment is down by 90 students, this is a remarkable statistic.

Challenge: Represent the above information as a mathematical equation and ask your math teacher for extra credit if it’s right!

DDMS Students are READING MORE!!! Here’s evidence:

8000 6000 4000 2000

Last Year

0

THIS Year

MY BROTHER’S KEEPER

By Patricia McCormick Recommended by Kayla Douglas

Toby Malone adores his older brother,jake.

He's the cool one, the MVP of the baseball team, the one who can charm their mother into anything. Toby, Jake, and their little brother, Eli, have always had an easy, joking friendship, where it's the three of them against the world.

But ever since Toby's father left, things have been off-balance. His mother seems deflated and resigned. Eli has gone back to sucking his thumb. And jake is becoming distant and secretive.

As Toby struggles to keep his family together, Jake drifts further and further away.

Only Toby knows why: Jake is slipping into drug use, the way their father slipped into alcohol before he disappeared. To spare his mother yet more heartache, Toby tries to cover up for Jake. But his efforts backfire, only adding to the growing tension between the two brothers- until jake finally goes too far .

SCHOOLED

By Gordon Korman Recommended by Morgan Murphy

I couldn’t put the book down because Gordon Korman writes in a style that keeps moving the story forward. When he switches between characters and who’s telling the story (the point of view), he doesn’t repeat the story, but moves it forward from that character’s experience. That style is really interesting to me.

I wanted to keep reading the story because the main character, Cap, is so clueless and he doesn’t know what anything popular is, and I liked that. It’s nice to not be pressured into what other people think is popular or cool. Being clueless turns out to be a good thing because Cap ends up being the best 8th grade school president the school has ever had; he’s more focused on making the school a better place. By keeping true to his identity he doesn’t lose himself in the crowd of normalcy.

Some other stories by Gordon Korman in our Del Dios library are: Son of the Mob, Born to Rock, The Sixth Grade Nickname Game, and The Juvie Three. He is the author of more than fifty young adult and middle grade novels.

This book was incredibly descriptive

By Serena Robar and exciting! The adReported by Erin Brandt ventures Colby has to endure are interesting and super funny. Colby has a sarcastic sense of humor and is very witty. Her best-friend, Piper, is quick to crack a joke and is very critical.

Together, Colby and Piper kick butt in this new twist on the vampires. Romance and action take their toll in this sporty comedy. Colby Blanchard has to try and keep

“

her cool while full-blooded vampires try to “relieve her of her undead status.” Piper has to try and help Colby maintain her half-blood status while juggling school and her very own social life. A real “page-turner”, Braced to Bite, will have you thirsting for more! Check it out or get your own copy!!

OPINIONS... . . . YOURS! A big shout-out goes to the 6th grade Journalism class, led by Advisor, Mr. David Johnsin, and another huge shout-out to those of you who read earlier stories and then connected them with something else you’d seen. You inspired us to create an “Opinion” section in the paper. Way to go!

Have an opinion? Share it with us at: www.ddmsnews.com click Opinion, or email it to us at news@ddmsnews.com

“IMAGINATION is more important than knowledge.

Knowledge is limited.

IMAGINATION ENCIRCLES the WORLD. Put them

THE GLORIOUS, WONDERFUL, EMPTY PAGE

By Peter H. Reynolds, Founder/President of FableVision

I love nothing.

Sweet nothings.

”

I love the sweet, expectant nothingness of an empty page. My nightly ritual is to make a mark, a line, a word, a drawing in my blank bedside journal. I flip through and search for that unclaimed page. The one begging for a late night scrawl and no matter how tired I am I let the pen do its thing.

On some extra sleepy nights, it seems that the pen is more conscious than I. Days, weeks, months later, I can look back and marvel at the odd collection of dreamy words dabbled one after another. There is a special poetry in the subconscious that is allowed to spill out when our daytime guard is down. Isn't it true that sometimes when we are trying our least, we sometimes are treated to our best -- our most natural work?

I know for me my book, The North Star, cascaded from me during one of my late night page rituals. I wonder where that story may have ended up if it had only been lived out as a dream. Would there have been a repeat performance or would the story have been swept away into the deepest part of dream storage?

When I visit children in the classroom I tell them about my journal and invite them to do the same. Children respond well to a simple invitation. Especially to play.

If we want kids to learn, to read, to write, then we should invite them to play. Play with words. Fill an empty page. With words. Drawings and even just doodles and marks. Let them discover first hand the joy of returning to the page a day later, a week later, and rediscover the page filled with their own thoughts and creations.

I often see people scurrying to buy gifts for family and friends and I think they should add one simple gift to the pile. A blank book. A simple one for less than a dollar will do. It doesn’t have to be deluxe. I have seen too many fancy journals sitting idle, blank and forlorn because its owner was too afraid to make a mark on its special pages. Simple will do nicely.

A blank book is tremendous for so many reasons. It binds together all the random art and writings into a portfolio. You can learn a lot from voyaging through a filled journal. You can appreciate the work. You can see improvements. You can be inspired by an idea and set off to build upon it in your next journal.

My dream library would have loads of books and equal amounts of blank books.

A great big wall of “empties” waiting to be filled. I’d have buckets of pens, and glue, and paint ready for use.

Blank books are symbols of what each of us is capable of creating, contributing, and sharing. It symbolizes that each of us has an important story. to tell. The blank book symbolizes that the best chapters are unwritten and just waiting to unfold.

The computer, you say? The blank pages of a word processing program? Are they as wonderful as a blank paper journal? While the experience is not as sensual, the effect is the same ultimately. I am a big advocate of any program that has a blank screen as its main screen. Blank screens, like blank journals, beg to be adorned, to be added to, to have life breathed into them. Set aside the super, whiz-bang, multimedia CD-ROMs and websites and instead, pull up a good ol’ fashioned word processor and make it sing and sparkle with your own words.

Savor the blankness. Marvel at nothing.

Be swept away by the glorious, wonderful, empty page.

Permission granted to reprint.

Thanks for having an opinion and thanks for speaking up!

Dear Editor, I just read your article in the school newspaper about medication abusers. I believe that you are absolutely right about everything.

A few days ago, I was reading an article in a magazine about three young adults, Whitney (20), Brandy (22), and Matty (19), that died. The reason being? All of them took more than needed prescribed drugs.

Another shocker about them is that they all died in the same week because of the same reason.

That is when I realized that medicine is not just for bringing relief… it can also MURDER you if you take it too much! In addition, you said in your article, if you take different drugs than prescribed, your life can be at stake!!

I started crying after reading about this.

It’s just sad, and horrifying even just to read about it.

Harnoor K. Boparai, Grade 6 Letter to the Editor Dulce Camacho, Grade 8

Dear Editor, We are not saving enough electricity in school. I believe we could do better than this Del Dios!.

Every time I pass by a class and see the lights on I wonder why. Nobody is even in the room! Sometimes, I see that the projector is on when it isn’t needed.

That causes high electricity bills. Imagine this: if we save electricity we might have more of that money to help us have more field trips or more fun things for kids and teachers. It’s also good for our environment to use less.

So think twice: turn off lights and save electricity!

Letter to the Editor Carolina Solis Robles, Grade 8 Dear Editor, I think that people are destroying our school; they’re throwing trash on the ground when there is a trash can nearby.

They write on the bathroom walls or around school and don’t even care about what visitors think when they see what our school looks like.

Sometimes when you walk into the bathrooms there is writing on walls and all around. When you around the school campus there is writing and inappropriate stuff on trash cans, walls, and windows.

The custodians and teachers have to clean the writing up, and they didn’t even do it! Sometimes, students who see who did it but they don’t bother to tell anyone.

It’s wrong.

Writing on the walls and trash make our school look bad; and I think we want to take pride in our school. So if you see something or someone doing something, speak up!

The Trophy Case

9

Spirit of the Dragon - Del Dios Middle School

VOL XLIX - ISSUE 3 - JAN-MAR 2011

THE DEL DIOS TROPHY CASE

By Arturo Osorio

Did you know Del Dios has quite a few trophies? When you walk in to the front office, don’t you think you should be able to see them? Displayed with pride? Don’t you think visitors who spend some time in our office, waiting to sign in or waiting to pick up a student, should see the trophies we’ve worked hard to win?

Some of you are probably wondering, “We have trophies?”

Yes! We have trophies! The 8th grade football team’s undefeated season garnered a huge trophy. More trophies are scattered around campus with

Performance Contests: San Diego’s Best Dance Crew Amateur and professional groups of five members or more may compete.

This is a Hip Hop Style dance competition but other styles are encouraged for variety and fun.

Date of contest: Thursday, June 23, 2011 Time and location: Chevrolet Del Mar Arena Noon to 6:00PM (ending time approximate)

Entry deadline: Friday, May 13, 2011

“

the various teachers who coached the winning teams.

Don’t you think that the trophies should be displayed in a trophy case where everyone can see them? Don’t you think we should show pride in our hard work and celebrate our achievements?

I think that the trophies, plaques, and awards should be gathered up and displayed for everyone to see. Don’t you?

Voice your opinion and VOTE! Go to ddmsnews.com and click Poll: Your Vote!

“Men often

become what they believe

themselves to be.

If I believe I cannot do something, it makes me incapable of doing it.

8th Grade Flag Football

But when

Coach Mike Wagner

I believe I can, then I acquire the ability to do it

even if I didn’t have it in the beginning.”

– Mahatma Gandhi

Contributed by Frank Maggi, EUSD, Tech Media Katie Ragazzi, Escondido Education Foundation

The Escondido Youth Media Festival is a annual opportunity for students in the Escondido Union School District to showcase their creative talents in several dynamic digital media. Students can enter work into four different categories: Photography (Individual Projects) Music/Audio (Individual Projects) Video (Individual Projects) Video (Class Projects) Entries are accepted until May 9, at 4pm. All student projects nominated for awards will be shown prior to the Festival itself, which will be held on June 3, 2011 at the California Center for the Arts, Escondido.

Oh, did we mention there would be prizes for the winning entries in each category?

Get the scoop on this and everything else you need to know at https://sites.google. com/a/eusd.org/eymf-2011.

FOOD - SPECIAL TREATS - PRIZES!!!

Sound exciting? Of course it does! Because YOU are the main event!

This year, Del Dios Middle School will ramp up its traditional “On the Quad” event making it a celebration of its best, brightest and most talented students.

What’s this, you ask? Not just a showcase of student work?

No, my friend! It is a talent showcase!

We want to highlight more than just performing arts - we will showcase visual arts and digital arts as well!

During the event, Friday, May 6, the

”

digital media rooms will be open for tours and demonstrations of student projects (the newspaper, movies, animations, digital narratives, and other digital media creations). The art department, directed by Mrs. Anderson-Cain, will have a large wall of art for public viewing.

And as if that weren’t enough, the evening will also host the 5th grade Parent Orientation, and we want to show the incoming 6th graders all the amazing things staff and students do here at DDMS! So get ready to shine, Del Dios! YOU are in the spotlight!

DEL DIOS SCIENCE FAIR WINNERS GO TO COUNTY FAIR

By Tino Quiñonez, Staff Writer

Congratulations to the winners of the Science Fair!

The top winners were: Vanessa Aguas Vitamin C: The Truth Revealed Chris Do What is the Effect of Solar Rays on Solar Panels?

The sweepstakes winners were: Shayna Cruz Lead in Mexican Candy

Boys and Girls Club of Greater San Diego

2008-2009

3RD ANNUAL ESCONDIDO DEL DIOS TALENT SHOWCASE TO BE HELD MAY 6TH YOUTH MEDIA FESTIVAL Contributed by Tracy Middleton, U.S. History Teacher, 8th Grade

2010 1ST PLACE

Zachary Fox Eroding Enamel Michael Paredes Did you Wash that Apple?

Felix Ferreira How does Weather Effect Copper Solar Panels?

Xena Martinez Do You Wear the Right Type of Clothing in the Right Weather?

7th Grade Flag Football Boys and Girls Club of Greater San Diego Coach Rich Reed

2008-2009 8th Grade Flag Football Boys and Girls Club of Greater San Diego Coach John Schneider

DEL DIOS’ TEACHER OF THE YEAR: MR. RICH REED!!!

By Mrs. Murphy, Staff Advisor

Quick-witted and always with a nice word to share, Mr. Reed was speechless for a few moments before accepting the honor of ‘Teacher of the Year’ from his peers.

Mr. Rich Reed, P.E. Teacher and 20102011 7th Grade Flag Football Coach, gave credit to the entire P.E. department for its outstanding teamwork and common vision.

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Spirit of the Dragon - Del Dios Middle School

VOL XLIX - ISSUE 3 - JAN-MAR 2011

DOGS IN THE PARK

by Noah Lussier, 8th Grade Woof! Woof! Bark! Bark!

Dogs like to pee in the park.

In the park, they dig their bones in the ground If they get caught they go to the pound.

STOP

by Edwin Martinez, 8th Grade

Stop bullying! It’s not nice and it is a very mean thing to do.

Every day some students that are tired of being bullied take their lives away!

That’s not nice, and if that’s what your trying to accomplish - it’s not acceptable!!

The way you left I didn’t see it coming The way you left wasn’t very funny

The moon was very far from the heart But then broke apart.

We all started to cry Others just made a sad sigh

The moon had a very hard tune It turned the shape of cartoon.

Why did you leave us so early?

Did you really have to go in such a hurry?

The light was too shiny, but then turned night With all the might.

THEbyROAD LESS TRAVELED Raul Castaneda, 8th Grade

You can help whoever is a bully to stop!!

Tell them it’s the wrong thing to do!!

That toad That followed the code He made an opinion To get a minion That violated the law And he felt tall Then he said that he wanted to be red And then met a human That was named Truman Truman tried to feed that toad To his cat But that toad escaped Out an open door Then that toad followed a road That led to a mill That was taller than a hill There he saw a man sleeping And when he woke he started weeping The toad said that no matter the load He would find a mode to do it That man was named Ted And he told that toad that not many travel this road And he said that he will accomplish more by taking this road Rather than following that ancient code The toad said fine I will dig up a mine And will make a life That is better than that dusty code After a while He traveled a mile and he realized That he is on a road less traveled And parallel to that road Was a super highway that almost everyone takes Everyone except him Then that toad made his own road That is an attachment to that road less traveled

THE COON

by Alan Ramirez, 8th Grade

So why not be a change in this type of situation? You can be a part in helping the people who are being bullied.

There once was a toad That followed every direction That was given by the ancient code He did not care the selection

AMERICA

by Valeria Gileta, 7th Grade

Why I don’t know But right now I have to go.

The Road Less Traveled

&

Voices of Youth

If you try to help then you’re a generous person but, if you really don’t care then maybe you should start caring, because maybe you’ll be the next to be bullied!

BUTTERFLIES

by P.J. Schmidt, 8th Grade

Even though you left you’ll always be in my heart Nothing will ever tear us apart Although your not here it makes me shed a tear I’ll always hear your voice in my ear I miss you very dearly I hope to see you one day living freely

I had a faith The name was Raith.

The moon wasn’t a form But it was stronger than a storm.

The pain couldn’t obtain the vain, so it remains in its place.

So then I got hit in the face; respect my pace.

I love you so much Now have I said enough?

TIME

Butterflies are so tight.

They fly high.

High in the sky.

by Oliver David, 8th Grade Time, it’s what makes us tick We may wait impatiently for that next click.

They sleep at night.

But they never fight.

Plus, they always say “hi.”

So I’m like “hi.” Back.

What is really seconds may seem like days However, that moment will come without delay.

They don’t ruin your kite.

Also they never poop on your cars.

Playing with them is not a chore.

They hate the planet, Mars.

Whether the growth of a human, or growth of crops Time always progresses forward and never stops.

They’re better than having a boar.

I love them from afar.

I love them to my core.”

You can tamper with your clock, in an attempt to redirect, Although such actions will have no effect.

IT’S WHAT I DO

by Eric Alba, 8th Grade

Time can have restrictions and limitations, But in between, there is room for creation.

I am from 4th Street Shoes hanging on telephone wires Taggings crossed out with Xs Loud music playing Hearing my neighbors complaining

And they may say a watched pot never boils But our time, we must treat royal.

From Power Rangers To “Take a shower” Then “come and eat” Beans and rice To Central School Playing soccer is what I do I am now in middle school Listen to Tupac is a normal thing I do

THE ONE CHOICE

by Kevin Castillo, 8th Grade The

FATE

by Christian Batungbacal, 8th Grade There is no such thing as fate Especially, when waiting for a soul mate.

Fate is like a bunch of bologna.

Just as, Billy Mays is a big phoney.

Fate is a burnt-out fire Just as, one’s no desire.

one choice I have to make.

Before the time goes to waste.

Should I pick the one who knows what to say? Or the one who knows me anyway.

This choice is really hard pick.

So I need this choice really quick.

Why is this so difficult?

I think I’m being critical.

I’ve known her for a long time.

But the other one seem like she is nice.

There is no such thing as fate.

I feel like I’m losing my mind.

And I need help being kind.

Fate sounds like a child’s cry When he is trying to say good-bye Fate has a certain aroma That could get you into a coma.

I hate to be me.

But I have to see what I can be.

There is no such thing as fate.

I know whom to pick.

So I’m glad I found that one special chick.

& ARE YOU MAKING A DIFFERENCE?

Being The Change Spirit of the Dragon - Del Dios Middle School

11

VOL XLIX - ISSUE 3 - JAN-MAR 2011

Are you ‘being the change’ @ DDMS and in the world?

By Sandra Aguirre and Jackie Morua

It’s easy to convince ourselves that one person alone can’t make a big difference in the world, in the community, or in a neighborhood.

It’s easy to tell ourselves to not start that fund raiser or car wash because not enough people will donate or show up.

It’s really easy to close our eyes and turn a blind eye to what’s going on outside of our own little world; our own comfort zone; beyond what we can tolerate, or stomach.

Reality is sometimes just too painful.

Well, put on some armor and open your eyes. We’ve got news for you.

YOU make a difference.

You CAN make a difference.

You do make a DIFFERENCE. Get it?

YOU. MAKE. A. DIFFERENCE.

Ever heard of the “ripple effect”? The next time you’re near a little water, or any body of liquid, drop something into it; blow on it; touch it. What happens?

Right.

Ripples.

One tiny, small, insignificant motion turns into a repetitive action. If you make the motion significant, and keep it going, the ripples get bigger and bigger and move farther and farther away from the source.

WOMEN OF DIFFERENCE

HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR INSPIRES

The Del Dios community recently celebrated three women on our campus in honor of International Women’s Day. Ms. Dawn Ayles, Mrs. Maria Mendoza and Mrs. Amy Murphy were selected by the PLUS classes as the top three most influential and uplifting women at Del Dios Middle School.

Students in the PLUS classes made large fabric banners for the whole school to sign and recognized each woman with the banner and a special certificate signifying the honor.

We you for your contributions and dedication to our students and Del Dios community. We appreciate you!

Mrs. Doris Martin, Holocaust survivor, honored the Del Dios community by sharing her triumphant story of courage and spirit with our students.

Her passion is to encourage young people to make a difference in their communities and schools and wants them to be a “change agent” for peace.

Many of the students were moved and inspired by her story. She hid from the Nazis but was found and sent to Auschwitz death camp. For some unknown reason, several prisoners, including Mrs. Martin, were transferred to a forced labor camp rather than being executed.

We are grateful for the gift of her time and for sharing her experience.

CRIMES WITHOUT BORDERS: WHAT CAN YOU DO ABOUT THE PROBLEMS?

Contributed by Mr. Ricchuiti, PLUS Advisor

Contributed by 8th Grade AVID

Did you get the “a-ha!” yet?

Your one motion; one action; one contribution; one decision can create a ripple effect.

Whether you start the ripple or join a wave already in progress doesn’t matter.

What matters is that you acted; you believed in something and you ACTED.

By Spirit Staff Writers

When the PLUS class visited USD in early January, they were deeply moved by the presentation they saw at the Town Hall Meeting. The good news is that they came back to Del Dios fired up to make a difference and help other students become more aware of what’s going on in the world - the real world.

The letter below is from this year’s team of people dedicated to exposing what’s going in the world that’s “not okay” and

providing information for you and help you to see that every action - small or large, individual or group efforts - can make a difference.

These are tough topics, difficult issues, scary, horrible things. But they’re real and they’re happening. We can’t pretend they don’t exist.

And we have to do something about them.

Together or alone - every effort and action counts. You matter.

Dear Reader, Peace cannot exist without security. As we seek to foster peace and prosperity in even the poorest of nations, we cannot ignore the deterrents which make stability so difficult to achieve – the threats to human security around the world. Human trafficking, the drug trade, gangs, terrorism, and small arms violence continue to mar our efforts at stability, and, as we learned in editing the WorldLink Reader, are by no means confined to the developing world. Though poverty often hinders the effectiveness of justice systems, it does not serve as a border or restrain these crimes to poor nations.

DARFUR: SISTER SCHOOL PROGRAM DREAM TEAM *Empowerment through Education’

By Sandra Aguirre and Jackie Morua

Please contact Sandra and Jackie if you are interested in learning more about how you can help to build a sister school in Darfur.

Sandra and Jackie are working with Mrs. Lee, through ASB and AVID, to develop a group on our campus who will encourage empowerment through education for the young people of Darfur.

For more information, contact Sandra or Jackie. You can also visit: http://www.darfurdreamteam.org/

MAKE A DIFFERENCE! ANGEL’S DEPOT:

by Angie Escobedo CANNED FOOD DRIVE Contributed by: Mrs. Lee Helping Hands Jr. in January During the month of January, Helpi Hands, Jr. held

SOCK DRIVE!

a Thank you for helping us to gather as many pairs of socks as possible to donate to people who just needed a pair of socks to stay a bit warmer during those really cold nights and days.

When was it?

January 10 - 31, 2011

Where did you take the socks?

PLUS Room 79 and the Front Office

Where is it located?

Room 79 @ Del Dios MS Helping Hands Jr. is a program of Escondido Education Compact email: rherrera@ci.escondido.ca.us for more information

During February, 8th grade AVID ran a canned food drive to support The Angel’s Depot, which provides 21meal emergency boxes to low income seniors in SD County. Angel’s Depot is one of very few organizations that assist only seniors.

They expect to feed 720 seniors each month this year, many of them right here in Escondido, where they have a distribution center at the Joslyn Senior Center.

We collected canned soup and beans. Thanks to all for contributing to the food drive. Del Dios donated 64 pounds of food for The Angel’s Depot, helping low income senior citizens to make it through another month with food. We actually had more than two high schools, and were only 16 pounds less than San Diego State.

Thank you for your support and contributions. We’ll outdo those college kids next time!

As we edited the Reader and researched Crimes Without Borders: Threats to Human Security, we became aware of the shocking scale of violence and organized crime.

We came to understand the many challenges involved in the distribution of justice, and learned the surprising degree to which these crimes go unseen. It is no wonder that global efforts at peace face such long odds – we cannot hope for peace if we are unaware of the factors which obstruct it. The drug trade is one of the most lucrative markets in the world, many gangs have greater control over their countries than their governments do, and the United States of America is a popular destination country for human trafficking. But this information is widely ignored, and the crimes continue to grow. This is why we are so glad you have taken the steps to educate yourself and make use of the WorldLink Reader.

We hope that as you immerse yourself in the Reader, you feel indignant. We hope you feel anger that these threats to human security are allowed to exist. Most importantly, we hope that you feel moved to action. In the words of the old African proverb, “If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem.” Our goal in the Reader, and in all WorldLink events, is to galvanize you to become part of the solution. Educate your community, demand action of your government, and never watch in silence as crimes are committed.

We commend you for broadening your awareness of global affairs, and we sincerely hope that your experience with WorldLink is only the beginning of your participation in efforts to foster global peace and security. The crimes you will learn about in this year’s Reader are unacceptable, and any anger you feel at the circumstances which allow them to exist is entirely justified.

But we urge you not to simply feel anger. Become part of the solution.

We urge you to act.

In peace, Katie Athis and Elena Bellaart WorldLink 2011, Fall Interns

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In Touch

Spirit of the Dragon - Del Dios Middle School

VOL XLIX - ISSUE 3 - JAN-MAR 2011

California Vocational Schools Do you want to advance your current career or perhaps change career directions completely? Good for you. You can use this site to find the right school for you – one that will be convenient, affordable, and, most importantly, will give you the training and education you need to earn more money and be happier at your job.

California Vocational Schools provides a directory of schools offering associate’s degrees, bachelor’s degrees, diplomas, and certificates, for the most popular vocations including nursing, medical assisting, medical billing and coding, massage therapy, culinary arts, pharmacy technology, cosmetology, and paralegal.

California has an abundance of colleges and universities. Take the time to understand what the school offers, how much their programs costs and the school’s reputation before moving forward. Good luck in your search!

California Schools by Subject

• Accounting Schools • Art Schools • Animation Schools • Aviation Schools • Automotive Schools • Business Schools • Business Administration Schools • Computer Schools • Computer Networking Schools • Computer Repair Schools • Computer Programming Schools • Cosmetology Schools • Criminal Justice Schools • Culinary Arts Schools • Dental Training Schools • Dental Assisting Schools • Dental Hygiene Schools • Electrician Schools • Engineering Schools • Fashion Design Schools • Film Schools • Graphic Design Schools • Health-care Schools • Holistic Schools • Homeland Security Schools • Interior Design Schools • Information Technology Schools • Massage Schools • Medical Training Schools • Medical Assisting Schools • Medical Billing and Coding Schools • Multimedia Schools • Nursing Schools • Paralegal Schools • Pharmacy Technician Schools • Photography Schools • Plumbing Schools • Real Estate Schools • Surgical Tech Schools • Technical Schools • Web Design Schools • Ultrasound & X-Ray Schools

Recent Career Topics

• How to become a Web Designer in California • Starting a Career in Information Technology • Cosmetology Training in California • Interview with a Phlebotomy Graduate from Empire College • Why you should consider Vocational Nursing • X-Ray Technician Career in Californi • Interview with an Engineering Student at Wyotech • Interview with a Medical Assistant • Interview with an Auto Mechanic • Interview with a Police Officer

ANY IDEA WHAT YOU WANT HAVE YOU FILLED A BUCKET? BULLIES AT P.E.: Managed by Marlen Amador some time in the future to DragTO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP? Coming MY THOUGHTS onSpiritTV with hostesses

by YOU The following websites can help you get an idea of what jobs may be a good match for you. After you answer some questions, the site will give you a list of careers that match the answers you gave. Try it! You might be surprised at what’s out there and what you’d be great at doing!

Sometimes people need extra help paying for college. Sometimes, kids work really hard and get scholarships. Either way, there’s some information below to get you started.

Career Searches and Job Training Information Naviance www.naviance.com Career Locker www.careerlocker.com Career Info Net www.acienet.org Occupational Outlook Handbook www.bls.gov/oco/home.htm

Financial Aid and Scholarship Information Federal Student Aid www.ed.gov/studentaid Free Application for Federal Student Aid www.fafsa.ed.gov Fast Web www.fastweb.com FinAid www.finaid.org Find Money for College www.scholarship.com

Cierra Diaz and Sandra Aguirre

Come to Room 32 and pick up a “Bucket Card”, write your note on it and drop it in the Green Bucket.

We’ll print it in the paper and may even read it on our new DragonSpiritTV show, in the planning stages now! Or, visit us online at www. ddmsnews.com and look for “Fill a Bucket!

The following quotes are submissions from our ddmsnews.com online form. After reading“Bullies at P.E.” several people responded with their thoughts. Thank you for your contribution!

“I think that the bullies do this because they want to feel good about themselves and want to feel tough by putting other people down. But, I think that just makes them jerks. If you are a bully, people are scared of you and won’t want to hang out with you because they are scared you will beat them up or do something bad to them.”

“I think bullies are sad. I feel sorry for them. I mean, they’re lame and I don’t like what they do, but I know they’re sad on the inside. I know they feel like something isn’t right or that they always have to keep proving something. I wish they’d just go talk to someone.

The funny thing is that we all know this.

So when someone’s a bully, it kinda just tells everyone else, ‘hey, look at me - I’m really screwed up and I feel bad about myself.’ Yeah, we know.”

“Bullies just want to act cool in front of their friends. They want to be known. It’s stupid because most bullies won’t even have the guts to do it alone or private.”

“I think the bully should take a hike and stop being such a freak about everything.

I also think the bully is just a sad friendless person so he makes up for that by bullying people and maybe he should be nice and try to make friends, not followers or enemies.”

Season of Nonviolence Spirit of the Dragon - Del Dios Middle School

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VOL XLIX - ISSUE 3 - JAN-MAR 2011

JOAN KROC CENTER FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE HOLDS 14TH ANNUAL TOWN HALL MEETING: DDMS STUDENTS INVITED TO ATTEND 14th Annual Youth Town Meeting Friday, January 21, 2011

By Cristino Quiñonez, Staff Writer

The WorldLink program hosted more than 700 middle and high school students from Southern California, Mexico and international exchange students on Friday, January 21, 2011. PLUS students and staff from Del Dios Middle School were honored to attend its invitation-only keystone event, the 14th Annual Youth Town Meeting.

The Youth Town Meeting is grounded in the belief that the youth have much to offer and much to gain from discussion with experts regarding the complexities and challenges of international affairs.

The student-selected theme for this year is “Crimes Without Borders, Threats to Human Security” and will focus on human trafficking, illicit drug trade, trans-national gangs, terrorism and small arms. A ‘Letter from By Noel Diaz the Editors’ of this project is included on page 11.

A Season of Nonviolence is a 64 day educational season. The power of nonviolence is Over 15 experts in the field from government, law enforcement and in- to show the way to heal, transform, and empower as a means to change the violent ways ternational NGOs will spend the day discussing this year’s theme with of our community.

The Season of Nonviolence honors the work of Mastudent delegates. hatma Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and the For more information about the 50th and 30th memorial anniversaries of these great WorldLink program and to learn how men. The season is also used as a time to recognize and you can be involved, please visit: celebrate those who are using nonviolence in their com“Nonviolence munities, neighborhoods, schools, work places, and in http://www.sandiego.edu/peacestudies/ipj/prosituations where violence would normally prevail. grams/world_link_youth/ means avoiding

“

WHAT IS THE SEASON OF NONVIOLENCE?

not only

external physical violence but also internal violence of spirit.

You not only refuse to shoot a man, but you

”

refuse to hate him.”

GANDHI CONTINUES TO INSPIRE From Pitara Kids’ Network

Thinker, statesman and nationalist leader, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi not only led his own country to independence but also influenced po- Martin Luther King, Jr. litical activists of many persuasions throughout American Baptist Minister the world with his methods and philosophy of and Civil-Rights Leader nonviolent confrontation, or civil disobedience.

1929-1968 Gandhi’s intellectual influence on Indians has been considerable.

Some were attracted by his emphasis on political and economic decentralization, others by his insistence on individual tice developed a short film on the youth ef- freedom, moral integrity, unity of means forts to promote peace in Mindanao, which and ends, and social service; still others was premiered at the Youth Town Meeting. by his satyagraha and political activism.

For some students of India, Gandhi’s Mr. Ricchuiti, PLUS Advisor, and students from the PLUS classes were moved by her influence is responsible for its failure to message and with much of what they heard throw up any genuinely radical politiand experienced at the WorldLink town hall cal movement. For others, it cultivated meeting. They invited Ms. Palma to come to a spirit of non-violence, encouraged the our campus and share the story of her com- habits of collective self-help, and helped munity, people and country. lay the foundations of a stable, morally On Wednesday, January 26, Yam shared her message and informed students of the unrest, committed and democratic government.

Gandhi’s ideas have also had a proviolence and cultural misunderstandings in her country. Students watched videos created found influence outside India, where by youth from Mindanao. She said that many they inspired non-violent activism and of the young people are finding their voice and movements in favor of small-scale, selfbeginning to tell the rest of the world how they sufficient communities living closer to feel and using media nature and with greater sensitivity to their environment. Prominent among as a way to both in- people committed to non-violent activism are Martin Luther King, Jr. in the form and ask for help. United States, and more recently Nelson Mandela in South Africa.

MINDANAOAN WOMAN SHARES STORY AND CHALLENGES YOUTH @ DDMS WITH CALL TO ACTION

By Spirit Staff Writer Meriam Faith Palma, (she goes by ‘Yam’ on Facebook), a young Mindanaoan woman, shared her story of promoting peace and unity in Mindanao, an area heavily affected by violence and religious extremism at the 14th Annual Youth Town Meeting, held at the Joan Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice.

Meriam is a young Christian woman who is advocating for Muslim rights and increased understanding across the Christian, Muslim and Indigenous communities. She serves on the communications staff at Mindanao Peoples Caucus and encourages women and youth to be active in the support of cease fires and peace among the communities, specifically working with the youth in her community.

The Joan Kroc Institute for Peace and Jus-

Both Gandhi and King showed everyone that one person could change the way of how people thought of one another and could lead the world to a road of peace and kindness. This season honors the people that envision the world as a nonviolent and peaceful one.

At the end of her presentation, Ms. Palma challenged students to truly know themselves and their heritage; to celebrate and take pride in their roots. By doing so, we become more selfsecure and are able to be more tolerant and accepting of others.

Photo of Volume XLIX, Issue 1, Spirit of the Dragon, “In the Real World”

SEASON OF NONVIOLENCE ESSAY CONTEST

By Tony Ricchuiti, PLUS Advisor

We will be having an essay contest around a theme that ties into our commemoration of the Season for Nonviolence with 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winning prizes for each grade level. 1st place will be awarded $25, 2nd place receives $10, and 3rd place will receive $5. The first place winners for each grade level will be invited to read their essays at the school-wide Season for Nonviolence Assembly in April.

Stay tuned for more details during Dragon Time and watch for posters around campus!

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VOL XLIX - ISSUE 3 - JAN-MAR 2011

Health & Wellness Spirit of the Dragon - Del Dios Middle School

MEDUCATION: LESSON 2 IS FOR PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS

By Kayla Douglas, Staff Writer and Cristino Quiñonez, Editor

In this section, Health & Wellness, we are running a mini-series on MEDucation in hopes that the information included will bring you awareness and open the door for family conversations.

For more information go to www.lockyourmeds.org.

We welcome your comments, experiences, questions and related information on the topic. Contact us at: news@ddmsnews.com Or, send a letter to the editor at: editor@ddmsnews.com

Health & Beauty Karley’s Quick Tricks:

Color is Key! Hey readers!

So these are some fun makeup tricks that not many people know about:

By Karley Salas, Freelance Writer

If you feel that you have a big nose, then a cool trick is to put some white eye shadow straight down the middle.

It gives the illusion that your nose is thinner. On the other hand, if you feel your nose is on the small side, putting some blush on the very end and bottom of your nose will make it look like a bit shorter and less narrow.

TOP 10 TIPS FOR HOMEWORK SURVIVAL

By Marlen Amador, Consuelo Araujo

If you want to make your eyes look bigger, then put white eye shadow right under the brow line, it will make your eyelid look way more full.

and Jeredith Peña Beltran

To give the illusion that you have a slimmer face, then dust a little bronzing powder on the T-zone (the chin, nose, and forehead) and sweep some across the bottom of your chin.

TIP 1: GET IT TOGETHER! Survival Tools: Folder stickers, reminder stickers, and stencils

HUNGER 101: FEED YOUR MIND

TIP 2: CREATE A HOMEWORK ZONE!

In many ways, America is the land of plenty. But for 1 in 6 Americans, hunger is a reality. Many people believe that the problems associated with hunger are confined to small pockets of society, certain areas of the country, or certain neighborhoods, but the reality is much different.

Right now, millions of Americans are struggling with hunger. We all know and are in contact with people affected by hunger, even though we might not be aware of it.

These are often hard-working adults, children and seniors who simply cannot make ends meet and are forced to go without food for several meals, or even days. Most of us simply have no idea. It’s time to educate ourselves about the causes of hunger in America.

TIP 3: MANAGE YOUR TIME!

For making your face look more round, adding a pinkish or peach-ish color blush to the cheek area could really help.

Survival Tools: Inspiring mini-posters, school supplies, a quiet place

Survival Tool: Wipe-off calendar

TIP 4: TAKE BIG ASSIGNMENTS ONE STEP AT A TIME! Survival Tool: Step-by-step stickers

TIP 5: READ WISELY! Survival Tools: Bookmarks

TIP 6: MAKE MEMORY WORK FOR YOU!

For bringing out the color of your eyes, no matter what color eyes you have, using the right color eye shadow colors can really add some sparkle.

NEW TDAP SHOT REQUIREMENT FOR ALL 7TH-12TH GRADERS! ARE YOU READY?? (cont.)

By Mrs. Baldwin, DDMS School Health Technician

Survival Tool: Organized online search-

cord into the Health Office for me to make a copy of it, will not be allowed to start school next year. All families received a letter from the district at the end of January. Del Dios parents also received a Connect-Ed call from Jennifer Walters regarding this new requirement.

The County of San Diego, Public Health Services, is making this requirement very easy for our students here in Escondido. Tdap vaccines are offered

TIP 9: ASK FOR HELP WHEN YOU NEED IT!

Please be sure to bring your vaccination records to the Health Office asap!

Survival Tools: Wipe-Off Flash Cards

TIP 7: GIVE YOUR BRAIN (AND BODY) A BREAK! Survival Tool: Recipe cards & a friend

TIP 8: DO SMART RESEARCH! es vs random searching

Survival Tool: Get an address book or

update your contact list in your cell phone or on your iPod

TIP 10: GET YOUR ZZZ’S. Survival Tool: Do NOT Disturb door hangers

throughout the city at various clinics and medical centers.

If you have students at Del Dios Middle School and have any questions about this new school requirement please contact: Patti Baldwin, LVN School Health Technician Del Dios Middle School 760-432-2439

For green eyes: Try browns. Especially chocolatey, warmer colors. Browns with dark green or copper highlights are also a great choice. Apricots and taupes are good choices for highlighting. Any kind of purple will make green eyes especially pop. I really like a nice deep purple on a green eye. Gray is a great choice as well.

For brown eyes: Deep, earthy colors are great. Greens, gold, blues, and even purples. These are really close to colors for a green eye.

For blue eyes: Rich browns will always make blue eyes sparkle. Try silvers, golds, and grays as well.

For hazel eyes: Girly pinks and pale purples are really great! Or, you could go the opposite direction and choose black which will make the colors in your eyes stand out.

If you want to figure out the perfect eyeliner for you, just use really good lighting when you look at your eye.

Look in the mirror and decide what color is at the outermost rim of the colored part your eye and that is your perfect eyeliner color.

Until next time, XOXO, Karley

College & Career Spirit of the Dragon - Del Dios Middle School

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VOL XLIX - ISSUE 3 - JAN-MAR 2011

CAREER SPOTLIGHT:

SIGI QUIÑONEZ: CONSTRUCTION SUPERVISOR

By Cristino Quinonez California State University San Marcos 333 S. Twin Oaks Valley Rd. San Marcos, CA 92096 CA Tel. 760-750-4000 Fax 760-750-3141 California State University San Marcos is a public university that offers undergraduate and graduate programs in a variety of disciplines, including arts and sciences, education, and business administration.

Campus enrollment is more than 9,200 students with faculty numbering about 650.

The university is supported by the CSU San Marcos Foundation through grants and contracts administration, financial management, and commercial enterprises.

The school was founded in 1989 as the first of a new generation of Cal State campuses.

The university has three colleges: Arts & Sciences, Business Administration, and Education as well as a School of Nursing in addition to a robust Extended Learning program.

In-state tuition and fees are $4,650; Out-of-state tuition and fees are $10,170 Application fee-$55 Location:Southwest Setting:Large Town Setting Type:Public Size:Large (5,000 to 10,000 Undergrad) Undergraduate Enrollment:6,327 On Campus Housing:Available Full Time Students:82% Athletic Programs:Unavailable Average Tuition:$13,544 Students Receiving Aid:46%

Palomar College 1140 West Mission Road San Marcos, California 92069-1487 (760) 744-1150 Palomar College is a public two-year community college. The Palomar campus is located in San Marcos, California, approximately 30 miles north of San Diego.

Palomar enrolls approximately 30,000 full-time and part-time students. Residents of California are charged only $26 per unit. At Palomar, students may choose from over 200 associate degree and certificate programs, complete the first two years of a bachelor’s degree, or enjoy personal enrichment classes for lifelong learning.

Palomar has seven learning centers located in San Marcos, Camp Pendleton, Escondido, Fallbrook, Mt. Carmel, Pauma, and Ramona.

To attend Palomar college you may be: *A high school graduate or equivalent *Anyone(including non-high school graduates)18 years of age or older *A minor who may profit from instruction and has permission of the local high school district and a parent or guardian.

Students under 15 years of age are restricted to courses designed for children.

Permission to enroll in other classes rests with the instructor.

Some programs have limited admission or have additional academic or skill requirements.

College & Career University information compiled by Tino Quiñonez

Tino: You are a supervisor at Nicholas Lane Construction company. Would you explain what you do?

Sigi: Sure. What I do is supervise one hundred-twenty people. My job is to ensure that the workers are doing their assignments.

For example, safety, the structure of the building itself, tools, and so on. Each worker does his own task. Each person gets paid based on their zeal and how much they were able to get done. I also go over the blueprints in order to ensure that the building is getting built right. All this is done so when the building inspector comes to inspect the building he won’t find any flaws. Most importantly, I supervise the safety of the workers such as, working shoes, jeans, helmet, glasses, and florescent vests. If they are missing any one of these things I do not allow them to work. It’s also up to me to help the workers if they get hurt.

Tino: What do you enjoy most about your work?

Sigi: I like that I learn from my mistakes and avoid future problems, and also learn new languages. I work in many places and meet other supervisors and oftentimes I adopt some of their ways of teaching to help improve my own.

Tino: How many years have you been working in Nicholas Lane and how did you start off?

Sigi: I’ve been working for twenty-three years. I started off as a regular carpenter, which is somewhat like a handyman. Then, with time and experience, I promoted to a regular worker. Next, I was promoted to supervisor assistant, where I learned all the basics of supervisory responsibilities. Finally, after six years, I became a supervisor. Ever since, I’ve remained supervisor.

OPPORTUNITIES: HIGH CJSF BONDING ACTIVITY SCHOOL INTERNSHIPS By Consuelo Araujo, CJSF President

By College and Career Staff Writers

The 2011 WorldLink spring internship application period is now open. WorldLink internships are highly competitive research opportunities for youth interested in international relations.

The selected research intern will edit the Youth Town Newspaper, a publication of guest pieces by student journalists who attended the Youth Town Meeting. Interns will also have the opportunity to gain general administrative experience, attend IPJ events and meet with several of the IPJ’s guest speakers.

WorldLink is also pleased to announce a new social media internship position.

One student will be chosen to work with WorldLink staff to develop films and other online applications, as part of WorldLink’s Virtual Classroom Project. Students with knowledge about social networking, video production and graphic design are encouraged to apply.

On January 21, 2011 the CJSF members of Del Dios went on a team-building field trip to Chuck E. Cheese from 2:45-5:00 pm.

After school the students met in Mrs. Middleton’s classroom and soon enough we were on our way.

The most amusing part of walking over there was that we were walking in groups, yet we were all in a single file line. It was funny because there was a lot of traffic and it seemed that all the cars were staring at our straight, long line.

We had many adventures on our way there, and the fun continued when we arrived at our destination.

With food and cold drinks we savored our time at Chuck E. Cheese and really enjoyed bonding as a group.

Thank you, Mrs. Middleton, for taking us; we had a blast! :)

WHY DID WE RUN THE OPPORTUNITIES AD YOU READ ABOVE?

By College and Career Staff Writers

Our teachers are always telling us to be prepared and that opportunities will be out there.

Mrs. Murphy saw the ad while we were researching information about WordLink and she kept saying, “See?! There are so many different kinds of opportunities these days, and more and more, kids are starting off as interns! If

you pay attention now, even in middle school, you’ll have the advantage over other high school kids! You’ll have a resume that shows several years of projects, letters of recommendation, and the highly prized trait of initiative!”

We understood most of what she was saying, Do you?

TESTING & EDUCATION REFERENCE CENTER Not sure what to do when you grow up?

Need extra practice in math, reading, science, or writing?

Starting to think about college and how you'll pay for it?

Do your parents need help writing a resume or studying for a job exam?

You can do all this and so much more using the Escondido Public Library's Free Testing & Education Reference Center database.

Have your Escondido Public Library card# ready, click on the link below, and select Testing & Education Reference Center. http://infotrac.galegroup.com/galenet/ escon_main

INTERESTED IN A CAREER BUT DON’T KNOW WHERE TO START? WE CAN HELP! Send your career ideas and questions to s t a f f @ d d m s n e w s . c o m

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VOL XLIX - ISSUE 3 - JAN-MAR 2011

Sports Highlights

Spirit of the Dragon - Del Dios Middle School

PADRES AAA TEAM TO 6TH GRADE BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP MOVE TO ESCONDIDO GAME

By Arturo Osorio, Staff Writer

By Arturo Osorio, Staff Writer SOCCER ODDITIES

By Arturo Osorio, Staff Writer Did you know that Brazil is the only nation to have participated in all of the FIFA World Cup Editions?

Did you know that Mexico was the first country to host two World Cups?

Did you know that soccer balls used to be hexagon shaped but too many people were losing their sight or developing brain damage as a result of heading the ball? They decided to make it round and do away with the hexball. Hexagons are used on the stitching for modern day balls to signify soccer's dangerous past.

How many of us have actually been to a baseball game? Chances are that you have, but if you haven’t then you don’t have anything to worry about. After much debate and thinking, the Escondido City Council has decided to approve the building of a baseball stadium for the San Diego Padres AAA Minor League Team.

The AAA team situated in Portland, Oregon used to be known as the Portland Beavers but the Padres owner, John Moores, decided to buy the team. He did not buy the name so that when the team comes to play in Escondido they will hopefully have much more attention calling name.

The AAA Team will not play the 2011 season in Escondido because the stadium has not been built yet.

Don’t let that bother you because the stadium will be built. Hopefully, it will be built in a few years so we can enjoy our national past-time right here in Escondido.

The 6th Grade Football team represented Del Dios in the X-Track sponsored league.

March 11, 2011 marked the day of the 6th Grade Girls’ Basketball Championship Game against Hidden Valley.

Hidden Valley had been victorious against Rincon in order to be in the championship game.

Del Dios had not lost a single game all season.

A lot was at stake for the Dragons. Not only were they playing for the championship but they were also defending an undefeated season.

Few can say that they’ve played in a championship game and even fewer can say that they’ve reached the championship undefeated. If the Dragons were to win, they would join the 8th Grade Football team in being undefeated and claiming the top spot in their sport.

Del Dios won the tip off but Hidden Valley scored first. Del Dios reclaimed the lead with a well spun three-point shot by Paula.

After that both teams stepped it up a notch.

Hidden Valley made a foul and Del Dios took advantage of it and made both free throws. Both teams were determined to come out on top but

at halftime the score was 11-9, in favor of the Dragons.

Historically this season, the Dragons had not lost a game when in the lead at halftime; a statistic they share with their 7th grade counterparts.

After a brief talk with their coach the Dragons came back onto the court and in a span of ten minutes they scored five times compared to Hidden Valley’s zero baskets.

Hidden Valley scored three times in the last ten minutes but the damage was already done.

Del Dios Dragons won the game 21-16. As the buzzer sounded a parade of Dragon fans ran on to the court.

The Dragons graciously thanked their opponents for playing a good game and then turned their attention to the championship trophy being handed to their coach added to their excitement.

The Dragons had gone through the whole season as a dedicated team and celebrated their win as a championship, undefeated basketball team!

Congratulations, girls!

Mr. Reed has a brief talk with his 6th Grade football team while Assistant Coach, .

The 7th Grade team, coached by Mrs. Harper, represented Del Dios in the X-Track sponsored league.

The Sixth Grade Volleyball Team really bonded with each other and had an exceptionally well season.

LUNCH ACTIVITIES In an effort to recognize students with a 3.0 GPA or higher ASB organized a lunch activity. Here Mr Reed shows off some of his skills.

7TH GRADE VOLLEY BALL The 7th Grade Girls’ Volley Ball team had a great season this year. They worked hard, played well and became a great team!

Highlights & Events

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VOL XLIX - ISSUE 3 - JAN-MAR 2011

SOCCER CAMP COMING THIS SUMMER!

D D M S STUDENTS EXCEL IN MMA TLupeRMiranda A I N(standing, I N Gfar: right with gloves) trains with a partner on combat fitness drills. These get the fighters stretched out and warmed up for sparring. You can support Lupe and Hector Mendez at their upcoming fights.

Check the East West MMA website for more information!

www.mma4escondido.com

Tim Hodgson, Escondido Sports Center Recreation Coordinator, and Bri Jeansonne, Recreation Specialist, gave an awesome presentation for Career Day at our school. They encourage you to check out the sports park and watch for upcoming information regarding their summer soccer camp and other sessions!

KODY’S CORNER:

DDMS STUDENT WRITES FOR NFLRUSH

A BIT OF FUN Maria and

Laura have way too much fun in P.E. Who says working out has to be all work and no play?? (above)

!

L O CO Kody Blankenbeckler’s been writing for NFL Rush since 3rd grade. Charger player, Antonio Gates, visited Kody’s school, Miller, and talked to the students about motivation in school and sticking to things that are good for you. After the football player’s talk, Kody had the chance to talk to a friend of Gates who owns the website NFL Rush. Kody told him that he really liked to write and loves football and watching the Chargers throughout the season. Kody was offered a job writing for the Chargers on the NFL Rush website right on the spot! Ever since then, he’s been writing year-round. Check out his posts at:

http://www.nflrush.com/buzz/category/kody

HURDLES can trip up a lot of people, but not Kody!

Focus leads to good form!

Go Kody! (right)

25¢ off!

Fruity Bars

Fruity Bar

Get 25¢ off your next That’s right! Now you can get a delicious, ice-cold, fruity bar for

only $1.00 with this coupon!

Choose from strawberry -watermelon-pina colada-horchata-raspberry cream-coconut and other yummy flavors!

Bring this coupon after school to the quad or Room 33!

Fruity Bars - Get ‘em while they’re ice-cold!

Limit one bar per coupon, no copies

18

Leisure Time

Spirit of the Dragon - Del Dios Middle School

VOL XLIX - ISSUE 3 - JAN-MAR 2011

Gilbert, I e Great work!

Son! Keep up th ! be your mom am honored to Te Amo! s Susana gallego

hector & Lupe! congrats on your tournament - 2 1st place trophies for hector and a 2nd place for lupe! way to go!

!

S T U O T U O H S

Mrs. Flaherty, C K S!!!

Your class R O u to know Just wanted yo Erin

& crews Mr. De Neve! uld be total per wo the newspa ut you and your o h it w us so text for giving s k n a h t ... o work staff e photos t ! m o es w a y man R O C K!! with! you taff spirit s

Hey Est ef I just wa ani! nt to te ll you th my bes tf at for you riend and I wil you are lb jus for me t like you’ve b e there ! I love een the re you - Diana Hey Girls’ V olleyball te ! s d n E am! ven though frie e’re al y m w e lost a co W All , e l s d y g uple of a u id m es, it’s all r g Well out of m e it ig h t b e c ause we ak did our BES most l! Let’s m get T !! ! o & scho st year ool!

- Valeria h e the b or high sc f ready s Corte is x e l -A

for all my besties: I love you, always an d forever!! <3 - Natali Gilbert ementa It’s me, Junior , from ry! Ha! elman. J B ust wa een a long tim nted to e, job at fo sa - Junio otball! See y good r, Missio u n Middle around!

TWEEN PROGRAMS AT THE ESCONDIDO PUBLIC LIBRARY Contributed by Joanna Axelrod Escondido Public Library, Teen Librarian

Looking for a fun, creative way to earn volunteer credit and make your community a better place? Then come check out the Crafty C.A.T.S. (Community Action Teen Service) program at the Escondido Public Library.

Tweens and teens ages 11+ meet every other Thursday at the East Valley Branch Library from 3:00 - 5:00 PM to knit hats for newborn babies and chemotherapy patients, make blankets for Escondido Humane Society shelter animals, create bookmarks, and so much more.

Tired of reading books just to get the AR points? Want to read something just for the fun of it without having to take a test?

Join other Escondido tweens and teens ages 11+ at the In BeT(w)een Book Club which meets one Thursday each month at the East Valley Branch Library from 3:30 - 4:30 PM. Best of all...In BeT(w)een Book Clubbers get a free copy of each book to add to their personal libraries.

For more info about either of these programs call Teen LibrarianJoanna Axelrod at (760) 839-4266.

EscoTeens: ARE YOU IN?

Releases September 2, 2011 Can FIRST® LEGO® League teams improve the quality of food by finding ways to prevent food contamination?

In the 2011 Food Factor Challenge, over 200,000 9-14 year-olds from over 55 countries will explore the topic of food safety and examine the possible points of contamination our food encounters – from exposure to insects and creatures, to unsterile processing and transportation, to unsanitary preparation and storage – then find ways to prevent or combat these contaminates.

In the Food Factor Challenge, teams will build, test, and program an autonomous robot using LEGO® MINDSTORMS® NXT to solve a set of Food Safety missions as well as research, develop, and share their innovative food safety solutions. Throughout their experience, teams will operate under FLL’s signature set of Core Values.

Dear Abby

Created by Joanna Axelrod, on Ning Contributed by Mrs. Murphy

Recently developed a love of reading??

Need something to do while you’re surfing online? Want to connect with other Escondido teens who are looking for ways to volunteer, connect, or just hang out?

Check out the Teen Library’s social network: EscoTeens! While doing a little research on social networks, I discovered that the LG Texting Champion recently received an award for being a “mover and shaker” of a librarian! How cool is that?

Learn more about her and other kids just like YOU at the EscoTeens ning featured above. Maybe you’ll see me! (see below!)

Dear Abby,

How do I get my friends to say, “Sorry”, when they’ve been fighting with each other?

Dear Star,

Signed, Star

First of all, YOU are a good friend for wanting to keep your other friends talking and being friends! Give them some time to cool off before trying to get them to apologize. It’s okay to spend some time apart for a bit. Soon, they will probably realize why they were friends in the first place and be ready to forgive each other for whatever happened. If they don’t, suggest to both of them that they have a talk just between themselves and encourage them to talk about why they got mad. Hopefully, everything will turn out okay. Even the best of friends fight some times.

Good luck!

Abby

Dear Abby,

There are some girls bothering me and my friend. We almost got into a fight with them but we just walked away. Now, they’re saying they want to “get down” with us and a lot of people are asking us questions.

What should I do?

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Now you and your friends can text her for FREE @ 760-237-8853 with any questions you have about homework or anything else you need answered. This service is free but standard texting rates apply.

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THE ESCONDIDO SPORTS CENTER WANTS YOU!!!

Signed, Trying to Do the Right Thing Dear Trying, It takes more courage to walk away than it does to fight.

You did the right thing. Keep telling the truth: just let whoever is aking you questions that you just didn’t want to fight and leave it at that. If the girls keep bothering you, speak up and talk to a counselor or your teacher.

Good luck!

Abby

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Spirit of the Dragon - Del Dios Middle School

Season of Nonviolence

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VOL XLIX - ISSUE 3 - JAN-MAR 2011

By Miguel Perez

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1. a cherished aspiration, ambition, or idea 5. concern for the suffering or misfortune of others 8. intense enthusiasm for something 9. political and social freedom and equality 12. state of being joined as a whole 13. has courageous or noble qualities 15. Gandhi advised this action 18. bring someone or something to ________ 19. what the Beatles think we need 21. Mother Theresa exemplified this act 22. pursued a policy of nonviolent civil disobedience 24. not involving violence 25. from the Latin aequalitas

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Complete the Sudoku puzzle so that SUDOKU each and every row, column, and region DID YOU KNOW? contains the numbers one through nine only once.

2. morally accountable for oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s behavior and actions 3. strongly felt aim or calling 4. pluck up enough of this 6. persuaded to take this 7. an exalted position 10. organized nonviolent resistance and peaceful mass demonstrations 11. peaceful means bringing about political or social change 14. rift being made right 16. willingness to allow, regardless of agreement 17. give intellectual, moral, and social instruction 20. organized people and used nonviolent tactics 21. become different 23. female predecessor to King; evangelist for rights and suffrage

By Arturo Osorio

... that if we were able to capture the energy released by the sun in just one second

we would have enough energy to power the United States for 9 million years? ... that the electric chair was invented by a dentist? ... that hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia is the fear of long words? ... baseball is one of the most complicated games with each game having 12,386,344

possible plays? ... that the longest place name still in use is Taumatawhakatan-gihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokai- whenuakitanatahu,

a New Zealand hill?

IS THE CHECKERBOARD BULGING OR NOT?

M Y N I S D N T V F C X

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O P I S E T I L M R A E

Y U S P N E T E O G V V

R N S I D R A R C I E K

Z E A R N M R A L V Z V

C T P A I I E N E E L G

J S M T K N D C W I O K

S I O I E A I E O H V E

D L C O X T S E I D E E

B E G N A I N V C N C K

G N I K M O O Z Z A Y M

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CHAVEZ COMPASSION CONSIDERATION DETERMINATION EXAMPLE EXPERIENCE FORGIVE GANDHI INSPIRATION KINDNESS KING LEADERSHIP LISTEN LOVE NONVIOLENCE PEACE PERSEVERE TOLERANCE WELCOME

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The Back Page

Spirit of the Dragon - Del Dios Middle School

VOL XLIX - ISSUE 3 - JAN-MAR 2011

HAZMAT SPECIALIST VAPORIZES AND LIVES!

By Tino Quiñonez and Kayla Douglas, Staff Writers

materials. He has been working with chemistry since he was in the fifth grade and has a strong passion for it.

Mr. Vent was one of the many hazmat specialists who helped take down the house with the explosives in Escondido.

The job of a hazardous materials officer is a very Reporter Tino Quiñonez, HazMat Specialist Nick Vent and Reporter Kayla Douglas dangerous one, Nick Vent loves danger, in fact he’s an and requires much skill and education. The adrenaline junkie! Nick is a hazardous job requires a four year degree in the scimaterials specialist, and a chemist. Every ences and successfully graduating from a day he deals with dangerous and explosive special academy for hazardous materials.

CELLS by Diana Ortiz

co m s c i the

When things take a turn for the worse a team of specialists, sometimes including Nick Vent, come to clear out the area, or keep everything under control. For example he goes out to sites where, say, an oil truck tips over and the police need it to be cleared out and taken care of. Nick comes in and saves the day with his team.

At the time of this interview, Mr. Vent told us that we were the very first ones to get the real scoop on the situation about the house fire, not even the staff on the news got any information!

There were many dangerous explosives in the house that needed to be taken care of. It was Nick’s job was to heat the chemicals up to such

a high rate that the compounds decomposed and drifted to the air and left us all to move on with our lives. Nick has had to go to many schools on the job, hopefully he never has to visit Del Dios for work. Remember that, Mr. Ngo! No big explosives in the classroom!

Nick Vent left some valuable words of wisdom for Mr. Ngo: remember to always wear your safety goggles and gloves teachers!

Photo reprinted with permission. Courtesy of Channel 10, San Diego

My Adventures in Wonderland

by Raven J. Strankman