Roosevelt Roughrider Round UP

ROUGHRIDER roundup

DANCE TEAM NFL Season Recap

VALE NT INE C RAF T: LOV E LET T E RS

BLACK HISTORY MONTH

BE your OWN Valentine and more!

February 2022

The Rider Roundup The Roosevelt Roundup is published by the newspaper staff of Theodore Roosevelt High School and exists to serve as an open forum for the students, staff, administration, and community.

All state and federal laws regarding the publication of student materials shall apply, and the rider roundup will not publish materials which also fall under the guidelines established by the Des Moines Public School system, and are deemed libelous, obscene, or a material and substantial disruption to normal classroom activities.

The views expressed are not those of the Des Moines Public School faculty, staff, or administration.

All articles are researched, written, edited and designed by the staff, and are the result of editorial decisions made by the entire staff.

Any student, faculty, staff or community member can contribute materials within the deadline restrictions; however, final publication is at the discretion of the staff and must be 255 words or lesser length and signed; letter may be edited for length, grammar, spelling etc. Every attempt will be made to verify the authenticity of the auther, and no anonymous letters will be published.

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Class Advisor Nicole Crawford nicole.crawford@dmschools.org

Editor-in-Chief Willem Lindstrom Assistant Editors Abigail Henry Jack Harrington Colin Murphy Staff

Najamo Abdirahman Tian Cleveland Christian Guerro Zarai Hernandez-Hernandez Truman James Maia Kissell Lillian Kitundu Andrew Knapp Bianca Lennon Anna Lundy Amalle Mantay Mays Perlowski Kimberlin Rosas Josie Schauls Julia Stewart Queenie Tran Rike Zoerner

Be Your Own

Valentine

By Bianca Lennon and staff

S

tigma around Valentine’s Day has made people believe that it’s exclusive to only those who have a significant other. However, the holiday is not only for couples. You can spread love to family, friends, or anyone in your life who needs it. Most importantly, give yourself love. Whether single or not, spend some time on self-love this month.

Self-love looks different to everyone. Spend some time to figure out what self-love means to you and use it to grow your mind and body.

“Self-love to me is taking care of my body. Going to the gym and eating healthy is how I show my body love,” senior Evan Dicker said.

Self-love is mental and physical.

Taking care of yourself with movement and nourishment shows love to your body.

“Self-love to me is giving myself a break and taking time to relax,” senior Elle Green said.

It can be hard to put yourself first but prioritizing your mental health can help with feeling overwhelmed. In the end, taking some time to relax can make you more productive

“Self-love to me is treating myself occasionally, rewarding myself for all I’ve accomplished,” senior Endy Veasely said.

Loving yourself is not only taking care of personal needs and health, but also wants.

What’s the point of self-love? Once you love your flaws, congratulate, trust, and reward yourself, you gain confidence to move freely and live life with passion.

“On my journey of self-love, I gained a new perspective of myself and the world around me,” anonymous.

When you love yourself, so many doors will open. Spend this Valentine’s Day showing appreciation for yourself.

Black History Month

The origins, celebrations, importance, and representation at Roosevelt.

February, a month of wintery

weather, valentine’s day cliches, and 28 days. However, most importantly it is a month dedicated to the celebration of African Americans and their essential roles in U.S. history, otherwise known as Black History Month.

BY MAIA KISSELL AND STAFF

Life and History (ASALH). This organization allowed for the creation of Black History week in 1926, which occurred the second week of February (this way it would fall in the same week as the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass, both “(Black History Month is) influential people to the A celebration of the Black community). contributions of Blacks This began on our society. It helps “We need to be conversations raise awareness mindful of in schools and celebrate a opportunities to and community often celebrate and teach around communities underrepresented, Black excellence, all over acknowledged, and resilience, joy, and the world supported in our history throughout the entire regarding the country,” Roosevelt’s year” said Schappaugh. celebration of Principal Steven the successes of Schappaugh said.

African Americans.

As the week had Black History Month was first been celebrated nationwide, city introduced in 1915 following leaders and members extended the creation of the Thirteenth the celebration from a week to Amendment which abolished a month, and thus became the slavery in the United States. That tradition of a Black History Month.

September, Carter G. Woodson, a historian, and Jesse E. Moorland, a minister, founded the Association for the Study of African American

“The importance of Black History month is acknowledging the contribution of Black people to

our country and to educate people about Black history,” Global Black History teacher Alex Dunbar said.

“I think Black History Month is important to me because it really sheds light on the importance of Black History. I really think it should be every month of the year, but it does help,” Senior Mary Kitundu said.

During Black History Month, the history of influential Black individuals is highlighted and celebrated. Some well-known black figures include Harriet Tubman, Martin Luther King Jr., Ida B. Wells, Barack Obama, Rosa Parks, and so many more.

When asked about influential that should be recognized, Mr. Schappaugh responded with, “There are so many. Frederick Douglass, George Washington Carver, Maya Angelou, Jackie Robinson, Mary Jane McLeod Bethune, Shirley Chisolm, and even locally folks like Mel Green Sr who was a trailblazer for Black coaches

Sparking creativity. Pictured above is a mural created to honor Black History Month in the community. It is painted by Lucretia Torva and Jennifer White in downtown Phoenix, Arizona. The representation of Black History Month through art is both a creative and important way to give recognition the month and its importance. Photo Creds: Hope O’Brian/Cronkite News

in DMPS”.

“I think Black History needs to be discussed in school because it’s our history. People who want to ban our history invalidates the trauma and everything Black people have to endure” said Kitundu.

Many schools around the world have begun to include Black History in their curriculum and have begun to celebrate the month with their students. This allows teachers and students to learn more about the history behind this month, as well as its connection to events occurring today. Especially with the Black Lives Matter movement, black representation around the world is crucial.

So how can one educate themselves and honor the importance of Black History Month? According to salesfore.org, some of the best ways to honor Black History Month include supporting Blackowned businesses, learning

about black figures and their contributions, donating to antiracism foundations/organizations, and supporting Black women in the community.

At Roosevelt, students are using their voices to bring attention to the importance of Black History Month in schools.

“Our Brothers 2 Brothers chapter is doing weekly announcements.

Additionally, our Black Student Union is planning a Culture Night in the month of March, but the planning is happening now. We have some displays throughout the building as well,” said Schappaugh.

In Des Moines, some events surrounding Black History Month that people can attend include the Black History Month Scavenger Hunt at Forest Avenue Library all day from February 7-12. Des Moines residents can also see Step Afrika!, taking place at the Des Moines Civic Center. Friday and

Sunday tours of the Jordan House, a West Des Moines Museum that was once a stop on the Underground Railroad, will take place at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. throughout this month.

Lastly, the Des Moines Art Center will be celebrating the arts of Black History Month on Friday, February 18th, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Black Owend Businesseslocal restaurants: - Lola’s Fine kitchen - T’s Sweets - mustang grill Professional Services: - cc Painting - lewis lawn and labor - forward consulting Retail: - Nik star boutique -Black in iowa zumi - divine treasures health wellness and beauty: - perfect 10 nails - platinum signature barbershop - styles by tasha

2022 NFL Posts Wild Card The 2022 NFL Postseason has been a roller coaster of emotions. With upsets and overtime victories fans were given a show to say the least. To kick off the wild card round the Cincinatti Bengals played the Oakland Raiders and won the game 26-19. The Bengals offense stood out this game with Joe Burrow going 24 for 34 on completions with two touchdowns for 244 passing yards. Ja’Marr Chase lead the receivers with nine catches for 116 yards.

Next up was the Buffalo Bills vs the New England Patriots. The Bills swept the Patriots in a 47-17 victory making it hard to believe that the Bills lost to the Patriots in week 13 of the regular season. Josh Allen had control of the game throwing 21 for 25 with five touchdowns for a whopping 308 yards. Following this was the Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs the Philidelphia Eagles.

The Buccaneers beat the Eagles in a respectable 31-15 victory shutting the Eagles out for the first three quarters showing the strength of the Bucs Defense. Mike Evans was a standout player with nine catches for 117 yards and a touchdown.

The game following was a muchanticipated matchup between the Dallas Cowboys and the San Fransico 49ers. With the 49ers holding a lead throughout the game it looked like the Cowboys were without a doubt getting sent home.

However, the Cowboys went on a 10-0 run in the fourth quarter bringing the game to 23-17 with the 49ers ahead. The Cowboys got the ball with less than a minute left and marched down the field.

The game ended with Dak Prescott questionably running the ball up the middle for 17 yards which left the clock running. This left the Cowboys without enough time to spike the ball and stop the clock with the 49ers coming out with a 23-17 victory over the Cowboys.

The Kansas City Chiefs played the Pittsburgh Steelers in what would turn out to be Big Ben Rothlisberger's last game of his career.

This game was a display of Patrick Mahomes’ ability to do it all on the field. Mahomes had 404 passing yards for five touchdowns combined with 29 rushing yards on three carries giving him 434 all-purpose yards for the game. Rothlisberger had a tough time consistently connecting with receivers

throughout the game. The contest ended with the Chiefs taking a 42-21 victory over the Steelers.

To finish up Wild Card weekend the Los Angeles Rams took on the Arizona Cardinals in Los Angeles. The Rams dominated the game and held the lead through all four quarters. Matthew Stafford was able to assist his team in securing the victory with a below average 202 yards only completing 13 out of 17 passes thrown. Cooper Kupp reeled in five of those passes for 61 yards and a touchdown. Von Miller stood out on the defensive side of the ball with six tackles and a sack. In the end the Rams secured the 34-11 win against the Cardinals.

Divisional Round Kicking off the divisional playoffs weekend was a much-anticipated matchup between the Cincinatti Bengals and the Tennessee Titans.

This game came all the way down to the last play without a doubt giving fans a show. Joe Burrow was connecting with receivers left and right for an impressive 348 passing yards. Ja’marr Chase stood and Tee Higgins stood out amongst the receivers combining for more than 200 yards on 12 catches.

Linebacker Logan Wilson led the defense with six and a half tackles and the interception that put the Bengals in the position to kick the game winning field goal by Evan McPherson to win the game 1916 sending them to the AFC championship.

The San Francisco 49ers and the Green Bay Packers would come after with a close and exciting matchup. The Packers were able to hold Jimmy Garoppolo to just 131 yards completing 11 of 19 passes. Aaron Rodgers had better success completing 20 out of 29 passes bringing in 225 passing yards. Packers outside linebacker Preston Smith lead the defense with nine tackles, six of them being solo tackles. After a hard-fought battle, the 49ers were able to bring home the victory with a game winning 45-yard field goal kicked by veteran placekicker Robbie Gould.

One of the more exciting games of this year’s NFL playoffs was the matchup between the Los Angeles Rams and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers which would wind up being Tom Brady’s last game of his career. This was one of the many games this season that was decided by the last play of the game. For the first half of the game the Rams were the obvious victors. Going into the second

season Recap

By Andrew Knapp and staff

half down 20-3 the Bucs decided that they were not going down without a fight. After the Rams scored a touchdown early in the second half, bringing the score to 27-3, the Bucs began to rally.

With a minute and 43 seconds left in the game the Bucs had tied the game 27-27 and needed the ball back. With the game on the line Matthew Stafford launched a deep pass downfield on second and long connecting with Cooper Kupp for a 44-yard gain putting the Rams at first and ten from the Bucs 12-yard line. Stafford spiked the ball to stop the clock and Matt Gay kicked a 30-yard field goal to win one of the wildest games of the season.

Just as fans thought the weekend could not get any more exciting, the Kansas City Chiefs decided to put on a show against the Buffalo Bills.

It was the game to decide who would advance to the AFC championship game against the Bengals.

The game was electric with both teams connecting with receivers left and right. Both teams went back and forth for four quarters and the Bills pulled ahead with just 13 seconds left in the game. Fans thought the game was over, but the Chiefs offense had other plans. Bills got a touchback on the kickoff and the Chiefs took the ball from the 25yard line. Patrick Mahomes connected with Tyreke Hill for a 19-yard gain where they called a timeout to stop the clock with the ball at the Chiefs 44yard line. With just eight seconds left in the game Patrick Mahomes drops back to pass the ball when he connects with tight end Travis Kelce for a 25yard gain bringing the ball to the Buffalo 31-yard line and they called another timeout. In comes Harrison Butker to kick the 49-yard game-winning field goal to send them to the AFC championship.

Patrick Mahomes showed everyone why he is the highest paid player in the league completing 33 out of 44 passes for 378 yards and three touchdowns as well as showing off his legs while rushing for 69 yards and a touchdown in the intense victory.

Conference Championship To get the Conference Championships started the Cincinati Bengals played the Kansas City Chiefs to decide who would win the AFC and move on to the Super Bowl. The Chiefs took the first half and went into the locker room up 21-10 with the game in their hands. The Bengals defense still had a few tricks up their sleeve. Coming into the third quarter the Bengals shut down the Chiefs holding them to a scoreless third quarter and BJ Hill was able to reel in a big-time interception

and then Joe Burrow led the Bengals offense to a touchdown and a field goal tying the game up at 21-21. After Burrow threw an interception in the fourth quarter the Bengals defense was able to force a punt and get the ball back so that the offense could march downfield and kick a field goal putting them up 24-21 with six minutes left in the fourth quarter. Patrick Mahomes slowly but surely made his way down the field and with the final play of regulation the Chiefs were able to tie it up with a field goal and send the game into overtime. The Chiefs won the coin toss and got the ball to start.

After two incomplete passes Mahomes threw the ball on third and long when it was intercepted

by Vonn Bell giving the Bengals the ball on the Cincinati 45-yard line. After this, the Bengals proceeded to parade down the field running the ball with Joe Mixon and a couple of passes to Tee Higgins where they found themselves down at the Chiefs’ 13-yard line. They sent in Evan Mcpherson, a rookie placekicker, who has not missed a field goal the entire postseason. Mcpherson lined up the kick and sent it through the uprights to send the Bengals to their first Super Bowl since 1988.

Following the exciting show put on by the Bengals and Chiefs was a close matchup between the San Francisco 49ers and the Los Angeles Rams.

With the Rams as the favored champions by the Caesar’s Sportsbook analysts the 49ers came into the game with something to prove. After a hardfought battle, the 49ers took the lead late in the first half 10-7. Coming out at halftime the 49ers got a quick touchdown after some back and forth to put them up 17-7 with just two minutes left in the third quarter. The Rams knew they had to put something together on offense to have a chance at the game.

The Rams scored a touchdown by Cooper Kupp on the next drive to bring the game to 17-14 with the Rams still trailing. Rams defense stepped up and forced a punt on the next drive with the game still within reach. With a few key passes from Matthew Stafford, the rams got the ball all the way to the 49ers 12-yard line on fourth down. Matt Gay came in to kick the clutch game-tying field goal making it anyone’s game at this point. Rams defense came in and forced another punt for the Rams to capitalize off of resulting in another field goal to put them up 20-17. The 49ers got the ball and after a few bigtime defensive stops, it was third and thirteen when Jimmy Garoppolo threw an interception to Aaron Donald who tipped the ball to Travin Howard. The Rams seized the opportunity and kneeled the ball to finish the game 20-17 sending them to the 2022 Super Bowl.

Dance

By Abby Henry and staff

Team

Tricks, flips and

Flyer for Roosevelt’s Dance Team showcase which will include competitive pieces, pieces just for fun and performances from local guest dance studios.

“Dance Team has given me a way to involve myself at Roosevelt in a way competitive yet supportive atmosphere. I am greatful for the new relationships I have formed and will miss these bonds when I move on to college” -senior, Sophia Mordini

Roosevelt’s Dance Team getting ready to execute their first performance of the season. This performance included both the spirit squad and competitive squad as they performed a hip hop routine.

o t n i s p Victory a e l

more, on Friday Feb. 18 at 6p.m. Roosevelt’s Dance team performs a showcase of all their dances as their final performance of the season. The team began their season in the summer then continued to tirelessly work as they competed at state and regional competitions.

With a spirit squad and a competitive squad, the Roosevelt’s dance team showed all who they are and what they are made of.

much more the team is ecstatic to give one last hooray by combining their kid’s clinic with their showcase.

“ Dance Team has given me a way to involve myself at Roosevelt in a way competitive yet supportive atmosphere.

I am greatful for the new relationships I have formed and will miss these bonds when I move on to college”, said senior, Sophia Mordini

Hip hop, lyrical, and contemporary routines will display the skills, “I think dance team is perseverance and very nice, they always teamwork Roosevelt’s dance very well together dance team has used and always put on a throughout their season. great performance”, said After placing first in sophomore, Isla Tempero category for all three competitive routines, Performing at pep best medium select team, rallies, football games, several judges’ choice basketball games and so

Roosevelt’s Dance Team executing their contemporary routine “Dancing with the Devil” at ISDTA. The judges awarded the dancers with second place overall in the class III contemporary division.

Team Roster

Spirit Squad awards, Division one ratings, a choreography award and several high placing solos; Roosevelt’s dance team is excited to end the season on a high note and cannot wait to see what next year brings.

“This year was definitely crazy but also inspiring.

We went from having a team of eight two years ago, to no team last year due to Covid and then placing at state and being regional champions this year! The dancers worked so hard to accomplish these goals and I couldn’t be more proud. Come out and support us on February 18 at 6pm for our final

performance of the season!”, said Roosevelt’s Dance Team coach, Antonia Mihalovich.

Dancers described this year as “one to remember” and “so many great memories made”.

Tryouts for next year’s team will be held in May and more information will be posted on their Instagram: trhsdanceteam as well as in announcements.

Posing in their competitive hip hop routine coustume at MA regionals competition. The team placed first overall in their category and recieved a judges’ choice award with this routine.

Mary Staplin TT Tamang Jasmine Fuentes Chloe White Kathrine Zihala

Competitive Squad

(All are also on spirit squad)

Clare Sweeney Norah Cogdon Xandria Berger Sophia Mordini Bianca Valadao Maya Ryan Esther Staplin Maria Mordini Addison Boon Maia Kissel Rori Dubuc Jordan Formaro Avery Cambell Hadley Harvey Ava Consorti Beatrice Vermeer Frankie Fillippone Ellery Conrad Gia Mordini

(the chemical symbol for gold is Au, get it?)

BY QUEENIE TRAN AND STAFF

H

ave you ever had to ask someone out? It’s an anxiety-filled and awkward experience. And worst of all, no one has ever been given any real guidance on the subject. It’s unlikely that there’s a class in high school for this that gives you a step-bystep roadmap to dating the same way they teach you algebra.

So, it’s no big shock that asking someone out is a big social challenge. Especially on the one day where people are confessing left and right.

ple trust people that know themselves well and assume that their confidence (or lack thereof) reflects their actual value as a partner.

Self-confidence is a quality and not a defect. You have the right and the duty to love yourself as you are.

If this is not the case, surrounding yourself with positive people will necessarily help you. Confidence help you grow as a person, to believe in yourself, your abilities, and your ideas. It is essentially understanding and accepting yourself for who you are.

Let that sink in for a second though…

Is asking someone out really that hard?

Perhaps so, but there are also many scientifically proven tips and tricks to help you with asking someone out. One of them is “be confident”.

“I think excepting who you are and being proud of anything which makes you different is very important, there’s only one version of yourself” 43-year-old Thu Tran said.

Some of the most common romantic advice is to ‘just be confident.’ Folk wisdom suggests that confidence is highly attractive to potential partners, and research has confirmed that men and women rate confidence as a very attractive trait in a potential partner.

“The best advice I would give to anyone about asking people out is to smell nice, that’s always a plus.

And to just be confident. Confidence shows so much, and it makes people 20 times more attractive” Freshman Luz Fernandez said.

One reason is that a lot of the things we want in a partner are difficult to observe directly, especially on first meeting - this includes traits like competence, drive, social status, and kindness. Very many peo-

it is also scientifically proven that being positive is found attractive by many people.

Confidence encourages positive thinking. When we have self-confidence, we attract the attention of others, and we send them back positive energy. It also creates an aura that draws people in.

Now that we got over the importance of being confident, here’s the next topic. There are many ways to ask someone out, whoever not all of them have a high success rate.

“Definitely do not do it over text.

Personally, I prefer in person, probably over a dinner” Junior Isaiah Roundtree said.

When asking out a person, doing it in person makes a more sentiment moment, rather than doing it over a text message like many teenagers

who prefer to do so. This can be considered an essential part of your success. You want to pick the method that makes YOU most comfortable though. Of course, in person is always recommend because you can easily read their body language and gauge how they’re taking it, modify your behavior accordingly, and either quickly redirect or run.

We also like seeing people’s faces because it puts us at ease. A smile makes us smile, and body language fosters empathy and a sense of feeling connected to another person.

Which as you can imagine works in your favor big time when asking someone out.

Asking someone out digitally also have its pros and cons It is a great option for you if you think that you will be too nervous to use confident body language or take in their cues. BUT too much texting is dangerous because it sets a precedent. You don’t want the potential relationship to hinge on texting instead of face-to-face communication. And you don’t want to finally show up to a date and awkwardly realize the rapport you had over text doesn’t translate to real life!

There are many things to learn about love and relationships, as it is not something that one is taught. We learn from experiences and strive to improve. However, you can’t improve if you don’t start. So, start asking out whoever you want, especially on this love-filled day!

HEARTBREAK HEARTBREAK ANNIVARSY ANNIVARSY THE TOXIC SIDE OF A REALATIONSHIP NO ONE REALLY TALKS ABPUT

BY NAJMO ABDIRAHMAN AND STAFF

L

ove, chocolate, roses, dance.

When February arrives, two things come into mind, super bowl, and VALENTINES DAY. Valentines might look like it is all about love and flowers but once those rose-colored glasses come off, that realtionship might not be as healthy as everyone thought.

Dating can be fun but there are some very unhealthy incidents that can occur. Red flags in a relationship can be spotted easily sometimes. Example: One partner demanding the other to trust them even though they continue to make that partner feel like they should not trust them or if they do not give a good reason to trust them, when one treats the other like a second choice, yet they are still expecting the loyalty, when they keep the other hidden like a foul secret, when they make the other person feel guilty for feeling hurt over the hurt, they caused, when they think an apology can right all their wrongs.

“A red flag would be really excessive jealousy. Trying to stop you from generally talking to stop you from talking to people generally talking to people who you knew from the past.” said freshman Mya Parks People forget that after leaving a toxic relationship it is difficult to enter a healthy relationship.

Having to unlearn all the toxic behaviors they had to adapt to, thinking their partner is doing all these kind gestures as a repercussion, not because they want to.

The toxic person will continue to gaslight and give silent treatment which is NOT okay. Accept that the relationship is unhealthy and deserves so much better. Toxic relationships are very damaging to mental health, which is why seeking support is beneficial.

“Don’t let them make your all your decisions for you are your own person and just because you are in a relationship doesn’t mean that person can tell you what to do or gets to be the thing that stops you from living your life.” said freshman Bre Millikan.

“If you feel like it is too much.

Let it out. Do not keep it to yourself, it is damaging. Instead, journal how you are feeling. Put down on paper or your phone, you will feel a lot better.” said Zahra Mohamed.

Leaving a toxic relationship is a lot easier said than done. Pick a date to leave and stick to it. Plan it in your head, do not hesitate, set firm boundaries, and do not turn back. It will be hard at first, but eventually it will be worth it. Once out of the relationship, work on yourself, and increase

self-esteem. Self-love is the best type of love. Get a make-over or a manicure/pedicure, buy yourself a gift. Seek out a trustworthy family member or friend and leave the toxic in the past.

If you feel like it is too much. Let it out. Do not keep it to yourself, it is damaging. Instead, journal how you are feeling. Put down on paper or your phone, you will feel a lot better.” said Zahra Mohamed.

You

Need

To

By Jack Harrington and staff

D

ogs a humans’ best friend. The lovable, crazy, funny and often weird animals taken in as house pets are some of the best additions to a family or just to have as a friend.

Life without a dog is like a hamburger without a bun, it works, but it’s nowhere near as good.

“Dogs man, dogs are amazing. They’re friendly, you know, they can be your friend,” said Senior Aroda Kalifa. Dogs are excellent, in most people’s opinion. That is probably why 63.4 million households in America have at least one dog, according to HSUS. The most general way to separate dogs is a purebred or a mutt. That’s kind of up to the person getting a dog.

There’s also the difference between getting a dog from a breeder or rescuing a dog from a shelter, or just from the streets.

“I like rescuing dogs, so my favorite is any dog that

Love

Dogs

needs a home,” said Roosevelt instructional coach Ms. Graeber.

There is also an eternal argument over big dogs or small dogs. Both have significant differences in abilities and needs. Honestly, dogs all have their own fun personalities -similar to humans- making them so exciting and fun.

“Well, I have a Great Pyrenees so I’m going to say that, but big dogs are just my thing.

They are so funny because most of them think they are lap dogs and don’t know how big they are,” said Roosevelt Junior Maya Lint.

Human’s best friends are indeed what everybody needs. They will bring their own fun personality into your home. In adding that new family member, they can become your favorite part of the family even though they can’t talk; maybe that’s why.

“I like rescuing dogs, so my favorite is any dog that needs a home,” -Graeber

Titio lounging around as the day goes by.

Larry laying around, while a confused by why his owner is taking a picture of him.

Wrapp ng up the Month

By Colin Murphy and staff

February is a big time for new rap music, In the past the public has been treated to massive re leases in February, last year listeners got a mas sive Bill board hit Shi esty Season from Pooh Shiesty, and in 2020 we got Meet The Woo 2, So what can we look for ward to lis tening to this February?

This past week the mu sic community got treat ed with an unexpected story post from Ye West, announcing the alleged release of DONDA 2 Feb 22, It’s always hard to tell with West if what he says will really release but if it does we will be in for a treat. A lot of artists are hesitant to release music in Febru ary, because it’s a “Love month, there is

more pressure to release songs revolving around that, so it can be seen as sort of a barrier to release unless you are making a song of sorts.

“I’m most hype for $NOTs new work [Ethereall)] I looks like it’s going to be very good.” Said Sopho more, Brady Palmer, when asked what he looked forward to listening to the most. Release dates are never set in stone, especially these days, It’s hard to tell when and if an artist will actually drop their music, but listeners can only hope!

Singer Songwriter RUSS, Performing live. (VIA RUSSDIAMON)

A look at hip hop music coming out this month. (VIA RAP.COM)

F

lowers are a very important part of Valentine’s and several other occasions. Some flowers are used for weddings, funerals, birthdays, as well as Valentine’s Day. Most people don’t know this, but flowers have secret meanings depending on what type and color the flower is.

Roses come in eight different colors. They come in blue, red, black, green, yellow, orange, pink, and purple. Blue flowers are given to people they trust, smart people, and people they have faith for. Red roses are known for love, passion, and energy. Purple flowers stand for royalty, luxury, creativity, and are also mysterious.

Lilles commonly grow in white, yellow, pink, red, and orange.

White lilies are a symbol of purity and modesty. They also resemble being in heaven with someone.

Pink lilies are given to beautiful people. Pink lilies symbolize admiration, infatuation devotions and friendships. Most people give out pink lilies to close family or friends. Orange Lillie flowers is tricky to talk about, there’s nothing bashfully existing about orange Lillie flowers but they can also stand for peace, harmony, and joy.

Tulips are known to be the best flowers to plant during spring. Tulips are a symbol of spiritual awareness. They stand for perfect and deep love. As tulips bloom at the beginning of spring they also have a meaning of rebirth. There’s a quote from safari ‘’peep in their roots, all flowers keep the light’’.

Sunflowers are the tallest flowers to ever exist. Sunflowers come in seven different species. Titian, Russian, Giant, Giraffe, and Pikes Peak. Giraffe the tallest species of sunflowers, they are 15-18 feet tall. After giraffe comes Pike Peaks sunflower and they are 12-15 feet tall. ‘’Flowers are pretty but they die and are expensive,’’ said woodman. ‘’flowers stink they should be for dogs,’’ said chikil

He Loves Me He Loves Me Not

By Amalle Mantay and staff

SUPERSnacks

By Lilly Kitundu and staff

T

he Chip bowl or the Super bowl? Which one did you go for?

During the Superbowl I feel like the snacks are way better than they normally are.

Maybe its because people stepped up their game or it’s just the feeling of the biggest football game of all year. With a game as important as the Super bowl you must have some good snacks to match.

“Gotta have chips and dip... they are tasty, versatile and a classic” said Weston Wise, a sophomore.

An example of a superbowl snack spread found on Pinterest. Yum.

TOP SNACKS TO HAVE AT YOUR SUPERBOWL PARTY

With healthy snacks you can add different dips and things that pair well with fruits and vegetables so that you at least have the option.

With the growth of social media within the past couple of years there have been more and more ideas on how to design a perfect snack spread The Superbowl is the “It’s not a for the Super biggest football Bowl. There are game of the year football game many different in the US and without buffalo wings, components of food brings a perfect snack all different it’s not a celebration, ” spread and you types of people said Mr. Zanders the together. Food have to make sure that you gives people Activities Director. have the perfect the opportunity amount of each. to talk and come together and bond.

“Sometimes you gotta cut loose, they’re okay but they’re just a filler” said Peyton Twelmeyer on healthy snacks at Super bowl parties.

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WING OF ALL KINDS CHIPS AND DIP NACHOS FRUIT AND VEGGIE TRAY • COOKIES AND OTHER DESSERTS

Super Bowl LVI

By Truman James and staff

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uper Bowl LVI will be kicked off in Los Angeles this year with quarterback Joe Burrow wide receiver Cooper Kupp. The game the teams going up at each other are the Los Angeles Rams and the Cincinnati Bengals. After the odds of the Bengal’s were going to beat the Chiefs, the Rams pulled off the win vs the 49ers to make it to the Super Bowl.

The rams are making their first Super Bowl appearance since 2017. Joe Burrow will be the first quarter back Heisman and win a national championship at Sofi Stadium vs the rams. This will be the first super bowl held at Sofi Stadium. The Rams have held two super bowls in the past on is 1967 and the most previous one in 1993. In attendance to the game, you will need to have proof of full vaccination or a negative PCR Covid test.

“I think he’s really good because it’s his comeback season from his injury last year, so I think hell go out and win it all”, Roosevelt football player Mohamed Guma said.

Joe Burrow is ranked 9th quarterback over all in the NFL with 4611 passing yards and 34 touchdowns. The Beagles this year had a normal season going 10-7. They first defeated the Raiders 26-19 making it their first win in the post season vs the Raiders in 31 years. After that they won vs the Tennessee Titans with a winning field goal kicked by Evan McPherson making the score 19-16.

Then they beat the Chiefs 27-24 to reach the Super Bowl. The Rams have made it to the Super Bowl twice in the past but losing both times to the 49ers. The last time the Beagles and Rams have played each other was 2019 where the Rams won 24-10.

“The Rams are the are going to win the super bowl because they are the most well-rounded team in his opinion”, Roosevelt Linebacker Luke Liechti said.

The Rams most valuable wide receiver Copper Kupp is the 12th player to receive the “triple crown” with the most caught passes, yards, and touchdowns. Of this Tuesday, the Rams are favored over the Bengles 4.5 points. The Rams also have a good season going 12-5 winning the NFC playoffs title. They first had a huge win against the Arizona Cardinals 34-11.

Then they had a win vs Tom Brady with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 30-27. There win took home the NFC title beating the San Francisco 49ers 20-17. The Rams have been to 4 Super Bowls only winning Super Bowl XXXVI vs the Tennessee Titans in 2000.

This picture shows Joe Burrow after his win vs the Chiefs.

This picture shows Cooper Cupp the Wide Reciver for the Rams.

“Copper Kupp is going to be MVP of Super Bowl LVI”, Roosevelt Linebacker Luke Liechti said.

The super bowl will be Sunday February 13 at 5:30 p.m. The ticket prices can cost anywhere between $3000 dollars and $35, 000 depending on what seats you get. The average cost you see for a commercial during the Super Bowl is 6 million dollars for a 30 second commercial.

This picture shows Sofi Stadium where the Super Bowl will be held this Sunday.

Medieval

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Love Letters

ooking for a sweet handmade gift to make for your loved one? This is a coffee washed love letter that gives major medieval/vintage vibes.

Finish it off with a wax seal for a beautiful finishing touch. All materials used for this letter are things you most likely have at home.

By Josie Schauls and staff sticks and one part crayon on the spoon on top of the candle. Once the two are melted in a spoon, gently pour it onto an envelope or on the folded letter to seal it off. Using some type of coin or disk to press it down will help secure it.

“From the time I was little my mom never even bought cards, because she would always ask me to make cards for her friends and they always loved them, I mean I did that from the time I was little all the way through high school,” said Lamair.

For the brown vintage paper, take the piece of paper and crumple it lightly, then uncrumple it, next take the paintbrush and “I think there’s something nice coffee and paint too about the individualizing For you to make a card over the paper it, somebody’s handwriting is for someone even if it on each side way different than an email or is not with all the extra stuff with the coffee like you would something,” said Lamair. wash or the wax seal it with watercolor, is still thoughtful for the more layers someone to know you put time into painted on, the darker the wash writing something which shows you will be. Make sure it dries well love them. before writing on it.

“Just taking an old, cold cup of coffee and brushing it on, I have some Japanese calligraphy brushes I like using that to brush it on, I’ve also done stuff with actual coffee grounds like rubbing them into the paper to get it a little darker, the darker the brew the darker the wash,” said Art Teacher Mary Lamair.

For the wax seal, light a candle and melt one-part hot glue gun

MATERIALS White paper Cooled down coffee Paintbrush Candle Crayon Glue gun stick Spoon

The finished products of the wax seal and coffee wash. Melting the glue gun stick may take time depending on the melting point, have patience, and once the melted crayon is added it will become more of a liquid consistency.

Why Valentine’s Day is

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overrated

ouples love it, singles fear it and many more people think it is unnecessary: Valentine’s Day. With the holiday of love coming up, we have to ask ourselves the annual question: do we really need Valentine’s Day or should we leave the pink and red decorations stored away in our basements this year?

When looking at the reasons why people should not celebrate Valentine’s Day, there are definitely a couple of good reasons. Besides the fact that Valentine’s Day is celebrated on St. Valentine’s death day, which is already questionable if you want to celebrate a person, you could also mention that February is pretty much the worst month to celebrate love as the weather closes the doors for a lot of cute date opportunities.

The temperature during February in Iowa averages between 16 and 35 degrees Fahrenheit, so if it is not freezing cold outside you will stand in puddles of almost melted snow. This makes cute outdoor dates like picnics or hiking trips almost impossible or at least not enjoyable.

If the weather bringing the mood down for happy couples was not enough, it is also a frustrating time for the singles in this world.

Seeing the people around you being happy with their significant others can make you feel alone, and this can be critical during a pandemic where a lot of people already report that they suffer from a feeling of loneliness. And while feeling alone on one day of the year might not

by Friederike Zoerner

be as severe, a constant feeling of loneliness can actually have the same mortality rate of being an alcoholic or smoking 15 cigarettes a day according to the January-February issue of the Harvard Magazine.

And even if we set all the feelings aside that Valentine’s Day can cause in people, do we really want to celebrate a holiday that is just a way for big corporations to make more money? The supermarket isles being decorated with pink and red hearts is probably enough proof that nowadays, Valentine’s Day is a commercial holiday. The chocolate industry booms around that time of the year and big supermarket chains cannot wait to sell heart shaped pillows for $20 each just for them to be forgotten about one month later. According to the National Confectioners Association, about 87 percent of Americans report that they eat Valentine’s themed candy and consumer’s behavior researcher Tighe published a study in January 2021 on Statista that reports that consumers spend around 23.9 billion USD on Valentine’s Day per year. So is Valentine’s Day really the holiday of love or the holiday of corporations profiting off love?

Why do we still celebrate it? Why do we not treat our significant others like every day is Valentine’s Day? Why do we need a specific day to prove people our love? So maybe keep the decorations in your basement this year and buy your significant other some flowers a week before or after

or really on any day that you want to show them your love. Take them out for dinner when they had a bad day to show them that you really appreciate them and do not only do it because everyone else does it on that day. In times like these, we need more love in our world, but we cannot achieve that by planting a sense of obligation in the ones around us, but rather by being true about our emotions and how we choose to express them.

Did you know?

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the average planned Valentine’s Days’s spending per capita in the US is over 175 USD

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in 2022, 5 percent of young people plan on buying “antiValentine’s day” gifts

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only 56 percent of American’s believe in soulmates

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the most unwanted Valentine’s Day gifts among men in the USA in 2021 included Teddy bears, Valentine’s cards and underwear Source: statista..com

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al.com

Vecteezy

Saint Valentine

By Anna Lundy and Staff

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eople often associate Valentine’s Day with “Pink and red, hearts and dates,” junior Emerson Peck said. But does anyone know the true origin of the holiday?

The history of Valentine’s Day is pretty vague.

According to A & E, Valentine’s Day contains vestiges of both Christian and ancient Roman tradition. Given their similarities, it has been suggested that the holiday has origins in the Roman festival of Lupercalia, held in mid-February which celebrated the coming of spring. Lupercalia was deemed “un-Christian” by the end of the 5th century and was declared as St. Valentine’s Day by Pope Gelasius.

A & E furthers that another potential origin of the holiday is a legend that St. Valentine was a Roman

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Cupid

priest who defied Emperor Claudius II. St. Valentine continued to wed young men after the emperor told him that single men made better soldiers than married ones.

He was put to death after Claudius discovered that he was still marrying young lovers to spare men from war.

However, some people argue that St. Valentine was beheaded by Emperor Claudius for helping Roman prisoners escape the abusive prison system.

Regardless of where you believe the holiday comes from, we can all agree that

“It’s a date when love is celebrated. It has become something commercial in nowadays,” Spanish teacher Antonio Mazuecos said.

Valentine’s Day has become a holiday that revolves around materialistic goods.

“It’s a date when love is celebrated. It has become something commercial in nowadays,” Spanish teacher Antonio Mazuecos said.

According to University of Las Vegas, “In the 1840s, Valentine’s Day took off in the U.S. as increased paper production and printing presses lowered costs and increased the number of pre-printed cards that people could exchange that featured fancy lace, pictures, and other decorations.” Hallmark, which was founded in 1911, has heavily contributed to the commercialization of Valentine’s Day. Technology made it possible to make valentines with a variety of different colors, textures, and patterns. The founding of Hallmark really started the movement of using holidays as opportunities

to make sales.

C Valentine s Day

sweetness

By Zarai Hernandez and staff

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alentine’s day, a day full of love and candy. There are many limited-edition candies that come out around Valentine's Day, all candies ranging from sweet, bitter, and sour. Of all those candies some are very loved, but others are not as much.

“I love Ferrero Rocher because they are so chocolatey and crunch inside, but I don’t like conversation hearts because they’re just too sweet for me” junior Astrid Mendez said.

The candies listed below were rated on a scale of one through ten and then put in a list of best to worst Valentines candies.

1. Ferrero Rocher

2. Dove Milk Chocolate Hearts

3. Conversation Hearts

Fun Facts

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4. Kisses 5. Fun Dip 6. Blow Pops 7. Gummy hearts

8. Jellybeans

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186 million roses are sold for Valentine's Day Red roses are a symbol of Valentine’s Day because red roses were Venus’s (the Roman God of love and beauty) favorite flower Americans spend about 1.8 billion on candy

Words were not printed on Conversation hearts until 1866

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One in four Americans buy their pets a gift as well

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Some of the sayings on Conversation Hearts are changed each year.

Changing of the Guard: A New Look in the Supreme Court

By Jack Harrington and staff

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ver the past 232 years, there have been 113 justices on the United States Supreme Court; all but six have been white men.

Four have been women, and only three have been not white.

It can be staggering to think about that, considering almost 25 percent of American citizens aren’t white. In addition, nearly 51 percent of US citizens are women. It is interesting how a quarter of this country isn’t white, but in the history of the Supreme Court, only 2.65 percent of justices haven’t been white, and only 3.5 percent haven’t men.

what he called the “American Experiment,” alluding to democracy and how this country works.

South Carolina US District Court Judge J. Michelle Childs, as well as a few other very possible candidates.

“And I’ll tell you something, you know who will see if that experiment works? It’s you, my friend. It’s you Mr. High School Student. It’s you Mr. College Student. It’s you Mr. Law School Student. It’s us but it’s you, the next generation and the one after that. My grandchildren and their children. They’ll determine whether the experiment still works and of course, I’m an optimist and I’m pretty sure it will,” said Breyer.

“I am prepared to be disappointed in another corporatist,” Roosevelt government teacher Howard Hewlett said when talking about the next Supreme Court Justice.

Thurgood Marshall broke all the barriers in 1967 when President Lyndon B. Johnson nominated him for the court. Since then, Sandra Day O’Connor became a justice in 1981, becoming the first woman. Clarence Thomas, the second Black justice, was confirmed in 1991, followed by the second female justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in 1996.

Sonia Sotomayor was confirmed in 2009, becoming the first Hispanic justice and third woman, then Elena Kagan in 2010.

A Supreme Court Justice retiring after almost 30 years on the bench while in his 80’s is not all that crazy, but what could happen following this kind of is. This will be Joe Biden’s first Supreme Court nomination as president. During his campaign Biden said that he planned on nominating the first Black woman to the court in its history. That could be a big step for the Supreme Court and this country. Biden has made it clear he plans on sticking to his word.

Many big news networks have shown likely candidates for the nomination on a shortlist.

All the names on these lists consist of black women. While Biden hasn’t given any names and especially not one nominee, some potential candidates are DC Circuit Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, California Supreme Court Justice Leondra Kruger,

On January 27 2022, Justice Stephen Breyer, who has been on the court since 1994, announced his plan to retire. After a nearly three-decade-long stay on the bench, he will be passing it down to a possibly fundamental new justice. In his retirement speech with Joe Biden, he brought up

“There is no way of god’s green earth [Biden] cannot pick an African American woman after making that specific promise on the campaign specifically to the South Carolina Representative Clyburn. That man essentially got him elected, by saving South Carolina for him on Super Tuesday and solidifying the black vote for him. He has to, because he’s lost the youth; he lost like 30 percent of the youth have dropped out, if he loses people of color, seriously who’s left,” said Hewlett.

The future of this country is clearly an exciting topic right now in just about all spectrums of life. This potential nominee could be a large part of that future in possibly being the first Black woman of the supreme court. She would be the fifth woman and fourth person of color on the court. This could be a massive step into the future and a hopefully groundbreaking moment for the Supreme Court and the United States.

“And I’ll tell you something, you know who will see if that experiment works? It’s you, my friend. It’s you Mr. High School Student. It’s you Mr. College Student. It’s you Mr. Law School Student. It’s us but it’s you, the next generation and the one after that. My grandchildren and their children. They’ll determine whether the experiment still works and of course, I’m an optimist and I’m pretty sure it will.”

-Justice Stephen Breyer

Competing FOR GOLD The Winter Olympics are

happening this year! Every four years the Winter Olympics happen and this year the Olympics will be held in Beijing, China. The Olympics are one of the biggest sporting stages in the world and athletes train their whole life to compete for gold. Over 200 athletes will compete for team USA this year competing for gold.

“My favorite Winter Olympic sport is snowboarding because Shaun White is my favorite Olympian,” said junior, Xavier Bailey.

One returning veteran for the USA is Shaun White. White has three Olympic gold medals and is

By Christian Guerrero and staff

In Beijing

competing this year for his fourth.

He currently holds the record for most X Games and Olympic games gold medals in the world.

The USA had 23 medals in 2018 which was fourth in the Olympics.

Team USA will be trying to add to the medal count this year.

The youngest Olympian for the USA is figure skater Alysa Liu, she is the only 16 year old for team USA and is competing in her first Olympics. Liu has the record for youngest National Champion at 13 years old.

“I’m looking forward to watching the USA Hockey Team compete this year,” said junior, Dominic Wade.

Although the Olympics are underway there is a controversy in Beijing; the weather. The weather is not ideal to withstand most of the winter sports for the Olympics and is causing panic in some athletes competing as well as teams. Teams are frightened by this because the weather could ultimately cause their sport to be cancelled and not be able to compete.

Winter Olympic Competition Schedule -Bobsleigh competition days are the 16th, 17th, and 18th.

-Curling competition days are the 15th, 16th, and 17th.

-Figure Skating competition days are the 15th and the 18th.

-Ice Hockey competition days are the 15th and 18th.

-Nordic Combined competition days are the 14th and the 16th.

Shaun White does it again! Shaun White won his third gold medal in 2018 in Pyeong Chang.

Beijing 2022 will be his last Olympics and he is competing in the mens snowboard halfpipe.

Pic Cred: Getty Images

-The last Snowboard Competition day is the 14th

SNUBBED OF STARTING SPOT!!!

By Tian Cleveland and Staff.

This year’s NBA all-star

game missed a very important player in the starting lineup this year for the western conference. That player is Karl Anthony Towns, the starters for this year were Stephen Curry Guard, Ja Morant Guard, Andrew Wiggins Forward, LeBron James Forward, and Nikola Jokic at Center.

sports opinion article

PPG (points per game) while snagging 10 RPG (rebounds per game) and dishing out 4,2 APG (assists per game) while also having his best shooting season so far in his career as he is averaging over 53% from the field while shooting a jaw dropping 41.3% from behind the arch and you are telling me this is not all star starter worthy? While Andrew Wiggins is averaging only 18.8 PG, 2.1 APG and only 4.3 RPG, while his field goal percentage and three-point percentage are both worse than KAT. “I think he for sure got snubbed without a doubt, but in fair ness a lot of players should

Andrew Wiggins does not deserve to be a starter in these years all star game as LeBron James should be starting at the small forward spot and Karl Anthony Towns should be starting at the power forward spot. If you don’t agree with me then just listen to this, Karl Anthony Towns is having himself one of his have gotten that chance to start over Wiggins” said Spencer Debest seasons in his entire career as he is averaging 25.6 Marco when asked his thoughts about KAT not starting

This is just ridicules if you ask me All-Star fan voting is simply not fair, the only reason why Wiggins will be a starter in Cleveland this year is simply because the Warrior fanbase has one of the biggest fanbases in the league and they are one of the most widely spread media team in the league. As Minnesota hardly gets any attention on social media or on ESPN. Its just simply not fair and there are many other cases where another player should be over Andrew Wiggins. All-Star starters need to be selected by 75% of the league instead of it being a 50-50 vote, this way players who really deserve that starting spot will get it.

Roosevelt Students

Valentine’s Day Interests

By Willem Lindstrom & staff

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teddy bear? A girlfriend/ boyfriend? Or even just candy?

What are Roosevelt students looking for this Valentine’s Day?

pink ones, I want blue and yellow balloons because those are my favorite colors,” said Gutierrez.

Students around Roosevelt have various interests for Valentine’s Day. Ally Whatley, a senior at Roosevelt, only wants one thing for Valentine’s Day.

However, Jayden Davidson, a freshman at Roosevelt wants something very simple.

“All I want for Valentine’s Day is a medium iced vanilla coffee with cream from Dunkin. No candy, no teddy bears, no boyfriend, just some coffee,” said Whatley.

Tyson Gutierrez, a junior at Roosevelt, wants something very interesting.

“I want balloons because they make me happy, and they are cool. I don’t even want red or

“I don’t need anything special, all I want is a big teddy bear from my girlfriend,” said Davidson.

Valentine’s Day is a special day for loved ones. Some people don’t even want a lot on this day. Rather than the norm of candy, flowers, or something really nice, students around Roosevelt just want simple gifts such as a coffee, a teddy bear, or even balloons.

Special thanks to Donating to Newspaper for February Publishing Party!

Proud to be a Rider

By Mays Perlowski and staff

Worst Pickup Lines 1. Was your mother a beaver. Cause dam!

2. Did it hurt when you fell from the vending machine? Because you look like a snack.

3. You’re like a candy bar: half sweet and half nuts.

4. If I had to rate you from 1-10, I would rate you as a 9 because I am the one that you are missing.

5. Is your name Earl Grey? Because you look like a hot-tea!

6. Are you religious? Because you’re the answer to all my prayers.

7. Excuse me, but I think I dropped something. MY JAW! 8. You must be from Tennassee! Because you are the only TEN I see!

9. I’d like to take you to the movies, but they don’t let you bring in your own snacks.

10. Are you a camera? Because every time I look at you, I smile.

11. You must be Jamaican, because Jamaican me crazy.

12. Your daddy must be a drug dealer, cuz you’re dope.

13. Is your name Google? Because you’re the answer to everything I’m searching for.

14. Charmanders are red, mudkips are blue, if you were a Pokemon, I’d choose you.