The Canine Chronicle MBMS April 2018

[t h e canine ] mount baker middle school, auburn, washington

april 2018

volume VIII, issue 4

inside this issue: Is Water Wet?

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New Olympic Breaks Ground

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New Club Forms

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SBA Coming Soon

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Welcome to the April edition of The Canine Chronicle, Bulldogs! It’s a new semester, new staff on The Canine Chronicle, but that doesn’t mean everything has changed.

What Grinds My Gears

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Culture Poll

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SPECIAL EDITION: Gun Violence in Schools

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MBMS Sports

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Ready Player One Review

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School Play Recap

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Fortnite Review

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140-Character Reviews

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Being able to tell the stories of our peers during this time of year has been difficult for some of us, due to the play, preparing for SBA, projects, etc. But our promise here in The Canine Chronicle is to continue telling student stories and stories of our diverse traditions, under any circumstance.

We must uphold the truth and facts about what’s going on at MBMS. Various topics that are included in The Canine Chronicle are new SBA procedures, building a new Olympic MS, and how it will affect MBMS, Charity Water, and other interesting topics.

A special edition focuses mostly on school gun violence. Students and staff members took a survey that was about their thoughts and feelings if teachers were allowed to carried guns, with the correct training and going through background checks, and their thoughts of the student walk out on March 14.

We took a student and teacher survey to get responses for the edition to represent the overall opinion on various topics. Over a thousand students at the school, we got about 400 quotes in this edition, excluding all the students and staff members interviewed.

We have hard hitting articles and debates, which includes “Is Water Wet? “ and “Ten First Thoughts While Playing Fortnite. “ We also have articles, such as reviews on the movie Ready Player One, “Only at MBMS,” and MBMS sports (boys soccer, wrestling, and girls basketball). Be sure to check out the What Grinds My Gears, which are sure to entertain you with humorous rants.

This edition is our biggest April edition yet, and it is full of information for your enjoyment and viewing pleasure.

FRONT COVER PHOTO: School violence is a topic being discussed by students of all ages around the U.S . With a large number of school shootings in 2018, many students are speaking out to increase the safety of their schools. PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY X. MANUEL BACK COVER PHOTO: After several adventures through D.C. there are several student pictures of famous landmarks, such as White House, Tomb of the Unknown Solider, and Martin Luther King Memorial. Eighth graders traveled to DC over spring break. PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY A. GALLAGHER

DEAR BULLDOGS,

Sincerely,

The Canine Chronicle

STAFF

The editors The Canine Chronicle. PHOTO BY L. GUERIBA

mission: The MBMS Journalism 8 class produced this limited-voice EDITORS

REPORTERS

REPORTERS

REPORTERS

Mikaela Rabago Lottie Scheschy Isabella Gallardo Xialeemar Manuel

Jaelyn Braack Sarah Cayeros Caitlyn Dang Mckenzie Emmons Isabell Flores Richard Gallagher Juan Gomez-Sepulveda Lavrielle Gueriba Ruby Hamilton

Zoe Harris Aysiah Hwande Therese Layacan Amy Martinez–Reyes Bridget Middelburg Damon Nguyen Kailynn Nguyen Ashley Ray Emily Scofield

Nora Scott Jasmine Sia Natalie Tye Madison Vanalstine Isabel Yu

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ADVISER

Peter Warring

table of contents

newspaper with intent to ethically report events accurately, without bias. As a public forum for students, all decisions made on content are made under the guidance of the adviser, with intent to uphold students’ First Amendment rights.

The opinions presented in articles are provided to represent the views and perspectives of students and individuals in our diverse student population, not necessarily the whole of the adviser, faculty, and administrators. Any material that would cause a disruption to the educational process like libel, invasion of privacy, or copyright infringement will not be published.

The Canine Chronicle is produced using Microsoft Publisher. Photographs not taken by students have been utilized through a Creative Commons and Microsoft license. School portraits are licensed through Dorian Photography.

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KAILYNN NGUYEN & LOTTIE SCHESCHY An organization, Charity Waters, has been brought to MBMS as of last year by eighth graders Sophia Nelson and Ashlyn Walker, with a goal to help those in need.

Nelson and Walker are the head of this campaign at Baker, and collect donations through money jars put in classrooms and additional online contributions using the site CharityWater.org. The start of Charity Water began with a church conference the two attended called the “Weekend,” which inspired them to get involved with this international issue.

“I figured if we got touched by it, other kids would too and they would want to help make a difference,” Nelson said.

The duo encourage students at Baker to participate by placing “money jars” in classrooms for donations. Charity Water is not only seeking assists by students, but also MBMS teachers.

“They let us put jars in classroom that we have to take care of,” Nelson said “They enjoy watching us, and kids putting money in it.”

The process for this campaign is simple, making it easy for people to help those in need. Money donated

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to this charity can either be online, or in person, but ultimately funds new water equipment.

“We take the money then upload it on an online campaign, and then it

goes straight to the company,” Walker said. “Then they’re able to use that to build wells, and provide clean filters.”

Charity Water is a way for both of

the students to learn something new about themselves and recognize the privilege they, and all who have access to clean water, are given.

“We take it for granted so often, we can just turn on a faucet and ‘oh there’s water,” Walker said. “But people around are dying because they don’t have water and we need to do something about it.”

Charity Water is a cause that has motioned for a positive change, which is hoped to reflect upon the actions of other students. The organization, as well as MBMS staff, urges others to follow as well.

“I believe all students should be proactive to make positive changes in their immediate community and, in this case, worldly causes.” Mr. Carter, a math teacher at MBMS, said.

As the year goes on these students set a prime example for others that change is possible to make despite who you are.

“It doesn't matter how much you raise as long as you try,” Walker said. “You don't have to be some big celebrity and donate a bunch of money, you can just give whatever you have. Just help out. “

Nelson and Walker are photographed above with their donation jar. Jars are placed in many classrooms for anyone to participate. PHOTO COURTESY OF K. NGUYEN.

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CAITLYN DANG AND THERESE LAYACAN The question “is water wet?” has plagued the halls and classrooms of MBMS since who-knows-when.

There are two plausible arguments: water is wet, and water is not wet.

For both sides of the argument, how one defines “wet” comes into play.

Those who believe water is wet argue that the exact definition of “wet” includes the word “consisting of… liquid.”

“If you look at Webster’s [Dictionary], the adjective ‘wet’ is something that’s consisting of, containing, or covered with or soaked with liquid,” sixth grade science teacher Ms. Root said. “I would say if

water is in its liquid state, it would meet the technical definition of wet…

But I think really it would have to be in its liquid state.”

Those who believe water is not wet explained themselves by breaking it down on a scientific level.

“I think for something to be wet, it’s more of a state of something that’s caused by coming in contact with a liquid. The liquid itself is not in that state,” eighth grade science teacher Ms. Lacy said.

The popularity of the question has even caused disruptions in some classes.

“Someone mentions it, and automatically there’s like this uproarious environment where people

are like, ‘Yes! No! Ahhh! What are you talking about?’ And then I have to redirect from that,” Ms. Lacy said.

No one is quite sure why people, especially middle school students, enjoy to ponder on silly questions like these, but some do have guesses.

“Honestly, I feel like people have been talking about this question because it seems almost like it doesn’t really feel like there is anything educational or philosophical to be learned from this,” seventh grader Paul Myka said. “I feel like people are just kind of making these things up just as something fun to talk about and argue about with people.”

Many say the question is simply a distraction from real life discussions.

“Politics and real world problems can't hold the attention of middle schoolers. We find them too boring.

That's why we bring silly debates into play such as this one,” sixth grader Tyson Pedro said in The Canine Chronicle’s recent survey.

Eighth grader Cody Nutter commented about why he thought students argue about such questions in The Canine Chronicle’s survey.

“I think students enjoy debating these questions because sometimes, students just like things to debate or argue about. Even if they are pointless questions, it’s still something for kids to debate and try to prove their point and show their opinion.”

The Canine Chronicle’s April 2018 survey received 362 responses, with a little over half responding with “no” to “is water wet?”. Eighth grader Sephora Zoro had some insight about why these questions are “controversial.”

“In the world we live in, there are so many issues to have an opinion about, and we get used to debating with our peers about them. It get pretty boring debating the same old issues all the time however, and debating the wetness of water is new and silly,” Zoro said. “At this point, we only argue for the sake of argument, and this is something fun and new to argue.”

PIE CHART GRAPHIC BY C. DANG

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The Locker Lottery is a way of getting student’s opinions on various topics. The staff selected two students from each grade for this Q & A. The sixth graders asked were Avery Moore and Grace Wheeler. The seventh graders were Jameer Martin and Paul Perry.

The eighth graders were Irene Morse and Alisson Mejia-Fernandez.

ISABELLA G ALLARDO, ASHLEY RAY, ISABELL FLORES

HAVE

YOU EVER GONE TO/HEARD OF THE SEMICOLON CLUB? A.M.: “No.” G.W.: “No.” J.M.: “No, I’ve never heard of it.”

P.P.: “No, I’ve never heard of it.”

I.M.: “No.” A.M.F.: “I’ve heard of it.”

ARE

YOU PARTICIPATING IN ANY SPRING SPORTS

HERE AT MBMS? A.M.: “Track.”

J.M.: “Yeah, I’m doing track this year.”

P.P.: “No.” I.M.: “No.” A.M.F.: “No.”

I.M.: “Art.” A.M.F.: “PE.”

DO

DO YOU THINK WE WILL OLYMPIC IS BUILT?

BE LESS CROWDED AFTER

A.M.: “Yeah.”

G.W.: “Possibly.”

J.M.: “Yes.” P.P.: “Yes I think so.”

I.M.: “Sure.”

A.M.F.: “No.” ARE THERE ANY SPORTS YOU WISH MBMS WOULD ADD? A.M:. “No.” G.W.: “Swimming.”

J.M.: “Not that I’ve heard of.”

P.P.: “Lacrosse.”

YOU THINK THERE SHOULD BE MORE GUN

CONTROL? A.M.: “Yeah.”

G.W.: “Yes.” J.M.: “Yeah.”

P.P.: “Yes I do.”

I.M.: “Yes.” A.M.F.: “Yes.”

WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE TEACHER? A.M.: “Mrs. McGraw.”

G.W.: “Ms. Davis.”

J.M.: “Ms. Durham and Ms. Koenig.”

P.P.: “Mrs. Ryan.”

I.M.: “Mr. Kemp.”

A.M.F: Ms. Keaton

WHAT TV SHOW ARE YOU CURRENTLY WATCHING? A.M.: “Grown-ish.”

G.W.: “NCIS.” J.M.: “A Football Life and NFL Network.”

P.P.: “Criminal Minds.”

I.M.: “Just watching Anime.”

A.M.F.: “Riverdale and Stranger Things and On My Block.”

WHAT DID YOU DO OVER BREAK? A.M.: “Not really anything.”

G.W.: “Went to Ocean Shores.”

J.M.: “Watched movies and played video games, football spring training.”

P.P.: “I visited my grandpa in Gig Harbor.”

I.M.: “Played video games.”

A.M.F.: “Hang out with my friends.”

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CLASS? A.M.: “Language Arts.”

G.W.: “Math.”

J.M.: “ELA and social studies.”

P.P.: “PE.” PHOTO ILLUSTRATION I. GALLARDO VIA PHO.TO

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Olympic Reconstruction Decreases Student Population JASMINE SIA & DAMON NGUYEN A decision of the Auburn School District lead to the reconstruction of Olympic Middle School scheduled to be finished in September 2019.

Over 60 years after the original construction of Olympic Middle School in 1957, the Auburn School District has decided to finally renovate the old structure. On March 21 2018, Olympic had their “Ground Breaking Ceremony,” with Absher Construction officially starting the process. The total budget projected by the Auburn School District is about $65.7 million. After construction is finished, MBMS is predicted to decrease to about 900 students or less. With the student population being over 1,000 and counting, the decrease in students will surely help most classrooms, along with teachers and students.

“I think the teacher will be able to like get to more students who have questions and need help,” sixth grader Lacey Matheson said.

With the new school being set to hold approximately 800 students and 90 staff members, Olympic’s new capacity will stabilize the immense number of students currently at MBMS. This will reduce the sizes of classrooms.

“Every teacher would enjoy smaller class sizes,” eighth grade math teacher Mr. Carter said.

Eighth grader Millie Castillo also believes smaller classes will benefit her learning.

“Yes… because there’s less people in there so I

Provided are renderings for the new Olympic Middle School. The new 105,000 square feet building is predicted to be finished in the fall of 2019. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE AUBURN REPORTER

can concentrate better,” Castillo said.

Olympic’s final structure is planned on being a two-story brick building with a total area of 105,000 square feet. The new parking lot will also be able to accommodate approximately 250 vehicles. A vast difference from the current 78. This renovation will surely change the way parents, students, and staff look at MBMS. According to Principal Brown, MBMS is not going to be reconstructed anytime soon. Mr.Carter believes that the school is fine at its current state

but should be reconstructed eventually.

“The building has held up pretty well for 30 years,” Carter said. “I think that the lifespan they give a building is somewhere around 50 years, and 50 and 75 is when it becomes in desperate need of a replacement.”

The age of Olympic compared to Baker is presumed to be the reason for the student decline.

Matheson described MBMS as “newer, and there’s a lot like more people.”

PRESS RELEASE: On Saturday, April 21, the Mt. Baker Math Team traveled to Moses Lake High School to compete in the Washington State “Math is Cool” Competition. They earned the opportunity to compete at the “Masters” State level because on Friday, Feb. 7, the Math Team placed well at the “Math is Cool” Regional at Auburn High School.

The Baker Mathletes placed first as Epsilon Division State Champions!

Pictured on The MBMS Website are eighth graders Sephora Zoro, Zoe Harris, Benjamin Kye, and Noah Maier. PHOTO COURTESY OF J. CARTER

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ISABEL YU Eighth graders Annie Sihalathavong, Sarah Garcia and Fernando Romero formed a club to connect with other students dealing with social and mental health issues.

Every Monday, the Semi-Colon Club holds their meetings in Ms. La c y ’s r o o m 4 0 3 w h e r e Sihalathavong leads he r “warriors”[club members] in discussions and activities. The club is a safe place where students come and meet new people, talk about their thoughts and feelings, give advice, and eat snacks.

“I decided to start the club because I want to try my best to help others as much as I can,” Sihalathavong said, “I want to spread love and light and encourage others to do the same.”

The club has given many of the members a “new perspective” on the issues that have been overlooked in society.

“It’s a fun club that gives everyone an experience of selfawareness of what’s happening around them,” seventh grade member Kailee Sin said. “It came across to me that suicidal thoughts are a serious thing and I wanted to help people understand there’s

always more in life.”

Even though Ms. Lacy only monitored the club meetings, she witnessed the impact it had on students.

“We didn’t have anything like this when I was in school which I know it could’ve been beneficial for people,” Ms. Lacy said. “I think it has the opportunity to do some powerful things.”

Before the club was official, Sihalathavong, Garcia and Romero had to approve it with Principal Brown. Although he agreed with the idea, the club had to be careful not to let it become counseling.

“I don’t want kids counseling

Sihalathavong [RIGHT] welcomes the members into the seventh club meeting. She asks if anyone has anything to share and starts the discussions about their day. PHOTO COURTESY I.YU

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other kids, I want professionals,” Brown said. “So far, I think it’s going well.”

To make sure that the club impacted the students without becoming counseling, the club leaders made sure to distinguish the fine line between counseling and discussing.

“There’s a point where we say ‘Ok let’s bring this to somebody who knows things’ but that hasn’t come up yet,” Garcia said. “It’s mostly just been helping each other out in a friendship sort of way by creating friendships to help them.”

Currently, the club has fifteen members and is open to any new members who want to talk or simply make new friends.

“We always introduce new members by going around in a circle,” Romero said. “It’s a comfortable environment where people can come and feel accepted and let everybody help each other.”

While Sihalathavong, Garcia and Romero leave MBMS next year, the club will be handed to a trustworthy seventh grader with caring and helpful traits who can impact people.

Sihalathavong, Garcia and Romero will continue to encourage anyone who wants to discuss anything to join the club.

“I named the club Semi-Colon club because a semicolon can mean to end or continue a sentence, but to me it means to end or continue your life, Sihalathavong said. “I would encourage everyone to continue, choose the comma, choose life.”

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SBA TIPS NORA SCOTT Everybody’s favorite time of the year is coming, SBA testing! With the new changes in SBA testing routine, some advice is needed. Take a look at these tips. 

Think about what teachers have taught us. It’s easy to get distracted, so think back to what our teachers have taught you and you will be in the right mindset.



Eat breakfast! It’s hard to focus on the test, being around twenty other nervous kids. Doing SBA testing on an empty stomach doesn’t help.

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Get to bed. Unfortunately, that means you cannot stay up until two o'clock in the morning playing Fortnite or watching Netflix. This will help your focus while testing.

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Don’t rush. Take your time. This includes double checking your answers and reading the text twice if you don’t understand it.

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Bring snacks. It gives you good energy which will come in handy when you realize you’re not even halfway through your test and you feel like sleeping.



Eat well in general. Eat a healthy breakfast and bring healthy snacks. Instead of potato chips, eat grapes or apple slices.



The night before testing or the morning of testing take a soothing bath, read a book, play video games. Just do whatever will keep you relaxed.



Remember to do your best for yourself. Get that good score so you can graduate the grade you’re currently in and so you can be proud of yourself.



Focus on your own test. Wondering eyes can look specious, obviously, but it’s tempting. Avoid this by looking down if your eyes get tired from looking at your Chromebook.



Pay attention in class. Notes aren’t allowed during the test because it’s a form of cheating.

Remembering that equation for circumference will be needed.

LAVRIELLE GUERIBA As the end of the year is coming around, SBA testing is peeking around the corner. This year, a new procedure is going to be used for SBA testing.

The new SBA testing procedure would include all students testing at the same time rather than testing at different times in the day. Therefore, students who test in the morning and students who test in the afternoon will all be united in testing.

“We tried to make it so it was less stressful for you guys, but what we realized was doing that you don’t have that testing atmosphere,” Principal Brown said.

With this new SBA procedure, the school would become more quiet as we all test together. We would also all have a different schedule to fit this new procedure whether that is testing in the morning or afternoon simultaneously.

This routine can impact students as well as the time management we have for the school.

This can allow us to do more things in the future if we finished SBA earlier than we did

last year.

“I think if you test all at different times people will be loud in the halls,” sixth grader Bryce Fortier said.

Furthermore, The new SBA procedure will be used this year to have the testing move faster than it did last year. This concept can benefit for all students. This year will be the first year that we will use the new procedure. The result of this new procedure would be determined if we used this procedure next year.

“I think if it works well there’s a chance,” eighth grader Allenamae Dodd said. “But if it backfires and people don’t like the new schedule I think it might be changed again.”

Everything we learned is now coming into play into the end of the year and summer break is coming up. Some students will have different opinions on this new schedule that we have. Since it’s the first time we are using this procedure, many benefits and downsides will come out of it.

“I think some people will like it and some won’t like it,” Dodd said. “But I think it will be sort of more focus and being able to run smoother with the changed schedule.”

THE TESTING WILL BE SPREAD THROUHOUT MAY. THIS IS WHAT THE UPCOMING SCHEDULE WILL LOOK LIKE FOR TESTING. PHOTO ILLUSTRATED BY L. GUERIBA

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“ No, because I feel as we need more time to get up and move around and get a break from testing” “Well, the SBA is not really important for me. I honestly don’t even know where they put the scores after we take it. Because it doesn’t go into the grade book. Is it for the teachers? So I don’t really care if they improve or

“Yes because it is an organized way to help students get their testing done”

“No, because all of the testing timed in 3 hours is way too long.

After 3 hours of testing I get so tired and drained from testing that half of the stuff in the end I can’t even think of.”

“Yes I think it will. I don’t like it of course but I do think it will. It gets kids motivated to get “No It will stay at the same a good score, because this test means high scores. Changing the everything for their next year classes and procedures could effect setting things up for high school.”

the scores, possibly negatively.”

“ I do believe that the new test procedures will improve the testing at our school because with the

new procedures students will feel less rushed because trying to type out an essay in one hour chunks is hard.”

“IT’S A WASTE OF TIME AND DOESN’’T GO TOWARD YOUR SEMESTER GOAL SO IT’S A BIG WASTE OF TIME BECAUSE I AM SUPPOSED TO BE LEARNING FUNDAMENTALS NOT SITTING IN A ROOM.”

PLEASE NOTE: Reponses were edited for length and clarity. Responses also were part of an anonymous student survey.

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What

Disagree? The segment ‘What Grinds My Gears’ is presented as opinion and does not express the views of all MBMS students or The Canine Chronicle. If you would like to express your opinion, write us a letter, and you may be published in our next edition.

My

HAIRLESS CATS You know what grinds my gears? Hairless cats.

Why in the world are there cats with no hair? Also aren’t you supposed to be comforted by a hairy cat? BUT A HAIRLESS CAT CAN’T DO THAT BECAUSE THEY DON’T HAVE HAIR! Although hairless cats may be good for people who are allergic to cats and dogs (like me) because they don’t shed, they can’t do the same job as

regular cats. Evidently, having an animal you can care for, or having a cat to snuggle with, can help you feel better and reduce your level of stress. AND owning a cat can reduce anxiety. Petting a cat can also be calming. As you read it says PETTING, not RUBBING a warm peach.

Now just imagine rubbing a warmed up peach and feeling comforted. I DON’T THINK ANYONE CAN RUB A WARM PEACH AND FEEL COMFORTED. Or even CUDDLING with a hairless cat because having a

warm peach rub against my face as I fall asleep, just makes me cringe on the inside.

They literally look like grandma’s because they have wrinkles on their backs and heads. Technically they are just old grandma cats. And THAT is what grinds my gears.

—MIKAELA RABAGO

PHOTO BY M. RABAGO

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LINE-CUTTERS

SQUEAKY PENCIL LEAD

PHOTO BY X. MANUEL

You know what grinds my gears? When people cut you in line. It’s been a common bother for me in the past 3 years but its becoming even worse. At this point I’ll let it slip if one to two people get in front of me (because I’m a nice, civilized human being, obviously) but it’s even more ABSOLUTE torment in the backside.

Imagine not one, not two, but the whole clique of friends follow, making a huge clump in a line thick enough to clog arteries. That just crossed my line.

And that goes both ways.

I don’t see why its necessary to cut a billion exhausted and hungry people in line just so you can have a chit chat while getting your food. Do your show and tell gossip later.

Don’t even start about excuses people use just so they can get front in line. “Oh, but I have lunch detention”. Excuse me?? I have a nose and it can smell bull from miles away.

For once, can’t people make a nice, and possibly symmetric line and go catch up with your friends later? That lasagna isn’t going to eat itself.

And that is what grinds my gears.

—XIALEEMAR MANUEL

You know what grinds my gears? Squeaky Pencil Lead.

It just squeaks and squeals and squeaks. It’s a nonstop menacing sound that fills your brain with endless visions of sharp nails on a chalkboard. I hear it EVERYWHERE. While I’m trying to concentrate on my test, the “squeeeeaaaakkkk” creeps up and fills my head with

anxiety and distress.

I panic and I stare at my test, blanking out. I glare at the puny pencil that causes me so much pain and I release all the tense, angry, air in me and smack the pencil out of their hand. But I awake from my mini daydream and grasp back reality, realizing life.

So, I proceed to calmly turn back my head and listen to the squeak, wincing with every little move.

I mean WHY CAN’T YOU CHANGE THE LEAD! I can hear it, they can hear it, everyone can hear it! But noooooo they want to be annoying and keep the lead in. Are they simply immune to that sound? DOES IT NOT BOTHER THEM? Here’s a tip: next time you take out your mechanical pencil, be sure it’s the Pentel 0.7 lead.

And that is what grinds my gears.

PHOTO BY I. YU

—ISABEL YU

TP TRAUMA You know what grinds my gears? When people steal the last wad of toilet paper!

Just imagine: you’re on the throne, doing your business… when you suddenly realize the person before you took the last bit of toilet paper, leaving you with nothing to clean up with! And to make it even worse, they left the empty cardboard roll behind.

Why can't people bother to take 30 seconds out of their day to replace the toilet paper?! There is a stack of it across the hall for the exact purpose of changing it out, so it’s incomprehensible why these abominable, inconsiderate people don’t.

When you’re faced with this situation, you have three options: yell for help, waddle like a duck to the cabinet or closet, or suck it up, pull up your pants, and go about your day like a barbarian.

But if you decide to call for help, you’re left to sit on the cold, hard toilet until someone gallantly comes to your rescue. If you waddle to the closet or cabinet, you risk being seen, and frankly, the last option is repulsive.

THERE’S NO WAY TO WIN IN SITUATIONS LIKE THESE! And THAT is what grinds my gears!

—CAITLYN DANG

PHOTO BY C. DANG

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JUAN GOMEZ

LOTTIE SCHESCHY

Aries (March 21- April 19): You might accidentally

AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR

Advertised as “the biggest crossover event of all time,” Avengers: Infinity War will release April 27. The movie includes virtually every hero the franchise has created, whether that be Thor, Black Panther, Spider-Man, etc., and will be a culmination of a total of 18 marvel movies. This Marvel production will also be the longest movie the company has put out, the runtime adding up to 156 minutes, which is nearly 3 hours.

Do you plan to watch Avengers: Infinity War?

This years testing schedule will differ from the one we had last year. Instead of spending three hours in first period to complete the test, the assessments will be over a span of three days. The math SBA will take place May 8-10, while the ELA SBA will span across May 15-17. Do you prefer this year's testing schedule over previous years?

MBMS DRESS CODE Allergies, sweat, and heat are rolling in as summer weather approaches.

Temperatures are on the rise, which also cues the months of the year dress code is pushed to its limits. With warm weather, students wear less to avoid overheating, and discomfort However, original dress codes still stick despite the temperature changes, and simple summer clothing such as tank-tops and shorts remain against our schools guidelines. Is the school dress code too strict?

Mason Ramsey, an 11-year-old country singer, became an internet sensation after a video of him performing a yodel at Walmart went viral on Twitter. After gaining millions of views, as well as sudden popularity, Ramsey has made an appearance on Ellen, hosted a special Walmart concert, and performed at Coachella. Is the Walmart yodeling boy overrated?

SYRIA BOMBING For the last seven years, Syria has been in a civil war.. The situation in their country has been complicated by other countries involving themselves in the conflict.

Recently, the US, France, and UK all bombed Syria in response to the Douma chemical attack that happened against civilians of April 7th, the hope of the bombing was to destroy their chemical stockpile. Many disagree with the actions our country has taken. Should the United States’ military get involved in Syria?

LAKELAND MOD PIZZA Up in the Lakeland town center, the community welcomes a new addition to its many food chains, Mod Pizza. The opening has been a hit and attracted much of our student body. So far, reviews have been positive for the business. Have you tried the Lakeland MOD Pizza yet? *

movie soon, so you may need help to find a movie that interests you. Go on, it’ll be fun. something relating to tech, such as purchasing an advanced piece, or testing an oldie.

Cancer (June 21- July 22):

You might be able to rise through the ranks in a certain path.

Leo (July 23- Aug. 22): You might be able to cheer someone who is feeling down.

Virgo (Aug. 23- Sept. 22): You could get some time

alone to read a book or eat a bagel. It’s great to relax, but don’t do it too often.

Libra (Sept. 23- Oct. 22): You should watch a

movie soon, so you may need help to find a movie that interests you. Go on; it’ll be fun.

YODELING WALMART BOY

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Taurus (April 20- May 20): You should watch a

Gemini (May 21- June 20): You will most likely do

NEW SBA TESTING SCHEDULE

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start a new trend, so it may be advised to try not to do anything that might bring too much attention.

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Scorpio (Oct. 23- Nov. 21): If you want to chill with

some friends, you should, because it is good to meet the people you already know.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22- Dec. 21): You should watch a

comedy show. It’s best to find one that interests you, or you might tune out faster than ever.

Capricorn (Dec. 22- January 19): Just take a rest,

some stuff may be stressing you. If you can calm down before tackling it, you’ll be okay.

Aquarius (Jan. 20- February 18): You should join more social groups, because it’s not too late to have more friends.

Pisces (Feb. 19- March 20): You will make new

friends, and you’ll probably be with them for a long while. It is recommended that you don’t fail.

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ISABELLA GALLARDO School shootings have been the focus of this years, 2018, media. They’ve affected multiple schools and their functions with much of the country’s populace thinking of ways to keep their loved ones safe.

Teachers having guns in classrooms, more gun laws or procedures to get guns, taking away guns overall, and drills in even elementary schools. There are many ideas that keep on flowing to find ways to keep future generations safe. Will they really help with this situation? Will they stop shootings from happening?

These ideas keep conflicting with the Second Amendment, the right to keep and bear arms as well. With all the politics and policies, it keeps going in a cycle, repeated over and over again.

Creating more mayhem to societies, the government and more. The shootings happen. We then try to figure out why it happened and why the culprit did it. And began thinking how we could stop shootings from happening. Then it goes back to our laws, amendments, and gun owners.

This special edition is here to help inform you of what’s happening, how it can affect our school, and if these “solutions” will really help keep us safe.

MBMS students outside of school paying respects to the students' who died at the Florida school shooting. PHOTO COURTESY OF G. BROWN.

COURTESY OF CLIPART.ORG

Increases with Violent Events in News in 2018 ISABELLA GALLARDO

73.1% of MBMS students feel safer at school with a security guard.

23.5% MBMS students do have guns at their house, while 10.1% preferred not say.

60.8% MBMS students, whose families own guns, feel safer having guns at home.

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Shootings have recurred in schools, affecting students and staff members alike, with schools and states who tried to find ways to keep the school safe by increasing security to stay safe.

Six states required their schools to have their staff members and students do “active shooter drills” to protect themselves in situations if a shooting ever happened. The states involved are Arkansas, Illinois, Missouri, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Tennessee and others want to make it required to make the active shooter drill mandatory in all public schools.

Schools around the nation have started to feel the need to increase security to protect the students and staff. Johnston spokeswoman Laura Sprague also felt this way.

“Schools across the nation have quickly become aware of their need to increase security and provide training, preparedness to students and staff,” Sprague said.

“I think if we have a real shooter drill that will kind of freak people out. You know what I mean, unless we do it right,” Principal Brown said.

And with all the schools that have shooter drills and that are required to test their ability to act in emergencies, there should be fewer injured; however, there wasn’t, and the shootings recurred even more.

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MBMS has a new security guard, named Ryan Blassingame, and he also believes having more safety measures like an active shooter drill in the school could assist the school to feel safer.

“I mean it’s never a bad thing to know how to handle situations like that and [active shooter drills] could help,” Blassingame said, “hopefully nothing does happen so we don’t have to experience that in real life.”

Florida and Tennessee had another solution in mind and passed a bill for teachers to have guns with them at school.

“The only armed sheriff’s officer [Scott Peterson] at a Florida high school, where 17 people were killed, took cover outside rather than charging into the building when the massacre began, the Broward County sheriff said on Thursday,” NY Times said.

Peterson stated, as a way to defend his actions, he believed that the shots came from outside of the school and not inside of the building.

“The statement quoted Peterson saying that when the gunfire first erupted, he ‘thought that the shots were coming from outside,’ which was why he ‘took up a tactile position,’” NBC News reported.

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ISABELL FLORES School shooting rates have gone up along the years, and with that some ideas have been brought up. The idea of teachers having guns in school has been introduced.

One of the biggest mass shooting this year in 2018 is the Parkland, Florida shooting. Seventeen people died, which included teachers and students. And with that happening multiple ideas have been brought up and one of those ideas were teachers carrying guns in schools and many teachers and students have strong opinions about the topic.

In many schools teachers are allowed to carry guns in schools due to past school shooting. But not all of them have gone so well, one elementary school teacher in 2014 discharged her gun in the staff bathroom and was then required to take gun control classes in order to keep her gun.

MBMS science teacher Ms. Davis had a very strong opinion on this topic. Davis believed teachers like her should not have to have the responsibility of carrying a gun around on school property.

“I never want anybody to have the option at school to be able to pull out a gun in anger,” said Davis, explaining why she could not protect her students with a gun.

Students have a big part in school shootings and most of school shooters are students who have either been bullied before or have some type of mental illness.

And sixth grader Victoria Bost had an opinion about if teachers should be allowed to carry guns on school campus to “protect” students. The idea of having teachers carry a gun on school property would make Bost felt unsafe in the school environment.

“What if they panic and they accidently shoot wrong perhaps hitting a student,” Bost said.

While explaining why teachers should not be able to carry firearms to school.

Eleven out of 44 staff members who did the March staff survey said they would be comfortable carrying a gun on school property.

Of the 44 MBMS faculty surveyed, staff members were concerned about the safety of students.

One teacher said, “Am I comfortable around a gun? Yes. I grew up around family members that safely carry, hunt, shoot, etc. Am I comfortable carrying a gun at school? No. It isn't

my job to be a soldier.“

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ISABELLA GALLARDO Nation-wide, US students used walkouts as an outlet to the media to protest guns laws and shootings, which had been what the media and people are focusing on even at MBMS. MBMS students on Wed. 14, 2018 at 10:00 a.m. locally, planned to walkout in a national event, organized by EMPOWER, the youth branch of the Women's March who encouraged this event.

Some of the protesters’ demanded to Congress included: ban assault weapons, require universal background checks before gun sales, and pass a gun violence restraining order law that would allow courts to disarm people who display warning signs of violent behavior.

“The organization's website says more than 2,500 walkouts are planned,” CNN news said.

Other schools including MBMS had allowed the students to leave mid class or during school for 1517 minutes in order to show respect and to honor the lives of the 17 people killed at Stoneman Douglas and press the lawmakers to pass stricter gun control laws.

Principal Brown of MBMS said that no consequences would happen to the students if they decided to walk out of class to protest.

“No consequences. It will be unexcused absence from class, unless their parents call either before or after it happens,” Principal Brown said. “But it’s unexcused unless we get a phone call from their parents, but other than that no consequences.”

Many teachers also believed that it was acceptable for students to protest and speak out, like seventh grade teacher Mrs. Koenig, who thought the same thing, but said they should do it for the right reason.

“I think that kids have a right to do that. I just

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think that they really have to think about it and look their motivations in doing it,” Koenig said. “If they really care or is it just attention. Because each individual student is different, it’s all about perspective.”

Students however have a response to this and saw other students fooling around and didn’t leave class for the proper reason and disrespected the reason why the protest happened.

“Like most of the sixth graders were just like going with their friends and playing tag and there was even a fight,” eighth grader Natalie Hernandez said.

It even sadden some students who were doing this for a proper reason and wanted to do it properly and respectfully. And felt that they were disrespecting the 17 people who died in the Parkland.

“It saddened me because this was supposed to be for a good purpose and let alone they probably didn’t really understand it necessarily,” seventh grader Quinn Donermeyer said. “But still it sadden me since I saw some people try to be quite yet they still did and they could’ve been a leader and not done that.”

MBMS students outside of school on March 14 10:00 a.m. held signs to show their stand on shootings. A recent survey of over 500 students indicated that 68.2 percent of students polled did NOT feel safe at school. PHOTOS BY G. BROWN

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ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF DORIAN PHOTOGRAPHY

XIALEEMAR MANUEL

“I think its good because its pretty much getting more people and its good that teenagers are learning about it.”

Jilllian Lee

“I think its good. I just think there’s something else that needs to be done instead of guns taken away.”

Tanner Wilson

sixth grader

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“I think its totally appropriate. Best thing for kids in middle school [and] high school, to keep peers safer. ” Lacey braden

“I think that kids have a right to do that. I just think that they really have to think about it and look at their motivations in doing it. If they really care or is it just attention….It’s all about perspective.”

Ms. Koenig

eighth grader

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Around the world MIKAELA RABAGO Four countries, such as UK, Australia, Japan, and Germany have all attempted to decrease gun homicides. All these countries have had tragic events that altered their gun laws to create safety throughout their community.

UK had a tragic shooting in Dunblane Primary School that killed 16 students along with their teacher. This event and another event, Hungerford, led to an end for the right of owning a semi-automatic firearms in Britain.

“Public petitions, most notably by the Snowdrop Campaign, founded by friends of the bereaved families, called for a total ban on the private ownership and use of handguns in the UK,” said The Guardian.

“Signed by 750,000 people it was symbolic of the weight of public opinion.”

In Australia there was an event when a shooting spree in a gift shop resulted in 35 people dying in about half an hour. This occasion ensued strengthening the licensing system and having requirements to register guns.

“Howard proposed each state and territory should introduce and enforce a firearm licensing and registration system which required people to have a “genuine reason” for having a firearm, such as sport or target

shooting, recreational hunting or being a farmer,” The Guardian said.

There were two people that were killed in gun attacks in 2006 and when the number ascended to 22 in 2007, which almost created a zero-tolerance of gun ownership in Japan. According to police records, in 2011 legal gun ownership stood at 271,000 in a country of 127 million people.

“The 1958 law on the possession of swords and firearms states: ‘No one shall possess a firearm or firearms or a sword or swords.’”

The Guardian said. “Among the few exceptions are shotguns, but here too, the restrictions would cause outrage among American gun owners.”

Germany’s connection with firearms is captivating. There are plenty guns in the country, but they don’t seem to kill a lot of people. In 2002, a 19-year-old shot 16 people dead that had recently expelled him. He obtained his weapons from his gun club and this changed the exceptions.

The Guardian said, “Within a year, the law regulating access to guns had been changed: Germany is the only country in the world where anyone under the age of 25 who applies for their first firearms license must undergo a psychiatric evaluation with a trained counsellor, involving personality and anger management tests.”

PHOTO COURTESY TO GUNS.ORG VIA CREATIVECOMMONS LICENSE

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Pros & Cons of Gun Control LOTTIE SCHESCHY & HELENA M OUTZOURIS Gun control has been a controversial political debate for years as US mass shootings fail to end. Across the nation people are standing with stricter gun control,, but not everyone is for it, which leads to it remaining disputable, with both pros and cons regarding the impact it will make.

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The Second Amendment right is old, and created when guns were difficult to reload and shoot, thus making it irrelevant to modern times where guns can fire at much faster, easier rates.

The second amendment, although old, still technically gives those who wish to bear arms, the right to bear arms, and taking away/restricting guns would go against the constitution

Gun control would result in a reduction of gunrelated deaths. Statistically, states with stricter gun laws tend to have a significantly less amount of deaths than those who do not implement the same laws. This could reason that stricter regulations may diminish the daily US average of 96 fatalities.

Gun control laws will not deter crime, and criminals may still find an illegal way to obtain the weapon.

Illegally distributed guns will be in high demand, and will supply those who are not able to legally buy a gun, the option to. Criminals today already purchase guns illegally so that it cannot be efficiently traced, meaning the majority of people gun laws will affect are responsible owners.

Gun control laws will help reduce the societal costs regarding gun-violence. With the injuries and deaths resulted from guns, comes legal, and medical bills that charges the US, and may end up in the hands of taxpayers through healthcare programs. If gun deaths are minimized, so is the costs that associate with them.

Some people feel as though strict background checks that come with gun control is an invasion of their privacy. Personal information of gun owners will be stored in a database, giving the government an individual's information, such as their mental health history, addresses, criminal records, etc.

Other countries have benefited from gun control, with fewer homicides, suicides, and accidental deaths caused by guns than the US. Countries such as Australia, and the UK all established stricter gun laws that led to a decline in gun violence, which shows the US an example of how gun restriction may work.

Self-defense is a major concern while dealing with the impact of gun control. If guns are taken/ restricted, it results in the law-abiding citizens feeling as if they do not have a sense of self-defense against a criminal who has illegally acquired a gun for crime.

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Are background checks and age restriction laws enough?

AYSIAH H WANDE Thirty-six states in the US have no legal requirements for gun registration, no permit needed and no license necessary to purchase a firearm. Some could walk into a gun store and have a gun in 15 minutes.

How easily it is for someone to get their hands on weapons of mass destruction with no suspicion. And though background checks are required in roughly 30 states, they can’t predict what people with a currently clean record while purchasing a firearm could do in the future.

They could later develop mental illness or drug and/ or alcohol addiction and many other things could occur.

“States may decide whether the background check is carried out solely by the FBI's National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) or a combination of the NICS and state agency information,” dw.com said. “...felons, fugitives, drug addicts, the mentally ill, illegal immigrants, some legal immigrants, people who have

renounced U.S. citizenship, people under restraining orders, people convicted of domestic violence and anyone charged with a crime that could bring more than a year in prison are ineligible,” usatoday.com said. “But the quality of information submitted to that national database varies by state.”

But how are they sure these menacing people haven’t purchased guns without their knowledge?

ATF agent Jay Wachtel said that most guns used in crimes are not stolen out of private gun owners' homes and cars.

"Stolen guns account for only about 10% to 15% of guns used in crimes," Wachtel said. Most firearms get into the criminal’s hands through straw purchase sales.

This process most commonly works when two people walk into a gun store, one selects a firearm, and the person that meets the legal expectations purchases and pays for the gun to give to his companion.

Another way this system works is, several underage people walk into a store and an adult with them makes the purchases.

Both methods are illegal and a threat to society. And though illegally buying a gun for a criminal is a serious and hazardous crime, the people trafficking are even worse.

“Guns move far too easily from states with weak gun laws into states with strong gun laws due to inconsistent regulation that varies widely from state to state...There is currently no federal anti-trafficking law, making it all too easy for criminals to exploit weaknesses in the system and flood communities with illegal guns,” Giffords.com said.

COURTESY OF CLIPART.ORG

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In an anonymous staff survey, 44 MBMS faculty members answered the following

question: Why do you think school

shootings have happened so frequently at the beginning of 2018?

There are a number of reasons why which include easy access to firearms as well as the media focusing in the shooters' names and their reasons why they did it. When the media focuses on the shooter, then there are going to be more of these copycat assailants who want "fame" so to speak. “

I think kids are lonely, left out, bullied.

Social media and digital presence allows everyone to know everything all the time. Teens/tweens care a lot about what others think and to some their self -worth depends on "likes". It is also too easy to bully and people are comfortable typing things they would not say.

It is a complex issue. Less empathy, easier access to high powered/assault clip weapons, notoriety factor, and mental health issues are just the tip of the iceberg.

I feel that there is not one single societal issue at play, but I do feel that our society is disconnected and divided. These acts of terrorism at schools are a result of these two characteristics.

These shooters lack empathy, which is a result of mental illness. I think restricting access to guns with those with criminal records and issues of mental instability in a step toward curbing this trend. By encouraging students to reach out to others and build connections at school, I think the number would drastically decrease. That quiet kid in the corner, who might be a little different, and people are mean to is the next shooter Be kind. Be gracious.

Put your phone down and smile at people. A little kindness and empathy will go a long way.

I believe school violence is a symptom of a larger social breakdown - increased isolation, weakening families, increasing anxiety, lack of shared morality. This is exacerbated by the celebration of violence and access to militarygrade weapons.

With increased testing in the schools, there is less time to meet the emotional needs of our students.

Students are dealing with loneliness, depression, anxiety, etc., and students are not taught how to overcome obstacles and failure in their lives.

Media coverage is ubiquitous and persistent. This may lead to people thinking of the possibility of shooting more and to the attention that a shooter garners. Models of hatred and anger are becoming more commonplace whereas models of civil disagreement and compromise are becoming less frequent. Perhaps this provides would be shooters with the motivation and excuse to allow anger to guide them.

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LAVRIELLE GUERIBA Mental illness has affected the world today and has caused more consequences throughout the years.

This has caused results that have left us openmouthed. Mental illnesses ranging from depression to schizophrenia has left some negative results over the past years.

Overall, 1 out of 5 adolescents get diagnosed with mental illness, which causes them to change their behavior and can affect them during school or work.

“When symptoms are severe, people with psychotic disorders have trouble staying in touch with reality and are often unable to handle daily life,” WebMD.com said.

Out of the 185 mass shootings ranging from 1900 to 2017, it is found 59 percent of shooters have shown symptoms of being mentally ill or are mentally ill.

“They fix their problems by shooting,” eighth grader Jocelyn Farias said.

An illness that is common among people is paranoid schizophrenia. This is a disorder that affects people to think a certain way and changes behavior. This usually lasts over six months.

“Schizophrenia is a kind of psychosis, which means your mind doesn’t agree with reality,” WebMD.com said.

As of 2016, four percent of violence is just mental illness alone. In 2015, it was calculated almost five percent of gun-related violence in the U.S. were from people diagnosed with mental illnesses between 2001 and 2010.

“The people don’t act sanely and they get crazy and start shooting,” seventh grader Jonathan Mulenga said.

Symptoms from mental illnesses can cause the person to have hallucinations (which are usually negative) and delusions. They could also have problems on focusing, strong feelings of anger, and fend off their friends. With these symptoms, they might be diagnosed with a mental illness.

“Don’t be afraid to reach out if you or someone you know needs help. Learning all you can about mental health is an important first step,” Nami.org said.

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Mental illnesses can take a toll on people’s mind. This chart shows how many people suffer from mental illness. PHOTO ILLUSTRATED BY L.GUERIBA

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SARAH CAYEROS School shootings have been a major issue so far in 2018.

Many people are talking about the victims whose lives were taken, and the lives that have been affected. There have been protests about the fact that all of this has to stop. But there is something not a lot of people have been talking about, the actual school shooters. These shooters have a race and of course, they have a gender.

It can even be said that many are avoiding this topic. It is something that is a very strong discussion, but it is something that must be heard.

An article by Political Research Associates said, “Most school shooters are white males, with 97 percent being male and 79 percent white.”

Black males are the majority of the population in prison, but they do not represent at all the majority for school shooters or mass shooters.

It has been said that these shooters could possibly have mental illnesses, experienced domestic violence, or have been treated badly throughout life.

But is this all just a matter of racism towards dark skinned people? Are these just excuses of white male privilege?

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Students in Florida gather to commemorate the lives lost in the shooting on February 14, 2018. PHOTO BY F. FLORIN

Someone that is capable of killing strangers, who have done nothing to him, is not okay. They can’t necessarily be called mentally ill, but that is absolutely not at all normal thinking.

For example The Atlantic newspaper said, “In the years before 19-year-old Nikolas Cruz allegedly killed 17 people in a Florida high school on Wednesday, his behavior was strange, but not necessarily criminal.”

Although Cruz was in and out of mental-health treatment.

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Most of the school shooters have been considered to have some sort of mental illness, but usually it is never enough to consider it a severe or specific condition.

It was even mentioned in an article by The New York Times that, “The factors that would lead someone to domestic violence are similar to those that would lead someone to mass killings, researchers have found.”

Just like Nikolas Cruz and plenty of other school shooters, they

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have been known to be racist. Due to that, a lot of victims of these school shootings are black.

Sadly almost all of these cases and shootings that have been going on always have racism tied to them one way or another.

It could be to the shooter, the victims, or even now, the teachers that are prepared to take a gun in hand.

Whenever there is a shooting, there are so many sides to the story, with many people telling it in their own personal way.

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MIKAELA RABAGO AND JAGGER LANDSPERGER

The boys soccer teams ended the season with all three teams placing. Team #1 took fourth place, Team #3 took second place, and Team #2 was the champion, taking first place.

The victorious members of Team #2 were Carlos Aguilar, Emmanuel Barba, Andy Blanco, Joel Casperson, Daniel Cegielski, Matthew Cegielsky, Sam Freeman. Justice Jarbah, Lenny Olguin, Oscar Perez, Paul Perry, Sergio Ramirez-Alcantar, and Julian Sereno.

Gustavo Gonzales, an eighth grader at MBMS, was apart of Team #1 and played center back. Personally, he thinks highly of the events of the season. “[The season] went great,” Gonzales said. “We lost, tied a few, but all in all, the team was great.”

Mr. Middleton, the coach for the boys soccer teams, is proud of the work ethic the team brings, and he intends on improving them further throughout the years.

“I plan on continuing the athletic excellence established at Baker.”

Middleton said.

The starting goalies for each teams were Team #3’s Jose Castro, Team #2’s Gael Pacheco, and Team #1’s Adrian de Anda.

Colin Tew, an eighth grader at MBMS, played center back. Colin spoke very highly of his other teammates, as well as how he felt that all of the teams could have done more.

Middleton had a fun time and got to personally know the students better by during the season by coaching them. There had been some changes in how he coached this year as opposed to how others coached in previous years.

Although not present at this school last year, Middleton increased the teams’ success.

“I think the season went great. We had two main goals for the season; we came very close to accomplishing them both,” Middleton said. “Our first goal was to bring home another championship, which we were able to do. Our second goal was to finish 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in the overall standings. We actually finished the season in 1st, 2nd, and 4th, missing 3rd place by one point.”

The teams represented MBMS well by finishing at the top of the league. The time and effort the players put into not only games, but also practice, is evident in their immense successes over the soccer season.

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Forward Justice Jarbah dribbles the ball at soccer practice on MBMS home field. COURTESY OF MBMS YEARBOOK

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The girls varsity basketball team plays against the North Tapps Bulldogs , who were the only MBMS losses on the season. PHOTO COURTESY S. NELSON

BRIDGET MIDDELBURG & EMILY SCOFIELD The MBMS girls varsity basketball team came up with mostly wins, and only two losses.

Although they lost to North Tapps they were first place in the Auburn School District. The girls worked hard through many practices and the hard work even helped them connect as a team as stated by eighth grader Sophia Nelson. “We had to run through the halls and it was really fun and challenging,” Nelson said, “We started laughing because it was so challenging and it helped connect us as a team.”

The team grew closer together, which made the team superior.

According to eighth grader Madelyn Brown the best part of the season was “towards the end of the game, and people who normally didn’t score, scored and we were all cheering for them.”

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Their coach, Mr. Brown, helped the team improve, and they had fun along the way, according to eighth grader Chanel Otis. “[Coach Brown] helped me to improve by putting me in a challenging position that I have never been in,” Otis said. “Not only did they have a great season, but they all improved as well.”

“When I first started, I wasn’t great, but coach helped me and had me do dribbling exercises when I was injured and now I can dribble really well,” Nelson said.

Madelyn Brown added isnsights about her coach (who is also her father.) “[Coach Brown] was strict so we got better but he also knew how to have fun and joke around so the season would be fun,” Madelyn Brown said.

The girls were very proud of their winning season and all agreed they did very well.

“I think we did really good and we only lost two

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games and the team was still able to win even when some players weren’t there,” Madelyn Brown said.

“I think we did really good. The girls put in all their effort towards the games and it really paid off,” Otis said. “We got to see what we were capable of.”

Nelson added, “We did great and we definitely a lot better than we expected we would do, especially since some of the girls had never played on a team before this.”

Coach Brown said, “Of course [I will continue to coach next year] the girls were amazing, had great personalities, and were fun to be around.”

Coach Brown will continue to coach next year and hopes to have more than 30 girls try out next year.

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Seventh grade wrestler Nathan Prichard “dancing” to set up a takedown with an opposing wrestler from North Tapps. PHOTO COURTESY OF MBMS YEARBOOK.

RUBY HAMILTON & AYSIAH H WANDE The MBMS wrestling team dominated their league this season, winning 6-1 and splitting with Rainier. The wrestlers are proud leaving the ring as league co-champs and expect to put on a show next year and take home the gold. “[I am] very pleased with the wrestlers,” head coach Mr. King said. ”We had a lot of new wrestlers on the varsity match and they all did their part to secure them.”

Wrestling is a tough sport that demands the mental and physical strength to pin your opponent. Coach King pushed his wrestlers to be the best they could be. Coach Vatne also pushed to bring out the best in the wrestlers.

“Wrestling is a one-on-one sport. How you do is dependent on you, how hard you train, and how much you are willing to give,” Vatne said.

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“Someone who works hard and is coachable can often defeat a more talented wrestler who doesn’t work as hard. Hard work pays off!”

Vatne said this season was not as easy as most, but he and King were able to help the varsity team shine brightest and strongest.

“We started this season with one of our least experienced teams we have had in recent years.

Most of our wrestlers were first or second year wrestlers," Vatne said. “By the end of the season we were league co-champs and we won the conference tournament. Our wrestlers worked hard, learned a lot, and really improved.”

Baker decided to change the wrestling uniform to a casual T-shirt and short instead of the singlet at an attempt to attract more wrestlers. Seventh grade wrestler Rhea Cheema said the new uniforms “didn’t really

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affect [her],” but she agreed that some other wrestlers were happy with the uniform switch.

However, others believe the uniform doesn’t change anything.

"I was okay with the uniform change,” Coach King said. “[I'm] not sure if it swayed anybody to wrestling. Wrestling is tough. It’s not for everyone.”

From what the head coach has seen from JV, he is excited to be coaching them next year and seeing them grow into great wrestlers.

“I’m expecting great things from the 7th grade and this year's sixth graders in the upcoming years,” King said. “Some tough good wrestlers [are] coming up next year to the varsity mat, [and] also some returning champions like Cameron Mattson and Nathan Prichard who will be eighth grade leaders next year.”

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AMY M ARTINEZ-REYES When the world turns to chaos in 2045, humans turn to a virtual world named the Oasis.

Ready Player One is a sci-fi and action movie, directed by Steven Spielberg, written by Ernest Cline and Zak Penn, and based on the book Ready Player One by Ernest Cline.

March 29, 2018, this film released, with a PG13 rating, lasting 2 hours and 19 minutes, and has already made 484 million dollars.

The writer of both the book and the movie, Ernest Cline, said he was overwhelmed in a Kxan interview.

“The last thing I was expecting,” Cline said, “I never imagined it would have this kind of mass appeal.”

The Oasis was originally created by James Halliday as just a game but it became so much more, it became the new world.

When Halliday died, he left behind an Easter egg, whoever finds his three keys, gets full control of the Oasis and all his fortune.

Since everybody creates their lives in the Oasis, controlling the Oasis is like controlling the world which interests big companies like IOI who spend millions of dollars in conquering the Oasis. Wade Watts known as Parzival sets out to find the easter egg to ensure that the world does not get taken over by IOI. “People shouldn’t go so much money and time on virtual reality,” sixth grader Isaac Salamanca said. “In the end, it’s all fake.”

In order to find the keys, you had to go back to Halliday’s past and dig through his life. With elaborate searching and fights with IOI, Parzival and the top five in the Oasis earned the easter egg, which gave them full control of the Oasis and half a trillion dollars.

They decided to close the Oasis Tuesdays and Thursdays so that the people could focus on the actual world.

With technology advancing so much these years, it could be possible that by 2045 there is an Oasis.

Science teacher Ms. Buhr, thinks the world is

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getting close to that technology.

“They have the technology to help blind people see and deaf people hear,” Ms. Buhr said. “That would be just one step beyond that.”

If this technology is created, the real world might be replaced by the virtual world. Ernest Cline said in an LA Times interview that he thinks the world is already starting to transform into the Ready Player One world.

“So many people spend so much of their time online,” Cline said. “I think that already the real world suffers from neglect due to the amount of entertainment that we have.”

Ready Player One was given a score of 73%

percent on the Tomato-meter and a 80 percent audience score.

Based on the message of the movie, I would rate Ready Player One 4 out of 5 stars.

In an interview with the LA Times, Steven Spielberg perfectly summed up the movie and its message.

“It’s your choice,” Spielberg said “Where do you want to spend the majority of your time? Do you want to spend it with real people in a real world, which is often harder than spending it in a virtual world where you can be the person you always wanted to be?”

Five characters of the Oasis play themselves and their avatars. Ready Player One soundtrack poster for the showcasing the mix of the Oasis and the real world. PHOTO COURTESY OF AMBLIN ENTERTAINMENT VIA FILMMUSICREPORTER.COM

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of ZOE HARRIS AND MADISON VAN ALSTINE

Mary Poppins JR. was the topic of the annual play directed by choir and drama teacher, Mr. Char, and performed by a cast of more than 50 students. The whole school beheld the production as both casts gave their absolute and very best.

Although, not many of the spectators know of the tedious efforts the cast needed to give in order to create the finished product for the audience. Students doubling as actors and actresses spent hours upon hours learning, memorizing, and perfecting the show on the nights that lead up to the big debut of Mary Poppins JR. “I think by the first one we’re all going a little crazy”, Helen Safsten, an eighth-grade tech, said. “But we eventually get the hang of it.”

As a tech, Safsten helped out with creating and organizing the props they used in the production. Safsten also cued the music and manned the spotlights in the performances. “[The production] usually turns out fine,” Safsten said. “But it’s still pretty scary.”

Everyone in the production went through loops of excitement and nervousness.

“I get a little bit nervous but I use that nervousness to push forward my acting,” Brooklyn Nelson, the actress of Mary Poppins for the London cast, said. “I’ve done [the play] in the past, so I’ll be able to do it in the future.”

Nelson was not the only one in the production who got nervous, however. All of the people have their own ways they overcome stage fright or get into character, such as Jay Mentink, who plays Bert in the New York cast.

“Just think to yourself I’m this person in this place and just try as hard as you can to just imagine yourself in a whole new world,” Mentink said.

The actors and actresses seem to have learned a lot from being in the production and standing in the shoes of someone else in a different world. “[The musical] opens your eyes a little bit to other people’s lives and how this person might be a lot different than this person because of what they’re going through or what’s happening,” Mentink said.

“Combining friends with doing something I love just makes it a really nice environment,” Nelson said.

PHOTO COURESY OF DISNEY

Brooklyn Nelson, as Mary Poppins, in the rehearsal for the London cast production. Her New York cast counterpart was played by Alicia Guetle. PHOTO BY Z. HARRIS

DID YOU KNOW? 

A new movie by Disney, planned to come out in December of this year, is called Mary Poppins

Returns.    

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Your favorite little trouble-makers, Jane and Michael Banks, are all grown up, and Michael now has some little troublemakers of his own.

Mary Poppins returns to help the family rediscovered a sense of joy in their lives using her particular skills.

Sadly, Mary Poppins isn’t being played by Alicia Guetle or Brooklyn Nelson, but the also talented Emily Blunt.

Emily Blunt is an incredible individual for her skills in acting, singing, and playing the cello.

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Opens your eyes a little bit to other people’s lives and how this person might be a lot different than this person because of what they’re going through or what’s happening.

JAY MENTINK (George and Bert)

ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF MBMS YEARBOOK CREW

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Fortnite appeals to gamers with its free, high quality gameplay experience. The creators generate revenue through purchases of customizable items within the game, earning them 126 million in February alone. PHOTO COURTESY OF FLICKR.COM VIA CREATIVE COMMONS LICENCE.

MCKENZIE EMMONS AND JAELYN BRAACK

the screen. One can only be reminded of horrible years spent in history class learning a very similar phrase, “The British are coming!”

Fortnite, more specifically its free version, Fornite, Battle Royale, was the “international obsession of the year” according to the Washington Post. With its release of multiple mobile apps and celebrity attention, its success skyrocketed, and caused many to come to enjoy this internet sensation.

This game is meant to be fairly fast and quick paced. However, the sad truth is, it’s not. After dull minutes of waiting for the “storm” to arrive, interest is easily lost.

Once active, the player may find themselves fleeing the wrath of other players. Never fear, one can receive several shots before they “take an L.”

All seemed sound, until the school bus arrived. Characters parachuted out of the strange blue contraption. Out of all the colors, why BLUE? And another thing, why is it flying? It defied all laws of gravity; a hot air balloon could not possible suspend a 25,000 pound school bus mid-air.

Building shelters, or “forts” was obviously a major objective, and arguably essential to survival.

Materials could be used almost instantly, a step up from Minecraft.

This allowed smooth movement from place to place.

After a few seconds of playing, one realizes that there was a timer counting down for a so called “storm.” “The storm is coming” read

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The fact that constructing is so effortless raises the idea of cowering in fear for the entirety of the round, which was proven to be a valid strategy. Yet, another necessary objective is to make the most kills by defeating other opponents which would require leaving one’s safe haven.

Possibly one of the most indulging parts of the whole experience were the culturally up-to-date dance moves characters perform. Most provoke laughter and amusement in all who are around, but one must agree that the worm heavily resembles what one might imagine as a snake having a seizure.

The characters are a whole different story. Fairly life-like and agile, the icons used to travel the battle fields are rather, well… interesting. Their bright colors and smiley personalities brighten the mood of a seemingly vile game.

Victory Royale! These famous words, desired by many, were incredibly satisfying to hear. Of course, most never reach them on their first attempt, or ever (yours truly), but even despite the worst of luck, the experience was quite thrilling.

The lack of guts and gore throughout the game, though disappointing to some, was a refreshing take on the traditional shooting pastime as opposed to other popular activities, such as Call of Duty or Grand Theft Auto.

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Overall, Fortnite was similar to the average video game; entertaining, amusing, yet admittedly frustrating for beginners. However, after some time, it was shown to be an enjoyable practice, especially if gaming is one’s cup of tea.

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COMPILED BY XIALEEMAR MANUEL

All assembled below are Twitter-style reviews selected by MBMS journalists on humorous TV shows and movies in honor of April Fool’s Day. Some tweets were modified to fit in 140-character limit. All these tweets are generated by PrankMeNot.com.

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