The Occidentalist
Vol 2 Issue 3 December
Watching over the West since 1997
What’s in your backpack?
2 The Occidentalist Letter from the editors
We’re
Meg & Chloe (for pete’s sake) The size (and weight) of the backpacks at this school is ridiculous. And I’m talking the-back-ofyour-head ridiculous. There are some kids with two backpacks! It can add up fast: a netbook, plus a couple of text books and some binders can get you a twenty pounder in no time. We know that your parents probably rag on you constantly about it: you ask your mom to hand you your bag, and before you know it, “Oh my goodness! What is in here? A ton of bricks? Do you know what that could do to your back? I’m calling the doctor!” And so on and so on. We don’t want to sound
Cover photo: M. Sheehan.
like your mother, we really don’t. But, before you blow off our special about what’s in your backpack, honestly think about what carrying around 30 or even 40 pounds everyday could do to your back in the long run. Probably not good things. Teachers, even: we also know you have absolutely zero control over the size and weight of the textbook that your course requires. However, we believe your students would really, really love you (and possibly bake you cookies...no guarantees) if you were to look into an online textbook or make a spot in your room for stu-
dents to keep their books instead of in their backpacks. This could save us from daily chiropractic appointments in twenty years, which is obviously much appreciated. A solution to all of this comes free though: get a locker. As an upperclassman (or any classman, for that matter) it’s frowned upon in the social scene to have a locker. However, I know plenty of people with lockers and have painfree backs. The excuse of “I don’t have time to go to my locker” won’t work either. There are plenty of open lockers for you to choose one in a central location for all your classes. Keep only
the necessities in your backpack: pencils, a few notebooks and perhaps your netbook. But the rest, leave in your locker or even at home if you won’t be needing it for a few days. This alone can prevent tons of pain. We’re not trying to be your mom or your doctor, we just want you to be a happy student.
Editors in Chief
on the cover
8
Backpack Attack!
extras 4 5 6 7 10 13 15
Winter craft A Winter Wonderland? The Three Musketeers Movie Review: Footloose Cigarettes Paying for Parking Passes Holiday To-Do list
Personality The Occidentalist 3
4 The Occidentalist Winter Recipe
Brownie in a Mug A Winter Recipe
2 Tablespoon Flour 2 Tablespoon Sugar 1 Tablespoon Unsweetened Cocoa Powder 1/4 teaspoon Baking Powder 1 + 1/2 teaspoon Canola or Vegetable Oil 1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon water 1/8 teaspoon Vanilla Extract *Optional* 1 Tablespoon chocolate chips
Combine dry ingredients in a mug. Add wet ingredients and mix thoroughly. *Optional* mix in the chocolate chips. Put in the microwave for 45 seconds. *Optional* top with ice cream or milk. Enjoy!!
Woes of winter The Occidentalist 5
woes of
winter
Chris Cortright
Staff Writer
Elizabeth Steinebach
Everyone here in Traverse City knows winter is coming and it will be filled with a ton of exciting experiences. Some don’t think winter is a very cheerful time, other than Christmas, because of the cold weather and icy roads and most of the things they do are summer activities that aren’t able to be done in this snow filled season. For many other people in Michigan, winter is the best season. “I like winter but at the same time I don’t because it’s really cold and there isn’t much to do when its that cold outside,” said Ashley Urbanus ‘14 “Winter, its not a good season for anything. I mean it is if you like snowboarding or skiing, but you can’t sit in the warm sun and go swimming,” said Kristen Harris ‘14 Some think that winter doesn’t have much to offer but there is in fact many different activities to do, like snow shoing, snowmobiling, ice skating, ice fishing and sledding. Other activities people in Traverse City do are snowboarding or skiing. Skiing and snowboarding are good winter activities because they can be done after a long school day or on the weekend. A couple places to go to when snowboarding or skiing are Crystal mountain and Mt. Holiday. It is also a fun thing to do for most people because when they go they get to go with friends and ride
what ’s
yo
said snowboarding
Graphics: M. Sheehan Poll: H. Farkas & E. Fancher
around for hours. A lot of people like snowmobiling because they enjoy getting to ride the powder for hours straight. A lot of people also love the amount of speed they reach while riding around. They can also ride with friends and it makes the experience even better because they can hang out with some one while they are riding. If anything goes wrong they have somebody there to help them. Eventually, towards the end of winter, some people can’t wait for it to be over with but some never want it to end. The people that want winter to be over with might think that because, winter seems longer than the other seasons. To the people that love winter and never want it to end, winter could seem shorter than the other seasons. Winter can be a long season depending on how you use your time while it’s here and the busier you are the faster it goes by. The majority of people here in Traverse City try to stay busy and have fun so winter doesn’t seem as long as it would if they didn’t do anything at all. To those who feel like winter is such a drag, get out there and try something new. There are many different activities everyone can participate in. There are many things to do either by themselves or with other people. Everyone that
rf t? r o avo p s rite winter
u
26%
Staff Writer
23%
said skiing
13% said snomobiling
tries something new might think that it is actually fun and it might become something they do more frequently. In fact, most people do find a fun activity that they can do in the winter and it stays with them for a couple years or for the rest of their life. Winter activities are fun for everyone as long as you find one that goes along well with your personality or life style choices. For most people, after they find something to do in winter they usually stay with that activity and try to find ways to make it even better. A lot of people like to try to get their friends to join them with these activities because then maybe their friends will like them and start to do these activities as well. Most people find their winter activities better when they have friends with them to hang out with because they can do things that they normally wouldn’t be able to do without some friends to be there by their side to help them if something bad happens. Winter can be fun as long as you have something to keep you occupied. Everyone should get out there and try to find some activity that they find fun before winter is over so that once the season comes no one has to stay around the house waiting for spring to come when they could be outside hanging out with their friends or doing something they really like.
9% don’t have a
3%
favorite winter sport
10% said hockey
7%
said sledding
said ice skating, snowshoeing, and snowball fights
1%
said broomball
6 The Occidentalist Three Musketeers
all for one &
one for all! Hanna Farkas
Behind the
‘stache Hanna Farkas
Staff Writer
Staff Writer
“Places everyone!” The director shouted. All the actors and actresses scrambled to their spots and waited for the curtains to close for the beginning of the production. The Musketeers was originally a group of men who were protectors for the royal family in France. They were disbanded by Cardinal Richelieu, the King’s minister, who wanted them to fight for the on going war against England. Three of the Musketeers refused to relinquish their job, Athos, Porthos, and Aramis. The play opens with D’Artagnan, played by Darrin Newstead ‘12, at a bar. He runs into the Three Musketeers which he doesn’t realize is them until they show up for the duals he challenged them to the day before. Together they fight off the General’s group because he banned duals. When they are finished, the Three Musketeers realize that D’ Artagnan is worthy to be a musketeer and they willingly take him in and train him. D’Artagana has a background with an absent mother and a father who said he needed to stand up for himself and not take crap
Photos: N. Navin.
from anyone. He became cocky, and naive. “My favorite scene is the kill scene,” said Newstead. He has been in eight other plays since elementary and got involved with theatre then. “I took stagecraft and that’s how I got even more involved,” he said. “There is a lot of stress to putting on a production. Like forgetting lines, and also if the backstage work will go well, because I do a lot of work back there, but it’s all worth it.” He describes being onstage as a “rush. It’s worth experiencing and the audience is awesome and how they react to the play.” “I am happy with the role I got. It was the one I wanted,” said Robert Mampe, ‘12, who plays Porthos, He said that his character is “cocky, egotistical, and in his own mind he is the center of everything and doesn’t care about what anybody else thinks.” Robert has been in five other high school plays. “There is a lot of stress to putting on a production like this. Like a lot of stress!” he said. He has been in theatre for five years. He said that he personally views being a Musketeer as a great honor and enjoys the people he gets to
work with. “To be on stage feels incredible. I really like being there. It’s a good feeling knowing people want to come and watch you perform,” he said. He got involved with theatre in sixth grade. It was an elective then and he just decided to start and really enjoyed it. “Athos is the cynical, alcoholic, life hating Musketeer that has a dark background,” said Eric Fegan ‘12. He is happy with the role he got as Athos, it was the one he wanted. Fegan has been in seven different plays in his life. “My favorite scene in the Musketeers is the death scene,” he said. To Eric “the stress level is bearable, but just barely.” Fegan has been in theatre since eighth grade. “You can do a lot with any part, but being a lead means you get a reputation which is pretty cool,” he said. Fegan describes being on stage as “it’s what I live for. I love it.” He got involved with theatre two years ago when he was asked to be an extra in a play and it just took off from there. “I am happy with the role I got. I like being a Musketeer,” said Chad Sharnowski ‘12. Aramis used to be a theology
student, but then gave that up to become a Musketeer. “My favorite scene is scene five, act two, because it’s sword fighting and I get to kick a lot of [butt],” said Sharnowski. He has been in six other plays and has been in theatre since eighth grade. Sharnowki said, “There is a lot of hard work and people who don’t listen very well, so that puts on some extra stress when putting on a production.” Sharnowski got involved with theatre because one of his seventh grade teachers said he should do it because he was obnoxious in that class. His career took off from there. “I like being the lead role and the ovation the crowd gives you after each show,” said Shranowski. Chad also said, “It’s very exciting to be on stage and the adrenaline rush you get. Also, it’s sometimes scary.” It takes about three to four months to put on a big production like this. All the actors and actresses work really hard as do the directors, grips, light and sound people. It puts a lot of stress on people and takes a lot of energy to do something like this, but in the end it is all worth it.
Top Photo: N. Navin. Bottom Photo: R. Coiman.
Brown rags and no shoes with a poor and a mysterious lifestyle, the part of the Beggar in the Three Musketeers is played by Monica Mathie ‘12 and Amanda Egerer ‘12. “We got to make up the background of our character. I thought of my background as an orphan who got adopted by Madame Bonaciuex and I helped work in her bar,” said Mathie. “My background for the Beggar was a spy for the king,” Egerer said. The role for the Beggar is interesting because it was a small role but, that meant that the actresses could make of it what they wanted. They were able to get really creative. “Monica and I worked really hard on the part to develop a good character. We wanted it to be really funny,” said Amanda. “I really liked playing the role of the beggar because I got to take over and make my character my own,” Monica said. “I really liked my part because we would show up at random times and make a scene funny,” said Amanda. Even though the part of the Beggar was small, it affected the entire production. The funny part incorporated to the play made a good edition.
Footloose The Occidentalist 7
what’s your all-time favorite movie?
Footloose and fancy free
“The N o -Emma tebook” Davis ‘12
“Scott Pilgrim vs. The World” -Bailey Davis ‘15
Emily Fancher
The light’s dim, the previews and advertisements start, and before anyone even knows it, the lights go out and the familiar music from Footloose starts to play. Oh, and what’s this? A new voice is singing the song. Country superstar Blake Shelton sings Footloose with the opening credits as only the legs and feet of characters getting their dance on at a party flash on the screen. This opening sequence gets people in the dancing mood as they get ready to see all the dance moves laid on the floor in the 2011 remake of the classic 1984 movie “Footloose,” staring professional dancers Kenny Wormald and former Dancing with the Stars dancer Julianne Hough who are trying to get into acting. The new Footloose is just as good as the original 1984 edition, if not better. It combines the old school dance moves with modern music. It takes place in small town Bomont, Georgia where rock and roll was banned after four of the town’s most smartest and brightest students were killed in a car
“Rent” hard -Bryn Bern ‘12
“Princess Diaries” -Jessie Gotts ‘12
“While Y Were S ou leeping -Sarah ” Lidiard ‘12
ic: Graph han hee M. S
e” n Roug “Mouli n ‘12 lse -Josh O
Staff Writer
accident because the driver, the son of Reverend Shaw Moore (Dennis Quaid), was driving distracted. Ariel Moore, the daughter of the Reverend seeks out a different life than the “innocent little girl” she grew up as, dressing completely different as you see her in the beginning. She’s a girl who is desperately trying to get her father to notice that she isn’t the same as her brother and that she’s an individual person now. Her father believes that the death of his son means banning everything that caused his death. Reverend Moore and the Bomont city government meet in the court house and lay down the law. When assumed bad boy Ren MacCormack comes into town from Boston he does something that no one in Bomont had EVER thought of doing. The remake of the original Footloose is a fun and thrilling musical number that leaves everyone walking out of the theater with the catchy tunes and dance moves stuck in their heads.
tes: Quo
backpack attack
8 The Occidentalist Backpacks
Pack mule [pak myool] noun. Someone who can be forced to carry heavy objects for no pay or gratitude. Urban Dictionary’s definition of a pack mule hits home with many students at West who, day after day, carry around backpacks half their size as classes pile on the textbooks and binders. “My shoulders hurt everyday. I put [my backpack] on my little sister who’s in sixth grade and she fell over,” Caleb Case ‘13 said. “I’ve weighed it before, it’s about 35 pounds.” The average weight of a bowling ball is 16 pounds, which means Caleb is carrying the weight of approximately two bowling balls everyday for school. Caleb is taking AP Chemistry, AP Government, and Honors Physics along with his regular core classes. So, rather than bowling balls, Caleb’s bag holds five different books, his netbook, and all the other items required for a day at school such as pencils and folders. “Ironically, the netbook weighs as much as the biggest book [in my bag],” Caleb said. In an attempt to be green and lighten the students’ load, West Senior High issued netbooks to all of its students to be used as an alternative to books and paper assignments. For many students this is a godsend, as the majority of their classes have become computer based and has significantly lightened the weight of their bags; not to mention the unbelievable amount of paper the school has saved already by utilizing the netbooks. However, there are still some classes that don’t have the means to convert their work to computer format. AP classes and math classes, for example, often still require students to carry their specific textbook with them. This means that not only are students in those classes forced to carry classes’ textbooks, but also the added weight of a netbook. As you can imagine, carrying all that
weight on one’s back for 180 days out of the year (the average amount of days in a school year) is not good for a person’s health. According to Kidshealth.org, carrying heavy bags can cause shoulder pain, neck pain, back pain, and bad posture. When heavy bags have tight, narrow straps, they can dig into the shoulders and cut off circulation as well. About.com reports that in 2001, backpacks were the cause of 7,000 emergency room visits and complaints of shouolder, neck, and back pain. Besides the pain, carrying heavy backpacks can cause bad posture. If your bag hangs down too far, the spine is forced to lean forward, and although wearing bags on one shoulder makes you look super cool, it forces the spine to lean to compensate for the offset weight, which makes you lopsided. Perhaps bad posture doesn’t seem like a big issue to you, but think, do you want to spend your life looking like the Hunchback of Notre Dame? As you can see, heavy backpacks can cause a multitude of problems for those who carry them. Students hunched over, shouldering bulging backpacks full of books can be found throughout the halls of WSH. This isn’t solely a problem of West’s; this is a problem that plagues schools across the country. By issuing netbooks to students, West has helped lessen this problem, but there is only so much the school can do. To ensure issues like pain and bad posture don’t happen to you, Kidshealth.org says to make sure to buy a lightweight backpack with wide, padded straps, and try not to carry weight that’s any more than 10-15% of your body weight. Since you can’t control the amount of books teachers require you to carry, try to use your locker between classes to hold books that you’re not using. By following these steps, you can help to lessen the problem of heavy backpacks.
Linny Milliron
Staff Writer
What’s in your backpack?
Backpacks The Occidentalist 9
Try it at home! Organize the contents of your backpack, or any other bag, neatly and upload it to our Facebook page, submit it to our Tumblr, Tweet it to us, or email us and we will post it for you! Be sure to give us your name if you want credit! See our contact information on page 11.
Following a recent trend, we took several students’ backpacks, emptied them, and organized everything neatly on a table.
10 The Occidentalist Parking passes
g n i k r a P s e s s a p are
$25!?
s rk she wa 5.00 to pa 2 $ lso a t u d, b about it, it y surprise y ll a a k o re l e lo u fe “I ridic us. e ght it was way for th this, there u t r o u e o th th b o a n t a id u is r not pay,” ,” sa found o ould rathe get money ot z going w g z I to u “ ts b l n o f e o o d h t u gh. was a lo actions sc dinger. This fall, st s said Crou udents’ re surprise a st v tr d e S d te w n ts opinion c a o e , h p n , x u o he studen udents ly an une ome st T st p S p e t. a e m n th o to re r S e t a fe n p e dif we they ho appy to h when they ing permit- a were ere understanding and what l were not h r, e w to rk a ts e p v n money wil a e ir h d ould for the redica w p is y s e r st l’ e o th fo o t W d h a t th tha the sc be use that while $25.00 fee 0 ents of lt d .0 fe u 5 nt 2 st $ rs re r e y fe fo a th if p ing are d ment, o now charg school. t bad, we a on is g rk n a o in p ti d a n to to depe ur situ o to e v a who drive h t sk. uld no ret that school. who you a . It’s no sec desperate still sho rs a c r l’s ou Ryan in a The schoo pay to park nd why they schools are ing these rg e Hagelb nd “I understa don’t reason for need for fu I ars s e so is a y , w it n , te g 2 in ‘1 st la doing this are do days. The e ‘well, I get k d li eve u g li s b n a f re o o w m lp ll It a e fu to h mind. ’I it y s, a n have been p o o h ti to c d ve those w ram redu our stresse guess I ha cuts, prog ifferent,” s. In d d ff t n o o in a y n y la ts o tt e d ff g re a st bud was p z ic w and even ie e tk th a rt suppo combat Kayla Sz to maintain an effort to tain as many said ne of the questions en v fety e , is th in O a student sa y was ‘12. n o y cuts and m ossible, rl s a n e a pa e up if it m as p helping to that came isin s m y d programs a a t lw a o rn extra tricts are our secuwhether o school dis for e authority s to y y th a e n d w a o s either h w m e n n tratio ea rds. It wa l rg a a o u h o g looking at c l. h o ty sc o to ri h h 25.00 the sc ing. Eac k they students $ in e th raise fund rg ’t a arking fee n h p o c d “I minate king, or eli harged us c rk a e is also loo p v a taxa r t h a fo ld u we nd cut ys ded sho don’t feel rograms a p I , ing for wa g re o in payer fun m rk a even for p pay a park classroom budgets to e to make v a h school. ld eady . shou z an they alr gram Hagelberg th id money re sa o Szatkiewic ,” m e at ing fe rg said that if we . More pro for their believes th have been lbe e g e a k udget li H ld l u e wo d supply b gative h n , a y individua a ts p u administra c to have a ne ve have g directly building tors do ha the fundin cuts could r operations e se to . ty ou students budgets. the authori impact on ion benefit the goes for e m st. In addit a e . c is W st th t e a it o W e re p e to d o h h o I ti “ ropera ns, ol r school p y to day o e a up with ft d a “Our scho g to in d . uld also fun Hagelberg t safety co n e id a plan to d ally needs sa u re ” st s, m s ,” gra ‘12, agree charge stu the money suffer. a Crough ss ly A nd welfare h it z ic . w rg ie u he safety a T tk lb dents w “ e g Sza a H h wit staff is the tand why dents and said that rs u parking z e st ic d f n w o u ie I “ tk t thing we said. Sza important charge, bu ding l beginning n st ld o o fu u o o m h e w sc th y s 2 e th aving these 1-201 she hope so much,” t ater veryday. H elp n e in the 201 ’s e e it th d o y u e d h st th w h r t c no n ea is used fo rough said additional funds h year. Whe ing pass, Crough. C t or to help n rk id e a p d more sa m a rt a r p fo e d a safer an e was told ks. sh re applies o li n su o e ir in tb h e x w th te t a th ase show e to pay nd purch y Stradinger ‘12, they must would hav e istration, a le g sh sh re A d n . a z cense e as Szatkiewic a $25.00 fe t rees with g a now, pay rs fi n students well. Whe nager
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THINGS THAT BOTHER ME Meg Sheehan
Editor in Chief
One-Uppers Everyone knows one of these people. They’re the ones, who after a long day, are able to make you feel even more awful than you already feel. You worked for six hours and your feet are killing you? Well they worked for seven and have a blister. You have a 100 question exam tomorrow that you’re not prepared for? They have a 101 question exam and haven’t even looked at the review yet. You’re in two AP classes? They’re in three. I don’t know what drives these kinds of people to be like this. Yes, there are the typical oneuppers who just want to be better than you, but why are these kind trying to be more miserable than you? What’s the point? Do you want your life to suck more? Do you want to be in more pain and agony? Maybe it’s for sympathy, I don’t know; but it’s annoying. And not only is it annoying, but it’s also extremely rude and displays very poor conversational skills. When you are conversing with someone, you listen, and respond. Not pretend to listen, then totally disregard what they just said to go on and talk about yourself. ESPECIALLY if they’re venting to you about a long day. Chances are, if they’re telling you these things, they respect you, trust you, and value your opinion. Do you want to ruin that just to talk about yourself? Next time you’re having a conversation with someone, take a second to look at what you’re saying. Are you listening to them? Responding? Avoiding the topic of yourself? If you answered no to any of these, I would recommend changing something. Who wants to be the most miserable anyways? You don’t even get an award!
Connect with us!
Connect with us The Occidentalist 11
www.theocci.com The Occidentalist has its own website this year, where the staff will be posting exclusive stories and photos not published in the monthly issue.
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Staff Writer
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Staff Writer
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Staff Writer
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Cigarettes The Occidentalist 13
The average price of a pack of cigarettes in Michigan is
$5.77 Meg Sheehan
Editor-in-Chief
According to the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids
=
...which means smoking a pack a day for an entire year costs about $2,106.05. To put it into perspective, here are a few things you could buy with that money.
4-16 gb iPads
*priced at $499 each
1 gently used car *priced at $2000
=
14 The Occidentalist Classes
The age old question:
Why are certain classes required? Taylor Reese Staff Writer Austin McClintock Staff Writer “When most people hear the word chemistry they think of an old man in a white lab coat, giggling evilly over a bubbling beaker,” said Ian Guch in his book, The Complete Idiot’s Guide To Chemistry. Chemistry is the study of matter and energy and the connections between them. Every action and thing one does is chemistry. “I have been teaching here at West for almost ten years,” said Charles Kolbusz Sparta principal. “Chemistry helped me understand the world around me.” Before becoming a principal, Kolbusz taught chemistry here at West. Every action such as lighting a match and washing dishes is chemistry. We use chemistry in our everyday life without even knowing it. In this class students will learn about matter, atoms, their makeup, chemical equations, and much more. Some jobs out in the world require applicants to have taken chemistry, and it’s also required to graduate from high school. To graduate, students must take at least three years of science, which are biology, chemistry or physics, and another science class of their choice. Other science classes that students can take here are AP chemistry, honors chemistry, physics, honors physics, physics extended topics, principles of technology (applied physics), physiology, environmental science, forensic science, and nutrition science. Chemistry is used to make medicine, food and drinks, and without chemistry we wouldn’t be able to drink the
pop, take a cough drop, or even eat pizza. Fertilizer, paint, matches, and even dish soap are all common examples of thing we use that wouldn’t be possible without chemistry. Jobs that require a chemistry background include: biomedical research, genetics engineering, pharmaceuticals, forensic science, toxicology and a lot more. Chemistry is not the only important class, algebra is another equally important one. “Algebra is important because you use it every day,” Ben Tabbert ‘15 said. Algebra is used by professionals ranging from electricians to architects to computer scientists. Basic algebra is the first of the higher level math classes students need to succeed in college and
life. It’s required in high school because the people who fail math in high school usually are not prepared for college or careers after college. Many of them take remedial math in college, which makes getting a degree take longer. Also people who take algebra I, geometry, algebra II, and one more additional high-level math course are much more likely to do well in college math. “The calculator is a tool that allows us to go deeper,” said James Bunek, teacher. “We can do things we couldn’t do with paper and pencil before.” “Physical education could possibly help you find a job that you move around a lot in, it makes you faster, and it helps you
become physically active,” said Kiefer Light ‘15 P.E. Is a class that while required, helps the body greatly. The main focus of that class is to help people become or start becoming fit, learn to be healthy, and learn about the diseases a body can get. Half of the time in P.E. the students exercise to keep their bodies fit, the other half of the time they are learning about drugs, the food pyramid, heart rate, CPR, which is the process of saving someones life by making their lungs and heart work through compressions and breaths through the mouth, muscle structure, maintaining a healthy body, and more. Learning these things will give the students the knowledge to
become and stay healthy for the rest of their lives. “It helps because it improves their physical attributes,” said Light. “we play a lot of cool games like capture the flag.” All of these classes teach you important things. In addition, by taking these classes, students gain the knowledge necessary to understand the world around them. Some jobs require these classes, like being a teacher of said subject. In addition the classes are required by the TCAPS Board of Education. These are a few reasons out of many that makes taking these classes very beneficial.
To-do List The Occidentalist 15
Christmas break can get a little boring, so we came up with a list of our favorite things to do during the holidays. Have fun!
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