PawPrint
November 8, 2013 Vol. 1 Issue 1
The Walker Middle School Newspaper
Academic Wolverine Victories By Andrew Koo The Walker Middle School has had a strong year so far, athletically. However, this article puts the spotlight on two teams that get minimal recognition, but are doing great things for Walker… academically. They’re not receiving the compliments and attendance that the athletic teams recieve. Just as the sports teams spend a lot of time practicing, these academic teams practice hard as well. These teams are the Walker Middle School Debate Team, and the Walker Middle School Academic Bowl Team. Both of these teams are small in numbers, but they worked hard to get to where they are. Both teams have had daylong meets competing against other schools about current events or academic subjects by giving speeches, and answering trivia questions, respectively. The Debate Team had a meet at Atlanta Academy on Thursday, October 17, debating Supreme Court justices, Cyber Attacks, and Football. They crushed their competition (Atlanta Academy and Saint Francis School). Walker won five out of the six rounds (and absolutely dominated), and took home the Victory Plaque. Great speeches about the Supreme Court, Foot-
ball, and Cyber Attacks were given, and all debaters did extremely well. Abhinav Piplani and Randi Epstein (captain) took home the “Best Walker Debater Award” trophy.
Government Shutdown
very possible Walker made the top 10. The Wolverines won five rounds, and lost only two. Some of Walker’s large competition included Trickum, Chamblee, Five Forks, By Abhinav Piplani On October 1, 2013 the government offiRiver Trail, and 28 other schools. The Walker cially suffered a partial shutdown. Quite Middle School Quiz Bowl Team’s next meet simply, the reason that this happened was Walker has two more meets this year. will be in spring. because everything that is government Every year, there is one meet at each school (Atlanta Academy, Walker, and St. Francis). So even though you don’t hear about funded requires money from the governThe next meet is at Walker in the audito- these teams, or talk about them in the hall- ment (e.g. national parks, roads, schools, rium in February. ways, know that they’re out there, making government funded offices.) If the governLet’s not forget the Walker Middle Walker’s name known. I challenge you to ment does not have enough money to fund School-Quiz Bowl team. The Quiz Bowl surprise the members of these teams by those programs, they have to shut them team faced a larger competition than the complimenting their work in the meets, down. National parks were shut down Debate Team, but they fared just as well. and recalling their success in those meets. because the government could not afford The Quiz Bowl team, like Debate, has had It’ll be nice to make them feel that they’re to keep them open. The reason, however, one meet so far this year. The meet was at heard of. The Wolverines Debate Team and you are going to school is because instead The Paideia School. A whopping 32 schools Quiz Bowl Team are hitting other schools of the national government running the participated in the meet, and Walker, again, hard… just in a different way than you school, the local government is running the public school system. small in numbers, fought hard, and earned might initially think. a high placing. Only the top four teams The rosters for both teams are as follows: However, you may have heard that we have been announced (Walker is not one have crawled out of this shutdown. And of them), but we know for sure that Walker Quiz Bowl: Abhinav Piplani, Andrew that is correct. Congress recently passed placed anywhere between 9th and 16th. Benecchi, Allan Hegedus, Lauren Marie a bill that raised the debt ceiling. The debt This is because of Walker’s Round of 16 Martin, and Robbie Jacobson ceiling is the amount of money that the govelimination. However, many schools had Debate: Allan Hegedus, Andrew Koo, ernment is allowed to borrow. The ceiling an extremely large number of participants May Johnson, Peyton Ware, Grace Emily recently stood at $16.699 trillion[TRILLION (about 15), whereas Walker had only had 5 Keller, and Randi Epstein IS MORE THAN BILLION!] . They have raised participants. Due to Walker’s huge wins, it’s it $321 billion. This shatters the previous record which stood at 238 billion dollars. That was set two years ago. The debt ceiling will last up until February The big question in many American’s know what “class” their family is. Addition- en to rob pupils of their freedom to express mind is, “What will happen in February? We ally, it makes the school look more profes- themselves with their own style of clothing. are just going to run into the same problem sional and presentable for visitors of the Teenage girls and boys will be denied the again!” school. privilege of wearing their favorite outfit to Well they might be right, but the only school. Athletes will no longer have the Con: Unique vs. Uniforms true way to tell is to wait and see. Only time By Claire Brandes opportunity to show off their t-shirts and will tell, and until then, we wait and hope jerseys on game days. Wearing what stuthat Congress does something to fix this During every student’s middle school dents’ want to wear to school should no problem. Hopefully its before February. career, people are always looking to longer be a privilege, but a right. Taking express themselves in one way or anothaway middle school students’ freedom to er. Some students are dedicated to their If you want to learn more about the Govchoose what they wish to wear to school sports, while others spend hours on their ernment Shutdown go to is not just taking away a closet full of outartwork. However, no matter if a student http://timeforkids.com/news/governfits, but it is also taking away a part of our is sporty, artsy, or brainy, they can always ment-shutdown/112091 creativity and style. rely on their attire for a unique sense of style. By giving students the privilege of wearing what they want to school, with the exception of a minor dress code, the school can reassure students that they can be trusted to make wise choices pertaining to what they wear. School uniforms threat-
Editorial: School Uniform Debate Pro: Dress For Success By Ashley Lowe
Being a middle school student, we generally think about what we are going to wear more than we worry about our responsibilities given to us at school. At school, there are already several distractions because of the various school dress code violations. Uniforms attenuate the possibility of an improper cut shirt or a shirt with inappropriate images or words. Some people get classified as rich or poor because of the brand name they wear. The kids with less money who don’t buy big brands may then be bullied for something that is in no way their fault, and shouldn’t even be a big deal. Dressing in similar attire, by having a unifrom, makes everyone look the same so classification won’t hurt anyone’s feelings because there is no way to
“Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” -Albert Einstein