RMS Press - November 2010

Vol. I, number 2
The R.M.S. Press
Rye Middle School’s Most Beloved Student Newspaper Since Last Month
November 2010
Horton Hears a Huge Round of Applause;
R.M.S. Production of Seussical a Smash!
By Kelsey Myers
and Alex Meyer
On November 5-6, Rye Middle
School presented the musical
Seussical Jr., directed by music
teacher Peter Frost. With only
about 6 weeks of practice, the
show managed to come off
without a hitch.
The play, which contained
22 musical numbers, focuses
largely on favorite Seuss character Horton the Elephant, who
was played by Ross DeMarco.
Along with Horton, the show
mixes together other characters
from the popular books of Dr.
Seuss – including the Cat in
the Hat (a role shared by Sarah
Jautz, Anna Kotyza, Hayley
Orr, and Katherine Hut); the
Grinch (Lilly McGinty), and
Mazie (Emma Sheerin).
The cast of Seussical Jr. fill the stage of the Performing Arts Center on November 5 and 6.
As the story goes: On the
afternoon of May 15, in the
jungle of Nool, Horton hears
someone calling for help. There
is no one around except for one
tiny dust speck, but it turns out
that the speck of dust is a tiny
planet called Whoville, with
tiny people, called Whos, living
on it. The Mayor and his wife
(played by Michael Chen and
Yuika Abe), along with their
son JoJo (played by Nathaniel
Deen), are the main Whos in
the story.
Everyone in the Jungle of
Nool thinks Horton is crazy,
except for a bird with a onefeathered tail named Gertrude,
played by Sophia Toppo.
Gertrude has a crush on Horton,
although she has never been noticed by him. Meanwhile, four
Wickershams take Horton’s
dust speck and drop it a field of
dust specks. Horton ends up in
a circus, and Gertrude rescues
him, bringing his dust speck.
continued on page 2
Students Take Pride in Creating a More Accepting Community
By Sarah Pickup
The 12th annual Pride
Works Conference took place at
Westchester County Center on
November 16. The conference
was hosted by GLSEN, the
Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network. Popular country
singer Chely Wright served
as keynote speaker. The main
idea of the conference was to
educate middle school and high
school students about
different sexualities and
acceptance.
In all, 12 R.M.S. eighth
graders (including myself)
and two seventh graders attended, joining an
estimated 600 people from
around the county. The
event included three hourlong seminars, as well
Pride Works participants Jessica Nelas a small performance
son, Sarah Pickup, Lindsey Vita, Molly
from Chely Wright. The
Powers, and Izzy Edwards.
INSIDE: ● Students of the Quarter: The List! - p.2
●
Dean? AP? Huh? Mr. D Explains - p.3
fun and educational experience
opened up the eyes of many.
While “gay” once meant
happy, the word has since
changed to mean a sexual
preference towards the same
gender. Today, the word gay is
used in many people’s vocabulary, but not for either of these
meanings. If you walk down
school hallways, you hear kids
continued on page 2
● Ask Dr. G! - p.6
● RMS Comes Alive! - p.4
● And lots more!
News Around the School
P. 2 / November 2010
Seussical, contd. from page 1
The R.M.S. Press
Rye Middle School
3 Parsons Street
Rye, NY 10580
Co-Editors in Chief
Rebecca Jordan and Min Kim
Editors, Correspondents, and Columnists:
Casimir Harshbarger (senior transportation reporter),
Lauren Lucas, Nicholas Carlson (gourmand), Liam Wilson,
Anna Eva Kotzya, Michael Kamer,
Kotono Hamaguchi, Samuel Rukeyser,
Michael Carty (cartyoonist), Emma Siefert,
Brandt Matthews, Connor Appleyard, Reid Bradt,
Mako Matsuzaki, David Schindler,
Kelsey Myers & Alex Meyer (M&M),
Sarah Pickup, Miyo Arai, Ryan Rivera, Alvaro Varela
Advisor
Mr. R.M.Sarig
The R.M.S. Press is the student publication of Rye Middle
School. We invite any member of the school community to
contribute their words, pictures, or art. Submissions may be
emailed to [email protected] or brought to room 213.
Those interested in being a part of The R.M.S. Press’s editorial team should attend staff meetings, held Thursday during
X-period and after school in room 213.
And we’re into the idea of free speech, so if you have something you want to say about the paper, please send a Letter to
the Editor at [email protected] (letters may be excerpted
for space reasons).
Pride, contd. from page 1
calling their peers “gay,” even
though they can be completely
straight. Calling other people
gay inforces the idea that being
gay is a bad thing. The word
gay has evolved into being a
taunt or insult.
Many people are trying
to make small steps toward
accepting others, but some still
have issues with other people’s
preferences. Being gay is not
an opinion but, in fact, a part of
someone’s identity. In September alone there were six
confirmed teen suicides due to
bullying over sexual preference.
Gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and
transgender (GLBT) people
have long had to hide them-
selves because of the harassment. Many have nowhere to
turn and no one to talk to.
But no matter what sexual
preference, every person is
human and deserves the right
to live just like anyone else.
In recent years, GLBT people
have started to open up about
their sexuality, though it can
lead to them losing friends
and, in some cases, the support of their parents who don’t
approve. GLBT people are
sometimes kicked out of their
homes and forced to live on
the streets. Imagine being that
person, living alone, not having
connections with your parents.
Imagine being kicked out of
society because of one thing
that is different about you.
When they get back to the
jungle of Nool, all of the jungle
citizens want Horton to go to
jail. In court, the jungle citizens
say they are going to boil his
speck, but with the help of JoJo,
justice prevails. All of the citizens of Nool praise Horton for
his willingness to stand up for
others, “no matter how small.”
In particular, the musical
numbers “Monkey Around”
and “Oh, the Thinks You Can
Think” were standouts, and so
was the fun scene where Gertrude gets her long tail. Of the
many excellent performances,
Nathaniel Deen’s JoJo and the
narrators – all of the Cats in the
Hat – stood out. If anything, the
show was too short. It would
have been fun to see even more
Dr. Seuss books included.
But, of course, those were
flaws with the show itself,
not the performances. Taking
everything into account, it was
a solid 8 out of 10 – and a very
good start to this year’s theater
season.
Congratulations R.M.S. Students of the 1st Quarter!
Team 6R: Reagan Doran, Alexandra Meyer
Team 6M: Nathalie Rodilosso, Katrina Roth
Team 6S: Brendan Dugan, Camila Vergara
Team 7R: Deirdre Potter, Atsushi Nakatani
Team 7M: Julian MacLaury, Samuel Rukeyser, Kenta Yaegashi
Team 7S: Arata Matsubara, Abigail Abate
Team 8R: John Emanuel, Natalia Marques
Team 8M: Jack Smith, Andrea Peraza
Team 8S: James Timmings, Lindsey Wales
French: Min Kim, William Townsend; Beyond RMS: Caleb
Glassberg, Rishi Shah; Latin: Quinn Fahey, Jake Rowen; Mandarin: Arata Matsubara, Alexandra Pankoff; Studio Art: Christian Sutherland, Maho Kotake; Health: Tristan MacHale; French
IA: Anna Liddy; Spanish: Savana Herrera; Media Savvy Kids:
Andrew Livingston; Rock, Write & Listen: Joseph Pecora
Acceptance might be the
hardest thing for people to
perform. A synonym for acceptance is tolerance, which can
also be lacking in people. But
tolerance is a fact of life: You
might not always want to be sitting there in class, but you have
to tolerate it. However, GLBT
receive very little tolerance.
People protest against them,
despite a well-accepted understanding that sexual preference
is not a choice but something
one is born with.
In America today, there are
many organizations speaking
out to help inform people about
GLBT and to stop hate towards
them, including GLSEN. Many
workshops are also put together
to educate children and adults.
Schools around the country are
taking time to have assemblies
to teach students about gays.
Small baby steps are being
made in a positive direction, but
there is still a long way to go.
Everyday, people are
harassed. What if, one day,
people in society come together
in acceptance of one another?
Perhaps one day everybody’s
sexuality will be seen as individual as snowflakes.
According to R.M.S. social
worker Mr. Green, “If we can
see everybody as ‘sexual’ and
stop asking whether the appropriate prefix is ‘homo,’ ‘hetero,’
or ‘bi,’ we can better see the
ways that we are the same and
stop worrying about the things
that make us different.”
News Around the School
November 2010 / P. 3
Mr. DeRuvo: New Title, Same Job -- And Same Friendly Face in the Halls
By Rebecca Jordan
This is your first year as Assistant Principal. How does
this position differ from being
the Dean of Students?
It does not differ in any way. It
is only a title change but the job
remains the same. I still have
the opportunity to work with
the students of R.M.S.
Part of your job is to discipline students. Is it frustrating to enforce the same rules
again and again?
The rules are the same but it is
the incident that differs. I always have the chance to speak
with individual students who do
not follow the Code of Conduct
and explain what was done
wrong. I like to tell students
that we learn from our mis-
Where did you grow up and
go to school?
I grew up in the Bronx and
went to St. Frances of Rome
Elementary School, Cardinal
Hayes High School, and graduated from Fordham University.
I also studied at Herbert Lehman College, Fairfield University and then went back to
Fordham for course work after
completing my master’s.
What is the most fulfilling
part of your job at R.M.S.?
I hope is doesn’t sound corny,
but I have to say that the most
rewarding part of my job
is working with the all the
students and having the chance
Biking to School in the Cold of Winter?
Sure, Just Be Careful and Be Prepared
By Casimir Harshbarger
As the winter months
approach, it’s easy to notice
how students stop using their
own transportation (bikes)
and start getting rides (in cars)
to school. This, however, is
unnecessary. It’s easy to bike
to school -- if you can protect
yourself from the cold,
of course. Here are
some tips and tricks to
help:
Ice. When it comes
to ice, you need to be
careful. Bikes have a
lot of stopping power,
so it’s easy to stop in
front of an ice sheet
and slowly ride across
-- or, even better, walk
across. However, cars
don’t have “good reflexes”
when it comes to braking.
Think about it: Mrs. Minivan is
drinking her coffee at 40 miles
per hour, trying to get her
Little Johnny to school. I can
safely guarantee that she isn’t
looking for you. Now tell me,
What is the most common
problem students come to you
about?
Lockers and locks always
present problems, as well as
needing new agenda books.
However, many times students
ask for advice on “friend” problems. Some students are not
always nice to their friends and
I can suggest ways to make the
situation better. Also, students
come to my office when there
are problems in the classroom.
They are either sent to me by a
teacher or they might drop in on
their own.
takes. If we do the same thing
wrong over again, then it’s time
to have some detention.
what happens when she tries
to stop on a dime because she
wasn’t looking, skids on ice
and hits you? That’s right. Not
a pretty sight. On a brighter
note…
Gloves. Gloves are important because they keep your
hands warm, obviously. Find a
pair that blocks wind and don’t
use ones made for
biking, because
they usually don’t
cover your fingers.
Hat. A hat is
very important, but
it needs to be thin
enough to fit under
your helmet. Some
30-45 percent of
body heat is lost
through the head,
so wear a hat.
Windproof Jacket. ‘Nuff
said.
Balaclava. A balaclava is a
face mask. These are great because they block out the wind
and keep you toasty warm, too.
The Batman-style ones look
cool, too.
Mr. DeRuvo makes the transition
between Dean and Assistant PrinciWhat to you defines a “good
pal look easy.
of meeting new kids every
September as they join R.M.S.
The adults I work with are awesome, too.
student?”
To me, a good student is one
that takes advantage of all the
continued on page 4
The 6th Grade Gets Social
On Nov. 2,
R.M.S. 6th
graders had
a blast in the
Multipurpose
Room. As
songs played
by favorites
such as Lady
Gaga, Katy
Perry, Willow
Smith, Justin Four best buds enjoying drink boxes and each
Bieber, and other’s company.
Michael Jackson, many of the girls were were rocking it while the boys
were less interested in dancing.
Some were even jumping over
trash cans!
In addition to the music and
snacks, there was a raffle as
well. Winners received a $10
gift card to Subway, a $25 gift
card to the movies, or $15 and
$25 iTunes gift cards.
A special thanks to Mrs.
Vahabzadeh and all the mothers who helped out with this
wonderful event. -- Miyo Arai
Frances Williams wins the
$25 iTunes gift card.
News Around the School
P. 4 / November 2010
DeRuvo, contd. from page 3
activities -- in and out of the
classroom -- that are offered. It
is great to see kids involved in
as much as they comfortably
can and enjoy what they are
doing.
Were you ever a teacher?
I taught 7th grade for three
years in the South Bronx and
then 5th and 6th grade at Osborn for about 20 years.
What activities do you enjoy
outside of school?
I enjoy being with family (especially my four grandchildren)
and friends, going to the movies
and the theater, and singing. I enjoy working at home
-- outside -- and walking long
distances.
What would you consider to
be your strategy when dealing
with bad behavior and punishments? You seem to work
very calmly and effectively.
I always give the kids a chance
to talk and tell me what they
think might have gone wrong.
I listen to what they are saying
but want kids to know that I
hear what was said and try not
to jump to conclusions.
Is there a message you would
like to share with R.M.S. students as the quarter closes?
Make sure that you ask your
teachers how you could continue to do well or improve
on what you did during the
first quarter. Take advantage
of any new clubs or activities
that the school will offer from
now until the end of the year.
Mr. Borchert and His RMS ALIVE Class Learn Enivornmental Sustainability By Doing It
By Min Kim
R.M.S. science teacher Mr.
Borchert has a mission for RMS
ALIVE, the electice class he
teaches. He wants it to change
the world, starting in Rye
Middle School. We recently
spoke to Mr. Borchert and RMS
ALIVE students Sarah Mackay
and Maddie Gamble.
ery student. So there is a lot that
the students have to investigate,
and it’s more than just being
a green thing to do, they also
have to look at the economics.
How did you get the idea for
RMS ALIVE?
Mr. B: I’ve been thinking about
this for a long time. In the past
several years, I’ve taken several
teacher workshops on sustainability and environmental
the biggest success. We enjoyed
our harvest two weeks ago, of
radishes, spinach, lettuce, and
kale that we planted in September. Mr. Rubbo in the cafeteria
prepared snacks and fed us in
class.
Sarah Mackay: The garden
was the best part because you
got immediate results.
Mr. B: Yes. The other projects
are going to take a bit longer
because there are proposals to
What is RMS ALIVE?
Mr. Borchert: RMS ALIVE
actually stands for Rye Middle
School Always Looking Into
Vital Ecology. This is a class
about sustainability. We should
certainly be maintaining our
own existence but also be aware
that we should leave enough for
future generations to maintain
their existence.
The point of this class is to
help students become a little
The RMS ALIVE garden is getting ready for the winter after a bountibit more aware in a variety of
ful fall harvest for Mr. Borchert and his class.
ways. One, of course, is the
garden that we’ve created and
education. Then I proposed it to write, funding to look for, and
planted, teaching students that
the Board of Education, it was
administrators to talk to. So
you can grow and eat your own accepted, and here we are.
some of the other results are
food, and that’s kind of cool.
certainly not as immediate.
But the other part of the
Is RMS ALIVE strictly a
course is that students are look- class or does it extend to
Would you say there’s been
ing into things that the school
afterschool and community
any big problems?
does, and seeing if we can
service?
Mr. B: No, people have been
make that more sustainable. For Mr. B: Right now, it’s taught as very supportive of us. Dr.
example, our recycling group
an elective class. Students are
Edwards, Dr. Cohen, and the
is trying to encourage more
encouraged to volunteer and do Board of Education are very
recycling. We also have a group work outside of the classroom.
excited that we’re doing this,
looking into actually putting
Some of the gardening that we
and they’re hoping to see good
solar panels or wind turbines on do takes place after school, but
things from us.
the roof. How do we recycle ink a lot is taken care of in class.
cartridges and electronics betTo the students – how can you
ter? Students are investigating
What are RMS ALIVE’s biguse what you’ve learned in
possibly replacing textbooks
gest successes?
class in the outside world?
and paper with laptops for evMr. B: The garden is probably
Maddie Gamble: Well, I know
that one group is doing the
laptop project.
Sarah Mackay: So you can use
that at home, and it would be
kind of like all-around helpful.
But some of the ideas about being greener, like a compost pile,
we can all do at home.
MG: We can all recycle at
home.
Mr. B: Maybe start your own
garden at home?
What do you see in the future
of RMS ALIVE?
MG: We hope in the future, we
won’t have to recycle as much
because there won’t be as much
plastic, and we’ll be reusing.
SM: Yeah, and hopefully we’ll
go through some of our ideas,
because I know that some of
them are going to take a while.
Mr. B: And our ideas will
evolve over time, and we’re
hoping to always move toward
a more sustainable future.
To the students – would you
recommend the class?
SM: It’s lots of fun, and you get
to see things in a different light.
With changing the world, it’s
usually a lot more depressing.
MG: You talk about it in class,
and you realize that if I were to
recycle my water bottle, that’s
not going to change the world.
That kind of makes you sad.
SM: In a sense, it’s kind of like,
“Well, this is our damage,” and
in class, it’s like, “This is what
we can do.”
MG: If we can change this
school, maybe other schools
will follow our lead.
News Around Rye
November 2010 / P. 5
Safe Routes to School Inspires
Art Contest for Safety’s Sake
By David Schindler
Rye Middle and High
School students are invited to
compete in a Safe Route to
School poster contest. Using
any form of original artwork -including painting, cartooning,
graphic arts, or photography
-- students are asked to use their
creativity to convey important
messages about getting to and
from school safely, and without
being dangerously distracted.
One or all of the following
topics should be addressed in
the poster:
1. Never cross the street while
on the phone, texting or wearing headphones;
2. Do not push or shove while
walking with friends because
someone could end up in the
road;
3. Watch out for yourself and
your friends while crossing the
street;
4. Beware of your surroundings
while around cars, like in parking lots and crossing the street;
5. Follow basic safety rules,
such as wearing a bike helmet,
look left and right while crossing streets and cross at crosswalks.
Students can win great
prizes and have their poster
published in the newspaper.
Middle School students can win
a bowling certificate for AMF
White Plains Bowling, a $50
certificate from A.I Friedman,
or a YMCA free youth membership or 3 personal training
sessions. Other great prizes are
being offered for High School
students.
Posters should be on 11x17inch paper and can be either
horizontal or vertical, in either
color or black and white. The
student’s name, grade, address,
phone and e-mail address must
be on the back.
Entries should be put in a
folder or a protective covering
and brought to the Principal’s
office, addressed to: SRTs Committee, Rye YMCA. All entries
are due on November 22, 2010.
On Tues., October 26, members of R.M.S.’s Reach Out Rye
club visited the Edith Reid Sanctuary, adjacent to Playland,
for garbage clean up. Club members worked for two hours on
the beach, picking up garbage that had washed up or was left
behind by fishermen. One common item found was firework
remnants from Playland’s summer launchings. The club collected more than 10 bags of garbage in all. -- David Schindler
‘Tis the Season for a Toy Drive - Get Involved!
Once again, the Rye Middle School community is coming together to support a worthy cause for the holidays. Reach Out Rye
has teamed up with Second Chance Ministries in Port Chester. As
with last year, advisory groups, faculty, or other individuals are
asked to fulfill a child’s wishes this holiday season by providing
gifts.
Last year, R.M.S. had nearly 70 kids on its list, and advisory
groups either collected money or asked group members to contribute a small gift that was collected into a large gift bag.
Students can help out by getting involved with their advisory
group’s plans, or by bringing in their own toy contributions.
Reach Out Rye has set up a box next to the Principal’s Office
where anyone can put in toys for donation. The deadline for contributions is Dec. 13.
And the Winners Are...
On the afternoon of November 17, students and teachers
from across Rye participated in the annual Deane Flood Memorial Run/Walk 2010. For a contribution of $3 (for students) and
$5 (for adults), runners could take part in the one-mile run. All
proceeds went to the Deane Flood Scholarship Fund.
Among the Middle School runners, the top three boys and
girls each received medals. Congratulations to them:
TIME CAPSULE UPDATE: According to Mr. Dreves, Rye’s
time capsule is sealed and ready for burial! It’ll be on display
in various Rye schools (see above, with Milton students) until
Saturday, December 4, the day it will be buried. The burial
ceremony begins that day at 10 a.m., behind the Square House.
All are welcome to attend -- especially all the R.M.S. students
who contributed material to the time capsule.
Middle School Medal Winners
Boys: 1. Jack Ryan
2. William Millerchip
3. Alex Miranda
Girls:
1. Natalie Rodilosso
2. Sarah Iles
3. Emma Siefert
Fun Stuff
P. 6 / November 2010
Brandt Matthews & Ryan Rivera
You write the caption!
Did you know:
November is National Animal Crossword Month?
Well, it’s not. But let’s pretend it is so we can have a reason to print this
challenging puzzle, courtesy of Emma Siefert.
Send your captions to [email protected]. The
best caption wins untold riches and eminent status.
Start
Finish
By Alvaro Varela
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FIND: alligator, armadillo, bear, bird, bug, cat, chameleon,
crab, crocodile, deer, dog, falcon, fish, frog, gecko, gorilla, hamster, jaguar, jellyfish, koala, lion, lizard, monkey, owl, shark,
snake, spider, turtle, viper, zebra
THE SIEGE
CONTINUES!
Despite threats of
petitions and protests, 7th graders
remain in the
miserable torture
of assigned seating during lunch.
Look at how sad
and dejected
these long-suffering students
look. When will
someone ease
their torment?!
Advice & Opinions
November 2010 / P. 7
Ask Dr. G, PhD.
Dear Dr. Garnet,
I’m in 8th grade and the
only one I know who doesn’t
have a Facebook account. My
parents told me I can get one
on my 14th birthday, and I can’t
wait! But I’m worried that getting a FB might not be the best
idea. I have seen my brother
getting very distracted from his
homework, and I wouldn’t be
surprised if I got obsessed, too.
But getting a Facebook seems
pretty important for a social life
and knowing what’s going on.
What should I do? --Face-less
Dear Face-less,
It’s great you are realizing
now that getting a FB might
not be the best for you right
now. Are your grades the best
they can be? How much effort
does it require to maintain these
grades? Will a Facebook take
up that time? Be honest. The
summer might be a better time
to get a FB because you won’t
be compromising your grades.
Or limit your FB use to just
the weekends. Make sure your
parents are on board to help you
stick to the plan. This way you
won’t get the chance to become
addicted or pressed for time.
If there’s any question that
FB isn’t a good idea for now,
wait until high school; your
gut instinct is probably right.
To avoid falling behind on the
latest social news, hang out and
talk to your friends, especially
on weekends. Each person uses
FB differently. Talk to your parents about what they think and
make sure the choice you make
is based on what’s best for you
and not what your friends are
doing. –Dr. G
Dear Dr. G,
My brother is applying to
college at Notre Dame. Getting
him ready for college takes a lot
of my family’s attention. I am
worried about not having him
at home because I like having
his help with homework and
school. He has had experiences
that really help me, and I don’t
know if I will be able to cope.
Where will I get much-needed
advice now? –Fighting Irish
Dear Fighting Irish,
While your brother gets
ready to experience living far
from home, your parents will be
focused on his needs, but they
will be doing this for you soon,
too. Stay in contact with your
brother as much as possible
by texting and video chatting.
You are not the only one who is
going to miss him. Talk to your
parents and your brother, as
they are probably experiencing
the same thing. And before he
goes, take advantage of the time
you have together. –Dr. G
Letters to the Editor
Dear R.M.S. Press:
I just had a few minutes to look at the first issue of the RMS
Press and I enjoyed it a great deal. At the last Board of Education meeting, several Board members said how much they
enjoyed this first edition and how impressed they were, so I
tracked a copy down.
I’ll share my copy with the Director of Food Service and the
Director of Facilities because the student feedback on lunches
and water fountains was very insightful and helpful. We appreciate student feedback so that we can improve our services.
The paper is so content-rich that I have to save the last two
pages to read at home this weekend. There is so much in this
edition to enjoy! Kudos to those talented students- keep up the
great work!
-- Mrs. Kathleen Ryan, Business Manager, Rye City Schools
The Wisdom of Dreams
By A.E.K.
According to Marsh Norman, “Dreams are illustrations
… from the book your soul is
writing about you.” Dreams are
the passion that lies in everyone’s hearts. But sometimes,
the will for the passion to happen is drowned by uncertainty.
You think, “Will it happen?”
For those who say that, take
pity. For they do not think life is
unlimited.
And truly, life does not have
limits. The power of one human being is untapped, led by
a certain passion, a desire that
cannot be denied. Look at it
like this: A few centuries ago, a
couple of old guys said a flight
to the moon was ridiculous.
Well, look where we have stood
now. It’s amazing! We can do
anything, be anything, go anywhere and create anything with
no boundaries at all. And if we
could drill that into our minds,
it would change the world.
Duane Michels said, “Trust
that little voice in your head
that says, ‘Wouldn’t it be interesting if…’; and then do it.” If
you are willing to do something
inspiring, do it. Nothing is stopping you. Opportunity won’t
come if you don’t create it.
When you are led by a positive
desire, you can achieve it. If
you have the determination, attitude, ambition and confidence,
you can do anything. And that
leads me to dreams.
If you look up dreams in
a dictionary, you’ll find all of
these definitiosn: 1. a series of
thoughts, images and sensations in a person’s mind during
sleep. 2. a cherished aspiration,
ambition, or ideal. 3. an unrealistic or self-deluding fantasy. 4.
a person or thing perceived as
wonderful or perfect.
Personally, I hate the third
and fourth definitions; they
make it seem like dreams
can’t come true. And they can.
Reader (that’s you): You are
going to have a life; it’s up to
you whether your dreams will
come true. It doesn’t matter
if you are teased, mocked or
different because of that dream;
it’s just a test of your will to
keep your dream. Your dream
is wonderful, as all positive
human dreams are. You can
(and will) achieve it. But you
have to want it; you have to feel
it. You have to think as if you
know it will happen. It is almost
as if the universe is giving you
a sensation that your dream has
already come true. That it will
happen -- maybe even today. If
others don’t buy it, that’s their
problem. It’s your life. Eighty
years from now you will look
back on the moment realized
your dream can come true, and
it may bring you to tears.
Back to dreams. If you
have one, it’s unlikely you
will achieve it if you think it
will happen in the future. You
have to think it’ll happen now.
Because, no matter how outrageously brilliant your dream
may be, the universe will make
it happen. You just have to put
in the extra effort to make that
dream of yours a reality.
“So many of our dreams at first
seem impossible, then they
seem improbable and then,
when we summon the will, they
soon become inevitable”
In the words of Eleanor
Roosevelt, “The future belongs
to those who believe in the
beauty of their dreams.” It’s
true. The future of this world
depends on people’s dreams,
and whether or not they come
true.
So now what? Are you going
to accomplish your dreams and
make yourself proud? I hope
so. The power of one person’s
sense of purpose is so extraordinary that no man or woman on
earth can even express in words
how magical and sensational it
can become.
The Back Page
P. 8 / November 2010
The Cold, Hard
Facts About the Cold-Weather Sports
ing in a game that day.
By Kotono Hamaguchi
All modified winter sports
start on November 29, so take
note to make sure you’re up to
speed on the details:
First, remember that all
sports start at 3 p.m., which
allows students to go to their
X-period classes. (Sports are
not an excuse for not going to
X-period.)
Now, here’s a few rules for
people trying out for sports:
1. For all sports, appropriate behavior during bus rides,
at playing fields, and locker
rooms are required. Bad behavior might interfere with how
much the athlete plays during
the season.
2. People who are absent for
more than half a day will need
to forfeit practice or participat-
3. Students excused from
gym for medical reasons will
not be able to play that day
unless the nurse clears them to
play.
4. Student who arrives after
1st period without a note will
not be allowed to practice un-
How about a good book? We recommend...
Hey! If you’re reading this you’ve already proven that you
know how to read. If that is, in fact, a skill you have, then consider expanding your horizons with this
book suggestion:
Peeled and is written by Joan Bauer,
the author of Stand Tall, a book some
6th graders read in October. While Joan
Bauer is an author well known by middle
schoolers, Peeled is not as commonly
read as some of her other books. The
book is the fictional account of a girl
named Hildy who lives in Banesville,
New York. She is a high school student who participates as a reporter on the school newspaper.
Banesville has a haunted house, the Ludlow house, which can
in 6th place of New York’s top haunted houses. That is, until
a security person dies on the Ludlow property, which pushes
its ranking up to be the MOST haunted house in New York.
Hildy and her newspaper buddy, Zack, work together to solve
the mystery of the Ludlow house and bring Banesville back to
normal. -- Mako Matsuzaki
less approved by
Mr. DeRuvo.
5. Students
who participate in
a school team are
given schedules
of practices and
games.
6. After practices or games
are done, athletes must start
for home or get
picked up -- no
hanging out at school after
hours.
The Responsibilities of all
R.M.S. Athletes:
• Respect the opponent.
• Don’t be rude to
officials and respect their
judgment.
• Show self control, be
sportsmanship-like,
accept both victory
and defeat.
• Try to get the
whole team to be
sportsmanship like
and congratulate the
opponent in a mannerly
way, either after defeat or
victory
• Accept the responsibility of representing
the school and community
• Spectators must
have proper behavior
as well.
Team information:
Wrestling. The
coach is Mr. Ball. For
more information, see
him in room 217 (in
the 6th grade wing).
Winter track. The coaches
are Mr. Sandhaus and Mr. Carman.
Basketball. The
coaches for
the boys are
Mr. Massett
(8th) and Mr.
McCumber
(7th). The
coaches for
the girls are
Coach Kimberly (8th)
and Coach Mills (7th)
Ice hockey. The coach is
Mr. Bailey.
Bag It or Buy It? Our expert decides.
By Nicholas Carlson
There’s not much left of
November, but here’s the
culinary outlook to close out
the month. Lots of good stuff
to BUY, so leave the BAGS at
home:
• On the 22nd, we have
oven baked chicken nuggets.
Good stuff. BUY
• On the 23rd, there are
stuffed shells and meatballs.
Pretty good. Another BUY.
• On the 24th, there’s pizza
-- and an early dismissal, so
BUY and enjoy your extra
hour of downtime.
• On the 25th and 26th,
there’s no school. Happy
Thanksgiving. And, by the
way, my recommendation for
Thanksgiving is that you don’t
eat lunch at all. That way you
can get nice and hungry, and
ready for the big feast.
• On the 29th, we have
golden baked chicken tenders,
which is great stuff. Definitely
BUY.
• On the 30th, we’re looking at homemade macaroni and
cheese. Another good one, so
BUY again.
Don’t forget: On BAG
days, when the main offerings
are lacking, the cafeteria also
offers sandwiches, salads, and
bagels. Check those out. I also
found that the bread next to the
pretzels is pretty good. Check
that out as well.
Until next time, bon appetit!