The Paw Print - Jenkins Middle School

The Paw Print
October 2,
2015
When Wi-Fi Didn’t Exist
Look in your pocket. What do you
see? Chances are you have a cell phone,
and chances are it’s pretty smart. Have you
ever thought of what it was like in the old’n
days? When “Google it” was never said,
and WiFi wasn’t even a thing. Scary, I
know. So how did people survive before
smart phones? Jennifer Williams said, “we
used landline phones (complete with cord),
letters, and address books where we would
write people’s information. We used encyclopedias and library books for research,
and we wrote everything by hand. In high
school we got to use the fancy typewriters
with correction tape. We used atlases when
we were traveling, and printed maps. I got
my very first cell phone in 1995, when I
was 25 years old. The first time I ever used
the Internet was in 1993, and there were no
webpages and no pictures.”
Now, you can download movies
straight to your phone and pull up music on
YouTube. Back then, you would have to
find a little bit different forms of entertainment. “We had one TV in the house, and
had to call dibs when we wanted to watch a
show. Any movies we watched were broadcast by a station (no Netflix). We also had a
music console, with a turntable, eight track
player, and AM FM radio, where we could
listen to records, tapes, and whatever was
playing on the radio that night. Any books
that we had were from the library or B Dalton, the local bookstore chain. The newspapers were delivered every morning, and the
news show was on after work. We learned
about new music from MTV, which was
only music videos. In the car we listened to
the radio, and in the newer cars, there was a
cassette tape player,” Jennifer said.
Video games have become very realistic
This picture shows
the technology in Jennifer’s time
and the
technology
now.
Video games have become very realistic
now-a-days, and it is hard to see when the game ends and
real life starts. “In 1978 we got our first video game
called Atari. The only game you could play was Pong.
The controllers were a joystick and only two players
could play at a time. Later on, when video games became
popular, we would go down to the arcade, much like the
penny arcade in Manitou Springs. It was very typical to
see five to ten kids at a time, waiting for their turn on the
machine. Some arcade games included Pac Man, Joust,
Frogger, and Centipede.”
As you can see, a lot has changed in one generation. You can thank people like Steve Jobs and Bill Gates
for thinking outside the box, and embracing change.
Withou these inventors and innovators, we would still be
typing on typewriters and going to the library.
Quinn Williams
Upcoming Events
October 2: Bring Your Parents To School Day
October 6: 6th grade band concert 7:00 pm
October 3:
* 7th Grade Football— Jenkins vs Sabin 8:30am
* 8th Grade Football— Jenkins vs Holmes 10:15am @ Memorial Park Field #1
Sep 28—Oct. 9– Donate to “Make a Wish” for childhood cancer (Jenkins Cares
Campaign)
October 9: Hat Day - Pay $1 to wear a hat—proceeds benefit “Make a Wish”
School Sports
Lacrosse Team
This the first year that middle schools in district 11 and 49 have had a lacrosse team! Players are
excited to start practicing and competing in games.
There are U9, U11, U13, and U15 teams. The Jenkins
Lacrosse team has players of various ages, but will be
playing in the U13 division. The first game will be on
September 13, and then every Sunday for six weeks.
At the end of the season, there will be a tournament in
Denver. When asked, “How do you think that the team
will do this season?” the head coach, Alex, responded,
“I think that we will do very well because we have a
very well-rounded team and good people for every position.” He also stated that there are eleven athletes on
the team and three coaches. Games will
Athletes participate in the first lacrosse
practice.
be held at El Pomar, Monument YMCA, Lewis Palmer and Palmer Ridge. Be sure to come
out and support the team!
Blake Weigel
First Girls Track Meet
The first track meet of the season was on September 9th. Many of the 6th graders, and newcomers
(including me) were extremely nervous about this first meet. Luckily, the girls who have been on the team for
a while were very supportive, and gave us positive thoughts. On our way to the meet, we did many chants to
get us pumped up and they worked! Everybody was chanting so loudly and having a great time. We finally
got there, ready to do our best and entered the stadium. Our head coach, Mr. Roper, pulled the 6th graders
and rookies over to the field while the other girls warmed up. He gave us a tour of the stadium, and provided
us with a lot of helpful information. It really helped to put us at ease. We had to make sure we were ready,
and listened carefully for our event to be called on an intercom.
My event got called, and I was ready to race. This was my first ever track meet, so I was really nervous. "On your mark," the man stated. I walked up to my blocks, and got all set up. "Runner Set." I closed my
eyes waiting for the gun to fire. BANG! The gun went off, and I started sprinting, pumping my arms, running
as fast as I could. The girls were on the sideline cheering me on. I walked off the track, where my teammates
were giving me hugs, and saying great job.
All the events ended and in our first meet we got 125 points. We might just look like one big track
team, but really, we're more like one big family.
Aspyn Zuccone
School Sports
Thursday Night Lights
Jenkins 8th grade football team has been such a
strong well-rounded team this season, and it has paid off.
The game on September 4th 2015 against our rivals, the
Russell Raiders, at Gary Berry Stadium was sure an exciting one. At kickoff, we had the ball, and made an onside
kick toward Russell. Not soon after, we got a little antsy
and fouled the first play of the game for an offside.
From that point on, the Jenkins team made an ef- Jenkins players cheer on their team from the sideline
fort to do their best. Defense was doing spectacular that
Wrestling Preview
night! On most of the plays that Russell made, they lost
yards because of the Jenkins defense. We were doing realAttention to people who want to wrestle:
ly well! When the halftime buzzer went off, the score was
This is to inform you about the upcoming wresstill tied at 0-0.
tling season, which will begin soon! Practice will
The game still went on for six minutes, at which
be held every day from 4-6:00 pm. There are
time the first injury happened to a player from Jenkins.
both A and B squads. Jenkins wrestlers will comThankfully, he was not seriously hurt. Jenkins then made
pete (try-out) to see who will be on A and B
the first touchdown of the game and put six up on the
squad. In practice, wrestlers will learn basic selfboard. The crowd on Jenkins side was overjoyed and
defense moves and offensive moves, which will
screaming. From Russell, there was dead silence. Seconds help them in meets.
after the missed 2pt. conversion, Caleb Brown was inThere are four meets in a season. Before
jured. This time on more of a serious level. Several
the meets, wrestlers will receive a uniform
minutes went by and he was still down. A few more
(warm up gear and a wrestling singlet and headminutes later, they managed to get him off of the field.
gear.) To win a match you must pin someone or
Thankfully, he didn’t break or tear anything and will be
you can win by having the most points. A team
able to play again soon.
win occurs when the school receives the most
With less than two minutes to go, Jenkins with a
individual points.
head start, picked one of Russell’s passes. The Jaguars
In wrestling, participants make a lot of
kept the ball, and end the game at Jenkins 6 and Russell 0.
new friends. It is a great way to get involved in a
This was definitely one game you shouldn’t have missed.
school activity and the exercise helps people get
Jenkins proudly took home the win from Russell.
fit. Not only is wrestling fun, but it will get you
Riley Stice
into shape - there is a lot of running and various
types of conditioning. Make sure you take advantage of this great opportunity at our school!
Trey Kennedy
Features
Jenkins Music: The conductors
Live a Little, Man
Many people wonder how to “keep on keepin’ on” when times are tough. It’s like when
someone eats the food you’ve been thinking
about all day, or you miss happy hour at Sonic. (Maybe those are just “me” problems) But
don’t worry, the storm will pass and you’ll
survive.
Whatever you’re going through, however “bad” it is… just remember someone
always has it worse. I watched this girl
named Talia on Ellen once and it stuck with
me. She had two forms of cancer but she was
always so happy all the time. It was amazing.
She even starred in her own famous
YouTube makeup-tutorial channel, and she
was an honorary cover girl. During her interview with Ellen she was asked, “How do you
stay so positive all the time?” and her response was, “Well what do you want me to
do? Be depressed all the time!?” Talia can be
an inspiration to us all because she showed us
that sometimes you have to dance in the rain
while you wait for the rainbow.
On Tuesday, July 16, 2013 at 2:40 pm
Talia died of cancer. This article is in loving
memory of Talia Castellano, someone who
left a lasting impact on the lives of many and
especially me. “Life is a brief intermission
between life and death. Enjoy it.”
Lyric Brushier
Any music student here at Jenkins knows what occurs in
their respective music class. But what they don’t know is what
goes on inside the heads of their conductors. This is a look into
the minds of Mr. Hoey and Mrs. Koeser.
Mr. Hoey started teaching here in August 2008, and since
then, what has taken him most off guard has been the fact that
students are shocked that they can play high school level music.
He believes students shouldn’t set their expectations so low.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Koeser, who started teaching choir here in fall
2009, is surprised by how amazing the kids are.
When asked about their personal favorite performance,
Mr. Hoey responded with a very logical answer, saying that no
performance is more important than another. Rather, the next
performance should take priority. Mrs. Koeser responded that
Large Group Festival is her favorite. Large Group Festival is a
gathering of bands, orchestras, and choirs from all over Colorado
Springs that perform for judges. As for how each conductor feels
about their group of students this year, Mr. Hoey says that each
group is different, and each year, he faces different challenges.
Mrs. Koeser says that her kids are really talented and the nicest
kids in the school.
On the more personal side of things, each spoke about
their greatest accomplishment. Mr. Hoey’s response was riding
his motorcycle around the entire country. Mrs. Koeser said that
her most prized achievement is helping the kids achieve more
than they think is possible. Every year, 90+ students are in honor
choir, and most of them make it to all state. This means that almost 90 kids from our school earn a spot in an honor choir competing against students from middle schools all over the state!
This is quite the feat, so it’s obvious why she would be proud of
it.
As the years go on, students aren’t the only ones having
unique experiences here at school. The conductors here at Jenkins are also changing and reshaping. Students should keep that
in mind next time they help them with a rhythm.
Brendan Saunders
Features
The Fantastic Ms. Schmidt
You know her, you love her, it is Miss Schmidt! She has been awesome since day
one and now she has been chosen as our staff to feature. Students who had her as a
teacher say she’s the bomb and others say she’s “Too legit, too legit to quit.” We
asked her some questions and this is what she had to say…
Q: What do you do on the weekends?
A: “Sleep in. I like to run when I get the chance. I reorganize everything that has
fallen apart during the week like cleaning and laundry. I also go to the movies and
hang out with friends and family. That's what I do on the weekends.”
Q: What were you like in middle school?
A: “I was a very quiet student, you can ask Mrs. Kane she was actually my teacher,
true fact. I was really into band. I played the flute then I switched over to the trumpet and that was my
favorite. I got into jazz band and I was super excited about it. I really liked math and science, didn't really
like language arts, wasn't very good at it. I had a good sense of humor, terrible haircut, and a terrible clothing
style but it still worked. I wasn't a no one, but I wasn't cool. I was just kinda there.”
Q: What did you think your job would be when you were young?
A: “Here's the story. Growing up my best friend and I would play doctor and school. One of us would be
the teacher but I would always let her be the teacher. And when we played doctor she would be the doctor
and I would be the patient or I would be the doctor but she'd just tell me I'm doing it wrong. So I kinda
always had the mind to be a teacher; what kind of teacher I didn't know. But then I got more into sciences and
the human body, so I was like okay, I could totally be a doctor, but then I saw all the schooling that you had
to go through and was like, yea, I'm not doing that. So I just chose something with science and that's what led
me to teaching. Funny thing is my friend became a doctor and I became a teacher.”
Q: What do you regret most?
A: “That's tough because I don't think I really regret anything, because all of the choices I made, have led
me to where I am now, and I'm really happy. Well okay, maybe I shouldn't have eaten that extra piece of
pizza last night.”
Q: What is your biggest fear and why?
A: “I do not like walking in front of grocery carts. I can't walk in front of them and not be paranoid. My
sister used to push the cart and she would always slam into my heels and it drove me crazy. So to this day,
any time I hear a grocery cart coming up behind me, it's like I'm getting chased by a clown in the woods.”
Q: What's your favorite food?
A: “Sandwiches, pizza, ice cream, and coffee. Okay I just like food in general.”
It doesn’t take long in her classroom to see why she is a favorite of many students around here. As
you can see, it is her quirky personality that keeps us intrigued and amazed by what she does in the classroom
as well as what she does for all of us here at Jenkins.
Lauren Strizich and Quinn Williams
Local Happenings
New Minor League Soccer Team
Did you know that Colorado Springs recently gained a minor league soccer team? The new team is
called the Colorado Springs Switchbacks Football Club. This team was founded in 2014 and is quickly
gaining momentum with fans. The average player on the Switchbacks earns around $47,000. The team is
owned and operated by Martin Raigan and Raigan Sports, LLC. They are a member of the United Soccer
League, or U.S.L. Of note, this design firm serves as a lighting consultant for
Olympic broadcast systems. The team hired Steve Trittschuh as head coach on
March 11, 2014 and plays at Sand Creek Stadium, which is located next to Security Service Field.
In the summer of 2014, the team started a two million dollar renovation
of the stadium. They decided to undergo the renovations after they signed a
ten year contract with the city of Colorado Springs. The maximum capacity of
the stadium is 4,000 people.
The Switchbacks have had a good season so far this year. When Colorado won their last game against the Austin Aztecs, they became #1 in the
western conference. The game was a nail-biter, but ended in a shutout with a
final score of 3-0. The first score was by Luke Vercellone during a
penalty kick.
The Switchbacks are Colorado's newest sports team and worth
checking out if you like soccer.
Dylan Crossett
Elephants Exploring Colorado!
What has large ears with a long swaying trunk? That’s right, an elephant! Two African elephants are
relocating to the Colorado Springs Cheyenne Mountain Zoo! They are expected to arrive in October. The
elephants, Missy and Kimba are coming from Lee Richardson Zoo (Kansas).
The Garden City Commission had a recommendation to transfer the elephants to Colorado Springs.
When Brittany, a Jenkins student, was asked how she felt about these special elephants coming to our zoo,
she replied, “I’m super excited, myself. I always loved elephants and I would be excited to see them the next
time I visit! They have unusual looks ,with their long grey trunk and beautiful tusk. They really are remarkable creatures!!”
Elephants are fascinating creatures! Did you know that female African Elephants are the largest land
mammals on the planet? Another interesting fact about elephants is that they actually do not like peanuts!
It’s true!
The next time you visit the zoo, make sure to visit the new elephants and the brand new exhibit at our
zoo.
Aysha Turner
Happenings
New Water Park in Colorado
Have you ever gone to an indoor waterpark resort with your family? Many families have not, due to the
sad fact that there are zero in Colorado. This conundrum will continue no longer. You can now experience the
adventure with your whole family, without leaving the city, starting in summer of 2016.
The extremely successful resort, entitled the Great Wolf Lodge, will be built in Colorado Springs. If
you stay at the hotel, you are granted admission to a 60,000 square foot indoor water park. Indulge in the thrill
of giant rides, fun slides, and 84 degree heated pools. Experience the other lively possibilities, including miniature golf, bowling, and spa! With all the opportunities available, you will never get bored. There is no need to
even leave the resort during your stay. There are 311 large and comfortable rooms to stay in, as well as seven
restaurants built in to the resort.
Years ago, constructions workers began the task of building a Renaissance hotel. However, the project
was abandoned, leaving an unclaimed and unfinished hotel up for grabs. Great Wolf Lodge jumped at the opportunity to provide the family fun to even more people located near the western half of the United States.
When finished, the Great Wolf Lodge will be a fun choice for local residents, but will also be a popular
destination for visitors.
Carson Orr
BOGO Cards
BOGO Cards have been a great fund- Created By: Anna Turehorst
raiser for our school and Mr. Joiner agrees. One
of the best things about the cards is that they
have been easy to sell because they offer such
great discounts for the community.
The main benefit of this fundraiser is
that it benefits the whole school. All the money
goes back to the students. Some of the ways it
benefits students are field trips and rewards. In
addition, the school is able to purchase items
for the students to use, like computers and other
supplies.
In addition, students are offered great
rewards for selling cards. As Mr. Joiner said,
“We have the rewards as an incentive and motivation for our students to sell the BOGO
Cards.” Some of the great rewards this year
include: a miniature golfing trip, Air Force
Football tickets, haunted house tickets and a
field trip to Summit Interquest. The BOGO
fundraiser results should be in soon, but congratulations to Mrs. Fryar’s 7th period class for
selling the most this year!
Joel Salgado
Entertainment
Book Review of The Maze Runner
What makes a good story in a book? A good description. That is exactly how James Dashner
writes the exhilarating story of The Maze Runner. He begins by putting the reader into Tomas’ shoesas
he is being pulled into the Glades in the very first chapter. Dahsner skillfully makes one feel as though
he is actually in the Glades, running the maze, trying to escape from the terrifying Grievers. For people
who still want to read more, this book is part of a series, with the next book being The Scorch Trials.
We found someone who is currently reading The Maze Runner series. When asked how complex it is and if it is difficult to follow, the student replied, “Pretty complex, but not hard to follow.” He
said the series didn’t need any changes and was one of the most descriptive books he has ever read. If
this sounds like something you might enjoy, check out The Maze Runner.
Zachery Mitchell
Alice in Wonderland
This year the drama club has decided to perform the play Alice in Wonderland, a family adventure
including the mad hatter’s tea party. The members of
drama club have said they like the choice of the play
because it is a family classic with a modern twist.
Inside sources say that this year’s play may be a
bit different from past years. The actors and actresses
will get to revamp this year’s performance. They members of the cast are busy starting rehearsals. Look for
more information on Alice in Wonderland in future
editions.
Sierra Turner
DOWN
Jacob Toller
ACROSS
1 Choir teacher
2 B squad basketball coach
3 Orchestra teacher
5 Card Club sponsor
4 Band teacher
6 Chemistry Club sponsor
Created by:
Entertainment
Review of the TV Series Once Upon a Time
Once Upon a Time is an action packed television show that takes all the fairytale characters you
know and love, and shakes them up. In the original tale, Snow White, was an innocent young girl, but in
Once Upon a Time, she is a bandit that is wanted by the evil Queen Regina. The evil queen enacted a curse
that banished all of the storybook characters to Storybrooke Maine. The curse took away all the memories
of their past lives. While all of the characters were put on pause for 28 years, the savior Emma Swan was
growing up, waiting for her 28th birthday. She was saved before the curse and sent to our world. The show
has old characters you know and new characters you’ve never seen. Every second you watch, you will be
on the edge of your seat. All of the character’s stories you know and new details about their past are all in
one television show. Once Upon a Time shows people what happened after the happily ever after, and how
they weren’t as happy as they said. The new season starts in September, if you want to check it out with
your family.
Emily Hardy
The 2015 VMAs
This year’s VMA (video music awards) were definitely memorable for many different reasons. In case
you didn’t get to watch the show, here is everything you need to know about the 2015 VMAS.
VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Taylor Swift ft. Kendrick Lamar – “Bad Blood”
BEST MALE VIDEO
Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars – “Uptown Funk”
BEST FEMALE VIDEO
Taylor Swift – “Blank Space”
The winner of this year’s Video Music Vanguard was none other than Kanye West. Taylor Swift presented him the award, while making many jokes and references of the time that Kanye interrupted her acceptance speech, back in 2009. During Kanye’s speech he talked about his daughter, North West, and expressed his opinion on artists and conformity. At the very end of his speech he revealed that he will be running
for president in 2020.
So, what do you think about the 2015 MTV VMAS? Who do you think the winners should’ve been? Will
you be voting for Kanye in 2020? There were a lot of surprises, but I think we can all agree that this year, the
VMAS were very eventful.
Reece Nickerson
Arts &Entertainment
DIY’s and Recipes
These easy Do-It-Yourself ideas will change your whole point of view on old or upcycled items. Also, you’ll see a few
favorite, healthy school lunch recipes!
Easy Peasy Coldy Freezie Icepacks- This icepack is great for keeping your school lunch nice and cold.
Materials: All you need is a Ziploc fr eezer bag and liquid dish deter gent (any kind will do.)
Squirt liquid detergent in a Ziploc bag until the bag is about ¾ full. Then, seal the bag and put it in the
freezer. Within a couple of hours your icepack will be ready to keep your food cold!
Customized DIY Locker Magnets- These magnets can be made to be totally your own! They are sure to make your
locker stand out in the hallway. Materials: Pencil, printer paper, bottle caps (About 5), clear packing tape, mod podge or
glue, markers, mini magnets, and hot glue.
Start by painting your bottle caps any color you would like. Let your bottle cap dry then place it on the piece of
printer paper. Carefully trace the bottle cap on the paper. Once you have traced your bottle cap, cut the S shape”
out. On your circle piece of paper you just cut out, begin drawing whatever you would like or find some printed
paper or a picture in a magazine. Outline your drawing with Sharpie if you choose. Once done with outlining
with Sharpie, color your picture with all your favorite colors. Finally, cover the entire picture with the clear tape
and place it in your bottle cap. After finishing that pour enough mod podge on it to cover the whole drawing (this
will help the drawing stay in place later on). Finish by hot gluing on the little magnets to the bottle caps. These
magnets are one of a kind! Certainly not something you could buy at any store!
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Are you sick of your boring peanut butter sandwiches all the time? Well I have a few ideas on how to take an
interesting spin on your regular school lunches!
Rocking Ham and Cheese pita pockets- These are super easy and super delicious! The necessary ingredients are: 2
pitas, Dijon mustard, 8 slices thinly cut cooked ham, and any light cheese of your choice
Preheat oven to 475 degrees F. Slice each pita in half, and place cut side up on large cookie sheet. Spread
mustard on each pita half (to your taste). Top each with 2 slices ham and the cheese you have picked out. Bake 5
minutes or until cheese melts and pitas are toasted. Cut each sandwich in half and they are ready to
serve._____________________________________________________________________________________
_
If you feel like a healthy snack, try Crunchy kale chips. These are so fast to make and are better than
chips. You will need 1 bunch of kale, olive oil, and salt.
potato
Crunchy Kale ChipsPreheat the oven at 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and spread kale all along the sheet.
Drizzle the olive oil on the kale and then sprinkle it with salt. Bake the kale for about 10-15 minutes. Enjoy your
crunchy kale chips.
Faith Wilkerson
Editorials
Do Students Text Too Much?
In an age where technology is accessible by
almost anyone at almost any time, a lot of people
wonder if it is being used too much. An even more
important issue in middle school specifically involves texting. A re students texting too much? Concerned parents and teachers want to know.
I don’t personally think students are texting
too much. Technology is revolutionizing the world.
To take students away from that would be purposefully limiting their resources. Unlike the common
perception. teens don’t just text for entertainment
and gossip. Reese Nickerson, an eighth grader here
at Jenkins, says, “A lot of people text each other important information.” This statement is in no way
false. Even teachers sometimes text important information to students and other teachers. In education,
texting proves to be a useful tool.
Although I see both sides of the issue, I can
see why texting could be considered important and
necessary. People who text have instant access to
new, important information, whereas those who
don’t have to wait for others around them to fill them
in on the news. This can be a serious issue if there
are important changes in activities.
In my opinion, people are texting just as
much as they should, and adults don’t have reason to
be concerned.
Aaron Spotts
Is Graffiti an Art?
It’s hard to believe that this beautiful wall
adorns the side of a tattoo parlor in Old Colorado
City. Even more surprising is that it was made using spray paint, which is commonly used for graffiti.
Some people believe that graffiti is ugly,
but I believe that Graffiti is Art. I’m not referring
to tagging that gang members and other people do
on a side of a building. I’m talking about beautiful
graffiti. Can you believe that the graffiti pictured
above was created with spray paint? As Katie
Sobczewski put it, “Why paint a wall white when
you can turn it into art?
I also interviewed Sarah Macudi, a local
business owner whose shop is by this wall. When
Sarah was asked how she felt about the graffiti,
she said she does “like the graffiti around me. I
don't like the tagging that's around some of the
buildings in Colorado Springs, but, as far as the
other graffiti, my daughters love taking ‘selfies’near some of the buildings - that they post on
Twitter.”
When asked how the graffiti impacted her
business, she said that it “affects me, but not in a
bad way. My little shop is a hot spot!” She concluded the interview with saying that she loves the
graffiti. “If it can bring business to my shop, and
make my daughter's selfies go viral? Personally, I
love it.” As you can see, even small business owners think graffiti is an art and looking at this particular wall, it’s easy to see why!
Angela Taylor