​​Pirate Press Chest

Pirate Press Chest
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Jan./Feb. 2016
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Important Dates
1- 4-16 back to school
1- 6- 16 2nd Q. Awards assembly 8 am
2-11-16 Valentine Dance
2-25-16 ellis island (8th grade only)
January Student of the Month By: Kenny Xayavong This January, our VMS Student of the Month is…….Trista Crittenden! Trista was chosen by our beloved 7th grade teachers. Trista’s life goals are to receive good grades and to do her best! Her parents and teachers are her role models because they educate her and teach her life lessons. Trista’s dream is to go to college at UNC at Greely. She dreams to be a teacher because teachers are role models and students look up to them. If Trista could have any superpower, she would choose to fly! Trista would love to be Taylor Swift for a day because Taylor helps out in any way she can and donates. Finally, Trista wants to travel to Hawaii because of its beautiful beaches, flowers, and the scenery. Therefore, Trista is our January Student of the Month. She’s a great student and deserves the honor of being the Student of the Month. February Student of the Month ​
By: Sloan Garcia Our February student of the month is Nathan Bregar. Nathan’s favorite hobby is building. His favorite items to build are cars, trains, and planes. His favorite animal is a dog and his favorite food is pizza. Nathan’s heroes are his parents because they have taught him to be nice and respectful. Nathan’s dream is to become a successful farmer. His life goal is to graduate from high school and to be successful. Nathan plans to accomplish his goals by taking pride in his work. If Nathan could be anyone in the world, he would want to be Tony Stark. Dan Santry Tournament Congratulations to our Varsity B team for their first place finish in the Dan Santry tournament held at the Event Center. Our dance team also did a wonderful job during their half time performance. Thank You Coach Weimer,Coach Hill, and Coach Davidson! Ellis Island By Michelle L. Wells This year the fun and festive 8th grade event, ​
Ellis Island, ​
is scheduled for Thursday, February 25, 2016. There aren’t really any changes to it this year, so it’s still the same concept. However, I did get a chance to interview Mrs. Stanley about some things she was looking forward to. My first question was “What is your favorite part about Ellis Island?”, and she responded, “ I love how unexpected the day is. I give the directions and basically it’s just a free for all after that. It’s also, kind of like a revenge day for teachers.” Another question I asked was “ After all these years, is there one moment that still stands out to you?”. She replied, “ There was once an improv. wedding that took place. One of my official immigrants was wearing what looked like a wedding dress, and another immigrant was dressed as a preacher. So, they got married right there.” The final question I asked was “Are you planning on changing anything this year?” Her response was “ I don’t believe so. The concept is the same as usual, try and get through to American life.” Ellis Island is something kids wait years for. So for the 8th graders this year, I say good luck to you. Jackie Robinson By Jacob Tracy One of America's greatest icons, Jackie Robinson, was born January 30,1919 in ​
Cairo, Georgia. In 1947, Jackie Robinson signed a contract for the Brooklyn Dodgers, and was the first African American player to play in major league baseball. This was a big step in the civil rights of all American citizens. Although he wasn’t just known for being the first African American to play in the major leagues, he was also a great player. Earning the title of National League Rookie of the Year in 1947, league MVP, and was a World Series champion. Although he wasn’t just a baseball player, he also served in the U.S. army in 1941. He was the rank of 2nd Lieutenant, but never saw combat. So, not only was Jackie Robinson a baseball icon, but a national hero. Jackie Robinson died October 24, 1972. The Ways of The Test By Colt Vigil We have all gone through the phase of testing in school and college. Most likely, everyone has failed a few tests, didn’t come to school, or you weren’t prepared for the test. Most don’t like tests because tests are usually stressful, pressuring, and difficult. But, here are a few tips on how you can improve your grade and feel more confident about tests. The first tip is that if you forget to study for a test the day before, try during the day of the test, asking someone or your friends from your class for the notes to study as much as you can. If there weren’t any notes, ask someone for the process and type of problems. If you are completely unprepared with nothing and didn’t ask anybody, try your best to remember as much as possible. The second tip is that if you miss a test or two because of absences, try asking the teacher if you can finish the test. If they won’t allow you to finish, try to do extra credit to make up for it or try doing really well on an assignment with the same amount of points or more. The final tip is, if you didn’t finish the test, or got a bad grade, ask if you can redo it. If that doesn’t work, you should probably learn to write faster, think faster, and improve your thoughts on that type of problem. You could do this by practicing it over and over until it gets easier to do and then you will know instantly. Hopefully, these tips will help you to succeed. Good luck on your testing! Why do Leaves Sprout in Spring? By Carson Dodds You might ask yourself, why do the leaves grow back? Well, this is the breakdown. Every year at springtime, leaves grow back on trees, perhaps in you backyard, frontyard, or even near your school. But why does this happen on different days during the season? It’s all based around the cold temperatures. That's why when it gets cold, leaves fall off trees, but when it warms up, the leaves grow back. The leaves of the tree can be harmed by the cold. If a tree were to have leaves when it was cold out, the tree could be hurt, so basically when it becomes cold, the tree ‘sheds’ the leaves. When the weather is warm again, the leaves regrow and collect sunlight for energy, as the tree had low energy income during the winter. That is why leaves grow back during spring. Rumor Has It By: Jada Potokar Rumor has it that if you see a white butterfly on New Year’s Day, you’re sure to have good fortune. In addition, having pockets full of money, eating black eyed peas, and wearing new clothes guarantees wealth, luck, and good health. Many people believe strongly in these superstitions, convinced that performing them will bring a year without tragedy. Although, there are superstitions thought to bring bad luck. Some of these are, keeping all of the doors shut, crying, and doing laundry. By keeping all the doors shut, it's thought to keep all the bad energy from the previous year trapped inside your home. Having all the doors open allows the energy of the new year to travel inside. Crying on New Year's Day supposedly sets the tone for the upcoming year, promising sadness and remorse. Doing laundry washes away good luck from clothing, replacing it with bad luck. Generally speaking, these traditions are only superstition. Even so, it’s always nice to be on the safe side. Yellowstone’s Fatal Flaw
By: Carl Winkler
In recent news, a new finding suggests that Yellowstone National Park may soon cease to exist.
A volcano at the Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming was thought to have been dormant for
seventy thousand years. The volcano in fact may not be so still. Magma started stirring under
this mega-volcano. If Yellowstone National Park were to erupt, the results could be
catastrophic. So much so, that most of the Western half of the United States would feel the
effects. Hundreds of miles would be covered in ash. Also, an enormous amount of lava could
wreck the surrounding environment. Lastly, if the current magma surge hits the surface, the
“harmless”Yellowstone National Park, could lay waste to an ecosystem in a matter of minutes.
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36 hours in Minnesota By Nathan Sheldon Have you ever wanted to visit Minnesota for a trip? What if you only had 36 hours to enjoy the area? First, you should visit the Mall of America. This mall has hundreds of stores, an aquatic life exhibit, and an indoor amusement park. Another place to go is the Graffiti Graveyard in Duluth,Minnesota where you can add your own touches to pieces of graffiti. Another place in Duluth to visit is the historic Glensheen Mansion where you can glimpse into the past. In St. Paul/Minneapolis, you can transform into one of the undead at the annual Zombie Pub Crawl. You can tour the Niagra Cave located in Harmony, Minnesota.The cave is four­hundred million years old, and contains a sixty­foot waterfall, a wedding chapel, and plenty of strange fossils. Mystery Cave is just down the road, too. If you only have 36 hours in Minnesota, give all of these great places a try. How Does the Autonomous Car Work? By Sam Reap The autonomous car is quickly becoming a widely used staple in the auto industry. The autonomous car is the car of the future. Experts in this industry are expecting this type of car to have 25% market share by 2025. One of the leaders in this field is Google. Although their car isn’t available for purchase, this car has driven over one million miles. This car works by using a multitude of sensors to monitor driving. It uses GPS to know where it is and where to go, sensors to monitor other drivers, and camera’s to view traffic signs and the lines on the road. One semi­autonomous car is Tesla’s Model S. It can’t drive itself to its destination because it can’t turn. It can, however, drive itself on the highway.. It uses different sensors to drive safely on the highway and even change lanes. The autonomous car is the wave of the future. Who made the Segway? By Ian Habich Have you ever seen a Segway strolling down the sidewalk and wondered who invented the Segway? A man by the name of Dean , Kamen invented the Segway on July 27, 1999. Dean was born April 5​
1951 in Long Island, New York. He studied at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Arkansas. He dropped out after 5 years, studying private advanced research. As for the Segway, a Segway is an electric self­balancing human transportation system with a computer controlled gyroscope. One of the newest models of the Segway is called the X2 Police Patroller. The newer ones can cost anywhere from $6,000 to $8,000 dollars. The maximum weight is no more than 250 pounds. The minimum amount of weight is about 100 pounds. One of the new Segway’s design was inspired by Dean Kamen’s technology. They are a Segway without the handle bars. A person can make it move by leaning on the footpads which, detects movement and moves. They can price anywhere from $100 to $1,000 dollars. The maximum weight is about 250 and minimum is about 20 pounds. The invention of the Segway has come along way. Photos That Matter By Rocco Bottini The Salem witch trials were a scary time in American history. Several people, especially women and children, were accused of witchery. They were often hanged or burned at the stake for their supposed crimes.The home in the photo is one of the first houses that was ever demolished in the Salem witch trials. Researchers suggested several explanations for the symptoms in which many were considered to be witches. Hysteria due to Indian attacks, eating rye bread infected with fungus, and sleep paralysis were a few ideas. Modern historians felt that jealousy, spite, or a need for attention were probably more likely reasons for the behaviors. Regardless, these people were brutally killed based only on the superstitions of others. Memory Lane ​
By Dixie Stewart During the 1960s and 1970s, there were many ways to entertain yourself. Some of those were toys and games. Many people have heard of these games and toys, but some are unheard of. The first of these is the infamous Pet Rocks. Pet Rocks were only about a six month fad, and were discontinued in 1976, due to a decrease in sales. For the set of three, these pet rocks came at a price of $16.99. The rocks came from Rosarito Beach in Mexico. The next toy is the Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots. These robots, set in a mini boxing ring, were a fun pastime for many people. This was a two player game. The objective was to knock the head off of the other player’s robot. The cost of this exciting toy was $7.99. Twister is another game that was played during this time period. Though it came out in 1966, Twister is still a fun game enjoyed by people today. Twister is a two­four player game, and originally cost $3.88. Another popular toy from the sixties and seventies is the Rubik’s cube. This fun, colorful puzzle was enjoyed by people of all ages, and is still enjoyed today. This colorful cube was an instant hit among all ages. The final toy on this list is Clackers. AKA: Ker­Bangers. This noisy toy was a great enjoyment for many children. Clackers were a very simple toy; consisting only of two plastic spheres and a string. The spheres were each on an end of the string which, when swung up and down would “clack” together. In the late 1960s, these slightly annoying toy cost $.94. Some of the toys from the 1960s and 1970s are very different from our toys and games today, but there are also some similarities. One, Clackers, was often banned from usage when several children were injured. Why do Atoms Behave That Way
By Dylan Smart
People touch things every day, but do they actually touch anything? Scientists have
recently found that it is impossible for a human to technically touch anything. First, you have to
understand how an atom is constructed.
The nucleus contains protons and neutrons and consists of 99.99% of the atom’s mass. The
electron shell covers the outside of the atom. As you all probably know, same forces repel, while
opposite forces attract. All atoms have an electron shell, which has a negative charge and in turn
they repel each other.
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Although there is only a space of 10​
meters between you and anything else you aren’t
technically touching. The only exception for this is nuclear fission or fusion; the atoms bond
together or rip apart. The only time this occurs in nature is on a star, and it is truly believed that a
human will never have as much energy as a star.
You may be wondering how you pick up things, and to put it simply no atom is perfect so a neutron
may slip out of the nucleus slightly and the friction created allows you to pick an object up. Now you
know that you have been living a lie your whole life and you can thank me for revealing it to you.
Warm Recipe for Cold Days
By: Makayla Martellaro 3 cups half­and­half or light cream 2/3 cup white baking pieces or chopped white chocolate baking squares 3 inches stick cinnamon 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 teaspoon vanilla ¼ teaspoon almond extract Ground cinnamon (optional) 1. In a saucepan combine ¼ cup of the half­and­half, baking pieces, stick cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir over low heat till baking pieces are melted. 2. Add remaining half­and­half. Cook and stir till heated through. Remove from heat. Remove stick cinnamon. Stir in vanilla and almond extract. If desired sprinkle each serving with ground cinnamon. Makes 5 (6­ ounce) servings. This recipe is from Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book Sweet Treats for a Sweet Day By Abigail Schmidt Ingredients ●
1­1/2 cups HERSHEY'S SPECIAL DARK Chocolate Chips, HERSHEY'S Semi­Sweet Chocolate Chips or HERSHEY'S Mini Chips Semi­Sweet Chocolate ● 24 HERSHEY'S KISSES Brand Milk Chocolates ● PEANUT BUTTER FILLING (recipe follows) Directions 1. Line small muffin cups (1­3/4 inches in diameter) with small paper bake cups. 2. Place chocolate chips in small microwave­safe bowl. Microwave at MEDIUM (50%) 1 minute; stir. If necessary, microwave at MEDIUM an additional 15 seconds at a time, stirring after each heating, just until chips are melted when stirred. With small brush, coat inside of paper cups with melted chocolate. 3. Refrigerate 20 minutes; coat any thin spots. Refrigerate until firm, preferably overnight. Gently peel paper from chocolate cups. 4. Prepare PEANUT BUTTER FILLING; spoon into chocolate cups. Cover; refrigerate before serving. Remove wrappers from chocolate pieces. Before serving, top each cup with chocolate piece. About 24 servings. PEANUT BUTTER FILLING ● 1 cup REESE'S Creamy Peanut Butter ● 1 cup powdered sugar ● 1 tablespoon butter or margarine, softened ● Beat peanut butter, powdered sugar and butter in small bowl until smooth. About 1­1/3 cups filling. Valentine’s Day By: Nicole Huff Valentine’s Day is a day many people look forward to, but others find it a day that is dreaded. We all know that it is traditional to exchange cards and other gifts on this day. The question is why? In order to answer that question we first must go back and learn how Valentine’s Day started. Valentine’s Day started as an ancient Roman festival known as “Lupercalia.” Lupercalia was a fertility celebration that occurred annually on the fifteenth of February, not the fourteenth. In the year 456, Pope Gelasius I recast this pagan festival. He, also, declared that February fourteenth would be St. Valentine’s Day. The emotions we have in our hearts are shown through the gifts we give to our Valentine, our special person. Valentine’s Day has been around for approximately one thousand, five hundred sixty years. Chinese New Year By: Kara Alexander The Chinese New Year starts February eighth and ends on the twenty­second. The Chinese Lunar calendar is associated with the Chinese zodiac. The Chinese zodiac has twelve animal signs; rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, rooster, dog, and pig. 2016 is known to be a bad year for the “monkeys,” so if you were born in the years 2004, 1992, 1980, 1968, 1956, 1944, 1932, and 1920 be very careful this upcoming year. The Chinese New Year is the most important and traditional festival. During this time most businesses are closed and most Chinese have seven days off work. In preparation for this holiday, people thoroughly clean their homes to get rid of any “huiqi.” Huiqi is another word for spirits. Cleaning also pleases the Gods, who come down to make inspections. Ritual sacrifice, food, or paper icons are offered to the Gods. Feasting is the most important parts in this holiday. On the first five days, the Chinese will eat long noodles to symbolize a long life. On the final day, the Chinese eat dumplings shaped like full moons to symbolize family units and perfection. The Chinese New Year is a very traditional and important holiday for the Chinese people. New Year's Resolution By: Risa Myers ​
A New Year's Resolution is a tradition in which a person makes a promise to do an act of self­improvement. Some popular goals are to improve education, improve health, or do something as simple as become nicer. Many people use improving education because they are failing classes or they want their education to turn into a good career later in life. One of the most popular resolutions is to improve health. People set this goal so they can lose weight or stop an unhealthy habit like smoking. Another resolution that is commonly used is to become nicer. Becoming nicer means that you stop being a bully and start doing random acts of kindness such as holding a door open for someone or making a new friend. Don't forget to make your new year's resolution! Super Bowl 50
By Jordan Manzanares and Owen Galvez Super Bowl 50 is going to be an exciting event for 2016! This year's Super Bowl will take place on February 7, 2016. The Super Bowl will be held at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California. Did you know that a thirty­second commercial for the Super Bowl can cost up to 5 million dollars? Many fans look forward to the new commercials almost as much as the football game itself.You can view the Super Bowl game and the commercials on CBS. The first Super Bowl was on January 15, 1967. It was won by the Green Bay Packers and they beat the Kansas City Chiefs. For the Super Bowl, tickets can cost up to 33,000 dollars. ESPN reporter, Judy Battista, predicted that the Green Bay Packers will beat the Indianapolis Colts in this year’s Super Bowl, Two other reporters also predicted this. Brian Billick predicted that the Baltimore Ravens will face the Seattle Seahawks. Then Gil Brandt`s prediction was that the Packers will beat the Patriots. As you can tell, this year's Super Bowl will be a spectacular event. There are many combinations of teams that may be able to go to Super Bowl 50. Who do you think will go to Super Bowl 50? The Book Thief By: Kathleen Irvin The novel ,​
The Book Thief ,​
written by Markus Zusak, is a meaningful, intense, and sorrowful historical fiction book about a German girl, Liesel Meminger, living in Nazi Germany. It tells about Liesel’s life when she moves in with some foster parents, Hans and Rosa Hubermann in Molching during the Holocaust. She forms a friendship with nearby neighbor, Rudy Steiner. When Hans’ old friend’s son, who is a Jew, comes to him for help, they are forced to hide him in their home, and Liesel is forced to hide the secret from everyone. Liesel even “borrows” a few books along the way. Filled with sorrow, meaning, and some thieving, this book is definitely a good read. You’ll have to read the book to find out how amazing this story really is. Creed By:Bella Montoya ​
Creed is a sports drama, that is also a spin off of the Rocky series starring Michael B. Jordan as Adonis Johnson and Sylvester Stallone as the legend Rocky Balboa. Adonis is the son of Apollo Creed, a famous opponent of Rocky. Years after his father’s death, Adonis hunts Balboa down to convince him to be his trainer. During training for a big fight, Rocky becomes critically sick. Will Rocky be able to pull through? Will Adonis be able to escape his father’s shadow or is he destined to go down in history the same way? These are questions that can only be answered by watching this movie. Dragon Ball Xenoverse By:Darian Torres If you have been waiting for a new fighting video game, I would prefer Dragon Ball Xenoverse. It comes out on February 24, 2016. There is also a way to pre­order the game for those of you that can’t wait to get your hands on it. The pre­order date expires the week the game comes out. This game has been years in the making since Dragon Ball started, and that makes the Xenoverse the 15th Dragon Ball game invented. There are many features in the game now like built in dialogue, signature moves, single player or multiplayer even online multiplayer, and character customization. There will be the always fan favorite character Goku being the main star of the movie and the other characters in past games are on it too. For example, some characters are Cell,and Appule. When the game comes out it can be played on Playstation 4 and 3, Xbox 1 and 360, Microsoft Windows and Steam. Music Hits for 2015 by Hannah DeLaTorre Hit, after hit, after hit. That is how 2015 has been as far as music. Genres that are really getting attention for new song are pop, soul and country. “Hello” by Adele is her fourth number­ one, and was released October 23, 2015. Adele co­wrote the song with producer Greg Kurstin. It reached #1 in 28 countries. One of the big hits for pop are “Sorry” by the Canadian singer, Justin Bieber, written by Julia Michaels, Justin Tranter, and Bieber himself. Just like “Hello” by Adele, this song was released the twenty­third of October this year. It reached #2 on the Canadian Hot 100. “House Party” by country singer Sam Hunt, was released June, 1 2015. The song was #1 on top 40 country songs for September 2015. “House Party” was co­written with Zach Crowell. It was the third song released from his album ​
Montevallo.​
These three songs, plus many others from earlier this year, 2015 has been a very big year for music! Who is to Blame for the Paris Attack? By:Josiah Montoya The thirteenth of November twenty­fifteen was a horrendous day for the whole world.It was the day Paris got attacked. Although It's easy to point fingers,people don't know the full story.Even if the Islamic State Of Iraq claimed responsibility, it does not technically mean everyone in Iraq did it. It's hard to wear someone's else's shoe for a day and even harder to do it in a whole other world. The only thing the countries can do is come together and help Paris. This is not the the time for pointing fingers, this is the time to come together as a community. We may never know why the terrorists did what they did.Most were killed but,we may never even find all the terrorists involved. We do know, however, we can recover from these Godless acts. Just like Paris prayed for us when 911 happened, we must return the favor.Sometimes, bad historical events just happen. There is no changing or denying it. All we can do is help to find a way for it to not happen again in the future. So, when you want to put the blame on someone for the Paris attack, don't point your fingers. Be understanding and Pray for Paris. Choosing Sides By John Owens Democrats and Republicans have been rivals since the 1800’s, but this year’s campaign season is maybe one of the most tense.The Republican party front­runners consist of Donald Trump and Marco Rubio. Democratic front­runners are Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders. Both parties have very good points about the debate topics so far. Politics is such a touchy topic because people get very opinionated about “who to vote for” or “Democrats or Republican”. It’s definitely a situation of choosing sides. Politics divide people and people fight about it but, in the end,it doesn’t really matter if the people are Democrat or Republican it just matters if they are a suitable for the job as President of The United States of America. Many believe the only way to have a good country is to have a Republican president or a Democratic president, but actually we need an American president. We need someone who will honor the Constitution and honor our country’s values. Library News: WINTER SCHOLASTIC BOOK FAIR Our Winter Scholastic Book Fair During November 10th­18th was a wonderful success! A BIG THANK YOU​
! Goes out to our sponsors for our “Promotion to Literacy” program. 100% of our student body was sponsored by community members and local businesses. All community members and local businesses that helped our school and students, with the gift of reading, are listed below. We could not have done this without their help and support! Mr. Patrick Mikasa
1Lt. Amy Hashimoto
Mrs. Deborah Knecht
Village Inn Pancake House #853
Mrs. Laurie Stratman
Walmart
Ms. Helen O'Connor
Albertsons
Musso Farms
Atlas Pacific Engineering
Permium Direct Care Providers Inc.
Avondale Clays & Gun Club
Power Credit Union
Barker Family Farms LLC.
Pueblo Wintronic Company
Biby Chiropractic
Romeros Café & Catering
CPT. Marie Mikasa
SAM's Club
DiSanti Farms
Southwest Motors
Evraz Rocky Mountain Steel
Mills
St. Joseph Church
Mauro Farms
St. Therese Vineland Church
Mesa Hardware
Trane Commercial Systems
Mi Ranchito Mexican
Restaurant
Utc Aerospace Systems
Fesmire Heating & Air Conditioning, LLC.
Vidmar Motor Co.
Homer’s Pizza, Inc. DBA Little Caesar’s
King Soopers
Loaf N Jug- Office
Maj. Retired Austin Mikas