Fall 2015 - Ardsley Middle School

T HE C OUGAR
Winter 2015
Ardsley Middle School • Ardsley, NY 10502
P AGE 2
T HE C OUGAR
Hey…..What’s the Newspaper Club?
by Alicia Chang
Beep! The final bell rings and students are comfortably sitting in every
crevice of Mr. Weitz’s room. With Chromebooks in hand, kids get ready
to write and edit. What is this? It is the AMS Newspaper Club. Like its
name, the newspaper club is an afterschool group meeting every Friday
with kids from 5th through 8th grade who want to take part in the
AMS Cougar, the school newspaper.
But before an article is published, there is a certain process it must go
through. First, a Writer writes an article and submits it to his or her assigned Editor. After the Editor edits the article, the Editors-in-Chief will
take a second look. This editing process is repeated multiple times until
it reaches Dr. Januzzi, who will give the newspaper one final look. If all
the articles are approved, then the articles are sent to be published into
a newspaper.
The Newspaper Club is a very open and creative group. Writers get
three to four weeks to write articles, and Editors get three to four weeks
to edit articles. Therefore, no one is rushed when writing or editing. But what if you want to join and missed your chance at the beginning of the year? It’s not too late! There are still two more chances to
join the newspaper to put out the spring and summer issue. Anyone can join, and who doesn’t want their work to be on a
newspaper?
Come to Mr. Weitz’s room (309) any Friday after school to learn more and join the club.
Dear AMS,
This year, we (Elizabeth Chun and Justin Lu) have become the new
Editors-in-Chief of the Cougar, and we hope that you enjoy this first
edition of the newspaper. Feel free to drop in to our newsroom (309)
any Friday! As we progress through the year, we hope to intrigue and
engage your curiosity and maybe even challenge your assumptions
about the world. Read on!
From,
The Editors-in-Chief: Elizabeth Chun and Justin Lu
I NSIDE THIS ISSUE :
THE COUGAR
Ardsley Middle School
700 Ashford Avenue
Ardsley, New York 10502
(914) 295-5600
Dr. JoAnne Januzzi, Principal
Mr. Stuart Horlacher, Assistant Principal
MEET DR. JANUZZI
3
WHO ARE OUR NEW ADMINISTRATORS?
4
A LOOK INTO THE WORLD OF MS.
4
HANK CARRERA– NEW PRESIDENT
5
IDEAS TO PONDER
5
WHAT IS ALL-COUNTY?
6
TEXTING AND ENGLISH
6
Mrs. Sabrina Rich & Mr. Doug Weitz, Advisors
Writers: Zachary Arce, Octavia Basco, Matthew Carrera, Milena Chan, Alicia
Chang, Alexander N. Cruz, Deanna Demopoulos, Luke Faberman, Emma Feldbaum,
Alexander Fu, Lavanya Garg, Emma Greenspan, Preity Gupta, Charlotte Koenig,
Yu-Chen Lung, Olympia Nassis, Clea Ndocaj, Nora Palkola, Rishi Raj, Sajal Ranjha,
Liam Tannian and Zilu Wang
Editors: Milena Chan, Alexander N. Cruz, Olivia Edwards, Lily Faberman, Emma
Feldbaum,Quincey Leonard, Alex Malkin, Sajal Ranjha and Emma Sudo
Editors in Chief: Elizabeth Chun and Justin Lu
Layout/Visual Team: Matthew Carrera and Rishi Raj
THE COUGAR IS THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF
THE ARDSLEY MIDDLE SCHOOL
7
WHO WILL BE PRESIDENT?
ALPHABET FOR GOOGLE
8
Super smash bros. for Wii
9
Are smart phones hitting a plateau? 10
Favorite apps of the 5th graders
10
Time between classes
10
SPORTS
11
Jokes and poems
12
How do we define “peer” at ams
12
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Meet Dr. Januzzi
By Emma Sudo, Emma Feldbaum and Alicia Chang
Everyday we either see or meet our new principal Dr. Januzzi. Many of us must wonder what kind of person she is, what is
going on in her office, and what new ideas she is bringing to our school. To welcome Dr. Januzzi, the Newspaper Club has decided to interview her and introduce her to AMS.
Here are some questions that we asked her, and her responses to them:
Q: Why did you decide to take the job as our interim principal?
A: After being retired for a few years, it was exciting to return to doing something I love so much. The opportunity allows me
to once again work with other professionals to create a positive learning environment for students. Dr. Allen is a friend/
colleague of mine, and there was no way that I would disappoint her by not agreeing to take this position. I am so happy that
I did. This is a great school!
Q: What is your opinion about AMS so far and what is your goal for this school year?
A: I feel AMS is a very special place and a great school. I hope to contribute to making our school a safe and happy place for
both students and teachers. I encourage all students to work hard but also not forget to have fun. Join clubs. Play on a
team. Go to evening activities. It is all part of what makes school a wonderful place to be.
Q: If our school could add an afterschool program to the school, what do you think it should be?
A: I realized many students would like after school activities with math, music and dancing. In general, I really support extracurricular activities, including ones that may take place after school.
Q: Since you began your job here, what is something special that you have seen in many students at AMS?
A: I think something special about this school is that everyone is respectful and kind to each other, and that is the most important thing to me.
Q: Do you think that having the 7th and 8th graders upstairs, and the 5th and 6th graders downstairs is a good idea?
A: Yes. I think it is important that 5th graders get used to the school - at least, at first - by themselves with kids that are their
age.
Q: Before we wrap up our conversation, could you please say a few words to our students?
A: Since I came here 2 months ago, I have been very happy to meet so many of you. I am grateful for the way you have welcomed me and made me feel part of a great school. I want this to be a really good year for all of you. I am here for you and
my door is always open if you need me. Lately, I am sorry you have not seen much of me since I broke my foot. I hope to be
better soon so that I may see you in the halls, the cafeteria, in your classes, and at recess. Your respect and kindness is what
makes all of you very special. Let’s have a great school year!
Fun Facts about Dr. Januzzi
• When I was a child, I wanted to be a journalist. I love to write.
• My favorite sport is swimming and yes, I still do it.
• My favorite subject as a child was science.
• I used to play piano, and I still have one! I love piano.
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Who Are Our New Administrators?
by Rishi Raj and Matthew Carrera
As many of you know, we have a new Principal and Assistant Principal at AMS this year. We would like to introduce them
to you:
Dr. Januzzi is an interim principal taking the place of Mr. McIntosh who left to be Head of Curriculum at Briarcliff Manor
School District. She has had nearly 30 years of experience! She was a principal at Henry H. Wells Middle School in the
Brewster Central School District and Tuckahoe High School in Eastchester. She was also the assistant principal at
Westlake Middle School in Mount Pleasant. Dr. Januzzi has a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Elementary Education/
Psychology, as well as a Master’s degree in Special Education. She received both at Hofstra University. She received her
doctorate from Fordham University. Later on, she and her husband moved to Westchester and she took time off to raise
their children, Matthew and Michelle. That was when Dr. Januzzi began working part time at the WCC (Westchester
Community College).
Mr. Horlacher is our official assistant principal here at Ardsley
Middle school.
He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences from the
University of Delaware, a Master's in Education from the
University of Bridgeport and a Professional Diploma in
Educational Leadership from Manhattanville College. Before
Mr. Horlacher came to Ardsley Middle School, he was a
renowned Physics teacher at the Ardsley High School. He now
replaces Dr. Adam Bronstein, the former assistant principal.
Mr. Horlacher misses being a Physics teacher at the high
school, but enjoys working with the Ardsley Middle School
staff and students.
We hope that you will all welcome our new Principal and
Assistant Principal!
A Look Into The World of Ms. Perillo
by Zachary Arce
How long have you been teaching in your career (at
any school)?
I have been teaching for 4 years.
What subjects have you taught so far?
I have only taught English.
What grades do you have experience teaching?
I have taught 7th, 9th, 11th and 12th grade.
What do you like most about AMS?
I love how the students are always willing to learn and
participate.
Do you tend to integrate technology into your lessons?
Yes, I love to use my SMARTBoard for presentations. In addition, I use Edmodo to allow students to
submit assignments online to me.
What gave you the idea to use memes to teach and decorate your classroom?
I want students to smile and know they are in a happy and fun environment. However, I need them to understand that my
room is also a place where they are to learn and be productive. All in all, I think that English is a serious subject, but it can
also be very fun.
Why did you decide to become a teacher?
I’ve always wanted to become a teacher.
What was your dream job from your childhood?
When I was little, I wanted to become a princess. But as I got older, my parents convinced me to pick something more realistic, and in the end, I wanted to be a travel blogger who goes around the world.
Any general comments on the topic of teaching?
Everyone has been so kind and helpful at AMS. I can’t wait to continue teaching here!
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Presenting Our New Student President:
Hank Carrera!
by Lavanya Garg and Nora Palkola
Q. What are the changes that you will be making to our
school?
A. I am planning to make a number of changes (that may or
may not happen by the publication of this issue).
1. Improving the lunch food menu by putting a variety of
foods that satisfy nutritional needs.
2. Making a music committee dedicated to changing the
music every two weeks.
3. Creating Spirit Day events for the school at the end of
each month.
Q. Do you have any leadership experiences that will benefit
Student Council?
A. Yes, I do.
1. He has been a part of student council for four years.
2. In 6th grade, there were some students that were chosen to be on a committee called SAIL. Hank was one of
these students. SAIL stands for Students Acting in Leadership. It was all about teaching leadership skills to a small
group of children in hopes that they would go back to their
school and incorporate change into their own school environments.
3. In 7th and 8th grade, he participated in a committee
called PPLT. PPLT is where students, teachers and parents
meet together and make important decisions and changes
to the school.
Fun Facts about Hank
1. He loves to swim on Ardsley and Condors swim team.
2. He enjoys traveling around the world - has been to Italy
and Switzerland before.
3. His favorite subject is Social Studies
4. His favorite color is green.
When you’re walking in the hallways, Hank is the short redhead usually wearing something green. (Hank approves that
message.)
Ideas to Ponder
by Olympia Nassis
Humans admire the angelic life-living dreams and fear the rain at the heart of nightmares. But joy must be earned through survival of the darkness.
It is human nature to label and judge one another by observing the actions of others.
Live your life as an explorer.
Everyone has times of failure and disgrace. Don’t let your mistakes consume you.
Follow your dreams, no matter how far it is to reach
it. Because the final location of your dreams is where happiness lies.
Time flies by: days turn into weeks, which turn into years,
which turn into centuries. Be aware of it.
Life runs fast, so run even faster.
P AGE 6
T HE C OUGAR
What is All-County?
by Yu-chen Lung
Every fall, kids from Westchester go to the Seven
Bridges Middle School carrying instruments of all shapes and
sizes. However, these children are not amateur musicians;
they are talented players who are hoping to get a spot in the
All-County Music Festival. Every year, students from 4th to
9th grades in Westchester county audition to get into the AllCounty orchestra, band, or chorus. They prepare a solo piece,
scales, and sight read (in other words, they look at a new piece
of music then play it on the spot). If the judges give that musician a high enough score, he will join the musical group he
auditioned for. There are two three-hour rehearsals, with a
fifteen minute break in the middle of each. Each year, participating students get to play rewarding music and meet new
friends during these rehearsals.
Kids from Ardsley have practiced musical instruments
since third grade, and many have done well. In past AllCounty Orchestras, students have reached the positions of
concertmaster (leader of the first violins and the best player)
and principals of the other sections. I remember when I was
in All-County for the first time in fourth grade. I sat all the
way in the back, which isn’t very good, and was slightly ignored by everyone. However, in fifth grade, I moved up to the
top ten first violins. In sixth grade, I was the assistant principal second violin. That means I was the second ranking in the
second violin section. The orchestra includes more than one
hundred students, though, and it is comprised of the first violins, second violins, the violas, the cellos, and the basses.
Sometimes there are third violins, when the pieces call for
them. When all the parts work together, beautiful music is
made, and all the practice is worth it.
The All-County band is made up of woodwinds, brass
and percussion instruments. There are considerably more
sections in the bands than the orchestras. “It was kind of
weird at first but, once I settled in, it was fun” says Evan
Stroessner, a 7th grade drummer. He thinks that the AllCounty music was very challenging compared to the music he
has played. But no matter the difficulty, Evan would like to do
it again, and he recommends it to other AMS students as well.
Overall, I think that some parts of All-County are boring (like three-hour rehearsals). But when you’re playing with
others, you feel motivated to do better, and there’s always a
spark of excitement inside of you. And that’s the beauty of the
All-County Festivals - when you play with other students, all
the stress of practicing disappears, and the rest of the world
dissolves into a world of notes, melodies and emotions.
What’s The Difference Between Texting and English?
by Alexander N. Cruz
Have you ever said or texted something that doesn’t really sound like proper English? If you don’t know the difference between Texting Language and Proper English, here are some texting phrases (Also Known As Texting Slang) that you should
know:
Can you figure out which texting phrase on the left connects to the English phrase on the right? Draw lines between them.
BRB
Smiley Face
GTG
I Don’t Know
LOL
Got to Go
TTYL
For Your Information
AFK
Laugh Out Loud
:)
See You
:(
Away From Keyboard
ASAP
As Soon As Possible
BTW
Just Kidding
FYI
Frowny Face
CU
Talk To You Later
GB
By The Way
Bday
I Know Right
IDC
Be Right Back
JK
Birthday
IKR
Goodbye
IDK
I Don’t Care
There are many more phrases but just too many to list them all! If you would like to view even more texting phrases, Google
‘Texting Language’. I personally think that although true spellings are necessary most of the time, texting phrases are very
important to human lifestyle as well - everyone runs out of time or simply gets lazy once in awhile! Which language do you
choose to use?
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How do Students at AMS get to School?
by Charlotte Koenig
As a 5th grader, I often walk into school wondering how my classmates get to school. Some of us are dropped off by our parents, some of us take the bus, and others may even walk! I have recently surveyed one hundred sixty students at our
school. The kids I surveyed were people from all grades - fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth - so I could really understand how a
variety students get to school in the mornings.
Eighty-five of the one hundred sixty students that were surveyed reported that they took the bus. Thirty students walk to
school. Forty-five students are driven to school by someone. According to these numbers, slightly more than 50% of the students ride the bus! That’s a majority of the students! After asking many, many students, I have come to the conclusion that
taking the bus and getting driven are the two most common ways to get to school due to the lack of sidewalks and the concern
for road safety.
Did you know that this past October 9th, 2015 was National Walk-to-School Day? Almost all of the schools across the
country celebrate this day by being thankful for safe routes. Children from all over enjoy participating every October. I think
that AMS should participate, as well. Walking first thing in the morning freshens your mind for tests and classwork. According
to recent studies, walking to school may lower a child’s stress levels and increase his/her ability to concentrate more during
classes. Also, participating in National Walk-To-School Day is an enjoyable way to appreciate the nature and outdoors around
us while getting exercise and stimulation.
In the end, everyone still has their own point-of-view on how it is easiest for them to get to school in the mornings and get home
in the afternoons. How do you get back and forth from school?
What Are The Most Popular Subjects Amongst
Fifth Graders at AMS?
by Deanna Demopoulos and Alex Malkin
Here at Ardsley Middle School, we have an extensive number of academic classes. However, our school also provides all students with specials. There are classes for art, technology, music, health, gym, foreign languages and more.
All of the different specials give students opportunities to learn and have fun outside of their academic classes. While
some specials may help students achieve academic excellence, these classes are also a chance for kids to express their extracurricular talents and interests while spending time with friends and teachers in a supportive atmosphere.
I have interviewed many fifth graders for their opinions on what specials are their favorites. Here are the results:
Art
13
Music
17
Technology 7
Health
3
Gym
26
Latin
26
FACS
26
Specials provided at AMS are wonderful opportunities that all the students should appreciate. They give school a whole new
appeal to students, and it is where many kids find their passions and hidden talents. There are a countless number of openings
for the students of our school. Here at Ardsley Middle School, anything is possible!
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P AGE 8
Who Will Be President?
2016 Presidential Campaign Candidates
by Luke Farberman
In November 2016 the United States will vote for a new president. But the candidates have already started their campaigns,
engaging in debates in which they are asked important questions about the future of America. Here are some of the
most popular candidates so far:
Donald Trump,
Billionaire, was
born on June 16,
1946 in Queens. He
owns the Trump
Organization and is
the founder of
Trump Entertainment Resort.
Hillary Clinton, the
67th Secretary of State
and US Senator. She
was born on October
26, 1947 in Chicago.
She was the 42nd First
Lady of the United
States of America.
Jed Bush is an American
businessman and was the
43rd Governor of Florida.
He was born on February
11, 1953 in Midland, Texas.
Ben Carson, Retired
American Neurosurgeon
was born
September 18, 1951 in
Detroit. He is a Yale
University Graduate.
Bernie Sanders, United States Senator for
Vermont, was born
on September 8, 1941
in Brooklyn.
Fun Fact: This year’s election has the most Republican candidates in the last century!
How Cold Will It Be This Winter?
by Zilu Wang
Two years ago, Ardsley was among other towns/cities hit by the snowstorm Nemo. Power lines were weighed down by
so much snow that many people lost power. Internet was not available to lots of families. People couldn’t even get out of their
homes and roads were closed. In the end, New York spent millions of dollars on salt for the roads. The question is, is this year
going to be a repeat of that?
So far, the weather stations have reported that the northwestern part of the US has temperatures that are above average. Places like Washington and Oregon don’t have to worry too much, but what about us New Yorkers? Well, it is predicted
that the temperatures in the states in the eastern part of the US are currently below average. However, most of New York State
has temperatures that are above average. But at the tip of New York, where Ardsley resides, the temperatures are already falling below average. Chilly! As you might have noticed, there’s already frost on the ground in the morning when you walk to
school, and the temperature every week is mostly cold. The temperatures have even gone below zero once! Also, according to
the Old Farmer’s Almanac, this winter is going to be colder than the average temperature from last year.
Already, we’re seeing kids wearing winter clothing. Being that most kids are normally tolerate the cold, seeing kids
bundled up like this makes a bold statement: Winter is coming.
By the time this article is published, there could be snow. Look outside. Is there?
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P AGE 9
Written by Alexander Fu
like Google X and Fiber, Google’s high-speed internet service.
Alphabet. This word represents multiple things or ideas united
together. Having an alphabet means everything is organized
and unified. That was Google’s new goal and, in August, Google
released an official statement that introduced the world to Alphabet Inc. As far as many people know, Google’s roots are embedded in technology, innovating the newest gadgets that will
pave the way to society’s future. However, this technological
giant is starting to get involved in other industries like cell
phone service and internet. If Google focuses on so many projects, there will become an extremely loose organization with
no specific focus (which is bad for a company). In other words,
Google has become a massive company that can’t be managed
by a small amount of executives. The solution? Create another
company that will manage all of Google’s side projects.
Alphabet Inc will be at the center of many companies in the future. It currently owns a few companies like Calico (a company
dedicated to fighting disease) and Nest (smart home products).
Eventually, Alphabet Inc. will expand to subjects farther than
tech. To put it simply, think of Alphabet as the umbrella of
companies that will continue to grow separately from Google.
This new change took place on October 2nd and, even though
it won’t change the average consumer’s life too much, it will
completely rewrite Google’s internal structure, making productivity no longer an issue and giving Google’s employees more
time to focus on relevant tasks.
Google has made a bold and successful decision, allowing their
whole company to change internally while keeping the same
family of Google products for people. In some ways, it’s a winBy now, most people have heard of Google’s self-driving car
win; Google gives some of their responsibilities to another
and the countless services they offer. However, Google will no company, and people get to use the same Google products
longer focus on this huge cloud of ideas and focus on six key
without much change. Alphabet has a lot of potential to grow
services: Android, Search, YouTube, Apps, Maps, and Ads. The in the market and surpass Google as a technology company,
rest of Google’s projects will be handled by other companies
making huge changes to the future of society’s technology.
Super Smash Bros. for Wii U & Nintendo 3DS
An article by Liam Tannian
Two years ago, Nintendo fans finally got the announcement they’d been waiting to hear: Super Smash Bros for Wii U and
3DS! For the first time ever, Super Smash Bros. became a handheld game. There were many new characters while the game
was still in the works, like the long-awaited Megaman. Then, in 2014, the creator of Smash Bros, Masahiro Sakurai, made a video announcing the release of the game. However, both versions wouldn’t be released at the same time; while the 3DS version
would be released Summer 2014, the Wii U version will be released in Winter 2014. Then, at Nintendo’s E3 Digital Event 2014,
we received even more information - Super Smash Bros. 3DS would be released on October 3rd, 2014! Additionally, new figures called “Amiibos” were introduced. They’re similar to Skylanders, except more Nintendo-like. Then, after 4 months of
waiting, Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS finally released officially in the United States. One month later, we got Super
Smash Bros. for Wii U, along with the first wave of Amiibos. The wait was finally over!
But Sakurai didn’t stop there! He announced that Mewtwo, a character we really wanted in the game, would be downloadable
content in 2015. Then, Lucas from Mother 3 was revealed. Eventually, Mewtwo got released on April 2015, but Lucas wouldn’t
join the battle until June. When June arrived, we got more DLC information. A number of stages were announced, and new
characters were even added. The characters added were Roy from Fire Emblem and Ryu from Street Fighter. Later on, we got
more stages that people are currently enjoying very much. No new characters were announced after that, but there will most
likely be more sometime this year. Super Smash Bros. is such an amazing game, and it is something I would definitely recommend to Nintendo fans if they own a Wii U or 3DS. Be prepared for some more fun coming really soon!
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Are Smartphones Hitting A Plateau?
(An opinion piece)
by Alexander Fu
Year after year people get excited about the new iPhone
when it comes out in the fall. And then year after year people
want the next iPhone or don’t have the money to buy the next
generation device. But what if that was just Apple’s marketing
strategy? In fact, what if that was every smartphone company’s
way to get profit?
Apple is the prime example of smartphone
growth. Well, not really. Every year, they release a “new
phone”. But in reality, Apple is adding more sprinkles on a
cupcake. When you try to convince your parents to buy you the
latest and greatest phone, most of the time they will ask you,
“What makes this so much better than the one you have?” And
that question is really hard to answer. Take for example the
iPhone 6 and iPhone 6s. The iPhone 6 was a decent change
from the 5s, with a new design and a larger screen, but that’s
about it. Then the iPhone 6s was released, and practically the
only feature they added was Force Touch. Force Touch is a
feature that opens a small menu when a certain amount of
force is used when clicking an app. In some ways, it is like
right clicking in Windows. Force Touch is an innovative feature that no other companies have, but it’s not as good as it
seems. If you’re upgrading from the iPhone 6 to the 6s, you’re
most likely paying $200+ for one feature.
This type of activity doesn’t only happen at Apple. It occurs at every phone corporation. But why does it happen so often? The simple answer is that smartphones have evolved to be
the best they can possibly be. After 11 years of smartphone evolution, it has finally come to an end. There’s really not much
more you can get out of a pocket computer than what it already
has.
The most high-end smartphones have extremely unappealing price tags, limiting people’s decisions. Mid-range
phones are the answer. These devices have almost no differences in terms of performance compared to the best
smartphones, but they do come with extremely attractive prices. The average mid-ranged phone will only run you $150 $300, and it can get as low as $0-$50 in an annual contract. In
the case of the Apple iPhone, a $200 price for a 2 year contract
is only a fraction of its actual cost. If you don’t live in a first
world country, a high price is unaffordable, so many people resort to mid-rangers.
Within a year or two, smartphone evolution will no
longer be as interesting anymore, with the innovative declines
already taking place. Unless a huge new breakthrough surfaces, there isn’t a lot of hope left for the phone industry.
Time Between
Classes?
Favorite Apps of the
5th Graders!
by Emma Greenspan
by Milena Chan and Preity Gupta
What are 5th graders’ favorite social media platforms? We
decided to conduct a survey and find out. In October, we spent
some time surveying 60 5th graders at our school. Interestingly,
YouTube came out to be most favored with 32 votes. This is because 5th graders like browsing through the variety of videos
offered on YouTube. It received slightly more than 50% of the
votes. “YouTube is awesome!”, said a 5th grader, who asked to
remain anonymous.
Did these results surprise you? Don’t forget, this survey
only covered a small portion of the 5th grade. The numbers
could be completely different if the school was interviewed. But
for now, YouTube is the number one choice for 5th graders!
I interviewed students in all
four grades, and more than
93% of them felt that we should
have more time between bells.
Some of them feel that...
“A lot of kids have classrooms that are really far apart
and on different floors and end
up being late to class.”


“Teachers complain about us using the bathroom in the
middle of class, but we don’t have enough time in between classes to actually use them.”

“A lot of times my classes are far apart and I have to run
to get there on time, but then I get yelled at by teachers:
‘You can’t do that!’”

“We don’t have enough time to get a drink of water between classes, and then we can’t get water in class!”

“Even a minute more would make such a difference.”
We students understand that the bell periods cut into our
class time, but one or two minutes less wouldn’t exactly result in a lack of education. Many students even feel that staying at school until 2:50 or 3:00 would be a better option
than having to rush between classes. We aren’t asking for a
lot, just to have enough time where we don’t need to shove
all of our books into a string bag or risk the embarrassment
of getting lectured by a teacher in front of our whole class
because we were late.
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P AGE 11
The Corruption Of Soccer
by Olympia Nassis
Recently, an investigation done by The US Justice Department uncovered a deep-rooted corruption scandal at FIFA,
the official soccer organization. The case was made against
several top FIFA officials about how FIFA was using its revenue. Apparently, 90% of FIFA’s income was made through
the sale of television, marketing, hospitality and licensing
rights for the FIFA World Cup.
But what’s the problem with such big profits? The
answer lies within many FIFA executives’ bank accounts. FIFA claimed that more than 70% of the money
goes straight back into “football development”. Its meaning
includes many things. However, "If you have a look at
FIFA's accounts, you do not know where all the money
went. You don't know how much the senior executives get.
“They're very very lump-sum broad accounts."' says Deborah Unger of Transparency International's Corruption in
Sport Initiative.
The FIFA executives are accused of taking millions of dollars in bribes to get information about who gets to host the
next World Cup and which TV networks can fund the game.
These kinds of deals were the main pieces of evidence presented by US Justice attorney, Michael Garcia. He was the
primary investigator in this case and reported his findings
to the public.
But there were a few key points that were not published in Garcia’s report. In reality, the case revealed a few
bad apples, but hide all of the other FIFA officials guilty of charges. In other words, the FIFA investigation charged a few
executives but cleared the rest of the organization, allowing some employees to get away with their actions.
But that’s not all. FIFA’s president Sepp Blatter has bribed some soccer officials with “hush money”, money paid to
someone to prevent them from disclosing embarrassing information. This information shocked many soccer fans around
the world. Blatter has been the FIFA’s president for 16 years, four terms for a FIFA president. Many people are saying that
Blatter should be forced to resign and doesn’t deserve extra time.
Carolina RailHawks
by Clea Ndocaj
The Carolina RailHawks have been owned by Traffic Sports USA for
about five seasons. But when Traffic’s president (Aaron Davidson) and owner
(José Hawilla) pleaded guilty for bribing global soccer officials, that all
changed.
Davidson first became known when he revived the American soccer
league, which officially shut down in 1984. He made the spark that essentially helped the league get an entirely new business system. But before being
accused of bribery, he had closely identified with both the American soccer
league and the RailHawks. His company was noted by some to be
“supportive and reliable.” But he has still been rigging the system, and was
sent to court.
In the court, Davidson pleaded not guilty, and is currently in Miami,
Florida under house arrest. The rest of Traffic has admitted to committing
this kind of bribery for decades. In the end, Traffic decided to give the government almost 152 million dollars. In order to
pay this enormous debt, Traffic had to put a good amount of their holdings in the league, including the RailHawks, up for
sale. This left the RailHawks without an owner, unsure about their futures for about two years.
This made the RailHawk fans outraged. During home games, all of the RailHawks’ largest fans paced around the stadium like a marching band with cymbals and drums, along with megaphones and whistles. They shouted slogans that were
based off of team cheers, and put similar logos on their shirts as well.
But there is good news! Recently, the RailHawks announced that Stephen N. Malik will be the new owner of the
RailHawks. He bought the team for an unannounced price, ending the excruciating months of doubt for the RailHawks fans. Malik is exactly what
all the fans have been looking for.
On the first day of the job, Malik made it clear that he was planning to
keep the team long-term and not just sell it for more. He was to put in the
time and effort required to run a soccer team. Long term, his goal is to get
the RailHawks playing in the best division possible, although he has not
confirmed attempting to get into the Major Leagues. Currently, Malik’s
goal is to get the team more well-known.
Although the RailHawks seem to be out of the corruption of the FIFA
Scandal, the rest of the world is still hoping for it to all be over soon.
T HE C OUGAR
P AGE 12
How We Define “Peer” at AMS?
by Emma Greenspan
Google’s definition of peer: A person of the same age, status, or ability
as another specified person. But I think that at AMS, this definition is
proved wrong everyday. It means so much more than an equal or a
person of the same position. It means helping others in any way possible with a smile. This could mean picking up a student’s fallen
books, opening someone’s locker, or showing a new kid around the
school. Because every good deed, no matter how small, can make
someone’s day. And the kindness that I see being passed between students is what makes me so proud to call them my peers.
Be a good peer. Make Ardsley Middle School proud!
When You Stroll
Through the
Hallways
A Poem by Charlotte Koenig
Winter
by Octavia Basco
A drop of whiteness falls through the sky
And melts in your hand at first sight
Bundled up ready to play
I smile with joy in the bitter cold
Wet and cold, I go home
But soon I am warmed by the fire and embers.
When you stroll through the hallways
There’s always a constant amount of talking
The laughter not dying
Corny
Jokes
The quick and fast walking
by Sajal Ranjha and Luke
Faberman
When you look through the class windows
Q: Why did the football coach yell at the
vending machine?
The scratch of pencils
A: He wanted his quarterback!
Q: What shoes does a
robber wear?
A: Sneakers
You hear the flipping of pages
From kids of all ages
Q: Why did Adele
cross the road?
A: Because she wanted to say, “Hello from
the other side”
Your teacher is awaiting
When you troop into class
Your books in your hand
It’s time to learn, alas