Students Show Their Spirit - Paul Revere Charter Middle School

Paul Revere Charter Middle School
Winter Joy
Fills Campus
November/December 2012 By YONI STRUGATSKY
and ALON LEVI
Get out your coats and mittens,
because this year’s winter events
are going to leave a cool impact
on Revere. Teachers and students
have been working towards a week
packed with dance and music.
On Wed., Dec. 12th, the Winter Wonderland Dance will bring
some winter spirit to Town Hall.
For $2, Patriots will be able to attend this groovy winter-themed
dance, which will include a DJ,
photo booth and lots of dancing.
“While planning the Winter
Wonderland Dance, we always
face the problem of [not having]
enough teachers helping to supervise the students at the dance,”
says Ms. Walker. In addition, no
food is allowed at the dance, but
each person who attends the dance
will receive a glow-stick and a
mint Lifesaver that sparks in the
dark with each bite of the candy.
The upcoming winter concerts
presented by the Revere music department promise to fill the campus with even more winter spirit.
“We will have a lot of bands
playing a variety of music,” said
Mr. Miyoshi. “We will be playing some jazz, some marches and
some music from movies and T.V.
We will be featuring a ton of talented musicians,” proclaimed Mr.
Miyoshi as he talked about the upcoming winter band concert. They
will be featuring famous songs
such as “Pink Panther” and the
Batman theme. He also mentions
that he wants to “…demonstrate to
the parents the wealth of talent we
have at Revere. We have a lot of
hard working students here.”
Revere’s musicians, singers and
dancers and presenting their concerts over three nights. The bands
perform on Tues., Dec. 11th, the
orchestras take the stage on Wed.,
Dec. 12th, and the choirs offer up
their songs on Thurs., Dec. 13th.
Volume 57, Issue 2
Patriots
Sock It
to Drugs
By CLAIRE SUISMAN
triots went all out. They showed
off their identical traits, such as
shirts, skirts and shoes. To test
their compatibility, twins competed against other twins and
faced off in Revere’s Ski Race,
which involved pairs of twins
attempting to cross the gym in
tandem on skis.
Those who were most in sync
were “twins” Shayan Safa and
Tyler Ghadoushi, Luna Lactez
and Geena Poldev, Nina Lowry
and Jaya King, Otis Smith and
Young Shin, Sierra Somkin and
Alison Howard, and Isaiah and
John.
All the excitement continued
Continued on page 7
During the week of Oct. 29th,
Revere looked like the Red Sea,
because it was Red Ribbon Week.
Students dressed up to support being drug-free, and heard a series of
facts on the announcements every
morning, which taught them the
effects of drugs and alcohol on
the body. Ms. Augenstein, the organizer of the weekly events, says
she thinks the most effective way
of preventing drug use is educating students on the negative side
effects of drugs. She believes the
reason students get into drugs in
the first place is curiosity or sometimes they feel like that will help
them connect with other people if
they feel alone. The statistics read
daily over the intercom helped
educate students about the consequences of drugs.
Red Ribbon Week “kicked”
off with “crazy sock day,” so Patriots could “sock it to drugs.” On
Monday, the halls of Revere were
lit up with neon and polka-dotted
socks, which represented their
pledge to steer clear of drugs.
On Mon., Oct. 29th, the three
winners of the Red Ribbon Week
Creative Expressions Contest
were announced, and they got
their prizes on Tuesday. The three
contestants that wowed the judges
with their artwork displaying antidrug themes were Kana Suzuki,
Evelyn Hernandez and Amanda
Thompson.
Said Amanda, “In my science
class, we had to research a type of
cancer to learn its risks, causes and
preventions. If you do that with
drugs, then all students would be
more educated.” Amanda’s drawing depicts a girl throwing out
drugs, because she realizes the
consequences of taking them.
Continued on page 6
Students Show Their Spirit
Student Council members prepare for “Mission Impossible,” the America Day competition, in the gym.
By ALICIA ABRAMSON
and JOJO LEVEY
Let’s go, Patriots, let’s go!
On Mon., Nov. 5th, Patriots
showed their true colors by wearing their favorite team shirts.
Some students displayed professional teams, such as UCLA and
the Lakers, while other wore their
own team shirts. As a reward for
dressing up in their sports team,
dodge ball games were held in
the gym.
On the second day of Spirit
Week, Tues., Nov. 6th, students
of Revere celebrated the United
States of America by dressing in
red, white, and blue. Mission Im-
possible was held during lunch,
where students had to attempt to
cross the gym while not lifting
their feet off of paper sheets.
The winners were Geena Poldnev, Justin Romero, Jack Bookey, Chance Chapman and Cameron Bailey. “All that I really did
was focus,” says Jack Bookey,
“and as many people know, ‘slow
and steady wins the race.’ I won
by sliding the bases and consistently and systematically moving
my feet backwards to keep my
balance. I want to thank everyone
who competed for trying.”
Once Nov. 7th rolled around,
Twin Day arrived. From terrific
twins to quirky quintuplets, Pa-
Good Deeds, Good Eats 3
A Fierce Competition 4
Revere’s Loss 5
Holiday Magic 8
Running for a Tee 10
Revere helps out during the holidays.
The votes are in for the mock election.
The school remembers Ms. Aidikoff.
The Nutcracker shines onstage.
How fast is he? The Tees tell the story.
2 November/December 2012
THE TOWN CRIER
Editor-in-Chief:
Sam Harrison
Managing Editor:
Sophie Krasny
Reporters and
Photographers:
Alicia Abramson
Emi Arevalo
Caroline Bamberger
Margaret Boelter
Peter Jebsen
Harrison Larkins
Shannon Lee
Jojo Levey
Alon Levi
Lilly McClure
Julia Monkarsh
Angel Ogwo
Bettina Papageorge
Abner Santiago
Hannah Shabtian
Claire Spector
Cole Stanton
Yoni Strugatsky
Claire Suisman
Graphics:
Marissa Angelich
Gabriel Galef
Harrison Gelber
Spencer Howard
Hunter Luncar
Autumn Wagner
Faculty Advisor:
Mr. Wechsler
How much homework should
be given over winter break?
With winter break right around the corner, Patriots are gearing up for the holiday season and a sufficient load of homework, but is it really necessary?
Many teachers may argue that assigning homework
during vacation keeps information fresh in students’
minds. This way, classes can immediately resume
at the start of the second semester. Students are less
likely to forget previously learned material, allowing for more success going forward. In addition,
winter break is a good time to prepare for the upcoming CST’s in the near spring.
However, many students have big plans for
the winter break, and most don’t involve stacks of
homework. As soon as the word “homework” is uttered, the enthusiasm for the season seems to fade,
and students begin to dread their time off. For many,
there is simply no time to squeeze homework into
busy plans and holiday trips. Although some want
I don’t think there should be any
because winter break is a time
for family and friends outside of
school. I think it would ruin the
holiday spirit if we had any.
—Ana Cowie, 7th Grade
It’s always good for students to
take a break from work, but a little
amount of homework or review
should be assigned to keep our
minds flowing. On the other hand,
breaks are meant to cool us off and
take the stress off our shoulders.
—Eden Gabai, 6th Grade
I don’t think we should be given too much homework, but not
having any homework would be
very bad. I waited until the last
minute to do my Thanksgiving
vacation and almost forgot how
to do it!
—Madison Kovach, 8th Grade
I think that a small amount of
homework should be assigned.
For subjects like math, it is important to review concepts so
you don’t forget them. However
too much homework would defeat the point of a break from
school.
—Morgan Mase, 7th Grade
Absolutely zero homework! It’s
a time to enjoy family, friends
and being away from school.
—Mr. Carnine, Teacher
to prepare themselves by studying information for the
final months of school, many feel winter break is a time
to relax and escape the pressures of projects, homework, and other aspects of the educational curriculum.
Aware of this, most teachers give minimal amounts of
homework to their students, but the assignments pile
up quickly, leaving many students drowning in a sea
of work.
On the other hand, some students spend their entire
break inside playing video games or sitting around with
nothing to do. In these cases, a little exposure to education is nothing but beneficial. A constant reminder
of the classroom can keep students productive and focused during their weeks off. In the eyes of other students and teachers, winter break homework is a waste
of time, and doesn’t give an advantage. Ultimately, the
controversy is left up for debate between Patriots.
—Caroline Bamberger and Shannon Lee
The winter vacation is a time to
relax, and I don’t think homework is convenient for people
who are going on vacation during the break. However, optional
homework should be assigned so
that kids who are staying home
have something to do.
—Shana Brindze, 6th Grade
If teachers decided not to assign homework at all, I think
the majority of the school would
be practically brain dead by the
time school gets back in session. I would not write or study
my geometry if I didn’t have to.
—Emi Arevalo, 8th Grade
There should be homework assigned over winter break, but
it should be optional. This way
people won’t be pressed to do
homework when they’re away
but have the choice to do some.
—Mila Fejzo, 6th Grade
Perhaps teachers should assign a
homework assignment that would
be a little less than a normal school
day if split evenly between the
days of break.
—Ramtin Rastegar, 7th Grade
I believe that enough homework
should be provided to keep the brain
fresh when school starts, but not
so much that it ruins your winter
break.—Haider Vanek, 8th Grade
Personally, I feel like we shouldn’t
have homework over winter break
because it’s a good rest from all
the classwork we receive. Also,
since it’s been a lot harder to adjust
for us 6th graders, a break would
be very nice. Homework can be
stressful, and no one wants stress
to ruin your winter vacation.
—Hannah Yick, 6th Grade
I think there should be no homework over winter break because
winter break is supposed to be
fun. People should be able to
hang out with their family and
friends and not have to worry
about homework.
—London Lassiter, 8th Grade
It is not that I have an aversion to
homework, but I have seen studies that show that homework for
grades preceding high school does
not improve students’ academic
performances. Speaking for myself, I would prefer to work on
outside academic interests such
as mathematics and programming
rather than worksheets.
—Sutton Shin, 7th Grade
Most people go away for break
and doing homework becomes almost impossible. However, some
teachers need to assign homework
so students don’t forget everything
they learned.
—Sofia Conti, 8th Grade
Paul Revere Charter Middle School
Our Allegiance
to the Pledge
ALICIA ABRAMSON
You rise up from your chair as the loudspeaker asks you to stand for
the Pledge of Allegiance. “I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United
States of America...” The words come out of your mouth naturally, but
do you really realize what you are saying?
It’s very common to simply mumble the words tediously, and not
say them with meaning. However, it’s important to understand the
words you’re reciting; you’re pledging your loyalty to the flag, and to
the United States, every morning. Most students don’t say the Pledge
with significance. We reluctantly stop what we’re doing in order to
mutter a series of words that are etched into our brains permanently,
but we only do so because we’re told to. Half the time we’re still
focused on what we were doing before the Pledge began. You could be
reading your book, or still have a pencil in your hand as you finish your
homework.
Another important issue about the Pledge is that it mentions God.
“One nation, under God…” But what about the people who don’t
believe in God? The Pledge of Allegiance is forcing you to recognize
that you are a part of a nation that is united under God, despite the
fact that you may not think God even exists. The original pledge did
not mention God; it was added in 1954, sixty years after the Pledge
was written. Maybe we should have kept the original Pledge, where a
certain religion wasn’t forced upon us. Part of the Constitution states
that people have a right to believe in whatever they want to. Being
forced to accept God as real does not qualify as freedom of religion.
Although the Pledge of Allegiance is a normal part of our daily
routine, perhaps it would be best to give students the option of choosing
not to say it, therefore being loyal to their own religion and beliefs.
Too Much,
Too Soon?
BETTINA PAPAGEORGE
“Work harder, you have to be ready for college!” This is just one of
the few encouragements teachers are now reciting to enforce college
awareness on students. It’s all teachers seem to be talking about! College is
still roughly five years away, so is middle school too early to be preparing
for it? “Preparation needs to begin early because it helps to determine your
future,” Ms. Kobashi states. This could be true, however at early teen ages
like 12 or 13, we should enjoy our youth, not be hassled about college,
when most of us are still unsure of what career we want to pursue in life.
Middle school is a time to start learning from our mistakes, and prepare
for high school, not college. But is it fair for teachers to ask us to start
thinking about career paths? “It’s worth a discussion and taking elective
helps students explore possible career options,” Ms. Kobashi believes.
Some might say that college is too important and you need to prepare for
it as soon, and as much, as possible. Amir Ebtehadj agrees. “College is a
fundamental learning process that all students should aim for. Preparation
should begin as soon as possible, because college sculpts your career
pathway.”
Middle school isn’t a place for filling out college applications and
deciding where we want to go, it’s for getting to discover what interests
us, and to find our passion. College is the foundation for being an adult—
middle school is nowhere near adulthood! When we’re a junior or senior
in high school, of course college is very serious. However, in our early teen
years, we probably find more interest in “Dance Moms” than Dartmouth.
November/December 2012
Paul Revere Charter Middle School 3
THE TOWN CRIER
Norman Kulla
Layout by Lilly McClure
Roads to Success
If there are more than 300
million people in the U.S., then
why vote when other people
can do it for you? That’s what
Norman Kulla, legal counsel to
District 11 Councilmember Bill
Rosendahl, talked to Patriots
about on Wed., Nov. 7th in Town
Hall. He explained how one vote
could make the difference between having “President Romney” or “President Obama.” He
said it is important to resist peer
pressure, do some research, and
choose who you believe will be
the best leader.
Two weeks later, Apollo 13
scientist Mike Boughton told
Patriots about his experience as
a scientist for the famous mission that ran into major trouble.
How was he and a team of NASA
scientists able to bring the endangered astronauts back to Earth?
“Teamwork was what made it
happen,” he explained. “Innovation occurs in the face of something that is completely unexpected.” —Alon Levi
Mike
Boughton
Sunday, Funday
It was all fun and games at
this year’s 6th Grade Field Day
on Sun., Oct. 21st. Dozens of
students competed for prizes in
games that varied from kickball
to Frisbee, and filled their stomachs with delicious Mexican
food and ice cream. The Pali
Cheerleaders visited to meet Patriots and to teach students cheer
routines. The event was hosted
by Sports Mania so that the new
6th graders could mingle and
make new friends, preparing for
the three years ahead of them.
—Cole Stanton
Hula hooping was one of the
activities 6th graders enjoyed.
Mr. Aochi puts one of his
student’s bridges to the test.
Revere Under
Construction
Carolers in Santa hats bring the joy of the holidays to the halls and classrooms of Revere on Wed. Dec 5th.
Giving Back on
Thanksgiving
For some people, Thanksgiving isn’t all about seeing your
family or the giant meal at the
end of the day; it’s about giving.
This Thanksgiving, the Rejaei
and Ebtehadj families got together and gave to the less fortunate.
Amir Ebtehadj, a member of Revere’s student council, explained
what it felt like to help the needy.
“It made my Thanksgiving more
meaningful and made me be
thankful for all the things I have.
It made me feel less guilty for
stuffing my face into pumpkin
pie. Giving to people less fortunate makes every family get
along.”
For the past couple of years
these two families have made
two turkeys and all the fixings.
They packaged them into 75
meals. After that they packed the
meals into the car and handed out
the meals to workers on Sawtelle.
With 25 meals left over, they
handed them out to homeless
people by Santa Monica Beach.
“Every year these families
gather together to give thanks to
others. This has been a tradition
these families have cherished.
These families hope that this will
be a tradition for generations to
come. Everyone who was involved with this is a former Patriot, 2006-2014.” Some of those
Patriots are Arian Rejaei and Eric
and Patrick Babajanian.
—Lilly McClure
A New Elective
from the Future
A new elective, run by Cmdr.
Banner, has come from the future
to Paul Revere Middle School.
The cadets of Starfleet Institute of Future Studies (IFS) will
build and program robots to perform important missions, some
of which are classified. One of
them will include making a mechanical arm for a claw game for
Caines Arcade Day. Starfleet has
selected the Cadets according to
special characteristics they all
possess. The commander is not
at liberty to discuss the specific
criteria.
Cmdr. Banner enjoys terraforming and astrozoologoy, but while
visiting this primitive time period,
according to the prime directive,
she must busy herself with gardening and dogs. Once she completes
her mission, the Commander says
she will return to her time period.
Or will she? —Abner Santiago
Mackenzie poses with her robot.
Meg, Mark, Ohr and Fosse help
give to Hurricane Sandy victims.
Sale for Sandy
This winter, the Council Club
truly expressed the gift of giving when they organized a bake
sale to raise money for victims
of the devastating super storm
Sandy that recently hit parts of
the East Coast. Council Club
began their mission on Tues.,
Nov. 13th by covering the campus with banners and fliers that
advertised their cause. In only
a week, Mr. Slavin’s room was
piled high with tasty packaged
goods, drinks and baked treats.
Fri., Nov. 16th was the big day of
the bake sale. After school , kids
ran to the front of the auditorium
and devoured over a thousand
delicious items that each cost
one dollar. In the end, the club
raised $1,080 and every cent was
donated to the Red Cross Foundation to benefit those who suffered from Hurricane Sandy.
—Julia Monkarsh
Have you ever built a bridge out
of balsa wood that weighs less
than half a pound but can hold
up to two hundred? 8th graders
in Mr. Aochi’s class have. He
introduced this project to the
school fifteen years ago and students have been building bridges
ever since. The record Revere
bridge held 217 pounds, which
is approximately 1,038 times
its weight. “The bridge project
teaches the students about model
and design, engineering and the
concept of forces,” explains Mr.
Aochi. So, 6th and 7th graders,
you might want to prepare yourselves because you too may soon
be called on to build your very
own bridge. —Cole Stanton
Veterans Day
Comes Early
Revere’s November assembly
featured veterans from several
wars. Emil Wroblicky started off
the assembly, and he told Patriots what it’s like to work in the
Marines. The next veteran who
spoke, Everett McGuire, described
what it’s like to work in the Army.
Said Donna Kharrazi afterward, “After hearing their talks,
my perspective of life changed
a bit. We take so many things
for granted like our parents, our
house, our food, etc. We don’t
give a second thought as to all of
it disappearing at any moment.”
One of the veterans served as a
doctor. Scott Wagenseller, still
in service, works as part of the
Navy, but while he isn’t serving,
he runs the local Palisades Patrol.
He wrapped up the assembly by
teaching Patriots what all Patriots
should know: the salute.
—Margaret Boelter
Emil Wroblicky enlightens
Patriots about life as a Marine.
4 November/December 2012
THE TOWN CRIER
Paul Revere Charter Middle School
Trinity, Alexander, Brandon and Arash carry posters to represent the two candidates running for president.
Patriots Cast Their Votes
By PETER JEBSEN
On November 1st and 2nd,
36% of Revere’s students voted on
two important propositions, and on
the future president of the United
States in a “Mock Election” that
Mr. Hamanishi helps a voter in the
seventh grade polling place, E4.
was supported by several history
teachers. “I’ve set up a mock election during each of the past two
presidential years; this will be my
third” says Mr. Salazar.
Mr. Salazar ran the 8th grade
election in J-8, while Mr. Hamanishi ran the 7th grade election in
E-4, and Ms.Montez was running
the booths in the 6th grade election
in X-16. Despite the high number
of students that came to vote, Mr.
Fulling said he wasn’t surprised “I
helped out with the 8th grade polling room and saw a lot of my students come through. I know all of
the 8th grade teachers are in their
government units right now so the
timing of the election is perfect.”
When Mr. Salazar was asked about
his ideas behind the election he
responded, “I am motivated more
than anything else by my genuine
belief in teaching students about
civic participation.”
This year, Obama won the
Mock Election with 82% of the
votes, which relates to the poll in
the last issue where Obama led
with 69%. Obama also won the national election with 50.3% of the
vote. Proposition 30 passed with
71% of the votes while Prop. 34
was 14 votes short of being passed
with 51% of the voters wanting to
keep the death penalty. Overall,
Revere’s decision reflects the decision made by California voters
last month where Prop. 30 passed,
but 34 didn’t. Proposition 30 raises
taxes to fund public schools, like
Paul Revere.
“The history department has
really pulled together to make
this work,” Mr. Salazar comments
thoughtfully. “Most teachers are
volunteering their time and effort
during nutrition break and lunch
for two days; that means they get
no break for two days. In addition,
Mr. Andereck has provided some
real voting booths. It’s pretty cool
to see teachers want to make the
voting experience as real as possible.”
Revere students Marissa Angelich and Autumn Wagner both
agreed it was a “fun experience.”
Ethan Jones, a 7th grader, said, “It
was like a real voting booth.” Mr.
Salazar feels the same way, “The
voting experience is likely the
most direct experience students
have had with the U.S. constitution, and as a history teacher, I
think it’s necessary and fun to see
students experience a piece of the
presidential excitement buzzing
around the country.”
With 764 votes from students,
Mr. Fulling feels that the election
definitely was successful. “36% is
about what we expected. I think
that in 4 years down the road we
can advertise the election a little
more to get a higher turnout.”
Charlie Capiti
was a big
winner for
November.
Four proud Patriots put in their vote at the 8th grade voting booths in J8.
Two 6th graders flash their ballots
as they vote in Revere’s election.
Ms. Martinez helps 7th grader
Haydee put in her vote in E-4.
8th graders Elise, Bettina, Autumn
and Marissa show their voting spirit.
Two 6th graders, Rebekah Shane and Samantha Stahl, were rewarded
for their incredible integrity and honesty by Ms. Coe when they returned
a ring to the main office that they found on the floor of the girls’
room. The ring turned out to be the engagement ring of a teacher’s aide.
November/December 2012
THE TOWN CRIER
Paul Revere Charter Middle School 5
Haiti, Japan, New York . . . Is California Next?
By HARRISON LARKINS
Devastating Hurricane Sandy
crashed its way into the East
Coast on Mon., Oct. 29th, leaving almost 150 people dead. The
tempest caused mass destruction
along the East Coast in areas such
as New York and the Jersey Shore,
where thousands of homes were
destroyed due to severe flooding
and powerful winds. The American Red Cross rushed to the scene
to provide shelter and food for the
tens of thousands of people that
were left homeless. The cost of
the superstorm is estimated at an
astonishing $50 billion, making
it the second most costly storm
in U.S. history. Along with the
U.S., Sandy caused destruction in
Caribbean islands such as Haiti,
which was devastated by an earthquake a mere two years ago.
Even though Sandy was thousands of miles from Revere’s
campus, Patriots and other Californians alike could face a similar
fate not too long from now. We
Californians haven’t had a natural disaster like Sandy in quite a
while, and most of us at Paul Revere probably don’t even know
what it’s like to be in an earthquake or a storm. But this delay
has only created a greater possibility of an earthquake striking
Southern California. Our state just
happens to be on the San Andreas
Fault, which forms the boundary
between the Pacific Plate and the
North American Plate. Over the
years, the two plates have moved
closer and closer toward each other, or stressed. Once they collide,
the fault will have been stressed
to a level sufficient enough to create an earthquake that scientists
call the next “big one,” that is, an
earthquake with a magnitude of at
least 7.0.
Now, how in the world can we
prepare for a catastrophe like this?
People around the globe have been
devastated by natural disasters
such as these, and, sadly, many
of them have been unprepared
for the consequences. First of all,
knowing about world issues can
definitely help with being prepared
for an earthquake. By educating
Hurricane Sandy
caused mass
destruction along
the east coast.
Patriots could face
a similar fate not
too long from now.
yourself on recent natural disasters
like the 2010 earthquake in Haiti
and the 2011 earthquake/tsunami
in Japan, you can learn what hurt
people the most and what caused
the most problems. Once you’ve
gathered this information, prepare
an earthquake kit that contains
useful items that the victims of
other earthquakes didn’t have. If
an earthquake does occur, this kit
will have everything you need in it.
Put food, photos, clothes, water, a
flashlight, and any other items that
you might want if you’re to be cut
off from grocery stores and other
places. Then, you should get together with your family and make
an earthquake preparedness plan.
Sketch out your house on a piece
of paper and identify any possible
evacuation routes, what each family member will do before, during,
and after the earthquake, and make
a reunion point that your family
can meet at after the earthquake.
You can also learn a lot about
A house was torn in half during Hurricane Sandy in Bay Head, New Jersey.
(Photo: REUTERS/Tom Mihalek)
Patriots Mourn the Loss of Ms. Aidikoff
By YONI STRUGATSKY
On Fri., Nov. 23rd, longtime
Paul Revere teacher Ms. Aidikoff
passed away. “It is extremely difficult to lose a vital member of a
close-working family, a friend,
colleague, and educator,” said
Mrs. Somoza, Revere’s principal.
“Lynne Aidikoff was forceful,
proactive teaching partner who
taught me to appreciate cats. Her
manner and classroom management was a complementary asset,”
remembered Ms. Carter. “Our
partnership developed into a close
friendship. We often spent time
together away from school. I will
miss her.”
Teachers and students alike all
say that Ms. Aidikoff was a strict,
yet kind, teacher, with high expectations for everyone.
“It was a truly sad day when
we lost our friend and colleague,
Lynne Aidikoff. She was a very
honest person who always spoke
her mind,” heartfully stated Ms.
Daley. “She had a big heart full
of kindness and was generous
by nature. I will greatly miss my
dear friend Lynne.”
Ms. Aidikoff was born in Ohio
and had been teaching at Revere
since 1996. She taught 6th grade
English and history, and an advertising class that was offered
on the elective wheel.
“Advertising was one of my
favorite classes,” recalled Alicia
Abramson. “She was an excellent teacher, and I enjoyed myself immensely in her classroom.
She showed us a lot of funny
commercials and gave us many
examples to give us an insight in
the world of advertising.”
Lily Kaplan, who had Ms.
Aidikoff for English and history, said, “Honestly, I wish Ms.
Aidikoff was still here. She
taught me so much about life and
education. Yes, she was strict,
but only because she cared about
our grades and how we did in her
class. I have realized that Ms.
Aidikoff was one of my favorite
teachers.”
Mrs. Somoza hopes all Patriots remember their positive
experiences with Ms. Aidikoff
and that everyone can “remember to celebrate Lynne’s life
and the many lives she touched
through her time teaching all her
students at Paul Revere.” earthquake preparedness in school.
Although many Patriots find earthquake and fire drills horribly boring, make sure to pay attention.
Crawling under a dirty desk isn’t
the nicest experience, but it could
make the difference between life
and death. In an earthquake, many
houses collapse and their roofs fall
on their inhabitant’s heads. A desk
will easily protect you from fallen
rubble, and could provide a good
shelter if you were to be buried.
Just by doing these few small
steps, you and your family can be
prepared for an earthquake. Tell
your neighbors and friends as well
so they can also stay safe during
the quake. Earthquakes and other
natural disasters are extremely
dangerous and should not be
underestimated. Take them very
seriously and make sure you, your
friends, and your family are prepared for the earthquake that will
strike California very soon.
Earthquake Tips
• If you have vision problems, pack an extra pair of glasses so
you can make your way around during the earthquake.
• People with medical issues should pack extra prescription
medicine, just in case you were to be buried or cut off from
getting them.
• Make sure to pack plenty of bottled water so you won’t get
thirsty and so you can treat your wounds, if you have any
after the quake.
• A flashlight with extra batteries will definitely help in finding
your way if the earthquake hits in the night or if you’re buried
underground.
• You should also pack a lot of non-perishable foods like dried
fruits, granola bars, and canned items. Also pack cooking
supplies and utensils.
• Definitely pack a first aid kit that contains band-aids, cotton
balls, cotton swabs, rubbing alcohol, aspirin, etc.
• Pack a radio so you can say up to date on earthquake news.
• Pack a blanket and a jacket so you can stay warm.
• Just in case you were to be separated from your family
members, everyone should pack a walkie-talkie so you can
communicate and find each other.
• Make copies of important documents and phone numbers.
• Personal hygiene items like toilet paper, toothbrushes and
toothpaste, and soap.
• Pack a whistle, because cell phone towers will be knocked
down.
• All of these items should be able to last at least two weeks,
so make sure you pack in abundance.
Source: www.72hours.org
Ms. Zarou’s 6th graders practice an earthquake drill on Oct. 18th.
6 November/December 2012
THE TOWN CRIER
Paul Revere Charter Middle School
Just Say No!
The ribbons may be red, but Patriots were asked to wear yellow to show their anti-bully pride. Trevor (left) even wore yellow marker on his face.
Revere ‘socks’ it to drugs as students shut their divine decorated doors on alcohol to show their spooky spirit.
The Olivias scare off drugs with
their over-the-top Halloween door.
Amanda Thompson (left), Evelyn Hernandez (middle) and Kana Suzuki (right) participated and won the first Matthew shows off his Red Vine
place slots in the Revere 2012 Red Ribbon Week poster project to fight off harmful and illegal substances.
and bracelet near the question booth.
PAUL REVERE PETS
(continued from page 1) When
asked why she thinks people take
drugs, she responds, “Drugs can be
addictive, but usually it is negative
peer pressure that gets people to
start taking them. If positive peer
pressure (generated from events
like Red Ribbon Week) is present,
then people will be less likely to
start or continue drugs.”
Just say no! Students wore red
clothes on Tuesday to show their
promise to be drug-free. Patriots
who were decked out in maroon,
crimson and burgundy were rewarded with symbolic Red Vines.
No bullies here—we are Revere! To protest bullying, students
were clad in yellow on Wednesday. Question booths were set
up throughout the school during
lunch and nutrition. If people
could accurately answer true or
false questions about the effects of
drugs and alcohol, they received a
red wristband and Red Vines.
Knock knock! Who’s there? Drugfree students decorating doors for
Revere’s door-decorating contest. People put red ribbon and
Halloween themed decorations
on their classroom doors during
homeroom. The best doors were
selected on Wednesday by Student
Council judges. The third place
homeroom was Ms. Istrin, whose
door was embellished with a
“drugbusters” slogan. Mr. Hyman
in N-1 got second place with a dry
ice and lights display. However,
Ms. Banner’s homeroom stole the
scary show and came in first place
with a huge spooky papier-mache
spider.
It was a fun-filled and educational week at Paul Revere Charter
Middle School, packed with Red
Vines, funky doors, and Patriots
promising to be drug-free. When
asked how Red Ribbon Week will
be different next year, Ms. Augenstein says, “We’ll probably have
a speaker; either a presentation or
a video to inform students.” She
says that Red Ribbon Week was an
overall success this year, and she
hopes that students have benefited
from the lessons and facts learned
throughout the week.
By Margaret Boelter
November/December 2012
THE TOWN CRIER
Revere’s Five Days
of Fun and Spirit
(continued from page 1) once Nov. 8th came
around. From polka dots to stripes, fancy designs to knee-high stockings, Patriots participated enthusiastically in Crazy Sock Day.
Students wore mismatched socks, while
some went overboard and wore mismatched
shoes! The crazy socks were displayed in a
sock fashion show in the gym. The craziest
sock owners were Taylor Torgenson, Miaya
South, and Hannah Levine.
Last, but most certainly not least, Patriots expressed their dedication to Paul Revere even further by participating in the last
day of Spirit Week, Black and White Day.
From black leggings to white tees, Revere’s
clothes are expertise! The final day of Spirit
Week was celebrated with an Oreo-eating
contest. Patriots ate as many Oreos as they
could, and the winners received Superstars.
Zach Eastland, a spirited volunteer for
Spirit Day, dressed up every single day in
eccentric outfits. On the first day of Spirit
Week, Zach wore his entire baseball uniform, complete with cleats and a baseball
cap. Zach displayed his “Patriotism” by
dressing up in a red, white, and blue profusion on America Day. Once Twin Day came,
Zach was part of a group of quintuplets that
dressed in jeans and white shirts. Plus, he
became Siamese twins with Harrison Garf
as they conjoined in a sumo-sized jacket
and matching hats. On Crazy Sock Day, he
showed off his style with a pair of kneehigh, rainbow-striped toe-socks. He ended
the week on Black & White Day, with an
abundance of black and white garments.
Paul Revere Charter Middle School 7
Patriots make a touchdown on November 5th with a giant dodgeball game in the gym.
Students are star-spangled on Tuesday, and show their patriotism with Mission Impossible.
#twinning! On Wednesday, students paired up and competed in the Ski Race in the gym.
Everyone showed off their fab footwear in a crazy sock fashion show on Thursday in the gym.
Patriots were clad in black and white on Friday, and participated in an Oreo-Eating Contest.
8 November/December 2012
THE TOWN CRIER
Paul Revere Charter Middle School
FNL Brings Comedy to the Revere Stage
By CAROLINE BAMBERGER
“Live from Revere it’s Friday
Night!” exclaimed 8th grader and
musical guest, Mira Robinson, to
a full auditorium, kicking off the
sketch comedy show. On November 16th, a cast of students revived
an old Revere classic, FNL, with
two shows at 6:30 and 8:30 in the
auditorium. The students were selected by new director, Matthew
Cassaro, based on both personality
and confidence. Accompanied by
a tech team of Pali and Revere students, Cassaro rocked his first show.
With rehearsals starting in early
September, the group had plenty
of time to prepare skits from SNL
and other comedy shows as well
as three video segments filmed on
October 27th. Skits were chosen
in a cast brainstorm session where
the cast shared sketches they enjoyed and types of characters they
thought they could portray. Cassaro picked skits for them to read
through and “narrowed it down to
the ones that work best for the arc
of the show.” Roles were distributed
to all cast members, with the eldest
students receiving the most roles.
The cast included Caroline Bamberger, Ava Frascati, Ethan Jones,
Sam Korobkin, Hannah Levvine,
Rebecca Mabry, Owen Plofker, Renata Robins, Ezra Botansky, Jacob
Taff, Lilly Wagner, and Justin Wolman, as well as the six ‘Fly Girls’,
and the seven Choir members.
The show took a more serious
turn during the musical performance. Accompanied by a chorus
of students from all grades, Mira
sang Cindy Lauper’s ‘True Colors’. The show closed with yet another “Sad Song” followed by a bow
from all the cast and crew and a
performance of “Gangnam Style.”
(top) Ezra, Rebecca, and Lily eat a Thanksgiving dinner for “Debbie
Downer”. (bottom right) Mira sobs during “Sad Song”, while eating
ice cream with Caroline. (bottom left) Ezra in “Jeopardy” as Ozzy.
This Fall, the Sky Falls
Justin portrays Alex Trebek in ‘Celebrity Jeopardy’, while Sam (Sean
Connery) and Ezra (Ozzy Osbourne) are the contestants playing.
On Her Toes
The Ballet Center of Santa Monica is
performing “The Nutcracker,” starring Revere’s own 7th grader Anna
Davtyan, who twirled her way into
the lead role as “Clara,” and 6th
graders Shelby Tzung and Gabriella Feingold who leaped into the
roles as “Party Girls,” and “Crystal Bells.” They will be performing
with over 80 other dancers at the
Wadsworth Theatre in Brentwood
on Dec. 7 at 7:30 p.m., and Dec.
8–9 at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. More info:
www.westsideballet.com
–Bettina Papageorge
By LILLY McCLURE
The world’s safety depends
on him. His name is a legend, and
women fall over him. Unbelievably, James Bond’s legacy started
with just a book. The iconic character 007 was created by writer Ian
Fleming in 1953. Little did he know,
soon his twelve novels would become famous, and would become
an important part of this generation’s entertainment.
Now, half a century later, fans
all over the world, and Revere,
are celebrating James Bond’s 50th
anniversary and remembering
the now 23 movies full of action,
drama, action, mystery, action, romance, and more action.
Sean Connery was the first
actor to play the iconic character.
A very well recognized actor at
the time of the first Bond movie,
he began the 007 craze in the fifties. He played Bond for nine
years, and starred in seven of the
22 movies to date. While playing
the iconic character, Connery was
noted as one of the most attractive
men alive, bringing in the female
audience. But Connery’s time as
the British agent soon ended, and
George Lazenby took the reigns.
Now, blasting forward to the
present (in Bond’s vintage convertible Aston Martin, naturally)
we get to Daniel Craig, the current
Bond. Craig has starred in three
THE EVOLUTION OF
JAMES BOND:
(1954—1961)
Sean Connery
(1962–1971)
David Niven
(1967)
George Lazenby (1969)
Christopher Cazenove
(1973)
Roger Moore
(1973–1985)
Timothy Dalton
(1986–2002)
Pierce Brosnan
(2006–Present) Daniel Craig
The progression of elite Bonds are
portrayed above, beginning with
Connery and ending with Craig.
Bond movies, with Skyfall being
the third. Our present generation
has grown up with Craig being
Bond. Though Craig wanted “Skyfall” to be his last film as Bond, he
gave in and signed for two more
movies.
Daniel Craig
in ‘Skyfall’
Skyfall
Directed by Sam Mendes
Starring Daniel Craig
and Javier Bardem
A
You’d think that with all
the twists Bond movies have
taken, people would be used to
surprises—but apparently not.
Having just seen one scene of
Skyfall, jaws were dropping and
gasps could be heard. Adele’s
“Skyfall” plays dramatically and
we’re taken to MI6, 00 Headquarters. M, the head of MI6, is
taken to met with the Intelligence
and Security Chairman, about her
own pending retirement. We flash
to Bond (currently living carefree
and drunk on an isolated island
after being shot by his own secretary Moneypenny), and he sees
an explosion in England on the
news, so he heads back to London...Bond is back in business!
Skyfall has definitely lived up to
its expectations, with new actors
and characters, a new villain (a
highly praised Javier Bardem),
and a new Bond girl (Bérénice
Lim Marlohe). Some parts of
the movie were predictable, but
for most of the movie the audience couldn’t take their eyes
off the screen. The movie definitely doesn’t “crumble” under
the pressure that the past movies
have put onto it. –Lilly McClure
Skyfall
Adele
A
The 007 films are not only famous for their mystifying plot twists
and fast paced action scenes, but
also for the chart topping singles
produced for light of the movies. The newest addition to this
collection of songs is Skyfall,
written and performed by the
Grammy winning artist Adele.
In the song, Adele sings an
emotional lyric, that builds to a
powerful chorus that blows audiences away with a wave of eerie
but touching lyrics that sing ‘we
will stand tall/ and face it all’,
the true spirit of James Bond.
Overall the song envelopes audiences in mystery and metaphors,
and Adele’s incredibly unique
voice ties it all together. Skyfall clearly soars above expectations.
—Julia Monkarsh
November/December 2012
THE TOWN CRIER
Paul Revere Charter Middle School 9
Layout by SHANNON LEE and BETTINA PAPAGEORGE
Baskin Robbins is the obvious choice when
If you’re looking for original and unique
ice cream flavors, Coldstone Creamery is
it comes to finding the best place for ice
cream. You can choose from any of their
the way to go! They can be personalized
with combinations of favorite flavors and
31 flavors all with special, unique tastes. If
you were to try every flavor, it would be so
toppings mixed for you. None of them
hard to decide on just one. This is the best
compare to the classic and creative Coldstone inventions. From the waffle cones to
place to get almost every flavor of ice cream
the candy, options excite customers of all
from “Cookies and Cream” to “Rainbow
ages. Although Coldstone Creamery is a
Sherbet”. Overall, Baskin Robbins is by far
the best place to buy everyone’s favorite ice
little more pricey, its creamy, high- qualcream flavors. —Abner Santiago
ity is worth any cost. —Shannon Lee
Coffee Bean is obviously tastier than StarI think that Starbucks is better than Coffee
bucks. Starbucks doesn’t take as much time
Bean because of it’s obviously superior
on making their drinks, so they taste bland
taste. The quality of Starbucks drinks are
and watery. Coffee Bean puts more effort in
much better, especially the Pumpkin Spice
preparation, making their products flavorful
Latte served during holidays. Coffee Bean
and delicious. They aren’t machine made,
has a version of the drink. In comparilike Starbucks drinks that have an unnatural
son, Starbuck’s product was much more
flavor. I know I will spend my money at a
flavorful, and you could actually taste the
naturally good place like Coffee Bean, not
pumpkin. All in all, Starbucks is the best
at some over-hyped company that makes
choice for drinks, and Coffee Bean can’t
compete. —Miros Valipour
“fake” drinks.—Alon Levi
I prefer iChat over Skype. In iChat, there are
features like screen sharing and the quality
of the audio chats is superior. The graphics
are unique and it is more organized. It has
many features you can customize such as
images for chat windows, or changing fonts.
It links to AIM and AOL so you can use it
on any device. Skype is slow and doesn’t
have these options, while iChat has fast
connection. iChat is a better program than
Skype communication. —Matteo Zabrucky
A few years ago, a man sat down to tell his
children how he met their mother. Eight
years later, the show has won six Emmys,
eight million plus viewers, and an entourage
of HIMYM fans. It follows five friends,
Ted, Marshall, Lily, Robyn, and Barney
through Manhattan, and Ted’s search for
true love. With a stellar cast, non-stop
hilarity in every episode, slapstick humor,
and relatable moments, it is one of the best
comedies on television. —Sam Harrison
Adam Levine’s voice and band make him
better than Katy Perry! His music videos actually make sense, unlike Katy Perry’s with
people dancing around in ridiculous costumes. He’s got “Moves Like Jagger,” while
she’s still “Waking up in Vegas.” Katy’s
wacky style of clothing look like someone
from Candyland, while Adam’s laid-back
style appeals to more fans. Katy Perry
is “The One That Got Away,” and Adam
Levine is here to stay. —Niko Papageorge
I think that electronic readers are much
better than books. When you go libraries
to check out books, you don’t want to haul
them home. Instead, you could instantly
download them to your electronic reader.
With the simple click of a button, books
transform to look and weigh as much as just
one page. If you have multiple books, you
store them onto the device. The readers are
easy to use, portable, sleek, and a great form
of new technology.—Angel Ogwo
Overall, vanilla is so much better than
chocolate. With vanilla, you get a smooth,
creamy, sweet taste. With chocolate, it can
become bitter and rough in texture. It is too
rich at times- why I don’t like it. Vanilla
desserts, like ice cream beat chocolate. any
day. It smells so sweet, I can’t help but take
a bite! Just the look of vanilla makes it that
much better. Just imagine, would you rather
eat something that looks like a creamy treat
or a pile of goop? —Adam Toubian
Skype is a much better instant messager
than iChat. It has a better format, and is
user-friendly. You can get Skype on your
phone and take it wherever you go on a
portable device. Another great feature is
that you can communicate with friends
and family from anywhere in the world.
You can talk by typing or chatting through
video or calls, and have both private and
group conversations. Skype is free, fun,
and simple to use. —Claire Suisman
Pretty Little Liars is one of my favorite
shows to watch! New surprises every
week keep me and other fans coming back
for more. The suspense, shocking revelations, and never ending mysteries make
it one of the most popular shows of the
year! The spot on acting makes every situation believable. No show that I’ve ever
watched compares to the drama it serves
up weekly. If you’re not watching PLL
you’re missing out! —Marissa Angelich
Katy Perry is a singer who has impacted
others’ lives in many ways. Her rebellious side got her involved in music all
over the world. “Firework” and “Wide
Awake” inspire people of all ages through
the rough times because of their personal
connections to her motivational music.
She’s “The One That Got Away” from
her parents, kept her “Part of Me” away
from Russell Brand, and has her audience
“Wide Awake”through it all. —Jojo Levey
Books provide an enjoyable experience
when reading, more than any electronic
reader. Readers run out of battery, and
make you stop reading in the middle of a
story. Normal books can’t die out, so you
don’t have to worry about being cut off
mid-sentence or hurting your eyes from
screens. Feeling the cover of a book in
your hand is more satisfying and memorable, and can’t be copied by any kind of
new technology. —Alicia Abramson
Chocolate is the perfect dessert. It’s sweet
and it goes well with many things. Vanilla
is boring and flavorless compared to this.
I love how chocolate melts in your mouth,
something vanilla can’t do. The smell of
chocolate is mouth-watering; vanilla is
bland and unappealing. People might shy
away from decadent chocolate but they
are missing out. Why choose plain vanilla
when you can enjoy delicious, flavorful
chocolate instead? —Meghan Jone
10 November/December 2012
Paul Revere Charter Middle School
Revere’s first Patriot
to achieve Fantastic
Four, Hunter Parker,
shows off his four
shirts: Superman,
Flash, Sub-Six, and
Iron Man.
Only Two Reach Fantastic Four
By CLAIRE SPECTOR
and HANNAH SHABTIAN
“Some people said they were
faster or smarter than me, but my
response was that I am great at
all attributes,” says eighth-grader
Hunter Parker. “Therefore, when
Mr. Lafolette told me about the
Fantastic Four, I knew I had to be
first to get it.”
Hunter has been working
hard for the past couple of years
to reach this goal in which a student must gain all four special P.E.
shirts: Superman, Iron Man, Flash,
and Sub-Six/Wonder Woman. As
a seventh-grader, Hunter earned
Sub-six and Iron Man. When
working for Sub-Six, he would run
the mile every Friday to try to get
better times. This eventually paid
off when he got 5:29 one day, thirty seconds under the requirement
of six minutes. In order to achieve
Iron Man, Hunter had to run five
consecutive miles in under forty
minutes. He earned this shirt with
a time of 38:55.
Superman and Flash soon
joined his collection in eighth
grade. After completing ten pole
climbs in under five minutes, with
a time of 4:51, Hunter was well
on his way to achieving his goal.
However, he still had one more
shirt to get, Flash. “Flash was the
most difficult so I literally had to
graph all my attempts to find my
solution,” he stated. But still he
overcame even this by running
two Sub-six miles back to back
with a time of 11:52. And so it
became that finally, with all four
shirts in tow, Hunter Parker’s goal
to achieve the astounding feat
Revere’s second
Patriot to achieve
Fantastic Four,
Isabella Viana,
proudly wears her
Wonder Woman
T-shirt.
known as the Fantastic Four has
been reached.
Fantastic Four was next
claimed by another eighth-grader.
Isabella Viana came into the picture. Over the span of her two and
a half years here at Revere she has
steadily earned each of the shirts
required to reach this achievement.
As a sixth grader, she climbed a
little higher up the ladder of success…and a little higher up the
pole than most patriots, when she
accomplished Superman. This
task involves the person to climb
the pole ten times in five minutes,
which she beat with a time of 4:11.
Later, as a seventh grader, came
A girl must run a
mile in under 6:30
in order to wear
this colorful shirt,
which was inspired
by a famous
DC Comics
superheroine.
Wonder Woman when she ran a
mile in under six and a half minutes. This feat was accomplished
in 6:03. Eighth grade zipped by
as Isabella gained Flash and Iron
Man. Her two miles under thirteen
minutes was completed with 12:57
and her five mile run was done in
37:40, below the cutoff of forty
minutes.
To accomplish this achievement known as the Fantastic Four,
it takes motivation. What their
inspiration is, is different for everyone, and Isabella’s is running.
Along with that, it seems she also
had something to prove. “I just
wanted to show everyone that just
because I’m small, doesn’t mean I
can’t accomplish something big.”
Teachers are also seen on
many days wearing the shirts. “We
wear the shirts to promote the P.E.
program,” says Mrs. Walker. “The
more interest in running and exercise, the better!” Students will see
the shirts and get an idea of what
they want to accomplish, sports
wise, during the year. “I know I
can do the Iron Man, maybe Wonder Woman after some training,”
says Ms. Walker. “The others…
not so sure,” she admits.
Mr. Foxson (top left), Ms. Walker (top right), and Ms. Chen and Mr. Lafolette
(above) try to inspire students to run faster by wearing themed shirts.
November/December 2012
THE TOWN CRIER
Three Sports, One Goal
By: HANNAH SHABTIAN
On Sun., Oct. 21st, Palisades CharterHigh School hosted its second annual Triathlon. There are three parts in the race: a
5k run, 10k biking, and a 175-meter swimming event. With a lineup of 4 people; Elise
Angelich, Marissa Angelich, Bettina Papageorge, and Autumn Wagner, the experienced team ran an overall time of under an
hour.
The runner of this team, Autumn Wagner, started off the race. “It was very nerveracking beginning the race with the run. The
most challenging part was keeping a steady
pace. As much as I wanted to pass the people ahead of me, I stayed back so I wouldn’t
get too tired,” says Autumn.
The 10k biking portion of the race was
covered by two people; Marissa Angelich
and Bettina Papageorge. Bettina biked 4.8
miles uphill, and Marissa did the remaining 5.2 miles, at which point Elise Angelich
took over, swimming the final laps to the
finish. “The hardest part was waiting for
my event. I was SO nervous,” says Marissa,
“But I still think I did really well.” Starting biker Bettina says,” I wasn’t completely
Paul Revere Charter Middle School 11
prepared because I didn’t know about it
until a week before,” she explains, “I tried
to get in as much biking as possible.” Her
partner, Marissa Angelich, finished off the
biking event. “It was a lot of fun competing
for charity. Having my best friends on my
team made it a great experience.” Friends
and family cheered the two bikers on as
their part came to an end and Elise’s swim
to the finish line began.
“When I saw Elise coming towards
the finish, I was so excited. Even though I
was really tired from all the biking, I still
cheered her on till the end,” Marissa says,
”It felt good to be done, finally finished with.
Throughout the whole race I was practically
shaking, but once we finished, I couldn’t believe it. It just felt THAT amazing.”
Happy that it’s finally over, Autumn tells
The Town Crier, “It was really challenging,
but I’m glad I shared the experience with
my friends!”
After completing the race, the group
went home to rest, getting ready for their
“finishing party.” “It was very exciting,”
says Bettina,” When I was asked to do it I
wasn’t sure how it was going to go, but our
team did a great job!”
Eight grader Charlie Sherman races towards his third victory in the Cross-Country meet.
X-Country X-Citement
By CLAIRE SPECTOR
Marissa, Bettina, and Autumn show off their shirts and metals from the Pali Triathlon.
The Revere Riders rode to victory on
Thursday, November 15th. They won every
division in the 2012 Cross Country Meet.
The meet was held at our very own Paul Revere Middle School with visitor teams from
Culver City and Corpus Christi. Although
we competed against two other schools, we
still managed to keep the first place slots.
Our fastest male competitor was eighth
grader Charlie Sherman, followed by sixth
grader Brent Smith and eighth grader Hunter Parker.
When it comes to our girls, eighth grader JJ Wittbrodt crossed the finish line first
with seventh grader Jite Agege and eighth
grader Shannon Lee not far behind. A few
of our runners had a blast during the competition: “I felt really excited because this
was my first year and I came in 2nd overall,”
said Brent. Shannon has also added that, “I
was very tired and out of breath, but also
relieved. This was my first year doing crosscountry, and I’m glad that I’ve found a sport
I really love.” However, behind our large
success, there are still a few things that can
help us be even better the next time around.
Mr. Foxson strongly encourages more kids
to come out for the program. He also says
that, “If the kids run on their own (non-pepdays) they will be UNSTOPPABLE!”
Soccer Club Scores a Winning Season
By EMI AREVALO
WHOOSH! The soccer ball zooms towards eighth grader Cole Stanton, and he
barely has time to block it. Now in control
of the ball, he passes to Jack Gutheim who
scores with ease. Cole Stanton has been
playing soccer since he was 9, and is now a
member of FCLA (Football Club Los Angeles), a soccer club.
Other players include eighth graders Sebastian Skaaning, Jack Hockley, Jared Anwar, Cody Bahan, Bill Batbayer, Grant Ebner, and as mentioned before, Jack Gutheim.
Their positions are as follows: Sebastian: center defender, Jack H: center midfielder, Jared: left defense, Cody: right midfielder, Bill: center midfielder, Grant: right
defense, Jack G: forward, and Cole: center
defender.
FCLA is instructed by their coach,
Liema, and they have practices on Tuesdays
and Thursdays. Usually they have one game
per weekend, and occasionally tournaments
in which they play 3-4 games per weekend.
“We work hard, but it pays off when we win
our games,” comments Cole, “There are
times when we know we can mess around
and others when we have to work hard and
focus.”
Cole was inspired to play soccer because
he thought it would be fun, and is still playing today. “You have to be really good to
have a future in it.” Says Cole when asked if
he sees a future for him in soccer. Although
he believes a future in soccer is practically
unattainable, he and the other team players
are all really good friends.
Cole says that being part of the team, everyone has to work hard, or the team doesn’t
flow right. “A team is like a puzzle, it only
works when every piece fits together.”
12 November/December 2012
Paul Revere Charter Middle School