Jaguar News

Lenient or appropriate

2012-03-06T11:20:00.000-08:00

What is Stoller doing to enforce the rules?

Every day is the same routine of getting up and getting ready for school. But have kids ever put much thought to what they are wearing? Is the dress code appropriate or to restricted of what clothing is out there.

The dress code consists of no:

-Hats, bandannas, hoods

-Spaghetti straps, halters, backless tops, all clothing must cover undergarments and they must cover middriff when reaching above head

-Short shorts

-Skirts that are higher than fingertips

-Sleepwear

-Clothing that is gang or tobbaco related

-Heavy coats must be removed once in the building

-Pants must securely fit at the waist

But the question is, does everyone agree with the dress code choices? Male sources believe that hats and hoods should be allowed at school, they cause no harm but teachers do not agree. A certain Ms. George has seen kids wearing clothes that are against the dress code. To inforce the rules she has sent out a letter at the beginning of the year that parents and students must sign, which agrees to wear appropriate P.E. clothes. "I'm okay with hats but when it becomes a game of throwing them around that’s when its not okay."

            Every teacher we interviewed has agreed to one thing; the dress code is perfectly fine and in fact lenient compared to other schools which include uniforms.

            Ms. Baas admits to constantly telling kids to "cover up" with a sweatshirt or to "pull up your pants." She agrees that girls wear more revealing tops and shorts, while boys have the hat, hood, and sag factor.

            Anonymous student has complained of having hats and hoods on the list and that they should be removed.

            Mr. Wilsie 7th grade green hall, math teacher has said that he would like to have a stricter dress code, especially for teachers, like a tie and dress shirt.

But besides having a dress code at Stoller there is also trending clothing that are going through the school. It's still winter but girls are already wearing skirts and shorts. And the guys of Stoller wear shorts year round. So should anything be done to keep us kids warm?

             But is the dress code to lenient? Should we have uniforms to cause less problems with the dress code? Uniforms are mandatory at some schools but our schools just has a dress code so why cant kids obey and respect it? These are questions that have gone unanswered at school but what as a school can we do to make it better?

             Uniforms have been considered at school to avoid confrontations about the clothing, but have always been put aside because uniforms are expensive, troublesome, and cause students to resent schooling. Students at Stoller have admitted that they do not enforce the dress code rules but don’t bother to fix it because what kid wants to be told what to wear and when to wear it? Yoga pants have been a problem at some schools and have begun o be recognized at school, but both students and teachers think that yoga pants do not impose a problem unless they are a distraction to others around you, the same with everything on the dress code.

Wolves!

2012-03-06T10:44:00.001-08:00

Wolves
Wolves are the largest members in the dog family. And though wolves don't attack humans unprovoked we think them to be these heartless, viscous animals with no mind on what's prey and what's not. But I am here to prove they do not deserve to become extinct just because we were trapping,shooting, poisoning and many other things. Only to find out later we need wolves and that they aren't really all that viscous.

Curious how many people think that wolves are mean and viscous I conducted an interview with my stepsister Leah who is in high school. She didn't really understand what I was trying. T say at first but then she understood perfectly. " im not really sure what I think of wolves" she said. " they're cute I guess but they're teeth are so huge they could kill you easily!" she stated. After that outburst I went to interview my good friend Alexis.
" what do you think of wolves?" I asked her " well they're powerful but if you don't bother them they won't really think of bothering you." she replied shrugging.

Doing some more research I found out that in the first MONTH of hunting season 2-3 hundred wolves will be killed. It comes to about 6 wolves Per day no wonder they attack hunters! You show up with a gun in their home,and shoot their family? If someone did that to you would you just stand there and let it happen? Well neither do the wolves!

Ipads for classroom education

2012-03-05T19:22:00.001-08:00

By Jackson H.

Ipads can be helpful but sometimes very distracting.

Ipads aparently would be welcomed by mostly every kid i talked to about this matter. There obliviusly so problems with the idea of ipads in class. most of the kids i interviwed said thing would go bad if they dident keep very good track of the ipads. for example ipads could get stolen ,broken or lost. Oher cons could be kids using them for things other than school work. like they might find the code to accses the app store or goof off with other apps or ipad functions. teachers could prevent this from happening with some kind of app protection function with a code lock or something. Virtual text books could come in handy saving school money by being able to transfer text book to each other ipad. Althoh if a student needed to take a text book home he would need the ipad and not all students can be trusted. of corse it depends if the money can afford enofgh ipads for acople of classes.

Some things that were positive like. That virtual text books would save the school alot of money in the long run instead of buying a 75 dollar thex book every time a new one is needed. Also that you need many different text books and that about one for each student would add up fast. if a student had a hard time writeing they could type work to make there writeing ledgeable and get a good grade. A down side to always typing would be that there hand writing would probaly only get worse. ipads could also be used as an easer way to turn in work via the ipads. it possibly might be easer for the teachers to grade stuff through the ipads.One kid said youtube and other things could be help full when working on projects to reaserch stuff. It would be helpful to be able to kids mabey who hurt there legs so they dont need to leave the class room and walk to the co-op. Some kids that i interviewed said that they ownd Itouches instead of Ipads because the were more pratical to transport and cheaper. Altough it would not be a problem in class because they wouldent be carying it around that much and would be good to have a book sized thing to work with.

This is one of the kids i intervewed Takumi he is useing an ipad tho help him with his artical. Its a good example of why to get ipads for class education because you dont need a big computer.

Computer more Like your phone!

2012-03-05T13:25:00.000-08:00

Computer more like phones!

By Rio L, Kai P and John D

Apple is creating a new OS

Look out! Here comes the new Mac OS!

Apple is releasing a new operating system for your desktop to be more like a cell phone. Your computer will work more like the apple iPhone with this new operating system. Apple merged the mobile operating systems and computer operating systems for it to act like a phone. This operating system is coming out in the following year. (The new iCloud service is much more deeply) in the new operating system Mountain Lion. So now your music, photos, contacts, emails, can be synced across your phone, tablet and your Mac computer. iMessages on your iPod, and iPad are taking iChats place and on the new operating system.

That is not all that’s new, Mountain Lion is letting your Mac have game center so you can play against or with your friends and other people that own iPhones and iPads. Now software updates are being pushed through the Mac app store, so now the only way to update your computer is through the Mac app store. The main reason they want the Mac computers to act more like your iPhone or iPads is simple. The complex and functionality of other high tech operating systems there will be the Macs operating system that is new and easy to control. My partners and I had five questions to ask and we had seven people we interviewed and they were kind of confused on what the story was about so we had to re-phrase some of the questions. Kai in his opinion thought that the new operating system was pretty cool, and easy to use.

Mac creators thought that the Mac desktops needed to become more simple like the phones and iPads. The new software for Macs have malware installed into the hard drive. Malware is a type of security installment for computers like Apple computers. iPhones and iPads are just like the lion and Mountain Lion (newest Mac operating systems). Lion is the best Macintosh operating system yet because Mountain Lion is not out yet. The new system however doesn't run the iPhone and iPad apps on the desktop computer but the creators say "not yet". The touchpad(Mouse on laptop) featuring in the new operating system is like the touch screen on an iPhone or iPad.

The new system is good, but the new users may suffer during their transition. Switching to Lion is a hard adjustment even for the veterans of Mac. The new system does not run on iPhones or iPads but it runs on Adobe Flash. The new Macintosh operating system OSX lion is available for $29.99 for those who had the latest version called snow leopard. Mountain Lion will be available in August for $69.99.

The Lion is the latest in a long line of cat name Operation System by apple. The lion is the latest but they want a new operating system (Mountain Lion) for Jaguarondi. Apple is not the only company that is coming out with simpler operating systems for their company. Microsoft's Windows 8 was inspired by there Windows phone, it had an operating system nothing like before. The devices would not only come less open but the operating system creators from the rivals of apple will also become gatekeepers and all companies want to force the use of app stores so they will get more money from the customers.

The more simple the operating systems get the more they will be “open”. The downsides on making simple operating systems is that sometimes the tasks are really easy or they aren’t possible at all. Another downside is that the simpler the more it’s harder for people to try new things. In this new operating system it will include the apps reminders, notes and contacts but of course it will be able to sync with your phone,iPad, and iPod so your reminders, notes and contacts are always up to date. People think that this new operating system will be great and really simple for customers to use once it comes out. The security on this new operating system is very secure and great use to the computer. It will have

If your phone,Ipad,or iPad has lost all its stuff, no worries there is iCloud now installed into the computers hard drive and will now be able to go through all three of your devices. Music, photos, calendars and emails now sync across your phone, tablet and Mac. Mountain Lion (Operating system) came out to developers two weeks ago. You would be surprised on how many people think that Mountain Lion and Lion is going to be like the new phone, pads, and bipods, side scrolling is also included in this new operating system. Founder and creator of this article is the CEO of mashable.com he found this very important and interesting how the new operating system works out. Other things that are coming to Mountain Lion is notifications just like you get on your iPhone or iPad.

Soon or later the line between the two operating systems will disappear into cyberspace. But for now it will just have to stay. Why they want their computers to be more like computers, is because it’s way more simple then other operating systems but it still has it’s downsides. In the coming years operating systems will become more tech and soon computers wont even be needed or they will be put into your glasses or watch or something. But for now until Mountain Lion comes out you will just have to stick with the complicated and hard working operating system we have now. Soon everything will just be more simple and simple and simple till it gets too simple that it will just have to stop at one point. Just recently a new gadget came out and was created for beginners who wanted to learn the guitar. It had a tablet and a plastic made guitar which worked exactly like a regular guitar but with a touch screen tablet. So that’s that and now you will hear from our other partner John who will tell you about the questions and answers we got from our interviews.

Version:1.0 StartHTML:0000000166 EndHTML:0000013057 StartFragment:0000002353 EndFragment:0000013021 SourceURL:file://localhost/Volumes/JOHNLORD/article%202.doc

Our first interview is Ms. Clements

Question#1: If your computer could be like a phone then would you still want a regular computer? Why or why not?

Answer. Yes I would still want a computer for a bigger screen and regular keyboard.

Question#2: When did you get your first phone and what did you think about it?

Answer. I got my first cell phone because she was going to college. I thought it was pretty cool.

Question #3: Did you ever wish for your phone to turn into a computer? Why or why not

Answer. I did because I found it convenient to access things online wherever I was.

Question#4: Do you think your phone is more of a computer than a regular cell phone? Why or why not?

Answer. Yes because the communication device not for talk, like email, internet, social media.

Question#5: If you had a choice out of the three would you choose a cell phone, computer or I pad? Explain why?

Answer. If they did all the exact same thing, I would choose an I pad because of the bigger screen and other wireless accessories.

Our second interview is Mrs. McHenry

Question#1: If your computer could be like a phone then would you still want a regular computer? Why or why not?

Answer. No because it's too big.

Question#2: When did you get your first phone and what did you think about it?

Answer. I didn't want one.

Question#3: Did you ever wish for your phone to turn into a computer? Why or why not

Answer. Yes because I’m not good at texting.

Question#4: Do you think your phone is more of a computer than a regular cell phone? Why or why not?

Answer. Oh yeah, now I can get on the internet wherever I am.

Question#5: If you had a choice out of the three would you choose a cell phone, computer or I pad? Explain why?

Answer. Phone: because the I pad can't call and the laptop can't call.

Our third interview is Mrs. Bolanoes

Question#1: If your computer could be like a phone then would you still want a regular computer? Why or why not?

Answer. I need a computer at my desk; I need it to be big, for other stuff.

Question#2: When did you get your first phone and what did you think about it?

Answer. It was expensive, but there still expensive, but they used to still be expensive

Question#3: Did you ever wish for your phone to turn into a computer? Why or why not

Answer. Oh yes so I can check my bank account, you know cause I’m old

Question#4: Do you think your phone is more of a computer than a regular cell phone?

Answer. Yes because I can do what I want.

Question#5: If you had a choice out of the three would you choose a cell phone, computer or I pad? Explain why?

Answer. I choose a phone and it's more portable, and it is more like a computer too.

Our fourth interview is Ms.Freeman

Question#1: If your computer could be like a phone then would you still want a regular computer? Why or why not?

Answer. Don’t want a phone like that. Not as a computer just calling

Question#2: When did you get your first phone and what did you think about it?

Answer. I like that, it is good for emergencies, big snow storm it was useful.

Question#3: Did you ever wish for your phone to turn into a computer? Why or why not

Answer. No because it's confusing, and it's small.

Question#4: Do you think your phone is more of a computer than a regular cell phone?

Answer. No because I have an old one.

Question#5: If you had a choice out of the three would you choose a cell phone, computer or I pad? Explain why?

Answer. A computer cause it does more.

Our Fifth interview is Emma Williams

Question#1: If your computer could be like a phone then would you still want a regular computer? Why or why not?

Answer. Mobile easy to carry around, you can call customer service.

Question#2: When did you get your first phone and what did you think about it?

Answer. Very lame, I really wanted a flip phone with a full keyboard.

Question#3: Did you ever wish for your phone to turn into a computer? Why or why not

Answer. No, because phones are mobile and computers are not.

Question#4: Do you think your phone is more of a computer than a regular cell phone?

Answer. Yes kind of larger than other phone's it's better and faster.

Question#5: If you had a choice out of the three would you choose a cell phone, computer or I pad? Explain why?

Answer. I phones because I pad can’t fit in your pocket and you can’t get Wi-Fi unless you get a package.

Our sixth interview is Blake

Question#1: If your computer could be like a phone then would you still want a regular computer? Why or why not?

Answer. Yes cause the screen is bigger and it is easier.

Question#2: When did you get your first phone and what did you think about it?

Answer. I thought it was cool but now I want an iPhone.

Question#3: Did you ever wish for your phone to turn into a computer? Why or why not

Answer. No because you can’t call.

Question#4: Do you think your phone is more of a computer than a regular cell phone?

Answer. No because my phone can get apps but

Question#5: If you had a choice out of the three would you choose a cell phone, computer or iPad? Explain why?

Answer. iPad because, iPads they are giant iPhones but no calling.

Our seventh interview is Maggie H.

Question#1: If your computer could be like a phone then would you still want a regular computer? Why or why not?

Answer. Still want computer.

Question#2: When did you get your first phone and what did you think about it?

Answer. I thought it was cool shiny.

Question#3 Did you ever wish for your phone to turn into a computer? Why or why not

Answer. yeah I wish it have internet.

Question#4 Do you think your phone is more of a computer than a regular cell phone?

Answer. My phone is dinosaur. Because it is old.

Question#5 If you had a choice out of the three would you choose a cell phone, computer or I pad? Explain why?

Answer. Phone because emergency.

Is Proficiency Grading Worth Having?

2012-03-05T11:22:00.001-08:00

By Oliver Graumann

The new system of grading confuses many students. Is it really worth having?

PRO, PHP, PNP? What does it mean to students? Most students find this new system strange and confusing. Proficiency grading is the newest grading system that has trickled down from college. It is said that this grading system is a more accurate grading system, but how. Mr. Wilsie says it is more specific, and that children didn't understand what and "A" meant. Turns out, students are more confused about this new form of grading than before. Jackson Hoffert says "It's pointless." People also said that it didn't have the same effect as letter grading. "People are fine with a PNP but when you see
a C you are encouraged to get it up" says anonymous.

In some people’s opinion, proficiency grading is better; Mr. Wilsie explains how proficiency grading helps. He said instead of opinions of letter grading, I can look at the rubric for proficiency instead. Also he noted the behavior that proficiency keeps track of. For example Mr. Wilsie said "People only do enough bad work to get a C and it really doesn't show their skill." Shanin says that it is "pretty stupid" but agrees that it is more descriptive. There are quite a few of people who like this new grading system. One person said "It is a mixed bag but I like Proficiency grading, for people without grade anxiety, it is great." Though the new grading system may confuse some with the meaning, it will be better when people are not so addicted to letter grading, explains Mr. Wilsie

Over all, most students at Stoller Middle School are not used to the PROs PHPs and other grades in proficiency grading. Most of them just convert the proficiency grades into letter grades. Mostly, people make a PHP an "A" and a PNV a "F." Phillip concludes "Schools should just go back to letter grading, teachers don't completely follow it, and it doesn't change much." Proficiency is hard to deal with and it needs more publicity, like assemblies to truly explain proficiency grading, right now, people try to explain what "proficient" really mean. Teachers usually resort to letter grading in the end, also point grading is the new thing to find percents. This proves Phillip's point on that teachers do not follow the system.

Mr. Wilsie points out that proficiency looks at critical thinking, that proficiency is not an opinion, while letter grading is an opinion based on the teacher's feelings. After some upcoming updates to proficiency grading, like taking PWTs out, proficiency grading will be easier to understand. PNV could also be taken out, but it opens the option to show that the student had "no evidence to show their skill at a concept."

There are many arguments supporting, and not supporting proficiency grading. As Mr. Wilsie said earlier, "it's a mixed bag." With the proper improvements, and some time, most supporters of proficiency grading believe that everyone will like the PROs PHPs and PNPs of grading.

507 word

Dance, an Athletic Art

2012-03-02T22:47:00.001-08:00

Dancers on stage performing their talents

By Stephanie Carlson and Alexandra Schmidt

Dance has never exactly been called a "sport", but it hasn't been called an art either, so which is it? We interviewed a few people from the Beaverton School District what they thought.

What really makes an art an art and a sport a sport? If a sport it something competitive and is physically challenging, then why can't sculpting be a sport? You can compete and you are using your hands to build something, but yet it still doesn’t count, but why is this? Take dance for example, you can compete it and you do all those cardio workouts that say, you would do in football practice, but it's still creative. Why does the articulated passion of it make it an art? Is it because dance isn't a "boy's" sport, even though some of the most famous dancers are guys? Probably because it is known as an art not a sport. Your body goes through a lot to be a dancer—it's physically challenging. Dance is a way to make it tell a story without words but with your body movements.

To get some other opinions, we asked a few students, some that are dancers and some that aren't. Kathleen, a summa student from Meadow Park, dances at All-Star Dance Academy, believes that dance is an athletic art. She told us that it is a workout but at the same time it requires poise and style; finally, it is not always competitive. Kathleen also said that different styles of dance have distinctive styles; each type of dance has its own style and technique. Kylie G., a dancer from blue hall, said that she thinks dance is both an art and a sport. She thinks dance is an art because you get to be creative with choreography. She thinks dance is a sport because you can compete. Kylie said that different dances like hip-hop or ballet are both art and sport. Dance is hard work, but if you keep practicing your performance might be very graceful and elegant.

Mackenzie, another Stoller student, is not a dancer but plays basketball, swims and is starting water polo. She considers dance as both an art and a sport. Mackenzie says that "dance may be more beautiful than kicking a soccer ball into a goal, but it requires a lot of endurance." Even though she thinks dance is an art and a sport, she believes that hip-hop, for example, may be both an art and a sport, it is more of a sport, whereas as ballet is the opposite, more art than sport. Hip-hop, in her mind, is more active than ballet is but is still stylistic and creative. Ballet, to her, has more style than hip-hop but is still very active and uses lots of strength and endurance.

Another student from Stoller, in red hall, named Caitie, who also dances at All-Star thinks that dance is an art, "Even though some of it is fast and sharp, it still takes a lot of time and effort. Dancing can be very creative and when you set your mind to it, it is no different than painting a picture." Basically, Caitie is saying dance is an art because even if there is a lot of physical activity put in to it, dance is mainly creative movements. She also thinks that even though dance is rough and fast it still takes lots of skill to perfect.

A staff member, Rima, does not dance, but participates in track and self-training activities. Rima said dance is an art because you have to put in a lot of work. Also, to be a dancer you have to be kind of a perfectionist to get every single move right. Dance is telling a story with the movements of your body, to make it just right, you must practice often and work again and again, like Rima explained in the interview.

Polls say that most people think dance is neither an art nor a sport: eight people think it is both, five think it's an art, and one person believes it is a sport. Dance is pretty, creative, enduring as well as competitive, but not all at the same time. You can say dance is a confusing activity, art or sport, but dance will always be dance. Dance can help people express how they are feeling, it can let somebody have some exercise, or it can just be a really fun activity. To dance, some people do as much as find a stage and put on sparkly costumes and on makeup, but others just go in their back yard and have a good time with their friends.

Dance to you may seem like cute little kids running around in pink tutus not knowing what they are doing, but there is a lot more to dance than that. From soothing ballet, to fast-paced jazz or hip-hop, becoming a professional dancer is the dream of many. When you think of dance, you may only think of something like ballet, but there are many other types of dance, including, jazz, ballroom, hip-hop, tap dance, Irish dancing, foxtrot, waltz, and much, much, more. When you think about it there are tons of television shows about reality dance, like Dance Moms. Sure, some studios may act crazy and out of hand like that but they are some that are more neutral and well you could say normal. However, those rambunctious studios can still have amazing dancers that aren't on stage running around it tutus. Next time you go searching on Youtube for some new hit song or a tutorial or how to beat the next level of Where's My Water try searching for: So You Think You Can Dance or Dance Solo, anything to do with dance. You will find an endless number of great dances and dancers. They look like professional athletes, because they are but they have flawless technique, control and style, the true attributes of a dancer, they can tell a story with no words, just movement.

Pop, Folk, Heavy Metal or Polka?

2012-03-02T20:20:00.000-08:00

Pop, Folk, Heavy Metal or Polka?

By Natalie Paik and Taylor Richmond

Music is an important part of Middle School life, reporter Natalie Paik and Taylor Richmond explores this.

Music brings us all together, at least according to The Beatles. In the ancient times music was used to express emotions. Also, music was used to enhance feelings and express personality. The Africans used it to set their spirit free. The Greeks used it in their eccentric plays. Music is obviously a good form of entertainment. Stoller loves listening to music, but what kind? We shall see.

Simmone says she likes rap and hip hop because "its good and fun. It reminds of the good life, better than the life I live". Rap seems to be a huge trend in stoller. Most of our interviews said they liked rap. For example, Dawson, Charlie, Jake L, Bryce L and our anonymous source all said they liked rap for generally the same reason. "Its fast paced, catchy and very fun to repeat." Said Anirud Venigalla. "Its just good" says Dawson. Charlie Burnett says, "If a music has a good beat and good soul then it’s a good song”. "I love rap because its so. You know. Good and stuff. It makes me feel enlightened and touched by the rap angels" says Anonymous. However, Rap isn’t the only genre stoller likes.

"I like pop because its fun and cute and catchy" says Ashley Bryant. Another Anonymous source says, "Pop is basically all pink and bubble gummy, like me!” Not only girls like pop, guys seem to like it too. Tate Drebes , 6^th grader in orange hall, says "Pop is good because not only is it fun but my girlfriend likes it too". Pop is just as popular and fun as Rap is at Stoller Middle School. Both girls and boys enjoy pop and Rap both and music is not determined by gender or sex. "I feel as if music is sometimes judged on by like… if you’re a girl or a dude. If music is determined by that it’s just another fad or stupid thing that teenagers and stuff think are cool,” says Ankit P. Jake L (sixth grader in orange hall, stoller middle school) adds, "Music is something personal and good to you. Don’t let your friends say that you should like one thing or another. I like folk, pop and death metal. Imp a completely diverse person."

Kata Winkler also has a similar view on music. "Music rules. It totally defies anything like art and drama. Its so common but so different. Music can totally make your day. It enhances your mood, whether you are down or completely and utterly happy. This only happens though if you like the music you listen too. Say you really like rock but society tells you to like stuff as fake as auto tune. Eventually your going to not like music at all but if you listened to your heart and listened to rock then you really get the full effects of music on you". As she says this eyes shine with passion. "I love music to the fullest. Music is so uplifting and it’s got me through some tough times." She adds. Its true music can do this.

Another person, Ishmael D. agrees but does not agree with that it can show your personality. “Sometimes, people listen to music that represents their feelings, but not their actual personality. I know I listen to the blues when imp sad and pop when imp happy. My ipod is so spread out across genres that one day im listening to eighties pop then the next im listening to hardcore dubstep. Anything with a beat I will love, but anything with genuine lyrics I also enjoy” he says with gusto of pride. Real genuine music also is a big thing when it comes to Stoller. Caleb says that he likes rock because “it’s so much better and has more soul that pop”. Richard G. respectfully disagrees. “Pop is just as genuine as rock. If anything, it has more soul even though it’s flourished with auto tune and a beat. Adele, Bruno Mars and Kelly Clarkson all have soul and can sing pop.”

“Music is such an important thing, I can’t believe we can’t even listen to music during class or reading time. I know I work at least five times more efficient and better with music on. It helps me concentrate instead of getting off task,” says Nathan P. Everyone I interviewed said music always helps them concentrate whether it’s exercising or reading or doing homework. Sneha Sinha says “My mom lets me listen to music when I do homework but when I don't listen to music I don't seem to function as well as I could with music I guess”. Ive asked all interviewees if they listened to music when they did their homework and 90% of them answered yes. Its been proven that with some people, white noise concentrates them from other distractions such as other people or things around them.

Hanna Winner has done an experiment for the Green/Orange hall Stoller Middle School science fair showing and proving that when you listen to music that you genuinely like you are more efficient and fast when doing homework (math problems to be exact). However, like all Middle School science projects, human error could be evident in this expiriment.

Some people like music just for the fact the song is catchy. “Rap is a good genre because its so catchy and has an awesome beat” says Bryce L. “Oh my god, they’re is a guy in my math class who always repeats the Pokémon theme song or the narwhale song or the badger song to me during work time and im not sure if its because he wants to annoy me or he genuinely likes the music” says anonymous.

Obviously, people have different views on music. It’s important just to accept different peoples views.

Apple vs. PC

2012-03-02T18:59:00.001-08:00

Why schools only have Apple computers, what students and teachers think about them, and the scoop on next year’s technology

By Alisha M.

Ever looked around Stoller and wondered why it only has Apple technology? Well here’s the deal (literally): The Beaverton School District has a contract with Apple that says that it gets a discount when purchasing that brand of computers. This means that Stoller sends orders for new technology through the district office so that the discount applies. Typically, Apple computers are more expensive than PCs. According to Bobbie Clements, head principal secretary at Stoller Middle School, even with the discount, the Apple computers are still pricier than PCs. Bobbie Clement has even confirmed that the school district would receive discounts when purchasing PCs. You might wonder, then, why does the Beaverton School District, Stoller specifically, continue to purchase them?

The Apple model that is used at school

Well, according to Green Hall math teacher, Mr. Wilsie, when Stoller was built, it was set up for Apple computers, ever since then, it has continued to buy Macs, simply for convenience. The Beaverton School district has been receiving reduced funding for the schools as a result of the economic recession. It is becoming impractical to continue spending such a large percentage of the money on computers when the money can be used for other necessities.

Both teachers and students seems to have a preference for Apple computers rather than PCs. Green Hall science teacher, Eloise Grout, said that the user interface on an Apple is more simple and intuitive. She also says that there are applications that are made for Macs that are convenient for artists and video makers. Charlie Wilsie also said that Macs were more reliable and useful - “There’s no trouble related to Apple computers. They have better graphics and are more user friendly.”

One student in the Beaverton School district who chose to be anonymous said that he/she thought that Macs were fast, organized and, like Eloise Grout, had many useful applications that are not accessible on PCs, such as Photo Booth. This may be the reason why Stoller was built for Apple computers.

Samsung Monitor connected to Acer laptop

The main problem that staff and students in the Beaverton School district find with Macs relates to the fact that they are not cheap. Most families have PCs at home because they are much more affordable. This make converting document from school to home and back a pain. One suggestion would be to use Google Docs, but Microsoft Word has a better spell-checker and copy-pasting back and forth ruins the formatting just as much as converting between an Apple and a PC. Eloise Grout said that one of her students was trying to present a PowerPoint made on a PC at home on the Apple laptop and most of the pictures didn’t work. The words all turned white and the transitions didn’t work at all. The student had to re-do the whole project due to their below proficient presentation grade.

A student in the Beaverton School district said that his family owned only one Mac at home. Apparently, the only reason they bought this computer was for convenience. His family has many home movies that they put on YouTube to share with the rest of the family that lives in other countries. They need iMovie to edit the videos before posting them. iMovie is not available on PCs, along with other useful apps that the family uses, such as Garage Band. The family usually purchases PCs because they have are very good quality, and are much cheaper. These are legitimate reasons and it is good for the family to be concerned with pricing along with quality, can the same be said for Stoller?

Toshiba laptop

According to Florence Richey, principal of Stoller Middle school said that Stoller is taking a step toward becoming PC dominant. Next year, Stoller is looking into purchase several PCs rather than Macs. When asked what made her think of getting a PC rather than an Apple, she said that it was mainly based on pricing. After all, it will be better deal (money-wise) for the school. Some people have said that they thought it was confirmed, but Florence Richey shot down this rumor - “It’s not a final decision.”

She noted that Aloha and South Ridge High-schools are completely PC based. This means that the district does provide some technical support for PCs too, contrary to past beliefs. The question is, how much support? This is one among many facts that Florence Richey is researching. Another reason why she began looking at PCs at all is because she disagrees with most people about Macs because she uses computers only for word processing. She thinks it was unnecessary to spend so much money on an Apple at home when she doesn’t really need it. When interviewed, Mrs. Richey realized she had not actually looked into the advantages of Macs which are mainly the applications. The only con that comes with buying a PC is that the students would not be able to use iMovie or Garage Band. Both of these are used in technology class and are valuable to learn to use. This idea has been brought to the people who fund Stoller Middle School and is still pending. Though PCs may not be the optimal computer for technology class, it seems to be the best option for simple purposes such as researching on the Internet or word processing, so be prepared for them to pop up around the school next year.

Apple picture link: http://www.chiangmainews.com/ecmn/viewfa.php?id=949

Harvard Graduate Turns Into NBA Animal

2012-03-02T13:25:00.000-08:00

Grant Pearson

Hayden Kamakaala

Jeremy Lin a fanomiam in the big apple. Linsanity people are calling him. His jersey is being sold out in almost every store. All he does is lin. Jeremy Lin has lead the New York Knicks to a recent nine game winning streak. This year Jeremy Lin gas made a great name for him self.
This amazing point gard comes out of no where and leads the Knicks to many great "Lins." Jeremy suffered raicism when he was a kid. He ignored that and kept trying his best. This made him so humble in the NBA. He never brags and always try's his best today. Dawson says he calls Jeremy Lin linsanity. I think he is so good because he is beast. He is a good player because he can drive really well and he is clutch with his shots. He is one of the best today. He is incredible. Lin is so humble because he is a lovable guy and cause he doesn't want other to be treated like he did when he was a little kid. As you can see Dawson is a Knicks fan but Jeremy’s humbleness is one of the best things about him he does not brag at all and he always is trying to get better. Mr. G says Lin is an outstanding player. He is starting to prove he is one of the best players. He is showing great leadership on the court and off the court. He is just a good moral. Jeremy Lin is bringing a different type of basketball to the NBA. He is bringing some thing we have never seen before. Mr. G thinks he is just a one time thing he isn't going to be consistent on this winning streak and is going to drop and face real life. But even no he lost to Miami last week he has shown improvement to him and his team. He is going to get better and defeat wade Kenton Bosche and the heat next time. Jeremy Lin is the first Chinese born in the united states to make and start in an NBA. Ben says I think he is an outstanding all around player. Because he knows the game. He is definitely the best. He is a good all around player cause he is clutch and also he went from living and sleeping on his brothers couch to NBA all star in a week. Jeremy is a better all around player than car mellow because car mellow is more of a ball hog and and Jeremy Lin is a better overall player because he can see the court way better and he is a quicker and faster than car mellow. Jeremy Lin has the fastest release than any of the NBA players and he also has the quickest fake and drive than anyone. Mrs. Allen says he is the most talked about player in the NBA (flavor of the week). His humbleness does help him in the games also he is a very loveable guy. He hasn't proved he is one of the best players in the NBA lebron still has a way way way better record on him. So or Ron is a way better player. Lebron and Lin went these to head and Jeremy had to run for his money. Meaning he didn't do so good. Maiami ended the Knicks lining streak. A lot of NBA superstars are great players on the court but not to much off the court. Many players do well on the court but do stupid things off the court. Jeremy Lin however is a different story. He is a true player on the court and isn’t doing dumb things off the court to loose respect of people. Jeremy Lin, the Harvard graduate is the talk in New York, even as the Giants are coming off a superbowl victory. Jeremy Lin was undrafted out of Harvard and didn’t get a scholarship to attend Harvard. Jeremy Lin was sent to the developing league 3 times after college but has recently been leading the Knicks to a 9 game winning streak with little or no help from Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire. Many people don't understand that when yofu are making millions and have contracts at your feet it is easy to get caught up in the hype.

Joesph Triman said “ I really like Jeremy Lin because he is chinnese and he isnt a ball hog, in my mind he is a better overal player than alot of point guards in the NBA. I also like him because he is not a showoff like alot of NBA stars”. Alot of Jeremy Lins fans like him because is very humble and very polite. Many people wouldnt believe this, but he doesnt want to blow his money before he knows if he will be making it for more than just a week, so he has been sleeping on his teamates and brothers couches. I think this is really smart because he is not going out and blowing his money on million dollar houses but he is just being quite and humble about it. He is also turning down many interviews and offers for companies, he did this because he didnt want his teamates to be feeling like he is taking all the credit for the victories. Carson Holly says “I like Jeremy Lin because he has good handles and is a very good teamate. He seems like a guy i would want on my team because he has tallent and would not make hurtful comments to or about the team”. Ben Teeter said “I like Jeremy Lin because he is kinda the sideline story like hasnt be a all star all his life. He didnt realy get noticed all his life but because of his hard work and dedication he has turned himself into a star”. Many people dont understand being a superstar is not its all its cracked up to be, if u say something wrong about your team or coach you job could dissapear in front of your eyes. Thats something Jeremy Lin is doing very well. On the few nights he has lost he has tooken the blame. Lin has not put anything on anyone but himself for the losses. The most impressive thing he has done is letting the team taking the credit for the wins.

Could Texting In Class Effect Your Future?

2012-03-01T23:59:00.001-08:00

By: Addie W.

With kids texting in class and grades going down the toilet something needs to happen, and fast!

A seventh grade student gets her report card in the mail, she looks it over, and is in total shock! Her GPA is 1.8! She says, "how could this have happened?" Well, this girl had texted in class everyday, she texted her mom about later that day, texted her friends about hanging out after school and went on Facebook to see what was happening. This made a wrong choice from the beginning, she texted, which caused her to not pay attention, which caused her grades to fail.

I took a poll on the Stoller blog to see if kids texted in class, I found that 61% of the kids admit that they have texted in class before! After hearing that news I went to interview some student form the ages 12-15 about texting in class and if they thought it affected their grades. One student said," if you have a smart phone you can access the Internet and cheat on tests if you wanted to so I think that's bad, but if you are just texting your friends that's not bad." I also interviewed some teachers and they had a few ideas on what to do about cell phones. They said that it would be nice to see stricter policy's on no phones outside of their lockers and maybe even see a phone blocker so that kids can't text.

All teachers think that phones and texting affect kids grades and bring them down. But one student I interviewed has a different opinion he says," you can still focus on your work evaluate if you are telling someone to stop texting you or just text your friend really fast then go right back to your work." Most kids agree that texting will affect your grades badly but they still text in class. Why is that you may ask, most people say it is easy to get by and not get caught because teachers are not good at catching students. One teacher remarks," It is not easy to pay attention to what kids are doing while you are teaching the rest of the class." But some teachers think that they are good at catching students and that they can tell when their hands are under the table or see when they look down for a long period of time. But what should happen when they catch them and take the phone away? Students say that they should just keep it and not send it down to the office because it makes it harder on everyone. Teachers think that if they find someone texting that they should not punish the whole class by confiscating their cell phones but just have the one individual get in trouble.

Texting in class has become a huge problem that needs to change because it is lowering students grades, distracting others in the class and it is also very disrespectful to the teacher that has worked hard planning the lesson. If people keep texting in class, especially in high school the amount of kids that go to collage could dramatically decrease. We want all kids to go to collage and be the best of their ability. So try to leave your phone at home or in your locker during school, it could change your future.

Another Costa Cruise Accident?

2012-03-01T23:20:00.000-08:00

By Sneha M. and Rawan T.

One month ago Costa Concordia, a cruise ship from Carnival cruises had a crash. On February

Costa Concordia run aground

27 2012 another Costa ship had a problem.

As you are peacefully eating a scrumptious dinner aboard a beautiful luxury cruise ship when the power goes out and panic breaks out there are people running and screaming, it is chaos. When the captain comes on the intercom everyone settles down to hear, and listens very closely as he tells you that everything is going to be fine, and you believe him and go on with life waiting for the power to come back on. You currently think everything is okay but while in reality you are stranded and are floating in the middle of the Indian Ocean.

On Monday February 27 the Costa Allegra ship was stranded in the Indian Ocean. Apparently, a fire broke out in the cruise line's generator room. The company said that "The shipboard fire-extinguishing system and emergency procedures were activated promptly and special fire-fighting squads extinguished the fire."

Costa Allegra in the Indian Ocean

Now, as you may remember the same company last month had another huge ship wreck with the Costa Concordia another cruise ship, killing 32 and still leaving some missing. Some say this company should close, others say it shouldn't. We asked Sam T. and this is what he told us, “I am not going to ride any cruise ship especially from Carnival, because it is not safe. I don’t think the company should close down, but I do think they should improve safety checks and take precautions. I’m a little more scared of cruise ships now. I don’t know if the company should be sued, but I will leave that to the people who got impacted. I think both the captain and crew should be blamed because the captain should have told everyone on board and the crew should have had a smart reaction, and not scared everybody.”
Now you may think that thy are just fine, but they really are not. With all the conditions they are in right now, they also have a risk of Somalian pirates attacking them. Currently the cruise liner is stranded in the middle of the Indian. , but everyone is on edge for the cruise ship is floating in pirate infested waters. There were almost 150 attacks on ships from Somalian pirates in that area. Nine members of the Italian Navy are also on board, tasked with security against pirates.
They are keeping their eyes open for any attacks, or coming across any weird ships.

The ship at Mahe early Thursday morning. The company Carnival has said that on February 28 a helicopter is sending 400 flashlights and fresh bread to more than 1,000 passengers. Crews are inspecting the engine room, hoping to restart equipment to make the ship operational. When the luxury cruise liner reached shower the first order of business was showers and hot meals for over 1,000 passengers and crew and passengers are ecstatic to get off the crippled boat, here is Eleanor Bradwell a passenger on Costa Allegra he said “We are just elated to be off the ship." Eleanor and her husband Gordon along with the 636 passengers and 413 crew members; eight of which were American, were aboard the month long cruise that stopped many times at island nations off the coast of Africa. They said that they were eating breakfast on Monday when the alarm went off. “There was a bit of chaos and confusion,” Gordon said. “They were very disorganized and unprofessional in the way they handled it.”

February 29 2012. The passengers and crew will be put on planes and sent home immediately. With the power out, people are not allowed in their rooms, so they are sleeping on the deck. With no running water they had to drink and wash with mineral water. As of food, they are eating fruit, cheese, bread, and cold cuts and fresh bread is being flown in on helicopters.

The 2 Costa disasters are taking a toile on Costa’s revenue, now that the company had a 35% drop in bookings. Both disasters have people worrying, as a person who decided remain Anonymous said "It makes my fear of cruise ships greater, and I don't plan on going on a Costa cruise anytime soon." "I am happy that no one died but Carnival really should increase safety precautions, this is the second time." Anonymous said. But two people did get injured from falling on board, one a broken leg the other a shoulder. After all the passengers have been through the company is offering a compensation for the disaster that happened on the cruise by offering full compensation for the cruise, flights, and spending on board, and a week or two vacation in Seychelles with all expenses covered, Passengers who do not was to continue their vacation will receive vouchers for free travel on any Costa ship in the next two years. But the company says by accepting the vacation you are giving up your chance to sue, also known as an "indemnity."

Carnival's logo

Costa Allegra and Costa Concordia are two names that will be remembered in cruise ship history. While Costa Concordia ran aground, Costa Allegra another ship in the same line lost power due to a fire. Most people say that Carnival should raise their safety level and make sure this doesn't happen again. But these two disasters with more than 1,000 people including passengers and crew on each ship are something that affected thousands of people. Passengers said that it was chaos and everyone panicked and the crews were unprofessional. But too try to compensate for the disaster Carnival is offering a deal, as of now 70% of passengers will take the vacation while the other 30% will be provided with flights home. Costa Allegra another major disaster.