Mustangs Mirror

Civil Rights leader honored for his contributions

2011-02-18T14:23:00.000-08:00

By Abi Martinez and Alejandra Ochoa

Martin Luther King Jr. was a special person to the world. He stopped racism and united all people with different skin colors. Martin Luther King Day is MLK’s birthday, and it is a very special day to remember the person who made our world more fair. Here are some questions that we asked the students, and their opinions on racism.

Q: What did you do for MLK day?
Mrs. Renfro: I went with some Waldo students to Washington Elementary and read books to first graders.
Richie: I slept most of the day.
Kathy: Hanged out with my cousins.

Q: Do you think racism still exists, and how?
R: Yeah, because people make racist jokes.
K: Yes, because people make fun of other people in a different race.

Q: What would you do to stop racism?
R: Tell people not to be mean to someone of a different race.
K: Make posters that say “stop racism”.

Q: Do you think racism is fair?
R: No, because it offends people.
K: No, because it’s not nice.

Q: Do you think that Martin Luther King made a big change in racism?
R: Yes, there’s not that much racism anymore.
K: Yes, because people from different races unite more with each other.

Martin Luther King Jr. was a really good guy for this world. He made peace between whites and blacks. This world now has less racism because of Martin Luther King, and the changes he made in this world. There is still some racism out there, but you can make a change just like Martin Luther King did.

Mustangs reflect on fun football season

2011-02-17T14:14:00.000-08:00

By Nick Swindle & Greffy Tom

Football season has been pretty big here at Waldo ever since it started in 1959. They had a 5-1 season. In 2010, Waldo had a 1-5 season. We wondering about the history of football at Waldo because we both played last season. It was fun, but we would've liked to have won more games.

We asked some of the key players questions about the teams:

Q1: What position were you?
Why you like it?
Q2: Did you make starter and why?
Q3: What made you join football?
Q4: Who were your inspirations?
Q5: What did you do to get prepared for a game?

These were Anchen Rain's answers:

A1: I played wide receiver and I liked it because I got to make touchdowns.
A2: Yes, coach thought I was good.
A3: I like football.
A4: The coach, because he was a leader.
A5: I prayed before a game

These were Jose “Nacho” Alcantar answers:

A1: I play halfback and I liked it because I got to make touchdowns.
A2: Yes, I was good.
A3: I like football.
A4: All NFL.
A5: Go to sleep early.

These were Jonathan Ibanez answers:

A1: I play middle linebacker and I like it because I get to tackle.
A2: Yes, I improved.
A3: I always wanted to join.
A4: My family played.
A5: I stretched before.

It was fun playing, and even though we didn't have many wins we did have a good time. We're both planning to attend McKay this fall, and we look forward to playing for the Royal Scots football team. Playing football is a great way to get out aggressions on the field and that's just one of the reasons that we like it.

Students weigh in on pros and cons of semester

2011-02-16T14:09:00.000-08:00

By Abi Martinez and Alejandra Ochoa

Everybody likes second semester because you get new classes and meet new people. Also, you can learn new things for you electives. Sometimes, it's a bummer because some of those classes are classes that you don’t like. You may not have friends in those classes. We asked people what they thought about their new classes.

Did you get good grades for first semester?
Adriana: No, not really.
Monse: Yes, well kind of.
Mariela: No.

What new classes did you get?
A: Cooking and woodshop.
M: Woodshop, cooking, and office aide.
Ma: Piano, Music Theater, and aide for woodshop.

Did you like you classes?
A: Not really because some of them are boring.
M: Yeah, because in my classes there are nice people.
Ma: No, they’re boring.

Out of all your classes which one is your favorite?
A: Cooking, because I get to eat.
M: Office aide, because I have fun with Emberly
Ma: Like I said, they are boring I don’t find anything interesting in them.

Do you think you’ll get a good grade this semester?
A: If I try hard then yes.
M: If I try then yes hopefully (:
Ma: Yes, except for some because they look hard.

Second semester as you can see, is sometimes good, and sometimes not so much. Did you like your second semester classes?

Did you get good grades for second semester? We like some of second semester classes. We look forward to high school when we'll have more choices.

Library features thousands of books!

2011-02-10T14:18:00.000-08:00

By Martin Ramirez

My name is Martin Ramirez and I went to interview Ms. Nelson and a Student Aide about the library. I like visiting the library, and I wanted to know more about all the books. Sometimes on the weekend I like to visit the downtown library, and it's fun to go to the school library with my classmates.

Q: Do you know how many books are in the library?
A: About 12,000 books!
Q: How many books did you read in 2010?
A: A lot of books.
Q: What is one of your favorite books here in the library?
A: Hunger Games.
Q:How many years have you been working here?
A: Two and half years.
Q: Do you like teaching here in the library?
A: Yes, a lot. I like the students, too.

Andrew Schafer, Student Aide

Q: Do you like being a student aide?
A: Yes, because it's fun.
Q: Would you want to be a teacher when you grow up?
A: No, I don’t want to be a library teacher.
Q: Why did you choose this class?
A: Because I like to help.
Q: What do you do here?
A: Check books and help the students find books.

That was my interview with Ms. Nelson. If you want to know more then you can visit the library and ask Ms Nelson more questions.

Mrs. Hodson might want to be a stunt devil

2011-02-10T14:04:00.000-08:00

By Craig Shively Jr. Miller

I was curious about the work that staff do in the office, so I interviewed Mrs. Hodson about her job. I thought they just took calls, but I learned that they do much more. These are the questions and answers that I asked her:

1. What do you do in the office?
2. What do like about your job?
3. Do you like the people you work with?
4. What’s your favorite thing to do in the office?
5. If there were one thing you could change then what would it be?
6. What’s the worst thing here in the office?
7. If you got a job offer to be a stunt devil, would you do it?

1. Mrs.Hodson said, "I am the office manger."
2. Mrs.Hodson said, "I love helping kids and working with teachers and office staff."
3. Mrs.Hodson said, "I like them a lot."
4. Mrs.Hodson said, "Eat chocolate and work hard."
5. Mrs.Hodson said, "No kids would need to come to the office with referrals."
6. Mrs.Hodson said, "Kids who come down here with referrals."
7. Mrs.Hodson said, "If I get a lot of money."

It was interesting for me to learn that they are kind of funny in the office, and they have a good time doing their jobs. Someday I might want to work in a school office. That would be my Plan C. Plan A is to be a doctor and Plan B is to be a sargeant in the U.S. Army.

Juice and Nachos Desired by Many

2011-02-09T13:52:00.000-08:00

By Erik Lopez and Adolfo Maciel

Pizza, sandwiches, hamburgers, and tacos. These are some of the choices at lunch on a regular day at Waldo. When we asked what food students would like on the menu, about two-thirds of the Waldo population wanted nachos back. Students also complain about the limited variety of beverages during lunch. This brought up some speculation, so we decided to do some investigating.

Q1: Do you like school lunches? If so, why?
Q2: What is your favorite item on the menu?
Q3: What would you like to add to the menu here at Waldo?
Q4: Would you add juice to the menu? Why?
Q5: Are the lunch ladies nice to you?

Jorge Garibay
A1: Yeah, I like school lunches because of the pizza.
A2: Veggie pizza.
A3: Nachos from last year.
A4: I would add juice because milk doesn't go good with lunches here.
A5: Some of the lunch ladies are nice to me.

Diego Hernandez
A1: No, they taste bad.

A2: Cheeseburgers are my favorite thing
A3: I want to bring nachos back.
A4: Yes, because I'm tired of milk!
A5: Yeah, I guess they are nice.

Wishes to Remain Anonymous
A1: Sometimes, because I get hungry and feel like eating.
A2: The Chinese food with noodles is my favorite.
A3: Uh...I don't know what I would add.
A4: Yes, I want orange juice and apple juice.
A5: Sure... except one guy at pizza doesn't ask what you want.

In conclusion, most students at Waldo like school lunches. The nachos were wanted back by popular demand. Juice is also craved by the people of Waldo. Our personal opinion is that most items on the school lunch menu are pretty good, but we still want our juice and nachos back.

Kingdom Hearts engages players in a world of adventure

2011-02-07T14:00:00.000-08:00

By Gerokani Miller

Kingdom Hearts is a PS 2 video game about a kid named Sora. He is chosen by the Keyblade to defeat the Heartless, who go into a world's hearts and destroy the world. As Goofy says,“Look, a star's goin' out!” When that happens, a planet is destroyed.

Sora is met by several characters, including Riku, who is Sora's best friend, but sadly goes to darkness when their island is destroyed. Kairi magically appears on the island during a meteor shower. Donald, Goofy, and Mickey, from “Mickey Mouse” are in it too. Cloud Strife, Yuffie, and Aerith are in Final Fantasy 7. Sephiroth is arch-enemies with Cloud.

Cid, who helps Sora with his Gummi ship, first appeared in Final Fantasy 7. Squall “Leon” Lionheart helps defend Hollow Bastion. Who can forget the Mogs? They are in all Final Fantasies.

I hope this report got you inspired to go out and buy the games. COOL FACT!!!! Roxas is Sora's Nobody right? Well he is also the Tenth Organization member. Roxas SoraX (X as in Roman Numeral). So, I like this game because it is an adventure game that keeps you on the edge of your seat. The graphics are basic, but they look like real people. You have to play it on your own the way you feel. You can be angry and continue with attacks, or you can be peaceful like I usually am in the morning. Happy adventuring!

Three Inspiring Poems

2011-01-24T14:12:00.000-08:00

By Novalynn Bodda

Eyes

Blue, green, brown, or hazel
It does not matter as long as we dazzle
We can be icy blue
Or brown as coffee brew
Green as the basil color in hazel eyes
We will always shine
Just like a rhinestone
No matter where we are we will never let you down
For we are what most people first see in you
We think eyes are the most dazzling thing about you
Believe it or not
We think all eyes are beautiful no matter what color they are
Or who they belong to

Family and Friends

Family and Friends
Are always there
True Friends will always forgive
Family will love you forever and always no matter what
Family and Friends
Will never let you down
They will never forget you if they are true
Family and Friends
Are there when you’re sad
When you’re happy
Glad
Mad
Angry
Depressed
But they will always care
No matter what they say
No matter if they go away
They will always care

The Shadow of Loneliness

There it is again
Am I dreaming?
Why do I keep seeing it?
I see that same shadow nearly every day
It never leaves
It won’t ever stop following me
The shadow of loneliness
Will never leave anyone alone
Not until they find someone
Someone to take away all this loneliness
But I don’t have anyone to talk to
Or to laugh with
So it will not leave until I do
The shadow of loneliness never forgets
It never forgets that it was once with you
And it will never forget me
The shadow of loneliness will come back one day
Not today
But someday it will

Three Somber Poems

2011-01-24T13:55:00.000-08:00

By Deserie Balbaneda

*Without You*

Long hard days, sleepless nights
Non-stop crying, darkness no light
I force myself out of bed
Sadly wishing I was dead
For a life going on without you
Is something I know I could never do
For these hopeless days I have to live
I know there’s nothing I wouldn’t give
To spend at least one last day with you
But even then I guess I wouldn’t get a clue
That you're better where you are
And soon you won’t be very far
For when I am gone too
I'll be there right beside you

*So I thought*

*You said you loved me, so I thought *
*You told me you cared, so I thought*
*You promised me forever, so I thought *
*Then you broke me, so I thought…*
*Now I know how to love*
*No more "thought"*
*Now I know the way to care*
*No more "thought"*
*Now I know the true meaning of forever*
*I think no more…I know*

Still waiting

Do you love me, do you care
Do you even know I’m there?
I sit alone in the night
Wishing you had made this right
You say I’m something you never finished
Well, then I might as well be diminished
Cause if you cared then you’d be here
Instead of leaving me in fear
Of this world so cold and cruel
Without a father, I feel like a fool
A fool for waiting for you to come,
To be my dad but I guess that was dumb
For we both know that I'll always be paying,
For the choice that you made,
It will just leave me waiting…
So I guess I will be patient until that day
That you will honestly come up to me and say
I do love you, I do care
I will always know that you’re there

Music helps enrich students' souls

2011-01-21T14:02:00.000-08:00

By Trevor Fischer

Music can mean something totally different to one person than to someone else. Also, everyone has to have their favorite artist or song for a reason. It could be the rhythm, the lyrics or even how the artist looks. To me, music is mostly just a poem with instruments. Some of my favorite artists are The Beatles, Daft Punk, and Muse.

I wanted to ask a couple music questions to students here at Waldo. The first student I interviewed was Tristan Curr. Tristan said that his favorite band is Green Day and his favorite song is Hurt Feelings from Flight of the Conchords.

The next student I interviewed was Jose Diaz. Jose said that he doesn't really have a favorite artist or song because he likes a lot of different types of music.

The last student I interviewed was Brian Neal. Brian said that his favorite artist was Rocka Rocka Ali, and his favorite song was Billy Jean by Micheal Jackson. One of the questions I asked them was, “Do you think any poem could be made into a song?” and they all said that this most likely could happen.

I also asked them, “Do you think anything else could be made into a song?” Brian said maybe something like a story from class, but it probably wouldn't sound that good. Tristan and Jose said no.

The last question I asked them was, “If you were in a band, what instrument would you play?” Jose said he would play the drums. Tristan said he would probably play the synthesizer. Brian said he would either play the triangle or the spoons.

If I were in a band, I would play the lead guitar. I think a short story could be made into a song. I've written a few songs myself on a variety of topics. I've been playing instruments since fourth grade, and writing songs seemed like the next good step.

Things Students Do After School

2011-01-19T13:58:00.000-08:00

By Kiriell Ganchenko

I wanted to write a story about what people do at home because so you could learn about life outside of school. Nothing surprised me too much. It seemed pretty normal. This is what people said:

1. )Q: What do you do at home?

2.) Q: Do you hang out with your friends?

3.) Q: Do you do any activities with your family?

4.) Q: Do you go on Facebook and talk with your friends everyday?

5.) Q: What hobbies do you have?

Max Macsutenko: 1.) stuff. 2.) yeah sometimes. 3.) no. 4.) scooter, playvideo-games sometimes, work out, play ping pong, and do flips on trampolean.

Jasmin Espinoza: 1.) watch TV. 2.) yes. 3.) no. 4.) sometimes. 5.) I don't know.

Beaunyle: 1.) watch TV. 2.) yes a lot. 3.) no, not really. 4.) yes. 5.)volleyball w/ my sister.

Maya Kersnowski: 1.) go on the computer and text. 2.) yes, all the time.3.) not really. 4.) yes, everyday. 5.) text.

I personally like to finish my homework and then do what I want to do. Things that I like to do include play my iPod, go on Facebook, and make bracelets. I also hang out with my cousins. One of my hobbies is doing tricks on mgp scooters.

Iron Man 2 offers action, adventure

2011-01-18T13:57:00.000-08:00

By Juan Avina

There are two movies so far about Iron Man. I liked the second one better because it has more action, and Iron Man has a new suit. The main characters are Robert Downey Jr., (Tony Stark), Don Cheadle (Rhodey), and Mickey Rourke (the bad guy, Ivan Vanko). I think Robert Downey Jr. gave the best performance among them as Tony Stark because he was a good action hero.

The movies are about two hours long, so it’s not that long. The movie is PG-13, so you can watch it if you are over 13. The movie was about Tony, and everybody knows he is Iron Man. He is trying to save the earth with his friend Rhodey. I wouldn’t change anything in the movie. I liked the ending because they are successful in their mission.

There are also video games about Iron Man. I haven't played them, but they look sort of cool. In conclusion, Iron Man 2 is the best movie I have ever seen in my life so far.

Three Interesting Poems

2011-01-13T13:52:00.000-08:00

By Lauren Johnson

BABIES Little bundles of joy wrapped in your arm,

you start to think, stay the same you’re my little charm. Then they get older and take their first steps,

soon they will find the secrets you kept.

As they get older you want to know

how will they act and when will they grow?

You try so hard to be there by their side,

but you know you can not always be their guide.

As you see them go down the path of light,

they look back and you know you were right.

-------------------------------------------------

What WALDO’S About!!!
Waldo is about friends.
Waldo is about hanging out.
Waldo is about having fun.
Waldo is about standing up.
Waldo is about not backing down.
Waldo is about believing in what you believe in.
Waldo is about teamwork.
Waldo is about helping one another.
Waldo is about being all you can be.
Waldo is about helping the world.
Waldo is about learning about the past.
These are the things that Waldo's about.

----------------------------------------------------

Secret Love :)
A secret love is what I have,
a secret love for you.
I see you in my dreams,
I see you when you walk by,
and when I see you across the street
I feel as if I'll die.
Sometimes I wonder
Where I’ll be in a couple years or so.
Hopefully in your arms,
that I know for sure.
my secret love for you is so
secret you don’t even know,
but my secret love will soon
be revealed, a secret to you I will show :)

New Year's Eve celebrated by many

2011-01-12T14:21:00.000-08:00

By Alejandra Ochoa and Abi Martinez

New Year's Eve is the best time to spend with your family and friends. It's a night to have fun, celebrate, and have new goals you want to accomplish. We went around asking students what they did for New Year's Eve.

Q: What did you do for New Year's Eve?
Kathy: I celebrated with my friends.
Cristal: I celebrated with my family.
Jose: Hung out and spent time with my family.

Q: What was one of your resolutions?
K: To be a better friend.
C: Try to be nice to people.

J: Play more video games.

Q: Did you like celebrating the holiday? Why?
K: Yes, because I like spending time with my family.
C: Yes, because it was the time to show joy.
J: Yes, because we stayed up late and ate A LOT!

Q: Do you think there is going to be some new changes in your lives this year?
K: I really don’t know. We will just have to wait and see.
C: No, I don’t think so, because it’s always seems the same to me.
J: Some but not much.

Q: Are you excited for this New Year?
K: Yeah, I want to meet new people
C: Yes, because I want to see what it is going to be like.
J: Yes, I am.

These are the answers we got from the students we interviewed. Are you excited for this year? What is one of your New Year's resolutions? New Year’s Eve is a really good night to spend with your family and friends, also a new year comes at midnight to greet new experiences.

Pendleton Round-Up offers something for everyone

2011-01-12T14:03:00.000-08:00

By Nathan Ciriano

My name is Nathan. I am from Pendleton, Oregon. I am a Native American. One thing I liked about living in Pendleton was the people. Everybody is nice, and many races are represented. People are from mixed backgrounds.

Every year there is an event called The Pendleton Round-Up. It is a really huge event that takes place during a whole week of school. It's such a huge deal that students get the whole week off from school.

Mainly, Pendleton Round-Up is a rodeo that has a lot of competitions. A few of the many events are Steer Racing, Bare Back Riding, and Native American Relay Race. Also, Pendleton Round-Up has a lot to do with Native Americans. During the whole week of Round-Up, you can set up your own tipi (meaning "house" in the Native American language) and live there in a place called a Tipi Village. It's really cool because sometimes you can stay with a friend if your parents trust you.

Two years ago, that's where I stayed for Round-Up with my cousin and my friend. On the first night of Round-Up there is a play called Happy Canyon. It has been acted out since Round-Up began 100 years ago in 1910. It tells the story of Native Americans and Pioneers living in Pendleton. Another important thing about Round-Up is that hundreds of mini-stores open on Main Street. Also, a carnival opens by the movie theater.

Round-Up is important to a lot of people, including me, because it has a lot of history to it. If you are in Pendleton during Round-Up, I strongly recommend visiting Pendleton Round-Up. It will probably be the most fun you ever had.

Valentines Day activities analyzed

2011-01-10T14:19:00.000-08:00

By Efrasia Alfonin

Every February 14, people around the world exchange candy, cards and even flowers. People can give candy or cards to someone they like, friends, teachers, parents and many more people. Many friends give to friends on Valentines Day. I wanted to ask people what they do on Valentines Day. These are the people that I asked and what I asked them.

A: Margarita
B: Crisol
C: Breana
D: Jesica
E: Graciela

Is there anything about Valentines Day that you like or dislike?
A: What I like about Valentines Day is that I spend time with my cousin.
B: I like that my dad was born that day.
C: Nope, I hate everything about Valentines Day.
D: What I like about Valentines Day is that I get to spend time with friends and family.
E: I like to visit my boyfriend.

Are you going to do anything special on Valentines Day?
A: No, I don't think so.
B: Yes, give presents to dad.
C: Nope.
D: No, I think I'm just gonna go to my friend's house.
E: Yes, spend time with my family.

Are you going to give any Valentines cards or candy out?
A: Maybe to my friends.
B: Yeah to the kids that I take care of.
C: No.
D: Probably.
E: Yes, at my class or different classes too.

Are you excited about Valentines Day?
A: Yes, I'm excited about Valentines Day.
B: Yeah.
C: No.
D: Not really.
E: Yes, a lot

I like that every year when I was in elementary school in my class everyone would bring every person in the class a Valentines card or hand out candy. On Valentines Day I am just going to hang out with my friend. I am probably going to give Valentines cards out to my friends. I am excited about Valentines Day. This is what me and other people are going to do on Valentines Day. What are you going to do on Valentines Day?

Students share resolutions

2011-01-10T14:10:00.000-08:00

By Abi Martinez and Alejandra Ochoa

New Year’s Day is always an important part of the year because it means new beginnings and possibly new people. A tradition for the New Year is making a New Year's resolution or resolutions. Examples of resolutions are losing weight, stopping a nasty habit, spending more time with your family and friends, and getting good grades. We went to ask people what their resolutions would be and here is what they said:

Q: What is your New Year’s resolution?
Mario’s answer: Arrive early to class.
Vanessa’s answer: Get good grades this semester.
Laurie’s answer: Find a boyfriend.

Q: Do you think you will be able to accomplish it?
M: No, because of my friends.
V: Yes, because I believe I work hard.
L: No, but it’s worth the try.

Q: Why did you choose it?
M: Because I don’t want to get in trouble.
V: So I can get a new phone.
L: Because it was the first thing I could think of.

Q: How is it going to help you?
M: I'll get better grades and not disrupt class.
V: I'll not get in trouble with my mom.
L: I'll not be sad.

Do you have any other New Year’s resolutions?
M: No, I can’t think of any other one.
V: Eat healthier.
L: No, there is no other one.

There you have it. Some of our students New Year's resolutions are listed above. Some are for school and some aren’t so much, but to them they're still really important. Do you have a New Year’s resolution?

Winter Break reflections

2011-01-07T14:03:00.000-08:00

By Martin Ramirez

I interviewed Mr. Jones and Ajesh Saini about the winter break about what they did and this is what they said:

Ajesh

Q: If you had one million dollars, what would you buy?
A: I would buy all the cool stuff.

Mr. Jones
Q: If you had one million dollars what would you buy?
A: I would buy a small apartment building in a college town.

Ajesh
Q: What did you do during winter break?
A: Stay home and go shopping.

Mr. Jones
Q: What did you do during winter break?
A: I made a snowman.

Ajesh
Q: Did you spend time with your friends?
A: Yes.

Mr. Jones
Q: Did you spend time with your friends?
A: I saw Mr. Blommendahl and Mr. Sackley.

Ajesh
Q: Is your birthday in winter break?
A: No.

Mr. Jones
Q: Is your birthday in winter break?
A: No.

If you want to know more about the winter break and Mr. Jones or Ajesh you can find them in Waldo Middle School.

Bring on the jeans!

2011-01-07T13:49:00.000-08:00

By Lauren Johnson

Hello people of Waldo, how might you be? : >

I am doing fine, and yes I know you don’t care how I am because
barely any of you know me. I was going around the the school asking people questions about how they would make the Waldo dress code more cool or fashionable. I got some pretty good answers that I think you should hear, and you deserve to know.

The first person I interviewed was Guadalupe Martinez. She said that she would
change the dress code by having people wear different colors. Second , I talked with one of my close friends, Sabrina Lesky. In her opinion, she believes that the students should be allowed to wear the colors black and and yellow, the Waldo Mustang Spirit Day colors.

Next I talked with Ajesh Saini. He thinks that we should be able to wear jeans in dress code colors. After I talked with the students, I went and found some teachers and talked with
them. One of the teachers was Mrs. Cape, other teachers might know her as Paddie Cape. She said that the students should be allowed to wear jeans and whatever materials they want as long as it's dress code color.

Last but not least, I agree with all of the above. That is my story. I mostly knew that the students would say all that, but a teacher, wow, that is surprising!

Student shares about past homes

2011-01-06T14:17:00.001-08:00

By Nathan Ciriano

Haris Khan is my friend. He has lived in New York and India. I was interested in learning more about where he had lived. Here are some questions I asked him about his life.

Q: What was it like living in New York and India?

A: New York I dont know much about because I lived there only the first two years of my life. Then the next 10 in India. School in India is different because students don't go from one room to another, teachers do.

Q: Do you speak perfect Indian?

A: Yes.

Q: What is your favorite food?

A: Biryani. (Chicken and rice with Indian spices.)

Q: What is your favorite color?

A: Red and Black.

Q: What is your favorite movie from India?

A: Once Upon a Time in Mumbai.

Once Upon a Time in Mumbai is a tale of two gangsters from the eras of past and present, whose lives enter parallel paths as they struggle to survive within Bombay's criminal underworld. I was interested in talking with Haris about India because he had told me about it before and it seemed interesting. I would like to visit India someday because I'm interested in movies from there. Lagaan and Slumdog Millionaire are two movies that I have seen from India, and I would recommend both of them.

Love is Something

2011-01-05T14:14:00.000-08:00

By Lauren Johnson

Love is something everyone wants,
Love is something everyone taunts.
Love is something you can't control,
Love is something you need to unroll.
Love is something beautiful to create,
Love is something we will never hate.
Love is something we all need,
Love is something we should always heed.
Love is something that can calm us down,
Love is something that can bring fun into town.
Love is something that we need to see,
Love is something for you and me.

Three Lovely Poems

2011-01-05T13:56:00.000-08:00

By Novalynn Bodda

Whenever I See Him

Whenever I see him
Right in front of me
All I can do is hide the red rush of color to my face
I see him everyday
And I don’t do anything except hide my face when he looks this way
It’s all I can do
To stay focused on school
But whenever I see him
I forget everything else
Whenever I see him
My world turns around
Whenever I see him
I drown in my feelings
Whenever I see him
I can’t look away
Whenever I see him
I want to stay that way
Whenever I see him

When You Were Mine

I try to think
Think back to the time
The time when you were mine
When nothing could separate us
If I could
I would
I would go back
Back to the time
When you were mine
My one
And my only
No one could hurt you without hurting me
And no one could hurt me without hurting you
Now it’s as if none of that happened
Now it’s like you never cared
Like you never loved me or could have loved me

Always Dying

As I go about living my life
I am always dying
I keep telling myself I’m living
But I’m not, I’m always dying
I get older every year
Every month
Every week
Every day
Every minute
Every second
We never stop dying
Even when we’re dead
Always dying
And never truly living
We are always dying no matter what

Random

2011-01-03T14:08:00.000-08:00

By Lauren Johnson

People say I'm always random.
I like waffles.
I don't know why they say that.
You smell like cheese.
I think I'm practically normal.
Have you ever had buttered toast?
I mean seriously, they think I'm bipolar.
I'm going to text you stuff.
I think that's insulting.
Have you ever tasted the clouds?
Isn't that rude?
Goodbye peanut butter.

Students discuss good and bad aspects of classes

2010-12-15T14:18:00.000-08:00

By Trevor Fischer

Everyone has had a couple of classes that they thought were really hard or really easy, and there has to be a reason why. It could be your friends, the teacher, or even the subject. So, I decided to ask some students about their classes and grades. These students requested anonymity.

Do you think having a lot of friends in class is bad for your grades?

A: No, because they can help you with your worksheets.

A: Yes, because sometimes they can distract you.

A: No, because they can help you with homework for that class.

What class would you say is the hardest and why?

A: Science, because the teacher can be mean and I'm not good in that subject.

A: Keyboard/typing because it’s boring and I need to practice a lot for typing.

A: Health, because students keep interrupting the teacher and we get more work.

What class would you say is the easiest and why?

A: Cooking, because I'm with some friends and I get to eat what I make.

A: P.E., because there is no homework and it's fun.

A: P.E., because I like sports and I'm with my friends.

Do you think any of your teachers could try harder to teach you information easier?

A: No, because they are already trying to teach us information in an easy way.

A: Maybe, but they are mostly focusing on the students with bad grades.

A: No, because there are a lot of students for them to worry about.

What advice would you give a student who needs better grades?

A: Do your homework so your grades go up and you don't get homework lunch.

A: Come after school for a little bit.

A: Ask the teacher for help.

In conclusion, some students aren't trying their hardest and they distract others in the classes. I would like to see students do more classwork in class and homework when it's assigned. Some students at Waldo are prepared for high school, but some goof around too much and they will probably have problems later.

Native American students discuss their cultures

2010-12-15T13:42:00.000-08:00

By Nathan Ciriano

My name is Nathan Ciriano and I am a Native American here at Waldo. Being Native American at Waldo is hard because there are hardly any Native Americans at this school. I grew up on a reservation in Umatilla County. There aren't many people there, just about 3,000 people, so it's quiet. There are a lot of sweat houses for prayers. I speak some Umatilla Language.

There are a few Native Americans at Waldo. One of them is Chanti Manon. I interviewed her about being Native American here at Waldo, Pow Wows, and her tribe. These were my questions:

Q: What's it like being Native American in Salem?

A: It's a little bit annoying, but it's normal most of the time.

Q: Do you ever go to Pow-Wows?

A: Yeah, I've been to Chemawa, some in Montana, and Grand Ronde.

Q: What is your tribe?

A: I am Aztec, Osage, and Mazahua.

Q: Have you ever lived on a reservation?

A: No, but my family does. They live on the Blackfoot Reservation, and others live in Montana.

Q: Do you dance in Pow-Wows?

A: I used to, but not anymore. But I still go to Pow-Wows.

Q: What style did you dance?

A: Jingledress.

I think it would be cool if we had a group for Native American students here at Waldo. We could learn more about our languages and our culture. I hope that when I get to college I can find a group like this to become involved with.

Facts about Jared

2010-12-14T14:19:00.000-08:00

By Yessica Rodriguez

My friend Jared has been at Waldo for about two years. Jared does not like Waldo because of the dress code and because she does not like the color of the clothes. Jared's favorite color is red because it is a bright color and it is half of her name.

Jared's favorite season is winter because it's cool and you can wear cozy clothes. Jared wants to be children's doctor or veterinarian because she likes to help kids and she likes animals.

Jared and I like to work together in science. She is a good person to work with because she is nice and fun. I'm glad that I met her this fall.

Mr. Sackley would like to be an astronaut

2010-12-14T14:13:00.000-08:00

By Caleb Lawson

The first thing I asked my counselor was what is your full name. He said Gary David Sackley. Where were you born, and where did you grow up? Tillamook. What are some of your favorite foods? Popcorn, pizza, and Chinese food.

If he could be any animal it would be a bird. If he could pick any career he would be an astronaut. He likes action, adventure, and comedy. He likes to read non-fiction about people and history. If he could go any place in the world he would go to the North Pole because the North Pole is amazing and he wants to meet Santa.

He believes that there is intelligent life outside of Earth because the universe is huge and there has to be more life outside of earth. He’s been to all seven continents.

Mr. Pillegi plays up importance of P.E.

2010-12-14T14:02:00.000-08:00

By Martin Ramirez

I interviewed Mr.Pillegi about Physical Education, or P.E., and why it is important to participate in P.E. We also discussed what games they play the most. This is what he said:

Q: How many years have you been teaching P.E?
A: He said five years.

Q: In what schools have you been teaching?
A: He said in Waldo and Parrish.

Q: Why is it good to do P.E?
A: Because it is good for your body.

Q: How many minutes or hours do you have to do each day?
A: You have to do about one hour a day.

Q: Do you like P.E?
A: Yes, I do.

Q: Do you like teaching?
A: Yes, a lot.

If you want to learn more about Mr. Pillegi then go to the boys locker room and he would be there to answer some questions. Mr. Pillegi is my P.E. teacher and he does a good job with our class.

Karate Kid packs a punch

2010-12-14T13:50:00.000-08:00

By Juan Avina

There are 5 movies of the karate kid. I liked the last one best because Jackie Chan was in it. But it was about kung fu and the title is called the karate kid, so the title should be called the kung fu kid. It is still awesome.

The main characters are Jaden Smith (Dre Parker), Jackie Chan (Mr. Hun), and Taraji P. Henson (Sherry Parker) the mother of Dre. The movie is PG so everybody can watch it. It's about Drew, who moves to China. I liked the last part best, the kung fu tournament. The fighting was pretty cool. Jackie Chan didn't fight in the tournament, but he did some fighting in the middle.

If you haven't watched the movie then go and watch it today or you're going to miss out. I would give this movie 8 out of 10 points. It would've been better with more fighting, but it was still pretty good.

Thanksgiving a time for family, friends, and shopping

2010-12-13T13:45:00.000-08:00

By Alejandra Ochoa

Every year there is a special holiday. This special holiday is called Thanksgiving. We celebrate Thanksgiving because of the harvest that was grown in the early years. Native Americans helped the Plymouth colonists that were freezing and starving, and Native Americans taught them how to plant food in the new world.

Some people gather with their families and cook dinner, like turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing and many more foods. Now every year there is a special event after Thanksgiving; this event is called Black Friday. Black Friday is when all appliances and clothes are really cheap. People wake up really early to be the first ones in the stores. I went and interviewed some students about their Thanksgiving break, and these are what their responses were:

Q: What did you do over Thanksgiving break?

Cristian’s answer: I went to my friend’s house, to Woodburn Outlet stores, and had a lot of fun.

Q: Did you enjoy your Thanksgiving break? Why or why not?

Emberly’s response: Yes, I did, because I spent time with my family and friends.

Q: What did you do for Thanksgiving Day?

Abi’s answer: I went to my dad's house, and my cousins came from California. We ate turkey and watched movies.

Q: What do you give thanks for?

Jorge’s response: I give thanks for having everything I have, and for my family and friends.

Q: Did you go to Black Friday?

Mathew’s answer: Yes, I did. I bought new shoes and clothes.

These were all the answers I got from the people I interviewed. There are some people in different religions that don’t celebrate Thanksgiving Day. I hope you do because it is a special holiday where you can spend time with your family, and a day when you can give thanks for everything you have. Well I hope you learned some things about Thanksgiving Day, and why we celebrate Thanksgiving.

What do you want for Christmas?

2010-12-09T14:20:00.000-08:00

By Abi Martinez

Christmas day is only a couple of weeks away, and a lot of people are excited. The food, spending time with your family, and of course the gifts are all part of celebrating the holiday. So, I went around asking people what they are going to give for Christmas, and what they want for Christmas. Here is what they answered.

What do you want for Christmas?
Mr. Curran: World peace, an Xbox 960 and a 75 Cent CD.
Mathew: A new phone.
Vanessa: A new phone

Do you think you are going to get it?
Mr. Curran: No, because one of them isn’t possible, and the other two haven’t been invented.
Mathew: No, because I haven’t behaved well.
Vanessa: Yeah, because I have good grades so far.

What are you going to give for Christmas?
Berenice: I’m going to give love. (:
Alejandra: Gifts and happiness.

How did you choose the gifts?
Berenice: I flipped a coin.
Alejandra: It seemed like the easiest thing to give.

In conclusion, there are a lot of gifts to choose from, but some people choose some gifts that aren’t possible and haven’t even been invented (Mr. Curran). Also, some of the people I asked chose something from the heart, or they flipped a coin. Remember that Christmastime is a time to spend with your family, friends, and to open gifts, so have fun. Now, what do you want for Christmas?

Life above!

2010-12-09T14:01:00.001-08:00

By Danielle Garcia

This story you are about to read is a story I made up. I made up this story because a lot of young teens smoke and they don't know what will happen to them. I'm hoping this story will change anyone's mind about smoking.

It was November 6, 2009, and I was cleaning my room when I kept hearing noises outside of my window. I went to go look at what it was. I thought it was a bird or something, but when I opened my window something came in and jumped on my bed. It was three inches tall. It was purple and fluffy. I started screaming, but it said, "My name is Isaiah." I said, "What are you doing here? And what do you want?" Isaiah said he wanted to be my friend.

I said OK. So we sat on my bed and he was talking about where he came from and his parents. Then out of nowhere he was saying his leader saw some kids who had white sticks in their mouths and they wanted to know what they were. They didn't have those sticks on his planet.

I told him that they were not white sticks; those are cigarettes. Isaiah asked, "What are cigarettes? Can I try one?" I told him, "NO, don't ever try those!" Isaiah asked why. "That stuff is not good for you," I replied.

Isaiah asked, "Then why do they do that?" I said they do it to look cool, to fit in, or some people do them because of the way they are feeling. Or for no reason at all. Then he said, "You told me that they can kill you. How can they kill you?"

I told him that there are things like lead, nicotine, cresol, and much more that stuff in them that can kill you. Or they can hurt your body. He asked if that would have happened to him, and I said yes.

Then he asked, "Wait, what else can happen?" I told him the results that are not that bad are yellow fingers, bad breath, and yellow teeth. Then he looked at his hands and said, "I don't want that. What's the worst that could happen?"

I told him that you can get cancer. You can get lung cancer, heart cancer, and throat cancer. You can even die. When I told him that, Isaiah's face went blank. He asked, "Do people even know that this can happen to them? I told him yes, most people do. He asked, "Well, can we do something to help?" I told him that there is not much we could do. I told him people have already hurt themselves. He told me that he does not want that to happen to him, so I told him that he would be OK if he didn't smoke.

Now you know some things that will happen to you if you smoke. I hope none of you reading this smoke or think about smoking.

Three Heavenly Poems

2010-12-08T14:05:00.000-08:00

By Novalynn Bodda

Souls

Everyone has one
Some think they’ve sold it to the devil
Some think they don’t exist
People don’t usually think about them
They tell your conscience what to say
Your conscience will never doubt them
But you might doubt your conscience
Most of them go down under the ground to the sadness and loneliness
Few of them go up to the clouds to the happiness and love
It’s not their choice to go up or down
For the body they are in determines if they go up or down
A soul is what they are
And they do exist

Conscience

A voice is all you hear
Although I am much more
And if you don’t believe me
I can’t stop you
For there is no proof of my existence
Your soul will never doubt me though
For your soul is my only friend
And you may never hear me
Just know that I am there
And I know your past and your future
Unless of course you were to believe in me
Then you would hear me when I send messages to you
For I am your conscience
And I am always there

Love Kills

A friend once told me love kills
And I agree
I can feel myself dying as the days go on
I can slowly feel myself slipping away
What I’m really worried about is if it’s a childhood crush…...or more
Love can kill slowly and painfully
Or it can just kill you quickly
Love can repair you
Love can damage you
But mostly love just kills
Love will definitely change your life
But will it choose to kill you or live alongside?

New Year's Day plans shared

2010-12-07T14:18:00.000-08:00

By Efrasia Afonin

New Year's this year is on Saturday. It's always on January 1st because it's the first of the new year. On the 1st, you get to refresh the new year and start over. It's a time to celebrate the new year. I decided to ask what people like to do on new year's and if they celebrate it.

Do you do something to celebrate new years?
A: Yes.
A: Yes.
A: Ya.
A: I guess, yes.

Do you know what you are going to do on new years? If so what is it?
A: I am going with my family to my dad's friend's house and have a party there.
A: I am going to a party with my family.
A: Me and my family are going to my aunt's house and have a party.
A: I'm probably going to have a family dinner and later watch fireworks.

Do you have any new year's resolutions? If you do, are you excited about any of them?
A: No I don't really have any yet.
A: Get good grades.
A: I think I am going to try to get good grades.
A: No, I don't really have any new year's resolutions.

Are you excited about what you're going to do on new years?
A: Yes, because I am going to see all my friends.
A: No, because it's getting old.
A: Yes, because I'm going to be with family.
A: Yes, I think I'm excited.

If you could celebrate new year's day anywhere in the world, then where would it be and why?
A: New York, because it's cool there. There are a lot of people and the ball dropping happens there. I think that's cool.
A: Mexico, because I want to celebrate it with my other entire family.
A: It would be New York because they put up a lot of lights and it's colorful. It looks cool at night.
A: I would say New York because it's beautiful there.

On new years eve my family and I are going to my aunt's house. I'm not sure, but I think we might do fireworks. I can think of one new years resolution. It's to get good grades for every class and maybe keep my room clean. Those are my new year's resolutions. If I could celebrate new year's day any where in the world then I would celebrate it in New York because there are a lot of lights and lots of people. Don't they have parades on New Years?

My friend Sandra

2010-11-30T14:12:00.000-08:00

By Yessica Rodriguez

My friend Sandra has been at Waldo for about two years. We are both in the same grade, which is seventh grade. We hang out during lunch and I like talking with her.

Sandra likes Waldo because of all the nice teachers in the school and because of her friends. Sandra likes being in the seventh grade because she can do more things that she could as a sixth grader. For example, she can choose from different electives such as art.

Sandra's favorite teacher is Coach Ron because he is cool and nice. He is her coach on the volleyball team. She just started this fall.

Sandra's favorite color is red because that is her dad's favorite color and she likes her dad a lot. I'm lucky to have a friend who is as nice as Sandra. She is one of the first people who I met when I came from Houck. Waldo in a nicer place because I know that I'll see her here.

I am a Bully

2010-11-19T14:04:00.000-08:00

By Deserie Balbaneda

I am a bully,
I sit on a high tower making everyone
Wish they could sit up here with me
Atop my tower, I laugh and mock you with glee
I shadow you in the halls hoping you will cry
I torture you with meanness while you think why?
I’ll tell you why…
I am a coward,
I sit on a high tower, but I sit alone with no sound
Wishing I was good enough to come down
Atop my tower I envy you, so I make myself feel better by
Making you feel worse.
But when I come home I am tortured with meanness… but why?

Shrek's adventure entertains all audiences

2010-11-19T13:56:00.000-08:00

By Martin Ramirez

I am going to write about the movies of Shrek. I have seen all of the movies. The movies are funny, and they are for the whole family. This is what I know about the four movies.

Shrek has four movies and all of them are funny. They are for all types of families and for children. The main characters are Shrek, Fiona, Donkey, and Puss in Boots. All the movies are about two or three hours long. The movies are called Shrek, Shrek 2, Shrek The Third, and the last on is The Final Chapter. I like all of the movies. Shrek is a big green guy who tries to get back to his old home that is very far away, and his friends help him on the adventure.

I saw The Final Chapter in the theaters about three months ago. There are games and movies about Shrek. Some of the games are cool and some of them are boring. But the movies are cool.

This is what I know about Shrek. If you would like more information you should look for me. My name is Martin Ramirez.

How My Eyes See Me

2010-11-18T14:07:00.000-08:00

By Danielle Garcia

When we look at ourselves we always find something wrong or something we can fix to make us look better. But when other people see you they often don't see anything wrong.

Many people think that if you don't like the way you look then no one will like the way you look. I interviewed a student here at Waldo that does not like the way she looks, and she thinks no one will talk to her if she is not pretty. She tries to keep herself away from everyone and tries to avoid everyone around her.

I asked her how she felt about herself she said, "I just really hate the way I look. I wish I could look in the mirror and just feel completely comfortable with the way I am, and the way I look. One day it'll hopefully happen. I just don't want people talking about me saying that I am ugly and saying there is some thing wrong. I'm just going to stay away from everyone to avoid this from happening."

This doesn't just happen to her. It happens to everyone. I think people shouldn't care what other people think about them. If people take to heart what others say then I think most everyone would feel bad about themself. They would be negative to themself and others. To me, everyone is special in their own way, and if other people don't like it then too bad. You are who you are it doesn't matter what others think.

Student teacher shares perspectives about Waldo

2010-11-17T14:21:00.000-08:00

By Juan Avina

I interviewed Laura Fitzgerald, a student teacher in Waldo. I think that student teachers are interesting. She is a student at Western Oregon University, and here is what she shared.

Q: What are you studying in college?
A: Education to be a teacher.

Q: What do you like to do for fun?
A: I like to read for fun.

Q: Do you like being a student teacher?
A: Yes, because it's interesting.

Q: What is your favorite thing about being a student teacher?
A: Getting to know the schools, teachers, and students.

Q: What is the least thing you like?
A: I don't have a least.

Q: When are you going to have your teacher's degree?
A: I am going to have my teacher's degree in a year, and it takes 5 years for a master's.

I enjoyed doing the interview. I think that I would rather be a police officer than a teacher, but it's always good to learn about new jobs.

Forever and Always

2010-11-17T13:52:00.000-08:00

By Deserie Balbaneda

Forever and always I'll be there through your pain
For any mistakes or choices you make
I'll be there to guide you on the path that you take
Forever and always I'll follow only you
No matter where you go I'll find a way through
Of all the fire and pain that will cast
Always remember that it will pass
And if not then may the world be burnt into ash
And if I don’t seem to make it through
I'll always remember that I have you

This is a poem about following somebody that you love and care for in hard times. My family is always there for me in hard times, and I dedicate this poem to them.

Volleyball teams brace for new season

2010-11-16T13:57:00.000-08:00

By Cristal Lopez and Kathy Estrada

Spiking, bumping, and setting were among the many skills that coaches looked at during Waldo's volleyball tryouts two weeks ago. About 50 girls showed up to try for spots on the four teams. Just 12 girls were selected for each team. The first game will be today, Tuesday, Nov. 16. Some games will be here and some will be at Leslie. We interviewed some of the players after tryouts to learn how they did and what tryouts were like.

How were your tryouts?
It was cool, but kind of boring at the begining. (Griselda)
It was cool, but it made me nervous. (Monse)
It was cool and hard at the same time. (Kathy)

Do you think trying out is hard?
No I don't, because I already know some of the things. - G
A little bit. - M
A little. - K

Would you work hard to be in one of the teams? Why or why not?
Yeah, I'm already made the team. - G
Yes, I would because I want to be in a good team. - M
Yeah, because I want to be in A-team. - K

What team did you make?
B1 - G
B1 - M
A - K

Are you happy with the team you're in?
Yeah, because it's 2nd best team. - G
Yes, it's 2nd best. - M
Yeah, I am happy. -K

The season will last about one month, and teams will play other middle schools throughout Salem and Keizer. Games start at 3:45 p.m. or 4:45 p.m. and they're on different days of the week. Talk to one of our coaches or players to find out about the games and come support your Waldo Mustangs volleyball teams!

Halloween Dance made some money

2010-11-15T14:21:00.000-08:00

By Gabriel Gutierrez and Martin Ramirez

Did you go to the dance? The Halloween dance was cool, says Gabriel. Students were dancing and break dancing and so was I. I saw a lot of friends at the dance.

We interviewed, Ms. Kiracofe to see about the dance and this is what she told us.
Q: The was dance cool?
A: Yes, she said, yes it was cool.
Q: Did it make money?
A: It did make money. It was more than $1,000.
Q: Did you go to the dance?
A: Yes, I did.
Q: Did you dance?
A: Yes, I did.
Q: When is the next dance?
A: She said it is doing to be in December.

If you want to go to the dance, then get ready for the next chance in December. It will be a winter theme. Have fun! Hope to see you there!

How to Write a Poem

2010-11-15T14:15:00.000-08:00

By Deserie Balbaneda

As you stare at the blank page before you
And don’t know what to write
Just think of all that happened
And how you live your life
Think of your sadness that you hide
Think of your love that is spread so wide
Bring out your imagination and let it soar upon the page
So that now you are no longer locked inside that cage,
The cage that holds you in so you can’t show any emotion
To how you write and live with such devotion
Finally you see the key as you unlock yourself to be free
You let out everything in your head as it swarms around you
In beautiful colors that are no longer dead
Then you stop and look down at what you thought was blank
To see a page full of words woven with such swank

Halloween Dance provides fun for everyone

2010-11-12T13:09:00.000-08:00

By Alejandra Ochoa

Every year Waldo Middle School has a dance the last Friday of October. This dance is called the Waldo Halloween dance. In the Halloween dance you can wear a costume, but you can’t do face paint or wear a mask!

At the dance they play different types of music genres like hip-hop, rock and roll, and many other types of music. I interviewed some students from Waldo and asked them some simple questions about the Waldo Halloween dance.

Q: Have you ever gone to Waldo’s Halloween dance?

Abi’s response: “No, I have never gone to a Halloween dance, and I’ve also never gone to any of Waldo’s dances.”

Q: Do you like going to Waldo’s Halloween dance?

Lvina’s answer: “Yes, I do, because they are fun to go to, and I have a chance to spend more time with my friends.”

Q: Do you think it’s too expensive for a dance ticket? If yes, then how much would you want them to cost?

Cheyenne’s response: “No, it’s not expensive. It's fine the way they are. Unfortunately for some people, it seems expensive compared to last year’s price.”

Q: Would you wear a costume to the dance? Why or why not?

Cristal’s answer: “No, I would not wear a costume to the dance, because I would be embarrassed.”

Q: What kind of treats do you think they are going to be selling at the dance?

Lily’s response: “I think they are going to be selling candy, soda, water, juice, chips, and cookies at the dance.”

These were all the responses I got from the questions asked to the students. Some people have gone to Waldo’s dances and some haven’t. Most people like going to dances, and some people think it’s too expensive for school dances. Every person has their own opinion. You must have been interested in going to a dance, and some of you have gone but some haven't. I went to last month's dance and I thought it was fun. I spent time with friends and talked with them. The next dance is right before winter break, so stop by to check it out!

Students share comments about Christmas traditions

2010-11-12T13:01:00.000-08:00

By Efrasia Afonin

Everyone has a different way of celebrating Christmas. Our family goes to church, then we go home and have a big breakfast. Later we open presents. I decided to ask some of my friends what they do on Christmas.

Do you celebrate Christmas?
Cynthia: Ya.
Daisy: Yes, I do.
Margarita: Ya, because my birthday is on Christmas so I celebrate both.

What's your favorite part of Christmas?
Cynthia: Getting presents.
Daisy: When we eat food.
Margarita: My favorite part is getting presents.

What do you and your family do on Christmas?
Cynthia: We eat tamales.
Daisy: We eat food and watch novelas (a type of television show).
Margarita: We sometimes watch movies and eat tamales.

So these are some of the things that some people like to do on Christmas. Ohter things that some people might do would include spending time with family, singing songs, or providing food for the poor. What kind of things do you like to do on Christmas?

Three Varied Poems

2010-11-10T14:19:00.000-08:00

By Novalynn Bodda

I’m Alone

I feel alone
And depressed
I feel like something bad will happen
I’m worried
I feel on edge
I feel like I’m going to start crying
Any minute now
I’ll feel self-conscious
Because they make fun of me
Because my friends left me by myself
I feel like a loner
I feel alone
Because I am alone
All alone

Feelings

What are feelings?
Why do we have them?
Feelings are…
Mad
Sad
Angry
Depressed
Happy
Glad
We have them to express ourselves
Feelings make connections
Feelings are everything

Books

It starts with a thought
Then a paper and pen
There’s the typewriter
Queue the rewrite
Do more paragraphs
Pay the publisher
Make the book
Sell the book
Buy the book
Read the book
Put it on the shelf
Leave it there for a month
Never read it again

Silly Bandz create fun when used responsibly

2010-11-09T14:22:00.000-08:00

By Nathan Ciriano

As you might know, Silly Bandz are a new fad at Waldo Middle School. However, there are also some problems with them. Writing about Silly Bands seemed kind of interesting, because alot of people wear them, including a few teachers. I interviewed Haris Khan about his opinion of Silly Bands.

Q: Do you collect Silly Bandz?

A: Yes.

Q: Is there a reason why you collect them?

A: I think they are cool, and I can exchange them with friends.

Q: Is there a certain Silly Band that you are looking for?'

A: A green colored electric guitar.

Q: When did you first hear about Silly Bandz?

A: I saw them in school.

Q: Do you think there is a problem with Silly Bandz?

A: Yes, because people fold paper up and shoot it, and sometimes it hurts.

I also interviewed Mr. Conwell about his opinion on Silly Bandz.

Q: Do you think there is a problem with Silly Bandz?

A: When they are used as weapons and not wardrobes.

Q: Do you have a lot of problems with Silly Bandz?

A: Not problems, but when students use them to shoot paper it's an issue.

Q: So you don't allow them in your class?

A: I allow them in my class, but not as weapons. Only as bracelets.

My own opinion is that Silly Bandz are cool to collect, but if they're used improperly they should be taken away. Often I do see people using them to shoot paper. If they are seen doing this, the bands should be confiscated. My favorite silly band is a blue ninja. I'm looking for it, so if you see one then please let me know.

Soccer season underway at Waldo

2010-11-08T14:18:00.000-08:00

By Juan Avina

Soccer season is happening now at Waldo, so I wanted to write about a player and a coach from our school I interviewed Omar Cordova, an eighth grader, and Jorge Figueroa, an instructional assistant and soccer coach. Here is what they had to say.

Q: Who is your favorite soccer team?

A: Omar said, "CHIVAS!!! Who doesn’t like them?”

Q: What do you do for practice?

A: Omar said, “Push-ups, sit-ups, drills, you know, soccer stuff.”

Q: Are you planning to play soccer in highs school?

A: Omar said, "Maybe, maybe not. It depends if I keep up my grades.”

Q: Who is the best soccer player in your team?

A: Omar said, "Me, of course!”

Q: How long have you coached soccer?

A: Mr. Figueroa said, "For three years.”

Q: Did you play soccer when you were a student?

A: Mr. Figueroa said, "Yes, I played in middle school, high school and in college.”

Q: How many students joined this year?

A: Mr. Figueroa said, "About 25 kids.”

Q: Do you see yourself coaching five years from now?

A: He said, "Yes, I do."

I played soccer in elementary school just for fun. My favorite position to play is defense because I like to block goals. If you're looking for a great way to get excerise, then give soccer a try.

Two Somber Poems

2010-11-08T14:05:00.000-08:00

By Deserie Balbaneda

We Are

We are the things your mom and dad tell you to stay away from
We are the things they teach you to say no to in school
We are the things that sound so cool no matter the consequence
We are the things that will ruin your life with one drink or puff
We are the things that you can’t get enough of and want more
We are the things that are addicting fun and cool
We are the things that can kill you if you have too much
We are drugs, cigarettes, alcohol and more

Don’t we sound good?
We are the things they warned you about, but you ignored
We are the things that took your life slowly and cruelly
We are the things that tricked you and killed you
Looks like they were right.

The Pond of Sorrow

In the pond of sorrow you will be blinded by pain
In the pond of sorrow you will be drained
Of all the happiness,
The memories and thoughts
They will be replaced with pain and rocks,
Rocks so heavy they pull you down
As you go deeper and sink to the ground
You will remember the things you pushed away
And all the love that ended with pain.
Your imagination will go flat
Because you now know you can’t turn back
Then as your back hits the floor
You know that it’s over and you will fight no more
So take this warning as a serious threat
So you won’t have to go through this hate and regret
Now you know you should never enter the pond of sorrow
For then you too will have the curse that will follow.

Computer access issues addressed

2010-11-08T13:49:00.000-08:00

By Novalynn Bodda and Lauren Johnson

We wanted to do this interview to see what the students of Waldo thought about some of the websites we aren’t allowed on. Our own opinion is that we should be allowed onto whatever websites we want as long as it's not during class.

Q. Do you think we should be allowed onto Facebook and MySpace? Why?
A. Sabrina Lesky said, "No, kids will want to be on it all the time.”
Q. Should we be allowed onto YouTube? Why?
A. Mr. Gamble said, “No, there’s other things to teach and learn at school.”
Q. Do you think it would be better if we were allowed onto the computers during lunch? Why?
A. Ajesh Saini said, “Yes, it’s better than walking around the halls.”
Q. Does it make sense to not be allowed on Facebook and MySpace? Why?
A. Martin Collins said, “ No, you should be able to.”
Q. Should we be allowed to play games on the computer in our computer classes whenever we want? Why?
A. Ms. Ferdig said, “No, because it's a class and not a time to goof off.”

The results we got shocked us, because we thought that the students would like to be on the computers and other websites more often. Apparently we were wrong. Students complain about not being on the computers more often most of the time, so we thought the students would answer ‘yes’ to these questions, but they did not. People may complain, but in the end what they say they want may not really be what they want.

Students, staff reflect on first six weeks

2010-11-05T13:54:00.000-07:00

By Abi Martinez

These first six weeks of the school year have passed. Students impressed their teachers with their grades and knowledge. This was their first impression on their teachers and a way to show how responsible they are.

I asked some of the students how their first grading period went. Here’s what they answered: Student questions -

Q: How were your first six weeks?

AJ’s answer: My first six weeks were good. I think I got pretty good grades.

Q:Do you think your grades were fair?

Darlei’s answer: Yes, I think they were fair because I got mostly As.

Q:How are you going to help your grades improve or stay good?

Jenifer’s answer: I’m going to take notes to help me on my work.

Q: Do you still like your teachers?

Jaime’s answer: Yes, I still like my teachers because they’re nice to me.

Q: Sixth grader, do you still think middle school is easy?

Jose's answer: No, the classes definitely got harder because I got more homework and classwork.

Teacher Questions -

Q: How do you think your students did these first six weeks?

Mrs.Renfros’s answer: Overall, I think my students did good. I only had to assign homework lunch to a couple of kids. The only thing they need to work on is turning their work in on time.

Q: How are you going to help your students keep their good grades or improve their grades?Mr.Sullivan's answer: I'm going to give them the opportunity to come in after school and finish their work.

According to my interviews, the students first six weeks went good. Except for some rough patches here and there, students were successful, but the students stuck to their work and got through it. Teachers are proud of their students effort, and offer to help them in their school work. Students keep up the good work so the rest of the school year can be good. If you need extra help in classes, speak with your counselor about getting a study buddy. They can assist you in achieving success.

Six Poems

2010-11-04T14:11:00.000-07:00

By Novalynn Bodda

Rain
I shower the world with my brilliance
I bring life to dying plants
Because of some people on earth I am deadly
To the plants when I am sick
When I become sick I am acid rain and pour
So I’m not sick anymore
I love the earth so I do what I can to make it better
The earth is your home so I try to keep it clean
The trees help you live
So I help them live
Rain is what I am
Rain is what I do

October

I’m the month of the chill
I hold surprise within the days
The end of my month is the time the kids like best
That is their favorite time because of the holiday
The adults put out decorations
They have bowls of candy in their houses
The children go to the doors and ask for candy
The adults hand it out
Kids eat it up
I am the month many kids enjoy
I am the month of October
I am the month of Halloween

Pictures
People say you can’t stop time
I don’t believe that
Because I freeze one moment
And one memory for one instant in time
I’m put on computers
I can be colored
I can be black and white
I bring back memories
I bring back happiness
People love me
People cherish me
I believe that if you have the right stuff you can do anything

Teeth
I can be sharp
I can be smooth
I can be jagged
I can be deadly
I am eaten by bugs in your mouth
I am brushed to keep clean
I chew the food of humans
And catch the food of predators
Eventually I wear down
Only after a life of success
Teeth
They provide so much

Happiness is…
Happy
Happiness is what everyone wants out of life
True happiness is very rare
Happiness is your friends
Happiness is your family
Happiness is doing what you love
Happiness is being with who you love
Happiness is being you
True happiness is very valuable
True happiness is like true love…
You never want to let go of it
Happiness is…

What everyone wants
Everyone wants love
Everyone wants something to love
Everyone wants happiness
Everyone wants a good life
Everyone wants to do what they want
Everyone wants to have fun
Everyone wants money
Everyone wants to have a family
Everyone wants a place to call home
Everyone wants everything
Everyone wants to be something else
Everyone wants what they can’t have

Halloween traditions explored

2010-11-03T14:09:00.000-07:00

By Maya Kersnowski and Beaunyle Lang

Did you know Halloween is one of the world’s oldest holidays? It is also one of the most popular and most celebrated holidays after Christmas. A lot of people see Halloween as a time for fun, dressing up and trick-or-treating with friends and family.

Ever wondered what some of your classmates might have done for Halloween? Beaunyle and I did, so we decided to interview people that go to our school and ask them a couple of questions. Here is how it went.

The first person we interviewed on this subject was Cheyenne Nibler. “How does your family celebrate Halloween?” we asked her. “Trick-or-treating,” she answered. The next question we asked her was what she did for Halloween. "I tried to get as much candy as possible,” was her reply.

The next person we interviewed was Alesia Kraemer. “How did you celebrate Halloween?” we asked her. “Well, I planned on hanging out with some friends and maybe going trick-or-treating." What’s your favorite candy? “My favorite candy would be a Kit-Kat. I love Kit-Kats!"

Then we interviewed Sonia Lemus. “What did you do for Halloween?” “Sit at home,” was her answer. We then asked her what she was for Halloween but she said she didn’t dress up. “How much candy did you get?" “A whole bag full of candy.”

What did you do for Halloween? We went trick-or-treating with friends and we had a blast!

Coach Light discusses Mustangs football success

2010-10-29T13:55:00.000-07:00

By Martin Ramirez and Gabriel Gutierrez

We interviewed Coach Light about the Mustangs football team last week because he is the head coach this year. The Parrish versus Waldo game was fun to watch and Waldo won on the road. I (Gabriel) saw a lot of good tackles. These were our questions for the coach.

Q: How many students are playing this year?
A: 36 students this year.
Q: How many games have you won this year?
A: We have won one game this year.
Q: Have you ever got tackled?
A: Yes, last year.
Q: Do you train?
A: Yes.
Q: In how many school have you trained?
A: Many different schools.

We wanted to write about football because we like the tackles, the passing, and we're rooting for our team to win. There are still games to watch in November, so get out there to support the Mustangs. We'll hope to see you there!

An interview with Alejandra

2010-10-29T13:45:00.000-07:00

By Sonia Lemus

I wanted to interview Alejandra because she's my friend. We hang out. She's tall and she plays volleyball. She is in eighth grade.

Q: What is your full name?
A: Alejandra.
Q: Where were you born?
A: I was born in California.
Q: What are some of your favorite foods?
A: I could just think of pizza.
Q: If you could be any animal what animal would you be?
A: I would be a cat because of the claws and because it’s small.
Q: What kind of movie do you like?
A: I like scary movies, comedy movies, and romantic movies.

I thought her answer about wanting to be a cat was most interesting. It was funny. I don't know what kind of animal I would want to be. I do know that I like Mexican food. I like how it's spicy.

Locker partner protocol explored

2010-10-28T14:11:00.000-07:00

By Nathan Ciriano

As you might know, locker partners are kind of important at Waldo Middle School. Some students like their locker partners and some may not. Here are some things you should do and not do with your locker partner.

1. Never steal from your locker partner because they will eventually find out if something is missing.

2. Try and get to know your locker partner because if you are trustworthy they won't do anything to your property.

3. Don't even think about trying to go through your locker partner's stuff because if he/she finds out they will proably do the same.

4. Don't give out your locker combination because it's your locker partners too.

I also interviewed Mark Stinson about his opinion on locker partners.

Q: Do you have a locker partner?

A: Yes

Q: Are there things that you dislike about your locker partner?

A: No, not really because my locker partner doesn't use the locker very much.

Q: Would you rather share a locker with someone else?

A: Yeah, but it doesn't really matter because it's just a locker.

In conclusion, everybody has a locker partner and it's something that you'll have to deal with. Make friends with your locker partner and do for them what you would like them to do for you.

Students anonymously ask questions about school

2010-10-26T14:05:00.000-07:00

By Maya Kersnowski and Beaunyle Lang

We went around Waldo Middle School asking kids if they needed any advice or had any questions about school work, or just any questions relating to school in general. We did a standard interview, except backwards. They ask us the questions and we give them the answers. I guess you could consider this an advice column.

Keep in mind everyone who asked these questions was kept anonymous, meaning their identities will not be shown. The first question we got was “Why do teachers give us so much homework?” The answer to that question is pretty basic; it’s because they want us to learn and they want us to practice the things that we learned in class. The next question we got was “Why do we get a lunch detention if we are tardy for class?” The answer to that is pretty basic as well. It's to teach you to not be tardy to class because no one wants to be stuck in lunch detention.

“What is everyones favorite sport?” To answer this question we decided to go around Waldo Middle School and ask students what their favorite sports are. We asked 13 students that question. A majority of the students said volleyball.

“Why do we have school dress code?” I’m sure everybody asks this question. We all want to know why we have a dress code. It seems unfair right? Well, it’s actually for a good cause. For us students it may seem boring and unnecessary, but teachers think it makes their classes concentrate better and be more focused. We hope we answered a few of the questions you have, and thank you for reading!

Mustangs volleyball players serve up great games

2010-10-25T14:07:00.000-07:00

By Danielle Garcia

Waldo Middle School has some of the best teams. Here at Waldo we have one A-team and four B-teams. The B-team coaches are Ms. Ferdig, Ms. Burks, Ms. Swift, and Coach Erica. The A-team coach is Coach Ron. All of the B teams have had one or two loses except Ms. Burks' team; they are undefeated. They have not lost one game and they have played the best they can. The A-team has fought hard in all their games but had one loss. That one loss was the most intense game they have ever played. All of the girls played their hardest and played smart. Go A-team!

Coach Ron said, "These girls are the most successful set of 8th graders I've ever had."

He knows that all of his girls will finish out the season strong.

All of the volleyball girls that I interviewed said they love volleyball, they love the coaches, and they love to play for Waldo. Next year they are going to miss their coaches and miss playing for Waldo.

Go Mustangs!

Oregon State Fair details shared

2010-10-25T13:49:00.000-07:00

By Alejandra Ochoa

Every year in Oregon state there’s a big event in the summer, this big fun event is the Oregon State Fair! The fair isn’t free to get in you have to pay an amount of money according to your age. The fair is open for about ten days from 10am-11pm. This year it was opened from August 27th-September 6th . At the fair there are all kinds of things like food, rides, music, games, and animals.

Every year thousands of people go to the fair, and I am one of them. When you go to the fair, you have to pay a amount of money according what they are charging for your age. The amount of money that they charge is as follows: 12-64=$11, 65 and up =$6, 6-11=$6, 5 and under= free! If you don’t want to pay that much money you can purchase tickets beforehand at Safeway and they are much cheaper than paying at the fair.

They also sell different tickets, and those are for getting on the rides. They have different amounts of tickets for a different amount of money, like 40 tickets for about $25.

At the State Fair there are all kinds of things like food, games, concerts, animals, and the biggest things are the rides. They have delicious food. One of my favorite foods is the Curly Fries and my favorite dessert is Elephant Ears.

In the games you get to play different stuff to win different things or toys. They have some huge teddy bears that barely any people win. The concerts are good. There are different singers who come and sing or sometimes they even have performers. The animals are some of the things that little kids like to go see. Last but not least they have the big scary rides.

I hope you learned about the things they have like the animals, food, games, rides, and concerts. The fair is fun every year and you get to see different things. This year was really fun but tiring to me. Next year you should go to the fair again or if you haven’t gone at all go and you will see how much fun it is.

Curran shares interesting tidbits about life

2010-10-20T14:10:00.000-07:00

By Caleb Lawson

The first thing I asked Mr. Curran, our sixth grade counselor, was his full name. He said Patrick Christopher Curran . He was born and grew up in Oceanside, California. His favorite foods were steak and shrimp and Mexican food.

If he could have any kind of animal he would have a bear. His favorite type of movies he likes was comedy. He likes to read the Sunday newspaper. He said if he could go anywhere in the world he would go to Australia. Mr. Curran wants to go there because it’s nice there and it sounds fun.

Some qualities he appreciates in a good friend are when they're reliable, trusting, and fun. If he could be a pirate, a cowboy, a ballerina, an astronaut, or a sailor he would pick a cowboy. The reason is because he likes the idea of being free on the land. His favorite weather is sunny in the low 70s with a breeze. His favorite sports are golf and college football.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid entertains readers

2010-10-20T14:00:00.000-07:00

By Nathan Ciriano

Diary of a Wimpy Kid is a well known book that I decided to write about. Diary of a Wimpy Kid is about a teenager named Greg who writes in a diary about what happens during his school year and summer. They also made a movie based on the book. Here is what people had to say about Diary of a Wimpy Kid:

Mark Stinson - Q:What is your favorite Diary of a Wimpy Kid book? Why?

A: Rodrick Rules, because when the mom makes them draw the pictures it's funny.

Q:Who is your favorite character?

A:Rodrick, because he has a funny band name.

Alfredo Arevalo - Q:What is your favorite Diary of a Wimpy Kid book?

A:I like the first because its funnier then the others.

Q:Who is your favorite character?

A:Rowley because he is dumb in a funny way.

Q:What do you think number five will be about?

A:About the new school year maybe.

Diary of a Wimpy, Kid The Ugly Truth is in stores November 9th.

Fatal Auto Accident Leaves Three Dead

2010-10-19T14:15:00.000-07:00

By Abi Martinez

On September 23, Francisco Cervantez(16) , Brittney Green(18)were killed and Jorge Echeverria (18) was injured when a car jumped a curb and hit them at a crosswalk. The students were just coming out of Chemeketa Community College around 2:25 p.m. The police say according to witnesses, a 1994 Chevrolet Blazer was turning on Lancaster Drive when it left the roadway, went over a curb, hit a utility box and then hit the three students. The Blazer also hit another car. Diego Ramos was driving that other car and said he was terrified of what he had seen and couldn't believe what was happening as the Blazer ran over the students.

"It hit one of the guys straight and dragged the other two people under the truck,” Diego Ramos said, according to news reports. "It dragged them in front of me and hopped over my car."These kids were just getting out of school, trying to get their GED, studying and then this happens to them, it makes me feel bad for them and their families."

The three kids were rushed immediately to the hospital. Brittney Green was transported to the Portland Hospital and later died because of her injuries. Fransisco Cervantez also died because of his injuries. The only one who survived is Jorge Echeverria. He was hospitalized in the Salem Hospital and was in critical condition. They held a memorial for Francisco and Brittney who died and they prayed for Jorge Echeverria to get better.

According to KATU.com Sophia Downing 29-years old, the driver of the blazer was taken to jail after the accident. Later she was charged with first-degree manslaughter, two counts of second-degree assault and a DUII (Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants). She went to court on Friday.This wasn't her first time in jail! Sophia had been there for nine years before, for getting in a fight that left one person dead. Sophia said that the kids stepped in front of the car, but the police were informed that a bus behind the Blazer is reported to have recorded the entire incident showing Sophia’s car go up on the grass and hit the students. We hope she gets what she deserves and serves her time in jail.

RIP: Francisco Cervantez and Brittney Green.

Three Poems

2010-06-10T09:43:00.000-07:00

By Gavin Fowser

Summer is fun
It's time to have fun
Kids play games
Kids ride bikes
Kids go to friends' houses
Kids play with their friends
Lots of hot days
But not many cold days
Lots of flowers
But yet no school
No homework
Camping
Fishing
Any thing you can think of
Summer is coming
So pack your stuff and go on vacation
Have a blast it's summer
So have a great summer

I teach classes
I learn every day
I deal with students
I have good/bad students
I have students that skip
I have students that don’t
I have students that like me
And ones that don’t
I have loud classes
I have quiet classes
I have good/bad days
I am a teacher

I am a chair
I am a computer monitor
I am mirror
I am a book
I am a teacher at waldo
I am a water bottle
I am an old classroom
I am a book in the library
I am a desk
I am a chalkboard
I am a brand new chalk board
I am an empty football field
I am an office aide
I am my best friend
I am me

Things That Go Bump in the Night

2010-06-10T09:35:00.000-07:00

By Chrysta Friday

Squeak Shriek
Things go bump in the night
Is it my imagination?
Or is something out to get me?
Clunk bump
More noises in the night
I’m so scared
A cold hand on my shoulder
Nails digging into me
Screams come from my mouth
Blood dripping down my back
I’m fading away
Because of things that go bump in the night

All City Track Meet brings out the best

2010-06-10T09:22:00.000-07:00

By Heriberto Padilla

The All City Track Meet is held so many schools from the area can compete with each other. This year's event was at Sprague High School. There was a 100 meter race, a 400 meter race, a 800 meter race, a 1500 meter race, shot put, discus, high jump, and long jump. Waldo and other school were participating last month.

Here are some people that did well: Jacob Villalobos, a 7th grader, got 7th place on the 100 meter junior varsity race. Mario Robertson, a 6th grader, got 10th place in the 100 meter race. Mercedes Garcia, a 6th grader, got 9th place in the 100 meter race. Trey Hargrove, an 8th grader, got 10th place in the 800 meter race. Alan Garcia, an 8th grader, got 3rd place in the 1500 meter race. Eve Ponce, a 7th grader, got 10th place in the 400 meter race. Juan Lopez, a 7th grader, got 8th place in the 100m hurdles. Allison Thomey, Kim Ponce, Joo Bee Crossler-Laird, and Mee Mee Crossler-Laird got 8th place in the 4x100m relay. Jose Hilario, an 8th grader, got 13th place in shot put and 3rd place in discus. In long jump, Lupita Gonzalez and Mercedes Garcia got a tie of 10th place.

Here are some interviews with the athletes:
Armando Meza
Q: What event did you do?
I did discus and shot put.
Q: Do you think you did well?
Yes, because I was able to get in the all city meet and I tried my best to get a good score.
Was the competition hard?
Yes, because there were a few school we didn’t play against before. Most people didn’t have an idea who we were up against.
Do you think you could have done better?
Yes, because at the meet I tried but I didn’t try hard enough.

Diego Lopez
What event did you do?
Hurdles.
Do you think you did well?
Yes, I tried my best.
Was the competition hard?
Yes, there were some schools that we hadn't competed against before.
Do you think you could have done better?
Yes.

Many people that were in the All City Track Meet and they tried their best. Obviously there were some of the best of Waldo at this event.

Track athletes compete for Waldo

2010-06-10T09:11:00.000-07:00

By Heriberto Padilla

Track is a very interesting sport. I know a few people that are in track. The events I know are shot-put, 400 meter run, and 100 meter run. Many of the people from track were participating in the all city track meet last month. All events are at different high schools depending on which school is hosting. Not all schools get to compete against each other in the all city track meet.

Here are some questions and answers:
Vanessa Caballero
What kind of events are in track?
Long jump, high jump, shot-put, discus, 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, and hurdles.
What events do you do?
100m, 4x100m relay, shot-put.
How often do you have track meets?
Once a week during the season.
What’s your favorite event?
4x100m relay and 100m.
What do you do in practice?
Run, warm ups, and then practice our events.
Are you going to join track next year?
Maybe, because I like running.

Juan Diego Lopez
What events do you do?
Hurdles.
How often do you have track meets?
Once a week.
What’s your favorite event?
Hurdles.
What do you do in practice?
We practice every event.
Are you going to join track next year?
Yes.

If you are interested in track you can contact the office because track is going to start again next school year. For more information you can talk to Mr. Withers.

Summer equals fun for Mustangs

2010-06-09T09:35:00.000-07:00

By Jorge Romero and Cristian Garibay

Summer is near, and it's the hot topic on everyones' minds these days. These are questions we asked people to get information about what you can do over the summer.

Q: What are you going to do over the summer?
A: Daniel said he really doesn’t know what he is going to do. Abraham said he might go to Mexico, and if he doesn’t he will probably go swim or play soccer. Birdie said he will probably hang out with friends. Christian Ventura said he will probably go to Mexico.
Q: Are you going to go visit another state or country?
A: Abraham said yes, probably Mexico. Daniel Flores said Mexico. Birdie said he doesn't really know, and Christian Ventura said yes.
Q: What are some fun things you can do in Salem?
A: Abraham said play soccer, go swimming, and hang out with friends and family. Daniel Flores said he goes to the Kroc Center. Roberto Diaz said he plays outside. Christian Ventura plays at the park.
Q: Do you usually visit places?
A: Abraham said yes, Daniel said yes, Roberto said no, and Christian said yes.
Q: If you had a million dollars where would you visit?
A: Daniel said Vegas, Roberto said Atlantis, Christian said Florida, and Abraham said Florida.
Summer is one of all kids' favorite times of the year because it is nice outside and there is no school. Some places are fun and exciting during summer. Those places are the Kroc Center, Oaks Park, the movie theaters, Bullwinkle’s, and Pietros Pizza.

Fun waits just around the corner!

2010-06-09T09:18:00.000-07:00

By Esmeralda Ramirez & Maria Mota

If you could meet anyone, take someone with you, and go anywhere in the world, who would you like to meet, who would you take with you, and where would you like to go?

We asked Elizabeth Pequeno the same question, and she answered that she would like to meet Robert Pattinson, and she would take her cousin Andrea to meet him with her.

We also asked Guadalupe Martinez where she would like to go and who she would like to meet. She said she would like to go to Mexico to see her family over there, and that she really doesn’t want to meet anyone. How sad!!!

Diana Lopez was the next person we spoke with. Her answers were that she would go to China, and while she was over there she would buy a lot of fortune cookies. She would meet Jackie
Chan, a famous movie star, and Buddha, a Chinese god. How funny! If she could take someone with her, it would be her little sister Crystal, because she is very fond of Jackie Chan.

If we were going somewhere together, then we would like to go to Florida. We want to visit Disney World and go to Busch Gardens. We would stay at a fancy hotel, go on the rides, and meet characters there. Sounds like fun!

Vacation

2010-06-08T09:44:00.000-07:00

By Chrysta Friday

Skateboarding and slurpies are popular
Rest and relaxation spa days
You and I deserve this
Mingling with friends and family
Barbeques, I smell the hot dogs
I hear the summer parade
Entertainment is on the way
Whee! Going down the water slide
Mid-summer is already here
One month until school
I wonder what teacher I will get.
Will they be nice and fun loving?
Or mean and strict
I don’t care right now
Because this is my
Vacation

Students and staff look forward to Field Day

2010-06-08T09:25:00.000-07:00

By Berenice Garcia, Corinne Van Lier & Lupita Gonzalez

This year we have this great event called Field Day. Field Day is for 6th and 7th graders only, since the 8th graders are going on a field trip to Northern Lights movie theater. This event is taking place here at Waldo on the 14th of June. We decided to write a story about the excitement of students and staff toward this event.

Q: Do you have any ideas for field day?
A: Mr. Curran: Punt, Pass, and Kick.
Christian Garcia: We should have indoor activities.
Arthur Dreams: Basketball and soccer.

Q: What are some things that can make field day exciting for you?
A: Christian Garcia: Basketball and football.
Arthur Dreams: Football!

Q: If we could go on a field trip where would you want to go? Why?
A: Christian Garcia: Bullwinkle's because it has laser tag and go-carts.
Arthur Dreams: Pietro’s Pizza and then go to Wunderland.

Q: What’s the best field trip you’ve ever been on?
A: Christian Garcia: Outdoor School, in fifth grade.
Arthur Dreams: Fifth grade, to Bullwinkle's.

Q: What snacks would be good?
A: Christian Garcia: Mexican food, juice / soda (Jarritos).
Arthur Dreams: Fried chicken and Kool Aid.

Q: What would be some good outdoor activities for field day?
Christian Garcia: Soccer, football and maybe baseball.
Arthur Dreams: Soccer and football.

As you can see both students and staff are very excited about Field Day and are waiting with impatience. We are thinking about maybe hanging out with friends, and doing mostly indoor activities then outdoor.

Sixth grade students reflect on their year

2010-06-07T09:54:00.001-07:00

By Lyric Pendergrass and Alexis Garza

Is 6th grade fun for most Waldo students? We interviewed anonymous 6th graders and asked them how their 6th grade year was and how they liked it.

Q. How was your 6th grade year?
A. It was good, I had a lot of fun.
A. It was better than I thought it would be. And I’m happy about that.
Q. Were you nervous to start?
A. Yes, I was nervous to start, but then I got used to middle school.
A. Yeah I was, like any other new 6th grader would be.
Q. Do you think you will like 7th grade?
A. Yeah, I might, but I don’t know yet.
A. I think I will, but I heard it was way harder than 6th grade.
Q. What elementary school did you come from?
A. Washington Elementary.
A. Swegle Elementary.
Q. Was 5th grade better than 6th?
A. Yes! It was way better.
A. Yeah, because we had recess and we don’t have it now.
Q. What do you like about Waldo?
A. I like the students (my friends) here. They make things fun.
A. I like the classes, I guess.

So you can see that most of them liked their 6th grade year. Next year we will have new 6th graders and we’ll have to see how they like it. We liked 6th grade, but 7th grade was better. We're looking forward to 8th grade this fall.

Top Ten Books for Children here at Waldo

2010-06-07T09:29:00.000-07:00

By Alyssa Brown and Thomas Larson

Looking for something to do this summer other than watch TV and play video games? We sure are! These are the top ten childrens' books that you could take home to read to your little brother or sister (or yourself if you like them).

#1 Zoom: We picked this book because children love pictures and that's all this book has. It zooms out to the atmosphere and ends with a black page. Check it out!
#2 The Giving Tree: This one was chosen because this gives a lesson. It tells little kids it’s never too late to give and that sharing is always good.
#3 You’re Special: In this very adorable story the author shares with little kids that no matter who you are, you're special.
#4 Oh The Places You’ll Go: This tells kids that if they believe in themselves they can do anything.
#5 Fibbed Big: In this story the author shares that lying is big but can start out small.
#6 Five Silly Fishermen: This one was just funny so we decided to put it on the list.
#7 Thank You Mr. Falker: Always believe in yourself and don’t care what others say is the message of this book.
#8 The Missing Piece Meets the Big O: You always belong somewhere.
#9 Green Eggs and Ham: This one we chose because we thought that kids can be picky about things and this story basically says that if you don’t like something then try it first to decide.
#10 Knuffle Bunny: It's such an adorable story that we had to put it on the list.

There you have it. These are the top ten stories we recommend to you to take home, buy, or read. If you like childrens' books then you will like these. You can find these books over on the wall next to the computer lab.

Explore nature with Mrs. White as your guide!

2010-06-07T09:16:00.000-07:00

By Anali Juarez and Stephen Doak

Are you interested in doing something fun like going outdoors and visiting fascinating places? If you are then you should join the Exploration Nature Summer Day Camp. If you do, then you will be able to visit many places, learn about the ecosystem, spend time outside, and have fun with your friends. Sounds like a good summer vacation to us. We asked a few questions to Mrs. White about it, and below are some of her answers.

Q: How did this Summer Program start out?
Mrs. White: It was sponsored by the Friends of Straub Environmental Learning Center.
Q: What will you do?
Mrs. White: I will be leading students to certain areas to compare the ecosystems at the beach, Opal Creek, and several other fun places.
Q: Do you like it?
Mrs. White: I like being outside and working with kids who also like to go outside.
Q: How long has it been around?
Mrs. White: Maybe 3-4 years.
Q: How many students are in it?
Mrs. White: There are usually 12 in the middle school group, and 20 in the elementary school group. They are looking for 20 students total.
Q: Do you think the students in the past liked the program?
Mrs. White: The students loved it!
Q: What is this program all about?
Mrs. White: It’s about studying the environment and what our place is in the environment.
Q: When does it begin?
Mrs. White: Grades 4/5- July 19-23, 2010
Grades 6/7/8- July26-30, 2010

While we were interviewing Mrs. White she told us that everyday of summer camp is like a field trip. Because you won’t have to stay in the same place every single time, you will get the chance to visit different places and learn more about them as you go. Other kids enjoyed it in the past so why don’t you give it a try, too? Ask Mrs. White if you have any questions about the program. You may end up liking it!

Waldo welcomes new principal and assistant principal

2010-06-04T10:19:00.000-07:00

By Ana Karina Victoria and Rosio Lopez

We interviewed Mrs. Tricia Nelson because she is coming to Waldo as our new
principal. She answered some questions we had for her. Here are the answers.

Q: Have you always been a principal?
A: No, I taught for 13 years. Most of my teaching was in grades 5 and 6. I
also taught 2nd-7th grades. I am first and always a teacher.
Q: Do you enjoy being a principal? Is it fun?
A: Yes, I do enjoy being a principal. It isn't always fun, but most days are. Being with students is my favorite part of the work I do. I love being in classrooms, working with kids to plan activities for them, and helping them get involved in their neighborhoods to show everyone that middle school students are the best! You have creative ideas, are not afraid to come up
with new ideas, and are passionate people.
Q: Where have you been a principal?
A: I was Walker's assistant principal for 3 years and then became their
principal. I've been Walker's principal for 7 years. Waldo will be my
second principalship.
Q: Are you excited to come to Waldo next year?
A: Absolutely excited! I can't wait to get to know the students and the dreams that they have for their school. I want to know what you want Waldo Mustangs to be known for and then work with you to get there. I will miss Walker students, staff, and families. However, I know that new relationships are ready to be made at Waldo.

Starting in September, 6th and 7th graders be prepared to have a new principal. You might see her around Waldo, so say hi. You might also see Jon Penhollow, who is going to be our new assistant principal for next year. So wish them luck!

Counselors' dedication pays off for Waldo

2010-06-04T10:05:00.000-07:00

By Heriberto Padilla

Have you ever wondered how people get to be counselors? There are three people in Waldo that are counselors. They are Mr.Curan, 6th grade counselor; Mr. Sackley, 7th grade counselor; and Mrs. Brown, 8th grade counselor.

Here are some interviews:
Mr. Curran
How did you get to be a counselor?
By having a genuine interest in helping people, being patient, and being a good listener.
Did you go to college to be a counselor?
Yes, 4 years of college at Western and then I got my Masters Degree from Oregon State University.
Would you want any other job?
No, I love my job. I especially love working with the students, staff, and families here at Waldo.
Why did you want to be a counselor?
I have always liked working with people and knew I wanted to go into a helping profession. Being a school counselor seemed like a good fit.

Mr. Sackley
How did you get to be a counselor?
I went to graduate school to get my degree in counseling.
Did you go to college to be a counselor?
Yes, you first get a bachelors degree and then you get a masters degree.
Would you want any other job?
No.
Why did you want to be a counselor?
I wanted to be a counselor so I could help make a positive difference in the lives of young people.

Mrs. Brown
How did you get to be a counselor?
I got experience from being a substitute teacher.
Did you go to college to be a counselor?
Yes, a total of 6 years.
Would you want any other job?
No.
Why did you want to be a counselor?
I enjoy it, and I like making my own schedules and careers.

If you have any problems go to your counselor and they will help you. I have been a peer helper this year, and you can also go to peer helpers if you need help. Mr. Curan runs the peer helper program, and it's just one of many ways that our conselors make the school better for Waldo students.

Candy

2010-06-03T09:49:00.000-07:00

By Cynthia Rivera

Candy tastes so good
It’s so sweet and sugary
A lot of people love to eat candy
I love to eat candy too
I like to eat candy because there are all sorts of candy
Most of them taste really good
There are some candies that don’t really taste so good
But the ones that do taste good
Are the ones like:
Tootsie Rolls,
Butterfingers,
Hershey’s,
Laffy Taffy’s,
Nerds,
Lollipops,
Crunch,
Jolly Ranchers,
Ring Pops,
Gummy Bears,
Milky Way,
Pixie Sticks,
Skittles,
Snickers,
Smarties,
Starburst.
Those are some of the candies that I like
But there are many more candies that I like
What kind of candy do you like?

Shrek still delivers laughs after three movies

2010-06-03T09:38:00.000-07:00

By Jorge Romero and Cristian Garibay

I (Jorge) saw Shrek 4 last month and I thought it was a funny movie. I really liked the part where Donkey swallowed eyeballs and then they came out of his nose. It was weird and funny. These are all questions we asked people to get their opinions about Shrek 4.

Q: Do you think Shrek was a good movie?
A: David said Shrek is a good movie. Addison Moreno said the same thing as David. Jorge Granados said it’s awesome.
Q: Which Shrek movie was your favorite?
A: David said number 1. Addison Moreno said number 2. Jorge Granados said number 3.

Q: Who is your favorite character?
A: David said Donkey is his favorite character. Addison Moreno said it would be Donkey or Puss in Boots. Jorge Granados said it would be Donkey.
Q: Was the theater full when you went?
A: David said yes.
Q: Have you seen all of the Shrek movies?
A: David said sadly yes. Addison said yes except for Shrek Forever After. And Jorge Granados said yes.
Q: Do you think there should be another Shrek movie?
A: David said no, Addison Moreno said no leave it as it is, and Jorge G said yes make a new one.

We think Shrek Forever After was a good and funny movie and the best Shrek movie. We think there should be a new movie to the series. We recommend people go see it this summer. You will have a lot of fun.

Waldo students, staff share opinions and dreams

2010-06-03T09:19:00.000-07:00

By Michael MacBeane

I wanted to write a story asking students about who they would be or what rules they would make because I care about peoples' opinions. I interviewed seven people about their thoughts.

If you could be any teacher or staff then who would you be?
Zoey: Miss Forbes.
Big Mac: Mr. Pileggi.

Ms. Festa: Sally White.
Liz: Ms. Swinnerton.

If you could make a rule then what would that rule be?
Rachel Hook: More lunch choices.
Sabrina Lesky: Open lunch.
Nathaniel: Boxing as a sport for Waldo.

I personally would like to be a basketball coach because I love basketball and I would like teaching other people how to play the game. If I could make a rule, the rule would be that students could use phones when they wanted to. I hope you liked reading my story.

Dreams

2010-06-02T09:56:00.000-07:00

By Chrysta Friday

Dreams lined up against the wall…
Which one will I choose tonight?
Will it be about meadows filled with flowers?
Or will it turn into a nightmare?
Starting with a beautiful night…
Ending in disaster…
I want the one with flowers.
I want my life to be a dream
Filled with nothing but happiness

But no, I get a life filled with pain
Why oh why can’t I just live a normal life?
No pain no screams
Just once I would like a calm, peaceful day
Not filled with sorrow, pain, and misery
The only way I get that…
Is in my dreams

Attitude

2010-06-02T09:51:00.000-07:00

By Chrysta Friday

She acts like she knows everything
She rules the school
Bullies everyone who doesn’t fit in
Walks around like no one's there
She has a problem
Either she is extremely insecure
Or she just has an attitude
I don’t even know
Here she comes now
She pushes me down,
And everyone laughs
I feel like running away and crying
But running away won’t do anything
If I run it won’t solve any of my problems
The only way to solve my problemis to stand up for myself

Adoption

2010-06-02T09:47:00.000-07:00

By Chrysta Friday

You have heard of it
But do you know what it’s like?
To not know your real parents
To go through life wondering
Do I have any real siblings?
Was my mom pretty?
Was my dad tall?
What are they like?
Were they ever married?
Do they have kids?
Do I have cousins?
Aunts and Uncles
Not knowing, is the hardest thing in life
Your life is a complete mystery
No background information
Nothing
Just mystery
This is the result of adoption

Could more passing time decrease tardies?

2010-06-02T09:34:00.000-07:00

By Jessica Zamarron

I was thinking the other day that we should have more passing time. I interviewed some students and the vice principal (Mr. Wolfe) about what they think and if they would like the idea of having more passing time.

Mr. Wolfe:
Q: Why don’t we have a longer passing time?
A: "We don’t have a longer passing time because two years ago we tried that. We gave the students five minutes and it didn’t impact tardies."
Q: Is there an opportunity to get more passing time?
A: "We talked about it in the Principal's Round Table. We were thinking that we
might put some music on for four minutes and then after the music is over that
means that you only have one minute to get to class."
Q: Was passing time at Waldo always four minutes?
A: "It has not always been four minutes. We tried changing it, but it didn't impact the students'
tardies. Also, most schools have a four minute passing time."
Q: Do you think that if we had a longer passing time there would be fewer lunch detentions?
A: "I honestly don’t think there would be fewer because we tried it by giving the students five
minutes and it didn’t work. I think that if you set your mind to being early then you can."

Courtney Backer:
Q: Would you like to have more passing time?
A: "I would so that I could have more time to socialize with my friends."
Q: How many more minutes more do you want?
A: "I want three more minutes."
Q: "Do you think that if we had more passing time you or other students
might not be late that often?
A: "I don’t think so."

Alexis Martinez:
Q: Would you like to have more passing time?
A: "I would so that kids are not always tardy to class."
Q: How many more minutes more do you want?
A: "I want two more minutes."
Q: Do you think that if we had more passing time you or other students
might not be late that often?
A: "I do because they would be able to get their stuff without having to
run and the teachers marking the students late."

If you are in the Principal’s Round Table then mention this idea to the
new principal and maybe we will be able to get more passing time!

Try something new this summer!

2010-06-02T09:14:00.000-07:00

By Gavin Fowser

This summer many people are going to do something new. One example is Mr. Sackley, who is visiting San Francisco and going to a baseball game for the first time. Another example is me. I am going to the snowy mountains and more this summer. This summer lots of people are going to do something new. A full 2/3 of the students I spoke with will do something new. Take a look at some of these fun activities.

What is your name?
1. Cristian
2. Kenny
3. Lyric

Will you be doing something new this summer?
1. No
2. Yes
3. Yes

What is it?
1. Nothing
2. Great Wolf Lodge
3. Going to California

Why are you doing it?
2. We have done it before and it's fun.
3. We want a vacation.

Now I don’t know about you, but this sounds like a lot of fun. So try something new and you may have fun. If not, then make the best of your summer and have a nice time.

Last Day of School

2010-06-01T09:40:00.000-07:00

By Monserratt Castro

It’s the last day of school.
You can’t wait until it's 2:30 P.M.
You’re too excited
But at the same time you’re going to miss your friends
You’re staring at the clock
You wish the time went on by fast
But the time is going too slow
You have to go to your next class
But it looks like it takes longer than it usually takes
You look at the time and it is barely 9:30 A.M.
As the time passes you get more and more excited
You’re talking about your plans
And that gets you more and more excited you can’t wait
You just wish school didn’t even exist
You’re finally in lunch and the time 2:30 P.M. is getting closer
You don’t even feel like eating because you’re so excited
The time goes fast and you’re signing yearbooks
But that still does not help
The bell rings and you are finally in 5th period
One more period to go
But it seems this class is going fast
Next thing you know you are in 6th period
YES there are 15 minutes left
RIIINGGG it’s the last bell you hear
YAAAAYY the last day of school is over.

Field Day Fun

2010-06-01T09:34:00.000-07:00

By Monserratt Castro

Field day is almost here
A lot of kids are excited
They're ready to have fun
Some are not big fans of field day
Instead they feel like going home
Others are excited because of the games
Others are ready to play new games
They're excited to see the new games for this year
Others are excited instead because it’s the last day of school
So they don’t pay attention at all to field day
But the fans of field day are jumping up and down that field day is here
They can't wait until the time of field day gets here
They're just looking at the clock
But the clock has moved just one minute
The time of field day fun is still not here
But they think the time will go faster if they don’t think about it
But they are thinking about how much fun it will be playing with they're friends
On field day fun
They take another look at the clock
It's getting closer
And closer
The time is almost here
YYYAYY
But there are still 30 minutes left
For Field Day
You take another look and there are 10 minutes left
The teacher tells you to get ready and clean up
The bell rings, the teacher announces let's get out there and have fun
YYYYAAAAAAYYYY
Field Day Fun is here!!!

Students of the Month revel in their success

2010-05-28T09:44:00.000-07:00

By Edith Cisneros, Jennifer Lopez & Jessica Zamarron

We interviewed Mr. LaFountaine to ask him about student of the month.
Q: Why did you decide to do this activity?
A: I didn’t start it.
Q: How did you decide which students to pick?
A: Ms. Swinnerton sends an e-mail to all the teachers and asks which students would make a good student of the month.
Q: How long have you been doing this?
A: I don’t know. At least more than one year.
Q: Has anyone been chosen twice in one year?
A: No, not that I know of.
Q: Has there ever been someone that has been chosen during all three years at Waldo?
A: Yes.
Q: Does any other school do this activity?
A: Yes.
Here are some interviews with students who were students of the month.
Janet Cilderon, 6th grader:
Q: Who were you nominated by?
A: I was nominated by my teachers.
Q: What month did you get nominated?
A: September.
Q: Were you expecting it?
A: No.
Q: What was your reaction?
A: Surprise, because I didn’t see it coming.
Janeyry Reyes, 7th grader:
Q: Who were you nominated by?
A: I don’t know. They didn’t tell me.
Q: What month did you get nominated?
A: January.
Q: Were you expecting it?
A: No, I didn’t even want to be student of the month.
Q: What was your reaction?
A: Shocked.
David Webb, 8th grader:
Q: Who were you nominated by?
A: I don’t know.
Q: What month were you nominated ?
A: September.
Q: Were you expecting it?
A: No, I wasn’t.
Q: What was your reaction?
A: Surprised.

It's an honor to win, or even to be nominated. Teachers look at good grades, behavior, and attendance when making their selections. Do your best and maybe you'll be a winner, too!

Attendance aides give their all at the office

2010-05-28T09:29:00.000-07:00

By Jessica Zamarron

At Waldo there are students who work at the attendance office. They are called attendance aides. They pass out call slips and things like that. There are two to three attendance aides per period. I interviewed one attendance aide and a teacher to see what they do.

Alexis Martinez, 7th grade student:
Q: Why did you want to be an attendance aide this year?
A: "I wanted to be an attendance aide because it sounded fun and I feel like
I’m helping out the office ladies."
Q: What is your favorite part about being an attendance aide?
A: "My favorite part about being an attendance aide is going and getting the
attendance."
Q: Would you recommend being an attendance aide to someone else?
A: "Yes, I would."
Q: Would you like to be an attendance aide next year?
A: "Maybe."

Interview with Mr. Sackley, 7th grade counselor:
Q: About how many people sign up to be an office aide each year?
A: "About 100!"
Q: Why do most students like to be office aides?
A: "Most students like to be office aides because they feel they are helping
the school and they don’t have to worry about homework and tests grades."
Q: What is one good thing about being an office aide?
A: "One good thing about being an office aide is that they really help the
administrators and the counselors. They help put in the attendance."
Q: What year did Waldo have the most office aides?
A: "It’s always a popular elective."
Q: Since when did Waldo start having attendance aides?
A: "Well, it has been here as long as I’ve been teaching. (10 years)"

So if you would like to be an attendance aide then sign up using your elective sheet. In order to be an attendance aide you must have good grades. So keep up your grades.

♥ JESSICA ♥

Waldo bids fond farewell to LaFountaine, Wolfe

2010-05-28T09:16:00.000-07:00

By Jessica Zamarron

At Waldo there is going to be a new principal next fall, and there will also be a new assistant principal. I interviewed Mr. Joe LaFountaine, our current principal, and asked him some questions.

Mr. LaFountaine:
Q: Why are you leaving our school?
A: "I am leaving because I had a good opportunity to help a high school
because they need help with academics."
Q: How long have you been working as a principal at Waldo?
A: "I have been working here for 7 years."
Q: Have you met the new principal?
A: "I have, and her name is Trish Nelson. She is the principal at Walker Middle
School."
Q: Did you enjoy being the principal at Waldo?
A: "I LOVED being the principal. And I’m really sad to leave."

While I was writing, this story I also found out that Mr. Wolfe is leaving Waldo so I decided to interview him, too.

Mr. Wolfe
Q: Why are you leaving our school?
A: "I am leaving because I’m going to be a vice principal at Leslie M.S."
Q: How long have you been working here?"
A: "I have been working here for 7 years also."
Q: Have you met the new principal?
A: "I have met the new principal."
Q: Did you enjoy being the assistant principal?
A: "I did enjoy being the assistant principal."
Q: What are you going to do at another school?
A: "I’m going to be an assistant principal."

So say your final goodbyes to Mr. Wolfe and Mr. LaFountaine.
WE WILL MISS YOU!!!!

♥ JESSICA ♥

Myne

2010-05-27T09:54:00.000-07:00

By Alyssa Brown

Light hair
Beautiful eyes
Lover's kiss
Guess who it is ♥
His touch never scares me
And I know he loves
Everything about me
I bet no one knows
How sweet he can be…
Keep guessing
One week is all it took
For me to fall for him
I know he’ll never go
The person that I love is _____??!?!!

Reality

2010-05-27T09:41:00.000-07:00

By Alyssa Brown

dawn never comes
for those who want it
night always comes
for those who dread it
light never reaches
someone who chases it
darkness touches
every one who hates it
vampires always
hate people who love them
humans always
love people who know them
now this might sound weird
but reality is bad.....
for some poeple anyway

Mrs. Nelson tells about the library and her life

2010-05-26T09:51:00.000-07:00

By Ana Karina Victoria and Rosio Lopez

We interviewed Mrs. Nelson about her life. She’s our Waldo librarian teacher! She told us
about her life and what it's like. Here is what we found out.

Where were you born?
I was born in Gresham, Oregon
Do you often go there?
Well, I don’t really go there a lot any more because no family lives there.
What university did you go attend?
I went to Western Oregon University to get my teacher's license. Right now I am going to Portland State University to get a master's degree.
How long have you taught?
I have been a teacher in the library for two years.
Did you teach anything else before?
Yes, I have taugth 6th grade language arts and social studies, too.
If you won the lottery would you still be a teacher?
Yes I will always be in the library! I would buy my own library!

This is what we found out about Mrs. Nelson and her life. She is a really
nice teacher.

Waldo student tapped for local production

2010-05-26T09:11:00.000-07:00

By Lupita Gonzalez, Berenice Garcia & Corrine Van Lier

Everyone loves art and there are a lot of ways to express art. Some types of art are comedies, action, romance, and even happiness. Can you guess what we are talking about? We are talking about acting, and at Waldo we have a class called Musical Theatre II. Student learn how to act and express emotions in this class. Here at Waldo, one of our students named Azael Ku Beiza got a part in a play presented at SKIT (Salem Keizer Inspirational Teen) Theatre called The Beauty and the Beast. We interviewed Azeal and Ms. Koenig, drama teacher at Waldo Middle School.

Questions for Azael Ku Beiza
Q: What part did you audition for?
A: The egg man or the bookseller.
Q: Why did you audition in the first place?
A: I auditioned because I like acting, singing and dancing a lot.
Q: Did you get the part you wanted?
A: Yes, I did. I am the Egg Man.
Q: Do you care if you don’t get the part you want?
A: Not really, as long as I’m in the cast.
Q: Do you think you’re a good actor?
A: Well, yea, kind of.
Q: Do you enjoy acting a lot?
A: Yes, a lot.

Questions for Ms. Koenig
Q: Do you encourage many people to audition for these plays?
A: Yes, I post the poster then I inform the students about it.
Q: Do you think everyone has the potential to be an actor?
A: Many people can be involved and have fun, but not everyone wants or can be a star.
Q: Have you ever auditioned for these plays?
A: No, but in high school I was in four musicals.
Q: Do you like what you do as a musical theatre teacher?
A: Yes, I’ve always loved musical theatre and I enjoy teaching very much.

All over the world people love acting and maybe you have a talent for acting. If you like acting but you're not sure how to start, then contact Ms. Koenig and she can help you with your situation!

Mr. Randall's computer class enlightens students

2010-05-25T09:53:00.000-07:00

By Stephen Doak

Hi, my name is Stephen. I went to go interview Mr. Randall about his computer class. Here is what he said.
Q1: What do you do in this class?
A: Computer generated imagery.
Q2: How many people are in this class total?
A: 24.
Q3: Do you have a favorite student or staff?
A: Mr. B.
Q4: Do you like teaching it?
A: I love teaching it.
Q5: Do you think the students like you?
A: Yes.
Q6: How long has this class been around?
A: 5 or 6 years.

I’m also in this class. We create really cool objects like the ones in video games. You make them move around, and you get to make a robotic arm. Later, you move around in a house. It’s actually pretty fun. Mr. Randall is really nice to. It can be really hard, so be prepared.

Iron Man 2 thrills most viewers

2010-05-25T09:40:00.000-07:00

By Cristian Garibay and Jorge Romero

Iron Man 2 is a new movie that is the sequel to Iron Man. It is currently showing in the Salem Cinebarre Theater and the Regal Lancaster Mall. It is rated PG-13. Ticket information is available online. We wrote questions and asked them to Waldo 7th grade students Daniel Flores and Nick Swindle. We also interviewed Waldo computer tech guy Michael Daniels.

Q: Did you think that Iron Man 2 was a good movie?
A: Nick Swindle said yes. Daniel Flores said yes. Michael Daniels said no because sequels are never better than the first movie.
Q: What was your favorite part about Iron Man 2.
A: Daniel Flores said when Iron Man found the new element that was his favorite part, and Nick Swindle did not know his favorite part.
Q: Was the movie theater room full when you went to go see Iron man 2?
A: Daniel Flores said yes and Nick Swindle also said yes.
Q: Was it very interesting?
A: Daniel Flores and Nick Swindle both said yes.
Q: Was it better than the first one?
A: Nick Swindle said yes, definitely, and Daniel Flores said yes. Michael Daniels said no because of what he thought about sequels.

This is what these people thought about Iron Man 2. I (Cristian) look forward to seeing the movie, and I (Jorge) liked the movie. If you like action movies then you should check it out.

Michael Jackson and the environment

2010-05-25T09:28:00.000-07:00

By Taylor Kelsey

We are a part of the world and there are children who have a long life ahead of them. We need to change our ways to make the earth a better place for humans and nature. If we change the earth it would be better to hang out and have fun. Start with the person you see in the mirror. One person can start a chain reaction. Ask your classmates and other people to help clean up the earth. Make that change. There is a message in all of Michael Jackson’s songs. He is trying to help the earth. He already did his job. Being the King Of POP. Traveling all over the world singing his hit songs. So, I believe Michael Jackson already did his part to help the earth.

Man in the Mirror lyrics-
I'm Starting With The Man In
The Mirror
I'm Asking Him To Change
His Ways
And No Message Could Have
Been Any Clearer
If You Wanna Make The World
A Better Place
(If You Wanna Make The
World A Better Place)
Take A Look At Yourself, And
Then Make A Change
(Take A Look At Yourself, And
Then Make A Change)

I am going to interview a kid from Waldo to see how that person could change their
ways to change the earth to make the world better to live in. My questions
are …
How can you change your ways to help the environment?
Lyric Pendergrass: I will start recycling more and unplug my phone charger when I am doing using it.
Will you try to help the environment?
Lyric Pendergrass: Yes, because I want to be here a very long time in a nice and peaceful environment.
Will you listen to Michael Jackson’s songs to listen to the message and see how he was trying to help?
Lyric Pendergrass: Yeah, I already do listen to his message. I might tell my friends and encourage them to help out as well.

I hope you enjoyed my inspiring story about Michael Jackson and you will help the environment.

Summer

2010-05-25T09:17:00.000-07:00

By Cynthia Rivera

I like summer
Because you don’t have to do any more work
All you have to do is relax
No more thinking to do
And you don’t have to do any math or reading
Or do any more tests
Instead you can go out with your friends
And have a really good time
But sometimes it’s pretty boring
And you want to go back to school to see all of your friends
That’s how I sometimes feel
But summer is still great
You can go swimming,
Or have a barbeque
Or have a picnic
And just have some fun
Some kids already have everything all planned out
Some kids aren’t really that sure what they’re going to do
I’m just going to hang out with my friends
And have some fun with my family
And maybe go swimming with my friends and family
And have a nice picnic with my family
Those are the things I enjoy doing during the summer
What kind of things do you enjoy during the summer?

The Pond

2010-05-24T09:28:00.000-07:00

By Gavin Fowser

The river

I am going to the water falls and then to the ocean,

How ever long it takes,

As I see the great views,

It will take me awhile depending on how ever fast the currents go,

It will take longer for not all of me will be there when I am,

As I go I see the coolest views of caves and the water falls then I see

objects that don’t talk and aren’t water but the views are great,

I will go to the ocean but the rest of me will go different places I don’t know

Be my

2010-05-24T09:20:00.000-07:00

By Gavin Fowser

Be my heart
Be my night
Be my blanket that warms me through the night
Be my umbrella that keeps me dry
Be my love
Be my light that guides me away from the dark

Be my blood that keeps me alive
Be my hand that helps me write
Be my brain that makes me smart
Be my teacher that teaches me
Be my friend that’s by my side
Be my parent that protects me
Be my eyes that help me see
Be me it will take you for a trip

Frida's fight against cancer inspires t-shirt action

2010-05-24T09:03:00.000-07:00

By Chrysta Friday

Okay, so if you have been paying attention to the morning announcements, then you probably heard about the purple t-shirts for sale. The t-shirts are for a 15-year-old girl who was diagnosed with cancer. I interviewed Gina Dodds, a JGEMS student in seventh grade, to find out more. Frida's mom was once Gina's babysitter.

Q. What is her name?
A. Frida Salinas.

Q. What kind of cancer does she have?
A. Pancreatic cancer.
Q. Where does she live?
A. Here in Salem.
Q. What high school does she go to?
A. She goes to Sprague.
Frida was diagnosed with metastatic pancreatic neuroendocrine carcinoma in December of 2009. It is a very rare cancer and is even rarer for a 15 year old girl to have it. On the 22nd of December, she had surgery to remove her tumor. She also had biopsies on her liver and her lymph nodes, and has also had her spleen removed. Frida has gone through 7 rounds of chemotherapy.
Her 7th round started in April. She is very strong and has been fighting all the way. There is one problem though. Frida has been hospitalized at Doernbecher. Since her family was denied health insurance, any medical needs not covered by the hospital fall to her family. A 10 day supply of medicine can cost up to $1600.

If you want to help you can go to http://www.fridasfight.webs.com/

I wanted to write this story because I know people who have survived cancer and everyone has a chance of survival with proper medical care. I think that everyone in the country should have health care, but until that day comes we all have to pitch in to help those who don't.

Summer presents many possibilities for fun

2010-05-21T09:51:00.000-07:00

By Giang Nguyen

Summer is almost coming, and everyone is getting excited. Whether they stay or go, summer is a time when everyone can get a long vacation from school. They can do whatever they like to do during summertime. If you have planned what to do for your summer already, then that is a good thing. But if you didn’t, then here is some stuff that you can do during summer. Blast your summer to a rocking good time!

1. Go to another country. Maybe Mexico or France!
2. Go to another state in the U.S. Maybe California or Florida!
3. Go to another city in Oregon. Maybe Portland or Oregon City!
4. Sleep over in a friend's house.
5. Have a rocking slumber party.
6. Going to the State Fair.
7. Go swimming.
8. Go to the beach.
9. Hang out with friends or cousins.
10. Hangout at the mall.
11. Go to the park. Maybe Livingston Park!
12. Get a summer job. Maybe babysitting!
13. Goes camping.
14. Goes to an outdoor concert.

15. Go hunting.

So there are some things that you can do during summertime. Now that you have a list of things to do during summer, you should enjoy your summer vacation and have fun during this time!