Students discuss good and bad aspects of classes

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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?

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!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!

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

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

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

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

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!

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

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!