New students arrive at Waldo, meet welcoming classmates

By Ana Barajas

Have you been introduced to a new student lately? It’s been happening recently at Waldo. Since Winter Break is over, it’s the best time to have students come to Waldo. I was curious to find out exactly how many new students have come to Waldo, and other questions I might have. Could Waldo possibly make a record in its history? I decided to ask Mr. Sackley and Ms. Brown, to find out!

Waldo Question: How many new students have, so far, come to Waldo? (Including all of the new 7th-8th grade students total).

Answer: There are 39 new students.

Waldo Question: What has been the largest amount of new students for a school year in Waldo’s history?

Answer: The most students we’ve had were in 2008-2009. That school year, there were a total of 781 Waldo students.

Waldo Question: How many new 7th graders have come to Waldo since two weeks after school started?

Answer: There were 22 new 7th graders that enrolled.

Waldo Question: How many new 8th graders have come to Waldo since the day after the First Day of School?

Answer: We have 15 new 8th graders this year.

JGEMS Question: What has been the largest amount of new students for a school year in Waldo’s history?

Answer: The largest amount of JGEMers we have had was back in 2005-2006. There was a total of 91 JGEMers.

Wow, there have been a lot of new students! Of course, that’s only the information we have currently. The numbers may go up as we progress through this great year! Plus, we’ve still got next semester. Be sure to be nice so they can have a good first day. Most of the time, it's hard for people to move to another school because they are leaving their friends at their old school and they may be lonely. Make them feel welcome and try to treat them as you would treat any of your friends. As the old saying goes, "Treat others as you would like to be treated back."

Competition simmers between all grades and staff before Spirit Week

By Ana Barajas

Some students say our school is the most competitive (in a good way). Everyone knows about the assemblies where teachers, 8th graders, 7th graders, and 6th graders compete in games to earn points. It all was introduced to the students of this school year during the 1st/2nd assembly in 2009.

Some of the things the teams did were participate in games and other things. One of the other things was the Penny Drive, where you put in pennies in your grade’s jar and you put silver coins (quarters, nickels, dimes, etc.) and dollars into the other teams’ jars. For the Penny Drive, the 7th graders won. I decided to ask Ms. Swinnerton for some more information that we might’ve forgotten or which will be updated ahead of time!

Question #1: Which assembly was it where the "competition" began, or where each team participated in activities/games to earn points?

Answer: It started on the November 13 Team Time as a way to have a reward activity for those students who were caught up and did not need the study hall time of Team Time.

Question #2: Which activities add on/deduct points?

Answer: Points are always given out like this:1st: 10 points, 2nd: 7 points, 3rd: 4 points, 4th: 1 point. So far we have given points out for each assembly activity, the food drive and the penny drive.

Question #3: What is the current score for each team? (teachers, 6th graders, etc.)

Answer: We had a spirit assembly on Friday. The total points for each team now are: 6th grade: 54 points, 7th grade: 48 points, 8th grade: 51 points, Staff: 44 points.

So that was the current status for the competition between the staff and each grade. We’ve still got Spirit Week to come, so don’t give up!

Teen shares tips for cool moonwalk moves

By Gavin Fowser

These days everyone is trying to do the moonwalk. Some can do it and some can't.
But there was only one person who could do it better than all the rest.
That was the one and only Michael Jackson, the King of Pop. He mastered the moonwalk and no one can do it like him or as good as he did. Now if you're interested in doing the moonwalk, here is some information about how to do it.

Step 1
Find a flat, smooth surface that won't provide an immense amount of
friction. Wood floors are ideal, while concrete or rubber surfaces will
hinder you. Carpet, depending on the length (the shorter the better) can be
effective.

Step 2
Lift your left leg into the "l" position, so that the toe of your left leg
is pointed to the floor. You are ready to moonwalk like Michael Jackson.

Step 3
Place your right foot about 12 inches in front of the left.

Step 4
Slide your right heel back so that it is even with your left foot.

Step 5
Snap the left heel down and raise the right heel simultaneously so the right
heel assumes the "l" position. You have now completed the first step of the
moonwalking.

Step 6
Repeat! Keep repeating the movement, alternating feet to execute the dance
of the last century, the moonwalk.

So, if you really, really try you can do the moonwalk with a little practice.
Give it a try because you may be able to do it. Then impress your friends by
doing the moonwalk.

Students share holiday memories

By Leslie Sanchez and Jennifer Roque

We talked to several people about Christmas memories and this is what they shared:

ANN: She loves being with her family for Christmas. She likes getting presents for
Christmas. All her family open presents during dinner. Ann likes to give
then receive. Her favorite Christmas food is fruit salad and her favorite
movie is Holiday in Handcuffs. She doesn't believe in Santa but she did when
she was 5 years old. She doesn't leave cookies for Santa, but she leaves
presents for her step dad.

ANA: She likes getting presents for Christmas and sleeping in. She likes spending
time with her friends and family for Christmas and staying home. Ana wants a
skateboard for Christmas and some new headphones. Ana and her family open
their presents on Christmas Eve.

TREY: All Trey likes to do for Christmas is sleeping in and opening presents. He
doesn't believe in Santa. His favorite Christmas food is ham. His favorite
Christmas movie is Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer.

MS. McCOY (a teacher): She likes the lights and the presents. She celebrates
Christmas with her mom, her grandmother, her aunt and her uncle.They eat turkey
and ham for dinner. They went to Eugene for Christmas and spent the time
there. Ms. McCoy and her family open their present on Christmas day. Ms. McCoy wanted a new game for her Wii. She likes to sleep in andhang out with her friends. When Ms. McCoy was little she believed in Santa but not any more. Ms. McCoy's favorite movie is The Santa Clause, Part One. Her favorite dessert is decorated Christmas cookies.

A dream situation at news production...

Remember what MLK stood for

By Gavin Fowser

Do you know what January 18th is all about? No school! Kids will say that. So what will you be doing? Sleeping in, staying up late, watching TV, talking on the phone, or will you be celebrating Martin Luther King Junior day? I know I will.
That's the day that we remember him and the changes he made.

His big speech that we all know is called “I Have a Dream”. The speech was
about how he had a dream that one day African-Americans would have the same
rights as everyone else. So on January 18th think about what has changed and
thank him and others.

Leadership students plan for spring activities

By Trey Hargrove

I did a story about what Leadership has done and is doing.
These are the questions that I asked Ms. Swinnerton.

Q. What are the plans for the spring?
A. The leadership plans it. We’ll do things like the 8th grade fieldtrip.

Q. How many field trips will you be having this year?
A. Kroc Center for 8th grade. We haven’t figured out the rest.

Q: Do you guys help with the dances?
A: Just posters and the 8th grade dance.

Q: How many people are in Leadership?
A: 15 JGEMS and 13 Waldo, so 28 total.

Q: Do you enjoy being in Leadership and would you change anything if you could?
A: I love it and I change anything if needed.

That what I asked Ms. Swinnerton and that’s what’s Leadership is up to.

Three Kings Day celebrated by Mustangs

By Angelina Vital Torres

Some of the students here at Waldo Middle School have celebrated the Three Wise Men and some of you students were wondering what they we’re talking about. Well I'm here to tell you all about it. This is a day that they say the Three Wise Men (a.k.a. kings) traveled all the way to Bethlehem to worship the new born baby named JESUS, and also to give him his gifts which were:

GOLD – as a symbol of being king to all people.
MYRRH – as a symbol as being our priest.
FRAKINCENSE – as a symbol of being our savior because he dies to save us all.
`
This is their story. It is said that the Three Wise Men traveled all the way to Bethlehem to worship Christ. Some maybe wondering how they knew where to go. They followed a star that is now called Star of Bethlehem which led them to him.

Before they got to him they were stopped by a king that wanted to know about the new king that was coming (Jesus Christ). His only interest was to find him was so his men could kill him; he did not want anyone taking his throne away. The Three Wise Men were invited to feast with the king. They couldn’t say no so they ate, but in their conversation they mentioned the new born baby to come.

The king had told the Three Wise Men to inform him where the baby would be so he could worship him as well. However, the Three Wise Men didn't tell him and they went a different way. After they had eaten they had found the star that led them to Bethlehem. On the 24th of December the star stood upon a cottage and at that point they knew that they had made it to the birth of the new king, Jesus.

As they approached him they got off of the animals that they were riding on (Camel, Elephant, and a Horse). They worshiped him and gave them his gifts. They left happy that they had the chance to witness our King, Priest, and Savior.

I hope all of the students that wondered about this celebration of the Three Wise Men learned what it’s all about. Thank you for reading this story and I hope that all that celebrated this event had a good time.

TRIO paves path for students' success

By Destiny Magana Cavazos

At Waldo Middle School there are many different types of programs. One of the programs is called TRIO. I interviewed Mr. Larios, a teacher that’s in the TRIO program, and I also interviewed Ms. Brown, a counselor for 8th graders here at Waldo.

TRIO is one of the programs here at Waldo Middle School that supports kids getting ready for college. It also helps people get into college.

Ms. Brown’s Interview

Q: What is TRIO?
A: TRIO is an educational program designed to assist eligible middle and high school students who are college bound and who have the potential to succeed in higher education.

Q: What are some things you get to do in the TRIO program?
A: We get to visit colleges, develop career ideas, and lots more.

Q: Who can get into TRIO?
A: Anybody can get into TRIO, Actually our goal is to get more and more people to get into TRIO to increase the number of youth who graduate from high school and enroll in a college.

Q: What is your favorite part of TRIO?
A: Planning which college we get to go to. We’re planning to go to OSU this year. It should be lots of fun.

Mr. Larios’s Interview

Q: What do you like about TRIO?
A: I like that we get help kids get into college.

Q: What is your favorite part of TRIO?
A: My favorite part is going to colleges instead of going to school the whole day!

TRIO is every other Monday after school in the lobby. -Ms. Brown
For more information make a appointment with your counselor.

Waldo people share holiday traditions

By Angelina Vital Torres

All of the students at Waldo Middle School were anxiously awaiting for Winter Break in December. Some students and teachers didn’t all celebrate the same thing on their winter break. I interviewed some of the students and teachers to ask them two questions to see what kind of celebrations and traditions some people had. You’d be surprised with the things that some people celebrate that you may have never known about.

Questions:

Q: What do you celebrate in your Winter Break?

Q: What kind of traditions do you usually do in this time?


Mrs. Nelson (Librarian)
A: My family and I celebrate Christmas.
A: A tradition that we always do is we go to my brother’s house and play Bonko on Christmas Eve. We eat ham and turkey.

Jose Hernandez (Twinkie)
A: I celebrate Christmas with my family.
A: Sometimes we go to Mexico to celebrate it over there, or we celebrate it in my house and have a bunch of food to eat.

Diana Rodriguez Robles
A: My family and I celebrate Christmas.
A: My family always gets together and eats a bunch of food. Then we open our presents. It’s a lot of fun. Well, for me it is.

Juliya Guncheko
A: My family and I family celebrate Christmas.
A: I celebrate Christmas with my family. We eat a bunch of food, play, and have lots of fun. I like Christmas a lot.


What I found out is that I couldn’t really find that many people that celebrate something other than Christmas, although that does not mean they go unnoticed. I hope that all of the students, staff, and teachers had a wonderful Winter Break and it's wonderful to see you back at school.