Charged Up! It's more than a newspaper...it's a news experience! Issue 2 April 2013
Animal Awareness: A Furry Visitor
Kaelyn B., Staff Writer
The visitor was a retired racing grey hound named Peaches. Of course a grey hound rescue member was there too. You might be wondering why there is a specific rescue for grey hounds. Actually, thousands of grey hounds are abused each year. Why? It’s because grey hounds are usually bred for racing note-their long legs and streamlined bodies. If they lose a lot of races or get too old to race the owners either leave them out in the wild and forget about them. This is what I learned at the last meeting. It made me pretty surprised to learn this.
Now, since there is a rescue for them not as many are in bad situations. Lucky grey hounds like Peaches get saved. Now, not every meeting you get to pet a dog so, that’s one good reason to go. You might get to meet a fuzzy buddy. It’s not guaranteed that you will though. It is still enjoyable. So go to the club if you want one to go to. Or if animals are your thing this is a club I recommend.
Hey animal lovers and beyond! This club is made for you if you want more info on animals and how to take care of pets, and learn interesting facts on animals. There are also sometimes papers that you can take home and learn even more. Since it’s also called Animal Awareness you also hear about the dangers to animals. Sometimes even the cruelty to dogs and other furry friends. I say this because a few meetings ago an extra special visitor came.
Band Assessment
Kaira C., Staff Writer
This past March, on the 22nd, the band performed at Tallwood High School for their assessment. After their performance, the band members went to collect their things while waiting for the results. Some of them went home - too disappointed with their performance to stay and hear the bad news.
Among those people was me, Kaira. But to my and other people's surprise, we received ALL ONES! The band definitely deserves the grade that they got and Ms. Pallett was extremely pleased with us and we were excited that we got such such a good score.
The band performed three different songs, each of various varieties. March to Castle Rock by Steve Hodges is the first excellent piece that the band will be playing to raise the spirits of the audience that will be attending the assessment – which was open to the public. This piece features all sections of the band – low, middle, and high sections – with a wonderful selection of rhythms and notes. The second piece, Kenya Contrasts by William Himes, focuses mainly on the trumpets and their articulation (how the notes connect, flow, or move smoothly between each section), but it also features the higher instruments such as the clarinet, flute, and oboe. Lastly, the third song that the band will perform is Bryce Canyon Overture by Mark Williams. This last piece has a lot of sections that pay attention to the higher and lower instruments. One of the best points of the song is further from the beginning when the clarinets and baritones perform a soli together. All of these songs are wonderful choices for our band that contains so much potential.
These songs were chosen by the band director Ms. Pallett because she feels that our band is great and contains everything needed to be an even better band. She and the band have been working hard for these past months so that they can achieve a superior rating and prove that they are the best band in Virginia Beach!
Diona Declares
Being an eighth grade student, when I’m walking down the hallway I can’t help but notice all these boys with their pants halfway to their ankles. It’s disturbing and it ain’t cute. Nobody wants to see your butt!! Another thing is if you’re going to sag why do you put another pair of shorts underneath your pants? Do everyone you come in contact with a favor and PULL UP YOUR PANTS we don’t want to see your undies.
Looking Under the Surface into Bullying
Bella W., Staff Writer
Mornings begin with that feeling of dread. Not just the dread of waking up. You fear going off to the place where you seem to be criticized for every simple move, let alone mistake. Once you arrive, the day just seems to continue with creeping fear. You continuously beg your parents to stay home, but to no avail. As you walk through the halls, you hear it below your peers’ breath. The insults, snickers, and just plain rude comments. All of this before school officially starts. Then come those ‘friends’.
Most people keep the same friends they’ve had since elementary school, but what about the friends we drop in order to gain popularity or avoid humiliation? How would you feel if you were that friend that is no longer ‘needed’ or is unfriended because of popularity? Those friends may or may not have done anything wrong and yet they are so harshly treated because of new friends and social statuses.
What is the reason behind all of this behavior? Why are we so quick to drop their old friends? Most children will say it’s because they’ve changed and have accustomed different hobbies, habits, and most importantly, new friends that differ from their old ones. They have become more popular, and ditching old friends will give them a chance to become even more popular. But the $1,000,000 question is: If they can get up and leave their old friends so quickly, how can we even say they were even true friends to begin with?
You walk in the door. Home, sweet home. Until you power up your iPhone, Samsung Galaxy S, or tablet/laptop.
Username
[i.eat.pies@website.com]
Password
[*************]
This is where it starts. Your name. The awful comments. The rude remarks. It all spreads across social media platforms for millions to see. We need to end this mental and physical tormenting. You don’t realize what it’s doing to people unless you are a true victim.
Charged Up PSA: Handling Hectic Hallways
Azia A. and Alex J., Staff Writers
Hallways. One of the most beloved yet dreadful parts of school. Who doesn’t love the sound of the bell ringing, signaling freedom from your most hated class? Then right when you make it out of there, walking at a sufficient pace, a group of kids decide to take up the whole hallway laughing and yelling to each other while at the speed of a turtle.
Now, you’re stuck behind them, desperately trying to not be late for your next class. How do you run 50 miles per hour in PE but walk .75 miles in the hallway! If this has ever happened to you, and I know it has because it happened to us today, here’s what you do.
1) First, try to walk around them without disturbing them.
2) If that doesn’t work, calmly say “Excuse Me”.
3) If that doesn’t work yell Excuse Me so that they can hear you.
And if that doesn’t work tell them they're having a sale at the McDonalds. Buy a McDouble get a free small fry! That’ll get 'em running!