This year the Pendleton School Board proposed an idea that takes all the children attending schools north of the Umatilla River and sends them to other schools in town. All kindergarteners will be moved to Hawthorne and West Hills will become the alternate school for Pendleton. In addition Lincoln Primary will be serving as district offices for Pendleton. This would be a bad idea in my opinion because children living on the north hill will be forced to go to school farther away from where they live. This would also crowd the elementary schools and have less students getting their needs met. Even before this change, if it goes through, Washington, Sherwood, and McKay Elementary are over capacity. In this proposal, Washington, Sherwood, and Hawthorne all will be replaced and McKay Elementary, Sunridge Middle School, and the High School will be renovated. In addition, the district is considering buying more property for possibly another school. In my opinion this proposal would be exponentially better if they didn't have Hawthorn be the universal kindergarten. It would also be better if Lincoln and West Hills stayed schools and were not changed to the district offices and alternative schools. This would, in my opinion, make this proposal exponentially better. I have gone to both Lincoln and West Hills and strongly disagree with this proposal.
Monday, March 11, 2013
Opposition to "Year-Round School Year"
Every year most kids are excited for school to end and for the summer to start. This break gives them a chance to relax and not have as many responsibilities they have during school. I oppose the idea of having year round school because of these reasons. Kids should have a break from the constant assignment and homework and for a few months be able to have more free time for sports or other activities like camping and swimming. These will not only improve physical health but will also help children and teens learn outdoor and team skills. Another reason why students should be allowed a summer break is because simply the temperate during the summer are just too high. Even near the end of the school year when it's barely June and summer has barely begun the heat is unbearable. Having school in the middle of summer would make the heat in the classrooms ridiculously hotter. Therefore making the students less focused on learning. Although having school year-round may higher test scores, the cons of this proposal (in my opinion) exponentially outway the pros.
Valentines Day Crossword Puzzle
1. A "disease" that affects anyone struck by Cupid's arrows.
7. "be ____"
9. a safe place to store your jewels.
11. In "XOXOXOX," an X represents this action.
13. A piece of jewelry worn around one's neck.
14. The Greek name for Cupid.
15. Someone disappointed in love is said to have a _______ heart.
Down
2. "Will you be my _______?"
3. He shoots an invisible arrow that makes people fall in love.
4. ____________ and girlfriend.
5. This era is considered the golden age of the Valentine.
6. St. Valentine is known as the patron saint of _______.
8. A stuffed animal often given as a Valentine's gift.
10. Did the mail carrier leave any Valentines in your _______?
12. This popular Valentine's color symbolizes warmth and love.
Dreams
 |
| For Photo Website Click here. |
Did you know that people who are not born blind but later become so in life can still images in their dreams but people who are born blind do not see any images but have dreams equally as vivid involving other senses such as sound, smell, and touch. Also, in our dreams every face that we “see” is one that we have seen before in real life. Our brain can not “invent” faces therefore we have to have seen the face before somewhere or sometime in our lifetime but because we have all seen thousands and thousands of faces our brains have an endless supply of characters. And though after a nights sleep you may not have thought you have had a dream, chances are that you have had anywhere from four to seven dreams. So the next time you wake up and think you have had no dreams, think again, and if you do remember then think about what it means before forgetting it.
Judging & Labeling
Judging and Labeling
Something that I feel very strongly about is judging and labeling. I feel strongly about this topic because it has affected many others’ lives, including mine, and in a not-so positive way. Judging and labeling is one of the many unnecessary things in this world that people use to their advantage to make others feel bad about themselves. The thing that a lot of people do not understand when they are in the process of judging, is that it could have a bigger negative impact on that person’s life than they may realize.
A few results of labeling are depression and anxiety, which are common among teenagers because of they way they are treated, and what they believe, depending on if they believe the labels they are being labeled, or not. Different people take different things to heart, and so many people don’t care when they should. Another result of labeling are eating disorders. And an even more serious result, being suicide. Lots of people are not aware of the terrible thing that they are doing until it is too late to make it better again.
So before you go and judge a person, ask yourself these three questions:
1) Is it necessary?
2) Is it positive?
3) Is it better left unsaid?
Asking yourself these few simple questions could result in saving someone’s happiness, and even possibly their life. Think before you speak.
Summer is a Need
In Abby"s article about having school all year round I had a different opinion. In my opinion I think that no one should have to have school all year long. I oppose school year round because summer is a break that most kids want and need. Summer is a time to get away from stress of homework, drama, and of course teachers naging. Even though school year round may be a better idea for our brains and our grade averages, its not a better idea for our bodies, we are used to having summer and a lot kids have summer as a motivation to just get through the year. Summer is a time to explore the world outside of education. You can also get education from activities you do in the summer such as outdoor activity that you wouldn't get the chance to do in school. Everyone needs a break at some time and this is our break
Muhammad?
You may not know this but surprisingly the most common name in the world is Muhammad. You would not think that a strange name such as Muhammad would be that popular. For the past fourteen years Jack was the most common name for boys but this between 2012 and 2013 a total of 7,549 newborns were given 12 variations of the Islamic prophet Muhammad's name last year, such as Muhammad and Muhammad. So next time you need to name a child just know that Muhammad would be a wonderful name.
Opposing School Uniforms
In response to Jacob’s article about school uniforms, I mostly agree. Even though school uniforms help reduce the amount of bullying towards student’s outfits, they restrict individuality. Individuality is a key part in teens and young adults lives; it lets them express themselves, find who they are, and who they will become in life.
Jacob states that uniforms would not affect our rights because “as minors we do not have many rights that legal adults have.” That is true, as minors we do not have very many rights, so I think we should have the right to choose our own clothes.
Learning how to choose our clothes is important because in the future we will all want a good paying job, and many jobs have a dress code. Although, they still have a wider range of rules then school uniforms, lots of jobs let you wear want you want as long as you follow some guidelines. Most schools are like this too, and should stay like this. Uniforms do not let students explore the range of restrictions and learn what they should and should not wear. If students learn what they are not allowed to wear, this will prepare them for knowing dress codes in jobs before they arrive.
Also if public schools switch over to school uniforms, then students would not be able to wear clothes to support their beliefs. Many students choose to wear pink in to support breast cancer, if they have school uniforms they are restricted on how much they are able to support the national holiday in the month of October. Some students have trouble expressing themselves through words, clothes may be their only way of expressing their true selves.
It is important for students to choose their own clothes and be able to express themselves openly. Schools should not take away that freedom.
Flowers That Last Forever
 |
| An aerial view of a completed rose. |
People always say the best gifts are homemade, so for Valentines Day why not give the person you love a homemade gift? Don’t know what to do? Well here is a simple idea; flowers. You can make duct tape flowers for your valentine. They are simple to make, keep a long time and they are great for people with allergies.
 |
| Finished Petal |
To start off you will need a straw or pen, and duct tape. There are many types of duct tape to add color, or design to your flower(s). To start making your flower you’ll want to wrap your straw or pen in duct tape; this will be the stem. Next you are going to rip off pieces of duct tape that are each about two inches long, these are going to be you're petals. With each piece of tape you are going to fold the top corners towards the middle, leaving some of the sticky side at the bottom. Once you have made you're petal, you’ll wrap it around the top of your stem, After that you make more petals until you're satisfied with your flower.
Unknown Laws That Will Blow Your Mind
 |
| Photo credit click here |
We all know that the laws of our country are set for a reason; most are to prevent major disasters and help try and keep our country safer, but I’m sure after you hear about these next set a of laws, you will be questioning our government's decisions.
One of them that made me look twice was a law set in place in Oregon. I bet you did not know that it is illegal to lie on a picnic table in Portland; or that you can not eat ice cream on Sundays! There are other laws that I believe are ridiculous and make me laugh at the thought of them such as the law placed in Marion OR stating that you can not walk backwards well eating a donut. Others that are place that make no sense to me, because in order to break said law you would have to truly go out of your way in order to break it, like the one in Myrtle Creek saying that it is illegal to box with a kangaroo. Although my all time favorite law is another one place in Portland saying that riders of sleds may not attach themselves to passing cars. This law always makes me laugh because the thought of someone trying to attach their sled to a car and sled down the street is a sign of pure stupidity that would make anyone laugh, or make anyone reach for their video recorders.
Some laws are very obvious as to why they are placed, and some everyone knows since they were a child; but these laws are rare, weird and will make you wonder why they were placed.
If you enjoyed these laws and want to see more try here: http://weirdfacts.com/weird-state-laws/56-weird-oregon.html#ixzz2KkqkFcXG
Keeping Marijuana Illegal
In my response to Katie’s article I would have to agree. Keeping marijuana illegal would decrease the trouble, and death it causes. According to the FDA’s research, the percentage of deaths caused by marijuana is at a 90. Nearly 20% people in America die each year from illegal usage of marijuana. In 2010 there were 1.6 million illegal marijuana users arrested. In the U.S. there are only 18 states that marijuana is legal in and they are: California, Colorado, Washington, Massachusetts, Georgia, Maine, Connecticut, Arizona, Texas, Pennsylvania, Washington DC, Alaska, Vermont, Michigan, Montana, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Delaware, Oregon, and Hawaii. Marijuana is the 3rd most recreational drug. And my opinion for keeping marijuana illegal would be because it is a bad drug to be using just for the effect. There are also students that are still in school and use it. Students use it in high school and middle school. Marijuana causes a lot of drama that deals between life and death. These are my reasons to join in on Katie’s article and keeping marijuana illegal.
Bad Memories
Child abuse is one of the wrongs in this world. Child abuse can happen to any age group. Child abuse is cruel, mean, rude, and hurtful. It will also be a memory that the victim will forever hold as one of their bad memories. It will also decrease the child’s trust in a person. Some feel scared and feel like they have no one to turn to. Some may even choose to commit suicide. Nearly five children die each day from child abuse. The percentage of child abuse in the United States is 20.6%. To help prevent child abuse visit www.childhood-usa.org/. It is said on the website: www.dreamcatchersforabusedchildren.com/. that there is a child being abused every thirteen seconds everywhere. Some ways we can help prevent child abuse is reporting it when seen. Teach children when to say no, teach them the appropriate touching zones and the inappropriate touching zones, what and what not to tell, how to call 911, and you can even sign them up for therapy so they can report what is happening to them. You can also donate money online to child abuse charities such as: www.worldvision.org/ . So there is some information about child abuse and how to stop it.
 |
| (click here) |
My Future Valentine
My Future Valentine
Every day I think of him in my mind,
And in I hope that in time he will be mine.
Then he could finally be my Valentine.
He has the brightest personality,
And I love it when he smiles at me.
He sits by me in my morning class.
And every day I smile when we are in the hallway and I see him pass.
But I am still waiting for that one day
When he finally asks me what I’ve always wanted him to say.
 |
| Be Mine |
The History of "Sequoia"
My mom chose my name a few days before giving birth. She had a hard time deciding what to name me and one day picked up an encyclopedia which she still has this very day. She scanned through the book and stopped at the name Sequoia deciding that it was a unique and beautiful name. She looked at the definition below which gave her the definition of a tree which mostly grew in California. It was also described beautiful. She then started debating on the two choices of my middle name. It was either “Lyn” (which was her middle name but with one “n”) or a new middle name. She tried looking for a new middle name but nothing came to mind so, she stuck with “Lyn”. So that is how I became known as “Sequoia Lyn Conner” today.
The Meaning of My Name
The baby girl name Sierra is also used as a boy name, though it is far more popular for girls. Sierra has its origins in the Spanish language and it is used largely in English. The name is derived from the Spanish word sierra (meaning 'mountain range'), in reference to a mountain range with jagged peaks, and favored for its allusion to the beauty of nature. It has recently been adopted by English speakers, and its use promoted in the USA after the Ciara brand of perfume was introduced by Revlon in 1973.. In the USA, the Sierra Club is also well-known as the largest grassroots environmental organization. My mom named me after a band she heard on the radio that was called Sierra. If I was a boy she would’ve named me Hunter.My nickname is Nevada, after the Sierra Nevada Mountains. My mom liked my name and i like it too.
In response to Jenna's article
In response to Jenna’s article "Is it Worth it?" I think she is so right! I would have to agree!
Some people don’t think about what they say. All they are trying to do is
make their friend laugh. We need to stop bullying people for what they
look like, how they dress, or who they like (more reasons). You can’t just
watch people get bullied you have to stick up for them. You would not want
somebody to bully you! So think about it you wouldn’t want to get bullied
and cry every night! So let’s stick up to bullies!
Some people don’t think about what they say. All they are trying to do is
make their friend laugh. We need to stop bullying people for what they
look like, how they dress, or who they like (more reasons). You can’t just
watch people get bullied you have to stick up for them. You would not want
somebody to bully you! So think about it you wouldn’t want to get bullied
and cry every night! So let’s stick up to bullies!
Rainbow Cupcakes
I decided to do the rainbow cupcakes because there full of color and really fun to make! And on valentines if your alone you can pig out on colorful cupcakes! I first got this idea because of my parent’s anniversary. I forgot about their anniversary and I had to make something for them so I decided on something colorful and different so I decided rainbow cupcakes!
 |
| (click here) |
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup butter
1 cup white sugar
3 eggs, room temperature
red food coloring
blue food coloring
green food coloring
They are really easy to make and good. I still don’t have a favorite cupcake though. But I just love the colors!
Stacy!
Stacy is a very sweet, caring girl. Usually short but very fit. She’s loud, and
love-able, Makes friends easily. Stacy is almost always a Brunette and all natural.
Very beautiful, and so cute, Loves to talk a lot. She is a country girl at heart. She’s
always shy at first but after the first time you meet her she’s totally outgoing. She
is faithful, honest, and trustworthy, and super funny. A good girl, but has a bad
side to her, loves to be in control at times.
love-able, Makes friends easily. Stacy is almost always a Brunette and all natural.
Very beautiful, and so cute, Loves to talk a lot. She is a country girl at heart. She’s
always shy at first but after the first time you meet her she’s totally outgoing. She
is faithful, honest, and trustworthy, and super funny. A good girl, but has a bad
side to her, loves to be in control at times.
In Response To Abby
In response to Abby's article about a year round school year, I differ on it. Most kids work hard all day and the weekend is a life saver. All the kids look forward to summer all year round. Its the light at the end of the tunnel. Without summer all of our yearly hard work would be a drag. We deserve a break on our brains. Every teenager deserves to have fun. About 50% of our amazing memories come from summer. Wouldn't you miss sleeping in till noon, swimming in the cool pool, and staying up till 3:00 A.M with your friends? I sure would. Yeah, we'd get done with school in our early teens, but most teens wouldn't be ready for college that early in our teen years. That would be like sending a kindergartener to school without his/her mom. It'd be very scary, and troublesome for a few.
Clueless Claire
Dear NNN,
My boyfriend and I have been dating for over three years and I want to do something special for him for Valentines Day, but I don’t know what to do. Each year we switch planning a date night, and this year it’s my turn. I want it to be perfect. We get out of school at 3 and he has work at 7, so it has to be an amazing 4 hour date. Any suggestions?
-CluelessClaire
Dear CluelessClaire,
Four hours is the perfect amount of time for a perfect date. I suggest taking him to a movie, or something you guys both enjoy. Then you can go out to a nice romantic dinner, or vise versa. Give him a nice gift, and some chocolates, because everyone loves chocolate. He may have some surprise plans of his own too. Just remember, don’t go over the top, but don’t do too little.
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://whatthehealthmag.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/couple-of-laughs.jpg&imgrefurl=http://whatthehealthmag.wordpress.com/2011/12/01/couples-retreat/&usg=__Cm-EDN2C9G2ihvfxNzvYCPX0CJE=&h=1212&w=1616&sz=1047&hl=en&start=16&zoom=1&tbnid=ZWmzsxSzUzuQUM:&tbnh=113&tbnw=150&ei=vHoVUfiFF4m0igKD_ICwBg&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dcouples%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Dactive%26tbo%3Dd%26gbv%3D1%26tbm%3Disch&um=1&itbs=1&sa=X&ved=0CEgQrQMwDw
My boyfriend and I have been dating for over three years and I want to do something special for him for Valentines Day, but I don’t know what to do. Each year we switch planning a date night, and this year it’s my turn. I want it to be perfect. We get out of school at 3 and he has work at 7, so it has to be an amazing 4 hour date. Any suggestions?
-CluelessClaire
Dear CluelessClaire,
Four hours is the perfect amount of time for a perfect date. I suggest taking him to a movie, or something you guys both enjoy. Then you can go out to a nice romantic dinner, or vise versa. Give him a nice gift, and some chocolates, because everyone loves chocolate. He may have some surprise plans of his own too. Just remember, don’t go over the top, but don’t do too little.
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://whatthehealthmag.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/couple-of-laughs.jpg&imgrefurl=http://whatthehealthmag.wordpress.com/2011/12/01/couples-retreat/&usg=__Cm-EDN2C9G2ihvfxNzvYCPX0CJE=&h=1212&w=1616&sz=1047&hl=en&start=16&zoom=1&tbnid=ZWmzsxSzUzuQUM:&tbnh=113&tbnw=150&ei=vHoVUfiFF4m0igKD_ICwBg&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dcouples%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Dactive%26tbo%3Dd%26gbv%3D1%26tbm%3Disch&um=1&itbs=1&sa=X&ved=0CEgQrQMwDw
Sydney Is the Name
The name sydney doesn't originate from anywhere special. It's just a name. It can be a boy name and a girl name. Like all names, there are many ways to spell it. Studies show that the name Sydney, or anyone whose name is Sydney is a beautiful young women, desired by many, yet only desiring one. She's amazing, stupendous and overall incredible. She takes things very serious. She can be very sarcastic. She can be shy at times, but she's very entergetic. She could be having a terribe day, but make yours better. She beleives everyone can make mistakes, but no one can make the same mistake twice. She holds grudges, but she forgives. There was a lot more about the name Sydney, but those were the main things.
In Response To Abortion Article
In response to Haley's article against abortion, I couldn’t agree with her more. Abortion is one of my strongest feelings in taking lives. Kids shouldn’t be brought into this world just to get kicked out, it’s not fair. I believe abortion is just like murder, taking an innocent life. This article was easy to relate to as I am against abortion. I know some time you can be in a hard situation and you don’t have a lot of money, you want to graduate from high school, and get into a good college. But just think, you would have to live with knowing you took an innocent child’s life. Maybe try something more comfortable, like adoption. Find a home that you would be more than happy to give your child to as if it was you to live there.
Forever Alone
Dear NNN,
Within the 15 years I’ve been alive I haven’t had one Valentine. My friends always brag about their amazing gifts they got from their boyfriend and I just sit there like a stump. How can I make this Valentine’s Day more fun and enjoyable?
-Forever Alone
Dear Forever Alone,
If your friends continuously brag about their amazing heartsy gumdrop gifts, maybe you should show them up and find a “fake” boyfriend. Make them think hes the sweetest, caring, and kindest boyfriend. But then again, Valentine’s Day isn’t all about having a boyfriend or getting that one cute gift. You can invite some friends over to your house that don’t necessarily have plans and snack on sweethearts while watching a movie. You can always have a good time with friends, no matter what. This might change your mind about feeling “Forever Alone”.
-NNN
Yoda Bat
 |
| theepochtimes.com |
Some say the wiseness of Yoda is unparalleled in the universe. Others say bats are just mice with wings and have the intelligence level of a rock. Now there’s a creepy animal that proves everyone wrong: meet the Yoda Bat. This tube-nosed bat was discovered in 2009 during an expedition to a remote mountain range in Papua New Guinea. The bat uses its creepy facial protuberance to locate delicious fruit. It also does an excellent job resembling a certain sage Jedi. This is just one of the roughly 200 species encountered during two scientific expeditions. Though seen on previous expeditions, the bat has yet to be formally documented as a new species, or even named. Like other fruit bats, though, it disperses seeds from the fruit in its diet, perhaps making the flying mammal crucial to its tropical rain forest ecosystem. This bat is not only ugly, but very cool too. Research on this bat will blow your mind. It’s actually an amazing bat.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)