Scholastic Bowl Tests Student Knowledge

By Maya Viswanathan

On Wednesday, April 24, Jefferson’s scholastic bowl team went to regionals. Scholastic Bowl is a competition where five kids work together to answer trivia questions. They can discuss the answers to some, but not to all questions. The questions can be about anything. Math, history, science, popular culture, art, and grammar are some topics. The season has been going on since winter. We have matches almost every week. If we won our two matches at regionals we would advance to the next round at regionals and if we continued winning, we would eventually go to state. Unfortunately, this year, we lost both our matches at regionals.

My favorite part of Scholastic Bowl is the matches. They are really fun, even when we lose, but especially when we win. They are always thrilling and exciting. It is especially fun, when you get to answer a question. For example, I listen to classical music a lot and I play the violin and piano so I can sometimes answer the music questions. It makes you feel good that you knew the answer. There are so many different topics in Scholastic Bowl and so many different kinds of questions that almost everyone gets to have the fun of answering something at least once.

Practice is also really fun. Every week, there is scholastic bowl practice on Tuesday and Thursday. We do a lot of different things at practice. Sometimes, we work on a specific topic that we aren’t very good at, like grammar, or geography. Sometimes we just answer random questions, and sometimes we have a mock match. Coach Anderson and Coach Siwecki make practice really fun for us. We learn a lot and we also get to talk to friends while we are practicing.

We learn a lot in Scholastic Bowl. One time this year, there was a question about the authors of award-winning books. There were four books. I read all four of them, but I didn’t remember any of the authors. When I heard the answer, I remembered that the author of Johnny Tremain was Esther Forbes and I also remembered the other three. I also learned the answers to a question about flying squirrels. The question asked about the scientific classification of flying squirrels. I learned that the phylum of the flying squirrel is chordata and the order of it is rodentia. Another thing I learned was a question about font. Did you know that Steve Jobs came up with the idea in a calligraphy class? I also learned many other things in Scholastic Bowl, but I won’t mention them now. If you want to find out, you should go to Scholastic Bowl next year.

This year Scholastic Bowl was great. Even though we lost both games at regionals, our team improved a lot over the season. Hopefully, the team will do even better next year. In conclusion, if you want to learn new things, spend time with friends, and have a lot of fun, you should join scholastic bowl next year.

The Multiple Ways of Taste

By Matthew Ferrer

Not too long ago I was stumbling around on the web and I found something quite interesting.  An article by ‘www.scientificamerican.com’ talked about a percent of all people called “supertasters.”  supertasters, as said, are people with extra taste buds than a normal human would have. There were also non-tasters,  people who didn’t have much of a knack for singling out flavors.

A normal person has 50 to 150 receptor cells on their tongues.  Each cell senses a specific flavor. This can range from sweet, sour,  spicy, and more. Altogether, once you place some food in your mouth, your receptor cells sense the taste and…  there it is! That’s how you sense flavor.

 

Supertasters,  on the other hand,  are usually the people who fall into the higher receptor cell category.  supertasters have an amplified sense of taste, so it would only make sense for them to have a richer taste of food items than normal people (pun intended).  And when I say richer, I mean richer for every taste.  Of course,  a chocolate cake might taste delicious for them.  But, they’ll also have a worse time with gross-tasting foods.

Then we jump over to check out their counterparts:  non-tasters. As I said, they’re the opposite of supertasters.  They have fewer receptor cells than an average taster. Therefore,  their sense of taste is hindered. This results in a less satisfying dining experience.  Nobody would want that. But, you can’t really choose how many receptor cells you have. Now…  Imagine if you could. That’d be delightful

Tangents aside,  non-tasters also have a gift bestowed upon them with their lack of taste.  Those gross and unwanted flavors can be sensed in food. This is usually by supertasters or the normal,  every-day person. But, thanks to the lack of receptor cells, non-tasters never have to worry about bad flavors.  It’s obvious that bother supertasters and non-tasters have their ups and downs.

If your interested in finding out if you’re one of the three categories of tasters,  you’re in luck. There’s a simple procedure in doing so. Firstly, you’ll need blue food coloring,  a glass of water, and wax paper ring or a paper-hole reinforcer. Other supplies include a magnifying glass,  light, and patience. Patience is key in all of this. Though the test is simple, it may take a couple of tries.

Firstly,  you’ll want to carefully add a drop of blue food coloring onto your tongue.  Then you’ll want to swish some water around your mouth and spit it out. Afterward,  take a couple of gulps to dry your mouth and tongue (this is very important). Lastly,  add the wax paper ring, or paper-hole enforcer, onto your tongue and shine a light. Count the large bumps you see.  This will be the number of receptor cells you have on your tongue.

At the end of the day,  we all experience taste differently.  That’s a fact we can’t and change. And,  with anything, individuality is what makes you unique.  Whether you think supertasters, average-tasters, or non-tasters have the advantage in the cuisine world,  that’s all up to you and your opinion.

Poetry: What Might Happen Next

By Annika Blackburn

Beauty
The dainty, pink-colored petals of the marigolds catch the sunlight
In a rainbow of mountain dew
The bluejays hum
As the forgotten squirrels gather the shells of spoiled acorns
Beauty

Bulldozers plow
The excretion of riches fill the ground
Bulldozers plow
Sorrow fills the earth
A chip of beauty falls from the earth
Into the bucket of greed

Smog
Hot, muddy, fog
The dust of man
Gathered into a cloud of smoke
Oil and money
Left behind
A chip of beauty falls from the earth
Into the bucket of greed

It warms us
Controls us
Lives within us
Buildings
Toys
Ziploc Bags
The world
Tangled in the net that bears prosperity
A chip of beauty falls from the earth
Into the bucket of greed

The dainty, pink-colored petals of the marigolds catch the nothing
In a rainbow of mountainous garbage
The bluejays wither and die
As the boney squirrels gather the emptiness of the world
Ugly

Poetry: I Stare Back At Him

By Annika Blackburn

Cold, black, dark
Shiny eyes bore through me
White grass encases the stomach
An inverted blue blanket stirs the dotted navy branches
Of the night
Scaly fur in the bright of the darkness
Wooden plastic tints light
Creates the bright

Cold, black, dark
Tinted eyes bore through me
A ghost arises from shiny, blue porcelain
I stare back at him.  


Cold, black, dark
The shiny eyes of the impertinent street garbage bore through me
Crushes the worms of the dirt
The birds of the sky
Shades the light
Creates the bright

Cold, black, dark
A chalky white sky
Scratched by the dotted navy branches.
Stops the light
Creates the bright
I stare back at him

Is Homework Helpful or Harmful?

By Annika Blackburn

Is homework beneficial or harmful to students? This is a big question that has been asked a lot lately. Yes, studying and practicing is good, but what about sleeping, health, and relaxation? The average high school freshman has nearly four hours of homework every single day! Along with working part-time jobs, being a sport, or club, doing chores…the list could go on. On the contrary, doing homework increases the amount of knowledge that a student takes in on a daily basis, this leads to better test scores and happier lives. Homework also teaches students to not procrastinate, and being busy all of the time keeps them out of trouble. This is a controversial question that people are still trying to figure out, no one is really sure yet about what is the right answer.

Many students across America have to stay up late doing homework assignments after busy, stressful days filled with sports practices and afterschool club meetings. Nowadays, there are many extracurricular activities that students are involved in and the stress of everyday life just piles up. Homework is just an added factor to all of that unhealthy anxiety is what a lot people believe, including many psychologists. Homework assignments also limit students time with their families and it takes away from the sleep that they are already not getting enough of. It also makes it difficult for students to work part-time jobs, babysit their younger siblings, or complete household chores. Limiting, or even banning homework altogether are both measures that many schools have recently taken to improve overall student health.

On the other hand, homework teaches students responsibility, work ethic, time management, and it helps students remember the materials that they cover in class. Many people believe that the reason students are not getting adequate sleep is not because of the homework itself, but because students procrastinate to get their homework done. They believe that homework will teach students how to manage their time wisely so that they can get everything done and it will teach them how to act responsibly. It is also believed that kids are getting lazier these days due all of the advancements that we have made in technology, homework will help to teach kids to value hard work. If a student works hard and always completes their homework, then they will receive good grades, they will learn that you have to work hard in order to achieve your goals. But overall, the most valuable thing about homework in the majority of people’s minds is that it enables the student to practice and to fully absorb the material. Homework helps students to earn high test scores and to get a better education (in the majority of cases).

There are so many pros and cons to both sides of this argument, that is why it was so difficult for me to make the decision about who is right. I do not agree that all homework should be banned, students really need that extra practice outside of school, homework helps students remember all of the material that they have learned in class. From personal experience, I do better on tests and exams when the teacher gives me lots of homework.

What I do not agree with is, students staying up all night, not sleeping, and not being able to engage in extracurricular activities because of homework. My answer to this question is not one-sided. I think that students should have homework, but not too much. That way, students can have a good balance of social activities, extracurricular activities, time with family, fun, and relaxation. Also, instead of big packets filled with copying and fill-in-the-blank activities, there could be more projects, activities, and meaningful long-answer questions for students to do as homework. That way, homework could be more productive, efficient, and shorter, compact activities like that would allow students to spend less time on homework. My teachers have already started to incorporate these types of assignments into my classes and it working out very well for everyone. I also think that it depends on the student, some are busier than others, and some may need more practice to do well. Option homework could be another solution. If students were to do absolutely none of it, than they might get the natural consequence of a lower test score. It really just depends on what the school district wants and what the students want. In conclusion, it was very interesting to consider this question and to come up with an answer. I think that homework is helpful, but it begins to harm student’s health when too much of it builds up.

Are Electronics Taking Over Our Lives?

By Annika Blackburn

Humans have evolved and have made a great deal of technological advances over the years. The question is, how far is too far? What would it be like if machines and robots did everything from working on construction projects to exploring new galaxies, and people had nothing to do? Even nowadays, it seems like everyone always has their eyes glued to a screen. People working in offices are on their computers all day, everyone seems to spend every single second of their free time on a cell phone, and textbooks in classrooms are even being replaced by laptops.  

Yes, there are many reasons why all of this technology is good thing; people can connect with each other around the world in ways that could never be done before, computer programing creates many new job opportunities, and kids can learn a lot from educational games and apps. The problem is, people get addicted to computers every day, nature isn’t as exciting, cyberbullying is a recurring issue, and the world seems to run on fake news that is spread easily from cell phone to cell phone.

As said before, there are a great deal of advantages to all of the wonderful types of technology that humans have developed over the years. One of the big benefits is all of the connections that humans are able to make, communication is better than it ever has been before. Since everything is connected, it easier for humans to learn and evolve. For example, I can type a question into any google search engine and I will receive immediate answers. The internet is everyone’s ideas, knowledge, and skills, just smooshed together. Technology gives us new ideas and makes us smarter when it is used in the right way.

Another amazing thing about all of the technology that we have is that it creates so many new jobs. All of these computers need someone to program them. Computer programmers make a good salary, receive good working conditions, and have a lot of fun. Everyone deserves to have a good job, and technology creates good jobs. One more great thing about computers is, there are so many new education games and apps out there that allow kids to learn. Technology makes it easier and more fun for children to grow their brains. Overall, technology has many benefits, but there are also a lot of disadvantages to consider.

All of this technology opens up some pretty nasty things to consider; the dark web, cyberbullying, the effective spreading of fakes news, social awkwardness, and less time spent in nature. The dark web allows for illegal activity, and the spread of drugs, humans sometimes tend to abuse technology. Cyberbullying is another big factor to consider, it is especially common to happen between adolescents. Cyberbullying is when someone uses computers to bully someone else online, it happens especially on social media and on other chatting networks.

Fake news goes along with cyberbullying, rumors and hatred are often spread through fake news. This type of journalism includes government propaganda, horrific lies about people, and basically just stories that are made up. The existance of fake news makes it hard for people to tell whether or not something is actually true. All of these devices also cause people to not be able to talk to each other real-life. Yes, texting and having an actual conversation are not the same thing. Building friendships and connections with people face-to-face is a lot more valuable than having tons of followers on social media. Finally, technology has caused many people to not appreciate nature as much as they used to. Going outside and having fun is a lot more beneficial then staying inside on your phone all day.

Also, as we progress into the future, technology gets more and more advanced. I am afraid that it will take over everything someday and that there will be nothing left for humans to do. If robots did everything for us, then there would be no goals to reach towards, or obstacles to overcome, everything would already be taken care of for us. Imagine, how terrible life would be like that. Someday we might even turn ourselves into robots in order to live forever, humanity would be gone for good.

In conclusion, I believe that technology and computers are very good things when used in moderation. If everyone were responsible and used the powerful tool of the internet wisely, then there would be absolutely no issues. I think that humans should continue to advance technology to cure diseases, allow ourselves to become more educated, and to travel through space.

Yes, technology can be scary in the future, but I think that if we make reasonable decisions, things will turn out to be okay. We do need to limit our screen time right now though. Connecting and others and exploring nature are still very important things to do, there are more things to life than cell phones. I think that we don’t need to advance technology anymore to make our lives easier (we have already done that), we should continue to advance it for more important things such as, saving lives and making the world a better place.

Day of Silence Offers Students a Voice

By Annika Blackburn

Many students at Jefferson have recently participated in a student-led national event called the Day of Silence, which takes place every year on the second Friday of April. On this day, students pledge themselves to silence in effort to acknowledge and support teens who are a part of the LGBTQ community. The silence represents how these teens are silenced every single day. This day also gives LGBTQ teens a voice because the bullying that they experience every day is finally being recognized.

Everybody at Jefferson who participated in this event did so in their own special way. People who were required to speak, but still wanted to be supportive, wore Day of Silence t-shirts, or rainbow-patterned attire. Students who were silent, communicated their needs through whiteboards, while other students took the day to simply reflect.The Day of Silence mainly takes place because of bullying and other horrible things that unfortunately happen to teens who have shared that they are a part of the LGBTQ community.

The Day of Silence was first created by a student named Maria Pulzetti in the year 1996. Pulzetti really wanted to make a difference for students in school and she wanted to raise awareness for the LGBTQ community. Even more LGBTQ teens were being bullied back then than they are nowadays. There were Gay-Straight Alliances, conferences, and meetings about raising LGBTQ awareness, but not everyone knew about it. Pulzetti wanted to raise awareness in her entire school. She also wished to commemorate a boy named Lawrence King who was shot by his classmate for being transgender at E.O. Green Middle School. She felt really terrible about all of the hatred that was taking place in her community.

As previously mentioned, Jefferson Middle School was one of the thousands of schools across the country that participated in the Day of Silence. During the week that led up to the event, students watched videos, listened to podcasts, made posters, and participated in group discussions that were all about supporting the LGBTQ community. All these activities that were done in advisory classes really educated students on how much harassment really takes place and how important being supportive of each other is.

Many students participated in the actual Day of Silence after hearing the truth about all of the bullying that takes place. After not talking all day, the member of Jefferson’s Gay-Straight Alliance went to a celebratory meeting and were able to reflect on their specific experiences. From my experiences, I felt like the Day of Silence was very successful at Jefferson and that less silencing will happen because of it.

In conclusion, many LGBTQ students who have come out are bullied, harassed, silenced, or even kicked out of their own homes. Students across the county saw this problem with their own eyes and decided to help put a stop to it. That is how the Day of Silence came to be. Everyone who chooses to go silent on this day does it for a reason, to reflect, be supportive of friends, make their own voice heard, or to bring their community together. Jefferson was one of the many schools that participated in this event, many students vowed to be silent. I believe that because of the Day of Silence there will be more support and less bullying directed towards LGBTQ teens.