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Did You Dig Pink?
By: Anthony
Pink-Out Day is a day to raise awareness for breast cancer. Pink-Out Day has been taking place at the middle school for years and coincides with the High School Volleyball Team’s Dig Pink game. T-shirts are designed, created, and sold with profits benefiting breast cancer research.
Teachers and students alike were dressed in pink as well as sporting the Dig Pink T-Shirts. Some teachers really pinked out for this special day. Mrs. Heydt was completely dressed in pink including pink eyelashes. Mrs. Heydt said she thought that her outfit was “the pinkest.” Mrs. Halloran disagrees and thinks that she was “pinked out” completely. Mrs. Halloran was also dressed head to toe in pink. Literally, her shoes were pink and she also sported a bright pink wig.
There were many pink outfits to be
seen around the school. Many students were looking forward to seeing what some
of the teachers were going to wear. Teachers like Mr. Strobl who dressed in a
pink tux a few years back drew a lot of attention. It would be hard to top
that! Some others didn’t go quite as
far. This year students quoted, “Good luck next year Mr. Strobl!”There were many pink outfits being shown around. Some were okay while others really stood out. Even if you didn’t get pinked-out like some teachers, dressing in pink has a deeper meaning than the clothes. So, if you would like to donate, drop off any loose change you have to the donation drop boxes in the cafeteria. Dig Pink!
Take a peak at P.E.A.K
Written by: Anthony K.
P.E.A.K. is a great way to spend time with your friends at awesome places. P.E.A.K stands for Planned, Entertainment, and Activities for Kids. I spoke with Miss Grube who is the head of operations for P.E.A.K. Miss Grube said, “It’s a good opportunity for kids to participate in many activities that they cannot normally do with their friends.”
A highly anticipated P.E.A.K. activity is bowling. A large number of students attended. I also spoke with Mr. McDonald who to tried to bowl a perfect game while having fun with his students. He quoted, “It was a blast and tons of fun.” Later when I asked what his score was he said, “ I bowled a 173, and not to brag but I was up there for being the best.” Mr. McDonald is so modest, he saw kids falling up and down the bowling alley. He says this was his first P.E.A.K activity.
Charlie S., seventh grade student, had a great time bowling too and bowled an impressive 54.
Another upcoming P.E.A.K. activity is the corn maze at Seiples’ Farm. To date, one hundred fifty students have signed up for the activity. Colin C., seventh grade student, said that he really wants to go to the corn maze. Other students are anxiously awaiting the Phillies game.
Mrs. Yocum organized a fingernail-painting event for P.E.A.K and said, “It was super fun!” Mainly girls attended this activity. “ P.E.A.K activities are really fun and great experiences, said Alejandro R. who ate a chili dog for the first time.
If you want to do something new and exciting, be sure to check out P.E.A.K. It is loads of fun, and who knows you could make new friends.
GET YOUR GROOVE ON…
Written by Alex Y.
“The school dances are a great thing. It’s a very important social gathering that will prepare you for future proms, dinner dances, and formals,” says school principal, Dr. Donahue. We all know about the Board Games t
hemed dance, which just took place. Students unanimously replied
that they did not like this theme.After asking many students what their thoughts were on the next dance, I found out that the students are completely obsessed with having a Hawaiian themed dance. Thirteen people interviewed said, “I think a fun theme would be Hawaiian.” Even Dr. Donahue replied, “If I were in school, I think during the cold, harsh weather a fun theme would be a Hawaiian beachy theme.”
Although students may not have cared for the theme, the dance overall seemed to have a good turn out considering the student count totaled over 300.
Half the students sat in the lobby throughout the dance, until the popular song Gangnam Style began to play. The second everyone heard the first beat the gym was packed. Everyone was ready
for Gangnam Style! That was by far the
liveliest part of the dance.After speaking with students it turns out a lot of these kids are interested in being on a dance committee. Instead of the student council planning the school dances, many students feel a designated club for school dances should be taken into consideration for students to plan the dance of their dreams.
School dances are a great time where you get to have fun with friends on the dance floor. What’s better then that!
Putt U Field Trip
By: Collette B.
Earlier this month, Mr. Strobl’s and Ms. Grube’s seventh grade math classes went on a field trip to Putt U. However, golfing wasn’t the only reason they were there. Math computations on mean, median, mode and range were made according to the students’ golf scores. Mr. Strobl’s Clear Creek team and Ms. Grube’s Glacier Ridge team went on different days. Glacier Ridge went on October 1, 2012, and Clear Creek went on October 3, 2012. The purpose for this conveniently located field trip was to gain a better understanding of concepts that were being taught in class.
At Southern Lehigh Middle School seventh graders have been attending the Putt U field trip for at least ten years. They will try to go for as long as possible. Ms. Grube stated, “That not only did they have fun while playing golf, but the teachers enjoyed just being able to get outside with their students.” She also said, “Seeing all the kids with big smiles on their faces was a bonus for all of us.”
Shoot For The Hoop and Help the Heart!!!!
Written by: Alex H.
Hoops For Heart is coming! Are you ready to shoot some baskets? Southern Lehigh is hosting Hoops For Heart to raise money for the American Heart Association. This will take place at the Southern Lehigh Middle School Gymnasium. Seventh graders will be competing November 16th, while the eighth graders are competing on November 14th. Seventh and eighth graders will be taking shots to support research for heart disease from 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM on the days mentioned. Students will form teams of 5 to 6 players to compete in 4 on 4 games. Also, each game will last only 6 minutes. They must bring a packed lunch those days. Students who wish to participate must donate at least $15. Physical education teachers, Mrs. Hagy or Mr. West will collect this money by Thursday, November 8th. Another important date to remember is Friday, November 9th when all teams are organized with a team captain and a team name.
Last year our seventh and eighth grade players raised $5173 with over 200 people in attendance. “ We would like for at least 300 people,” stated Mrs. Hagy. Supporters can donate online at http://www.americanheart.org/hoops. Finally, all checks should be made payable to the American Heart Association. If you have any questions please contact Mrs.Hagy at hagyd@slsd.org or 610-282-3700 (6149). Hope to see you there!
Colonial America…Simulation Style
By: Dylan H
Have you ever taken part in a simulation? In Dr. Orr’s eighth grade Social Studies class, that’s how you earn your grade! In the first marking period, the students take on the role of the original thirteen colonies. The colonies are affected by natural disasters, war, etc. which actually occurred in history. Students had to buy, sell, and trade to make money, or shillings, as they were called in colonial America. Once your group, or colony, makes a certain amount of shillings, you become a super colony.
Once you become a super colony, your colony has an A+ for the marking period, and you earn special benefits in class. The most coveted benefit is being able to buy Man of Wars (battling ships), which you can use to battle other countries. You can also become banking institutions and loan money to other colonies charging them interest. If your colony becomes bankrupt, then you and your group are out of the simulation. It’s back to bookwork!
If your colony’s citizens anger levels become too high or spiral out of control, you’re also out of the simulation. Back to bookwork for you too!
Dr. Orr has been teaching eighth grade Social Studies students through the use of simulations for sixteen years. He started using this simulation two years ago. He teaches three parts of the simulation in the first semester, the reign of King George II, the reign of King George III, and the American Revolution. He likes teaching through simulations because, “it keeps students active, it involves planning, it brings history to life, and students truly enjoy it.” Students have commented, “It’s really cool, except when something unexpected happens and you lose a lot of shillings,” and, “I enjoy how you can play a game and still learn.”
The Mysterious Teacher…
By Alex H.
Southern Lehigh has a new teacher. This is not just any teacher; it’s the newly arrived “Chinese” teacher. Who is this is Chinese teacher you may ask? Her name is Tian Hua. In Chinese, your last name would appear first, then your first name last. You may also call her Miss Tian or Tian Laoshi.
Miss Hua came to the United States because it’s meaningful
to her for teachers and students to learn different languages and cultures.
Tian Hua came from the Confucius Institute Partners University from China. Miss
Tian arrived on a Thursday afternoon when school was not in session. Her first
reaction to the school was that it “looked nice.” Miss Tian says, “The students
are really smart and I like them.” She
will be with Southern Lehigh for only one year. When asked about Miss Tian, students have responded that the new Chinese teacher “is very nice and has good teaching strategies.” Another comment is that, “this teacher goes more in depth in words than the last Chinese teacher.” We are fortunate to have the new Chinese teacher, Miss Tian as part of our school family.
Arabic Comes To Southern Lehigh
By Anthony K.
The start of the new school year brought new smiles, new students, new goals, and even new teachers. One of those new teachers is Miss Hassan -Gawdet. Miss Hassan-Gawdet teaches Arabic. One of her students, Nathan M., answered a few questions about her. When asked about her personality, Nathan replied that she is very nice. Nathan relayed that he has been learning a great deal. He is very fond of Miss. Hassan-Gawdet’s teaching style and thinks she makes it interesting. Nathan was asked why he decided to take Arabic, and he quoted, “It seemed like a really cool language to learn.”
Another one of Miss. Hassan-Gawdet’s students is Haley S. Haley replied to the question about Miss Hassan-Gawdet’s personality and she thinks she is really nice as well. Haley took Arabic, because she thought it would be fun to learn something new. Haley even quoted that Arabic is one her favorite classes.
Mrs Benedix also knows the Arabic teacher well as she has been assigned as her mentor. She says that, “Miss Hassan-Gawdet enjoys being at the school.”
Dr. Donahue actually met with Miss Hassan-Gawdet
when she first came to the states in August. They met to fill out paperwork.
Miss Hassan-Gawdet tried to teach Dr.Donahue some words in Arabic, but he just
couldn’t catch on. Before Miss Hassan-.Gawdet came to the U.S she taught in a
school just outside of Cairo, Egypt. In fact, she was the principal of the
school.I even had the privilege of talking to Miss Hassan-Gawdet. Miss Gawdet said that the climate was cooler here than in Egypt where she had currently moved from. She came here with the sole purpose of teaching. Miss Hassan-Gawdet said that learning a new language was pretty easy. Miss Gawdet moved from Cairo, Egypt, which is very far away. Miss. Hassan said that she became a teacher because she enjoys delivering a message. I asked her what it was like to go from being a principal to back to being a teacher and she said, “At first it was difficult then after a li
ttle I
got right back to teaching.”We are very lucky to have the privilege of having someone as qualified as Miss Hassan-Gawdet to teach the students Arabic in Southern Lehigh. It is amazing that she has dedicated so much time and effort to our school district. Miss Hassan-Gawdet also teaches part time at the High School. Many students are learning the language and the Arabic culture through Miss Hassan-Gawdet’s teachings. It truly is an amazing language, and we are just so lucky to have the choice to be taught it.
Extreme Makeover…Green House
By: Collette B.
This coming spring the Southern Lehigh Middle School is redesigning the Green House as an area for students to read, write, and collect their thoughts. This will be a silent place for 7th and 8th graders to focus on their studies and reflect on their school day. Students will be able to enjoy this area during their Reading and Language Arts class periods.
If you have any questions or want to know more about the Green House project there are teachers who also share an interest in the Green House and they may be able to answer questions regarding the improvements. Mr. Meyers, 8th grade Science teacher, Mr. Marchek, 8th grade Science teacher, Mr. McDonald, STEM teacher and Mrs. Snell, Family Consumer Science teacher are all willing to be contacted.
Dr. Donahue is in the process of naming the Green House, and is open to any and all suggestions. He already has a name in mind, so if you think you have a name that might top his let him know immediately. The Southern Lehigh Middle School is very fortunate to have this area designated to concentration. Students are very excited, as are the teachers to be able to use this new space throughout the school day.
Healthy Lunch Choices
By: Andrew K.
This August, the cafeteria rules were changed so students can begin to eat healthier. The new rule states that if you want to pay the normal hot lunch price, $2.65, you must take fruits/vegetables with your lunch or be charged an Ala Carte price per item. What greatly influenced the change was Michelle Obama's speech, which influenced the Department of Agriculture to encourage healthier foods for students.
Our school operates under a reimbursement program, so we must abide by the new rules set forth encouraging healthier eating. Fourteen out of fourteen interviewees all agreed that it's good that the school wants kids to eat right, however many students may end up wasting their food. The head of the cafeteria, Mrs. Hallman, shared her opinion, “I think it’s a brilliant idea to get students to eat right, but if students don’t eat fruits/vegetables at home, they certainly won’t eat it here. My observation is that most students get the fruits/vegetables to get normal hot lunch price, but end up wasting it and throwing it away.”
Mrs. Yocum has introduced a solution, which may help. Donate the leftover food items to local food shelters. Many people believe this would be a great idea. Many people have opinions on this matter, but your own opinion has the most influence, so make the right choice and eat healthy.
The Green Knights
By Andrew K.
Green Knights was a combination art and football activity, which began in mid-September and ended on September 27, 2012. This activity was run by the art teacher, Mrs. Yocum, and involved her outgoing, active art students. Green Knights consisted of designing statues of female knights to mock the Penargyl High School Mascot. The “Green Knights” were displayed and roasted at the 2012 Homecoming Bonfire.
All students in the art club were interviewed and replied that the project was very entertaining and easy. This can be proved by how quickly they finished the project… only TWO activity periods! The Green Knights idea was created by the Spartan football team, who thought it would be entertaining to roast a female “Green Knight” at the Homecoming Bonfire. The activity was a huge success! An art club student by the name of Sydney Dunbar concludes by saying, “ It wasn’t a very hard project and everyone worked real hard!”
The Fountain In the Lobby
By: Dylan H.Is it an ordinary store-bought fountain, or something more? What started as an idea for a trashcan that spews water ended up being a traditional Arabic fountain. The fountain started as Dr. Donahue’s idea to have something extra for seventh grade’s “Arabic Day.” Mr. McDonald, STEM teacher, had a pump and offered it for “Arabic Day,” which gave Mrs. Yocum, Art teacher, the idea of the trashcan with water. They started researching the Arabic culture and found out that many Arabic people have fountains.
Since the fountain would be for seventh grade, Mrs. Yocum thought it would be a good idea for seventh graders to help make it. At the time, it was the fifth mini-cycle, so Mrs. Yocum had her second and third periods help design the tiles. When they were done, and the tiles were added to the fountain, it was placed in the Voice Café and Mr. McDonald engraved Southern Lehigh’s mission statement in Arabic on the top that reads, “Educating todays learners… for tomorrow’s opportunities.”
After the 2011-2012 school year ended, Mr. Yons and the custodial team helped move the fountain from the Voice Café to the place where it is now, the lobby. Several students say it looks good there, including Scott P. who said, “I think the fountain looks amazing,” and Will M. who said, “I think it looks nice and that it compliments the lobby, and it gives a sense of tranquility.”
Change Brings Great Turnout for Back To School Orientation
By: Alex Y.
Southern Lehigh Middle School’s Back to School Orientation had an immense turnout. Why, you might ask? According to Dr. Donahue, “When you take curiosity and add desire, your result will be a big crowd.” This proved very true. This year, there were more students wanting to learn what 7th grade would be like than previous years. Students really enjoy being able to tour their school and become prepared for that dreadful scary first day at a new school.
At the end of the last school year, students were surveyed to find out their thoughts on the orientation they attended. In late spring administrators received this input and began to make changes in reference to the survey responses for the next year’s incoming seventh graders.
After speaking with students to determine their favorite parts as well as areas that needed changes, a great idea came out. “I think that a little gathering for students, to hang with friends before the actual orientation, would make kids feel more comfortable with this scary new place,” said Mike Sissleburger.
Some other thoughts about the Orientation are that the tour should consist of Related Arts courses as well to get a real feel for the school.
Dr. Donahue, principal, and Mr. Davidson, assistant principal, prepared an extremely well planned Back to School Orientation. It felt like a weight was lifted off my shoulders being new to the school district as well as being new to the middle school. I’m sure it did to others as well.
Why bother coming to this program? It reminds me that summer is almost over, and I will have to go back to school soon. In reality, it’s actually a great luxury that not every school offers. I know in Rocky Point, back on the island, summer ended and school began. There were no programs to make us comfortable. We should all be appreciative of what the teachers and staff do for us. If you have any helpful tips about the program, please relay these to Dr. Donahue. He will gladly take any and all ideas into consideration.
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