Issue Number 23 htps://www.somersschools.org/Page/11489 Spring 2021

Full-Time School: How and Why are the New York Helping or Hurting Knicks This Good This Early? Students? By Benji Cutler cess is signing Coach of the Tusker Tribune Year candidate Tom By Gianna Doherty Staff Thibodeau. Thibodeau signed Tusker Tribune Staff As a New with the Knicks in July of Somers Middle School Yorker myself, I am 2020 heading into this sea- and High School students re- technically allowed to son. Before Thibodeau, New cently just stopped their hy- root for the . York had gone through 8 brid-learning and started Full This season and especially head coaches since 2009. -Time in person learning. Now right now, I proba- They hired David Fiz- that there are many kids back in the bly should and dale, Mike Miller, Kurt building, hallways are much more probably will be- Rambis, , crowded and so are classes. There cause of how good and Jeff Hornacek, but are also plastic dividers on each they have been. Ev- failed to make the desk, causing some students to look er since December Playoffs even once since through six dividers just to see the 22, 2020, the start 2013. However, with screen. of the 2020-21 NBA Season, Thibodeau’s winning mindset However, it is easier to learn the New York Knicks went rather than tanking and re- in school for most students and it is from the laughing stock of the building, New York has been also easy for teachers to teach when NBA for decades to a top seed very successful and will al- their students are in person as well. in the stacked Eastern Con- most certainly be playing in a There is an option for stu- ference which includes the 7-game series in May. dents to stay fully e-learning, but it Brooklyn Nets, Philadelphia By trading Kristaps is quite an- 76ers, Milwau- Porzingis in 2019, noying to kee Bucks, Bos- it freed up lots of have 20 ton Celtics, etc. cap space for the kids in per- By the Knicks to go crazy son and way, this was in that upcoming then only without making offseason and two on any dramatic build a successful Zoom be- changes to their team, even though cause most roster in the off- the fans were very of the time season or at the Trade Dead- upset with the move. the teacher line! How did they do this, However, instead of ends up re- why are they the most sur- potentially signing Kevin Du- A student’s view prising team in the league by rant and (they through the plastic peating in- desk dividers formation or far this year, and what coincidentally signed with the having to should you expect out of the other New York team), they reteach something to the few kids on Knicks for the rest of the sea- signed , Bobby Zoom. son and the years to come? I Portis, Wayne Ellington, Reg- Hopefully now it will be easier will answer all of that today gie Bullock, Elfrid Payton, for kids to live a somewhat normal and will explain the New and . They also life. With all teachers and staff vac- York Knicks’ incredible and drafted RJ Barrett with the cinated and kids less likely to get surprising success that has 3rd pick, who had a very un- Covid-19, it has made it safe for our given millions of Knicks fans derwhelming rookie season school to do this. a chance to enjoy their team for the Knicks. At the time The past 2 weeks have been a play again. and for the 2019-20 season, rough adjustment for everyone. As of April 26, the this was a horrible offseason Hopefully, as we go on things will Knicks are 34-27, the 4th seed for the Knicks. The Knicks continue to feel more and more nor- in the East and are on a 9- went 21-45 and were the 12th mal. game winning streak. One of seed in the East. the main reasons for this suc- Continued on Page 3 The Tusker Tribune Page 2 The Student Newspaper of Somers Middle School Sibling Rivalry Rises to an Entirely New Level

By Emma Gordon weekend. Where were u? Tusker Tribune Staff Megan bit her lip and reluctantly typed 16-year-old Sienna looked up at back. the home that she hasn’t seen since her Megs: Busy with stuff...... parents sent her to the dumb all-girls DJ: Well, you do that every weekend. boarding school 30 miles away. When can we actually hang out again? “I make one evil robot that tries to murder Megan lied. the principal, and this is what I get?” she would Megs: I promise, this weekend. usually think. However, ever since she’s taken DJ: Wanna go to the Pizzeria tonight? over the secret identity of Techno Pulse, Sienna “Megan! The food’s not getting any warm- doesn’t have the time to complain about such fool- er and your sister’s not getting any younger!” Me- ishness. She needs to figure out what next tech gan’s mother shouted from outside the door she can make to destroy her Megs: I can’t. rival, The Masked Warrior, DJ: Y not? It’s Fri- so Sienna could continue day!! XD her evil reign. And this Megs: My sister’s dumb family dinner to cele- home, gtg brate the holidays isn’t go- DJ: KK, tell her I ing to help. She could be say hi! working in her evil lab right Megs: Kk, bye! now! But, whatever. DJ: Bye! Xx :) Sienna fixed the po- Megan shut off her sition of her duffel bag, phone and placed it face shoved her hands into the down on the table. She pockets of her black sweat- walked past the finished shirt, and dragged her feet to the front door. She homework on her desk and pushed it into more of stuck her finger onto the doorbell, and only a few a neat pile. She took a step backwards to make seconds later, her smiling mother answered the sure that it was neat enough when suddenly, she door. tripped over the sword hidden underneath her Sienna noticed her mom’s short red hair desk. had turned only grayer since she’s been gone, and The sword started to buzz and whir, caus- her pale face only more wrinkly. ing Megan to panic and throw a blanket over it. “Oh, my baby’s back!” her mom squealed, “Everything okay in there?” Megan’s pulling her daughter into a hug, and rubbing her mother asked. hand down Sienna’s black-dyed hair. In a panic, Megan threw a blanket over “Mom,” Sienna rolled her the sword and ran to her door and eyes and tore herself out of the opened to see her mother waiting- hug, “I’m not a baby anymore, I’m a little impatient at this . 16 years old!” she shouted behind “Yes. Sorry mother.” Megan her as she walked into the house. answered breathlessly. Everything in the house “It’s fine, now come down- was just as tacky as usual to Sien- stairs,” mom answered in her na. The dumb flowery walls, the shaggy, stupid cheerful way and made her way down the steps, carpeting, the sound of the AC whizzing in the not noticing Megan not following her. background. Megan quickly peeked into her room to Except for the smell of her dad’s chicken make sure that the sword couldn’t be seen, and pot pie, that could never get tacky to Sienna. stared blankly at her room for a bit, thinking She dropped her bag on the floor and about what had happened over the weekend. And, slumped into the kitchen, still in defeat from of course, her mind always whizzing back to who when The Masked Warrior somehow defeated her her evil nemesis truly was. She then followed her 500-foot robot with one sword over the weekend. mother down the stairs. “Megan! Come downstairs, your sister’s Megan felt the nice soft carpeting on her here and dinner’s ready!” mom shouted up the feet and traced her hand along the pretty flowery stairs to her younger daughter. wall as she hopped down the steps. Meanwhile, upstairs, 15-year-old Megan Once she got downstairs, she hummed to snapped her head up from her phone at the sound the sound of the AC and walked through the hall- of her name. way—past Sienna’s duffel bag—and into the “Coming mother!” She shouted from her kitchen, where Sienna already was, waiting for desk. She looked back at her phone to quickly an- her. swer her nosy friend. Continued on Page 3 DJ: I really wish u were with us over the The Tusker Tribune Page 3 The Student Newspaper of Somers Middle School

Nicks Rivalry From Page 1 From Page 2 “What took you so long? We’ve been waiting They didn’t even hours!” her father joked as he took the chicken pot pie make the Disney- out of the oven, with his signature bright yellow oven world Bubble, mitts. which explains how “Sorry, I was just texting DJ,” Megan explained bad they were. as she sat down across from Sienna. “She’s still a bit All of these upset that I couldn’t go to the movies with everyone players seemed like over the weekend.” failures and a waste Sienna perked up. “Why couldn’t you?” she of a contract for New York, except for one asked, with a smirk on her face; hoping that her goody- man. His name is Julius Deion Randle, two-shoes little sister finally got in trouble. A.K.A. Julius Randle or Dr. J by Knicks “Meg here was studying at the library for the fans. He has turned this team around entire weekend, for some dumb science test or some- with the help of RJ Barrett, , thing,” dad explained as he set the chicken pot pie down Immanuel Quickley, , Mitchell on the counter. “You know you don’t actually need to Robinson, , and of course, study for those things, right? You’re so smart, you prob- Coach Thibodeau. ably would’ve gotten the same grade without even open- Randle has blown the competition ing a textbook!” away for the Most Improved Player “Well, I mean... I got 100, right? So, it must be award this season and has made it a one- working!” Megan an- man race. Last season, he put up a solid swered, flustered, 19.5 PPG, but it didn’t seem like he was trying to think up of helping the Knicks franchise that much an excuse for her or leading them to close to enough wins badly constructed lie. for the Playoffs. This season, his produc- Sienna looked at her tion has been so much better and it actu- skeptically. ally has a true purpose for the team. He’s “What did you putting up an astounding 24 PPG, 10.5 do over the weekend RPG and 6 APG. He’s also shooting a ca- Sienna?” their moth- reer high 42% from the 3-point line. The er asked as she got second highest 3-point percentage he’s the lemonade out of had in a season the fridge. is only 34%! “Oh, uh...” That type of Sienna reluctantly answered as she remembered the jump rarely oc- battle that took place in the city over the weekend. curs in the “Nothing much.” NBA, especially The next 45 minutes and 27 seconds (What! A for a power for- narrator has to keep track!) went by pretty uneventful- ward/center. ly. The family of four just continued to eat dinner and Along with chat, the parents feeling proud that their family finally Randle and Barrett leading the way on felt complete with both their daughters there. Sienna offense, Nerlens Noel has been an under- was lost in thought about her next evil plan, and Megan rated defensive star in the Big Apple, and was also lost in thought; staring off and still trying to has lead the Knicks to the 4th best defen- figure out who was hiding behind her nemesis’ mask. sive rating in the entire league! He’s Maybe if she did, she could find a weakness; a crack in ranked 1st in defensive plus-minus, 2nd in Techno Pulse’s robotic armor. percentage for the entire NBA, and “Well! This was nice,” mother interrupted the is only on a $5M contract. That should be awkward silence that had taken over. “Megan, how a in everyone’s eyes although he has about you take Sienna up to her room and help her un- been very under the radar this season. pack.” Finally, what should you expect “Yeah!” The father chimed in. “And how about from the Knicks in the Playoffs and for we make some dessert, too! It is a special occasion!” the seasons to come? Well, there isn’t re- “I know where my room is.” Sienna whined as ally a true answer for this because any- she got up and rolled her eyes. The glare that her moth- thing could happen, but just know that er gave her basically translated to: “Sienna. Go with the Knicks are on the rise once again and your sister. NOW.” that they are not a team to mess with an- Megan, also being able to understand her mom’s ymore, especially with up-and-coming glare, got up too and followed her sister through the star Julius Randle wearing that blue, hallway and up the stairs. white and orange jersey and Tom Continued on Page 4 Thibodeau on the sideline. The Tusker Tribune Page 4 The Student Newspaper of Somers Middle School

Rivalry der the shoes Techno Pulse wore at that battle From Page 3 during DJ’s birthday party looked so familiar.” “Great, just great!” Sienna thought, as she No! But, it couldn’t be! Techno Pulse...Was Sien- clutched her bag. “Now how am I going to think na! But why would she do all those things in the up of a good evil plan for the next battle if mom first place? Rob banks? Invade malls? Steal candy and dad force me to be followed around the house from babies? “It can’t be a coincidence.” She by my little sister!” thought, as her face got redder and redder. She stomped up the stairs, 2 steps at a time. Her entire body shook. Her fists clenched- Megan followed, pitter-pattering up the honestly ready to punch her sister in the face. stairs closely behind her. “Alright, fine!” She Now, imagine this from the point of view of Sien- thought to herself. “I’ll just have to stay up late na: Your sister suddenly goes unnaturally quiet again to research on who for a minute, so you decide to could possibly be build- actually start to unpack. And ing this technology. Tech- when you check to make sure no Pulse has to be some- she’s still alive, you suddenly body really old, right, see her shaking in anger; with nobody really young a face that looks like a 5-year- could be creating these old who’s not allowed to get a robots! Oh- who am I candy bar. kidding! Why am I even Sienna opened her thinking about this right mouth to say something, but now! This is Sienna’s suddenly heard from a cheery day! I’m being so insensi- voice downstairs: “Girls! Des- tive!” sert’s ready! Come down be- The two sisters fore your father eats it all!” finally got up the stairs “We’re coming!” Megan and down the hall to Si- shouted down at her, in a tone enna’s somehow still of voice that did not sound like messy room. They stood her at all—but one that Sien- awkwardly in silence, as any pair of opposite-in- na had somehow recognized, every-way sisters would after not seeing each oth- but she didn’t know where from. er in months. Megan then turned to her as if she was “So... I’m in my room now.” Sienna said, about to say something, but then stopped and in- trying to get Megan out of her room so Sienna can stead gave her a glare that someone would save finally draw up plans for her next blow towards for their worst enemy; and then turned around the Masked Warrior. and stormed out of the room. They stood there for a few more seconds, “What’s her problem?” Sienna thought with Sienna figuring out another way to get her sister a look of disgust as she threw a few more shirts out of there without being too rude. into her drawer and shut it closed. And then—it “I always forget how hot it is in your hit her where she had heard that kind of voice room,” Megan finally spoke up, pulling her shoul- from. From when they were battling in the City der-length red hair back into a ponytail with a Square, magic sword to robotic sword. hair tie. “Hey! Can’t you do this somewhere else?” a “Oh, yeah.” Sienna awkwardly laughed man from a bagel shop had cried as they fought in and rolled up the sleeves of her sweatshirt. the street. “You’re scaring away my customers!” Megan’s eyes quickly darted to the deep “Well, I’m sorry! But I’m trying to save cut that ran across her sister’s arm. your life here!” the Masked Warrior had shouted “What happened?!” Megan asked alarmedly point- at the man as she tried to fend Sienna off. Which ing at it. gave her the perfect chance to throw them into a “Oh, I fell. You know, clumsy old me!” Si- brick wall. She thought it was funny at the time... enna lied through her teeth, quickly rolling her “But it can’t be!” She thought to herself. “I need sleeve back up. “More like fell onto The Masked proof!” Sienna sprinted as quietly as she could Warrior’s Sword,” Sienna thought. down the hall and into Megan’s room, which was “But, Sienna was never clumsy.” Megan neat as usual. Except for a blanket hastily thrown thought. “And even if she did, I don’t think her on the floor next to her desk. She closed the door falling could give her a cut like that. Unless she behind her and picked up a tiny corner of the fell on a really sharp stick, or knife or... blanket, revealing the edge of an all too familiar Sword.” Suddenly, millions of thoughts started golden sword that began to buzz excitedly at the pouring—no—were forcefully dumped into Me- sign of life. gan’s head. “It’s in the same spot that I had cut Sienna dropped the blanket and stepped Techno Pulse in with my sword. She’s the only one back, her heart sinking and her eyes widening. that I’ve ever seen make robots as futuristic as the “No, no, no, this can’t be!” she whispered to her- ones that attacked me over the weekend. No won- self. Megan... is the Masked Warrior? The Tusker Tribune Page 5 The Student Newspaper of Somers Middle School

Fun Facts About Elephants By Mischa Berek Tusker Tribune Staff Did you know that elephants are the largest land ani- mals, and that their tusks are teeth? Speaking of teeth, elephants are constantly eat- ing food. They eat so much that they can spend up to three quarters of their day eating. Another fun fact is that they communicate through vibrations. Elephants can also communicate through body language, touch, and scent. These are a few fun facts about elephants.

My Advice for Fifth Graders Coming to SMS Next Year

By Smera Thekkenmar Thanks to Eva Nevsky for this cool Tusker Tribune Staff painting of a Russian Nesting Doll. As a 6th grade e-learner, starting Middle School was definitely a big change this year. But The Tusker Tribune will publish art- what makes this experience easy is the teachers work and comics, as well as stories. and staff at SMS. Each grade has a counselor to Please send artwork as jpg files to whom you can reach out to as well. [email protected] Since I was going to be remote learning, I wasn’t sure if the whole process would go smoothly or if I would miss out on things. The first couple of days, one gets used to their schedule and finds all the different courses on Schoology. Schoology is the platform we use for our classes and clubs. If we have trouble navigating online or in campus, all we Reporters/Artists need to do is just ask any teacher for directions. Mischa Berek All the SMS teach- Benji Cutler ers are very nice and ready Gianna Doherty to help and answer any Emma Gordon questions we might have. Eva Nevsky They give us enough time Smera Thekkenmar to transition to the new schedule and atmosphere. This makes adjusting to the new school atmosphere a lot more easier. If one is going to be a remote learner, a major thing that helps us stay in focus is to have a des- The Tusker Tribune is the online Somers Mid- ignated place in our home with no distraction. I get dle School Student Newspaper. It is published ready every day for school as if it were a regular in- weekly (except during school vacations) on the Somers Middle School Website. It is entirely person class. student-written by 6th, 7th and 8th grade stu- Also, it’s good to be prepared with our work for dents from: class. The more subjects in school, the more homework Somers Middle School, 250 Route 202, Som- we get. Pro tip: Put aside one hour just to focus on ers, NY, USA. homework and study. If we spread out our work and Any SMS student is eligible to write stories. If procrastinate, we’re likely to forget about it. interested, please e-mail Advisor Dean Pappas Overall, middle school doesn’t seem to be as at [email protected]. Website: scary as I thought it to be. It’s all thanks to the wonder- https://www.somersschools.org/Page/11489 ful SMS teachers and staff.