The Tusker Tribune The Student Newspaper of Somers Middle School

Issue Number 36 https://www.somersschools.org/Page/11489 Spring 2019 Nothing Says ‘End of Year’ Like Splashdown! By Claire Sposito River” makes for a fun and en- Tusker Tribune Staff joyable way to relax in the wa- On June 21st, 7th ter. The park has many more graders will experience a amusing rides and ways to have waterpark adventure at fun. Splashdown Beach. Since we will be in the Less than an hour from Som- sun all day, a smart thing ers, in Fishkill, NY, we will have the would be to apply sunscreen opportunity to enjoy many fun water before you leave for school, but activities. One of the water rides I also bring it with you. If you am looking forward to most is “The plan on going on any of these Megalodon”--(a prehistoric beast brought to life) attractions, you will be wet afterwards so my sug- which is the largest attraction in the park and gestion would be to bring a change of dry clothes new this year! along with a towel. The “Arctic Mammoth” is one of the largest This trip will be raft rides in a fun way to take a the park. With break from school right many twists before we study hard and turns, it is for final exams coming bond to please up just a few days af- the thrill seek- ter. ers. If you are Editor’s Note: more into re- The trip is scheduled laxing, the for June 21, with a “Croc Creek rain date of June 19. Wavy Lazy Music in Classrooms: Helpful or Nuisance?

By Natalia Tellez but it definitely helps. Tusker Tribune Staff Also, when teachers give out For an extreme- work, students usually start talk- ly long time, there’s ing to each other instead of getting been an ongoing debate started on it but if we are all listen- about music in classrooms. Some ing to some of our favorite songs, I say it will be really helpful for doubt that will happen. Teachers the students and going to give would get to spend less time telling the teachers a well needed break the kids to stop talking and stu- from all the chatter. Others ar- dents would have an increased in gue that it will only distract stu- the amount of work getting done. dents causing more chaos for Not only that but listening teachers. What do you think? to music actually helps students Wait before you choose your side; retain information easier. Music you need to know all the pros and cons. has been shown to aid in memory enhancement, Allowing students to hear music in class- which helps with all classes and leads to students rooms is going to be a great idea and beneficial for getting better grades and have a better under- everyone! First of all, it has been proven in multi- standing of the concepts being taught. This is why ple studies that students have a better time focus- it is said it is very helpful to put some music on ing when listening to music. Of course, it has to be while studying. put at a low volume and can’t exactly be hard rock, Continued on Page 2 The Tusker Tribune Page 2 The Student Newspaper of Somers Middle School Music Summer Facts From Page 1

By Christian Brooks Another reason why music being Tusker Tribune Staff played in schools in useful, is that is can re- Since summer is coming fast, you duce stress and students certainly have a lot should know some interesting facts about it. of that. Stressed kids are more worried Summer is associated with leisure, carefree which causes them to have worse focus and activities. productivity. Background music will help  The popsicle was invented by accident. reduce stress and these negative effects will  There are 2 solstices in the year, one on June 21, fade and give kids a better learning oppor- and the other one on Decem- tunity. Furthermore, music can assist in ber 21. holding the kid's attention and give them  When the Northern something fun to look forward too. Hemisphere has summer, Overall, music in classrooms can im- the Southern Hemisphere prove classroom behavior and the quantity has winter. and even quality of work.  July is Ice Cream Month On the flip side, hearing music could  The “Dog Days of Sum- distract students and have a negative effect mer” is in the middle of Au- on them. To start, music gust. could impair student's abil-  August was named after ity to hear the teacher and Augustus Cesar and July any directions. This could was named after Julius Ce- lead to them missing im- sar. portant information and  The hottest temperature in the USA is 134 de- get in trouble for something grees Fahrenheit. This happened in Death Val- they shouldn’t have. ley, California in 1913. Also, music could be played  Canada didn’t have summer in 1816. at unfitting times including  In Somers, our summer vacation is approximate- when the teacher is explaining something, ly 70 days long. So get that relaxation in before it helping another student, and more. This could cause music to be a disruption to class- room times if used in an improper way. Should Final Exams Occur Moreover, music could be hurtful to schools The Last Week of School? because kids could listen to songs that have inappropriate lyrics, rude content, or curse words in it. This can end up in other stu- By Mac Sullivan dents listening to music that parents might Tusker Tribune Staff not want them to or make kids feel left out if Finals are at the worst time. For the they don’t like that type of songs. middle school, they schedule them during the In addition, playing music in class- last days of school. rooms could be extremely distracting if it is It should be more aligned with the high played too loud or even played at all. It can school, where regular classes end June 12, and stu- cause students to lose their thoughts and get dents return later to take the wrong answer because they are listening finals. to the music playing instead. To wrap it all That makes more up, students listening to music can be very sense than taking finals negative and cause their concentration and during the final three half learning to become significantly less because days of school. of it. On HHS media it In conclusion, there are certainly states ““The last week of many pros and cons that come with music in school is completely devoted school classrooms. It can definitely help the to final exams, which students but can also hurt there learning means for students, the last and education. What matters is whether you week of school is when the frantic, last-minute study think the good outweighs the bad or the oth- sessions commence. Finals create a lot of unwanted er way around. I personally think that stu- stress; the last week of school should be for relaxing dents being allowed to listen to music while after a hard year of work.” learning would be really beneficial. Music This demonstrates that the last week of could grow to become a great learning assist school should be relaxing, finishing up regular class- to classrooms but what do you think? Should work and activities, and then getting ready for sum- music be played in classrooms? mer break. The Tusker Tribune Page 3 The Student Newspaper of Somers Middle School

Random Thoughts About Random Days at SMS

By Halia Gonzalez venture. Tusker Tribune Staff Some days I’m mean, and other days I’m My day at Somers… This has been nice. Now that makes me not normal. I will be so an eventful year, with many different nice for two seconds and then turn into the Hulk scenes and different places. the next. There’s no way I can keep calm in a If I came here for one day, I would- school like this when I’m so excited for what’s n’t be able to describe it. next. I just like living in the mo- I’ve been here for a year, ment. and hell, it’s been a weird Then comes lunch. I see one. kids run in and out of the ‘door’ Most times I wonder into the woods, and I watch them, if I’m still inside of school, I don’t call them out, I don’t grab or in my house, There’s no them out, I just watch them, Kids way to describe Somers in are so happy with their friends; one word, from the time they are all lively and awake, and I’ve been here for a while once they get to lunch they sit at now, days fly by, and I sit their tables, crack some joke, may- here watching people walk be run around, but mostly people by. Every day is a new ad- get whistled by a monitor. I’ve venture; it never repeats been okay in lunch, not too good itself. and not too bad. I’ve understood Every day is weird where I belong, I love my group of and different. Some times friends, I love the way I fit in, I it’s abnormal,. Every day can get annoying, but can you has me in awe. I always blame me? I’m having so much to find something new. I get say! in the bus and go to school, and right when the My friends on the bus are just as nice; we bell rings, the Night at the Museum might have always are playing truth or dare, and we always come to life. There are always crowds in the hall- stay smiling, but once we reach school the slimes ways and there’s never a time where I’ve be flip over as if a witch cast a spell. But then again, scared to turn the corner. My classes are boring we think about what the next day will bring and sometimes, but other times, we have jokesters we smile brightly and move along. who make my day with one joke. I’m very different when I get home, I sit next to people I’m friends with and I though. I sit down and I’ll relax. I don’t speak, I almost don’t do any homework, but here’s the rea- just sit and watch. If my friends call me, I get all son why—I’m so caught up in trying to grasp excited but then half way through, I’ll become in- what happened that day that it blanks my mind. decisive. I’ll become quiet and they ask why, I’ll And then I go to school and it’s not done. But, it just lay back and relax, not caring what they have doesn’t get me mad or frustrated at myself; it just to say, because I’m relaxed. But I know the next makes me wonder what’s going to be the new ad- day, I’m not going to be.

Co-Editors Photography Editor Reporters Noah Volkman Allison O’Connor Natalia Tellez Joseph Melillo Jesse Manginelli Copy Editors Isaac Like Feature Editor William Underkoffler Mac Sullivan Samuel Sanz Michael Aiello Claire Sposito Halia Gonzalez Sports Editor Christian Brooks Jesse Manginelli Ian Cohen Megan Coughlin Ellie Walsh Noah Volkman Matt Klein

The Tusker Tribune Page 4 The Student Newspaper of Somers Middle School This is Why Mike Trout Earns So Some Tips to Avoid Much End of Year Stress By Jesse Manginelli By Isaac Like Tusker Tribune Staff Tusker Tribune Staff Mike Trout is a center fielder who plays for The year’s coming to an the Los Angeles Angels. Mike Trout has the end! Amazing, right? world's largest sports contract. He is a real super- Yeah, but there are a lot star with high stats every season. His contract is of tests coming up for the conclusion. $426,500,000. Trout is a 7x All Star and received the And these aren’t just regular tests. They American League MVP in 2014 and 2016. are finals. Pretty much just big tests on He is steroids and like any test, these create also a 6x win- stress because no one wants a bad ner of the Sil- grade. I will give you some strategies to ver Slugger avoid stress the best you can. Award. This  Do work in advance; this will help year Trout you free up time and instead of do- has a .293 ing homework, you can study batting aver-  Study daily. Most cases of stress are age and 16 caused by lack of confidence so get home runs. to know your topics Trout is only  SLEEP!!; Get to sleep earlier. Stud- 27 years old ies show that the more you’re rested, and is mak- the better you will preform ing more  Get a study buddy; getting someone than $30M a to study with is beneficial for both of year. That you and it helps get information makes him a true superstar. drilled in your head He was named Minor Leaguer of the Year by  Lastly, ASK QUESTIONS; getting Baseball America in 2011. Trout was picked 25th in the help from teachers helps every time first round in 2009. Trout was a star at Millville High so ask away! School in New Jersey. As we have already learned, Trout has a lot of awards. Here's another one: J.G. Taylor Spink Award for best player in the minors. Trout has 1,245 career hits and 689 RBIs. Trout also has a very high career batting aver- age of .306. He also has 256 homeruns and counting. We already know how good he is. Do you think he will do well this season? I think he is going to do above average but not his best. His bat- ting average and homeruns aren't as high as they were in the beginning of previous seasons. That’s all for now. Do you think Mike Trout will exceed my expectations for this season?

End of Year Calendar!

June 13th: 8th Grade Dinner Dance June 24th: 6h & 7th Grades SS andScience Final June 14th: 8th Lake Compounce Trip exams June 17th: 6th Grade Field Trip June 25th:6th Grade ELA and Math exam June 19th: Rain date for Splashdown Trip June 25th:7th Grade Math and World Language June 19th: Algebra Regents exams June 20th: Earth Science Regents June 25th:8th Grade Graduation @ 2:00pm June 21st: Geometry Regents June 26th:Last Day of School – ½ day (11:30am June 21st: 7th Grade Splashdown Trip dismissal) June 21st: 8th Grade Graduation Practice June 24th-26th: 1/2 day of school for students June 24th: FLACS Exam The Tusker Tribune Page 5 The Student Newspaper of Somers Middle School Some Quirks that Give Students Angst

By Ellie Walsh like they are about to fall Tusker Tribune Staff on top of you. They don’t With all this talk look stable at ALL! Also, about finals and I know at least two peo- end of year ple who only did their stress, it’s also locker combinations once good to talk about some because they realized other SMS quirks that that their lockers don’t can give students just a work and they adjust the little bit more anxiety. locker so it just opens on Schedules: why its own with a simple does the school think it tug. is a good idea to give you Tablets: the two classes both on the school’s tablets are a great representation of the opposite ends of the school so when the bell rings, less money you put onto something, the worst it’s like you’re on the Amazing Race and you are product you will get. Also, whenever you have a sprinting in the hallways to get there. Meanwhile, problem with your tablet and go to the Gear the teachers are yelling at you to “stop Shack, the second you walk in, the running”. And when you get to the tablet is working perfectly fine and stairs, you are flinging yourself down then when the person at the Gear the stairs so you’re not late to class. Shack asks, “What is wrong with your Then the bell rings and five seconds tablet?”, you say, “Oh it works now.” later, you walk into class and you are They probably think you just went out of breath and your teacher goes, there to skip class or to get out of do- “You’re late” and I just feel like say- ing something, but you actually had a ing, “Don’t even start with me!” problem. Lockers: 7th grade lockers look Helpful Tips for Improving your Handwriting!

By Sofia Mancuso handwriting during a lesson in school. Tusker Tribune Staff Here are some common sense tips for mak- 3– Some Things You Should Keep in Mind ing your handwriting shine! While Editing Your Writing Style 1– Be consistent Lefties tend to have messier handwriting Consistency in terms of handwriting than righties (righties “pull” in and can keep more means to make sure you control over the pencil, as stick to one kind of font of lefties “push” out sentences uppercase and lowercase and have less control over the letters. pencil). So, lefties might take For example: can- a little longer to edit. But dy cane “a” and regular don’t let that discourage you! “a” or a curved “t” or an Never stress too much! Do un curved “t”. (sometimes your best and just take your I have trouble debating time. which one looks better!) Your handwriting but personally, if you like shouldn’t be “monitored” by my writing style/font, reg- you after the first month of ular “a” and un curved “t” the process, after you payed would be the best choice. close attention to the way you 2– Never Rush shape your letters for the first Sometimes, chang- one or two weeks, you should- ing your handwriting re- n’t have think about writing quires time to think about the way you shape as much as much as before. You should focus your letters. I also don’t recommend editing your more about what you are writing about. handwriting during the school year, because in I hope this short introduction you control school, students tend to rush when taking notes, over handwriting/calligraphy. Good luck! and you also don’t want to completely focus on The Tusker Tribune Page 6 The Student Newspaper of Somers Middle School Study Tips for Finals By Meghan Coughlin  Another way you can study for finals is to Tusker Tribune Staff start Finals are coming up fast! They will studying be here before you know it, so when are and re- you going to start studying? There are viewing many ways to study for a final exams. For your example: notes now  You can make flash cards. Flash cards help so that you to study because after writing the word you have down and seeing it mul- a better tiple times, your brain chance at getting a higher grade than if you remembers the word. start studying a few days before or even the  You can also make a night before. Quizlet or a Kahoot. So I can guarantee that you would not do as now you have a fun well if you started studying the night before. way to remember the There are so many other ways to study for finals, topics for your finals. which way will you choose? “Big Papi” in a Big Accident David Ortiz Set By Jesse liver and had to take por- Standard for Baseball Manginelli tions of his intestines and Tusker Tribune gall bladder. His condition By Ian Cohen Staff was serious, but stable Tusker Tribune Staff David Ortiz is the enough so that he could be David Ortiz or better known to the Dominican- flown back to Boston. They baseball community as “Big Papi” American former Major brought him to Massachu- was shot on Sunday night at a League Baseball designat- setts General Hospital. night club in his home town (Santo ed hitter and first baseman One suspect is Eddy Domingo, Dominican Republic). who played 20 seasons, pri- Vladimir Féliz García. He David got shot in the back and has marily with approached minor spinal cord issues,which means he the Boston another man won't be able to walk as much, and he Red Sox. on a motorcy- won't be able to go back to his job for a few He cle before at weeks until his back heals, and he feels was an least one better. amazing open fired, David already underwent two suc- player and striking Ortiz cessful surgeries and is currently in the role model. and Lopez. Boston hospital recovering from his last He is widely They tried to surgery on Monday afternoon. known as drive away, David Ortiz was a super slugger in “Big Papi”. but the mo- his prime with sats including: finished his He played as a designated torcycle fell to the pave- career with 541 home runs, which ranks hitter and first baseman. ment. 17th on the MLB all-time home run list, He has 541 career One suspect fled on 1,768 RBIs (22nd all-time) and a .286 bat- homeruns which is insane. foot and the other, Féliz ting average. Among designated hitters, he He also has 2472 career Garcia, was attacked by is the all-time leader in MLB history for hits. the crowd and handed over home runs (485), runs batted in (RBIs) Sadly, Ortiz was to the police. He was treat- shot in the back on Sunday ed for injuries and later night. He was shot in a taken into custody. Hope- The Tusker Tribune is the online Somers Middle night club in Santo Domin- fully Ortiz is okay and goes School Student Newspaper. It is published weekly go where he is a native. home to see his family (except during school vacations) on the Somers Mid- dle School Website. It is entirely student-written by Television host Jhoel soon. Authorities are still 6th, 7th and 8th grade Lopez was also shot. trying to find the guy who students from: The bullet went fled but on the CNN web- Somers Middle School through Ortiz’s stomach. site, it says that some peo- 250 Route 202 He was taken to Clinica ple have been detained in Somers, NY, USA. Abel Gonzalez where they connection to the shooting. Any SMS student is eligible to write stories. If inter- treated the bleeding in his Get well soon Big Papi! ested, please e-mail Advisor Dean Pappas at [email protected] The Tusker Tribune Page 7 The Student Newspaper of Somers Middle School What’s Up with Playboi Carti’s Baby Voice? By Noah Volkman “The way he plays around Tusker Tribune Staff with pitch, the way e does things Hip-hop has al- like what we would call in linguis- ways been full of rappers tics such as consonant cluster re- with unusual flows, and duction. So that’s when you have Atlanta’s Playboi Carti is words like find, produced as “fine” no stranger to these unique meth- without the d and you reduce that ods, thanks to his signature baby consonant cluster.” voice. According to Dr. King, Carti “Artists that I like don’t switching his voice up on his songs sound like me. Hell, sounding like is also another way he changes the me getting you signed **** rate it a 10. But if you messages to his listeners. “Your voice is akin to wanna be friends with me, show me something your clothes. We wear different things in order to new,” he said. signal different aspects of our identity or maybe Carti’s recent features on songs like Tyler, different personality traits about ourselves, with- The Creator’s “EARFQUAKE” and Solange’s out having to say these things. “Alemda,” along with a number of leaked tracks Over the course of 2018, Carti pulled out are just a few of his latest baby voice highlights. the baby voice on several other tracks, like in July Dr. Sharese King, a post-doctoral scholar at the for his feature on Chief Keef’s “Uh Uh.” And later University of Chicago, was interviewed to find out that year, Carti hopped on Lil Yachty’s “Get more about what his voices really means for mu- Dripped” for yet another baby voice verse. Recent- sic, who said there’s more to Carti’s baby voice ly leaked tracks like “Pissy Pamper/Kid Cudi” and than meets the ears. “Cancun” brought the discussion of Carti’s baby “If I’m a tough rapper, I’m not using a deep voice back onto social media, and as it stands, it’s voice anymore to do it. I’m gonna use this voice, one of his most recognizable traits. this baby voice and totally redefine the landscape “It’s using those kinds of features in order for what hip-hop looks like from this vantage to contribute to the song’s performance.” And if point.” According to Dr. King, Playboi Carti’s baby his features and leaks are any indication, Dr. voice is what’s known in linguistics as a semiotic King says Playboi Carti’s singular sound is exact- resource. “People put together different kinds of ly what makes him stand out in the game. “ linguistic features in order to portray particular Listeners of younger generations want to kinds of identities or personas or different kinds be subversive. They want to be different; they of rap personas.” want to be heard differently and they might feel Carti’s been using this sound long before as if this kind of performance maps to that de- 2019. One of his earliest uses was back in 2017, in sire.” Carti says, “Good music gonna always speak his verse on the A$AP Mob cut, “Blowin Minds.” for itself. And it’s a lot of people out there like me In 2018 we heard his trademark sound all over who’s always looking for the next, you know what his debut studio album, Die Lit, most notably on I’m sayin? Somebody’s gonna find it.” classics like “Flatbed Freestyle.” ATP Helps Train Future Pilots By Matthew Klein line but with a training pilot for a little bit until Tusker Tribune Staff you pretty much mastered your flying in that spe- Interested in flying? ATP is a service cific aircraft. that directs your future After that, you are on to fly for an airline. your own until you want to You would normally upgrade your plane to a big- start the ATP flight school after ger one. To sum that up, the college, or you can just go to airline then has full control ATP for college. ATP is really of your job in aviation until meant for young people who you retire or even switch air- would like a career as a pilot. lines. ATP likes to work with regional airlines ATP helps you get started on smaller air- like Republic Airways, PSA Airways or Envoy Air. planes like an Embraer 145, Embraer 175, or CRJ These in turn coordinate with large American car- – 200. These are planes you might see taking off riers like Delta, American and United. ATP en- from Westchester County Airport. Later on, when sures a steady stream of qualified commercial pi- you’re more experienced, you’re able to work up to lots. the larger carriers and their bigger Airbus or Boe- The great thing is that after the ATP ing aircraft, like the A320, A330, or Boeing 737 or school, you are already being brought into an air- 757.