The Tusker Tribune The Student Newspaper of Somers Middle School

Issue Number 4 http://somersschools.org/domain/995 Fall 2017 Presetting Lockers- For the Good or Worse?

By Julia Wilkinson Towards the end of the Tusker Tribune Staff school day, once many students In SMS, everybody have already retreated to the buses, has a designated privi- kids go around lifting latches, hol- lege: a locker. Though lering, "Presetting! Presetting lock- what is even more significant ers! Presetting!" These 'latch lifters' about containing a locker is that a have been lifting the latches of locker has a code. A code only you nearly every locker in a wing, hop- know. A code only you can use to Tusker Talker ing a they would stumble upon a open your locker. preset locker. In the miniscule three Well. I have three things to minutes students contain to go to say. For you latch lifters, this arti- their next class, students stop by their lockers. cle is being read by many faculty members, stu- When students do their code, countless dents, and even parent and guardians of students times students have made an error, and have to attending SMS. I'd highly advise you to cease your unlock their locker all over. unsanitary crime. Usually, this wouldn't be a disaster if some For faculty members, parent and guardi- students have their next class on a different floor. ans, and other adults, I am informing you on 6th graders have developed a solu- these latch lifters and strongly advising tion to this dilemma: Preset your that this situation be brought up locker. among the students attending this mid- Presetting your locker is sim- dle school. ple: Before their class, students Finally, this message I am send- would put their code into the lock. ing to all students who preset their All they have to do now is simply lockers and wouldn't want to risk being lift up the latch and their locker is tardy to a period. I completely under- able to be accessed. But they don't stand the situation of risking being late lift up the latch. for class, but let me ask you this ques- Once students finish their tion: Would you want other kids who class, rushing to their locker, they wouldn't mind looking into your private simply lift the latch, take their things looking into your private things? books, and head of to their next Now, that leads to one conclu- class. sion: Don't preset your lockers! Unless This solution has helped there is a solution to this disaster: many new students to the district, Which luckily, I just happen to have! and to middle school itself. Students When you've passed your second no longer have to risk being late to number, move on to the direction of their your third number. But stop two to three dashes next class whether it is just next door or on a dif- before your final ferent floor. Students have the opportunity to ac- number. This way, latch lifters won't be able to cess their locker with ease. just simply lift a latch and access your locker. But what these students haven't realized is They don't know your third code, so they can't fig- that other students who may not be so concerned ure out how much dashes to move! about private spaces can access their locker as I hope this article will help students and well. faculty members alike realize how this problem Since students in 6th grade have discov- has been rapidly spreading, and hope this may ered a tactic to an obstacle that has been around now cease. this school for years, trouble has developed in this Stay tuned for more news on the Tusker solution, that is astonishing coming from 6th Talker! graders. Page 2 The Tusker Tribune The Student Newspaper of Somers Middle School The Tusker Tribune Commentary

Has Snap Chat Gone Too Far?

By Ezra Weinstein people decide to make the wrong choices on it. Tusker Tribune Staff You never know if people are lying about their OMG, did you see my story? I just age. People who are older can ask you personal like totally took like the best like pic ever! questions. Do you ever like hear this all the The best thing to do if this happens to you time? Well I’m sure you do. Every single day kids is to not say anything to them. Teens get involved are on their social media such as Instagram, Fa- the most; they would even wake up in the middle cebook, Twitter, and many more sites, but you of the night to update their story or profile. If you know the most popular social actually think about the topic, media program teens and kids it’s crazy to see how many peo- use? You guessed it, SnapChat! ple are on it at a time. If you don’t know what SnapChat is also a place SnapChat is, which is highly where people can show off their unlikely, I’ll tell you. SnapChat wealth and money. Most people is a social media program that could find this annoying be- enables you to create a profile cause it just goes to show you and post pictures/short video- people, especially kids, don’t ap- clips. Before SnapChat, every- preciate what they have. Snap- one was using either Facebook Chat has pretty much hooked or Instagram and loved them. kids into this website to make But now, since SnapChat was created, a tremen- money. The reason why people create such horri- dous number of kids and teens have been using it. ble things is for money, that’s what it’s all about, Most parents find that it’s dangerous and a money. waste of precious time. I’m sure it’s been proven I am not saying SnapChat just wants to that SnapChat is a place of danger for kids and make money but, it can be an obvious conclusion. teens. SnapChat is taking over the social media My opinion is that SnapChat has taken social me- industry and also destroying friendships because dia too far! First Day Sets Tone for Rest of Year The Tusker Tribune is published online and is featured weekly on the Somers Middle School By Matthew Horowitz math class I saw some friends and the Website. It is entirely student- written by 6th, 7th and 8th Tusker Tribune Staff teacher. The teacher was nice but not grade students from When I got to the bus at all what I was expecting. I thought Somers Middle School 250 Route 202 stop I was really happy to be she was going to be strict and mean Somers, NY, USA. going to 7th grade. The bus and loud. She wasn't strict and mean Any SMS student is eligible to write stories. If interested, came and I saw that but she was loud. please e-mail Advisor Dean Steve was the driver so I waited in Pappas at I knew this year was class for my locker DPappas going to be good. My to be called then @somersschools.org friends got on the bus she said, ''Matthew and they were really Horowitz, your happy to see everyone. locker is upstairs On the way we realized and here is your that we had to pick the code''. I went up- kids up at Green Brier. stairs and found There were so many kids that we had my locker after about 20 minutes. It to double up. We were not so happy also took a long time to open it. The Tusker about that. After period 3, I went through Tribune Staff When we got to school I walked my normal routine. I liked some of my off the bus and I waved to the camera classes but periods 5,7,8 were the best Angelina Ayoubi in front of the school. I was very con- and I had so much fun in those clas- Julia Wilkinson fused where my teachers were and ses. The worst part of the day is wait- Matthew Horowitz why they do not use home room any ing for lunch during 5th period. Ezra Weinstein more. The first day was good and I Liam King When I got into my 1/3 period am excited for what is to come. Sean Moran

Page 3 The Tusker Tribune The Student Newspaper of Somers Middle School

Tusker Talker NetFlix Show Reviews

By Julia Wilkinson that the TV shows The Flash (2nd), Supergirl Tusker Tribune Staff (3rd), and Green Arrow (tied for 4th), are all cre- Televisions have a lot of uses to ated by the same production: the CW Network. It them. Many kids use a Playstation, Wii, or is evident that the CW Network has very popular an XBox on their TV. Some watch shows. YouTube. There are also Football, Basket- Now, not everybody at SMS has Netflix, ball, and Soccer games on TV. Adults watch the but when some people download it, they are not news. But one of the most popular uses of a TV is sure what is good to watch. Here are some recom- Netflix. mendations for the TV shows listed: Netflix is one of the most common TV uses As you can see, Fuller House is the most because of its variety of movie genres, TV shows, popular TV show. Many people enjoy this show, and short films. and it has new episodes. But you may discover In a recent survey of SMS 6th graders, I that this show is not age appropriate. This show is discovered that 74% of the students watched Net- about a single mom raising two kids who is now flix. living in her childhood house with I created a chart of TV her sister and best friend. All sin- shows I had discovered people gle, this single mom finds herself like. I asked each student for torn between her high school boy- their top three favorite TV friend and a dentist at her work. shows. Who will she choose? This is defi-  I= favorite= 3 points nitely not a show I would watch.  -= 2nd favorite=2 points The Flash is another popular  /= 3rd favorite= 1 point TV show I would definitely recommend The following shows were the watching. This show is about a man shows I had listed: named Barry Allen. When he was 11, Supergirl: III----//// = 21 his mother Nora was killed by a red and The Flash: IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII----/ = 59 yellow light speeding around her. His Green Arrow: II--////// = 16 father went to jail for her murder. He Series of Unfortunate Events: grew up in the same house as his crush IIII-- = 16 and head police officer Joe West. One Girl Meets World: - = 2 day, a Lab called STAR Labs re- Best Friends Whenever: / leased a particle accelerator. The = 1 accelerator backfired and Barry Fuller House: was struck by lightning, going IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII---- = 77 into a coma for 9 months. When Bunk'd: - = 2 he awoke, he became the fastest Lab Rats: I = 3 man alive, and works at STAR Good Luck Charlie: I- = 5 Labs to save civilians. Jessie: II/ = 7 Supergirl, is my personal favorite TV Liv and Maddie: I = 3 show. It is about Kara Zur-EL, whose cousin is Cheersquad: III- = 11 Superman. She was 13, and was sent to protect So, from observing this chart, it is evident him. When her planet, Krypton was destroyed, that there are three top shows: her pod was knocked into the Phantom Zone 1. Fuller House where time doesn’t pass. She was there for 24 2. The Flash years before arriving at Earth. Kal-El became Su- 3. Supergirl perman, and Kara grew up with a foster sister, Yet, let me remind you, only 74% of 6th and became Kars Danvers. She hid who she really grade had been surveyed. If 100% of the students was, until an accident forced her to reveal herself at SMS had been surveyed, the results would have to the world. To most people she is a reporter at been false. CATCO Worldwide Media, but she works at the 38.2% of the students who voted had voted for the DEO with her sister to protect her city. I think TV show Fuller House. that Supergirl is a symbol of hope and courage. It 28.5% of the students voted for the TV show The is not her superpowers that make her a hero, but Flash. the need to help others even if she is putting her 10.14% of the students voted for the TV show Su- life at risk. pergirl. There are so many more television shows I That means that 23.16% of the students would recommend, but that is for you to discover. voted for other TV shows. Remember, what I think may not be of your enter- What is the slightest bit funny is the fact tainment. Page 4 The Tusker Tribune The Student Newspaper of Somers Middle School Krav Maga: The Hybrid Martial Art By Liam King case, pushups, sit-ups and much more. The diffi- Tusker Tribune Staff culty of the workouts and the duration lengthen Krav Maga is a military self- as you advance in the belt system. After all, their defense system created for motto is "Stay in shape, get home safe". Israeli soldiers who, if in Now what you've all been waiting dire situations, need to use for: some information about the fighting hand-to-hand combat in the midst techniques Krav Maga has to offer. A few of a battle. It is a hybrid of multiple interesting and fun topics we cover in the different martial arts such as box- course of Krav Maga are chokes from eve- ing, wrestling, judo, karate, et ry angle, grappling on the ground, a cetera. plethora of combatives and the most ex- These fighting techniques citing one of them all, gun and knife de- should be familiar to you, but what fenses. Of course, this is just train- if they were all combined into one single martial ing so we use plastic guns and rubber knives. art? Well, then you're in luck, because Krav Maga These various defenses help in real life situations is a thing, and that I happen to be an Advanced that can occur unexpectedly. These techniques Orange Belt with one stripe (as of October 4, are repeated constantly so muscle memory takes 2017). over in an actual situation. Before I go into detail about the cool ma- The last part of the class is Verbal Judo. neuvers this phenomenal style of fighting has to This happens every so often, and it is probably offer, I should probably explain that the belt my favorite part of the class. Verbal Judo teaches ranking is based on the student's time dedicated you what to do to cool down a situation verbally and their skill threshold. For example, I've been a before it escalates to using your last resort: physi- member of Krav Maga since August 2016, and cal violence. I'm still less than halfway through the belt sys- One of my most memorable topics is tem. The order is White, Yellow, Orange, Green, L.E.A.P.S, which stands for Listen, Emphasize, Blue, Red and Black. The Advanced Belt marks Ask, Paraphrase, and Summarize. I use this the halfway point of progression through the belt. quite frequently and if I had not learned it, I Krav Maga takes extreme dedication and prac- wouldn't be the same person that I am today. An tice, so if you are already considering training example of L.E.A.P.S is a possibly relatable with me and a group of other friendly students, school setting, maybe when one person is being just know that it takes a while to master the art bullied by another. A bystander could use of Krav. L.E.A.P.S. to cool down the situation between the Now, onto how Krav Maga works and how bully and the victim and then become an up- it has changed my life. At the start of every Krav stander. Maga lesson, we have to warm-up with a strenu- In conclusion, if YOU would like to "Stay ous workout. These preparation activities usually in shape and get home safe", all while learning consist of slamming a weighted ball onto to a techniques on how to defend yourself and become mat, running laps, jogging up and down a stair- an upstander, consider Krav Maga! The TBH Craze!

By Angelina Ayoubi game, so I downloaded it. After that I Tusker Tribune Staff asked more about it. This recent fad is a new Student Well, I wish that I could see app- to give compliments?! That’s Calibrator who is giving me those wonderful com- right! Everyone’s playing it, and pliments. I don’t like it to be anony- I’ve collected all their ratings! mous,” one student, Gemma, said to me. I kept Ratings: asking around and I noticed that everybody · Some thought that this game deserved 3 stars agreed. Isn’t the game supposed to be anonymous? · While others love it and rated it 4 stars Well, about 25% of the people I asked agreed. · 4-5 stars were rated through a majority “Well it’s supposed to be anonymous. The question is: Why is everybody so capti- That’s the point.” vated over a game? I think I have an answer. This comment surprised me because alt- Girls and boys like that everyone is honest in the hough people wanted to know who the compli- game. Knowing what people think is an ability ments were coming from, this girl and others did- that everyone probably wishes they have; and n’t want to. with this game it is absolutely possible! I wanted to know more about this popular Continued on page 5 Page 5 The Tusker Tribune The Student Newspaper of Somers Middle School California Wildfires Cause Havoc By Sean Moran place to stay, many are also taking their be- Tusker Tribune Staff longings and fleeing the region to potentially In Northern California, wild- save their own lives. What makes these blaz- fires are actually somewhat es special is the exceptionally high winds and of a commodity, but these temperatures in the region at this time of current ones are menacing to year, and so they struggle to save what is left say the least. At least 26 people have of many forests and structures. died due to the fires, and the numbers could fly Even the governor of California has de- higher than that. clared a state of emergency in several northern At least seventeen separate fires are counties. Many people have also been reported wreaking havoc in northern California, and fire- missing in the confusion and destruction, but some fighters are doing all they can to combat the car- sources say things will turn around in the coming nage. days. Many structures and farms have been Yet for now, only time will tell the fate of charred by the blazes, leaving many without a all affected. Tripped Smokehead Sets Off SMS Fire Alarm

By Julia Wilkenson ty were in the locker rooms, waiting for Tusker Tribune Staff some students to clear out into the gym. Numerous events could have The majority of students were at the center occurred during Period 6 at of the gym, eagerly waiting for the class to th SMS, on October 12 . There Tusker Talker begin. could have been a group of 6th Once the first of the alarm sounded, kids graders in Tech or Art class. A group of were immediately startled and panicked. 8th graders could have been having a math or sci- The students were almost louder than the horrific ence class. Half the 7th graders were enjoying the beeping itself. phenomenal weather outside at recess. Out of utter confusion from the ruckus, Faculty members could have been work- Dematteo, Breneman, and Liberty emerged ing. from the locker rooms, taking control of the Nobody would ever expect the situation. piercing shriek of the fire alarm at 12:39 Exiting the gym and fleeting through a p.m. t0 fill the halls with chaos. flight of stairs, the class emerged at the lower Usually, people would have known fields, where the first half of the 7th grade re- this to have been a fire drill. It could have cess was occurring. gone off at any moment, set off by substitute prin- 7th graders were shocked by the unex- cipal Mr. Arnett, or simply a faculty member. pected visitors during their time outside. Soon, But it wasn't. This was not a drill. they retreated for the hills, leading to the parking Gym teachers Mr. Breneman, Dematteo, lot. The Somers Fire Department checked out the and substitute Mrs. Liberty were handling a building discovering that a detector outside the group of 6th graders ready to play a game of Hos- custodians’ office was accidentally set off. Every- pital Dodgeball when the horror struck. one was allowed back in at 12:55, and 6th period Usually, students would line up in a single was extended for about 15 minutes. file order and calmly be escorted to the nearest It is still quite a mystery on what caused exit of the building. the smoke detector to go off. However, here is a Unexpectedly, the situation was handled lesson for students: When the alarm sounds, exit indelicately. the building as quickly as possible. Always be pre- As the piercing sound of the fire alarm pared. struck the gym, Dematteo, Breneman, and Liber-

TBH about it the opposite way: If everybody Continued from page 4 likes who I am, then I am more confi- dent, I can be myself, and I don’t have I think that knowing who is com- to worry about people dis/liking me, or plimenting you and what they personal- changing so people can like me. ly think is an invasion of one’s privacy. This game may be fun, but isn’t To Be Honest it annoying knowing what people think of you, More to come on the “Student Calibrator”! instead of being yourself? Or you might think