------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Lion’s Roar A Thorne Student Publication Winter 2019 Still Free Elf Day Pg 3, Mania Album Review, Pg 3, Winter Concert Pg 4, The Arts Op Ed, Pg 4, Art Pg 5, Poetry Pg 6, ​ ​ Investigative Spotlight-Social Media Pg 8 Chinchillas Thorne Giving Back Kara Gallagher By: Kristen Gallagher Fortnite Allegedly Dying, ​ Streamer Protests Notion By Liam Perez Since its initial release on September 26, 2017, the We all know the holidays are a great immensely popular online game time of year. Opening our presents known as Fortnite: Battle Royale on Christmas morning with beaming ​ has captured the hearts, minds, smiles is always a joy, but what about those who aren’t as fortunate and wallets of over 200 million As you may know, the 7th-grade as us? players ​ science classes have adorable, soft I am a member of Thorne’s peer worldwide(pcgamesn.com, 2018). chinchillas, but do you really know leaders, and we were invited to help However, speculation that Fortnite: Battle Royale’s time in anything about those fuzzy, out with a holiday toy drive that ​ eye-watering creatures? Well, if you benefits Middletown residents. When the public eye is drawing to a don’t, you should definitely read this I heard of this volunteer close, or that it is ‘dead.’ This article. I will write about chinchilla opportunity, I was interested right leads to the questions of “is this fun facts, and caring for a pet away. Approximately twenty other true?” and “if it is, what’s next?”, chinchilla. Thorne students participated. We much to the ire of immensely have such generous staff here, popular Fortnite streamer Ninja. Fun Facts including Mrs. Nolan, who has been Fortnite: Battle Royale, First, some chinchilla fun facts. doing this for 15 years! Mrs. oftentimes shortened to Fortnite ​ Chinchillas are rodents native to the McDermott, a retired teacher, had due to being vastly more popular Andes Mountains of Northern Chile. started this 25 years ago. Mrs. Mess than the original Fortnite, is an ​ ​ Chinchillas are prized for their took her place, and Miss Morizzo immensely successful game that also joined us this year. luxuriously soft fur and were driven has garnered the interest of many. This event took place after school nearly to extinction because of the By July 2018, over $1 billion had high demand. Chinchilla fur was on December 20th. We were escorted been successfully generated originally yellow-gray in the wild. to Target on an extremely through is purchasable Battle Pass Through selective breeding, however, comfortable Middletown Police bus other colors have been common to shop for less fortunate kids our and other cosmetic add-ons, as 1 including silver, yellow-gray, age. We donated $4,000 worth of well as taking up 83% of the 700 bluish-gray, white, beige, and black. items. We raised this money from million hours spent streaming Each tip ends up black, however, no various fundraisers at Thorne, online games(Forbes, 2018). matter what color the chinchillas are. including the trivia show, hat day, However, speculation that Chinchillas started appearing selling snacks after school, teacher “Fortnite is dead” has become around 41 million years ago. Their donations, and the lip dub. I am extremely common. In Throne fur was on very high demand in the proud of Thorne for raising money Middle School, on January 7, 1700s, which caused them to go from all of these fundraisers for 2019, numerous children nearly extinct in the 1900s. Around such a great cause. The Police throughout the crowded gym that time, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Department gave us $1,500, and room began proudly boasting of and Peru banned the hunting of Target donated a $250 gift card, chinchillas. along with discounts and coupons. quitting Fortnite all together, with It was so fun shopping for kids our each announcement met with Physical Characteristics age. We left Target with cartfuls of cheers and swelling pride. Phrases Chinchillas are related to toys. After this, we stopped and like “I’m proud of you,” “you’ve porcupines and guinea pigs. With rewarded ourselves with pizza before done a great service,” and “we all short forelimbs and long, muscular helping out at the New Monmouth grow up someday” we're all hind legs, chinchillas resemble a Baptist Church. The other volunteers tossed around in response. This rabbit, but their ears are much there were so caring and made me phenomenon was continually shorter and rounder. They have feel welcomed. There, we dropped repeated throughout the week, in large, black eyes, and bushy tails. off our toys, sorted them into various classes such as Mrs Chinchillas are typically 9-15 inches, groups, and even put together bags Ryan’s Block 6 Math Class on but their tail can add another 3-6 of food for the needy in our January 8, 2019. inches to their height. They community. Ninja, one of the most generally weigh 1.1-1.8 pounds. After helping out, I was able to recognizable professional enjoy my Christmas even more, Fortnite players, has publicly Habitat knowing I helped others. It reminded responded to these claims by Chinchillas are covered in thick fur me to be grateful for all that I have, deeming them false(Reddit, for a reason. In the Andes, the and was an excellent way to get 2018). “You aren’t having fun elevation is very high, making it involved in my community. This extremely cold. Chinchillas can experience rewarded me with anymore? Good. Go watch tolerate freezing temperatures, but holiday cheer and put me in the true someone else… don’t spread that can not live in temperatures higher Christmas spirit. I would definitely toxicity and negative opinions in than 80 degrees Fahrenheit- high recommend volunteering, and you my chat room,” was Ninja’s temperatures and humidity can might be surprised how rewarding it public response. “It’s literally just cause these creatures to die from will feel if you take a step back from straight… false.” There have been heat stroke. our crazy, everyday lives for others. reports that Ninja is now banning Chinchillas are nocturnal and those who claim Fortnite is dead crepuscular, which means they are from his forums, but I cannot very active at night or dawn and confirm this as of this writing. sleep during the day. They make their home by burrowing in underground tunnels, or in rock crevasses. They are very social and live in colonies with hundreds of chinchillas. Diet Chinchillas are omnivores- they eat both plants and meats. Primarily, 2 they eat grass and seeds, but they eat M A N I A Album Review Elf Day at Thorne Middle insects and bird eggs when they get School the chance. To eat, they hold their By Gianna Del Verde food in their front paws and nibble By Rita Elbanna on it. For the one year anniversary of MANIA, On Friday, November 30th, the eighth-grade students of Thorne Middle I think it’s only fair to share my opinion on the album. First, before my review, School walked into school wearing Caring for a Pet Chinchilla colorful Christmas outfits with lights and here is a little backstory on the album. The Michigan Humane Society bells. That Friday, the school declared it recommends keeping pet chinchillas Mania (styled as M A N I A) is the to be Elf Day. Elf day at Thorne Middle ​ ​ ​ in a wire mesh cage with a solid seventh studio album by American rock School is a tradition. I emailed one of ​ floor. The cage should be well band Fall Out Boy, released on January the eighth-grade science teachers and ​ ​ asked where Elf day began. Mr.Mason ventilated and kept dry in cool 19, 2018, by Island Records and DCD2 temperatures from 60-70 degrees F. ​ ​ ​ responded to the email, and this was as the follow-up to their 2015 album, what he said: Chinchillas do not get along together American Beauty/American Psycho. in one cage and should be kept in ​ “I originally taught 6th and 7th grade, separate cages. The release of the album was teased by but for many years 8th grade science five singles: "Young and Menace", was taught by Dr. Pfennig- a very well Chinchillas can be fed food pellets ​ ​ "Champion", "The Last of the Real liked teacher who dedicated herself to available from a store, as well as hay, ​ ​ ​ Ones", "Hold Me Tight or Don't", and Thorne Pride. Dr. Pfennig created Elf dried fruits and nuts, carrots and ​ ​ ​ "Wilson (Expensive Mistakes)" (in Day as a way to get the 8th graders green vegetables in moderation (or ​ ​ involved in a fun event where they can chronological order). about 10% of their daily diet). A work together to bring Thorne pride into bottle with a sipper tube is the best Mania was originally scheduled for a the winter time. If Elf Day went well and ​ way to get water to the chinchillas. release on September 15, 2017, the school looked amazing, the Principal To stay clean, these rodents give worldwide. However, on August 3, always knew they had a good 8th grade class and they could be trusted for more themselves dust baths. It is 2017, Patrick Stump announced that the ​ ​ fun activities in the spring. recommended that domestic record would be pushed back until chinchillas take dust baths once or January 19, 2018. "The album just really When Dr. Pfennig retired, many twice per week in fine volcanic ash isn't ready, and it felt very rushed," Thorne traditions were going to leave with her. Since I was inheriting her room that can be purchased at pet shops.