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The Tusker Tribune The student newspaper of Somers Middle School

Volume 5, Issue 21 http://somersschools.org/domain/995 Summer 2016 Living History Day is a Huge Success

By Nitin Seshadri Chief uni- Tusker Tribune Staff form, raised the flag as Introduction Boy Scouts play a bugle Living History Day is an annual event for 7th on their trum- graders at SMS. The fact that it’s held on the pets. Thursday before the long Memorial Day Week- Mr. end makes it especially meaningful. Wienecke, a You can learn about clothing from the retired Social Revolutionary War period all the way to the Studies teach- World War II era. er at SMS, an Also, you get avid historical to operate a WWII event re- telephone system enactor, and where you need to the driving turn a crank to ring force and cre- the handset at the ator of Living other line. History Day, You get to made a take part in a 19th speech about century schoolhouse how im- where there is a Photo by Nitin Seshadri portant mili- spelling bee tary service is (everyone spelled and how the soldiers sacrifice to keep us free. “hypocrisy” wrong!). Soon after, Col. Ryan, an Afghan War The best part veteran, was invited to the podium. Col. Ryan of the day, however, was awarded a plaque by the New York State is when you get to senator, Charles E. Schumer, as well as a plaque march as if you were from the students of Somers Middle School. a Social Studies Teacher Photo by Nitin Seshadri Civ- Mr. Mullaney then played “The il Star-Spangled Banner” on his War-era battle regiment and guitar. After that, we organized form battle lines and shoot mus- into groups and were given a kets and get paid three (3) Rev- schedule of activities for the olutionary War style dollars! day. Your list of festivities You can also apprentice with a could vary as a result. blacksmith or make a barrel The day ended with an with a cooper, if you wish to do awesome rendition of poems so. and songs dating from the early 1800s to recent times by Mr. List of festivities Mullaney (yep, including The Photo by Nitin Seshadri Beatles’ “Yellow Submarine”). At the beginning of the day, there was an opening ceremony. English Teacher Mr. Pappas, in his Fire Department’s Continued on page 4 Page 2 The Tusker Tribune The student newspaper of Somers Middle School NBA Finals Promise Plenty of Thrills

By EvanVolkman negative is their lack of defense. Tusker Tribune Staff Their team has a few players who Tonight will mark are defensively gifted, but the the beginning of the re- rest is just bad. match between the Cleveland With an uptempo Warri- Cavaliers and the Golden State ors squad that flings the ball Warriors in the NBA Finals. around to find someone open, it Last year, the Cavs suf- will be difficult for the Cavs to fered from numerous injuries, keep track of the ball. Almost including in the first everyone on that team can shoot half of Game 4 of their sweep against the Celtics. the three-ball, and can pass. Then, in Game 1 of the Finals, Those are their positives, but they do have went down after a collision with . a negative. Yes, even the team to win the most Both are back and better than ever though. games in NBA history has a negative. Their nega- Last year, LeBron James was surrounded tive is that they have a lack of a big man. The with mostly decent role players. However, none of Cavs typically play with “standard” lineup of: Kyr- them could really provide a spark besides an ag- ie Irving, JR Smith (or ), LeBron gressive . James, Kevin Love, and (or Tris- The first games of the series were split in tan Thompson). The Warriors typically go with: overtime. The Warriors went on after a 1-1 start Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, , to go 3-1 and win the series. LeBron James aver- , and . aged 35.8 PPG, 13.3 RPG, and 8.8 APG being that Last year, they went with a lineup of Cur- he put his team on his shoulders. This time ry, Thompson, Iguodala, Barnes, and Green, using around will be different, though. The Cavs notably a method famously known as “small ball”. They fired , and hired assistant coach Ty- need a presence of a big man to maintain James, ronn Lue after 41 games. The Warriors also won Love, and Thompson. They all “love” to attack the six more games than they did last year (67-15). basket. I predict that series will go like this: So what will we see? Both teams have their Game 1: Warriors, Game 2: Cavs (OT), Game 3: positives and negatives. The Cavs have a positive Warriors, Game 4: Cavs, Game 5: Warriors, Game of getting back Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving. Their 6: Warriors Steph Curry or Lebron James? Who’s Better?

By Evan Volkman games due to injuries. This year, they are all Tusker Tribune Staff healthy as LeBron is looking for his third My NBA Finals Game 1 championship. Preview went into some in On the other hand, Steph Curry is in a depth detail about how it looks different situation. He is a six year veteran, like this series will go. One message and has only been to the Finals once prior to that was clearly brought across was this year. That was last year. When he put up that both teams rely on their star 28.3 PPG in last year’s series vs. the Cavs. He players. Without these players on their teams, won MVP the last two year’s and won it unani- neither team would be a championship contender. mously for the first time in NBA history this year. They would both still be playoff teams, just not as After leading the league in per game, steals good. per game, and percentage, he was an LeBron James, a 13-year veteran, has obvious choice. He also guided his team to a NBA been to the Finals before. He played in the Finals record 73-9 season. in 2009 with a Cavs team that he was the heart This has been a discussion for the last year and soul of. Then he joined the for or so. After Curry robbed James of his throne, four years, making the Finals all four, winning in Curry has been on fire. Even LeBron James said 2012 and 2013. He was surrounded with players that he is the best player on the planet, and the including Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade. In July face of the league. Curry is in his prime and more 2014, he announced he would rejoin his dominant than ever. Has LeBron James reached hometown team, the . They his peak on his Hall Of Fame career? Probably. surrounded him with Kyrie Irving and Kevin He is 31, and probably only has 5-7 years left. Love and they made the Finals, but lost in six Continued on page 4 Page 3 The Tusker Tribune The student newspaper of Somers Middle School AlmEndrEm’s stonE—Chapter 2 A Fantasy Story by Kaitlyn DeRosa two. That answer your question?” Michelle added. By Kaitlyn DeRosa “Yeah, but where are you taking us?” I Tusker Tribune Staff asked. “Come on, Morgan! We have to “You’ll see,” Michelle winked. “Now, come keep moving!” I yelled back to Morgan, on.” who was running behind me. *** It’s been three years since our parents were killed. The flower shop was bigger Morgan was now five years old, than I had thought. There was a and I was seven. The WITTS desk at the back of the room, and had found us and were chasing shelves of flower pots lined the us through a parking lot of an walls. There was a refrigerator near abandoned flower shop. There the desk and a huge map on the wall was a helicopter overhead and behind it. The whole room smelled about 5 men chasing us on foot. like so many flowers. There was daf- I’ve always been noticeably fodils, roses, tulips, lilac, iris, dai- faster than kids my age but Morgan, not so much. sies, lilies, peonies, sunflowers, and so many exotic “I can’t run faster! I’m not a good runner!” plants that I haven't even heard of. Morgan screamed from behind me. There was a high tech computer on the Just then, another pack of WITTS men desk and a diagram of what was probably the com- came from the forest to the side of the flower shop. plete Almendrem’s Stone. Soon enough, we were surrounded. I stopped short “Pretty cool huh? This is our base,” Liam and signaled for Morgan to smiles. stop running too. The men “Wow,” I said in awe. were advancing but we “This is awesome.” had nowhere to go. “Are you the only ones This is it. It all here?” Morgan asked. ends here, I thought to my- “Yup, this place is all to self. I grabbed Morgan’s ourselves. Now it’s us and you hand. When we thought guys,” Michele said. all hope was lost, one of “So, you’re helping us?” I the men just instantly fell asked. to the floor. Then another. “Yeah, there’s only a few Then another. Everywhere WITTS men were just Protectors out there and yet there are thousands dropping like flies. Soon enough the leader of the of WITTS men trying to kill us and get the stone. crew called for a retreat and all the men boarded As Protectors, it’s our job to find other protectors the helicopters. As the last helicopter flew off and and reunite the Stone to defeat Albert Wishmorger the smoke cleared, two figures walked towards us. and the WITTS,” Liam explained. A boy and a girl. “So what do we do now?” Morgan ques- “You need to come with us,” the girl said. tioned. She was looking at the map on the wall. She looked much older then me. Maybe around 11, “We’re going to stay here for maybe anoth- and the boy around 10. She had light brown hair er day or two, but then we have to move and start and frightening green eyes. The pale skin on her all over again. Now that the WITTS know where face had a few freckles and in her hand was a we are there’s no doubt they’re gonna come back Taser gun. again. Maybe sooner than we think,” Michelle an- “Who are you, and why should we trust swered, walking towards Morgan and the map. you?” I asked, protectively stepping in front of While Liam and Michelle told Morgan Morgan. about the possible places we can relocate to, I “I’m Liam and she’s my older sister walked over to the diagram of Almendrem’s Stone. Michelle. We’re Protectors, too,” Liam said. His I noticed there was a blank outline of the diagram sandy blonde hair was glimmering in the sunlight. next to the filled in one. It has a bunch of lines, His icy blue eyes reminded me of the color of my representing all of the missing pieces. parents’ room. It made me sad. Continued on page 4 “Yeah, we were the ones who saved you Page 4 The Tusker Tribune The student newspaper of Somers Middle School Almendrem’s Stone Living History Continued from page 3 Continued from page 1 There was already a piece taped on to it and I figured it was Liam and Michelle’s piece. I held Activities our piece up to the diagram and figured out that  Apprentice with a blacksmith by operating the it was the piece next to the Liam and Michelle’s bellows (aka “mechanical lungs”) piece. When I held them close they started to  View fire equipment from then and now on dis- glow and vibrate. I was scared I would break it play from Somers Volunteer Fire Department. so I quickly pulled my hand away. (The fire truck left about noon, so if you didn’t “It’s ok, you can put it there. This way see it, too bad) those pieces are united and we only have...”  Learn how a cooper used Liam paused to count the empty shape outlines wood planing equipment to on the diagram, “8 more pieces to go. Also this make a water barrel. way we don’t lose any pieces.”  Learn about air crews in “Ok,” I replied as I slowly reached up and WWII as well as the USO’s held the piece near the other. They started to postcards. glow and vibrate while I held it. I let go thinking  Operate a WWII era “cell it would surely drop but instead the pieces phone”. Turn the crank to ring joined together like magnets. “Cool!” the handset at the other side of “Hey guys! Morgan just thought of a good the line! idea!” Michelle yelled from the other side of the  Surgery in the civil war pe- room. Liam and I ran over to the map where riod. (Knives weren’t sterilized! they were standing. So unsanitary…) “What is it?” I asked.  Learn about the fur trade “I was thinking that maybe we head out and touch “Bob”, a beaver skin. to Pennsylvania. I don’t know why, but, I sense  Gather up in a battle line and shoot muskets. something there. L-like it’s calling me,” Morgan You’ll get three (3) dollars in Revolutionary explained. War cash. “Umm, what does she mean by, ‘Its call-  Learn about 18th Century clothing. ing me’?” I asked confused.  Act as a student in a 19th century schoolhouse. “Well some Protectors are born with the Take part in a spelling bee! ability to sense where other Protectors are and sometimes when WITTS are near. Morgan hap- Conclusion pens to be one of them,” Liam explains. Living History Day is awesome! My favor- “Oh, cool!” I said “Well maybe we should ite part of the day, by far, was shooting the mus- start heading there now cause look.” ket (Fortunately, there are no bullets in them). I pointed towards the window. Heading towards Mr. Mullaney’s music at the end of the day was us was a huge WITTS helicopter. It was only spectacular. Whatever you do, do NOT get sick on minutes away. If we had any chance of living, Living History Day! we had to leave. Now. “Oh my, that’s a huge Helicopter. There has to me at least 300 WITTS on there. Grab your stuff guys, we gotta move,” Liam said. We Who’s Better? all grabbed our stuff and ran out the back door. Continued from page 2 “Come on! We know a shortcut to a Curry on the other hand, is 28, and likely to hideout!” Michelle said from in front of me. We play another 10 years. So, the final answer: ran into the woods, straight through bushes and Curry is better...right now. He is in his prime all. Finally we came to a very tall tree with a and the best shooter in the world. The best skill rope hanging down from it. As soon as I looked to have is be able to make the most shots. That up my jaw dropped. is how you win games. Scoring more points. “This is it. My tree lookout,” Michelle boasted. The thing was huge. It had a huge deck with binoculars and everything. I couldn’t wait. The Tusker Tribune is published online and is featured weekly on the Somers “Wait. So you’re telling me, you had an Middle School Website. It is entirely student-written by 6th, 7th and 8th awesome Treehouse and you didn’t tell me about grade students from Somers Middle School it!” Liam said. 250 Route 202 The Tusker Somers, NY, USA. “Come on guys what are you waiting for?” Any SMS student is eligible to write Tribune Staff stories. If interested, please e-mail yelled Morgan who had already climbed halfway Evan Volkman Advisor Dean up the rope. Nitin Seshadri Pappas at [email protected] Kaitlyn DeRosa