The Tusker Tribune The Student Newspaper of Somers Middle School

Issue Number 26 https://www.somersschools.org/Page/11489 Spring 2019

8th Graders’ Letter MAMMA MIA Leads to Lunch Menu Comes to Somers Changes By Natalia Tellez Tusker Tribune Staff Every year, Somers High School drama club students put on an amazing production for the whole town. These have included the shows Our Town, Les Miserables, Beau- ty and the Beast, It’s a Wonderful life, and Aladdin Jr. This year, they chose to act out Mamma Mia with songs based off the playlist performed by Swe- By Tusker Tribune Staff dish rofk group ABBA. A letter written by three 8th The production was graders resulted in a meeting held on March 15th and the with Dr. Blanch, Mr. Getman, 16th in the Somers High and Mrs. Zeller, with the result School auditorium. The being that they will be planning story plot of Mamma Mia the lunch menu for SMS for the month of was that Sophie, hoping to May. meet her real father and A text of their letter is reprinted have him walk her down here: the aisle as she married Sky, secretly invites three Mrs. Zeller, Mr. Getman, Ms. Casale, Dr. men from her mother's Blanch: past to come to her wedding, and from then on, it is all fun and an amusing story. My name is Anthony Altieri. I am an The show was mostly organized by students as 8th grader here at SMS. My friends and I are they constantly helped to gather props, sell tickets, writing to you about the school lunches at design graphics, paint sets, and much more. All the SMS. There doesn’t seem to be much variety. high schoolers put so much effort to make it happen Often we have some type of something with whether it was as stage crew, the cast, or producers. red sauce and cheese. Between the last five The songs in the days in February and first five days in show included Waterloo, March seven of those ten days were cheese Dancing Queen, Mamma and sauce. Cheese sticks with dipping sauce Mia, I Have a Dream, Su- or grilled cheese is also on our menu a couple per Trouper, and Knowing times a month. me, Knowing you. The Is there any chance we could have cast included a total of 43 some variety? Some suggestions could be students with Riley Com- roasted chicken with bisques and gravy, paretto as Sophie Sheri- stuffed baked potatoes, mac and cheese. We dan, Deirdre Winston think that the turkey on March 13 was very playing Donna Sheridan, good but you could change the rice into corn and Sky acted by Ned because a lot of people would rather the Becerra. Overall, I really like the show because all warm corn than the rice. Why don’t you try the songs were fun, the costumes amazing, the acting meatball sub Mondays, taco Tuesday, burger really good, and dance numbers all great. All the stu- Wednesday, turkey Thursdays, Nino’s pizza dents involved in the Mamma Mia production are all Fridays. very talented and should be proud of the production Continued on Page 4 they were able to make happen. The Tusker Tribune Page 2 The Student Newspaper of Somers Middle School March 25: Greek Independence Day

By Joseph Melillo 1821 through 1829, later being Tusker Tribune backed by the United Kingdom, The Staff Kingdom of France, and the Rus- Greece is offi- sians. cially known as the The war officially ended on Hellenic Republic. Its September 12th, 1829. This is an im- largest city is Athens, capital of portant day in Greece with celebra- a country with a population of tions such as parades, parties, and 11,000,000 as of 2016. food. This celebration is actually Monday, March 25th, part of a much older celebration of 2019, was Greek Independence the Greek Orthodox Church’s cele- Day. The small group of islands and one mainland bration of the Annunciation of the Theotokos. gained their independence from the Ottoman Em- Make sure to wish a Happy Greek Inde- pire in a war known as the Greek Revolution from pendence Day to any Greeks you know!

College Softball Teams Chart Path to World Series

By Mia Barlanti Last year, the winner of the champi- Tusker Tribunue Staff onships was Florida State and right now This year, colleges all they are in first place and doing very well. around the United States are The World Series for college softball competing in softball. All to- begins when there are 16 surviving teams. gether, there are 286 teams There are 8 locations where the games are across the country. The top three colleg- played with the last 16 teams will be play- es in the ranking this month are: 1. ing. Two teams are matched up and put at Florida State, 2. UCLA, and 3. Florida. a location and they play a best-of-three se- LSU is my favorite college soft- ries to determine who will move on in the ball team so I'm hoping they’ll do well and make it World Series. The season started not long ago but into the championships. Their record is 13-3 and as more days go on, more games are played and it they are ninth in rankings. Recently, on March 24, moves closer and closer to the World Series so 2019, LSU played Georgia and beat them 7-4. teams can compete and try to win.

Bermuda Triangle Remains a Mystery

By Jordan Della Vecchia surround a portion of these acci- Tusker Tribune Staff dents. There have been theories that The Bermuda Trian- have been proposed regarding the gle has several names, such Bermuda Triangle, but none of them as the Bermuda prove that the missing Triangle, the boats and airplanes ab- Devil’s Triangle, and sences occur more fre- Hurricane Alley. It is quently there than in other called this because it is well-traveled sections of so deadly. the sea. The Bermuda Tri- Fun Fact: The Ber- angle Is a mythical sec- muda Triangle is one of on- tion bounded by Miami, ly two places on Earth Bermuda, and Puerto where a compass points to Rico, where several ships true north rather than and airplanes mysteriously disap- magnetic north. Source:: peared without a trace. www.history.com Unexplained circumstances The Tusker Tribune Page 3 The Student Newspaper of Somers Middle School

This Week In History

By Kaeleigh Picco Tusker Tribune Staff Have you ever wondered what happened today ten years ago? Twenty years ago? Fifty? In This Week in History, I will tell you about the events that happened that particular week that could have im- pacted our everyday lives or are just really interesting to learn about.

March 27th, 1977 The worst accident in all of civil aviation tragically occurred on this date as two Boeing 747 Jets collided on a foggy runway at Los Rodeos Airport in the Canary Islands. The Tenerife Airport disaster resulted in the deaths of 583 people.

March 29th, 1790 10th President of the United States John Tyler was born on this date in Charles City County, Virginia to John Tyler Sr. and Mary Armistead. Tyler briefly served as Vice President to William Henry Harrison , but then became President when Harrison died of pnuemonia after just one month in office. He was nicknamed, “His Accidency” because he was the first person to become President when not being officialy elected to the title.

March 30th, 1981 Former President Ronald Reagan was walking toward his limousine in Washington DC following a speech that he gave inside a hotel when he was shot in the chest. He was immediately rushed to the hospital for a surgery that would remove a 22 caliber bullet from his left lung. The President would soon recover from this and return to his duties. Three others were also targeted, including the President’s Press Secretary James Brady who was shot in the forehead, but miraculously survived.

March 31st, 1991 Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, and The Soviet Republic of Georgia all voted to declare in- dependence from Soviet Russia. Ironically, Georgia was the birthplace of Joseph Stalin, the infamous dictator of The Soviet Union during World War Two. After the vote, Rus- sian troops were dispatched from Moscow under a state of emergency.

Co-Editors Reporters The Tusker Tribune is the online Som- Noah Volkman Kaeleigh Picco ers Middle School Student Newspa- Joseph Melillo Natalia Tellez per. It is published weekly (except Isaac Like during school vacations) on the Som- Feature Editor Mia Barlanti ers Middle School Website. It is en- Samuel Sanz Andrew Fasone tirely student-written by 6th, 7th Joseph Melillo and 8th grade students from: Sports Editor Jordan Della Vecchia Somers Middle School Jesse Manginelli Jesse Manginelli 250 Route 202 Allison O’Connor Somers, NY, USA. Photography Editor Arjun Ojha Any SMS student is eligible to write Allison O’Connor Noah Volkman stories. If interested, please e-mail Advisor Dean Pappas at Copy Editors [email protected] William Underkoffler Michael Aiello The Tusker Tribune Page 4 The Student Newspaper of Somers Middle School

Video Game Review:

By Andrew Fasone win streak. You can get coin gem seeds to level up Tusker Tribune Staff plants and pinatas. One more thing in the The game Plants vs Zombies 2 is a “battlez” mode you can get are “mints”. If you col- mobile game that is free to play and has lect 100 mints, you can get a “reinforced-mint”. been around since The reinforced mints are also 2013. With the new update of classed, and they boost the class of plant levels, plants can now plants on the battle field that you level up by collecting seeds and have placed. get stronger the more you level They have also added more them up. worlds since the game has been re- The amount of levels leased in 2013. When the game was varies depending on how released in 2013, they had three strong the plants were to start worlds (ancient Egypt, pirate seas, with. There are also different and wild west). but since then they classes of plants. With the ad- have added many worlds (such as dition of the new update they added a “battlez” Frostbite Caves, Lost City, Far Future, Dark Ag- mode where you and another player fight each es, Neon Mixtape Tour, Jurassic Marsh, Big Wave other to see who gets the highest score. The win- Beach, and Modern Day). ner gets five points and the loser gets one. There Each world gets harder and harder and are also different leagues with the highest being you advance in the game. But there has been a the Jade League and the lowest being the Soil recent update where they added about 10 give or League. The more battles you do and the more take levels to each world that are extremely hard points you get result in promotions, and if you are and introduce new zombies that have more pro- ranked the lowest in your league, you get demot- tection and are harder to defeat. But with the ed. harder zombie comes more rewards. If you have played some games in the All in all in my opinion I think that Plants “battlez” mode, you can get a reward called the vs Zombies 2 is a good, free, mobile game to play.

Perseverance Key to Football Lunch From Page 1 By Isaac Like minimum plays. That year we also Tusker Tribune Staff won the championship and I got my To sub out Football is a sport based off first taste at linebacker, even though some of these things agility, strength, and speed, I didn’t play it oddly enough. you can have pasta etc., so what happens when This 7th grade season was no and meatballs, pop- you have none? doubt the biggest change in my foot- corn chicken, orange I started of playing ball career ever. My defensive posi- blossom chicken, football in 4th tion was changed to line- grilled cheese and grade. I was short, backer and even though I vegetable soup, cheese skinny and not fit for foot- wasn’t the starter, I was sticks with dipping ball at all. My older broth- happy. One of the starters sauce or waffles and er played football, so I was though, was a good friend of ham. encouraged to play like mine and was confident in We hope writ- him. When I started play- my skills and believed I ing to you will help ing, I played the two most could be good at linebacker improve the menu. passive positions (meaning and he helped teach me to Anthony Altieri not engaged with the play the position and he was “game”) but, when I cam to also the QB, which was tir- Jake Mohan play in 6th grade, I started ing to start at both positions, to change up. I got a little taller and so he got tired. Then I went in and Tyler Brownstein chubbier. I still was not a useful that’s how my football career really May should be an player on the team, and I got mini- got going. Then my friend got hurt interesting month, mum plays a game (3). My offensive and I started in the last six games. lunch-wise! position was changed, and I consid- The coaches can see my potential and ered it an upgrade but, I still got now I just have to keep playing. The Tusker Tribune Page 5 The Student Newspaper of Somers Middle School Some Baseball Milestones in Honor of Opening Day

By Jesse Manginelli Opening day April 15, 1947 was Tusker Tribune Staff Robinson’s debut. He was the Opening Day for the MLB is today for first African-American to play in both the Mets and the Yankees, with the the MLB at the time. This made Yankees playing at home. a tremendous impact on baseball To commemorate the opening, I and racial will go over some Opening Day Mira- integration. cles. I will start off with a miracle And then from the original Bronx Bomber him- there is self, George Herman “Babe” Ruth. Hank Aaron. On the first day When the original Yankee Stadium of the season in 1974, Hank was built, it was already known as Aaron made an unbelievable the “House That Ruth Built.” On the achievement. He was just un- first ever game played in the stadium, der Babe Ruth’s lifetime home run record of 713. on April 18, 1923, Ruth hit a three- On opening he didn’t waste a run homerun off Red Sox’s pitcher second and smashed a homer to Howard Ehmke. tie Babe Ruth. The next one I will talk about is Finally, George Bell hit Bob Feller’s no hitter. On the opening three homeruns on Opening Day day of 1940, Bob Feller of the Cleve- in 1988. land Indians recorded the only no hit- That’s all for now. Let's ter on opening day ever. see what Opening Day this year Maybe the most important one out of brings us. all these is about Jackie Robinson. Tusker Tribune Trivia By Allison O’Connor Tusker Tribune Staff  What kind of weapon is a fal-  Who was the legendary chion? A sword. Benedictine monk who in- vented champagne? Dom Perignon.

 Name the larg-  Which word goes before est freshwater lake vest, beans and quartet? in the world? Lake String. Superior.  What is another word for a lexicon? Dictionary.  Where would you find the Sea of  Name Tranquility? The the sev- Moon. enth planet from the sun. Uranus  What is someone  Who who shoes invented horses the rabies called? A farrier. vaccina- tion? Lou-  What item of clothing was named is Pasteur. after its Scottish inventor? A Mackin- tosh. The Tusker Tribune Page 6 The Student Newspaper of Somers Middle School The NBA Playoff Race By Arjun Ojha Tusker Tribune Staff  Golden State Warriors 51-23  Denver Nuggets 50-23 With only 2 weeks until the end of  Portland Trail Blazers 47-27 the NBA regular season. I want to go over  Houston Rockets 47-28 the standings as well as who is in the playoffs. It  Utah Jazz 45-30 is a tight one, so get ready.  Los Angeles Clippers 45-30 The standings for the NBA on the Eastern  Oklahoma City Thunder 44-31 Conference are as followed:  San Antonio Spurs 43-32

 Milwaukee Bucks 56-19 These eight teams are the teams that are  Toronto Raptors 52-23 in the playoffs as of now. So far, in the Eastern  Philadelphia 76ers 47-27 Conference, the Milwaukee Bucks have clinched  Indiana Pacers 45-30 the division and the Toronto Raptors, Philadelph-  Boston Celtics 44-31 ia 76ers and the Indiana Pacers have clinched a  Brooklyn Nets 38-37 playoff position.  Detroit Pistons 37-37 In the Western Conference, the Golden  Orlando Magic 37-38 State Warriors, the Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles The Standings for the Western Conference Clippers and the Houston Rockets have all are as followed: clinched their playoff spots. Ski Mask the Slump God’s Favorite Cartoons

By Noah Volkman #3: The Fairly OddParents Tusker Tribune Staff At #3 is the classic Nickelodeon show the South Florida’s Ski Mask the Slump Fairly OddParents. Ski Mask references the show God is a rapper’s rapper and he’s known on at least seven songs, and a lot of those bars for clever bars filled with animated pop mention the babysitter, Vicky, including culture references, that range from Dragon Ball Z “SUICIDE SEASON” and “Nuketown.” “We don’t (on “LOST SOULS”) to (“Save Your- really mess with Icky Vicky. She from Fairly Odd- self!”). Parents, she’s a babysitter, and she’s mean.” Ski I looked at some of Ski said. Ski mask even sampled one of the Mask’s biggest tracks and over show’s songs, “My Shiny Teeth and Me,” 60 different references to figure from fictional teen heartthrob Chip Sky- out what cartoons he loves to lark on a track of his own, “New Age namedrop the most in his bars. Chip Skylark.” “And there were a lot. Cartoons #2: Pokemon are really my thing I feel like At #2, we’ve got the classic Japa- you can learn a lot of things nese anime and game series, Pokemon from movies,” said Ski Mask. which I found Ski Mask referenced in #5: Rick & Morty eight different songs, some including ’s hit comedy “Faucet Failure” and “Cat Piss.” “Ash is about a scientist and his grand- the Pokemon trainter that’s the main son Morty, which just so hap- character on Pokemon. pens to be one of Ski Mask’s #1: SpongeBob Squarepants personal favorites, mentioning Finally, the cartoon with the most it in at least four different mentions from Ski mask in nine different songs. “ tells you a lot about life songs across his catalog is SpongeBob and that’s really going on.” One song he mentions Squarepants, including “SLMD Remix (R.I.P. Ber- it on is “RUN.” Besides general show references, nie Mac).” Ski mask also gets into specific characters, like But even outside of his top mentions Ski Pickle Rick on “Unbothered.” As well as some more mask clearly has a lot of other favorites, like the secondary characters. Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy. He even #4: sampled the show’s theme song on the 2016 track At #4 we’ve got the sci-fi cartoon Futurama, of the same name. And on tracks like “Dr. Egg- which Ski’s mentioned in at least five different man,” he’s even used more obscure references like songs, one being “Chemicals.” And he’s paid hom- this bit from Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends. age to some of its most beloved characters like Fry But besides his favorites there’s still plenty more on “Thriller (Forever),” Bender on “4Peat,” and cartoon references from Ski Mask, and he’s kept many others. them coming. So, what are some of your favorites?