December 2020 Mustang Rodeo December 2020 Mr. Shields- Assistant Principal Must have Phone Apps Written by Michael Kurkchi Written by Mia Loock-Chapman

Mr. Shields is one of the assistant principals at If you have a phone, here are some apps that you MUST have. Mills; he works closely around the school with staff to According to KCRA news, the number one app in the U.S right now is support student learning and he works daily to Zoom. Of course, everyone has Zoom because the teachers have implement school policy. classes to teach, students have classes to attend, and some businesses Mr. Shields decided to work at Mills because of the family have Zoom meetings to discuss major changes in the business world atmosphere and the relationships made with students. He's also had a or just stuff about their company. chance of coaching the boys and girls basketball teams. The second most popular app in the U.S is TikTok. A Mr. Shields started teaching in 2007 at Folsom High School and he lot of teens have TikTok whether they make videos or not. taught government and economics; a year later, he moved to Mills Some people, like myself, just like to watch other creators’ where he worked for 13 years. videos. He went to California Polytechnic State University Luis Obispo and Another must-have app is Instagram. On Instagram, you can studied Business administration. Later, he went to Sacramento state to talk to friends, video chat, take photos, share photos, and many other earn his master’s degree of educational leadership. things. Mr. Shields wanted to teach because he remembers how much he One more must-have app is Snapchat. I really think enjoyed learning and it opened doors for him. He wanted to help as Snapchat is a really good app. It offers many filters for many students as possible. photos too along with voice effects. I also really like If he wasn't a teacher, Mr. Shields would probably be a lawyer. His Snapchat because when you text someone it tells you if they opened favorite hobby is listening to true crime podcasts and he likes to spend it or if they haven’t read it yet. his time with his family and in the yard working. His favorite animal is a The last popular app that you must have is Among Us. Among mustang and his favorite food is Mac and Cheese. Us recently became popular with teens and kids. Those are all the must have apps of 2020.

Top 10 Holiday Movies Written by Andruw Rogel With Christmas around the corner, and outside getting colder, you would want to stay inside and watch some holiday favorites under your blankets and eat popcorn. I can help you choose some holiday movies that you could watch that are in my opinion, the best Christmas movies of all time. So here is my top 10 favorite Christmas movies:

10. Polar Express: Polar express is a classic and I really like to watch this during the holidays for some nostalgia. 9. Christmas With The Kranks: I think this movie is funny and I watch it every Christmas because I just like the movie. 8. The Peanut Movie: I really like Charlie Brown and the movies but how they made everything look in this movie was really cool. 7. Jingle All The Way: I like this movie because it’s just fun to watch and to laugh at. 6. The Santa Clause: I like this movie because it’s funny and emotional and I like that about this movie. 5. A Christmas Carol: This is in my top 5 because this movie is so nostalgic and teaches a nice lesson. 4. Elf: This movie is in my top 4 because it is the funniest movie on this list and I like the acting in this movie. 3. The Night Before Christmas: This movie is in my top 3 because I've always watched this movie every year and it is very nostalgic and I really like the way they made the movie look. 2. Home Alone: This movie is in my top 2 because it is a very funny and classic movie and the acting is pretty good and I really like the second movie as well but this one is just better. 1. The Grinch Who Stole Christmas: This is my favorite holiday movie because it’s very funny and I love how Jim Carrey (The Grinch) acted in this movie. I even watch this movie when it’s not Christmas or near Christmas. This movie is definitely in my opinion the best Christmas movie of all time.

Covid vaccine progress Holiday Charity Work Written by Mari Muradyan Written by Peyton Watson As 2020 comes to an end, and we receive more During December, charities usually hold more events because news on a Covid-19 vaccine, we’re getting closer to families are in need of money for Christmas. Charities happen all year overcoming this virus. long, but since it is December I want to focus on these charities. The UK has become the first country to approve the Pfizer vaccine and might even begin dispensing shots in a week. This sets the stage for First up we had the “Wine & Cupcake Pairing Fundraiser”. The the biggest vaccination campaign in all of British history. Britain's fundraiser is by Shaquarrius Calloway. The money that goes to the medicines regulator says the vaccine offers up to 95% protection against Children's Receiving Home of Sacramento. You are supposed to pick Covid-19 illness and that it's safe. up your cupcakes and wine at 8161 Belvedere Ave, then go home to When asked if she would get the vaccine first round, Ani Muradyan, join a zoom meeting to taste your treats with other people. This a senior at Cordova High school, replied ¨No, I would wait and make money raiser was on Friday, December 4, 2020 1:00 PM – 6:00 PM. sure it was safe, first.¨ Once vaccinations start, the people at the top of the list to get them, Second there was the “Christmas comedy are the elderly in care homes, their staff, and the workers in the medical show”. The show was by Lmfao comedy and field. event productions. It was a Christmas charity In addition to the Pfizer vaccine, another company named Moderna comedy show to help benefit the Latino has been working on a vaccine. Moderna is a Biotechnology company Veterans memorial statue. The show was at Vince's 840 Harbor that focuses on drug discovery, vaccines, etc. A proud founder of Boulevard. This show was a good laugh for people but the money for Moderna is Noubar Afeyan, an Armenian-American inventor, the show was for a good cause. The show was on Sunday, December entrepreneur, and CEO. Other founders include Robert Langer, Derrick 13, 2020, 6:30 PM.

Rossi, Kenneth R. Chien, Timothy A. Springer, and David Berry. And last there was the “Christmas toy drive”. The toy drive was by Moderna became the second company to request emergency FDA Newlife and The Aboutkidz organization. The drive happened at 8101 authorization for its Covid-19 vaccine. Its vaccine has been showing Sunset Ave, Fair Oaks. The toy drive is for families that don't have good signs which is good news considering all the hardship we´ve been money to give their kids toys for the Fair Oaks and Orangevale area. through in 2020. The DSMB (the Delta Safety Monitoring Board) This drive was on Saturday, December 12th, 2020. reported that it is safe, well tolerated, and has an efficiency rate of 94.5%. December 2020 Mustang Rodeo December 2020 Status of Student Athletics in 2020 Christmas Crafts Written by Alicya Santana Written by Desiree Sumpo Ms. Rahn, a teacher and sports leader here at Mills Middle School, We are all aware that Christmas is coming nearer and nearer. has said that she is still uncertain if students will be able to play sports Possibly, you may want to create handmade ornaments, DIY this year. Although she has said that ¨IF there are still infections Christmas decorations to accessorize your house with, or just general spreading in the community, but the school campus is reopened, we Christmas crafts to do while you’re bored during winter break. Here may be able to have a co-ed track and field team, and boys and girls are a few Christmas crafts that you may want to consider trying soccer team.¨ But ¨IF the school campus reopens AND infections in the during this winter: community are LOW, we may be able to also have boys and girls DIY Garland basketball and boys and girls volleyball.¨ It all You can gather fresh cedar and grapevine twigs depends on our community being able to and wrap it around green metal wire to hold it maintain a safe environment. altogether. (Your choice of length) Once you If we are allowed to return back to playing have wrapped the twigs and cedar around the sports, Ms. Rahn said that she does not feel wire, you can top it off with fake berries and/or comfortable allowing students to be in a pinecones for more detail. contact sport like Wrestling. There are many Paper Plate Christmas Tree risks if there are any contact sports so they will not be played this year. For this craft, you will need a paper She says that she has many concerns and she worries that ¨students, plate that is cut up into thirds. If you athletes, and coaches will get too relaxed around each other and will want you can color with marker. You forget to practice Covid safety guidelines. So if we are able to play any then can glue each third on top of sports we need to remember to follow the rules. each other to create a tree shape. For Ms. Rahn thinks that Covid is really easy to forget about when we the ornaments you can use pom- are all having fun and says ¨ We will have to work extra hard to keep poms, glitter, or any choice of everyone safe.¨ That would also mean teams can only play another decoration onto the plate. Lastly, you school once so that the season can be shortened. Each team will still be can use a popsicle stick as your stem. able to play in their championship games as long as they are being responsible. Wine Cork Christmas Tree Ms. Rahn has also said that she’s upset that there is a chance For this craft, you will need a pinecone, a star (can students will not be able to play this year. Ms. Rahn would like the be cut up and colored yellow), and a wine cork. athletes to know that ¨Being on a sports team is a wonderful You will have to cut the cork in half and glue the opportunity and it is something you never forget.¨ She hopes you pinecone onto one of those halves. You can remember that ¨this is only temporary and that the one thing no one sprinkle some golden glitter onto the pinecone to can take away from you is the ability to keep practicing and getting make it look pretty. You then glue the paper star better at what you do.¨ on top of your pinecone to create your tree. All done!

New Year’s Resolution Written by Kailey Chidester New Years is a time in life where people basically celebrate the year coming to an end and a new one starting. Some people throw parties or have family get togethers and sometimes even have fireworks. It’s a very fun time of the year because you see a lot of people and they’re smiling and making memories with friends and family. A New Year's Resolution is when someone sets a goal for themselves or just a goal for the year of something to accomplish in life. It's very cool to see people set a goal and accomplish that goal. For example, my mother’s goal is to work out and lose weight; my grandparents also have the goal to lose weight. Another common goal that is very good but can be challenging is to quit smoking. But, the people that do could live longer and it can help their lungs to be healthy again. So, it's amazing to have a New Year's resolution you should think about what yours could be.

Lights around the world Ariana Grande’s New Album Written by Mayra Guadarrama Hernandez Written by Alia Hayajneh Ariana Grande is an American singer Christmas is celebrated by millions of people and it is the time where and actress. She released her new album most people tend to do Christmas light displays to be more festive. Not “Positions” on October 30th, 2020. It only do people use them merely as decorations but to resemble stars, has reached number 1 in the top 200 and here are some of the best ones. songs in the first week of its release. Holiday Trail of Lights in Natchitoches, LA Ariana has broken a world record A view of a trail of lights with big with this album as being the first woman celebrations. ever to have three number 1 albums, beating Miley Cyrus’ record. The Big Bright Light The songs in the album are “34+35”, “pov”, “off the table”, Show in Rochester, MI “motive”, “safety net”, “just like magic”, “love language”, “nasty”, Vibrant colors everywhere in the city especially “shut up”, “obvious”, “west side”, “six thirty”, “my hair”, and finally, the buildings filled up with lights from roof to “positions”. the bottom. Her song “positions' ' in her album with the same name's meaning Christmas in Color in South Jordan, UT is much deeper than what is heard in the lyrics. It is about how Adventurous colorful display of lights and women can be successful and as powerful while taking care of a trees. relationship, not just men. But the song is also about her relationship

Along with these wonderful displays, some other with her partner, Dalton Gomez. Ariana was proving both men and good ones are, Koziar’s Christmas Village in women are equal and can both be in high positions, not just men. Bernville, PA, Tacky Light Tour in Richmond, VA, ZooLights in Portland, If you want some good music for the holidays, go listen to Ariana Oregon, The Arcs in Ann Arbor, M, and more. Grande’s album, “positions”!