Issue Number 1 htps://www.somersschools.org/Page/11489 Fall 2020

A 6th Grader’s Impression of Middle School (During COVID)

By Thalia Etelamaki it! And I know a lot of people were, Tusker Tribune Staff too! Also, our backpacks are super For me and for many heavy lugging around so many other new sixth graders, books!!! school this year is very dif- But some good things are ferent and difficult for teach- that we can meet new people in our ers and kids because of the pandem- classes, and we can do language clas- ic! ses!! I love learning French and my Some down sides to being in teacher is super nice! Also getting to middle school right now is lunch is move around a little bit from class to only 20 minutes and I do not always class sometimes is nice!!! get to finish my lunch, especially if I am buying. I am sad about not being able to do as many We also don’t get lockers, and I was disappointed things, like hands-on experiments in science, etc. in that because I was looking forward to decorating But middle school is overall fun!! Virtual or Face to Face? By Abigail J. Babboni school! And this is bad. Grades of children all Tusker Tribune Staff around the world of been dropping. Virtual learning or Face to Face But if you turn your attention to tradition- learning? Which one’s better? al learning, riding a school bus teaches children to Some children and parents figure be punctual and to be on time. Also, face to face, that face to face learning is better because children can get the help they need without hav- you get to inter- ing to “unmute” act with other and then wait people and see for the teacher your friends in to come to the person. But most screen. Being in scientist disa- person also gree. They say helps develop that eLearning is “people skills.” better. Why? Be- Online cause a group of learning also scientists at IBM has its cons, as discovered that most people children learn 5 should already times MORE ma- know, staring at terial online a screen for too than in tradi- long can ruin tional learning. the eyes of anybody. Also, most kids used to play But what they did NOT mention was what outside, or play sports during free time, but now age group of children. 5-8? 10-15? College kids? If with eLearning going on kids are getting more they meant college kids, then yes, they are right. addicted to the screens than before. Kids in the age range of 18-22 are more responsi- I have ended up writing a lot about ble about their work than most kids. eLearning in this article but that doesn’t mean However, some kids aged 10-13 are not so that your children should do online learning. Hu- serious about their work. If parents aren't strict man interaction is still important, even during a about their children getting on Zoom, or whatever pandemic! online program they do, kids will just not go to The Tusker Tribune Page 2 The Student Newspaper of Somers Middle School Spirit Week! Something ‘Normal’?!?!?

By Juliet Gherardi By Matthew Giudice Tusker Tribune Staff Tusker Tribune Staff This year has been Why is Spirit Week hard for everyone because important? In my opinion, of the pandemic. I think Spirit Week is im- But this year, Spirit portant because it just Week will mean a lot to everyone. brings out the good in us. We will have lots of fun during I think that having Spirit Spirit Week because it is a normal Week is especially important to activity. have a normal activity because It’s good to have Spirit this school year has been crazy Week because kids won’t have to with the coronavirus. worry about COVID. They will just It is nice to have some- have a lot of fun and have a great thing not related to the corona- week with their friends! virus. This school is crazy with It is important kids have how you must wear a mask to fun during this time because they school and social distance and all need to see their friends and enjoy that. spending time with them. Spirit It’s going to be nice Hal- Week has always been my favorite loween because it will be a fun week in school, but because of time with your friends. Spirit COVID, we can’t do as much as we Week might just bring back some used to. memories about what life was like By Kate Seeger in February and January when Tusker Tribune we lived a normal life. Staff Spirit week is always a fun By Jenna Quas I feel that Tusker Tribune Staff Spirit Week has Finally, something an important By Vince Pomponi is normal and in the week place in the school year. Tusker Tribune Staff leading up to Halloween, I think it is im- I think it is good to Somers Middle School is portant to have Spirt have a tusker merchandise having a Spirit Week! Week this year. I think day because it is a day On Monday, the students this because this school where you can show off all your will wear pj’s, nothing different year has not been very Somers shirts and shorts and sweat from being Zoom but it would be normal, and I think it is shirts, or whatever you have. fun to go to school in your pj’s. good to have something But I really think it is good to On Tuesday, it’s wear a face normal in this crazy have this day because you get to mask that suits your personality, school year. support your town name and your That means wear a self decorated Also, I think it is town mascot or the school mascot, or funny mask that you like! a very fun activity for all Peanut. That is why I think we Wednesday is color wars! kids to participate in. should have a Tusker Strong day 7th grade wears black, 6th grade When you wear your pa- during Spirit Week to show off all wears white and 8th grade wears jamas, it’s like a normal our spirit. red!! life again because you Overall, you should take part Thursday is wear or show are so focused on what in spirit week because if you do, you your favorite music artist, hob- you are wearing, not can win it! by/interest, or sports team, and about the hole pandemic. On Monday, it is pajama day, last, on Friday, you wear What is your fa- then Tuesday, it is decorate your your APPROPRIATE Halloween vorite day of Spirt week? own mask day so you can create costumes or Halloween colors I like interests day be- your own mask. Then, Wednesday is but NO Halloween masks!!! cause I like to wear my color wars so 6th graders wear white, I think this week is im- sports jersey. 7th graders wear black, and 8th portant because it’s good to try and You should come graders wear red. Thursday is get back to normal as a school. join us for Spirt Week! “wear your favorite sports, interest It’s also important to get or hobby” clothing day—when you back into what we did last year be- show up with your favorite team’s fore COVID 19. clothing. I hope every tries their best Finally, Friday is costume to dress up and support SMS! day and that is when you wear ei- ther your Halloween colors or your costumes. The Tusker Tribune Page 3 The Student Newspaper of Somers Middle School This Year’s NBA Offseason will be Different: What Should You Expect to Happen?

By Benji Cutler they don’t offer Ingram a con- player this sea- Tusker Tribune Staff tract early, they will match any son, averaging Hi everyone! It’s offer he gets, which means they 30 PPG, but his been a long time since will likely be getting Ingram team is unsuc- I’ve talked about the back no matter what. cessful, not NBA! As you have probably making the heard by now, the NBA success- Playoffs since 2018, and having fully had over 800 people in a their former All-Star, John Wall, “bubble”, at the Disneyworld coming back from a horrible in- campus in Orlando, Florida. jury that could change the rest of They also were able to his career. Beal has had rumors crown an NBA champion after of him being traded to the Den- nearly 100 days in the bubble, ver Nuggets and the with 0, yeah, I said that right, 0 Nets. If either team gets Beal, positive COVID-19 tests. Fred VanVleet is an un- they will likely be championship The 2020 NBA Champi- restricted free agent and is the contenders. Denver has probably ons are officially the Los Angeles top player in the league that will the best center in the league, Ni- Lakers! I am so happy that LeB- probably leave their current kola Jokic and rising star Jamal ron James got another ring. An- team, which for VanVleet is the Murray. Brooklyn has a former yways, that’s not why I’m here Toronto Raptors. There have league MVP and a top 5 player today. Today, I will be informing been rumors he will sign with you how the 2020 NBA Offsea- the , Detroit son, which includes Free Agency Pistons, or . and the Draft, will go. I will tell , a key you the rumors of who will sign role player for the Boston to a different team, and who will Celtics, has a player option with be traded to a different team. I Boston. If he resigns, he will will also tell you who the top 5 make a whopping $32 million teams in the draft are projected next season. Therefore, it is like- to select. Now that we have that ly Hayward will resign with Bos- out of the way, let’s get into it. ton for one more season. First, I want to talk about DeMar DeRozan, an All in this league, , the Free Agency. This season, -Star caliber forward for the San and All-Star . Beal due to the COVID-19 hiatus the Antonio Spurs, has a massive fits with both teams and can eas- NBA took, the team owners’ player option, like Hayward, and ily make them both unstoppable. have a lack of money when it will likely resign with San Anto- Next, we have Chris comes to ticket sales. Because of nio, will the place the league is Paul. The current All-Star is this, there won’t be players get- in financially. now 35 years old, and his cur- ting paid huge contracts for a Next, we have trade ru- rent team, the OKC Thunder, team they weren’t already play- mors. There will likely not be a have a ton of draft picks and ing for. Just keep that in mind. huge amount of trades this off great young players with poten- Now here are the top free agents season, but there are a couple tial, such as Shai Gilgeous- and where they are expected to players that will most likely not Alexander. OKC doesn’t need go: be on the same team they are CP3 for their future, and likely is the currently on by the beginning of won’t win a championship next top free agent, since he won a next season. Here are 3 players year. Because of this, Paul has championship with LA and made that have been in trade rumors been in many trade rumors to the All-NBA First Team, but he and that I think will get traded. the Los Angeles Lakers, Milwau- is expected to opt out of his cur- kee Bucks, and New York rent Lakers contract and resign Knicks. LA and Milwaukee, with with the Lakers on a brand new their current teams, are two of Super Max deal. the top teams heading into next Brandon Ingram had season, both teams having su- an incredible year winning the perstars, LA with LeBron and Most Improved Player and mak- Anthony Davis, and Milwaukee ing his first All-Star appearance. having two-time MVP Giannis He is a restricted free agent, so Antetokounmpo and All-Star he will likely resign with the First, we have Bradley Khris Middleton. Beal of the Washington Wiz- Continued on Page 4 , and if ards. He was an All-Star caliber The Tusker Tribune Page 4 The Student Newspaper of Somers Middle School

son coming back from injuries. However, the NBA teams that want the number 2 pick, such as the From Page 3 New York Knicks, won’t have the assets for the is a fantastic leader and play- number 2 pick, or at least won’t have enough making guard that will easily make LA and things that isn’t part of their core, such as rising Milwaukee the favorites to win a championship. star . The only weak spot in For New York, they haven’t made the Playoffs Golden State’s lineup is the center position, and since 2013 and have been one of the worst teams Wiseman can fill that spot, stretch the floor, and in the league for that 7-year span. Though CP3 become a better player with leaders like Dray- won’t make New York even playoff contenders, mond Green. they want a culture change and want to make 3. – more money from tickets. Having a star in New I think Charlotte will take a big man to York could reel young stars in or get more fans in. replace , who is not that good, and will I don’t think New York really needs him, but I do take Obi Toppin. People have been saying Antho- think Milwaukee would adore CP3 and would eas- ny Edwards should go top 3, and he definitely ily pick him up. could go to Minnesota, but if Minnesota takes Lastly, we have Paul LaMelo, Charlotte and Golden State don’t really George of the Los Angeles need Edwards for the positions they have. Howev- Clippers. George has been er, Charlotte have never really had a good center, getting hate for having a and would love to have a sort of young player (23 horrible Playoffs this sea- son, with a disappointing years old) that could help Charlotte have a better second round loss, and has team in the future. also been put in trade ru- 4. Chicago Bulls (Traded to NY) - Antho- mors. He hasn’t been in as ny Edwards much as Beal and Paul, but I do think the Chicago Bulls will trade people do think PG won’t be in LA by the begin- down with the Knicks, and will get the 8th pick, ning of next season. People have also been saying which will likely be a . However, for Brooklyn would love to have him play alongside New York, they will want to trade up to give the Durant and Irving and try to win a championship. fans some hope, and I think they could trade may- That trio would be deadly, and I could see it hap- be the 8th pick and for the 4th pick. pening. However, I think George will stay in LA They will probably go for the best guy available or and help try to not disappoint Clippers fans again the most popular guy, who I think in this situa- and win the championship with Kawhi Leonard. tion is Anthony Edwards. They could pick up to play , since that posi- Lastly, I will be talking about the NBA Draft, tion is weak for them. However, I think they will which will be on November 18. I will say if I think pick up Anthony Edwards to help their franchise any trades will go down or who I think each of the on offense and defense. Edwards is a good all- top 5 teams will select. around player with very high potential. Minnesota Timberwolves – 5. – LaMelo Ball I think that the Cleveland Cavaliers will I think Minne- take Deni Avdija, a young wing from the Euro- sota will select LaMe- League with a ton of potential. The Cavs struggle lo Ball; a 6-foot-8 at the SF position more than anything else, with point guard who has young guards Collin Sexton and Darius Garland, shown potential in the and talented big men in Kevin Love, Andre Drum- National League (NBL). He is a top mond and Tristan Thompson. Having a young wing, especially from the EuroLeague, can really prospect that teams such as the New York Knicks turn this franchise around for the better and put or Chicago Bulls would want. However, Minneso- Cleveland back in the Playoffs. Playing in the Eu- ta has been a struggling team, but they are young roLeague against people older than you is so and want to build around their top guys, which is much harder than the NBA, players have said, so Karl-Anthony Towns, D’Angelo Russell, and may- having that experience makes Deni ready for the be LaMelo Ball. league and he can really help the Cavs. - Those are my predictions for this year’s I think Golden State will select James offseason, when it comes to signings, trades, and Wiseman; a 7 foot stretch big with tons of poten- the Draft. My next NBA article could be talking tial. I wouldn’t be surprised if Golden State trades about the Draft results, so we’ll see. Hopefully my down, since they don’t need a top 2 pick, with su- Cavs don’t mess it up again! See you next week! perstar Stephen Curry and All-Star Klay Thomp-

Reporters Vincent Pomponi The Tusker Tribune is the online Somers Middle School Student Newspaper. It is published weekly (except during school vacations) on the Somers Middle School Website. It is entirely stu- Abigail Babboni Matthew Giudice dent-written by 6th, 7th and 8th grade students from: Thalia Etelamaki Juliet Gherardi Somers Middle School, 250 Route 202, Somers, NY, USA. Kate Seeger Benji Cutler Any SMS student is eligible to write stories. Jenna Quas If interested, please e-mail Advisor Dean Pappas at [email protected]