Excellent with Distinction Vol 7 Issue 5 Q&A with Rachel Haynes Is Online Learning as Good as Face-to- Face Learning? Q: Do you like your job? An Editorial Written by Kayla K. A: I love my job and my students. Some experts estimate that over one million students in the U.S. have taken at least one online class, from kindergarten Q: What’s your favorite color? to senior year. Many people debate the pros and cons of on- A: Mustard yellow. line learning. Myself, I was enrolled in an online public school from first grade to sixth grade, and then came to North Q: What’s your favorite superhero? Union Middle School for the choir and arts opportunities. A: Wonder Woman. Experts and teachers say that many schools are choosing Q: Favorite song/artist? online education because it is cheap. Memphis City Schools, a A: Dave Matthews Band. school that requires every student to take at least one online class to graduate, is only paying $164 per online course for Q: Was this the job you imagined you would have in each student. Although the school says they’ve never com- high school? pared the price, skeptics say that online courses are an easy A: Yes! way to cut corners. Karen Aronowitz, president of the teach- ers’ union in Miami says, “[Online courses]... is being proposed Q: What college did you go to? for even our youngest students, because it’s good for the A: Bowling State University. kids? No. This is all about cheap.” Q: Favorite movie/TV show? I, having taken my education online for six years would like A: Too many. to discuss the pros and cons of online learning. On the case that the education is not helping the kids, I must strongly Q: Ohio or Michigan? disagree. One of the benefits of online learning is that you ac- A: Ohio, duh! tually spend eight full hours a day learning. You do not have to worry about the three minutes between classes or the five Q: Favorite book? minute introductions at the beginning of class. Once you start A: Too hard to decide. your lesson, you work through said lesson until it is finished. Not 45 minutes of working and then come back tomorrow, Q: How do you like North Union? you achieve mastery in the lesson. This mastery leads to a A: I love North Union staff and students. It feels like more complete understanding of the topics presented. With home! fuller and more complete lessons, you can cover more in- depth material more efficiently.(Continued on Page 3) Q:Do you like food? A:Yes! Ms.Randi’s food :). Q:What is your favorite game? Spring is nature’s way of A:My favorite game is Monopoly! saying, ‘Let’s party!’ Robin Williams Karate March Holidays By: Logan F. Compiled by Bri S. I do karate and I am a purple belt. My sensei (Teacher) is Ron Irish American Month and Red Cross Month S. The four points of self-protection is Avoid, Evade, Escape 1st - National Pig Day and Attack, so that means don’t attack first, attack last. I learn 2nd - Old Stuff Day kicks, blocks, strikes, breakfalls, and how to count in Japanese. 3rd - If Pets Had Thumbs Day My dojo is called Center of Traditional Martial Arts in East Liber- 5th - Multiple Personality Day ty. My goal is to achieve the black belt. If you are interested in 8th - International Women’s Day karate see me. 9th - Panic Day 12th - World Kidney Day 17th - Saint Patrick’s Day Interview of Miss Bumgarner 18th - Supreme Sacrifice Day I interviewed our student teacher, Miss. 19th - St Joseph 20th - Spring Begins (Northern) Bumgarner, and she was glad to take some of her time to answer my ques- First Day of Spring By Kaylee S. tions, so here it is! I now we all have been wait for the first Full name? Her full name is Autumn day of spring. Here it is! The first day of spring Carlene Bumgarner. was on March 20th. Although the weather did Favorite Color? Autumn’s favorite not change right away be prepared for WARM- color is light blue and pink. ER weather! I know we are all mad at the world Do you like NU so far? She answered, “Yes, I think it is a for snowing but the weathermen are saying that great school, the students here are amazing to teach.” it will be warming up soon. Through the week it What is OSUM like? Autumn answered, ”It’s a great place to will be getting warmer. So cross your fingers and go to college, the classes are small which I like, and the pro- hope for warm weather through spring break! fessors are always willing to help with whatever you need.” Break out the swimsuits and shorts because Are you active in any sports right now? She answered, “I’m SPRING IS ON THE WAY!! currently active in crossfit, I go to the gym in Marysville called Route 33, and have been doing crossfit for about 6 25th - Waffle Day months now. “ 27th - National “Joe” Day What do you really want to be? Autumn answered, ” I would 29th - Palm Sunday / Summer Time Begins love to be a 5th grade math or science teacher when I finish (Europe) my degree in May.” 30th - National Doctors Day Movie? She answered, “My favorite movie would have to be Bridesmaids or anything with Melissa McCarthy in it.” I said, “ Well, we think alike lol.” What is your favorite show? She answered, “I love watching Movies Coming Out In 2015 Criminal Minds and Greys Anatomy.” Again I think we think By: Logan F. alike lol. The cool movies coming out in 2015 such as Mon- Who do you admire/look up to? She answered, “I look up to key Kingdom, Minions, Goosebumps, Hotel Tran- my older sisters, brother, and my parents.” sylvania 2, and Peanuts. One movie I thought was What was your favorite subject? She answered, “My favorite interesting was Jupiter Ascending. Jupiter Ascend- subject in school was math and science.” ing is a sci-fi adventure about a young woman in How old are you? 23 years old the future that gets targeted for assassination by Where did you grow up? She answered, “ I grew up in Rich- the Queen of the Universe, and begins her desti- wood and went to school at North Union and I graduated ny. I thought it was interesting because it is action from here in 2010.” packed. It’s coming out ono DVD soon! We wish the best of luck to Miss Bumgarner after her Student Teaching. Let your smile change the world, but don't let the world change your smile ~Connor Franta~ Famous MARCH Birthdays NUMS Track Compiled by Caitlynne W. 6th- Shaquille O’Neal~ Basketball Player Kayla K. 7th- Wanda Sykes~ Comedian North Union Middle School has recently started track prac- 8th-Hines Ward~ Football Player tice. Official practice started on March 9, 2015. The coach 9th-Brittany Snow~ Movie Actress for the track team is Coach Hammons, and we are super- 10th-Carrie Underwood~ Singer vised by the head high school coach, Coach Sparks. The first 11th- Anthony Davis~ Basketball Player 12th- Darryl Strawberry~ Baseball Player meet will be at Northmor on April 1. North Union will be 13th- Leigh-Allyn Baker~ TV Actress hosting our own meet on April 6, in the afternoon. After the 14th- Ansel Elgort~ Actor 6th, we will have the Highland Relays on the 8th and 9th of 15th- Eric Decker~ Football Player April. Please come out and support your Wildcats on April 16th- Blake Griffin~ Basketball Player 6th at our home meet! 17th- Rob Kardashian~ Reality Star 18th- Adam Levine~ Singer 19th- AJ Lee~ Wrestler 20th- Jo~ Soccer Player 21st- Jace Norman~ TV Actor 22nd- Tyler Oakley~ Web Video Star (editorial continued from page 1) 23rd- Mike Will~ Music Producer The most in-depth topics I recall ever studying were in my 24th- Peyton Manning~ Football Player 25th- Big Sean~ Rapper fourth grade science class. 26th- Sam Pepper~ Web Video Star 27th- Jessie J~ Singer Now, I must admit that one disadvantage of online learning is 28th- Zoe Sugg~ Web Video Star the integrity aspect. The benefits of online classes can only be 29th- Justin Tuck~ Football Player cultivated by the most honest students. Students who actually 30th- Richard Sherman~ Football Player 31th- Ewan McGregor~ Actor want to learn. Students who are not apathetic about their studies and will not plagiarize someone else’s work without another thought. Students who take online classes must have integrity entwined within their work ethic. Therefore, online classes can be beneficial if the student is willing to put effort The Sad Songs into their classes and work with dedication. Article by: Bri L. Finally, there are classes that need to be face to face. For Rapping is a popular thing these day in example, I took both German and Spanish for about two music. Harsh rapping, happy rapping, and some- times sad rapping. Battle Scars by Guy Sebastian ft. years each when I was elementary school. I am now taking Lupe Fiasco is a song that tells about how people Spanish one at the high school, and I must say that Spanish is have many different scars in their lives, whether it is much easier when you have a teacher who can help you with words or the labels people put on you. It really tells pronunciation and ways to remember the translations.