The Need to Go Green - Paul Revere Charter Middle School
Transcription
The Need to Go Green - Paul Revere Charter Middle School
April/May/June 2014 Paul Revere Charter Middle School COVER STORY Volume 58, Issue 4 Patriots and Principal Prepare to Part Ways By ALICIA ABRAMSON and JOJO LEVEY As the eighth grade class of 2014 culminates from Paul Revere, the school’s principal will be culminating with them. “After six unbelievable, enjoyable, outstanding years at Revere and 40 years as an educator with the Los Angeles Unified School District I am saying farewell,” Mrs. Somoza announced. In a farewell letter, she thanked the faculty and support staff for all their help over the years. She has been the principal since the 2008-2009 school year. In an exclusive interview with The Town Crier, she said that she feels very satisfied with her time at the school. “I’m happy to leave a high-performing school always striving for better,” she said. (See page 5 for her full farewell Q&A). Faculty and friends organized a party in Mrs. Somoza’s honor after school on May 30 with the theme “Goodbye Tension, Hello Pension!” A Principal Selection Committee has been interviewing candidates to replace her and an announcement is expected soon. The Storm Before the Calm Testing week ends smoothly after a chaotic start. The Need to Go Green Sammy Stahl, Chaya Brennan and Meilani Wang create a scene at Malibu Creek State Park. Eco-friendly students clean up Revere, one plastic bottle at a time. By GRACE DEAN The Go Green Club feels that littering at our school has become a big problem. We only have so many janitors to keep this school of 2,100 clean. How hard is it to just pick up junk and throw it in the trash? Apparently, it’s very hard. So hard that two restricted lunches have been held this year, one for sixth graders and one for seventh. This club wants to change that. During her time participating in the Go Green Club and Eco Homeroom, Meilani Wang has mostly done something that is the core of being green: recycling. “I have collected recycling from homerooms and on campus,” she says. Connor Bidinger marvels at nature in Malibu. From the quad to the seventh and sixth grade lunch area, Meilani and her fellow students have accumulated lots of aluminum cans and plastic bottles. In fact, being with her friends is one of her favorite parts about participating in school-wide cleanup. But what motivated Meilani to join the club? “I wanted to make a difference in the world, one bottle at a time.” Another 7th grade Go Green member, Leah Radow, is also enthusiastic about the club. “I haven’t heard of any club that is similar to this in any way,” she said. Started by Ms. Chen, the club has been combating pollution and littering at the school since 2008 and is still going strong. From the recycling-collecting homeroom to the informative announcements over the loudspeaker in the morning, the Go Green Club is trying to make Revere aware of the damage pollution is causing to our planet, and to our school. Ms. Chen started the club after two students approached her and asked if they could form a club that would help keep the school clean. Ms. Chen had previously seen and noted that there was trash around the school and was more than happy to help. Six years later, the club has many participants and a helpful homeroom. The club meets on Tuesdays in X-14 to brainstorm new plans for upcoming events and to carry out plans that have already been made. “One of the club’s greatest achievements is the number of participants we have,” said Ms. Chen, referring to the forty or so people involved in keeping the school clean and green. (continued on page 9) By ALON LEVI Throughout the school year, the words “CST’s replaced” and “the iPads are coming!” caused a ripple on campus. Like guinea pigs running around on a spinning wheel, Revere was chosen to face the challenges of testing 2,100 students simultaneously on LAUSD’s online “Smarter Balanced” testing program. The Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) required students to use the long-awaited iPads. However, adjusting to the modern era proved more difficult than expected, at least at first. Approximately 200 students lined up outside of J-2 on Tuesday, the first day of testing, with their malfunctioning iPads in hand. Waiting to help them were Mrs. Somoza, Mr. Shibata and other administrators plus district officials on hand to deal with technical difficulties. Frustrated students reported that the tests would often sign themselves out, or fail to open in the first place. The office was “pretty chaotic,” says Ms. Vogel. According to the office staff, phones were ringing nonstop as teachers waited patiently (and sometimes impatiently) for help. “Everybody was asking for codes to help access the tests,” said Ms. Berrellez. “We were constantly on the walkie-talkies, telling the counselors which classrooms needed help.” (continued on page 5) Mr. Shibata organizes the many students with iPad issues in J-2. Meeting Mickey 11 The Power of Love 15 Spotting Stars 19 X-Country Craze 20 Student Sport Stars 23 The Class of 2014 goes on a magical journey to Disneyland. Sarah Silvers in Revere’s P.E.P. play “Once on This Island.” Brent Smith is Revere’s fastest Patriot by just 1.4 seconds. Dora breaststrokes her way to the top of the charts in swimming. Spencer Davis is “Happy” to meet singer Pharrell Williams. 2 April/May/June 2014 Opinion Are We Green or Mean? I’m sure that everyone has heard the talk about global warming, but according to Gallup Polls, 47% of the American population don’t view it as a serious threat. This leaves 53% who do view it as problem, but what exactly are they doing about it? Here at Revere, the Go Green Club and Student Council are running around making sure that we reduce, reuse, and recycle. In theory it’s great, but I still see kids throwing their half-eaten sandwiches into the “plastic only” bin. If you look in any trash bin, you are almost guaranteed to find a plastic bottle or two. It might not seem like a big deal, but it adds up. That’s hundreds of dollars our school could be getting in recycling fees, but some people are just “too lazy.” I think that we need to go a step above recycling plastics and paper. There are many ambitious Patriots who help clean the beaches in their free time, but many kids at our school are too uninspired to be able to do this. On the other hand, having a local event where people come and donate their empty plastic bottles to Revere is definitely possible. These containers could be recycled at a special location where they give money for glass and plastics. On a daily basis, if each of the 2,100 Patriots brought just one bottle, that alone could raise over $100 for our school each day. At the very least we can all do a much better job putting our empty bottles and aluminum cans in the containers dotting our campus. “Going Green” isn’t an easy task, especially now when humanity has left such a huge scar on the environment. The Go Green Club members and many other individuals are definitely making a difference, but as a whole, I don’t think that we are doing enough for the environment. —By Yoni Strugatsky and the Editors Paul Revere Charter Middle School Mrs. Somoza’s Inspiring Legacy AMIR EBTEHADJ As an 8th grader about to culminate, I appreciate how the faculty and staff of Paul Revere have worked with all of us, but no one has worked harder than our principal, Mrs. Somoza. The Paul Revere Class of 2014 emerges as a reflection of the strength, dedication and model leadership demonstrated by her. This year, she will be leaving Revere along with us, although she’s been here for twice as long as we have. During her six remarkable years here, our school has created the outdoor learning environment, achieved an A.P.I. score of over 900 two years in a row, piloted the iPad program, and become one of the top-ranked middle schools in all of LAUSD—if not the best. As a student council representative for two years, I have worked closely with Mrs. Somoza. I was honored last year when she picked me to serve as her student host when district officials visit Paul Revere. Through these experiences, this extraordinary woman has inspired me to be the best leader I can be. As the Somoza Era comes to an end, so does our time at the school we’ve known for three years. But the proud legacy she leaves behind will continue to touch Patriots for years to come. So-Called Social Media LOREN JACOBS HUGS NOT SHRUGS We asked Paul Revere Patriots if we are doing enough for the environment and here are their thoughts. “No! We aren’t even able to keep our school clean with a trashcan every 10 feet. We as Patriots need to work harder.” —Emily Glen, 6th Grade “Patriots are doing a good job helping the environment by picking up trash from the ground and patriots get trash and try to put it in the right bin such as the recycle bin or just trash.” —Jennifer Villatoro, 7th Grade “There is never enough a Patriot can do to help the environment, anything from recycling a water bottle to using the back of your paper from scratch work. I believe, because at school there are large amounts of paper needed for homework, projects, scratch work, etc., we need to reduce our use of paper and recycle unwanted paper instead of throwing it away.” –Amanda Harris, 6th Grade “I mean I still see trash all around our school. It would be nice to have a trash free school, but everyone would have to step up. We have a go-green group and a leadership group that does recycling.” –Kaveh Majd, 8th Grade “Yes, we are doing a great job reducing all the water we use, and also have a great club that collects and encourages recycling.” –Dyan Nobel, 8th Grade “Patriots are constantly recycling. Not just bottles and paper but they give away old books too.” –Jake Takakjian, 8th Grade “No! I see patriots littering and disrespecting the environment all the time. The Go-Green club and some other patriots are doing a good job at cleaning up though.” —Luca Frye, 6th Grade “No. I see people throwing away potato chip bags in the “cans and bottles only” bin. It’s dumb to put Turning Things Around Two Patriots followed the lead of the Clippers and protested against Donald Sterling. On Tuesday, April 28, a few of my friends and I wore our Clipper jerseys or red T-shirts inside out in protest to Donald Sterling. The reason I did this was because I am against racism, and also because the Clippers did this in their pre-game warm-up. During the actual game they wore jerseys only saying Los Angeles meaning they were playing for a city, not a team. —Aaron Heisen trash there since we have many trash cans. They can help a bit more by actually putting things in the appropriate bin.” – Leslie Rios-Mendez 8th Grade Picture this: You just found out some very important news, and you are really excited to share it with your friend. After searching nearly all day with no success, you finally find your friend and have one of those, “Awe Yes!” moments. Then, you begin to tell your story in great detail, but there’s one major problem: your friend isn’t listening! Instead the bright screen of their cell phone has them under a seemingly unbreakable trance. Annoyed, you decide to give up on your story and you storm away to try to find someone who will listen. Friendship over. You are enraged. We live in a world where many of us are getting more interested with what’s happening on our screens and less interested in what’s going on right in front of us. I’m not saying we should all go out and throw away our electronics, but I think people need to do a better job realizing the importance of communication with real humans, in person. It seems that even the so-called “social media” isn’t very social at all. THE TOWN CRIER POLL “I think Patriots are doing a lot to help the enviornment because we have the farm, the go-green club, the fun run, and much more that helps.” –Deven Radfar, 7th Grade “I think we could be doing a lot more, because I see trash everywhere. But it is not just the students, the teachers use an absurd amount of paper as well.” —Tess Black, 8th Grade “No, around the school I have seen children constantly throwing snack wrappers around. Also many children in the boys bathroom come in and grab towels and don’t even use the bathroom. We can do so much more for the enviornment.” —Nicholas Gladkov, 7th Grade Poll of 100 Patriots by Loren Jacobs and McKenna Brown MESSAGE TEES When I heard how the Los Angeles Clippers owner, Donald Sterling, described the Clippers players as if they were slaves, I decided to protest against him. I wore my Clippers jersey inside out because the Clippers team wore their warm up shirts inside out before game four of the playoffs. I usually wore my jersey after a big win for the Clippers, but I wanted to wear it this time inside out just to join the protest. The Clippers team itself was playing for Los Angeles and the fans—not for their owner. Although I was only one fan wearing my jersey inside out, all the support they can get helps in a time like this. –– Tristan Haddadi Member of the National Scholastic Press Association Published by and for the students of Paul Revere Charter Middle School and Magnet Center 1450 Allenford Avenue, Los Angeles, California Editors: Contributors: Loren Jacobs Rachel Boiteux Melissa Bunnapradist Ethan Jones Amir Ebtehadj Brittany Darrow Ysmael Kamgaing Emma Edelman Lyric Latshaw Gabi Feingold Liam Mathers Jojo Levey Shelby Tzung Rebeka Mehdizadeh Alon Levi Danielle York Morgan Novak Sierra Margolis Mai Robinson Reporters: Samantha Rene Trevor Scholl Alicia Abramson Claire Spector Julian Speyer Jessie Bierschenk Ally Stahl Matteo Zabrucky McKenna Brown Yoni Strugatsky Zwarych Georgia Calvert Amanda Thompson Maksim ___________ Grace Dean Alyssa Wallin Faculty Advisor: Aaron Heisen Mr. Wechsler Brian Zargar April/May/June 2014 Dress Code Dilemma Countless students crowded into the Student Services office after school on Tuesday, April 8th, clamoring to receive their confiscated clothing items that had been taken away on what came to be known as “Dress Code Day.” Since the weather’s gotten warmer as summer approaches, students are more likely to break the dress code by wearing skirts and shorts that don’t meet the fingertip rule or flaunting their shoulders in spaghetti strap tops. In order to ensure that the dress code is followed, at the beginning of each period, administrators waited by the entrance to the girls’ P.E. locker rooms to stop the students who were violating the rules. They were then required to turn in their clothing articles and wear P.E. clothes for the rest of the day. In protest of only girls getting dress coded, eighth grader Isaac Pross showed some support for his female classmates and chose to wear “short shorts” the following day, simultaneously testing administrators to see if they’d be willing to dress code a boy for shorts. After no results for over half of the day, he was eventually pulled out of his fifth period class and returned fifteen minutes later wearing green P.E. shorts to the sound of applause. “I decided to wear short shorts because, one, it was hot and sunny that day, and two, I wanted to support and stand up for all my female friends who had been dress coded the day before,” he says. “I was excited that I made it past lunch, and Mr. Koretz was fine about it.” —Alicia Abramson Mrs. Somoza and Kamran make announcements at the Revere music performances. A Principal with Different Principles Kamran Allahvardy, a 6th grader at Revere, was the Principal for the Day on May 12, after being the highest bidder in an auction earlier in the year. “Honestly, I’ve been waiting for this opportunity since elementary school, and I even helped to pay for it.” Throughout the day, Kamran spoke over the P.A, supervised the lunch area with Mrs. Somoza, and attended a meeting with PRIDE. He says that being the principal for the day taught him responsibility, and how to speak in front of others. During the music assemblies, Kamran introduced himself. “I was a little nervous, and it was intimidating.” Kamran says that he wants to be an actor when he grows up. He also would like to be an elementary school principal, because he would be able to spend a lot of time with children. “I’d be responsible, and treat people equally as if they were my family and friends. I would want to work with kids as an adult, but not necessarily as a middle school principal,” he concluded after a long day. —Yoni Strugatsky Paul Revere Charter Middle School 3 Around Revere News and notes edited by Alicia Abramson Seventh grader Alexa Maghloubi admires the artwork in Mr. Mercado’s classroom at Open House. Patriot Speakers Pick Up Prizes “Doing all the little things right is what really makes the difference,” Optimist Club Oratorical Contest winner Daniel Gottesman advised. This March, Daniel participated (and received first place) in a contest that required him to write a speech along the prompt of “How My Passions Impact the World,” then memorize it and deliver it to a panel of judges. His first place speech was written about his four passions: education, music, sports, and compassion, for which he won a cash prize. Daniel says, “When Mr. Slavin mentioned the contest, I thought it would be interesting to try out.” Along with Daniel, three other Patriots, Alanis Abron, Taylor Pike, and Ashley Miller represented Revere. “Mrs. and Mr. Somoza were there and it was great to have the support,” Daniel recalled. After winning, Daniel moved on to the next round. The contestants were high school students, mainly from private schools. The competition was definitely a challenge for Daniel, but he had a lot of fun. When Daniel was declared winner, he was ecstatic. “I was excited. I felt honored. I was also happy that my hard work paid off,” Daniel enthused. While some middle school students write speeches for English class, 7th grader Nicole Joh writes speeches on her own. “Speech helps me know how to deal with emotions,” she says. Nicole goes to My Speech Club at the Wilshire Academy to perform and to practice writing speeches. On Sat. Apr. 26 and Sun. Apr. 27, from 7:00 A M to 10:00 PM, she went to the Glendale Community College and won 3rd and 7th place in original oratory and declamation This was Nicole’s first time to make it to the finals. With her speech, “My Escape from North Korea,” she made it into the pre-nationals. “Speech helps me fix my Korean accent and helps me to be confident in front of people who discourage me,” she adds, “It is also an amazing feeling to work so hard on something and to be able to receive an award and recognition for it.” —Lyric Latshaw and Yoni Strugatsky Aca-Deca Achieves Once every week, Patriots meet in Mr. Hamanishi’s room to compete and participate in a mental sport also known as the Aca- Deca club. This club has spent their lunch hours preparing themselves for the intellectual challenges that they predicted would appear in competitions. The club’s hard work is demonstrated in their two first place and one second place awards in contests. “I think we are FIRST among middle schools!” exclaimed Mr. Hamanishi, coordinator of the club. On May 14, members met in Mr. Hamanishi’s room for the first round of the competitions. Each team was asked about twenty-five questions in all subjects. For each question answered correctly, a team would earn one point. Teams continued the competition in the second round taking place on May 16. Team Sutton led with twenty-four points, only two points ahead of Team Daniel and Team Monica. Team Alex/John won twenty-two points, ahead of Team Jonathan by one point. These teams ended their competition in the final round on May 19. On this day, all teams competed against one another for the champion title along with gift card prizes. After the competitions, members were able to reflect upon all their hard work they’ve accomplished throughout the year. —Jessie Bierschenk Nicole Joh (left), Daniel Gottesman, Donna Kharrazi. Investing in a Club Cha-ching! Welcome to the banking club. In this club, meeting every Thursday in X4, people talk about how money works, how stocks change daily and how much certain things cost. The head of the banking club, Alexander Fradis, talks about how you can earn your money in real-life situations. Like Alexander says, mimicking Michel Douglas in Wall Street, “Greed is good, greed is for the lack of a better word is good, greed is right, greed works, greed clarifies and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit.” They don’t only talk about how prices change overtime, but they talk about the prices and percentage of brands. They discuss profits and TSLA and how it works and doesn’t work. “Four reasons it isn’t good because of weak earnings, the delayed model-X, low sales, banned from selling in New Jersey, Arizona and Texas,” said Alexander. People who join this club seem to be preparing themselves for the future. —Ysmael Kamgaing Prez is a Citizen Too Donna Kharrazi is not only the president of Paul Revere, but is also a big helper in the community. On January 7, Donna was given the Youth Citizenship Award at the Brentwood Library on San Vincente. Donna showed her citizenship by working with special education students and she also conducted the Bookends program. Paul Revere picked one person out of the entire campus who showed the most citizenship, and Donna was given the honor of being chosen. To add to the Youth Citizenship Award, Donna also received three certificates, including one given to her by the mayor of Los Angeles, Eric Garcetti. These were also awarded to her for her help in the community. For receiving the Youth Citizenship Award and all the certificates, Donna was written about in the Brentwood News, and the account was a front cover story in the local newspaper. She says, “I felt proud and honored that I got to represent my school. It felt good to know that I was being recognized for all the good I have done.” —Alyssa Wallin Mayors, Muscles and Mass Media Patriots rose for the 28th Honorary Mayor of the Pacific Palisades: Jake Steinfeld on Wednesday, April 9. During lunch, Mr. Steinfeld visited Revere’s auditorium to speak to Patriots about his life and career as a personal fitness trainer. Mr. Steinfeld described himself as a “fat youth with a bad stutter.” When he was 13, his father bought him a weight lifting set. At first, he was not enthusiastic about using it, and his father did not force him into it. As a result, the set remained in his laundry room all summer. However, one night, Mr. Steinfeld went into his laundry room, retrieved the set, turned on a Frank Sinatra record, and began to lift. Years later, Mr. Steinfeld moved to California in hopes of winning the Mr. America contest. He placed 2nd and refused to return home as a loser, so he stayed in L.A. Shortly after his first customer bought one of his pieces of equipment, Mr. Steinfeld began to attract some better-known clients, such as Madonna, Steven Spielberg, and Harrison Ford. Jake Steinfeld’s story shows a bullied junior high student who has become successful in the fitness industry. This “little, fat kid” now has a fitness line, has met celebrities, and has hosted his own TV show. He says he owes it all to his favorite quote: “The world Mr. Steinfeld speaks out. lets you be what you let them believe you are.” Several weeks later, another Roads to Your Future group came to Revere to talk about their experiences. “For us, everything started at Paul Revere,” stated Youtubers Mark and Alex. The two brothers, also known as the Vagabrothers, came to Town Hall on May 14 to tell Patriots about their lives. “Since we were kids, we knew the world was a really big place,” they said. One day, they found a contest on Twitter called the Biggest Baddest Bucket List. The competition included a $50,000 cash prize as well as an all-expensespaid tour of 6 continents for 6 months. Out of 1,600 entries from over 100 different countries, the Vagabond brothers’ three-minute video took the spotlight. Now that they have finished their bucket list, Mark and Alex plan to pioneer a travel show with other Youtubers touring them through different locations. All they ask is for students to subcribe to their Youtube channel. —Brian Zargar and Amanda Thompson Mrs. Somoza congratulates Ms. Pan for her attendance. 4 April/May/June 2014 Paul Revere Charter Middle School These Teacher’s Pets Get an ‘A+’ When it comes to their pets, four Paul Revere teachers admit that they practice favoritism, but no one’s growling about it. “Sammie is a thoughtful and considerate animal who puts her own self interest behind the needs of other animals. She does not bark when new people enter the house. She nursed our kitten for 5 months when he was 7 weeks old.” —Ms. Manes Campus Critters “Silver likes to shred papers. There was a student who never did his homework, and he finally turned in his homework. I took all the essays home to correct, and left them by the bookcase, so Silver got on the bookcase and shredded the essay on top. The next day at school, the student eagerly asked, ‘Did you read my essay?’ I said, “No, my cat ate your homework.” —Mr. Hernandez “Butterscotch thinks the broom is her sworn enemy. Whenever I try to sweep, this little five pound rabbit jumps from about six feet away, trying to attack the broom.” —Ms. Palmer “Bella likes to play ‘shuffleboard’ with her treats! She is on the receiving end of course. She bats them around and pounces on them before she finally eats them.” —Ms. Stewart The chickens living at Mr. Honda’s Farm share good times with Revere’s students. By SIERRA MARGOLIS Why did the chicken cross the East Driveway? To get to the Paul Revere Farm! While everyone else here on campus is indoors, these 30+ clucking critters roam the area around Rooms R-1 and X-17. This, however, doesn’t mean that students and staff don’t interact with the chickens. Mr. Honda, the 7th grade science teacher up in Room R-1, and Mr. Denny, the school gardener, make sure the birds are well taken care of. And when the animal science unit comes around in Ms. Robertson’s agriculture class, students are always “egg-cited” to mingle with the chickens as they study them. By observing the chickens, students learn about animal ethology, which is the study of animal behavior. The class uses them as a model when they learn about animal body parts, also known as animal anatomy. The students also learn about animal nutrition by studying what is healthy and unhealthy for the chickens to eat. “There are a lot of career opportunities to work with ani- Up at Mr. Honda’s farm, 8th graders Molly Abrams and Isabel Kaplan do their job of feeding the chickens their meal of “Chicken Kracket.” mals,” Ms. Robertson said, “so this is a really great opportunity for students to learn some of the skills required in animal science.” In her class, students also learn about what Ms. Robertson calls “chicken hypnosis.” Students are taught how the chickens can be “hypnotized” by holding them in a way that produces a substance called oxytocin. “This is known as the feelgood hormone, or the ‘happy hormone,’” Ms. Robertson re- marked. “To release it, my students hold them along their sternum [chest]. This makes the chickens feel like they are at their nest, relaxing and taking care of their babies.” Holding the chickens this way immediately makes them calm down so that students can work with them. “Chickens always mirror your behavior,” Ms. Robertson told her class. “If you run at them, they’ll run away. If you approach them calmly, they will respond to you just as calmly.” However, Ms. Robertson is not the only teacher who has to teach students to how to treat their feathered friends. During nutrition and lunch, Mr. Honda supervises the Farm area. The students who eat there are never too ‘chicken’ to interact with the birds, and they even let them sit on their tables as they eat. “For the most part, the students are really respectful to the chickens and handle them well,” Mr. Honda stated. “However, we do occasionally have to re- train students on how to handle them properly.” Students are also allowed to feed the chickens anything left over from their lunch except for candy, which is inedible for the birds. “As long as their main diet is ‘Chicken Kracket’—made specially for chickens—it’s okay for them to peck on other foods,” he said. This supplements their diet and reduces waste at the Farm. Of course, the campus critters enjoy their special “treats” from their student friends. These Patriots received rewards, such as gift cards, for their “super” behavior including academic achievements and citizenship on campus throughout the past months. Paul Revere Charter Middle School 5 April/May/June 2014 Mrs. Somoza Reflects on Her Career, Revere and Shakespeare Mrs. Somoza: Being an administrator, especially a principal, is a form of teaching. Your class is the entire school. Every day I learned something new, even if I would have preferred not to. Teaching in any form offers experiences that at times reach thrilling heights, and/or dramatic lows. I think it will be difficult to live the rest of my life without experiencing these feelings on a daily basis. By ALICIA ABRAMSON and JOJO LEVEY With only days left in her 40-year-career as an educator, Mrs. Fern Somoza sat down with Town Crier reporters for one last interview before she says her final farewell to ‘Revereland.’ Town Crier: What influenced your decision to leave Revere? Mrs. Somoza: I was not influenced into leaving Revere. I have worked for L.A.U.S.D. for approximately 40 years, and I think it’s time to retire and move on. Originally I had planned to retire last year, but so many new projects, programs and assessments were being introduced this year, I decided to stay for one more school year. Town Crier: What are you going to do once you have left? Mrs. Somoza: I had a small hope to delay retirement completely and work on some of these new projects at the District level. However, I do not think that is going to happen. I think it’s nice to have two choices, both equally beneficial to students and challenging for me. Town Crier: What will you miss most about Revere? Mrs. Somoza: I will miss Revere, period! Revere to me is teachers, students, staff, aides, plant personnel, and wonderful supportive parents and community. I will definitely miss a favorite question heard outside my office Ali Zafar-Khan President almost every day, “Do you have a minute?” I hope I’ve always had a minute or more for everyone at Revere. Town Crier: What are you glad to leave behind? Mrs. Somoza: I’m glad to leave behind a terrific group of selfassured teachers and students. I’m happy to leave a high-performing school always striving for better. It makes me glad to leave a more beautiful, structurally sound campus, new roofs, fresh paint, and level walkways throughout the grounds. I’m also glad to leave a still-exciting, performing music program, a thriving garden, electives other middle schools wish they could provide, and a school that has new parents and students fighting to enter every year. Town Crier: How is being an administrator different from teaching? Jessica Breitman Vice President Town Crier: What was your greatest disappointment during your time at Revere? Mrs. Somoza: I have never been disappointed during my time at Revere. Maybe a little upset that students do not always realize the special middle school they have at Revere. I have worked at many schools as a teacher, administrator, coordinator, volunteer and parent. Revere is an example of what a middle school should be for students: caring professional educators, rules and policies that protect students (really), a clean environment to enjoy the educational experience, parent involvement in every aspect of the school, and a place where students come first (whether they like it or not) with all adults on campus. Therefore I can truly say I’ve never been truly disappointed at Revere. How could a person be disappointed when they see only the best all around them? Town Crier: Do you remember when you were in middle Avery Krauss Historian school and what your principal was like? Mrs. Somoza: My principal was Mr. Sklar, and I remember him very well. I was in leadership for one year, and in choir for one year. Town Crier: Did your experience in middle school influence how you have run Paul Revere? Mrs. Somoza: Some of my memories made me think twice about my decisions, because I remembered what I liked and didn’t like about middle school, so I think that helped. Town Crier: Ten years from now, what do you think Paul Revere will remember about you? Mrs. Somoza: In the play “Julius Caesar” by William Shakespeare, Marc Anthony spoke at the funeral of his friend and mentor. He stated the following: “Friends, Romans, countrymen lend me your ears. I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him. The evil men do lives after them; the good is oft interred with their bones. So let it be with Caesar!” Well, I sincerely hope I have done little “evil” and extra “good” while I was principal at Paul Revere Charter Middle School. I’ll settle for students, past and present, remembering their wonderful experiences in middle school, and a principal (they might not remember my name) who was always there, good or bad. Casey Neumann Historian Lenny Melamed Treasurer The five ultimate winners deliver their campaign speeches. On the day of the election, all candidates were given a turn at the microphone. Patriots Elect New Student Leaders By SAMANTHA RENE Twelve votes. That was margin of victory that carried Ali Zafar-Khan to victory in the election for next year’s student body president. He narrowly defeated Caroline Ross and Rivata Dutta, who will serve as representatives for 2014-2015. Also winning their races were Jessica Breitman (vice president), Avery Krauss (historian), Casey Neumann (historian) and Lenny Melamed (treasurer). “I will improve all the activities in the school, such as the dances, grams, and more,” promised Ali after he was announced the winner. “I’d like to offer you guys [students] more activities and fun things to do at school.” Ali is also confident that he will match up to the position, saying he has been in student council classes since elementary school and is proud to continue. Ali was in the auditorium preparing for the talent show when the winners were announced over the PA system. “Right after Jessie was announced as vice president, they said that the president won by twelve votes,” said Ali. “My heart was pounding faster than it ever had before. When they finally announced me as president, I was so relieved I was rolling around the auditorium floor.” Jessie Breitman was excited to find out she was voted as student body vice president. “I was so excited that I was screaming out in joy,” she said. “I was secretary this year, but felt I wanted more of a challenge to help the school. I plan to be open to all ideas that will help the school along with all the members of student council. I really want to make the next school year the best ever.” Paul Revere’s elected historian is a current sixth grader named Avery Krauss. It may have been his election slogan that gave him the edge: “Vote for Avery and you will be A-very happy person!” Casey Neumann was one of three students who ran for sec- retary. “I love Paul Revere and I think we need great leaders to guide us, but at the same time make it fun and enjoyable,” she said. “I want to make the school a cleaner place and have more fundraisers and sports equipment.” Casey says she was encouraged by her friends to run for this position and was confident she could win. Treasurer Lenny Melamed says he enjoys being a leader. “I’ve had previous experience, and I’m excited to continue what I started in third grade,” he said. “I want to have more school dances.” Added Ali, “I hope everybody’s looking forward to next year—the best year of your life.” Liam Mathers logs on in E-5. Testing Week With Tablets Tests Nerves (continued from page 1) One 6th grader, Ben Nackman, kept a positive outlook through it all. “I was stuck a lot on a blank screen with nothing to do so I was bored out of my mind. But it was for math, so I was kinda happy. I didn’t get why I couldn’t skip a problem. I’m just happy it’s over and didn’t count for my grade.” Another 6th grader, Maya Beeri-Feldman, also faced obstacles. “On the first day, I couldn’t take the test because it wouldn’t go on single-app mode on Safari,” she said. “Then after I logged in, it asked for guided access, and my teacher didn’t know what to do. So that day I didn’t take the test.” As the week progressed, the number of problems decreased, especially after all students went through a lengthy process to make sure that all iPads had the same operating system on them. Mr. Shibata reported a “180 degree difference” once this process was completed. For the “performance task” section of the test, 6th graders were given a task having to do with a talent show. The 7th graders received a donut-solving task, and the 8th graders traveled to the South Pole to demonstrate their math skills. The performance task was somewhat challenging, according to 7th grader Danielle York. “The concept was a subject I knew how to deal with, but working with it on the iPad was a little confusing.” Being an essay question exam with no multiplechoice questions, students found themselves rewriting long paragraphs several times in a row. Through it all, students kept hearing two messages to help them keep things in perspective. “It is what it is,” said Mr. Shibata over and over. And Mrs. Somoza repeated the assurance that students were merely performing a “test of a test” and their individual results would not even be recorded. Confusing or not, the Smarter Balance Assessments completely modernized the usual “pencil and paper” approach to testing. Whether the new assessments are smarter or not, working on the iPads was a unique experience for the old fashioned Patriots. Outside Room J-2, an LAUSD official joins Mrs. Somoza in assisting students with their malfunctioning iPad tablets. 20/20 VISION 6 April/May/June 2014 Twenty eighth graders make fearless predictions about where they will be in twenty years. By ALICIA ABRAMSON and JOJO LEVEY “I see myself being a musician.” —Jordan Koz As the class of 2014 culminates from middle school and gets ready for high school, it’s time for them to start planning their futures. The Town Crier randomly selected twenty eighth graders and asked them where they thought they’d be in two decades. Here are their responses: “I’ll be trying to surpass my sister, stealing her fame. After grad school, I’ll probably be traveling Broadway. And once I wake up from my dream, I’ll be at home watching Netflix.” —Sarah Silvers “You might as well replace you guys with computers. I’d like to be a computer engineer or mathematician.” —Yoshiki Takashima “I’ll be successful, happy and content, probably in some sort of business-related endeavor.” —Daniel Gottesman “I believe that all the continents will be manually merged together as Pangea once was. The world will break out in a civil war and once the dust settles I will emerge and take control. I shall lead a campaign to become president of the world and this planet will be a better place.” —Nick Leader “Twenty years from now, I plan to have at least one child and be married. I’ll be famous for either soccer, track, or singing.” —Jite Agege “I’m going to keep doing what I love best, which is to sing and act. I hope I get the opportunity to be in movies and such.” —Roberta Alaman “Married, trying to start a family, working as a lawyer or doctor.” —Maude Tipton 2034* 2014 “I see myself in the NBA, playing for the Lakers, trying to get my ninth championship. I see myself with two boys, one girl, and a loving wife for support.”—Nima Rafie 2014 “I will probably be a runner or a track star.”—Flaviano Winther “In twenty years from now, I see myself as a young lawyer, serving the great people of Los Angeles. I see myself in politics and as the 2046 governor of California.” —Amir Ebtehadj 2034* “Petroleum engineering!” *Artist’s Conception —Jack Bookey 2034* “I’m going to live in New York, married to some sort of band member. I’m going to have two children and my art will be in galleries everywhere.” —Ashley Miller 2014 2034* 2014 2034* “I’ll be working on the east coast as a therapist. I see myself having a husband and two kids that I love with all my heart.”—Cienna Henry-Milton “I’m going to live in Fiji, married to Garett Gardener. I’ll be the president of Fiji, making $80 million per year.” —Maggie Catalano “I see myself with a small family, working as a big producer or director. And I’ll be married to Harry Styles.” —Donna Kharazzi 2014 2014 “I aspire to be working in a field of computer science and working at a large company.” —Sutton Shin “I see two possible versions of myself in twenty years. I’m either an optometrist in the Beverly Hills area, or I’m supreme ruler of the world, making my servants cater to my every need. I prefer version two.” —Brian Zargar 2034* Paul Revere Charter Middle School “I will be a grown man, happily married with two children and the owner of a million dollar company.” —Christian Jackson “I see myself being a surgeon and chopping people up. Like brain surgery and stuff like that.” —Noah Guirguis Academic Excellence Exemplified By ALICIA ABRAMSON Three years and five report cards ago, a new batch of sixth graders walked into Paul Revere for the first time, with high hopes of achieving academic success. Thirty-six of those students (listed in the captions of the photos) have now managed to earn straight AEE’s on all of their 20-week report cards, not including the final spring report card of 2014. So how did these students manage to achieve such academic excellence? Says Daniel Gottesman, “I just study hard and work hard, make sure I know the material, pay attention, and listen in class.” Many others responded similarly. Sierra Margolis says, “I constantly monitor my grades in my classes and check them. Ever since the sixth grade, I’ve wanted to get on the AEE list, so I made sure that I got everything done that I needed to accomplish. I feel like I really succeeded in what I set out to do and I can graduate Revere with honor and no regrets.” On the other hand, Alok Elashoff doesn’t even study for upcoming tests. He learns what he needs to know while it’s being taught, in class. “Unlike others,” he says, “I do not stress and I listen in class. Those are the two keys to success.” “Ever since sixth grade,” says Loren Jacobs, “I set my mind to getting straight AEEs, so that was my main focus, and I accomplished it.” Yoni Strugatsky has a different approach. He says, “I don’t stress too much over school. I bribe all my teachers with my contagious smile and positive attitude in regards to life.” From left: Zollie Daily, Oscar Gagne, Matteo Zabrucky, Rayne Camden, Ashley Miller. From left to right: Ethan Subel, Emmett Giffin, Tara Hochberg, John Morgan. From left to right: Yonathan Strugatsky, Karn Nanda, Sierra Somkin, Peter Jebsen, Brendan Crum, Lynda Jauregui, Tania Shemtoub. From left to right: Sasha Vanley, Hannah Megery. From left to right: Catherine Li, Janise Shin, Emma O’Neil, Anna Davtyan. Back row, from left to right: Sierra Margolis, Nicholas Kerkorian, Theresa Wellington, Jake Greanias, Lyric Latshaw, Isaac Pross, Trevor Dalton. Front row, from left to right: Daniel Gottesman, Tomomi Uruma, Jennifer Price, Helene Ren, Alok Elashoff, Loren Jacobs, Alicia Abramson. April/May/June 2014 Paul Revere Charter Middle School 7 Israeli Insights International students visit Revere and share their impressions of the school and the United States. By CLAIRE SPECTOR and SIERRA MARGOLIS April 4 seemed to start off like a typical day at Revere. Administrators surveyed school grounds, teachers began setting up their classrooms, and cold students milled about the campus sharing stories with their friends. But this was not just any normal day. For among the hundreds of Patriots, four newcomers walked through the gates, about to witness a day here at Paul Revere for their first time. Daniel Heirshzon, Tomer Halperin, Anna Reshidko and Romi Bechor traveled all the way from their homes in Tel Aviv, Israel with a program between their school and Leo Baeck, their temple. This program enabled the kids to stay at the homes of the American buddies they were paired with, who had previously stayed with them during their trip to Israel. Daniel stayed with Eric Halperin, Tomer shared his time with Nick Leader, and Anna and Romi were paired with Molly Abrams. The visitors and the hosts said they enjoyed the trip. “It was a positive, fun experience that has taught me how to be more responsible and a good host,” Eric said. “Throughout our weeks of friendship we shared and embraced our cultural similarities and differences.” On April 4 the visitors talked to 8th graders Ashkon Khalkhali and Spencer Davis, showing us our world through their eyes. Town Crier: What was your first impression of America and Los Angeles? Daniel: It’s a lot bigger (than Israel), I liked it a lot. Everyone here is a lot faster—life is just fast paced. There’s also a lot more traffic. One day we were stuck in traffic for two hours. I couldn’t believe it when Eric’s mom said it was normal! Tomer: Some things are different, but most are the same. The similar things make it feel a little more like home, except it is more carefree here. Town Crier: What did you first think of Revere and how does it differ from your school? Daniel: It’s almost the opposite of our school—not in a bad way though. There are many things that are different. For example, in Israel, girls don’t have to do as much P.E. as boys do. So things like the Fun Run would never happen. There are also no murals painted by students at my school. We also don’t have electives like choir, orchestra, band, journalism or yearbook. Instead we have things like art, sculpting, fashion, soccer, chess, volleyball, basketball, jewelry and drama classes to choose from. Tomer: Revere is really similar to schools in our country, but there are different things. We don’t pledge allegiance to the flag. There are different problems and different people. We get less of a choice in classes in Israel. The schools are more ‘The food here is really good. I had my first cheese burger (un-kosher) at an In-N-Out.’ —Romi Bechor ‘I will miss the culture here because you guys have so many shops and places!’ —Daniel Heirshzon ‘In Israel you would eat snitchzel for dinner. Here you eat Starbucks and burgers all the time.’ —Anna Reshidko ‘People here are really friendly. In Israel, people are friendly too, but more aggressive.’ —Tomer Halperin Romi, Anna, Daniel and Tomer (from left to right) point to their homeland, Israel, on the globe mural. grey, and sadder. The teachers do not seem much different though. Anna: Revere is a lot bigger, because our school is five stories high but just one building. It is made from cement to protect from bombs for emergency. It kind of looks like a jail. Back at home the teaching is very different. The teachers at home don’t explain as much. It’s a lot of bookwork. They don’t talk at all. If your first period teacher is absent then you stay home, and if your teacher isn’t there in a daytime period you do nothing for that hour. Romi: Here, it is bigger and a lot cooler than my school. Teachers are more strict there. Town Crier: How are the people here in America different from the people back in Israel? Daniel: Back at home girls don’t really do as many sports. If a girl told people she did soccer, she would probably be laughed at or made fun of. Also, another difference is that people are friendly here in a different way than in Israel. Here they are more polite and inviting, but in my country its like every one is friends with each other. For example, one of my brother’s best friends is a guy he met because he accidentally stepped on his foot in the street. Tomer: People here are really friendly. In Israel, people are friendly too, but more aggressive. They are more stubborn. However, they are both nice groups of people. I have rarely seen bullies back home, and when I have seen them they are reported and taken care of almost immediately. Anna: The kids here speak English! I haven’t really had a lot of time to notice differences, but they also seem a lot nicer. Romi: In Israel people are friendlier, but they are very nice here too. Town Crier: What new things have you tried and experienced while staying in Los Angeles? Daniel: We went to Volcano Tea on Sawtelle Blvd. with Nick and Tomer, and tried boba and hot milk tea for the first time. I really liked the milk tea, but the boba was weird. I felt like I was going to choke on them! I couldn’t even drink it all because there were so many of them! Town Crier: How is the food different from back in Israel? Tomer: Some of the food here is better and some of it is worse. The pizza, donuts and burgers here are better. We don’t have boba in Israel. Foods like shawarma and humus are better there. Anna: The food is different. There’s a lot more junk food here than back home. In Israel you would eat snitchzel for dinner. Here you have Starbucks and burgers all the time. Romi: The food here is really good. I had my first cheese burger (unkosher) at In-N-Out. In Israel, we mostly eat at home, not out at fast food places. We don’t eat as much junk food. Town Crier: What are you going to miss the most about America when you go home? Daniel: I will miss the culture here because you guys have so many shops and places! I wish we could have them in Israel! Tomer: The stores. There are much more of a variety of stores selling things you can’t get in Israel like the different kinds of clothes, candy and sodas. I will also miss the people because I have made some friends that I know I am going to keep in touch with for my entire life. Anna: I’ll miss the American food! I tried cheeseburgers for the first time, and I’ll miss that. Romi: I am going to miss Molly—my life-long friend. Molly points out the finer style of taco eating to her Israeli amiga. Shortly after arriving at LAX, the Israelis insisted that they were up for a tour Beverly Hills with their friends from Leo Baeck Temple. 8 April/May/June 2014 Paul Revere Charter Middle School Three former Revere students now teach at the school. They share their memories of middle school life. Mr. Fiser Faces the Future By BRIAN ZARGAR Mr. Roig Remembers By GABI FEINGOLD When Mr. Roig walked onto the Revere campus in 1971, he wasn’t teaching students. He was one of them. “I was at Paul Revere Junior High School from 19711974,” the English teacher recalls. “The only classes I really enjoyed when I was a student were P.E. and Art. The electives I remember (aside from Art) were Theatre and Drama, which because of B1’s stage was actually held there! I also enjoyed the various “shop” electives—such as Print, Drafting and Horticulture.” Mr. Roig also mentions a Student Store that sold sweets at nutrition. “I would buy a glazed donut or a round roll,” he remembers. “They were baked at Revere and were so good!” The punishments were also different. “When I was a student, they still allowed ‘corporal punishment.’ If you got sent to the assistant principal, you were given a choice—five days of after-school detention or three swats from a wooden paddle. Most kids took the swats because it was over with quickly and it made you seem tougher!” Mr. Roig can sympathize with students who have to race around to different classes. “I remember how large the school was and how much I hated going from P.E, to the front of school. Back in those days, administrators let kids run to class or the bus. Every day you’d see some kid skid on his hands and knees running down the driveway.” Mr. Roig noticed that not all things about Revere now are different. “One thing I noticed as a teacher at Revere was how little had changed.” Mr. Fiser culminated from Paul Revere Junior High, before it became a middle school, with the Class of ’81. Many years later, he returned. “It felt kind of strange at first [to be back], but now I’m used to it,” he said. Though it has been over thirty years since he was a Patriot, he believes that “Revere hasn’t changed very much in terms of looks. The quad wasn’t here, and the murals [on the east driveway] were different, but the general layout is the same.” Mr. Fiser believes that the dress code at Revere in ’81 was “more relaxed,” and that he “could come to school in costumes during Halloween, which was cool!” Being a science teacher, Mr. Fiser is interactive with the standards. His classroom in W-1 features things one might expect in a 20th and 21st century science classroom. The arrival of the iPads will allow his students to do experiments and learn in a way that wasn’t possible when he was a student. Mr. Fiser went on to say that eighth grade science has grown more difficult. “When I was at Revere, California did not have the science standards it currently has. Now, science education is much better than before.” Cmdr. Banner Is Back By JESSIE BIERSCHENK When she was a student at Revere, Cmdr. Banner said she would have “never in the world imagined working here.” Yet that is exactly what happened. As a student, Cmdr. Banner “wasn’t interested in science,” and was more interested in art and history. Academically, in the two years she attended Paul Revere she said she did well but wasn’t a “superstar.” As a former student and now a teacher, Cmdr. Banner has had a front row seat in witnessing Paul Revere as it changes. In Cmdr. Banner’s eyes, Paul Revere is very different now from when she was a student here. “In those days Paul Revere Junior High was seventh, eighth, and ninth grades,” she said. “During the time I was at Revere it was fairly dysfunctional,” she continued. “That’s when several of the local private schools started up.” Another change in Paul Revere is its electives. When Cmdr. Banner was a student at Revere, there were various electives such as cooking, sewing, and wood-shop. However these electives were not available for everyone. “At that time, only boys could take ‘manly’ electives like woodshop or metal-shop—since those were viable careers for a man.” Just like girls were restricted in taking “manly” electives, boys were not able to take electives considered more feminine. Like Cmdr. Banner, Paul Revere has changed characteristics. From electives to behavior, it has revised features for students of all years. For These Patriots, Sharing Is Caring Patriots Jared Brecher (left) and Josh Barad sell baked goods with friend Will Coquiard (right). Jared’s Big Bake Sale For his Bar Mitzvah Project, 7th grader Jared Brecher was responsible for doing something to help out in his community. “I wanted to do something to help a single family in need,” says Jared. “So my cantor told me about a family he knew, and when I heard their story, I instantly fell in love with them.” The family includes a six year old who just recently recovered from neuroblastoma (a rare disease that young children get), an 11-year-old who is flunking school and acting up, and a father with Parkinsons and dementia. The mother works a triple overtime, and they have downgraded their house three times already. They were in desperate need of help. Jared spread the word, and on a fine Saturday afternoon, they set tables up and covered them with baked goods such as cake, cupcakes, brownies and cookies, as well as other snacks like Rice Krispie treats and candy. His friends Danielle York, Josh Barad, Aaron Heisen, Lucas Braun and some of his other baseball friends, gathered to help raise money at the Palisades Recreation Center. “All my friends and family were so helpful,” he said. “Without all their donations I wouldn’t have been able to reach my goal.” After walking around the baseball fields and park areas for a few hours, they raised $675.50. Additional donations from and family and friends raised the total to over $2,000. He says, “Overall, it was a fun experience and I was happy to help out a family in need.” By DANIELLE YORK Gabby’s Shelter Help For her Bat Mitzvah Gabby hugs project, 7th grader her furry Gabby Weiner has been friend. volunteering at her local animal shelter in Westwood. “I really love dogs and cats and just any animal in particular, and I wanted to do a Mitzvah project that could benefit them,” said Gabby. During the weekend, she walks, feeds and plays with the animals. She also helps out with adoptions. “The toughest part is when a dog or cat that I have gotten attached to gets adopted. But of course I’m happy for them,” she said. “It was such a good experience. I’m still doing it and looking forward to doing it for a long time.” Emily Cox Emily’s Walk for Wendy On May 4, Emily Cox encouraged more than a dozen of her friends to join her on the 5th Annual Wendy Walk. The 8th grader said, “Wendy Walk supports research on rare sarcomas, which my family friend had. The walk started and ended at Casa Del Mar Hotel. It was to the pier and back and only took about 20 minutes. Luckily, I have good friends who came to support the cause. Overall we raised over $300. Hopefully, next year twice as many people will go.” (from left to right) Brendan Sanders, Jack Chudacoff and Aaron Heisen. A Homerun of a Donation For his Bar Mitzvah project, Aaron Heisen was able to combine three of his favorite things to do: raising money to help out the community, having fun with his friends, and playing Wiffle Ball—another version of baseball. On Jan. 26, Aaron went to the Palisades Recreation Center and held a “Wiffle Ball Home Run Derby” with his friends. Held at the baseball field, Aaron and his friends gathered sponsors and donations from the people there. All of the money went to a non-profit organization called Israeli Sports Center for the Disabled. This group gathers money to buy sports equipment for disabled children living in Israel. Aaron is traveling with his temple to Israel this summer and will be visiting the organization so he will be able to hand deliver the funds. Aaron also helps out at the temple with many mitzvah projects. On May 4 he helped out making paper bags filled with lunches for homeless people. Aaron collected $765 in donations from sponsors, as well as $500 he took out of his own Bar Mitzvah money to donate to the cause, altogether raising $1,265. The Patriot says, “I chose this because I think no matter someone’s ability, or in this case, disability, they should be able to play sports or do anything else they want as well as any other person can. Sports are great pastimes, and I think everybody deserves to enjoy them.” Paul Revere Charter Middle School 9 April/May/June 2014 COVER STORY Their Routine Is Clean and Green (continued from page 1) On Tuesdays at lunch, the Go Green Club meets to discuss what they will be doing in the near future. On some occasions, they race out of the room and collect as much trash and recycling as they can in about fifteen minutes. The different approach that the club has to keeping the school clean is what a club member, 7th grader Sammy Stahl, likes best. “I like that we have hands-on activities, not just lectures on how horribly we’re treating the Earth,” she said. Leah also enjoys how different the club experience is. “The thing I like most about this club is how unique it is,” she says. Some homerooms have to stay quiet and read or do homework. In others, the teachers let students talk quietly among themselves. But there is one homeroom that does none of the above. Have you ever seen people coming to your homeroom with trash bags in their gloved hands? That would be the Eco-Green homeroom. They go on recycling rounds in the morning, collecting plastic bottles and cans. The homeroom also serves as motivation for some students in the class to join the club. “I’m in the Eco-Green homeroom and I thought it would be a good idea to join the club,” Meilani explained. The morning announcements over the loudspeaker during homeroom inform everyone to first pledge allegiance to the flag. Then, announcements for upcoming events blare out of the speaker and into the room. The normal announcements come on about the Eighth Grade Washington D.C travel trip and sports, and then you hear the clubs come on. “Hi, this is Leah! Meilani! Sammy! And Chaya!” four girls’ bubbly voices come over the loudspeaker. “And we’re from the Go Green homeroom!” The four girls proceed to tell the school to “turn off the water when you are brushing your teeth, or when you are not using it in the shower or when you are washing the dishes!” This tip and more like it are a weekly errand for the recycling homeroom. Over the course of this year, the club has held two bake sales, one in December and one in February, and made posters to raise awareness about the planet. The bake sale craze started when posters announcing the news were put up around Revere. The date and time for the sale was set on the school calendar and on the morning of December 17, excitement was in the air at Ms. Chen’s X-14 homeroom. Baked goods crowded the desks in the classroom. The end of the day finally came, and hordes of students came swarming to the tables set up outside of the auditorium. The line was massive. It wound around the railing as the students eagerly bought pizza, brownies, cookies, Meilani Wang: Green Go-Getter Gabi Feingold interviewed 7th grader Meilani Wang about her thoughts on how more Patriots can get on the Go Green bandwagon. Ms. Chen and Ms. Robertson took ther Eco-Green and Agriculture homerooms on a field trip to Malibu Creek State Park to become familiar with their environment. On Earth Day, the Go Green Club hosted an event in the gym to honor the celebration. (above) Patriots play a game of bowling using recyclable plastic bottles. Club members Leah and Chaya sort through trash and recyclables in the quad. Town Crier: Are you hopeful for the future? Why or why not? Meilani: Overall, our school is still creating more trash than we are recycling. If we really commit ourselves, I believe we might be able to make a difference, but how things are going now, I do not. Town Crier: Does it discourage you when you see kids putting trash in the recycling bins or putting recyclables right in the trash? Meilani: Yeah, because I have to pick up all the trash in the recycling bins and it’s a pain. I also know that other people in other places won’t have someone like us to pick out their trash and it’s just going to waste. Town Crier: Why do you think kids avoid the recycle bin when it seems so convenient? Meilani: Maybe they don’t want to pick up the lid, or they’re afraid to get their hands dirty. It’s easier to throw it in and other snacks and foods. After the sale had ended, the money was counted, and the club raised about $500. The “surprise” bake sale, held on February 14, was intended to have the proceeds go to buying shirts for the club and Eco Homeroom. Now, the club is working on posters that they plan to put up around the school about conserving water. The state is in the midst of a drought, and with the help of conservation tips on the loudspeaker, the Go Green Club has made their point clear. Club members claim that they are just getting started on their clean imprint on the school. Students had their hands full with all the following activities. Green Day. Not the alt-punk band, but the celebration on St. Patrick’s Day during which students wore the color green and won prizes from the Go Green Club. Students who wore green on March 17 were allowed into Town Hall, and if the question asked by the Green Squad were answered correctly, you would get a prize from Ms. Chen. The club’s observance of Earth Day on April 22 was a day to recognize and improve the planet’s cleanliness. There are celebrations all over the country, and Patriots had their own celebration during lunch in the gym. The recyclable admission fee was also extended to the use of bottles and cans in the different activities that were offered. Games there included bottle and can basketball, a balancing act, bowling for bottles and others, all designed to appeal to the sixth grade students. The lollipop and other candy prizes motivated Patriots to do their best in the activities, and by the time the fifth period bell rang, students left the gym informed and aware of how to have fun being green. Green Day. Not the alt-punk band, but the celebration on St. Patrick’s Day during which students wore the color green and won prizes from the Go Green Club. Students who wore green on March 17 were allowed into Town Hall, and if the question asked by the Green Squad were answered correctly, you would get a prize from Ms. Chen. Next year, she hopes to expand the school’s green and clean efforts even more. “I am hoping that we will enact more projects, such as recycling contests for bottles and cans as well as electronic devices,” she said. “It’s important to keep people involved and aware of why we do these things. Recycling is great, but it’s only the very basic thing we should be doing. Even better, reduce the amount of unnecessary items bought or reduce the use of resources you don’t need.” This is the fourth in a series of Town Crier special reports about Patriots who are making a difference in their community. the open bins. Kids are being rebels in a way, thinking they’re cool by throwing recyclables in the trash. We put recycling bins and trash cans next to each other, so it’s really easy, but they don’t take the time or effort to take an extra step. Town Crier: Are you green at home as well or just at school? How so? Meilani: I try to be as green as I can, but I’m not as committed as Ms. Chen, who washes her Ziploc bags and reuses them. I don’t waste as much as I used to. I’m more aware of what I spend and what goes into the earth. Town Crier: How will you know if all your Go Green efforts are a success? Meilani: One time, some LAUSD officials came to Revere and saw what our club was doing. They thought it was such a great idea that they wanted to start eco homerooms in other LAUSD schools also. So we’re setting a good example and maybe inspiring others to follow us. Meilani recycles a plastic bottle. 10 April/May/June 2014 Paul Revere Charter Middle School Travel Monuments, Museums and Memorials 8th graders head east on Spring Break to explore historical landmarks. By LYRIC LATSHAW and SIERRA MARGOLIS This spring break, after months of planning and attending lunch meetings, almost three dozen 8th graders and their adult chaperones got the chance to visit the nation’s capitol during the traditional Washington D.C. trip. This privately-funded trip, not sponsored by Revere or LAUSD, was an action-packed adventure. Students woke eagerly on the morning of April 12 to take a 7:50 a.m. flight at LAX. On board were thirty-four excited Patriots and four equally endearing chaperones. Once they arrived in D.C., the pace picked up. During the next few days, landmarks were seen, history was learned, and memories were made— three perfect ingredients for a memorable adventure. The memorials and monuments added some interest to the trip. Patriots visited the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Memorial, the memorials for Vietnam and Korea, Jefferson, 9/11, Martin Luther King, and World War II. Memorials, monuments, museums, oh my! Several museums were seen as well, including Air and Space, the “Newsuem,” and the Natural History. These special places made the experience worthwhile, Mr. Anderson reported. One student in particular, Kaveh Majd, believes that he will always remember this school trip. “My favorite moment was seeing Gettysburg. My buddies and I enjoyed the opportunity to expand our knowledge of the wonderful subject of American history,” Kaveh remembers. He enjoyed the company of all of his friends and the chaperones as well. He says that he will always remember the glorious sights of our nation’s Washington Memorial. His experience was made worthwhile with the help Rachel and Grace share a moment Taylor jumps for joy as she and her friend with the marble Lincoln Memorial. Gabby enjoy the Capitol Building’s lawn. Patriots join the crowd of tourists at the new Martin Luther King memorial. of the Gettysburg tour guide. Apparently, he expressed the importance of the battle and made it interesting. However, Kaveh recollected, “I thought the food was a little…sub-par. The best food I ate on the trip was from Chipotle.” Overall, Kaveh had a good time and he would definitely go back. Nick Leader reports that his favorite landmark was the Washington Memorial. “And the Orioles game was a lot of fun,” he added. Ashley Miller’s experience was made worthwhile because of her roommates. “My favorite moment was when I was in the indoor pool with nine other people,” Ashley said. “We looked out the window and it was snowing!” Apparently, it was very magical. The only Trevor, Mia, Ryan and Valentino wave despite the cold weather in front of our nation’s Washington Monument. Trevor and Rachel rub the engravings to honor soldiers at the Vietnam Memorial. unpleasant part of her trip was the fact that they had to wake up at 5:45 every morning. Her favorite landmark was the Vietnam Memorial. “We were all really upset when we left and I hope to get an opportunity like that again,” said Ashley. For Hannah Megery, it wasn’t just the monuments that made her experience memorable. “My favorite moment from the D.C. trip was when Mr. Augenblick and Mr. Anderson sang all of ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ on the bus ride to the Orioles Baseball Game,” she said. Hannah, like many of the others, enjoyed her meal spent at Chipotle. About the Vietnam Memorial, she remembered, “The memorials really showed me how lucky I am because of the people who fought for our country.” She said Valentino, Josh, Ryan and Trevor reenact the Battle of Gettysburg in historic Pennsylvania. she would definitely go back with family or friends. “I enjoyed the Newseum (a museum dedicated to the history of news) which had awe-inspiring 9/11 exhibits, and even an exhibit made especially for the ‘Anchorman’ movie!” Valentino Sterza’s time in D.C. was “a blast” thanks to his friends and teachers. “I will always remember hanging out with my friends and seeing all the wonderful sights,” Valentino recalled. Though he loved it all, Valentino especially enjoyed sightseeing, swimming and the baseball game. His favorite landmarks were Gettysburg, because he enjoyed reenacting the battle, and the KoreanConflict Memorial because it was just a wonderful landmark. The worst part? Leaving! “If I had the opportunity to return,” The entire Washington D.C. travel group, clad in red, pose for a group picture in front of the White House. Their bright smiles express how much they enjoyed the trip. Top Row: Gabrielle Cheldin, Taylor Torgenson, Luna Gibbels, Laura White, Lillian Wollman, Theresa Wellington, Trinity Martin, Ryan Kaltman. Mr. Garcia, Mr. Augenblick, Madeleine Fowler, Meredith Haaker, Rachel Boiteux, Noah Guirguis, Grace Bedecarre, Kaveh Majd, Emma O’Neil, Nicholas Leader, Joshua Salazar, Martin Somoska, Valentino Sterza, Isaac Pross, Mr. Anderson. Second Row: Ms. Growsky, Libny Benitez, Shadie Rahman, Front Row: Hannah Megery, Ashley Miller, Emma Green, Trevor Dalton, Perri Kahn, Lily Pike, Hailey Cadden, Shirin Shemtoub, Camdyn Kahn, Taylor Pike, Lucas Sisneros, and Mia Denari. Valentino said, “I would take it in a heartbeat.” Mr. Anderson, trip leader, declared the trip successful. When asked what made the trip different from all the others, Mr. Anderson replied, “The kids! Every year is special, and I had a terrific group of students this trip. They were a lot of fun to travel with, and I laughed every day,” Mr. Anderson said. His favorite part was probably going to the baseball game in Baltimore. “We decided to root for the Baltimore Orioles and they crushed the Tampa Bay Rays!” Aside from the interesting views and the attractions, Mr. Anderson made sure the group had dinners and recreation time planned ahead. “We had many great places to eat (lots of buffets!) and we stayed at a hotel with an Olympic-sized pool!” This pool provided a place to get physical exercise while also having fun. The buffets were enjoyed by the students as well, but not quite as much as the beloved Chipotle. This trip leader’s favorite monument is the Lincoln Memorial because he shares the same birthday, February 12, with America’s sixteenth president. “When I stand there and read the Gettysburg Address, it’s hard not to get emotional,” Mr. Anderson recollected. It was positive, joyful emotion that the kids on the trip felt when they heard the unrehearsed duet of “Bohemian Rapsody” on the bus. “Neither of us can sing,” Mr. Anderson laughed, “but it was a blast and the kids couldn’t believe what they were seeing!” When asked what drove the fearless trip leader to give these students so many memorable experiences, Mr. Anderson replied, “Seeing the expressions on the faces of the kids as we witness amazing things is very cool.” April/May/June 2014 Paul Revere Charter Middle School 11 A Memorable Journey to the Magic Kingdom 8th graders take a trip to Disneyland. By SIERRA MARGOLIS and CLAIRE SPECTOR The whole school day, Revere’s eighth grade Patriots were preparing for and looking forward to a day filled with fun. Friday, May 9, was the day they had all been waiting for: the infamous Eighth Grade Disneyland Trip. Once the bell rang, they would be on their way to the ‘Happiest Place on Earth.’ Like Thunder Mountain Railroad, the trip got off to a rocky start for a few of the Patriot-packed buses. The first buses to leave ran into some trouble at the very beginning. “The freeway ramp was closed, so the driver ended up at the Getty to ask for directions,” said Johnny Amiri, a passenger on bus one. The second bus also ended up at the Getty, and then took the wrong freeway again, adding an extra twenty minutes onto their trip. Despite the delay, all the buses ultimately made it to Disneyland. Though the Small World ride was closed that day, Patriots made memories on many other rides. Cindy Pace had an experience that was out of this world, when she took a ride on Space Mountain for the first time. “Roller coasters are my thing,” Cindy explained, “So based on previous experiences on other Disney rides, I was getting slightly apprehensive that the ride would end up like the rest— a series of minuscule turns and drops that leave me unsatisfied.” However, she was “pleasantly” surprised by the ride. “Although the ride was narrated by a cliché storyline, the ride was much more thrilling than I had expected it to be. It was amazing.” However, “The Happiest Place on Earth” also held one of the scariest experiences on Earth for five Like Thunder Mountain Railroad, the trip got off to a rocky start for a few of the Patriot-packed buses. From Thunder Mountain to Sleeping Beauty’s Castle, Patriots found many backdrops for their fun photos. of Revere’s Patriots. A Splash Mountain log carrying Claire Spector, Loren Jacobs, Kaveh Majd, Peter Jebsen and Lyric Latshaw was floating merrily along through the groups of signing mechanical animals, all the students enjoying themselves at the moment, when suddenly they entered the area right before the drop. And the ride stopped. Being at the bottom of the hill, there was no real problem, until the ride started up again. “The ride started malfunctioning again and we got stuck at the very top of the drop,” said Peter. What followed? A log of hyperventilating children, screaming to the point of voice loss. “I had a very traumatic experience,” Lyric recalled, “If you’ve ever been on Splash Mountain, you would know that, at the end, these two vultures threaten you and tell you over and over that you will soon meet your demise. After about ten minutes of listening to them and watching the water rush by, I started to believe them. At least I had my buddy Peter to console me and scare me half to death!” Peter, however, doesn’t agree that he was the one doing the scaring. “I wasn’t the one planning our funerals. It was Lyric who kept saying we were going to die,” he protested. “I tried to reassure her but she wouldn’t listen.” For some students, exiting the park was the main issue. At the end of the day, Patriots were required to get back to the buses by 11:00 p.m. or face a $100 fine. According to Jojo Levey, not all students were able to meet the deadline. “Since other schools were also visiting Disneyland,” Jojo explained, “the lines for the trams to get back to the parking lot were very crowded. People were pushing and shoving and some were even breaking down into tears. After waiting in a line for the trams that were even longer than some of the ride’s lines, many Patriots were forced to sprint back to the buses.” Cienna Henry Milton was one of these sprinting students. “My group went to Jamba Juice right before the buses were supposed to leave,” She recollected. “We all ordered our drinks and they took FOREVER!” Cienna remembered that her friends got their drinks before she did. “They ran out and left me!” She exclaimed. Cienna ended up leaving Jamba Juice without her drink and running to catch up with them so she wouldn’t be left alone. Though some students still didn’t make it in time, she doesn’t think anyone was fined. That night Patriots boarded the buses home with aching limbs and cherishable memories from the home of Mickey Mouse. 12 April/May/June 2014 Paul Revere Charter Middle School Kourtney and Tnsae see the handwriting on the wall at the California Science Center. Magnet Students Attracted to Science Center Students in Revere’s magnet program headed to the California Science Center to look at many scientific exhibits and participate in activities involving science and technology. Smart Sal the Science Gal I have a 120% grade average in science according to Jupiter Grades! Where’d you see that? Pluto Grades? Did you know that’s not even a real planet? By Mai Robinson and Brittany Darrow Well, I have a 35% average... Of course I know Pluto’s not a planet... and neither is Goofy! A New Element of Science Eighth graders in Ms. Combis’s class made and wore their own element shirts. April/May/June 2014 Paul Revere Charter Middle School 13 7th grader Gineth Rios watches the dolphins out in the ocean. Nikki shows off her snazzy science board. Scientific Showcase By JESSIE BIERSCHENK During his first year teaching at Revere, Mr. Burke was surprised to find out that there was no annual science fair to showcase students of all grades to participate in. So he decided to take this issue into his own hands. Mr. Burke states, “Very rarely do students have choices of how to show their understanding of concepts. I knew that a science fair would be a great way for my students to show their understanding of the scientific process.” With this idea in mind, he decided to arrange a small science fair for all his students to participate in and present during Open House. Mr. Burke gave instructions to his classes, guiding them in how to make a successful science project. He gave his students class time ‘I knew that a science fair would be a great way for my students to show their understanding of the scientific process.’ to continuously take pictures of their projects to make their presentations more visual. Being a technology enthusiast, he had his groups of students film themselves presenting their projects and then upload their videos to their school google accounts. Once uploaded, students made a QR code (quick response code) allowing people observing their projects to scan the code on their phone or other device and be taken to the page of the students’ video presentations. At the science fair, parents and other students were able to observe the work put into each of the students’ projects. In this assignment, it seemed that students learned to work as a group to include others’ ideas and conduct successful and interesting experiments. By participating in the science fair, “Students can use science in many ways to better our understanding of the natural world and solve environmental issues,” Mr. Burke said. —Mr. Burke to work on their experiments twice a week and also encouraged them to work on it at home. During class, groups of twofive kids would work together to cut and paste their results and findings. Students created QR codes like this Mr. Burke encouraged his students for students and adults to scan and then watch an online presentation. A ‘Whale’ of a Time By AARON HEISEN With Mr. Honda and his campus farm highly populated with chickens, ducks and many other kinds of wildlife, seventh grade science teacher Mr. Honda always loves making learning fun in school. However, he recently thought he would give his ‘The mammal came out of the water and “Spy Hopped.”’ —Mr. Honda kids a splash outside of the school environment with a field trip to Redondo Beach Harbor on the week of March 10-14. On the trip Mr. Honda was hoping to see, whales, dolphins and sea lions and he wasn’t disappointed. “Our entire class had the time of our lives out on the open water whale watching,” said 7th grade student Samantha Rene, “it was an experience to last a lifetime.” Mr. Honda says about his experience, “It’s not just being out there that makes it fun. It’s being able to hang out with my students that makes it fun.” Even though all three trips were great, Mr. Honda’s favorite part was when he saw a Juvenile Whale come out of the water. “It was so neat,” the 7th grade science teacher expressed, “The mammal came out of the water and ‘Spy Hopped’. It raised its head out of the water to take a look around, it was curious about us as well!” Mr. Honda exclaims, “We were so lucky to see this behavior because it is very rare with California Grey Whales. Also at one point in the journey we were surrounded by hundreds of dolphins, and dozens of sea lions. It was great to see the curiosity in all my students they were all snapping shots and showing their friends.” Simon looks out the boat for a whale. SPOT THE DIFFERENCES Not all science is cold and calculating. On Wednesday March 26, 2014, Ms. Uchida’s 7th grade class examined, observed, and dissected a variety of exotic flowers. In an attempt to distinguish different flower parts, and learn what the more complex real-life flowers look like, students would carefully rip or tear off the different parts, such as the pistils and stamen. Of course, to familiarize themselves with the parts, the 7th graders spent the preceding weeks studying the flower. The photo to the right has been PhotoShopped to have ten differences. How many differences can you spot? 1. Pink pencil is now gone 2. Jacket changed from blue to red 3. Pencil changed from red to green 4. “2014” changed from red to purple 5. Scissors are now blue 6. Paper has been added to the door 7. Pencil in the girl in the background’s hand is now gone 8. Leaves on plant are not there anymore 9. Water bottle is now pink 10. Binder is now yellow 14 April/May/June 2014 Paul Revere Charter Middle School Entertainment A Night to Shine Revere’s young authors share their writing at Young Authors Night. By YONI STRUGATSKY Chairs were set up in rows and an open microphone was set as Patriots and their families gathered around the makeshift stage. On April 22 at 6 p.m., Revere’s young authors came to celebrate their published work in the school’s 10th annual literary anthology. Pizza was served with smiles galore as friends discussed their large array of works. As the crowd settled and took their seats, Mrs. Somoza took the microphone to address the audience. She introduced herself and began to acknowledge the teachers who helped out in producing the anthology. Flowers were given to certain parents and teachers that were a critical asset in making the book, including English teachers Ms. Flenaugh and Mr. Wechsler. Afterwards, Commander Scott D. Wagenseller presented a check from the American Legion to PRIDE booster club for $8,000 and Mr. Fred Votto from the Riviera Masonic Group presented a check for $4,000. Soon after Mrs. Somoza finished speaking, 8th grade English teacher Mr. Slavin stepped up to the microphone to call the names of the authors’ whose works were published in the book. Each student was given a certificate of recognition for participating in Revere’s Literary Anthology, and a copy of the book itself. Though not all students attended, there were a total of 221 written submissions and 7 art contest winners. The contest was conducted by Mrs. Ernst. The winners had their artwork Front-cover artist Matteo Zabrucky proudly poses with Mrs. Somoza while English teacher Mr. Carnine holds up the awards certificate. Samira Ahmadzadeh reads from her essay “Struggling to Survive.” placed on various pages that indicated the poetry section, essay section, and so on. Eighth grader Matteo Zabrucky drew the frontpage artwork. Once all certificates were handed out, students were given an opportunity to read a small portion of their stories or poems out loud. The first Patriot to step up was Lucas Braun, who read an autobiography about his first rollercoaster ride. “It was a sunny day. The sea sparkled like glitter. The waves crashed on the shore and pulled back again in their usual routine. It was a perfect day for the pier.” After many more speakers, Alexa Maghloubi finished off the night with a poem titled “My New Life.” “Here I lay, 710 A.D. my village has been hit, a victim of the plague. Hand clasped to my mother, darkness paints the room. Only soft whimpers of crying, fills the dreadful silence…” Overall, this year’s anthology was the longest in all ten years, adding up to 206 pages, 22 more pages than last year. Some English teachers submitted poems or essays from one specific assignment in their classes from various students, such as Mr. Slavin’s Rip Van Stories or Mrs. Ernst’s “The Day Is Done” poems, a homage to Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem by the same name. Mr. Slavin said, “I felt a sense of prevailing optimism as my students approached the mic to recite their published work, and I felt honored to be surrounded by such an accomplished group Near the start of the program, Emcee Mr. Slavin announces names while Ms. Flenaugh, Ms. Kruger and Mr. Wechsler distribute books. An overflow crowd fills the quad in the early evening sunshine. of young voices. Why wait until our students grow up before recording their words for posterity? Their brilliance is happening now, and I’m grateful for these windows into their incredible minds.” This Young Author’s Night was Mrs. Somoza’s last, as she is leaving Paul Revere this year (see page 1). “It has always been a joy, these past six years, to read the excellent contributions to the Anthology,” she writes, “The extensive efforts of teachers, students, and parents to produce this memorable publication have contributed to demonstrating the creative, academic and emotional growth experienced in middle school.” English and history teacher Ms. Flenaugh was a critical part in the production of the anthology this year. When asked why she thought that it was important for students to publish their work in the anthology, she said, “Students who publish in the anthology receive recognition from family, peers and teachers. They develop pride in their writing. They are forever part of a great Revere tradition.” (left to right) Iris Kim, Lucas Braun, Simon Goldsmith, Katie Thomas, Zach Wunder, Ms. Flenaugh and Isaac Pross at Literary Anthology Night on April 22. April/May/June 2014 Paul Revere Charter Middle School 15 From left to right: Zachary Lin, Roberta Alaman and Sarah Silvers in “Once on This Island.” Patriots in the Caribbean Singers, dancers and actors take the stage for ‘Once on This Island’ Reed Wilson, the gods eagerly wait to see what happens. The god of water, played by Ethan Jones, deliberately crashes the rich boy’s Mercedes, leaving him severely injured. Seventh grader, Ally McCoy played the goddess of love, who fights to put some love in the main character’s heart. Will he die or will love save the day? That question is answered through a series of musical numbers acted out by a cast of 30 young actors. The cast rehearsed with director Kristy Pace about three to four times a week during afterschool P.E.P. sessions. The cast was often called upon to deal with some challenging issues. “Some of our rehearsals took place during a fire alarm testing period,” said director Kristy Pace. “We had four rehearsals that had strobe lights flashing for the full three hours. Add in a few alarm sounds and the entire cast had to use their ultimate focus to keep rehearsing.” But to make things easier, most of the costumes were reused from previous productions, and the tropical set was built by a professional set designer. More challenges appeared when opening night rolled around on April 4 and some more mechanical difficulties added drama to the show. “Half of the microphones weren’t working (including mine), but besides that this year’s musical was a rewarding experience,” said Ally McCoy. “The cast did a fabulous job under hard circumstances,” stated director Kristy Pace after the final Sunday afternoon matinee. Aidan Gianassi plays Papa Ge. By ETHAN JONES The cast of the musical took the stage on April 4th, 5th and 6th. The cast of Revere’s P.E.P. musical took Revere by storm on April 4, 5 and 6, dancing their way into the auditorium during their three shows. “Once on this Island” is a modern day story with a mythological twist. A number of gods watching over the Antilles island in the Carribean Sea make a bet on which is more powerful— love or death. When a young villager played by eighth grader, Roberta Alaman falls in love with a rich young man played by The colorful costumes and creative choreography add to the drama. President Donna Kharrazi and the other Student Council hosts take the stage at the evening performance of “Revere’s Got Talent” with the cast for their final bow. ‘Revere’s Got Talent!’ Patriot prodigies take the stage to show off their unique artistry. By JOJO LEVEY and SHELBY TZUNG Students arranged into two lines with their 4th, 5th, and 6th period classrooms filed in to the auditorium on Tuesday, April 8. There was a buzz in the atmosphere, and any bystander could feel the excitement pulsing through the air as teachers shouted and signaled across the aisles to silence their classes. As Patriots took their seats, eyes were turned towards the stage and students eagerly awaited the anticipated show. The “Revere’s Got Talent” Show is one of the most important events hosted by Student Council each year. Interested Patriots were encouraged to sign up by filling out a sheet with their name, their act, and what props they needed for their audition. Auditions officially began on Tuesday, March 4th in the auditorium. Slowly, Ms. Istrin and eight other Student Council members began assembling the cast of the show as countless performers attempted to wow them with their talents. President Donna Kharrazi said, “Everyone who auditioned for the Talent Show was great and very brave. Probably the hardest part of the whole process was picking who got in.” After the cast was chosen, Katie Duke demonstrated her violin skills to Revere audiences. there was a rehearsal during lunch a few days before the show. The performers were also excused from their first, second, and third period classes the day of the show in order to get in extra practice before they took the stage. In the evening after performing during the school day, 16 different talented acts performed in front of many eager parents and students. From contortionists to original guitar compositions to brave soloists, Revere’s eager Patriots used their vast amount of talents to wow the crowd. After a short introductory vdeo about the Student Council Hosts, Hannah Shabtian and Cindy Pace began the show by singing “All of Me” by John Legend as Cindy also played the piano. Following their performance were fifteen more acts that ended with the TYB Dance Crew. Even though the show was expected to last 2 hours, it only ran for nearly 50 minutes because all the performers were ready and prepared. In addition, many acts didn’t get to perform due to stage fright or other technical difficulties. For example, one of Revere’s many musicians, Katie Duke, played the violin and was accompanied by an instrumental karaoke song. However, nearly half way through her song, her music skipped multiple measures, so she was forced to leave the stage. After being motivated by the crowd, Katie returned to the stage to resume and finish her composition without the background music. Out of all the Patriots in the show, only one sixth grader got to perform: Chloe Quinn. She performed “Feelin’ Good” by Michael Buble acapella style. “I was very impressed with Chloe; she was he only 6th grader in the whole show and had an amazing voice and lots of confidence,” said Donna. Finally, at 7:50 PM, the 2014 talent show came to a close. After seeing the final production, student council advisor, Ms. Istrin, said, “It was amazing to see all of the talent at Revere. So many students worked hard to perfect their acts. I also want to encourage anyone who tried out that was not in the talent show this time to try again next year!” Chloe Quinn “feels good” onstage as the only sixth grader. 16 April/May/June 2014 Paul Revere Charter Middle School Nothing Seems Impossible to This Year’s Yearbook Staff ...THE CLIPPERS PRACTICED AT REVERE. —Alex Vaupen and James Shannon ...THE QUAD WAS AN ICE-SKATING RINK OPEN TO ALL GRADE LEVELS. —Rebeka Mehdizadeh ...EVERYONE AT THE SCHOOL HAD SUPER POWERS. —Maksim Zwarych ...KANYE WEST BECAME PRINCIPAL.—Julian Speyer ...THE EAST DRIVEWAY WAS TRANSFORMED INTO A GIANT INNER-TUBING WATER SLIDE. —Emma Edelman and Rachel Boiteux ...FRIENDLY UNICORNS REPLACED THE CHICKENS UP AT THE FARM. —Gigi Feingold ...ALL PATRIOTS LOOKED LIKE JULIAN BUDGE.—Julian Budge ...THE BEATLES PERFORMED AT REVERE. —Liam Mathers ...EVERYONE WAS A MERMAID. —Emma Green Beliefs, Dreams and Inspirations April/May/June 2014 Reflections contest winners are honored at grade level assemblies. By ALYSSA WALLIN The annual Reflections art contest is considered a time for students to display their artistic ability and show everyone their talents. This year, three Patriots, one from each grade level, gave Revere something to cheer about with their showing in this year’s program. With her dance choreography gaining special recognition, 6th grader Amanda Harris joined 7th grade writer Zachary Garai and 8th grade musician Harrison Garff in moving on to the state level of competition. This annual national arts Paul Revere Charter Middle School 17 program has been going on since 1969 and it gives students the chance to unleash their creative talents and be inspired as they experience the joy and fun of making art. The categories include music, photography, art, writing and dance choreography. Earlier this year, 33 students submitted entries inspired by the theme “Believe, Dream, Inspire.” During the week after Thanksgiving, Mrs. Esebag, Revere’s Reflections chairperson, collected the entries and sorted them out. She determined that almost all qualified to be sent to the LAUSD judges for the next round of evaluation. But since there were so many entries in the visual arts and photography categories, she needed to work with an independent judge to determine which entries in those two categories could move on to the District level. Once the LAUSD judges evaluated entries from all the participating schools, they chose three entries from Revere to move on to the state level. At this time they also decided which entries would receive an Award of Excellence, an Award of Merit or an Honorable Mention. “I am very impressed with this year’s participants and what they achieved,” said Mrs. Esebag. “There are many talented students at Paul Revere, and I look forward to seeing more wonderful entries next year.” She encourages Patriots to start thinking about their possible entries for 20142015, when the Reflections theme will be “The world would be a better place if…” Mrs. Esebag presents an award to 6th grader Amanda Harris for her dance choreography. 8th grader Harrison Garff was honored in the music category. Revere’s Reflections Awards 2013-2014 Film Production Visual Arts Amanda Harris-6 Zachary Garai-7 Harrison Garff-8 Award of Merit Morgan Esebag-7 Award of Excellence Yucheng Che-6 Blaize Smith-8 Literature Honorable Mention Megan Mizrahi-8 Award of Merit Ava Kerkorian-6 7th grader Zachary Garai was honored in the literature category. Music Award of Excellence Photography Award of Excellence Honorable Mention Inessa Martins-6 Alyssa Berman-7 Isabella Pocknell-6 Caitlin Chen-7 Roeltje Van Heijiningen-6 Award of Merit Muhammad Khalid-6 Charlotte Andrews-7 Judith Zhang-6 Janna Handler-7 Miros Valipour-7 Award of Merit Asaph Bay-7 Marina Caro-6 Molly Jebsen-7 Alice Kim-6 Hyunhee Kim-6 Honorable Mention Justin Hayes-6 Award of Merit Jessica Garff-6 Honorable Mention Alexander Pitcher-7 Certificate of Participation Jonathan Shu-6 Sophia Wlodek-6 Matteo Zabrucky-8 Owen Holland-7 Ally McCoy-7 Celine Rahnama-6 Kira Davis-6 Town Crier film critics grade five recent releases. Million Dollar Arm A This homerun of a movie features sports agent J.B. Bernstein, who is struggling to keep up with his financial situation. In a final attempt to save his and his partner Ash’s business, Bernstein organizes an event called “Million Dollar Arm,” which targets cricket players in large untapped market of India. Bernstein, with the help of retired sports scout Ray Poitevint and pitching coach Tom House, hope to turn two Indian cricket players into major league baseball pitchers. Although the movie starts off relatively slow, we are quickly able to grasp the situation that the characters are placed in. The pan of the camera expertly gives us a sense of the change the Indian ball players are struggling through, with the ever-looming deadline by which they must be ready to compete. Filled with clever jokes and interesting plot twists, by the end of the movie we are thoroughly immersed in the story of the two young Indians. A new look on the classic theme of teamwork and the values of family, Million Dollar arm is a movie to see. —Amanda Thompson Godzilla B Gareth Edward’s monster of a film kicked off Summer 2014 with the first blockbuster of the year. It’s as thrilling, loud and full of energy as the title character itself. With impressive visual effects and an interesting plot, this reboot gives an exciting new take on the 1950’s classic. The film takes place in present-day San Francisco where actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson portrays Lieutenant Ford living with his wife, Elle, played by Elizabeth Olsen. When a previous nuclear disaster awakens prehistoric beasts forewarned by Ford’s father, the lieutenant must be called upon to aid Godzilla in the defeat of two evil monsters intent on destroying society. With an average level of suspense and a dark sountrack to keep audience members on edge, this semi-disaster movie is just what we might expect from a big-budget summer flick. Unfortunately, the mediocre acting and dull dialogue weigh down the otherwise satisfactory film. This movie ultimately shoots more confetti than fire. —Julian Speyer Divergent Amazing Spider-Man 2 Captain America Director Neil Burger brings us into a world separated by many different factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a virtue, in the exciting action-romance “Divergent.” Different factions each represent knowledge, fearlessness, selflessness, honesty and tranquility. In the film, Beatrice Prior, played by Shailene Woodley, finds out she’s Divergent, and can fit for a number a factions, not just one. This gives her an advantage over others. She soon discovers a plan to kill all Divergents and has to fight to survive. At first, the movie captured its viewer’s attention, but by the end, it had broken their hearts. Viewers may have been disappointed to see minor changes between the movie and book, but the amazing and complicated storyline made it just as good to see and read. The soundtrack accompanying the heart-racing action scenes make the bits even more intense and keep the audience on the endge of their seat. “Divergent” is an amazing film — a must-see movie for many years. —Ethan Jones The long-awaited sequel of “The Amazing Spider-Man” hit theaters on May 2, leaving fans shocked and electrified. Ordinary Max Dillon becomes villain Electro when he is in an electrical accident and attacked by genetically altered eels. Spider-Man swoops in to save the day (yet again) with his spidey senses. Electro teams up with Peter Parker’s longlost friend Harry Osborn in an attempt to destroy Spider-Man. But in the end, the beloved web-spinning hero prevails, defeating both enemies with the help of his intelligent girlfriend, Gwen Stacy. But with the joy of victory came a tragic loss. Despite the tear-jerking ending, the acting was spectacular—the actors were not at all afraid to show emotion and didn’t shy away from anything. The special effects and CGI are quite impressive; it can’t be easy to include a man that consists of electricity in approximately half the movie. All in all, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 was an excellent film, and we’ll all be hoping to see a third. —Alicia Abramson The latest film in the everevolving Marvel universe is directed by the Russo brothers. The film takes place in the present day during an uprising involving an underground corporation inside the government group Shield called Hydra and Captain America has to take it down. The plot may seem fairly simple but the twists and fantastically brutal action sequences accelerate the story. The CGI is on point and doesn’t ever break away from the immersion of the film as well as the surprisingly witty acting from Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson and Samuel L. Jackson. Those who find Marvel films too generic in storytelling and action will be pleasantly surprised by the overall quality of this film. Although it has some predictable plot twists, “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” has pretty much everything else a great action movie needs. It combines brutal action with a funny/witty script, memorable performances and noteworthy characters who keep things interesting. —Trevor Scholl A A- B+ 18 April/May/June 2014 Spring Performances Conduct Excitement By GRACE DEAN On a warm spring morning, dancers, singers, and musicians alike stood outside of the auditorium doors, jumping up and down, speaking in hushed whispers. Mrs. Somoza came on, and announced the start of Revere’s Spring Concert. There were three performances in all: one for sixth graders, one for seventh, and one for eighth. And who were the performers for this annual show? Ms. Cronin’s array of singers, Mr. Miyoshi’s assortment of bands, and Ms. Jacques selection of orchestras displayed Revere’s musical mind, which through many rehearsals, including the Monday daytime performances, was tuned to perfection by the evening shows later in the week. As students swayed and instruments played on the auditorium stage, Revere enjoyed its very own unique performance. As classes filed into the auditorium, Mrs. Somoza and Revere’s principal of the day, Kamran Allahvardy, greeted students that were settling into their seats. The usual procedure followed, with a reminder to stay quiet. Then, the show started. Ms. Cronin’s choirs performed a variety of songs, including a medley of Adele’s songs, “Rolling in the Deep” and “Set Fire to the Rain,” the hit pop song “Firework” by Katy Perry, “Count on me” by Bruno Mars, and more. In addition to “Firework,” Show Choir also performed “Can’t Stop the Beat” from the m Hairspray. Later, Ms. Cronin conducted the Revere Singers in a variety of songs. This chorus group performed the same medley for the rest of the shows. Concert Choir performed in the next two shows, singing “Africa,” the folksy rock song by Toto, and 6th grade choir sang “Count on Me,” and were accompanied by students playing ukuleles. Mr. Miyoshi’s bands also struck up many tunes on campus, including “Chinese Folk Fantasy,” “25 or 64” and “Under My Skin.” In one memorable performance, 7th grader Katie Thomas conducted the Patriot band in a rendition of “Australian Sea Ballad.” Ms. Jacques’ orchestras featured songs sad and uplifting, haunting and mysterious. Sym- phony Orchestra played the “Romeo and Juliet Suite” and “Overture.” Other songs played were “Hall of the Mountain King,” “Fague in G Minor” and “The Chase.” One month prior to these year-end performances, Revere’s top music groups traveled to the Forum Music Festival, where they performed and competed with music groups from other middle schools. The select groups from Revere that participated all received either a silver or gold ranking, meaning that they were placed in the top 10-20% nationwide. They celebrated their victory with a trip to California Adventure. Said 7th grader Leela Gowland, “I would like to give a special thanks to Mr. Miyoshi, Ms. Jacques and Mrs. Cronin for all of their hard work and efforts to put together such a fabulous program.” The sixth grade choir included Patriots from both periods 5 and 6. Paul Revere Charter Middle School Luke Ferrene plays the clarinet. Spencer Zaid plays the violin. Ms. Cronin (left), Ms. Jacques and Mr. Miyoshi at the concert. The show choir perform the number “You Can’t Stop the Beat.” Book Talk: THE FAULT IN OUR STARS Patriots discuss John Green’s bestseller “The Fault in Our Stars” Hitting theaters on June 6th is a tale of two teens with cancer who happen to meet and fall in love; “The Fault in Our Stars.” This bestseller by John Green is a book Patriots have been raving about. The Town Crier interviewed three 7th grade girls and asked them to give their opinions on the story. Okay? Okay. “I have read The Fault in Our Stars at least four times, and each time this absolutely incredible story only gets better. I have never read a book that made me feel so much a part of every character’s life. The love between Augustus and Hazel is so real and the tragic situation they find themselves in is so suspenseful and I couldn’t put it down. Every time I read the hospital scenes I ended up in tears because I felt like I was there. The writing really makes every page come to life. I cannot wait for the movie to come out and I hope it’s as amazing as the book.” —Ella Schumaker “When I started to read The Fault in Our Stars I entered an enchanting journey. I liked this story because it proved that even disabled people can find happiness. I love the character’s daring and heart-warming personalities. The plot was romantic and humorous with unexpected twists. The theme shows that even in a world of darkness, love can still be found. His detailed descriptions make the scenes come alive right off the pages. My favorite thing about The Fault in Our Stars was that I could feel the strong love of the main characters, and how they shared the love with not only each other, but the readers, too.” —Skylar Smith “The Fault in Our Stars is an inspiring book that suggests that life isn’t a fairytale. After reading it over spring break, I couldn’t leave the story behind. Every time I read the book, I never get bored or tired because the plot is suspenseful throughout the whole book. John Green mixes the perfect amount of romance and reality to gain the presence of my tears and laughter. It’s delightful plot twists and its sweet sudden surprises grab my attention no matter where I am or what I am doing.” From left to right: Nicole Joh, Ella Schumaker and Skylar Smith read from Green’s book in the library. —Nicole Joh April/May/June 2014 Paul Revere Charter Middle School 19 Shooting Stars Students share photos and behind-the-scenes details of their close encounters with celebrities. By YSMAEL KAMGAING On TV, on the radio, across the headlines of newspapers, celebrities are all over the media. It’s not every day that Patriots have the opportunity to meet famous personalities in person, but when they do, it’s photo time. The star-studded collage on the left shows snapshots of over a dozen chance meetings between famous stars and their fans from Revere. Here are the stories behind the pictures: (1) Georgia Calvert was a real “New Girl” meeting Max Greenfield with his wife and kid at The Grove. “I was so scared to meet him, and his wife noticed my nerves,” said Georgia. “She came up to me and asked if I wanted to meet him. I said ‘Yes’ and took a picture with him. After that I felt really thrilled.” (2) Spencer Davis (pictured on the front page) and Sammy Speiser were “Happy” to run into Pharrell Williams at the Pali High football field. The superstar musician was filming his “Come Imagine how excited “Belieber” Avery VandeVort was when she won backstage passes to see Justin Bieber in concert at Staples Center. Get It Bae” video. “Spencer and I both live near Pali,” said Sammy. “We heard the loud thundering music from the field and decided to head over. Pharrell was a very down to earth guy who took time to talk and take pictures with every single person there.” (3) Ava Sahebi was dancing at an event attended by Abby Lee Miller, who is famously featured in the “Dance Moms” reality TV show. “There were about a hundred people there,” said Ava. “After our dance routine was over, everyone lined up to take pictures with Abby. It was a long wait but it was worth it.” (4) Imagine how excited “Belieber” Avery VandeVort was when she won backstage passes to see Justin Bieber in concert at Staples Center. She had with her a letter she had written to Justin describing how much she liked him. As she gave him the letter, Justin smiled as he thanked and hugged her. “I was afraid to give him my letter,” said Avery. “I was about to not do it until I thought ‘YOLO’ and gave it to him. That must’ve been the happiest day of my life.” (5) On May 4, Nick Leader was walking with his friends to Santa Monica Place. “When we got there,” he said, “we saw a giant crowd.” It turns out that Nick Cannon, the host of “America’s Got Talent,” was there shooting an intro for the show. When the boys saw that the actor/comedian/rapper walked into a store nearby during his break, they went up to him to ask for a picture. “He was well dressed and he was very nice,” Nick said. (6) Also in Santa Monica, Rivata Dutta, Janna Offenberger and Danielle York were on their way to Starbucks when they ran into Peyton List, who plays Emma in the Disney show “Jessie.” When they asked what she was doing there, the actress said she was hanging out in L.A. for the weekend. “Some celebrities are rude but she seemed really nice,” Danielle reported. (7) Aspiring rapper Jair Miles met singer Macklemore at the West Los Angeles Children’s Choir. He came to record his new song “Wings” while Jair’s class sang in the chorus. Jair went up and asked the singer lots of questions and they shook hands. “I just love his songs,” said Jair. “This was one of the greatest moments of my life.” (8) Colette Nassirzadeh got a real birthday surprise when she met the world-famous One Direction singer Niall Horan at the W Hotel. Huge crowds of people were waiting to get his autograph. “I was speechless when I saw him,” she said. “It was one of the greatest birthdays ever.” (9) Miros Valipour was at the premiere of the animated movie “Mr. Peabody & Sherman” when she ran into Ariel Winter, who plays Alex on the TV show “Modern Family.” Miros said, “I wasn’t that thrilled to go to the premiere because it was for a kids’ movie. But then when I was in line for popcorn, I noticed someone really familiar. I’ve been watching ‘Modern Family’ for a long time, so I was really excited to see Ariel. She was so nice and sweet and after the picture she even complimented me. I’m so glad I got to meet her.” (10) After an amazing soccer game, Mariana Paleno met the famous movie star Russell Brand while he was watching his kids play on the field. She was the first person to notice him since he was bundled against the cold with sweaters and scarves. She managed to pose for a picture with the “Arthur” star. “I was very pleased to see him,” Mariana said. “It’s not very often that people get to see movie stars.” (11) After a long day at school, Ysmael Kamgaing went to Westwood Charter to pick up his little brother and sister from school. On the yard, he recognized a familiar face. He approached one of the teachers and asked, “Is that the soccer player Jozy Altidore?” When the teacher nodded yes, Ysmael excitedly took out his phone and sprinted to the famous international soccer player from Team USA. “I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw him,” exclaimed Ysmael. (12) Jessie Bierschenk met the famous TV and movie star Jennifer Garner at the Starbucks down the street from Revere. She didn’t notice her at first until people kept crowding around her. When she finally saw Jennifer, Jessie asked her friend Gabi to take a picture of the two of them. “After I left Starbucks, I giggled because I realized her husband Ben Affleck was also there but I didn’t even notice.” (13) Last but not least, the force was with Claire and Oliver Spector and Haley McCarthy when they met Harrison Ford at a cross country meet. The mega movie star of “Star Wars” and “Indiana Jones” fame was cheering for his kids who attend school in Brentwood. After posing for a picture, the star wished them good luck on their race. “Oliver and I have seen most of his movies,” said Claire. But Haley admitted, “I never watched any of his movies, but by the look of everyone’s faces I knew he was famous for something.” 20 April/May/June 2014 Paul Revere Charter Middle School Sports 1.4 Seconds Puts Brent Smith in First By MELISSA BUNNAPRADIST Runners position themselves for the race. The grass smells fresh and the mild wind seems to cut through their P.E shirts, which are variously worn for athletic achievement. All runners wear set, determined faces, eyes focused only on what was ahead of them. Spectators eagerly wait for the race to begin. The whistle blows. The same runners sprint towards the beginning of the grass lap to start the course for the title of Revere’s fastest Patriot. This is the scene of the Cross Country run. During second period, seventh grader Brent Smith ran across the boys’ finish line, achieving the title of 2014’s Fastest Patriot. With a time of 7:47, Brent is the 2014 Cross Country champion for seventh grade as well as the school, behind all time record setter Charlie Sherman by thirteen seconds. Beating runner up Flaviano Winther by a staggering 1.4 seconds, Brent received a trophy for his acheivement. “I was really overjoyed for what I had just accomplished,” says Brent. “I was really nervous at the start of the race, but my friends calmed me down. All of my senses were focused on the sound of the whistle, and the moment it sounded, everything rushed forward in a blur. Before I knew it, I was leading the group of seventh grade boys. Every muscle in my body screamed for me to stop, but I was determined to push on and beat my previous time: 7:58. I did beat it with 7:47—blowing that time out of the water.” Seventh grader Brittany Darrow, Revere’s fastest girl, also stated she went all out during the race. With a time of 8:38, Brittany was second to all time record setting girl Marissa Williams by 25 seconds. “I went out hard on my first grass lap,” she says about the race. “And to get a good lead, I kept that pace until I got up to the front of the school, where I slowed down to preserve my energy for the uphill part.” She also says that this race felt tough for her. “I felt like my legs were made of metal because they felt so heavy! I am a really competitive person, and since I didn’t get to run last year, I was really determined to win. ” The race, however, was a process for everybody—not just the finalists. The preliminary run had every Patriot—all 2,100 of them—running the course during their P.E periods. The top ten from each gender were selected from each class to run semifinals. The top ten boys and girls of each P.E period qualified to run the finals. ‘In the final sprint down the driveway, adrenaline coursed through my veins and pushed me to the finish line.’ —Brent Smith Flaviano Winther “I thought it was a fun course,” says runner Samantha Rene. “Because it was all around the school. By the end of the race, I was out of energy and I was proud of my time. I thought it was good exercise, and even though running isn’t my favorite activity, it was a fun change from running the same course every week.” The race proved to not just be an easy walk in the park for most who did make it to semifinals and finals—the run itself was postponed a week due to the sweltering weather on the designated days. When temperatures finally cooled down, Patriots ran the semifinals on May 20th. However, period two had a malfunction—several seventh graders started about 15 seconds late because they thought the seventh graders were running after the eighth graders, instead of all together. But not all of the second period semifinalists suffered from the malfunction—titled fastest girl Brittany Darrow ran that period. “Mr. Foxson actually had told us that seventh graders were running second,” Brittany continues about the malfunction. “However, as the race began, some seventh graders started running. About ten seconds into the race, we asked about it and he yelled at us to start running. Though I got an 8:41, I still was kind of annoyed because I would’ve had those extra fifteen seconds to get a better time.” The finals finally rolled around on May 22 a cloudy yet sunny day. Excited spectators watched eagerly to see who would receive the trophies for Revere’s fastest Patriot. Finalists felt the stress of the competition. “It was pretty intense,” claims finalist Ryan Breitman. “But I was excited for beating my goal. I wanted to be in the top five finishers for my grade, and so I tried to stay with the faster runners. A lot of them were trying to pass me, including Jack O’Rourke, who I ran really closely with for the majority of the race. However, I didn’t give up, and passed four people at the end by the big tree. I ended up getting fifth place for my grade overall, and was really happy. My main strategy was to keep trying to pass people and keep up with runners I knew were slightly faster.” At the end of the finals, the first place winners received trophies, and the winning period medals. “Running in cross country feels great,” says finalist Andrew Cardona. “It felt like taking a trip down Memory Lane—I loved running with my friends in such a big event.” Dora Seggelke Jayson Antonio Fastest 8th Grade Boy Fastest 8th Grade Girl Daniel Yin Devin Fry Stella Collin Fastest 6th Grade Boy Brent Smith: Fastest Patriot TOP TEN BOYS’ TIMES 1) Brent Smith: 7:47 (7th) 6) Kaveh Majd: 8:21 (8th) 2) Flaviano Winther: 7:48.4 (8th) 7) Christian Jackson: 8:23 (8th) 3) Ben Hamer: 8:02 (8th) 8) Jayson Antonio: 8:25 (7th) 4) Mauricio Martinez: 8:09 (8th) 9) Chris Howard: 8:26 (8th) 5) Finn Cawley: 8:17 (8th) 10) Diego Huttepain: 8:27 (8th) Brittany Darrow: Fastest Girl Fastest 6th Grade Girl TOP TEN GIRLS’ TIMES 1) Brittany Darrow: 8:38 (7th) 2) Dora Seggelke: 9:05 (8th) 3) Daniela Flores: 9:08 (7th) 4) Sammy Stahl: 9:24 (7th) 5) Stella Collin: 9:25 (6th) 6) Alyssa Berman: 9:37 (7th) 7) Lilia Weissmuller: 9:39 (6th) 8) Jordan Darrow: 9:41 (7th) 9) Lizzy Rene: 9:42 (7th) Amanda Harris: 9:42 (6th) Paul Revere Charter Middle School 21 April/May/June 2014 Brittany Darrow has the track all to herself. On the Fast Track Patriots set the pace for a successful track season. By SAMANTHA RENE As the first race started, so did Paul Revere’s track season. The track team went to a total of four track meets and performed in several different events. They performed well in several categories, especially in the 1,600 meter, 400 meter, and 800 meter runs. During the track meets, points were tallied depending on how athletes placed in competition. Only the top five competitors in each event earned points for their school. For instance, a first place win would result in five points, while fifth place would earn one point. At Paul Revere’s first meet of the season on March 27, 2014 at Chaminade High School, the Paul Revere track team showed all the private schools that they were threats to their titles. The Paul Revere boys earned a total of 46 points putting them in second place, losing only to Laurel Hall. The girls earned 32 points, putting them in second place to Immaculate Heart. “It was a great way to start the season. And I really think this will give us a boost of confidence for future track meets,” says Brittany Darrow, a member of the track team. At Paul Revere’s second track meet on April 3 at Chaminade, Paul Revere earned less points than before, with a total of 55 points. The Revere boys tied for first along with Chaminade having 42 points overall. The girls from Paul Revere came in fourth with a total of 13 points. Revere’s runners improved in some categories. For instance, the girls earned two more points in the 200 meter than before, the girls earned one point in the 4x400 meter relay. The boys also showed their improvement when they earned two more points in the 1600 meter, and two more points in the high jump. On April 26, Revere’s girls went to a meet at Harvard West- lake, but only two boys showed up. It was up to the girls to win it for Revere. However, they only scored a total of 16 points, putting them in 5th place. On May 1, Paul Revere students ran their last races before the championships. The boys on Paul Revere’s track team scored Charlotte Heide throws the shot put. 48.2 points, coming in first place. They improved in the 400 meter by earning one more point than last time and in the high jump, with .2 more points than the previous meet, they obtained a total of 7.2 points in the high jump. The girls however, scored a total of 15 points putting them Eric Halperin runs the 200 meter dash. Ben Hamer leads in the 1600 meter run. Rayne shoots off the starting line as he begins to run the 100 meter dash. in fourth place. Many Revere runners are beating records and coming in first, second, or third place, but who are these special patriots? Eighth grader, Rayne Camden, broke Revere’s 100 meter record on May 1, running a time of 11.5 seconds, beating the record, 11.8 seconds by .30 seconds. Representing the seventh grade girls, Brittany Darrow has won several races. Her strongest race is 1600 meter run, her best time being a 5:34. Eighth grader Jite Agege ran two of the fastest times in the 200 meter dash—27.1 and 27.5. Revere’s final meet of the year was the Delphic League finals. During this prestigous meet, Revere had several medalists. Another medalist from Revere was Brittany Darrow, who finished the 1600 meter run in 5:34, resulting in a first place win. eighth grader Ben Hamer took third place in the 1600 meter run with a time of 5:11. As for the relays, Paul Revere took second place in the 4x100 and 4x400. Rayne Camden was another high-performing athlete from Revere. Rayne jumped over 5’4” and ran the 100 meter dash in 11.92, making him the Delphic League champion in both events. “When I had finally crossed the finish line I felt great, for I had claimed the title in the entire league for the 100 meter dash,” Rayne said. Their numerous hours of training resulted in several wins for Revere’s athletes on the track team. Despite having to compete against many private schools, Revere was able to end the season in sixth place for girls and third place for boys. Softball Team Has a Home-Run Season By ALYSSA WALLIN In six years of Revere softball, the 2014 team seemed to be the most successful team. Against all odds, in their first year in the Delphic League, the team made their way into the championship game. With a re- cord of 4 wins and 3 losses, the Riders were awarded second place in the league, losing to Village Christian School in the championship game. In this defeat, the softball team started off the game with one hit by Calia Hunter, however no runs were scored. In The girls on Revere’s softball team are all smiles before their game. the bottom of the third inning, Village Christian put the first run of the game on the scoreboard, and eventually all four were scored in that inning. Revere went throughout the game with no runs, and was defeated 4-0. “Really all we had was one bad inning in the field, but that’s how softball goes sometimes,” softball coach Mr. Kirby stated. “Our pitching was solid all season long, it was just our hitting that would sometimes sputter out. We had our chances to get a couple of runs, it just didn’t work out.” Although they lost the championship, the team dominated their opponent, Chaminade, in the semi-finals. The 23-0 win was led by Talia Hunter’s two home runs and Alyssa Wallin’s two grand slams. Talia also pitched a shutout up until the last inning, when Gabby Weiner’s pitching closed out the game, also giving up no runs. More highlights of the season include the game against Harvard Westlake, where the girls defeated the Wolverines for the first time in Paul Revere softball history. “Our game against Harvard Westlake I would say was the best overall game. Mainly for the fact that, simply as a game, it was the most exciting and had some of the best highlights of the season for us,” Mr. Kirby describes. Alyssa Wallin lead off the game with a home run over the left field fence. Talia Hunter carried the team throughout the game with her pitching. In the end, the Riders won 2-1. The Rider’s victory against Campbell Hall was another Alyssa Wallin focuses on home base as she prepares to run. game that could be called a highlight of the season. The 19-0 win was another dominating experience for the girls. With Talia Hunter’s pitching and the work of the team, Revere won easily. “In my six years as head softball coach, this was the best team I ever coached,” Mr. Kirby said. “Wins or losses, as long as my girls had a good time and left everything on the field, I was happy.” 22 April/May/June 2014 Fun-Rai$ing in the Sun Paul Revere Charter Middle School By ALLY STAHL The timers are ready, the runners are ready to start for a thirty minute running period. Patriots start at their first checkpoint at the bottom of the course. With music blasting and muscles pumping, the whistle blows. This year, over $24,000 was raised at Revere’s annual Fun Run. This money is donated to an environmental charity every year, chosen by the Go Green Homeroom. This year, the money was donated to the docents of Malibu Creek Park. Along with getting exercise, students have a chance to earn community service hours. With pledges from family members and friends, some students run to get the most checkpoints they can get, and others to fill the twomile requirement. At the first checkpoint in the lap, Mr. Amos stands ready to blast runners with his massive water gun. According to 7th grade runner, Alyssa Wallin, “The weather was on the warmer side so it felt good and refreshing to get sprayed.” The Fun Run is required for Patriots at Revere, but not for the teachers. Some teachers including, Mr. Steinhoek, Ms. Kruger, Ms. Asahina, Mr. Amos and Ms. Palmer ran for fun to encourage their students. Ms. Chen, Go Green club chief and PE teacher said, “The Fun Run has been going on since 2011, and I hope it goes on for many more years.” Patriots ran their way to fun at Revere’s annual Fun Run. Volleyball Team Serves the Heat Miles Toland fights for the ball against his Chaminade opponent. LAX to the MAX By CLAIRE SPECTOR With the spring 2014 PEP session drawing to a close, so is the season for the Revere boys’ lacrosse team. An overall record of 3-5 sums up the final few games, but prevents the boys from competing in the playoffs. Despite this, the team feels they did well and pulled themselves together with their camaraderie. “Our teamwork was all right the first couple of games, but once we started winning our chemistry really started improving,” said Jake Takakjian. Revere’s first game was against Oaks Christian and resulted in a 2-11 Patriot loss. Following this was a loss to Harvard Westlake with a score of 6-8. The next games both ended in victories for Revere, one against Chaminade with a 10-8 score, and another against Culver City with a score of 6-2. Next came a 4-8 Revere loss to Brentwood, a 6-7 loss to Westside Neighborhood School, and a 8-12 loss to Saint Pauls. The team ended the season on a high note with one last win against View Point with a 5-4 score. “I liked playing on the team because I got to represent Revere,” Jake added. “Having a jersey with my school’s name on it is something to be proud of.” Patriot James Shannon runs to the offensive zone to try to score. By YSMAEL KAMGAING The boy’s volleyball team seemed to be spiking up some wins this year. These Patriots entered the playoffs in the 2nd seed, because they won a total of four games: Campbell Hall, Culver City and twice against Oaks Chritian. They lost three games: twice to Chaminade and once to Campbell Hall. The Revere boy’s volleyball roster consisted of Samuel Ingram, Will Clifford, Mickey Moore, Will Elander, Brandon Boone, Zach Hausner, Justin Howard, Brent Smith, Simon Goldsmith, James Mitchell, and Nicholas Conte. This group of athletes worked diligently at their practices twice a week, and they worked hard to improve their skills in serving, passing, setting and spiking. Alongside their fundamentals, the team often used skills such as Nicholas Conte tees up the volSam Ingram serves the ball to blocking and diving to imorove leyball for a serve. the other side of the court. their game, which ultimately led to victories. Revere’s boy’s volleyball team, consisting of five seventh graders and four sixth graders, finished the competitive league play with a record of 4-3. “It was better than what I expected,” said outside hitter Brent Smith. “Our success as a team and the team chemistry made the season really fun.” In the first round of the playoffs, Revere beat Campbell Hall 20-25 on May 6, but in the second round, Revere lost to Chaminade 17-25 and the second set 22-25. “Even though we didn’t win, overall our team had a fun time playing,” said Justin Howard, who said he’s already looking forward to next year. The volleyball team is all smiles after winning second place overall. Paul Revere Charter Middle School 23 April/May/June 2014 Braun the Baseball Phenom Edited by Jojo Levey Rolan Panza heads toward the goal. Many Patriots participate in a wide variety of athletic sports. From dancing to swimming, and soccer to gymnastics, the six athletes on this page have quite a bit to say about their extracurricular activities. Twirling in Tutus Since she was a little girl, Alexandra Shlosman has dreamed of being a dancer— and it seems her dream is on the path to becoming reality. With rigorous practices for a minimum of 11.5 hours every week and relentless training to keep her flexible and strong, Alexandra’s aspirations to one day dance professionally may not be so far-fetched. “I started dancing when I was four,” she says. “My older sister did ballet and I really wanted to also. I would just dance around the Shoots and Scores Ballet is definitely her forte. house as a child and my parents thought it made sense for me to take classes.” For some, the constant efforts required to excel at ballet may seem cause to give up, but Alexandra finds ways to stay motivated. She is inspired by her improvement every day, which “motivates me to come back the next day and improve even more.” So where does she see her dancing skills taking her in the future. Since Alexandra trains at a very intense Russian school of dance, very few are chosen to become professional dancers, but, she says, “it is definitely a goal of mine.” —Alicia Abramson Rolan Panza is also a student sports star, who is a left defender on his soccer team, Santa Monica United. He has been playing soccer since he was six. Now he has advanced to a silver elite club team that practices three times a week and usually has a game on the weekends. Rolan’s first soccer tourna- when he was younger. His sister used to always play soccer and he wanted to be as good as her. “One of my greatest moments in soccer was the time when we had a one point lead but the other team had the ball. The other teams best scorer chipped the ball over our goalie. At the last second I came and headed the ball out of the goal and we won.” —Ysmael Kamgaing Lucas tags off the season. Life in the Fast Lane Nastasya soars. Keeping Up the Rhythm Nastasya Generalova’s career is beating the competition by leaps and bounds. She has been doing rhythmic gymnastics, which combines ballet and creative dance to music, while working with the apparatus, such as ribbon and hoop for over ten years. She trains with the Dancing Through Life Lights! Camera! Passe! ment took place when he was only ten years old. Since then, his club team has won about twenty tournaments. They also participated in a National tournament held for silver, silver elite, and gold teams. Rolan’s team reached round of thirty-two until they were finally defeated with a close loss. Rolan says his older sister inspired him to start soccer Lucas Braun is a member of the Hawks club baseball team, who is about to play in a tournament in Cooperstown, New York. “I am extremely excited for Cooperstown because it will be my first time playing baseball out of California,” says excited Lucas. “It is the biggest baseball tournament for 12 year olds and I’m so excited my team and I are playing in it.” This 7th grader has been playing baseball since age 4 and he practices Wednesdays and Fridays every week. “The fact that we get so many secondchances is why I love baseball so much.” Lucas said. “I never have to get myself down about a bad at-bat because a great baseball player fails 7 out of 10 times.” Lucas has made great memories while playing, but his overall favorite, he says, “When I was 10 years old my all star team won the District Championship because I pitched 3 innings, only allowing 1 run, struck out 4 batters and at-bat I hit a three-run Home Run.” —Aaron Heisen Almost every little girl has dreamt of becoming a ballerina and wearing pink tutus and sparkling tiaras at one point in their life. For 7th grader Sarah Hurty, this dream could someday be a reality. Through lots of hard work, Sarah is confidently becoming a star. She dances six days a week, including two hours of United States team, and California Rhythms. “I train five hours everyday except Fridays from 4 to 9 pm and usually get home at 9:30, do homework, and go to bed at 1:00 am. My main goal is to work my hardest and be the best I can be,” she tells us. Her hard work has paid off. Nastasya has won 6 gold metals, and 5 silver. She is ranked number 2 in the junior USA team and has been the USA gymnastics Athlete of the Year for five years. And last but not least, she was Sportskid of the Year in USA Sports Illustrated. “My favorite part about rhythmic gymnastics is that you get to express your feelings to the audience,” she said. “When you share your feelings with the audience, they can feel it too, and it’s one of the best experiences possible.” —McKenna Brown technique classes a day and ten hours of Nutcracker rehearsal a week during the fall season. “I would like to dance seven days a week, but my mom says that I need a day of rest,” Sarah tells the Town Crier. Sarah is talented at many types of dancing: modern, Horton, ballet, jazz, tap, hip hop, flamenco, and African. Since ballet is her main focus, the emphasis is not on competition. There is one ballet competition in the future that she hopes to dance in, though: the Youth American Grand Prix. Only the best ballerinas get to participate in the YAGP, so for Sarah, it would be an honor. Sarah exclaimed, “I love every part of dancing, from class to performances. Dancing makes me feel happy and joyful. Sometimes dancing can be painful, like many long hours of rehearsal on pointe, but no matter what, I always feel on top of the world when I dance.” —Lyric Latshaw Dora is ready to dive off the blocks and into the coolness of the pool. This is an everyday routine for Dora Seggelke. She is an experienced and skilled swimmer. She works very hard, juggling schoolwork with swim practices and competitions. She loves the water, and has been enjoying it since she was a child, even if it was just splashing around and having fun in the sun! Dora enjoys her sport beyond just the pool. She said, “When I’m in the water I swim like a shark is chasing me!” Dora is very athletic and has the skill Dora makes a splash. and experience to power past her opponents. She participates in competition and looks forward to them weeks in advance. As for her career in swimming, she says, “ I have no clue how long I want to continue swimming, but I will try to continue as long as I can.” Even when Dora was 5 or 6, she knew she wanted to be a swimmer. She is dedicated to her sport and committed to being the best she can be. When she swims, she always wants to be first. “Pulling ahead of her competitors is what keeps her going,” she said. —Ally Stahl 24 April/May/June 2014 “Shoes make the outfit.” Style “Accessories are key.” Madeline Fowler Leyla Dekhanova “Your own style should make you happy, confident and—most importantly—comfortable.” Paul Revere Charter Middle School “Be comfortable with whatever you wear.” “Don’t forget to dress for yourself!” “Always check the weather.” Sarah Silvers Alexis Gorlick Maude Tipton “My favorite clothing stores in- “Don’t be afraid to mix patterns “Layering clothing always works clude Pacsun, Urban Outfitters, and colors. If someone doesn’t like and high-waisted jeans and high what you’re wearing, too bad!” Brandy Melville and Varga.” socks go with anything.” “Make sure not to be afraid of what others think about your style. Just be yourself!” The five girls and boys voted best dressed in the yearbook poll give some tips on how to spice up your style. Kent Fukahara “Make sure colors don’t clash.” Daniel Grzesiak “Wear clothes that represent your specific style, clothes that make you feel comfortable.” “Don’t steal other people’s style!” “Prepare clothes the day before school.” “Dress with swag.” “Wear cheap sunglasses.” Isaac Pross Victor Paredes “Don’t wear the same clothes over and over again in one week. Shop at different stores.” Jason Park “Pacsun, Urban Outfitters, Vans, American Apparel, H&M and Zumiez are my favorite stores.” “My favorite stores include Abercrombie and Fitch, Zara and Uniqlo.” “My favorite clothing stores are Opening Ceremony, J. Crew, Clarks and thrift stores.”