ARTICLES
1ST TRIMESTER
Ms. Steinmetz
Ms. Steinmetz, has been surfing since she was fifteen years old. She has a passion for surfing and loves the sport. Every Tuesday and Thursday at the pier, she takes her Surf PE. students surfing. She has taught the class for five years and hopes to continue for years to come.
Reflection
This article is very special to me because it was the first time I demonstrated my newly learned skill of the interview. I was as how the kids would say, " a journalism noob" during the time the article was written,so the art of the interview was a fairly new subject matter to my eager, yet knowledge lacking mind. As my interviewie penetrated my mind with new pristine knowledge about her long and exciting time on earth , it was as if i was being showered with a golden nectar dropped straight from heaven above. Putting this information into the article just felt amazing, I didn't have to look anything up, I got the information straight from the source,and it all fit together perfectly, these actions gave one of the best feelings a writer could have.
Blockbusted
By 2014, a popular video store, Blockbuster, will permanently shut down all stores due to customer loss.
Blockbuster, a movie and video game rental store, was created in 1985. The store’s popularity blew up in 2004 as they added on demand videos, videos by mail, and live streaming. The store reigned strong with 9,000 stores and 60,000 employees.
The store’s downfall started in 2010 due to companies like Netflix, who provide instant videos, videos by mail, and cheap subscriptions. The popularity of these other stores threw Blockbuster into bankruptcy. By April of 2011, there were only 1,700 stores remaining, with a total shutdown of 7,300 stores.
After 28 years of movies, the store has announced that they will be closing their final stores, including the Manhattan Beach store, by 2014.
Blockbuster, a movie and video game rental store, was created in 1985. The store’s popularity blew up in 2004 as they added on demand videos, videos by mail, and live streaming. The store reigned strong with 9,000 stores and 60,000 employees.
The store’s downfall started in 2010 due to companies like Netflix, who provide instant videos, videos by mail, and cheap subscriptions. The popularity of these other stores threw Blockbuster into bankruptcy. By April of 2011, there were only 1,700 stores remaining, with a total shutdown of 7,300 stores.
After 28 years of movies, the store has announced that they will be closing their final stores, including the Manhattan Beach store, by 2014.
Reflection
This is one of the first articles I've written. Writing this article taught me about research and finding information. I also had to learn a lot about AP style for this article because of all the numbers I used in this article. I learned about topic sentences, article structure, and concluding sentences that tie the article together. I also learned more about organizing my information and putting it all together. This article was the beginning of my journalism career.
2ND TRIMESTER
California Drought
On January 1, 2014 California entered its third year of a gruesome water drought.
Californians are panicking everywhere as the majority of the state is experiencing extreme drought, which is the second worst level of drought following exceptional drought. Even with the little rain that took place in early February, it is still virtually impossible for California to reach the amount of water needed to get out of the drought. To reach the amount of water needed, it would have to rain heavily every other day until May.
Sacramento and Folsom are being asked to cut water use, some by 20 percent. Cities such as Santa Cruz cannot wash their cars, water their plants, or water their gardens. Citizens have been asked to take shorter showers, sweep their driveways instead of spraying them, and flush toilets less. Multiple southern California residents have began collecting rainwater.
This drought has affected the growth of crops. Annual crop farmers, people who farm one season per year, are in a better position because they have been able to grow crops, but others aren’t as lucky. Year round farmers are in an awful situation because their crops have to be tended year round.
Throughout California people are affected by the drought, and scientists predict that it won’t be going away anytime soon.
Californians are panicking everywhere as the majority of the state is experiencing extreme drought, which is the second worst level of drought following exceptional drought. Even with the little rain that took place in early February, it is still virtually impossible for California to reach the amount of water needed to get out of the drought. To reach the amount of water needed, it would have to rain heavily every other day until May.
Sacramento and Folsom are being asked to cut water use, some by 20 percent. Cities such as Santa Cruz cannot wash their cars, water their plants, or water their gardens. Citizens have been asked to take shorter showers, sweep their driveways instead of spraying them, and flush toilets less. Multiple southern California residents have began collecting rainwater.
This drought has affected the growth of crops. Annual crop farmers, people who farm one season per year, are in a better position because they have been able to grow crops, but others aren’t as lucky. Year round farmers are in an awful situation because their crops have to be tended year round.
Throughout California people are affected by the drought, and scientists predict that it won’t be going away anytime soon.
REFLECTION
This article permeated my mind with new intelligence concerning the awful drought California is going through. I began to make my articles longer and more information filled. I learned to put more information into a small space, and also to cut out unimportant information. Writing these articles also help inform the writer about events going on around them. I learned about writing local articles and hope to write more articles similar to this.
A Caring Affair
On February 14, 2014, Caregrams were distributed to all classes during fifth period.
Caregrams are customizable construction paper hearts that are sent to friends. The cards were available for purchase on the outdoor stage at lunch on February 10th,11th,12th, and 13th. The cards were priced at one for fifty cents, or three for a dollar. The money made from the cards go straight to charity and, asb, the sellers of the cards, made more than one thousand dollars this year. The cards can be customized with markers supplied by ASB or their own set of colors. The purchased card must include the person’s name and 5th period class that it will be sent it to.
This year marks the first year Caregrams have had competition. Hosted by Mr. Rucker, student Emily Angstreich has created Em-Grams in honor of Henry Clay Day. The cards were sold on February 10th-13th, and were distributed during 5th period on February 14, Henry Clay Day. Costing one dollar for four cards, with the inclusion of one lollypop for every four cards, these cards appear to be a better deal than their competition.
Caregrams are a MBMS yearly tradition, and are an inexpensive way to tell someone you care about them.
Caregrams are customizable construction paper hearts that are sent to friends. The cards were available for purchase on the outdoor stage at lunch on February 10th,11th,12th, and 13th. The cards were priced at one for fifty cents, or three for a dollar. The money made from the cards go straight to charity and, asb, the sellers of the cards, made more than one thousand dollars this year. The cards can be customized with markers supplied by ASB or their own set of colors. The purchased card must include the person’s name and 5th period class that it will be sent it to.
This year marks the first year Caregrams have had competition. Hosted by Mr. Rucker, student Emily Angstreich has created Em-Grams in honor of Henry Clay Day. The cards were sold on February 10th-13th, and were distributed during 5th period on February 14, Henry Clay Day. Costing one dollar for four cards, with the inclusion of one lollypop for every four cards, these cards appear to be a better deal than their competition.
Caregrams are a MBMS yearly tradition, and are an inexpensive way to tell someone you care about them.
Reflection
This article felt amazing to write because it was an article about the school. This article was a pleasure to write because to got to talk to multiple teachers that I haven't had too much experience with in my past 2 years at the school. This article was also very enjoyable because I learned how to write dates in AP style. This article made me a better writer, and writing fills me with a joy greater than Carisma's joy when looking at pictures of guys named Matty Healy.
3RD TRIMESTER
Gate's Fate
On February 24, students came back to school from a week long break and upon arrival saw new gates were added to the front of the school for added safety.
The new gate surrounds the inside opening of the original front gate. The gates are kept open until the first period bell rings at 8:05am. Because of the gate, traffic is redirected so anyone trying to get into the school has to go through the office to get to the main quad.
The gates in the back of the school are also on a new lock down system. The gates that open into Polliwog park will be unlocked in between periods so students can get through for PE, but locked during the class period to prevent unaccounted entrance. Also the gate that leads to the back of the school will only be open at the beginning of the day and when delivery trucks enter.
The new gate and rules are a great addition to the school with their added protection.
The new gate surrounds the inside opening of the original front gate. The gates are kept open until the first period bell rings at 8:05am. Because of the gate, traffic is redirected so anyone trying to get into the school has to go through the office to get to the main quad.
The gates in the back of the school are also on a new lock down system. The gates that open into Polliwog park will be unlocked in between periods so students can get through for PE, but locked during the class period to prevent unaccounted entrance. Also the gate that leads to the back of the school will only be open at the beginning of the day and when delivery trucks enter.
The new gate and rules are a great addition to the school with their added protection.
Reflection
This was another article that extended my interviewing ability. With this article i got to interview different staff members of the staff . Getting this experience interviewing has helped my with choosing questions that get people to reveal more information. My writing skills increase with every article I write, and it is very exciting to see your improvement.
Nothing’s Fair in Abbyville
On July 13, 2011, a television show titled “Dance Moms” premiered on Lifetime.
The television program began following six aspiring young dancers, Maddie Ziegler, Mackenzie Ziegler, Chloe Lukasiak, Brooke Hyland, Paige Hyland, and Nia Frazier, and their mothers through their lives at Abby Lee Dance Company in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Every week begins with “Pyramid”, where studio owner and dance teacher, Abby Lee Miller, arranges the girls based on their dancing from the previous week, best performance on the top of the pyramid, worst on the bottom. There is a lot of controversy surrounding the infamous pyramid ceremony due to its negative aspects. Miller confirmed that she never had a pyramid prior to the show, but the session was all the producers’ idea.
Abby Lee Miller has been greatly criticized for her harsh teaching style, but also praised for her amazing choreography. Miller’s fame from the television show has caused thousands of dancers attempt to join her elite competition team, such as Kendall Vertes who joined season two. Many dancers have tried to join the team and successfully made it, but the dancers’ mothers clashed with the original moms. This has caused early departure for multiple dancers, such as Sophia Lucia, Nicaya Wiley, Vivi-Anne Stein, Asia Ray, and Payton Ackerman.
In November of 2013, Miller was attacked by one of her dancer’s moms at a competition. Kelly Hyland, mother of dancers Brooke and Paige Hyland, was charged with assault because of her aggressive behavior and actions towards Miller. Hyland and Miller will appear in court on May 5th. It is possible that the altercation was staged for the show, or that the producers encouraged Hyland to attack Miller. Hyland is making the argument that the attack was in self defense because Miller attempted to bite her and was screaming at her inches from her face.
Miller isn't the only one filing a lawsuit, Hyland is sueing Miller and the “Dance Moms” producers for a minimum of $5 million for defamation and breach of contract.
The television program began following six aspiring young dancers, Maddie Ziegler, Mackenzie Ziegler, Chloe Lukasiak, Brooke Hyland, Paige Hyland, and Nia Frazier, and their mothers through their lives at Abby Lee Dance Company in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Every week begins with “Pyramid”, where studio owner and dance teacher, Abby Lee Miller, arranges the girls based on their dancing from the previous week, best performance on the top of the pyramid, worst on the bottom. There is a lot of controversy surrounding the infamous pyramid ceremony due to its negative aspects. Miller confirmed that she never had a pyramid prior to the show, but the session was all the producers’ idea.
Abby Lee Miller has been greatly criticized for her harsh teaching style, but also praised for her amazing choreography. Miller’s fame from the television show has caused thousands of dancers attempt to join her elite competition team, such as Kendall Vertes who joined season two. Many dancers have tried to join the team and successfully made it, but the dancers’ mothers clashed with the original moms. This has caused early departure for multiple dancers, such as Sophia Lucia, Nicaya Wiley, Vivi-Anne Stein, Asia Ray, and Payton Ackerman.
In November of 2013, Miller was attacked by one of her dancer’s moms at a competition. Kelly Hyland, mother of dancers Brooke and Paige Hyland, was charged with assault because of her aggressive behavior and actions towards Miller. Hyland and Miller will appear in court on May 5th. It is possible that the altercation was staged for the show, or that the producers encouraged Hyland to attack Miller. Hyland is making the argument that the attack was in self defense because Miller attempted to bite her and was screaming at her inches from her face.
Miller isn't the only one filing a lawsuit, Hyland is sueing Miller and the “Dance Moms” producers for a minimum of $5 million for defamation and breach of contract.
Reflection
This is my favorite article that I have ever written. It began as an article about the television show, Dance Moms, but turned into a solid news article regarding the show. When writing this article, I got to write about my favorite show, which was amazing. I think this really shows my growth as writer, and as I was writing this I realized it became easier to write more and more. This article taught me how to get information and more AP Style rules about names and numbers.