Exciting Arrival at the Portland Zoo!Sophia Ell
On November 6, 2015 at Columbus Zoo in Ohio, a baby polar bear was born. Her mother cared for her for about a week after birth, but then started leaving the baby alone for long periods of time. The Columbus Zoo decided to provide care for the baby 24/7. The Association of Zoos and Aquariums' Species Survival Plan recommended that the baby--Nora--be transferred to another zoo. The Oregon Zoo is happy to welcome Nora into her new home. In her new habitat, Nora will have a new playmate/mentor. The zoo already has a polar bear named Tasul, a 31-year-old male, who lost his twin brother and is probably looking for a new playmate as well. Amy Hash is a zoo-keeper who works at the Oregon Zoo with Nora. She says Nora is a “spitfire”. This means she “has lots of energy but can be kind of ornery” as quoted by Amy. Amy told us that Nora is adapting very well to her new environment and is getting better every day. She says that the transition was rough at first because Nora was leaving the staff that she knew very well, but she is doing much better now. Nora has not yet been introduced to Tasul. This is because when new animals come into the zoo, they go through what is called a quarantine period. During this time, the animals are kept away from the others in their habitat for 30 days so neither animal will give each other illnesses. Nora should be out of her quarantine period in about mid or late October, where you will most likely be able to see her in her new habitat. Good luck Nora! |
Holy Cross READS!Aylin Vega-Alvez
This is the fourth year in a row that we have won the Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge at Holy Cross Catholic School! Our students read 247,859 minutes this summer earning ourselves the title of “Best in State.” Mrs.Louie, our librarian, thinks that with by continuing this expectation of winning, we have a variety of reading opportunities, we are taught to love reading, and are encouraged to nurture our reading skills. Mrs. Louie is very proud of us and hopes we will continue reading because reading is a key foundation in building lifelong learners at Holy Cross. The top five states with the most minutes read are, Texas (43,054,527 minutes), Florida (18,414,561 minutes), Louisiana (11,130,883 minutes), Pennsylvania ( 10,850,122), and Georgia (10,147,966 minutes). 29 schools read more than one million minutes and 379 schools each read at least 100,000 minutes. Awesome Job! Holy Cross! Keep up the good work! |
Holy Cross Lunch RoomIda Fogarty
This school year, many things changed--one of which is now we eat in the school hall. I have heard mixed feelings about it. Some people don’t care and some absolutely hate it. Eating downstairs didn’t change that much. We can still talk, sit with our friends, and do all of that. But for some people, this change of eating downstairs did shift a few things. Here are some of the new changes, the tables in the school hall have numbers of grades on them, so you must sit at the table with your grade on it. We also eat with more grades. At the time I eat with the 5th, 6th, and 8th grade eat along with my 7th grade class. Some students do not like that the grades younger than them eat with them. I personally don’t like eating downstairs, there are only 11 kids in my class and we sit at one table so nothing has really changed… I would rather just eat together in our classroom. I have only heard a handful of people say they like eating in the school hall, but I wanted to see what the middle school thought of this change. 60% do not like eating downstairs, 35% do not care, and only 5% like eating in the school hall. I asked some people what they thought about the lunch situation and these were their answers. Aylin (7th) said, “It is so loud and fifth grade is so annoying…” Sophia (8th) added in, “Not enough microwaves.” Emma (8th) said, “I can’t do anything!” No one I interviewed liked eating in our new lunch room. In conclusion, the lunchroom shift is not the students favorite. It is very packed, loud, and it takes forever to heat up your food. I am not saying this new lunchroom has to put to shame and we need to eat in our classrooms again, but I think some things could change. Possibly getting the microwaves from the classroom and bringing them down so we can not have such long lines and we get more time to eat our food. Anyways, thank you for reading this I hope this informed you or you found it interesting! |
Religion and FreedomBryan Velazquez-Flores
In the recent past, it has come to my attention all the political hate towards Muslims. Muslims are currently the most disliked religious group in America. Although atheist are also at the very top of the list, Muslims have made it to the top in these past years. When you hear someone talk about Muslims, they are referring to those who follow and practice Islam. Muslims in the US is a very popular topic for both Republican Nominee Donald Trump and Democratic Nominee Hillary Clinton. This is due to many of the shootings in America that threaten our security and have been tied to Islamic people. Although this is not the case in many shootings, it is a very strong conclusion for us because last year alone there were 372 mass shootings in the US. To put this in perspective, this means that there was 1 shooting every single day for a whole year plus seven more altogether on all the other days. Donald Trump has also proposed banning Muslims from entering the US at least temporarily. This has lead to a controversy between Democrats and Republicans because some people argue that this would go against America’s First Amendment: America shall not make any law that prevents the free exercise of any religion. The main reason why some Muslims are not trusted anymore in the US is because due to ISIS (Islamic States in Iraq and Syria). ISIS is a huge terrorist group in the Middle East. They call themselves Muslims but that’s not true because if they were Muslims, then they wouldn’t be doing horrible things. Pope Francis also has his views about Islam. Pope Francis says that violence against Muslims is wrong. He calls for us to help one one another because we are all children of God. Pope Francis wants us to treat people of all religions equally and to love them with our whole hearts. Muslims are a very disliked group in America and in society. This will be a very long topic as the Race For The White House continues throughout the year. Check out Pope Francis' thoughts on interfaith relations: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nq7us5Lf5IU Works Cited: Revesz, Rachael. "Muslims Are Most Disliked Group in US, Study Finds - Times of India." The Times of India. World, 17 Sept. 2016. Web. 26 Sept. 2016. |
Mother Teresa Becomes Saint TeresaKayla DeVeux
Mother Teresa was born August 26, 1910, in Skopje, Macedonia and died September, 5 1997, in Kolkata, India. Mother Teresa’s birth name was Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu. Mother Teresa spent 17 years in India to teach and care for the sick and hungry, making a lepers colony, and making a center for the old and blind. Her dad died when she was eight years old. He died of illness so, she was raised by her mother. She was a humanitarian which means she helps out other people. Mother Teresa sang in a choir and was often asked to play solos because she was so good. The congregation made an annual pilgrimage to the church of the black Madonna in Lentic when she was 12 years old. That was the first religious call. Six years later in 1928, at eighteen years old, she decided to become a nun. Pope John Paul II told the faithful to always have the same compassion that Mother Teresa had. Mother Teresa was canonized as a saint in Kolkata (formerly Calcutta) in 2016. |
NFL UpdatesTedrose Teshager
Offensive Player of the Month: Matt Ryan Quarterback - Atlanta Falcons Defensive Player of the Month: Marcus Peters Cornerback - Kansas City Chiefs September's Upsets: The Philadelphia Eagles upset the Pittsburgh Steelers. No one expected the Eagles to win or even come close. They did that by stopping the powerful Steelers' offense and they won because of the great plays by their rookie quarterback, Carson Wentz . Another upset was between the Minnesota Vikings and the defending NFC Champions, the Carolina Panthers. The Vikings beat the Panthers, and they did this by stopping the defending MVP Cam Newton and their great offense. Plays of the Month: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VTjBTz9LeM |
Holy Cross VolleyballReem Osman
On October 1-2 the Holy Cross volleyball team had a tournament. On October 1st they had 4 games, but lost. On October 2nd they had one game, but lost. The team almost won the first round but--once again--didn’t win. If they get lots of practice, the volleyball team will do much better than last time and they will win the game and be really happy. Ashley Deveux, an eighth grader on the team, said what she likes about the team is that it's fun and she likes hanging out with the them. What she doesn’t like about volleyball is running. She likes that her teammates is that they’re all loud and crazy. What she hates about the team is that they don’t try, they hog the ball, and they yell at you for doing something wrong. She doesn't like the jerseys because “They are so old and gross and they have stains.” Ida Fogarty is a seventh grader on the team. What she likes about volleyball is that “It is a fun sport to do and it is also a good workout.” What she doesn’t like about volleyball is that when Mr. Davis makes them run in practice. What she likes about the team is that they are very energetic people. What she doesn’t like about the team is how Emma wants to whip when they get an ace. She likes that the jersey fits her but does not like that they are so old. What she thinks about their games on Saturday and Sunday is that they need to improve. Ida thinks they should work on setting the ball, getting under the ball, and power serve, digging under the ball when it’s on the net, controlling the bumps, hitting the ball three times, and calling the ball. and winning. The next volleyball game is next weekend in Sherwood at 11:00 am. Good luck Holy Cross! |
Colin Kaepernick ControversyMaxx Diehm
Colin Kaepernick,a quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers has recently started a nationally recognized protest. He decided to not stand for the national anthem before the game started. He stopped standing because he said “Why should I stand for an anthem of a country who is not respecting African Americans”? In the Holy Cross elective, Journalism, five students did not agree with his stance, while five other people agreed with Colin. Two people did not have an opinion. Other athletes, including: Megan Rapinoe who played in NWSl ( national women's soccer league), Kaepernick's teammate Eric Reed and many other athletes around america, have joined Colin in his protest. Others are strongly against the protest. For example, USA Today says, “it brings out the worst in everyone”. Other people say that they should stand by their country no matter what. |
Student Highlight of the MonthElisa Andrews
The student highlight for September is Natalie Barnard. Natalie joined Holy Cross this year in the 6th grade. She comes to us from Astor. HC: Do you like Holy Cross? Natalie: Holy Cross is good because I get to learn more about my religion and I think it is an organized school. HC: Do you play any sports? Natalie: I do cheer, gymnastics, and tennis HC: What is your favorite sport? Natalie: Cheer HC: Are you originally from the Portland area? Natalie: Yes HC: When you were younger, what was your dream job? Natalie: I wanted to be a waitress HC: What is your dream job now? Natalie: Either a teacher, a baker, or someone who works at the Humane Society. HC: What is your favorite book? Natalie: Warriors by Erin Hunter HC: What is your favorite color? Natalie: Yellow HC: Do you have a favorite song? Natalie: Run to me by Clarence Coffee Jr. HC: Do you have any advice for our readers? Natalie: Work hard and follow your dreams. |
Cell Phones or Bust?Gemma Tkel
Cell phones are taking over the world! Or so it seems. When you hear the word phone you would probably think of a small, little box with a digital screen. Well, what if I told you that this little device is the key to the whole human race’s existence? Now, I’m not gonna be bias and say that cellphones are the worst thing in the world, because there are worse things like world hunger, global warming. etc. This article will be about the pros and cons of how cellphones are affecting today’s generation. So let's start off with the bad parts about cell phones. Cell phones in the world’s eyes is like the greatest thing to have ever been created. People these days love cell phones so much, because of how easy and useful they are. Electronics these days are so advanced that people find it amazing and, as the younger generation put it, ‘lit’. Now, although all those things may be true, there are still bad parts to electronics, or more importantly cell phones. As stated by a Holy Cross student, “Technology helps writing essays and contacting people easier, but I feel like the younger generation won’t be able to live without it.” Kids these days are so into technology, that it begins to seem like it’s their reason to breathe. The age that kids these days are given cellphones can be as young as six years old! Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not blaming these children over obsession nor am I accusing their parents of bad parenting, but it just seems that the younger generation can’t be entertained without any sort of technology. There have been cases of people being mentally, emotionally, and even physically hurt by these so called useful devices. People have been mentally and emotionally hurt usually through social media. There have been cases of cyberbullying that has led people to become depressed, self harming, and even suicide. People have been physically hurt not by the cell phones in general, but by the distraction they cause. There are countless stories and news articles about people being injured, or in more severe cases, killed by either walking and using their phone or driving and getting so distracted by their phones that they take their eyes off the road to look down at their electronic. Now, even though there are all those bad things about cell phones, there are still good parts about them. Quoted by a Holy Cross teacher, “Technology provides entertainment, as long as you don’t overdo it,” Based on this statement, I think that this teacher really enjoys technology for its entertainment purposes, but understands the amount of time that they should put into using it. Technology has become so high tech and entertaining, that we find pleasure in the endless variety of shows, movies, games, social media and apps that the internet has to offer. Another statement, said by yet another Holy Cross student, declares, “I like it, because I can watch videos on the internet and I can connect with people.” Cell phones are a great way to connect and interact with people around the world. Cell phones are a useful way to connect with family and friends all across the globe. Cell phones allow you the chance to talk over the phone, over text, and even face to face. Cell phones also help you interact with people from different countries and continents. Although social media can be bad, it can still help you interact with people from around the world. You can connect with your favorite celebrities, your friends, and your family members, no matter where they are! Now, that concludes this article of the pros and cons of cell phones. Although cell phones may seem one way to someone, it can be a whole other story to someone else. Cell phones are, as I have put it before, taking over the world. It could be in a good way, it could be in a bad way. I’ll let you decide. Cell phones: the world’s uprising? Or the world’s downfall? |
Falling into Fun in PortlandNatalie Barnard
Are you bored out of your mind and have nothing to do? Well here is a list I have made for you, for fun things to do in Portland, Oregon! 1. Oaks Park! Wheel Fun Fridays, starts October 7, 1:00-5:30, two for $11.00. Also, Oaks park has mini golf, rides, birthdays, and more! Deluxe ride bracelet is $17.00, Deluxe Plus ride bracelet is $28.00, Limited ride bracelet is $14.00, and mini golf 6 and older $7.00 and 5 and under is $2.00. 2. Portland International Raceway! Racing! If you like to be loud this is the right place for you. They sell tickets at the gate. 3. Forest park! If you like nature and walking then this is the place for you. It is free! 4. Crystal Spring Rhododendron Garden! This is a place that has a public garden, tours, and a wedding site! It is free throughout the end of February. 5. Washington Park! This is filled with gardens, museums, a zoo, and a forest! Some you can get in free however some of the locations such as the Zoo and the Children's museum will cost a fee. |
Discussing the 2016 Elections at Holy CrossTommy Louie
Many people have begun to notice that the election is a big deal. This was mostly done through political humor, one example being “Jabba the Trump” if you’re a Star Wars fan. If you’re a Pokemon fan, you might appreciate Trump’s defense as a Pokemon: “Build a wall.” As a seventh grader, I can’t legally vote. However, now that the election is coming closer, it has become a more serious topic to me. To see how some people around the school felt about this, I chose to interview two staff members about their opinions. The first staff member I interviewed was your faithful school custodian, Mr. Tim Culligan. Mr. Culligan told me that even though he is registered as a Republican, he can’t vote for Mr. Trump. He thinks he will vote for Hillary Clinton. He also told me that if Hillary gets elected, the result will probably be a repeat of the last eight years. He said that hopefully, she can accomplish more than President Obama. Mr. Culligan answered my final question exactly how I expected him to. He says that he didn’t feel that we had a very good choice this election. He thinks there was a fairly good selection on the Republican side, but there were too many of them. On the Democrat side, he told me it was Hillary Clinton all the way through.Now we move on to Ms. Suzanne Devaney Wilkes, or as you know her, Ms. D. Ms. D told me that she isn’t thrilled with this election. It is her hope that the citizens of our country choose a leader who has a positive vision of the future for us. She also stated that, because of congress and the supreme court, she hopes that they will be enough if either candidate is elected. The last thing she told me was that she also didn’t think we had a good choice this election. She stated that she is sad to say this, especially since one candidate is a woman. Truthfully, Mr. Culligan and Ms. D’s opinions about our election choice is actually how most Americans feel. Sixty-one percent (61%) of Americans said they weren’t satisfied with having to make a choice between Clinton and Trump, 58% of Americans have negative views about Clinton, and 59% have negative views of Trump. As many of you feel, I also don’t think we have a good choice this election. However, there is one other person to consider, Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson. I don’t fully support him, but he is on the ballot in all 50 states. John Adams stated this quote, which I believe is true: “There is nothing which I dread so much as a division of the republic into two great parties, each arranged under its leader, and concerting measures in opposition to each other. This, in my humble apprehension, is to be dreaded as the greatest political evil under our Constitution.” This year shows that the two party system can be disappointing. I hope this information was vital to your choices for who should be the next president of the United States. John Adams also said, "It is our duty to see that our country gets a good president, even if that means running for president yourself. One of us needs to stand up and fulfill this challenge." Maybe even one of you who are reading this could become president. |
Sexism at Holy Cross?Ashley Deveux
Sexism is seen all over the world. It is one of the biggest problems in our world. That started in the beginning of time. It started with men going to work out in the fields and being the warriors, while the women stayed at home and cleaned cooked and took care of the children. Things have massively changed but they are still not perfect. Men are still seen as the more important and stronger person in a relationship. Out of all the places we see sexism the workplace is the worst. It is a true fact that a woman gets paid 80 cents to every dollar a man makes. That is a 20 percent gender gap. That ladies and gentleman, is terrible. Women work just as hard as men and they still don’t get paid the same. Teachers let students say things like “men don’t cry” and “it’s a man’s job”. These statements are not okay. Yet teachers still let them say it. These are some of the most sexist comments ever. There is no job that is a man's job. Every job a man has a lady can have. The fact is that men do cry, even though women do cry because of hormonal differences between the sexes. Men have no right to say they don’t cry since they really do. Sexism is a huge problem in our world. So what are you going to do to help stop sexism? |