The McLean Express April 17, 2017
Vol. II, No. IV
Earth Day is coming up April 22
n e d r a G ct e j o r P
By Zoee Joy Earth Day is an annual event created to raise public awareness about pollution and global warming and celebrate the planet’s environment. The day, marked on April 22, is celebrated all over the world with conferences, rallies, service projects and outdoor activities. Earth Day, started as a grassroots movement, created public support for the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and added to the passage of the Clean Air Act, the Water Quality Improvement Act, the Endangered Species Act and several other environmental laws. The idea for Earth Day was proposed by Sen. Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin, who died in 2005. The first annual Earth Day was in 1970, after Nelson saw the damage done by a 1969 massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, California. He was then inspired to organize a national “teach-in” that focused on educating the public about the environment around them.
By Ms. Nave
Students Josh Fulk and Lucas Adkins work to clean up the garden along the north side of the building.
Each year the middle school students at McLean Education Center participate in the planting of vegetable garden at the school. The students will be planting and maintaining a variety of plants and vegetables within the garden. The garden will be available for students to enjoy the food they grow, as well as learning many different lessons during the process. This activity incorporates numerous areas of their middle school Science curriculum that is required to be covered within the school year, by the State of Indiana.
Mushroom Season is Here By Wade Walker
It’s springtime in the Wabash Valley so that means three things: Rain, Sun, and Mushrooms. Well, if you grew up here in the Valley you know it’s mushroom time just by the smell and temperatures outside. With me saying that if you mushroom hunt you can either eat or sell them. My suggestion is you eat them! You can either fry or bake them for the best tasting mushrooms ever. Here are some simple directions on how to fry morel mushrooms: Place halved morel mushrooms in a large bowl; cover with cold, lightly salted water. Refrigerate mushrooms for about
5 minutes to loosen any dirt; pour off salted water, rinse, and repeat twice more. Crevices of the mushrooms may harbor tiny stones or even insects. Thoroughly rinse mushrooms a final time and allow to drain on paper towels. Place flour in a shallow bowl. Heat vegetable shortening in a large skillet until very hot. Roll mushrooms in flour and tap off excess; gently lay mushrooms in the hot shortening. Pan-fry until golden brown and flour coating is crisp, 5 to 8 minutes, turning often. Drain morels on paper towels, salt to taste, and enjoy your treasures!
How did the Fun Facts about Easter Eggs By Easter Bunny Courtney James come to be? By Reba Jones In the origin of Easter there is no mention of a rabbit laying eggs, so how did the Easter Bunny come to be? It is said that the Easter Bunny was first brought in the 1700s by Germans immigrants. They transported their tradition of an egg-laying hare called “Osterhase” or “Oschter Haws.” Their children made nests in which the bunny could lay its colored eggs. Eventually, the custom spread across the U.S. and the fabled rabbit’s Easter morning deliveries expanded to include chocolate and other types of candy and gifts, while decorated baskets replaced nests. Sometimes children like to leave carrots out in case the Easter Bunny gets hungry from hopping.
Easter eggs are decorated eggs that are usually used as gifts on the occasion of Easter or springtime celebration. The oldest tradition is to use dyed and painted chicken eggs, but a modern custom is to substitute chocolate eggs wrapped in colorful foil, or plastic eggs filled with confectionery such as chocolate. Here are some fun facts about Easter Eggs. 1. The tallest Easter egg chocolate was made in Italy in 2011. It stood at 10.39 meters and weighed an astounding 7,200 kg. 2. In the US, only 12 of the 50 states recognize Good Friday as a holiday. 3. The art of painting eggs is called pysanka, which originated in Ukraine. It involves using wax and dyes to color the egg. 4. The exchange or giving of Easter eggs actually dates back to before Easter and the giving of eggs is actually considered a symbol of rebirth in many cultures. 5. Peep peep… did you know Americans buy more than 700 million marshmallow Peeps during Easter? This makes Peeps
the most popular non-chocolate Easter candy. 6. Americans consume more than 16 million jelly beans during this holiday. That is enough jelly beans to circle the globe not once, not twice, but three times. 7. Are you an ears, feet or tail person? Seventy-six percent of people eat the ears on the chocolate bunny first, 5 percent go for the feet and 4 percent for the tail. 8. During the holiday, more than 90 million chocolate bunnies, 91.4 billion eggs and 700 million Peeps are produced each year in the United States alone.
The following poems were submitted as a poetry project for Mrs. Higgins’ English class. The month of April is also Poetry Month. A Random Sonnet By Courtney James My dream takes me places where I can’t fly I wanted to go to school before noon It happened so quick, I started to cry I wanted to leave so I grabbed my broom I started petting some kittens outside Cars zooming out, so quick on the south hill A car honked, I jumped and became cross-eyed The cat was sick, so I gave it a pill A robber came and did his deeds from me Netflix is on, we watched a movie all day I let him at it, yelled stop pulling my knee He ran away, started to go over hay I’m sleepy now, the day is ending we say I lay my head at rest, started to pray The Puppy Sonnet By Ariel Richey Cute puppies are thy most wonderful thing They are such small creatures in the beginning If someone needs a gift that’s what to bring They will be there until the very ending You can count on them to be there for you It doesn’t matter what breed they are Nor color, nor size, or even for who You can take them anywhere in your car Little balls of hair with the softest fur Nibbling on everything in sight They bark but they definitely don’t purr
Outside is where they’ll be during the daylight They grow so fast and before your own eyes But don’t ever let them get in your pies Wakey Wakey (A poem about pet peeves) by David Overton While Slumber is for many things But for me it’s like the air I’m as asleep as a planet orbits But like a tornado siren in my ear As a bear interrupted while hibernating They holler at my ear to wake me up As I open my bloody eyes like the earth splitting in two I stare at my brother as sharp as an arrow Like a mouse running from a hawk He ran as fast as cars may go They never have a change to be like my annoying, fast brother Sticky, Sticky, Sticky (a poem about pet peeves) by Emily Vester Sticky, Sticky, Sticky I hate sticky stuff It’s as slimy as a slug And as sticky as a bug It never goes away until you wash it It’s like getting glue on your hands It’s as terrible as eating pancakes with syrup Because you could get it all over your face Then you’ll be all sticky
Staff Profile - Mrs. Mooney
Student Profile -Zoee Joy - Grade 11 By Brooklin Houghton
By Brooklin Houghton
What do you like/dislike about high school? I dislike all the drama. I like getting more smart!
What do you teach? How long have you been teaching? I teach P.E., Health, Family & Consumer Science. I have been teaching for 10 years.
If you could sing one song or do one thing on America’s Got Talent what would it be? I would sing “Crooked Smile” by S. Cole.
What were you like in High School? I was in everything! If you could sing one song or do one thing on America’s Got Talent what would it be? I would sing “Let It Go” from the movie Frozen. If you were on an island and could only bring three things what would they be? I would bring my family, some water and food. If you were a box of cereal what would you be and why? Fruity Pebbles – because they are so colorful.
If you were on an island and could only bring three things what would they be? My boyfriend, food, and a boat with some gas.
Do you believe in Bigfoot? Nope! What do you do in your free time? I spend time with friends and family, workout and watch movies. What is your favorite animal to see at the zoo? Why? The elephants! They are really smart and really pretty.
If you were a box of cereal what would you be and why? Fruity Pebbles – because they are the BOMB and colorful and are really good! Do you believe in Bigfoot? Nope!
By Kaitlyn Dickens I feel that autism is often looked over, people are not educated on the disability so let me help. Autism is a mental condition present from childhood that is characterized by difficulty in communication and forming relationships with other people and using language and abstract concepts. People with autism are normal; they just need a little help with relationships and focusing on other things. Some people
with autism have trouble with inappropriate social interaction, poor eye contact, compulsive behavior, impulsively repetitive movement - such as flapping hands, rocking, or spinning. They also have sound sensitivity and are unaware of others emotions. Autistic kids, however, can be very academically gifted if they find something they like - such as math or music. There are also people with autism who are non-verbal.
Yes, it is true that some people with autism also have childhood apraxia, a speech neurological disorder, that makes spoken language very difficult, but most non-verbal individuals just don’t want to speak. I know firsthand what it’s like to take care of someone with autism so I can confirm all these things are true. To learn much more about autism go to the website: www.autismspeaks.org
What do you do in your free time? Draw and get on social media. What is your favorite animal to see at the zoo? Why? Big Cats – because they are scary but also very pretty. What are your plans for after high school? I want to go to college for 4 years and after that, I want to move away.
Short Story
The Friendly Kappa in Georgia By Matt Michaels
I’ll tell you of a story of how I Yasuo a Kappa became friends with a kind young man named Robert. “Yasuo wake up and get in the creek the humans will be coming over this bridge soon and you don’t want to be seen by one of them, now do you?” said mother already half way in the water. “Mother, why do we have to retreat underwater into the burrow? We aren’t like the older Kappa? They were cruel. We are modern Kappa; we only wish to live in peace,” I said confusedly. We have never harmed a living creature unlike our evil kin. We don’t harm animals or people and we don’t eat the humans’ livestock; we eat only cucumber that’s it. I thought our early ancestors left Japan to escape the cruel Kappa that lived there and live peacefully without harming humans and animals. Besides, here in Georgia the humans don’t even know of the stories about the vicious Kappa that harmed them and the animals. I thought our ancestors picked the U.S.A. for that exact reason?
“You’re right son, we did, but our appearance is still unsettling to humans. They tend to fear us when we are seen by them,” said mother while tossing her head to the side spilling the water from her head causing her to be immobilized. “Hang on mother I’ll fill your head back up,” I said as I grab an old bucket a human dropped a few days ago to fill up with water. “Now, remember son, it has to be the water from this creek,” said mother, still stuck in place. “I know mother I am a Kappa too,” I said as I fill up mothers head. “Thank you son,” Mother said as she stretches from her frozen position after her head was full. “Well now that your head is full I’ll go put this bucket away in case you have another accident,” I said as I walk back under the bridge. As I get under the bridge I hear a human say “now where is the bucket I lost,” then he comes in to view. He is a young man,
maybe seventeen he looks at me in amazement not in fear. Then he said to me curiously “Do you speak? You look quite intelligent.” “Well, yes, I do and you seem to not be scared of me even though I’m a Kappa,” I said astonished he is so calm. “A Kappa, huh?, I’ve heard of a story from an old Japanese man over at the cucumber farm who suggested that the reason some of our cucumbers were missing was because of you. I guess he was right, you aren’t going to harm me now are you?” asked the man. “Well of course not. My mother and I are kind. We couldn’t harm a fly let alone a human,” I said a little concerned he would not believe me and attack. “Well, ok then, my name is Robert, how do you do?” said the man with a kind bow. Amazed at his politeness I bow back spilling all the water from my head freezing myself in place. “oh dear, I forgot that if
you spill the water from your head you’re frozen. Oh man, I’m so sorry the old man says you Kappa are obsessed with politeness and he said one should bow to your kind and they will be safe,” said Robert reaching for the water bucket. “Ok now I need to get some water I’ll be right back,” said Robert about to rush off. “Wait it has to be the water from the creek I live in?” I said still frozen in place. Robert nods, get some water and carefully fills my head back up. After I recovered I introduced him to my mother and from that day our friend Robert brought us cucumbers so we never had to risk getting caught or harmed by frightened humans unknowing of how kind we really were.
ISU BASKETBALL: Team members and coaches from Indiana State University’s women’s basketball team came to speak to the female students here at McLean. Members of the ISU men’s basketball team came to school last week and celebrated with PBIS winners.
The McLean Express Staff McLean High School 961 Lafayette Ave., Terre Haute, IN 47804 812-462-4330 office • www.vigoschools.org Principal - Mrs. Jeanne Conley
3rd Trimester 2017 Reporter – Kaitlyn Dickens Reporter – Courtney James Reporter – Zoee Joy Reporter – Wade Walker
Short Stories – Matt Michaels Reporter – Reba Jones Reporter – Brooklin Houghton
