Sailors On the ScenenewsmagazineJanuary 2012 | Volume 6 | Issue 3

MONA SHORES MIDDLE SCHOOL I 1700 WOODSIDE I MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN 49441

On the InsideHonors curriculum being expanded for next year Basketball

teams dominate Hamilton

Triplets tell their story

www.sailorsonthescene.com

sai lors on the scene ~ staff

PAGE TWO2

On

The

Cover

photo by: kennedy potts

The middle school band, orchestra and chor classes perform in front of the student body before the holiday break.

staff writers:editors-in-chief:mitchel dinsmoor kara green

photo editor:kennedy potts

section editors:julia kwapiszewski lilly mccollumjacy nichols sydney pieczynski mackenzie quinn

shamarie brownashlyn crossbrandy fortonbrendon freemanjamie gibbsalec huberkaylee mclaughlinselena sanchezantonio souza

adviser:mike phillips

editorial board:marie bettenken byardshelly dykstrajacey ecclestoncheri kimballkathy miszecarol mogdismichelle phillips roxanne schanermatt schuchardtcharlotte scottcindy soyarsamy stielstralori veurink

IN THE LEAD 3Vamps and wolves are back in theaters for the fourth time

Our Voice

With the third marking period starting soon we are left with two choices. One, keep your grades the same or two, make your grades better and improve yourself entirely. A new marking period means a time for better grades and a time to be proud to be a Sailor. A clean slate like this only comes once a year during the end of the first semester. Using this clean slate wisely is an extremely bright idea. When it’s finally time

for the second semester, students know their teachers well and have lots of experience in the classroom. This means that students should be able to increase their learning and classroom skills during the second semester. If you chose not to get to know your teachers during the first semester, you really should do so now. Once you do, you will have a better learning experience in the classroom. The new marking period also

means you get a new sheet of passes, so use them wisely.

New semester means a clean slate

Our Voice is the opinion message selected by the editors of the Sailors On the Scene newsmagazine.

The final book of the Twilight Saga: Break-ing Dawn Part One was out in theaters on Friday November 18th and started with a big bang.

This movie is a story that starts off with Edward and Bella’s mar-ried life. After the wed-

ding they go on a honeymoon to an island called Isle Esme. During the honeymoon, Bella becomes pregnant with a half-human

half-vampire baby, that creates a life or death situation. During labor, the baby becomes too much for Bella to handle, so she dies. Edward revives her by biting her all over her body to get

this venom to spread. A fight breaks out be-tween the vampires and wolves when they find out Bella has died. Or so they thought. The fight is about whether the baby should live or not. What stops them from destroying the baby is that Jacob Black imprints on the baby Renesme. At the end, Bella wakes up with her eyes glowing red: she has become immortal.

Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn is the final book of this suspenseful saga. An estimated 1.5 million books were sold in the U.S.,while over 25 million books have been sold worldwide. The first movie was such a big hit in theaters with 159.4 million tickets sold they had to continue making movies with the fourth one hitting theaters in two parts.

The author Stephanie Meyer knew the book would be too big for just one movie, so she had strongly suggested the directors split this book into two parts. The movie is mainly aimed at female teenagers. Still, adult women can’t resist this thrilling romance that always tends to end in cliff hangers.

The Twilight saga has become a tradition for many teen girls to watch the movies in theaters and buy them out on DVD. The movie and books have all been big hits. You should check them out and find your inner love for these thrilling stories.

Top: The beginning of the fight scene between the vampires and the wolves when they found out that Bella was dead.Right: Playing chess was one of the many activities that Edward and Bella enjoyed at the beginning of their honeymoon on Isle Esme.

www.imdb.com

— Christina Bouwens ~ English teacher

“It’s the classic, tragic and impossible love story that ends up working. I hope someday teens will see that the Twilight books were influenced by Romeo and Juliet and many other classics.”

— Cassidy Hall ~ 7th

“They follow the book most of the time, because there are some parts where it’s a lot more intense.”

— Carlie MicNiff ~ 6th

“There is a lot of action.”

SelenaSanchez

On December fourteenth 2011, the MSMS holiday choir concert was held at seven thirty p.m. at MSHS auditorium. Choir teacher Kyle Cain and accompanist Melody Walden have been preparing for this concert for weeks. In this choir concert sixth ,seventh and eighth graders preformed together for the first time.

The middle school holiday concert was different this year than in the past. This year the sixth graders performed with the seventh and eighth grade choirs.

“I like the new experience being with seventh and eighth graders,” sixth grader Kristina Herder said.

In the song, ‘Night Of Silence’ originally performed by seventh and eighth graders, sixth graders were added in the song when they sang “ Silent Night”.

The concert included solo performances by eighth graders Riley Reeds, Chloe

Grigsby and Joesph Vanarendonk. Reeds and Grisby sang, ‘It’s Christmas Time’ and Vanarendonk sang, ‘Mary Did You Know’.

“I thought it went really good,” Grisby said, “It was one of my best performances.”

December 16, the seventh and eighth grade band and orchestra performed at MSMS in the auditorium. They played Christmas songs, and that was hard for them since they usually don’t practice flat songs. The format of the songs had faster or slower beats.

“It was harder learning Christmas songs, it was more difficult to learn,” eighth grader Dale Liddle said.

Choir, band, and orchestra all performed with holiday cheer, bringing the Christmas spirit to all students at the Middle School.

In 2012-2013 Mona Shores will be changing the seventh and eighth grade cur-riculum by taking the label “honors classes” out and having all classes bumped up to new standards.

Math classes like pre-algebra, algebra, and geometry will continue as they have in the past, but all the other core classes such as social studies, English, and science will no longer have an “honors” label.

The main goals are to put a stronger focus on 21st century skills and to aim for better classroom dynamics.

“We are implementing a new curriculum in our honors courses this year and I believe that all students should have the same expo-sure to this challenging curriculum,” middle school principal Greg Helmer said.

Each teacher will combine their lesson plans with all of the other teachers to find the best of what they teach and put it all together.

“I am pleased that we are expanding our honors program into our English, science, and social studies classes,” seventh grade science teacher Cheryl Brink said. “By em-bedding the ‘best’ of the honors curriculum into these classes we will be able to expose all students to a more rigorous learning

experience.”In the high school the goal is to have ev-

ery student take at least one AP (advanced placement) class and the new education sys-tem is going to help prepare middle school students for those classes.

“Typically when rigor increases in a class (especially across the board) teachers will be preparing ALL students for a post-sec-ondary education,” high school AP teacher Shannan Conrad said.

by: julia kwapiszewski I section editor Middle school raises the standards for all students

Top: A student works hard to complete a math assignment.Above: Mrs. Brink teaches her honors class fourth hour, and next year she will be teaching that curriculum to all of her students.

photos by: julia kwapiszewski

by: mari brown I staff writerMSMS holiday choir concert with a twist

Band students are preforming a song during the Christmas concert at MSMS.

photo by: kennedy potts

FEATURES4

The eighth grade basketball team won their last game against Hamilton 42 to 28 and ended the season going 11-1.

In the first quarter Kobe Burse scored the first two points for Shores taking the lead. Right after that, Linwood Lee stole the ball and ran down the court for a basket. This brought the score up to 4-0. The Sailors then ended the first quarter up by a score of 4-2.

“It was my hardest game to finish my middle school career,” Burse said.

Tyler Trovengier, following a Hamilton player takes the rebound from Hamilton’s shot and scores a basket. Jared Pittman jumps in the air for the rebound grabbing the ball and saving it for the team and Elijah Wilson scored a two pointer. In the end of the second quarter Shores had a score of 19 and Hamilton had 9.

“I was hype we were ready to go, we had momentum on our side,” Tyler Trovingier said.

Burse and James Cooper got many blocks and rebounds in the beginning and towards the end of the game. Kobe Burse scored an additional two points in the third quarter. The third quarter ended with the score 25-18.

“It felt good to help my team and know that we had good team work,” Wilson said.

Elijah Wilson scored two times in a row in the fourth quarter and one of Hamilton’s players got a foul against Burse and he went 2 for 2 on free throws bringing the score higher.

“It felt normal, it felt good,” Cooper said.The Sailors ended the game with a final

score of 42-28.

The seventh grade basketball game ended the way they hoped it would...with a victory over Hamilton.

The first quarter looked glum with a score of 0-17 with Hamilton in the lead, but the Sailors didn’t give up. Hamilton played well by keeping the ball low and having their bigger players put up points.

“Sometimes our defense would forget who to guard and result in Hamilton scor-ing,” Christopher Freeman said.

In the second quarter Brendon Freeman scored two points for the Sailors along with two free throws firing up the team. By the end of the second quarter the score was 18-25 with Hamilton still ahead.

“When we came off the bench in the second quarter we were all ready to score,” Freeman said. “When I scored it got us even more fired up.”

Marcus Collins started the third quarter with two quick buckets for the Sailors and ended the third quarter scoring eight points

in total. This helped the Sailors get within six of the Hawkeyes.

“We all worked well together,” Collins said. “Nick (Debruin) got the rebounds and Brendon got the assists.”

In the fourth quarter Nick Debruin got many defensive rebounds. Getting these rebounds was a key factor for the Sailors by getting the ball to the opposing basket.

“We wasted time wearing down the clock so the other team couldn’t score,” Debruin said.

The seventh grade basketball team won their last game with a final score of 37-34, ending the season 7-5.

“As a coach, you really like to see your team have their last game be their best. It shows that the team has really responded to coaching and improved. I have never seen a team have a stronger last game than the one we played against Hamilton. The kids played great. I was so proud of all of them.” coach Jeremy Andres said.

by: mitchel dinsmoor I editor-in-chiefSeventh grade comeback basketball victory

Top: Brendon Freeman performs a “fake out” to try to drive to the basket.Above: Tayshaun Kelley tries to dribble past number 12 to the basket.

photos by: antonio souza

by: antonio souza I staff writerEighth grade team ends the basketball season with a win

Kobe Burse goes two for two on free throws in the forth quarter with two minutes to go.

photo by: antonio souza

SPORTS 5

The song Frosty the Snowman is considered a Christmas song even though it doesn’t mention Christmas.

What is your favorite New’s Year tradition?

DC Comics made a Rudolph the Red nosed Reindeer comic book every December.

Santa Clause has lots of names, such as Saint Nick, Kris Kringle, Pere Noel, Father Christmas, Christkindli, Babbo Natale, and more.

Some people believe that the Abominable Snowman is real, and that he live in the Himalayan Mountains. There is a legend that says that anyone who sees it will have bad luck.

Johnathan Blanton 6th Grade

“Going over to a friend’s house

and hanging out.”

Charles Allen 6th Grade

“Staying up until midnight with my

family.”

Beth McCaskey Staff

“I like watching the ball drop.”

Kevontea Pegues 7th Grade

“I like going over to my Grandma’s

house.”

Micheal Kresnak 8th Grade

“I like singing karaoke with my

family.”

Angelina Davros 6th Grade

“We usually go skiing at Crystal

Mountain.”

Kaylynne Dennis 7th Grade

“I like watching the ball drop.”

by: kara green, ashlyn cross, kaylee mclaughlin

Winter Wond

erlandFun

CENTER SECTION6

People used to say that this spiky character left his icy finger marks on every window pane.

The Grinch used to be black and white with red and pink splotches instead of green.

At first, television executives didn’t like the Peanut’s show because it didn’t have a laughing track.

Arthur Christmas was considered an instant classic when it came out in 2011

Evan Leek 6th Grade

”Me flipping on a snowboard.”

Hunter Ladegast 7th Grade

“First time I built a snowman with

my dad.”

Jackie Seward 8th Grade

“Going skiing with my

cousins.”

Maya Jones 7th Grade

“I went sledding down a hill and I hit a big pile of

snow.”

Spencer Stube 8th Grade

“Pushing my brother into the

snow.”

Olivia Watcher 6th Grade

“Building a snow fort with my

dad.”

Morgan Johnson 8th Grade

“The first time I went

snowboarding because I didn’t

fall.”

Shayla Day 7th Grade

“I went ice skating with my

best friend.”

Alexander Guest 8th Grade

“When I hit a little kid going

down a sledding hill after going off a big jump.”

Brian Lafear 6th Grade

“Having snowball fights with friends.”

Christen Murray 6th Grade

“My dad came home all wet

because he fell in the snow.”

What’s your favorite winter memory?

John Brainard Staff

“In 1978, there were snow drifts over my head.”

Facts

CENTER SECTION 7

Mona Shores Middle School offers many arts classes for students, but do they benefit us in a positive way?

A chance to par-ticipate in the many arts you can take at Mona Shores Middle School

can help you in many ways. Art can relax you and take away stress, it can also help you become a better problem solver, and you can express yourself through it.

Additionally there are many different types of arts such as music, film making, art class, and theater. According to www.flmu-siced.org, students taking courses in the arts and students with appreciation for the arts

scored higher in the SAT than students with no arts participation.

Being able to solve ob-stacles that will

be in your way through the arts is also another feature you acquire. From the beginning to the end of your arts experience there will be many obstacles that you will need to be able to overcome and workout.

Some people say that the arts are a waste of time and many others believe it’s a must. Most say they love the arts because they

can express themselves and show off their talents. Participating can benefit students by allowing people to relax and learn new things.

The arts can benefit us in a positive way and help us express ourselves, relieve stress, and help us become problem solvers.

The arts help students gain many skills

The finished art projects made out of household items sit displayed in a glass cabinet near the art room.

photos by: jamie gibbs

— Olivia Panici ~ 7th

“I think art is a good thing offered at MSMS because it benefits students in positive ways”

— Bri Holtrop ~ 8th

“You get to be more creative than in other classes.”

— Rachel Kortering ~ 8th

“I think the arts benefit students because it gets your mind working in creative ways.”

JacyNichols

OPINIONS8

Eighth graders Kaitlin Maycroft, Morgan Smith and Mackenzie Lund work on mosaic projects in advanced art.

Call of Duty, is one of the most played video games ever. Now Activision has created Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3.

Ever since this game first came out mil-lions of copies have been sold all over the

world. Call of Duty MW3 has advanced from MW2 and 1 by adding survival mode, newer guns, a better campaign mode, and some new maps. Survival mode in MW3 is a lot like zombies in Black Ops, except in MW3 you are facing humans not zombies. You go around the map you’ve chosen in survival mode and buy guns with points you get from killing humans.

Another thing different about MW3 is a better campaign. In this campaign what is different from MW2 and 1 is that there are some slow motion moments like when you get a hostage out of a room. There are also new places you can be like on a plane.

Being on a plane for campaign mode is new because before it was all on land or in a building. You can also have some missions underwater where you have to dodge things like rocks or bombs. Also, in campaign mode, you can be a body guard for Presi-dent of a different country.

MW3 this year has new and better maps. The new ones are clearer and the graphics on the new maps are so much better. The

map packs for MW3 will come out in the spring of 2012. Map packs are maps that cost money

that come out for the game. They are sup-posed to have more than MW2, Black Ops, and MW1. Also you can play online on all of the new ones but you’re group chooses what one you go to by voting. This is whats different about the new Call of Duty which is called Call of Duty MW3.

Justin Bieber is a well known singer who orig-inated on a very famous website, YouTube.

His career started with videos of him singing on YouTube, it grew to him being one of the most well known

singers. Justin became famous in late 2009, and is even more famous then when he started. Bieber originated from a small town in Canada where he played soccer, baseball, and hockey. During his childhood, Justin sang in a talent contest and only won second place, which may be a surprise to some people.

Many items have been inspired by Justin including clothes, perfume, cologne, brace-lets and much more. The release of his new album “Under the Mistletoe” has captured the eye of many Bieber fans. J.B.’s movie

“Never Say Never” is a biography of him from when he was less than a year old to practically current time.

Being raised by a single mother can be hard, but Justin survived it just fine. Justin was, and still is very close to his Grandpa. Bieber’s Grandma states that when Justin was in elemen-tary school and was having a bad day he would come over and hang out with his Grandpa. Currently Bieber is dating Selena Gomez. Hollywoodlife.com states that Justin wants a deeper connec-tion with a girlfriend and has found that in Selena.

Justin Bieber is one of the most well known male pop stars around the world, his music hits the hearts of teenage fans all around, this love will never cause him to become old news to his many fans.

Bieber fever sweeps the nation

Top: Justin Bieber stands back to back with Usher on his Never say Never tour.Above: Justin Bieber reaches out to his fans while singing “You smile.”

www.justinbieberneversaynever.com

Newest Call of Duty springs through the doors of stores

www.callofduty.com

— Erica Pallas ~ 7th

“He’s cute and has good music.”

— Jamie Gibbs~ 8th

“Mistletoe” is my favorite song because its really, really, really, adorable and catchy, also I think Justin is really hot.”

— Marcus Olmstead ~ 7th

“I like the map Snow-blind.”

AlecHuber

LillyMcCollum

ENTERTAINMENT 9

What’s it like being a triplet? According to the Poland triplets, it is really fun and cool.

Sixth grade triplets, Sasha, Dimitri, and Cade Poland were born on September 28th 1999, and they have no other siblings.

“I would rather be triplets than being an only child because I would have more people to hangout with,” Dimitri said.

Dimitri Poland loves to bike and play out-side in the yard with his brother and sister during his free time. He doesn’t like doing homework for his math class.

“Being a triplet is really cool,” Dimitri said.

Cade Poland loves to swim a lot during the summer because he has been doing it for a really long time, and he is on a swim

team. He has dark brown hair and that makes him different from his brother and sister.

“Being a triplet is pretty fun,” Cade said, “but sometimes it can get hard.”

Sasha Poland has light brown hair. She also loves to swim a lot during the summer, and she is the only girl triplet.

“Being a triplet is really cool, but some-times gets annoying,” Sasha said.

They all like being triplets, and they get along well, but the boys have to share a lot of things.

“I would rather have my brother and sis-ter than being an only child because I dont know what its like being an only child,” Cade said.

Mona Shores Middle School has a fine group of students, who are usually rec-ognized by the way they act, academic behavior or ability in the performing arts, but what about the students who have some-thing about them that nobody knows?

Sixth grader Diane Tian attends a Chinese school on the weekends and draws very well. So well actually that she has gotten some of her work published at Casa Co. “My published drawing was of a cat, it was put in a place called Casa and its an organi-zation that gives the money made to foster homes,” Tian said.

She first started drawing at the age of 5, and began with horses because they were the only things she knew how to draw.

“Horses are my favorite animal,” Tian said. “I thought that I drew them very well so I decided to go for it.”

Other things like swans, cats, and tou-cans and many more were being drawn by Tian. After awhile when she started to learn to draw more than just horses and she has excelled ever since.

Diane also attends a Chinese school on the weekends called the Grand Rapids Chinese School because her parents speak it fluently.

“When I first came here I didn’t know any Chinese and my dad wanted me to be fluent in it so I took classes,” Tian said.

Tian has a very busy schedule, school five days a week, drawing in between, and Chinese school on the weekends.

“The things I learn are hard but super fun.” said Tian

by: jamie gibbs I staff writerSixth grader paints her future and learns Chinese

Dian Tian’s drawing of a dragon benifits her greatly, showing off all of her magnificent traits and abilities.

illustration by: diane tian

by: sydney pieczynski I section editorTriplets in sixth grade tell their story

From Left: Sixth grade triplets, Sasha, Dimitri, and Cade Poland like being triplets and they get along very well.

photo by: sydney pieczynski

PROFILES10

SAILOR DAYS 11

What is your New Year’s resolution?

voices

Zackery Hogendyk7th GRADE

“My new years resolution is to ask a girl out.”

“To stop my cherry Coke addiction.”

Kyle Kurant8th GRADE Social Studies

“To work out.”

“I want to get full flip and my lutz on my new skates.”

hallsfrom the

Collin Toth 8th GRADE

Andrea Gardner6th GRADE

Troy Moran6th GRADE social studies teacher

“My new years resolution is not to go to lunch with Mr. Kurrant anymore.”

“To get my back tuck in cheer and to get the perfect attendance award.”

Brennin Jones7th GRADE

“To spend time with my family.”

“After I found out Mr. Kurant’s new years resolution, mine became taking a picture of

him working out and put it on Facebook.”

Kaitlin Maycroft8th GRADE

Jeff Bush7th GRADE Social Studies

“To concentrate more on school, and to put more effort into my sports.”

“To try not to fight with my siblings because I do it a lot.”

Desi Parker8th GRADE

6th GRADE

Ali Mccarthy6th GRADE

“To cut down on soda because my brother got a bad cavity.”

“Get better grades in school.”

Roomit Patel6th GRADE

“To quit drinking soda.”

“To get better at vollyball.”

Spencer Stube8th GRADE

Raelyn Sells 8th GRADE

“To get better grades in math, except I broke it..”

“To marry Justin Bieber.”

Sarah Thomas 7th GRADE

Anna Veenstra8th GRADE

Maura Wilcox

Students of the Month

Student-Athletes

of the Month

SwimmingBasketball

7th Grade

7th Grade

Hannah Jansen-Yee

Grant CooperAnnika Cotner

Nicholas DeBruin

Students and athletes of the month are voted on by the staff at Mona Shores Middle School

Singing in Holiday Cheer Mona Shores Middle School’s band, orchestra, and choir col-laborate and present a holiday

concert to the rest of the middle school students and teachers.

Caption:

16 PHOTO STORY