Halloween Is Coming Your Way

How are you going to celebrate Halloween this year? Will you sit at home and watch horror movies or go out trick-or-treating with your friends and family? We took a survey of some students and the majority voted for trick-or-treating. So as you can see, one is never too old to go trick-or-treating!

Halloween is a holiday that everyone from toddlers to seniors can celebrate. Everyone loves to dress up and get sweet candy! Even though trick-or-treating was voted as the favorite activity, there are still lots of good horror movies to watch on the spookiest night of the year!

Costumes are a big part of Halloween. Which costumes are you planning to wear? Is it going to be sweet, naughty, spooky, or gross? You could be a witch, skeleton, devil or zombie. If you don’t know where to get a costume, you can go to the Spirit Halloween Super Stores in San Francisco on the corner of Van Ness and Eddy, in the Metreon, and on Market by Castro Street, or you can call (800) COSTUME (800) 267-8863.

As you already know, be safe this Halloween. Travel in groups, wear a glowstick or white costume to be noticeable by traffic. Don’t accept any candy that you think is questionable. Tell an adult with children if anything seems suspicious. Better yet, travel with an adult and don’t stay out too late! Wednesday morning is a school day!

SIX FLAGS FRIGHT FEST

by “The Phantom”

Like every year Halloween is fun and scary at the same time if you’re looking for something to do listen up. Starting on October 7-29 at six flags Great America there will be the 16^th annual fright fest. This year there’s going to be more than just a haunted house. Such as zombie parades, spooky rides, multiple frightening shows such as LOVE AT FIRST FRIGHT, DOCKTER FRIGHT’S DEAD MAN’S PARTY, WELCOME TO MY NIGHTMARE, and many more. But don’t worry, it’ll be safe, fiendish, fun, enough for the whole family.

Do you Believe in Ghosts?

People are split on the decision whether we can have supernatural occurrences, like seeing ghosts. We asked around, and one anonymous student offered, “I don't exactly believe in them, but the fact is I could have sworn that I saw my father, who has been dead for 15 years, makes me wonder. Of course, this is a bit spiritual, because I had prayed to God to allow me to see my father, but who knows!

What do you think? Do you believe in ghosts?

Real Hauntings

by Savannah and Bonita

The Moss Beach Distillery is a restaurant near Half Moon Bay, California, and it is well known for its famous ghost, "The Blue Lady". According to the ghostly Coastside legend, some 72 years ago a beautiful, young woman met by chance, a handsome dangerous man and fell in love with him. This sophisticated ladies' man was a piano player in the bar. The naive young woman, always dressed in blue was already married to another but her unsuspecting husband and young son never knew of the illicit affair. She made many trips to the restaurant to be with her dangerous boyfriend. The beautiful lady in blue died in a violent car accident. Some say you will now find her searching for her boyfriend, walking along the beach at the coast..

Many strange events have been documented since that time that can not be explained such as mysterious phone calls from no one, levitating checkbooks, locked rooms from the inside without any other means of entry, women diners losing one ear ring and then several of these are found in one place weeks later, date tampering with computers, sightings by small children. The restaurant staff is glad she is not destructive with her pranks and continue to hear of new events that cannot be explained. Would you want to work there?!

Day of the Dead

by Andy Chen

The Day of the Dead, or “Dia de las Muertos”, (All Souls Day, in other cultures) is an official holiday of the Catholic Calendar, celebrated in Mexico and other Latin American countries. It is a day to pay respect to friends and families that have died. In Europe and Canada, “All Souls Day” is on November 2, following All Saints Day, on November 1.

The "Day of the Dead” is celebrated by many catholic countries, worldwide. This celebration originated with the Roman Catholic's, and was established in the Catholic calendar as an official holy day. All Soul's Day honors the faithfully departed. Generally, people celebrating this holiday will attend mass, and assist the souls of their loved ones from Purgatory to Heaven. They will then proceed to the cemetery to visit, bless and decorate the graves. This tradition is universal among Catholic countries and accepted by the church. Many customs are associated with The Day of the Dead celebration. In the home, an altar is made with an offering of food upon it. It is believed that the dead partake of the food in spirit and the living eat it later.

The "ofrendas"- offerings, are beautifully arranged with flowers, marigolds (zempasuchitl), which are the traditional flower of the dead. There is a candle placed for each dead soul, and they are adorned in some manner. Incense is also used. It is also traditional in some areas to go and see the play Don Juan Tenorio. Paper mache and sugar skulls are popular, as are cardboard coffins from which a skeleton can be made to jump out. Special masks are also worn, allowing a person to achieve a facial expression which they feel they are not able to achieve. A popular type of decoration used to commemorate the holiday in Mexico is the tissue banner. The most famous artisans live in the "Mestizo" village of San Salvador Huixcolotla. They have been making banners here for over 90 years. At first the banners were made using scissors, but since the 1940's, they have been cut with tiny chisels, "fierritos." Today skilled artisans use more than 50 different chisels to make various cuts in up to 50 sheets of tissue paper at a time.

HALLOWEEN CONTESTS AT PMS

by Indra, Helen and Gabby

What are you going to be for Halloween? We went around asking presidio students what they will be dressing up like for Halloween this year. So far, we know that we will see: a few witches, a few scream costumes, a

hippie, South Park characters, a hockey player, several fairies, The Grudge, a devil, and a hustler.

ENTER OUR COSTUME CONTEST, HELD IN THE UPPER YARD ON TUESDAY, OCT. 31

AT LUNCH TIME. COME TO CHEER!

We will also be holding a special skills contests,

a hoola hoop contest, also in the upper yard, at the basketball court, at lunchtime, on Halloween day, Tuesday, October 31^st. Start practicing now! Winners will be chosen by a panel of teachers and students. Join in the Halloween spirit, and try out in one of these contests!

One Jamba Juice gift certificate will be given for the person who can hoola hoop the longest, and gift certificates for the first, second, and third place costume parade winners. All decisions are final, and every effort will be made to be fair. Prizes will be awarded the day of the contest. Good luck to you all!!!

PLEASE REMEMBER TO KEEP TO THE LEFT IN THE HALLWAYS DURING ALL PASSING PERIODS. GOOD PRACTICE FOR DRIVING!

Teen Interest

by Savannah Kuang and Silvia Hernandez

Even wonder why teens like you stress out from homework, family, relationships, and maybe other personal affairs? Wish you could find a way to relieve stress? Well, today around the world, about 90% of teenagers are actually like you. If you need some advice on how to cope with stress, keep on reading. Too much homework? You can just do it, but not think about anything else. Think of it as an amusement park or a video game. You might think it’s fun all of a sudden. If you have certain family problems that you are dealing with, you can talk to a trust-worthy friend or teacher. They’ll listen and help. Spending time with your friends and having fun helps too.

Relationships usually begin to happen during teenage years. For girls, boyfriends can be really hard to deal with, especially when they break up with you. Break ups are hurtful, but it’s important to try to move on and think about the different aspects of life, even if it’s hard for you. We hope our advice has helped you out. If your problem seems larger than life, approach a school counselor or sympathetic teacher. They can listen, and often can give advice on an agency that helps with just your kind of problem.

Why Aren’t They Scared?

by Helen Totterdell

Many of you may know of Steve Irwin, Crocodile Hunter, as a fearless man. (see page 8 for more info). He recently passed away in a bizarre encounter with a sting ray while filming a new video. If you have watched the news, you may have heard scientists talking about why Steve Irwin is the way he is. They believe it may be caused by genetics, and because he was socialized this way, because he grew up with parents who loved animals. This is still being researched. One reason people like him are fearless is believed to be linked to Adrenaline.

In people like Steve Irwin, Adrenaline rushes don’t cause fear, as in fearful people, but instead cause excitement. Adrenaline is a mix of chemicals released from the kidneys when we sense danger or confrontation. How we are affected by the adrenaline is completely up to our brains. If we have a positive outlook on what will happen, we will become excited instead of scared. But if we think, “Oh my gosh! I’m gonna die, I’m gonna die!!!”, then naturally, we will be scared, rather than excited about it.

Steve Irwin had a positive outlook on animals, so he was not too scared to do what he did. His adrenaline caused excitement, and I think we can tell from his show that he was excited to be around animals.

Steve Irwin isn’t the only person who replaces his fear with excitement. Have you ever been on a roller coaster, and laughing from the ride, while your friend is shaking with fear, or nauseous? Or vice versa? Why are some people more afraid than others? It’s because of our outook on the event. Some people enjoy the feeling of doing loops and going upside down really fast, but others are absolutely terrified by it. We aren’t more fearful than other people, we just aren’t looking at it the way they are. If you’re absolutely sick of having people call you a “scaredy-cat”, then all you have to do to cope with your adrenaline is to take a deep breath, calm yourself down, and think positive thoughts. Next time you’re scared, don’t ask “Why aren’t they scared?” Ask, “why am I scared?” You can talk yourself right out of it!

HOW TV AFFECTS KIDS

By Alex Kozakiewicz

Did you know that 70% of child care use TV during a typical day? The average child spends 900 hours in school and 1023 hours in front of the TV. Research has shown that children who consistently spend more than 4 hours a day watching TV are more likely to be overweight. Also kids who view violent events, such as a kidnapping or murder, are also more likely to believe that the world is scary and that something bad will happen to them. Research also indicates that TV consistently reinforces gender-role and racial stereotypes.

The average American child will witness 200,000 violent acts on television by age 18. TV violence sometimes begs for imitation because violence is often demonstrated and promoted as a fun and effective way to get what you want. Kids 8 to 12 are frightened by the threat of violence, natural disaster, and the victimization of children, whether those images appear on fictional shows, the news, or reality-based shows. The alcohol ads over the years have increased and a lot of underage kids are being exposed to it. Be careful about what you expose yourself to. Here are some ratings that will tell you what is suitable for you or maybe your brother or sister.

TV-Y: suitable for all kids

TV-Y7: directed toward kids 7 year and older. Content may contain “mild fantasy violence or comedic violence”.

TV-Y7-FV: fantasy violence may be more intense in these programs than others in TV-Y7

TVG: suitable for general audience; contains sexual dialogue or content, strong language, and little to no violence

TV-PG: may contain an inappropriate theme for younger children contains one or more of the following: moderate violence, some sexual situations, occasional strong language, and suggestive dialogue

TV-14: parents strongly caution suitable for children for the age of 14; contains graphic violence, intense sexual situations, strong language and intensively suggestive dialogue.

TV-MA: designed for adults and may not be suitable for children under 14; contains graphic violence, strong sexual activity, and crude language.

SCIENCE PAGE

Bye Bye Pluto the Planet

By: Joann Kuang

After all those years of learning about planets and their characteristics, and remembering them as one of our great nine planets, and now one planet is leaving the list of our great planets. But, Pluto, you will always be in our memories. We will always remember how special you were, even though not many of us know about you, except that you are small, you are a great distance from Earth, and you have terrible weather. Bye bye, Pluto the planet . . .

Wait, hang on! Before I go any further, I would like to ask you one question. Are you very confused right now? I am assuming you are, and that you probably have questions in your head such as “What is happening?”, “Is Pluto going to explode?”, “Where is Pluto going?”, Well, I can tell you one thing now. Pluto is not actually going away, it’s just being reclassified! I was going to say “Bye bye Pluto the planet, and hello to Pluto the dwarf planet.”

Huh, a dwarf planet? What in the world is a dwarf planet? Well, I’ll tell you later. It all started with the meeting at the International Astronomical Union in Prague, Czech Republic. Several hundred astronomers attended that meeting. These astronomers were trying to get the perfect definition of a planet. Catherine Pilachowski, the Daniel Kirkwood Chair in Astronomy at Indiana University, was one of those who attended the IAU meeting in Prague. She described that it was discouraging at first. There were some people who wanted to concentrate on the structure of a celestial object, or its shape, while some wanted to emphasize its behavior, or how it moves and affects other objects. There was no way to reconcile them.

Things still didn’t go well after a couple of meetings. Pilachowski said that she was gloomy at the first meeting because the first draft was so flawed. She felt even worse after the strong arguments over the second draft, which was offered just two days before the end of the session. By then, she was losing hope. Then, her hope meter went up again, when the third draft was presented just a few hours later and the response was more positive. With this encouragement, a final result was concluded.

With the support of a number of astronomers, the new definition for a planet was made. According to the new definition, a planet must meet three criteria. The three criteria include that a planet must: orbit around the sun, have enough mass to be nearly round, and dominate its orbit. If you don’t know understand the third criteria, I can explain it to you. It means that the path of the planet’s orbit is cleared; there are barely any asteroids or comets in its path. You might already understand the first and second criteria, but I’ll explain them to you anyway. The second criteria means that the planet must be round, and the first one means that it must move around the sun. Because of this new definition, the term “dwarf planet” was made. A dwarf planet is a look alike planet, it has the two criteria of a planet, but lacks the third criterion. That is why Pluto got demoted. Other dwarf planets include 2003 UB313, which was discovered in 2005, Ceres,and probably other icy bodies in the Kuiper Belt beyond Neptune.

Some people would think that Pluto getting demoted is a good thing, but some think that is a bad thing. Why would some think that this bad? Some people might feel uncomfortable because of this sudden change. There might be people who thinks that Pluto gets no respect. Some disagree with the criteria. There are many reasons out there.

Why would some people think that this a good thing? The most important reason would probably be that there is one less planet to memorize. Many people would think that way, including our president, George W. Bush. Mr. Bush was relieved that there was one less planet to memorize. He admitted that being in a second grade classroom was his biggest fear because it is embarrassing to show that you don’t know something that someone who is younger than you knows, especially if you are the President. Bush also hopes that scientists will eliminate more information. I just can’t believe this, but of course, he does have a point.

Still a little confused? ‘Don’t know if there are more changes? So far, the only thing that changed was Pluto. The solar system includes four small rocky planets and four large gas planets. The four small rocky planets include Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars. The four large gas planets are Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.

Do you still remember “My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizzas?” This was one of the phrases that help you remember the nine planets. Well, I guess this won’t be useful anymore. New phrases should be made. Here’s one, “My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nachos.” Now I guess it is time to say bye bye. Wait! I just have one last thing to say. Things in the world change everyday. This article may or may not be useful anymore, but maybe we are really going to say “bye bye” to Pluto. You never know.

TECHNOLOGY PAGE

PS3 and Nintendo WII

by Dwane Camp

The PS3 will be released this November, and will come out in two versions, the 20GB and the 60GB. The only difference is the 60GB is $600.00 and the 20GB is $500.00. Unfortunately, there are only going to be 4,000 available due to a chip shortage in Japan. Don`t get all angry Sony is planning on selling at least 1.2 million by the end of 2006. The PS3 is going to come with; Bluetooth technology, a cell network, wireless controllers, and DVI cords.

Here are some of the games that are available for thePS3: Half Life2, GranTurismo5, NBA Live07, FinalFantasy13, and Need For Speed Carbon, But don't worry Madden gamers, Madden07 will be remade for PS3. You can also play PS1 and PS2 games on the new PS3. Another great thing that Sony is doing, is that they are planning to keep the PS2 until about late 2008, so you can still get games for your PS2. Another great consol that is hitting the stores is the Nintendo Wii. It is going to come with a control the size of your regular television remote control. Did I mention that the price is going to be $250.00? You can also connect wirelessly to your computer and your DS through WI FI connection. You can also play your GBA games on the new Nintendo Wii. Here are a couple of games that will be for the Wii: GranTurismo 5, NBA Live07, BackyardBaseball07 and NHL07.

Games are So Expensive!!

By Chris Hernandez

Are you one of those kids who want a PS3 or an Xbox360 but you can’t afford one? I am one of those kids too. The problem is I really want one but I can`t afford one, and I know there are thousands of kids just like me. I really feel that Sony and Microsoft should lower their price if they want more kids like you and me to enjoy their product. Another problem is that the companies have to earn enough money so they can keep building their product. Unfortunately this puts everybody into a sour mood, but nobody seems to be doing anything about it. Here are some options: you can always wait and buy a used system for less, rent one, play at a friend’s house, or write letters of protest to these companies. You can either fight the power or pay $200.00 more than you should. The choice is yours.

Popular Video Game:

by: Julian Tomescu

There is a popular video game coming out for the Playstation 2, Xbox, Xbox 360, PC, and the PSP. The popular game that is coming out November 14, 2006 is THQ WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2007. In the past, the WWE has made great progress with there games, and now its time to take the WWE game series to the max. WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2007 includes, General Manager Mode and a lot of great features. This game is rated T for Teen, and should be played by the ages 12 and up. If you want to take you’re wrestling gaming skills to the max, than make sure to get WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2007 in any game store near you!

Can Xbox360 compete?

Well, some people say that the PS3 will beat the 360 and the Wii, but I say that the 360 will still be triumphant over the Wii and the PS3. You don't have to take my word for it, you always have a choice whether you want a PS3 or an Xbox360 the choice is always yours, so make your choice and have fun.

Kingdom Hearts 2 Review
By Chris Hernandez

Hey! I am here to review Kingdom Hearts 2 for the PS2. Well, first of all you play as a boy named Sora, aged 15, and your partners throughout the game are Donald Duck and Goofy. You might know them from Disney movies.

The story is all about a boy trying to find his friends Riku, who is Sora’s best friend, and Kairi, a girl who Sora likes but never says it. The game is fun but you can get pretty much through the whole game by pressing the X button. So throughout the game you will encounter Disney heroes and villains and you will travel to amazing worlds.

The weapon in the game includes Sora as the key blade. You will get more key blades throughout the game. And in some worlds, you will be able to partner up with Disney characters. In some battles, it will show a triangle on the screen and if you press it, you can do a cool move (most of the time).

I think the dumbest part of the game is playing with the Gummi Ship because it’s a waste of time, but you have to do it if you want to beat the game and travel to new worlds. Overall, the game is great so I give it an 8.9 out of 10. If you have a chance to play the game, you should. It’s really fun!

Aries (March 21-April 20) The Ram
Partnership matters occupy most of your time and energy this month. Just when you think October is all about negotiating, compromising, and perhaps even kissing up, however, something truly miraculous happens. A personal project or matter reaches a head, and life picks up speed. You are likely to get the support you need this month. The 20-26th is a power period for you when you could meet a special friend or enjoy a meeting of minds with your significant other. The power of compromise is what works wonders for you this month.

Taurus (April 20 – May 20) The Bull
Homework, homework, and more homework are on the agenda this month. But after the long hours, you can find some time to play. Friendships heat up, and a coming together occurs from the 18-20. A friend could be seeking a more solid or permanent relationship. You may commit to helping a loved one both financially or emotionally. Getting organized in school is ultimately satisfying. The 10-14 is a power period when recognition, free time, or a day off can put a feather in your cap.

Gemini (May 21-June 21) The Twins
This promises to be one of the most pleasurable months of the year--a period when having a grand old time comes easy. Self-discipline may be lacking, but you deserve to let your hair down and express yourself both creatively and spontaneously. Fortunately, a friend is on the same page and is feeling especially social. Less spoiled matters enter the picture in the last week of the month, when a commitment may be required, and it could come at a price. It’s nose to the grindstone time.

Cancer (June 22-July 23) The Crab
Issues surrounding family and school capture most of your attention this month. A chance may be hard to refuse around the 7th or the future matter reaches a head. Mid-month, a significant other does especially well, and this strengthens your own mood. The best news comes in the last week of the month, when you can enjoy wonderful things in your personal life. Your creativity peaks, and it’s time to express yourself without any fear of coming across poorly.

Leo (July 24-August 22) The Lion
You are especially charming when you express your thoughts and ideas, and are willing to discuss virtually everything under the sun. A travel or education matter culminates around the 7th. An intimate conversation opens doors in a close partnership on the 9-10. Love can be found very close to home, perhaps even in the neighborhood. Reasonable speculation could pay off mid-month, and you may be called upon to make an important decision that affects family life around the 26th.

Virgo (August 23 – September 22) The Virgin
Creativity is what October is about. Ideas you have been toying with for some time not only look realistic now, they are also productive. A personal affair comes through around the 7th, and you could realize some solid and satisfying decisions the last week of the month. This is a period when getting money matters organized and moving forward works best. Watch for hiccups on the run on the 22-25, when someone could take offence at your off-the-cuff remark.

Libra (September 23-October 22) The Scales
Demonstrating the perfect balance of self-assertion and cooperation, this is one of your most charming--and even productive--months in a long time. There’s nothing you can’t attract if you want it enough. Romantic opportunities abound. A partner has something surprising to tell you around the 7th, or a relationship matter comes to fruition. This may very well be a dream come true. You can assert your needs with such grace that others have no idea that they are even being pushed. Others appreciate your initiative and your pioneering spirit.

Scorpio (Oct 23 – Nov 22) The Scorpion
The first three weeks of the month are mostly quiet, but much is brewing beneath the surface. Your dreams are especially vivid, revealing, and perhaps even prophetic. You could be finalizing projects or chapters in your life that have run their natural course. An important health or school matter grabs your attention around the 7th. By the last week of October, you’re coming out of your shell with charm, panache, and sizzle. Partnership matters soar. You are on the same page with an existing partner, or starting with a whole new routine.

Sagittarius (November 23-December 21) The Archer
A pleasantly busy agenda keeps you on the move and in social demands most of the month. Friends need your attention, and you are happy to lend a hand. A romantic matter blossoms around the 7th. More serious issues crop up by the 22nd, when you may need to close a deal or finalize an important project for school. The need to negotiate and compromise with a partner could put a damper on the fun, but is necessary in order for you to move forward with a lighter load.

Capricorn (December 20-January 19) The Goat
Demonstrating exactly how competent and responsible you really are is something that comes quite naturally to you. This month, you’re in the position to prove your worth, and you’re coming across with especial optimism and confidence, even if part of you privately worries about your performance. A property or family matter reaches fruition early month. Although challenges and stress could be part of the picture, tremendous opportunities--based on past and present performance--present themselves mid-month, and it’s up to you to seize them.

Aquarius (January 20 – February 18) The Water Bearer
A big case of wanderlust takes hold of you this month. Day-to-day details simply don’t turn your crank. Before you set your sights on bigger and better horizons, however, do make sure that the important matters, including your own, are taken care of. If you’re looking for love, you’re more apt to find it in completely unexplored territory. If you can schedule a trip, this could be the best time of the year to do so. If practical matters keep you close by, however, make sure you’re not a couch potato. Get out and explore.

Pisces (February 19-March 20) The Fish
Time spent getting in touch with your deepest needs and desires, and perhaps ridding yourself of bad habits, is time very well spent this month. Intimate and deeply personal matters capture your attention. It’s a strong period for research of any kind, intimately connecting with loved ones, and self-improvement programs. By the last week of the month, however, the rest of the world seems to play in your style. A taste for the exotic and wild imagining grabs hold. Opportunities to break out of your normal routine abound and excite.

BANNED B BOOKS?

Did you know that there is a whole week during September, dedicated to censorship and how it can best be combated? Censorship issues are a very hot topic, especially in a country like America, where freedom of speech is one of our Constitutional rights. In many places, certain books are placed on the “BANNED BOOKS” list, so that certain schools will not carry these books. And it’s not because they’re outdated or in bad condition. It’s because of the topic and content of

the books. In some schools, a whole course is offered, called “Banned Books”, where students use their literary analysis skills to analyze why certain books get pulled from the shelf.

It’s only offered at the college level, so we have a way to go before we can enroll. But it’s never to soon to start critically thinking about books and which ones are “acceptable” and which ones are not.

STEVE IRWIN,

Crocodile Hunter

By: Monika Murillo

Crikey! Bet you’ve heard that before. You got it right! It was Steve Irwin’s most catchy word. On September 4, 2006 the famous Steve Irwin was sadly taken away from us. While doing a documentary in Queensland coast, he was stung by a sting ray. He got stung in the heart and it made a hole all the way through. Steve’s parents opened a reptile and wildlife preserve in Australia in 1970. Then twenty years later, he took over the Australia Zoo when his parents retired. With the zoo, he started a new show. His show started in 1992 in Australia.

Most of the adventures started with stunts with alligators and crocodiles. He would tease them and ride on their backs. With his “Crocodile Hunter” T.V. show, he reached about 200 million people. Many times he would perform stunts with his family. He really was a risk taker and worked with a lot if animals so it was sort of ironic that he died that way. We have had a great loss. He was only forty-four and leaves a wife and two young daughters behind, plus millions of fans.

Bindi Irwin Stars In Wildlife Series

by Savannah Kuang

Bindi Irwin, daughter of Australian environmentalist and television personality Steve Irwin, reads a eulogy she wrote for her father at Australia Zoo in Beerwah, September 20, 2006. Irwin, known as the "Crocodile Hunter", was killed on September 4 by a stingray barb during a diving expedition on the Great Barrier Reef.

Steve Irwin's little girl won the hearts of a nation and gave her grieving family hope for the future when she spoke at her father's memorial service today.

Eight-year-old Bindi Irwin told a worldwide television audience of hundreds of millions of people: "I have the best Daddy in the whole world and I will miss him every day."

And she made it clear it's her ambition to follow in the footsteps of the Crocodile Hunter, declaring: "I don't want Daddy's passion to ever end. "I want to help endangered wildlife just like he did." More than 5,000 people filled the Crocoseum at Australia Zoo to farewell the TV naturalist, killed on September 4 by a stingray barb to the heart.

The TV showman, 44, died on the Great Barrier Reef while gathering footage for Bindi's upcoming wildlife documentary series. It was his daughter who shone out today from among a host of Hollywood stars, musicians, conservationists and politicians, as tributes poured in from around the world for Irwin.

As her mother Terri and little brother Bob, two, looked on, Bindi strode to a stage in front of a photo of her father and confidently delivered a eulogy she had penned herself. "My Daddy was my hero – he was always there for me when I needed him," she said, tracing the words on the paper with a finger.

"He listened to me and taught me so many things but most of all he was fun.” "When I see a crocodile I will always think of him and I know that Daddy made this zoo so everyone could come and learn to love all the animals. "Daddy made this place his whole life and now it's our turn to help Daddy."

The thousands of Irwin fans erupted into a standing ovation for the little girl and after the hour-long service, Bindi's grandfather Bob Irwin and her father's close friend, Wes Mannion, said her father would have been proud of her. "He would have been going `yeah, you little beauty darling'," said Mannion, Australia Zoo's director. Bob Irwin said Bindi could follow in her father's footsteps as a TV wildlife warrior. "I think she will be, yes," he said.

Those who attended the Crocoseum and hundreds of millions of TV viewers worldwide were urged by actor Russell Crowe to remember Steve Irwin in a joyful, not mournful, way. Many cried, but at times there was cheering and applause during the service. Among the VIP guests was an empty seat which bore Steve Irwin's favorite Australia Zoo hat. Next to it was a teary Terri, who sat with toddler son Bob on her lap, too upset to speak.

The event began and ended with videotaped messages from Mr. Irwin's friend Russell Crowe, speaking from New York.

"We have all lost a friend we have lost a champion and we are going to take some time to adjust to that," he said. Prime Minister John Howard paid tribute to a genuine and authentic Australian who loved his family and his country.

"And as we share this celebration and we honour this life can I say to you Terri, and the rest of your family, there are 20 million pairs of Australian arms reaching out to embrace you this morning."

Bob Irwin senior choked back tears as he briefly thanked well-wishers for their letters and gifts on behalf of the family, including Steve's sisters Mandy and Joy. "Please don't grieve for Steve – he's at peace now," he said.

"But I would like you to grieve for the animals – the animals have lost the best friend they ever had, and so have I." Stars including Cameron Diaz, Justin Timberlake, Hugh Jackman, Kevin Costner and American talk show host Larry King paid tribute in video presentations.

"Every kid was in love with the idea of being able to be him," Ms Diaz said. Hugh Jackman said everyone should become a wildlife warrior like Steve. "Whether it's for the wilderness, whether it's for the animals, his family, whether it's for just the planet, or just life in itself, Steve showed us that we can live like warriors, and we can make the world a better place," he said.

The crowd was shown amusing footage of Irwin falling out of boats, getting bitten by crocodiles and lizards, messing up his lines and being chased by cassowaries. They were also shown clips of his journey "from the outback to Hollywood" and footage of him speaking about the death of his mother Lyn in a road crash in 2000. Introducing footage of Steve Irwin, producer John Stainton said his best mate was "a true, fair dinkum Aussie".

"Today I want to share with you the way he changed my life forever," he said. "From the time we first met we clicked. The khaki-clad wildlife warrior and the city slicker became the best of friends over 20 odd years, and they were odd."

Australian country music star John Williamson sang True Blue, the Crocodile Hunter's favorite song, twice during the event, tweaking the lyrics for the finale.

"True blue, is it me and you... is it Steve Irwin too?" Williamson sang, as Irwin's truck, packed with his surfboard, bedroll and equipment, was driven away by crocodile keeper Brian Coulter. Nearby, yellow flowers laid on the ground spelt out "Crikey".

Hey, everybody, we’re back with another edition of Aphrodite. The summer went by so quickly and here we are at school again. I hope our advice comes in handy!

Dear Aphrodite,

I used to go out with this boy, right? But I broke up with him for some reason. And 4 months later, I still like him and have feelings for him. I’m trying to get over him but it’s not that easy. Every time I think about him, it makes me sad. I don’t think I want it to be like that anymore. What should I do?

Sincerely,

You’ll Never Know Who This Is

Dear You’ll Never Know Who This Is,

You need to remember why you broke up with him in the first place. Make a list of what you do want in a boyfriend and really notice if he had all those things. Getting over somebody is never easy, but if you really have feelings for him, you should tell him and see his reaction. If he doesn’t care, he’s not worth it.

Holla at Cha Girl,

Aphrodite

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Dear Aphrodite,

I have a boyfriend, and girls are always flirting with him, and he flirts back. It seems like he can’t talk without flirting. He says he’s just talking to them, but I know what flirting is. What should I do?

-Fed Up

Dear Fed Up,

If it bothers you that much, then maybe your relationship isn’t worth the head aches. You can find another guy who feels the same way you do about exclusivity. Leave that guy for a flirty girl, who can give him back a taste of his own medicine. You deserve better, and I bet you’ll find it.

Your friend,

Aphrodite

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Dear Aphrodite:

I like this boy, but I don’t know how he feels about me. I want to tell him before the Halloween dance that I like him, but I don’t know what his reaction will be. Should I tell him, or not?

Nervous

Dear Nervous

Maybe this boy you like has the same feelings about you. If you truly do like him, see how he acts around you, around other students. Then you’ll know whether you should wait until the dance to tell him. Maybe he’ll like you for being so honest and up front. Don’t lay it on too heavy though. Give it as a compliment, you know, “I think you’re cute” or something like that. Too much too soon can make a person feel sketchy.

XOXO,

Aphrodite

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Dear Aphrodite:

My parents are making my life miserable. I bring home a “B” paper and they’re like, “oh, we know you can do better. No computers for now, until you get an ‘A’!“ Nothing’s good enough. They compare me to my older sister, which isn’t fair. She had different classes, different teachers. AND!!! She is a different person than me. It feels horrible, but I know they think they’re encouraging me. What’s a girl to do?

Overwhelmed

Dear Overwhelmed:

I totally understand the feeling. Parents have such high expectations of us, and sometimes I feel like they just don’t know how much stress we have on us. They don’t know what it’s like to come running in to class, so relieved you made it on time, and then you realize you brought the wrong book. One harsh look from a teacher, your friends whispering, can just bum out the whole morning. Six classes, six homework assignments, notes to bring home, yearbooks to buy, student ID cards, appointments, lunch, sports, the hallways. OMG, you’re’ right. They don’t understand. If it’s hard for you to talk to them, maybe consider writing them a letter. Don’t be judgmental and blaming, just keep writing down how it makes you feel and that you wish they would relax and accept you.

Good luck with the parents,

Aphrodite

I’m sorry if we couldn’t put all of your letters in this issue. But remember, there’s always next issue to look forward to!

Movie Reviews

by Silvia Hernandez

Thinking about watching a

movie lately? Why not watch

the “GRID IRON GANG” ? It

Stars Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. It’s a drama about a football team at a Los Angeles juvenile detention center. It took in an estimated $15 million in ticket sales to claim the top spot for the weekend, so it must be pretty good. The debut gave distributor, Sony, its 10^th top opener this year, setting an all time industry record! It’s also PG-13, so you can watch it with your friends.

The Rock plays a probation officer who inspires a bunch of young offenders to achieve higher goals. You don’t really have to like football to watch it. All kinds of people can enjoy it!

Another great movie that came out the last weekend of September is “The Guardian”, starring Ashton Kutcher. He plays a rescue diver.

After losing his crew in a fatal crash, legendary Rescue Swimmer Ben Randall is sent to teach at "A" School, an elite training program for Coast Guard Rescue Swimmers. Wrestling with the loss of his crew members, he throws himself into teaching. While there, he encounters a young, cocky swim champ, Jake Fischer, who is driven to be the best. During training, Randall helps mold Jake’s character, combining his raw talent with the heart and dedication required of a Rescue Swimmer. Upon graduation, Jake follows Randall to Alaska where they face the inherent dangers of the Bering Sea. In his initial solo rescue, Jake learns firsthand from Randall the true meaning of heroism and sacrifice.

SHOE SURVEY

by Indra Enkhbayar

We asked around school, and determined the most popular shoes worn are Nikes! What shoes do you want to wear most?

Fashion Article

By Silvia Hernandez

Here are some fashion tips about what to wear this school year. Lately, capris and knee high shorts have been really popular and they’re cute for when it’s a hot sunny day outside, but you may wonder “what should I wear when it’s freezing outside?”

Well, wearing some cute sweaters and fur coats are really convenient for when it’s cold especially because we live in San Francisco and the avenues can tend to be colder than downtown sometimes. I think a lot of young people feel that if one cool kid wears something, even if they don’t really like it, they’ll still wear it because they think it’s cool. My advice is to be yourself. Even when you’re dressing the way you want and like, you can still look cute.

Book Reviews

The End is Here

by Joann Kuang

Ahh....The End is here. Everybody gather your money, your bags, anything and get out. Run! Run! Run! To where? To the bookstore, of course! . Why? The last and final tragedy of the Lemony Snicket series is finally here. Book number thirteen ,called The End, is coming out on October 13, 2006. It is the perfect timing for a book like this to come out on the day that is believed to be “bad luck.”

If you are one of those people who don’t know about A Series of the Unfortunate Events, then you should read this summary before moving on to the next paragraph. If you do know, then you may skip to the next paragraph. First, I like to let you know that the author of this book, Lemony Snicket, is actually Daniel Handler. This series is very long, so in order to make this simple, I’ll just tell you the basic information. The main characters are Violet Baudelaire, Klaus Baudelaire, Sunny Baudelaire, and Count Olaf. The Baudelaire kids are orphans, who are also the good guys. Count Olaf is the bad guy. Basically, the whole series is about Count Olaf trying to get his hand on the Baudelaires’ fortune. He has tried many ways to accomplish his goal. While trying to stop Count Olaf, the Baudelaires also have to try and solve the mysteries that await them.

For all of those A Series of the Unfortunate Events fans out there, you probably already have read The Penultimate Peril. As you know, in The Penultimate Peril we left off on the part about Count Olaf and the Baudelaires on a boat, trying to get away from the burning Hotel Denouement. The End is the next volume, so it starts from that point. The book starts with them being on a boat the size of a large bed, and is far away from the burning Hotel Denouement. Count Olaf was bragging about the burning Hotel, and that he has finally destroyed V.F.D. once and for all. Olaf also says that the Baudelaires are now in his clutches. However, Violet doesn’t bother pointing out that they are all alone in the middle of an ocean and it would be just as wise to say that he is in their clutches as it would to say they were in his. What happens next? Well, see for yourself in the book. Here is something about the last. Daniel Handler confirmed in an audio interview that the last word of the book is “Beatrice.”

Want to get a book, but don’t know how it looks like, or where to get it at a cheaper price. Then, you have come to the right place. I recommend you to try Costco, or you can search in the internet The artistic cover of The End depicts the three Baudelaires in shallow water, in their ruined damp concierge clothes, with what seems to be the remains of a boat or various flotsam and jetsam behind them. At the bottom of the picture are possibly the feet of Count Olaf. One of the person’s shoes is missing, and a V.F.D. tattoo was visible on the ankle. The background has clouds that have been speculating to be smoke from a fire, but they do not match previous illustrations of fire or clouds. This suggests that they are perfectly ordinary. The border around this creative picture is olive green with 74 red apples and their leaves still attached. Usually when searching for a book, the spine is really helpful. To make life easier, I can let you know that the spine color for the U.S. edition is Sandy Brown. The back is also very interesting too. Many people usually read the back before reading the book, so here is a head start for you. According to the Harper Collins website, the following is the back cover letter:

Dear Reader,

You are presumably looking at the back of this book, or the end of the end. The end of the end is the best place to begin the end, because if you read the end from the beginning of the beginning of the end to the end of the end of the end, you will arrive at the end of the end of your rope. This book is the last in A Series of Unfortunate Events, and even if you braved the previous twelve volumes, you probably can’t stand such unpleasantries as a fearsome storm, a suspicious beverage, a herd of wild sheep, an enormous bird cage, and truly haunting secret about the Baudelarie parents. It has been my solemn occupation to complete the history of the Baudelaire orphans, and at last I am finished. You likely have some other occupation, so if I were you I would drop this book at once, so the end does not finish you.

With all due respect,

Lemony Snicket

At last, is now my turn to say “The End.”

America’s Top Artist : Justin Timberlake

By Savannah Kuang

On the heels of "SexyBack" becoming his first solo Hot 100 chart-topper, the homecoming Musketeer capped a banner month by moving nearly 685,000 copies of his sophomore album, FutureSex/LoveSounds, according to Nielsen SoundScan figures for the week ending Sunday.

That marks the biggest sales week of Timberlake's solo career, the biggest sales week of the year by a solo artist and the second-biggest debut of 2006, behind only Rascal Flatts' 722,000-copy first week for Me & My Gang.

Timberlake's new album, which helped bounce Beyonce's B'Day down two spots to number three (161,000), also went number one in the U.K., Canada, Ireland, Australia and Singapore, and opened Top 5 in Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Holland, France, Denmark and Hong Kong. FutureSex/LoveSounds also set the record as the iTunes Store's biggest pre-order album ever and as the biggest selling digital album ever, with nearly 67,000 copies sold to be downloaded.

As a member of 'N Sync, Timberlake claimed the all-time biggest sales week, with 2000's No Strings Attached moving 2.4 million copies; its follow-up, 2001's Celebrity, moved 1.9 million first-week in second place. Timberlake's inaugural solo offering, 2002's Justified, debuted at number two with 439,000 in sales before going on to sell 3 million copies in the U.S. and winning two Grammys, though no competition for the top spot, John Mayer's Continuum still made a strong showing, selling nearly 300,000 copies at number two. His previous studio album, 2003's Heavier Things, debuted at number one with slightly higher sales, 316,000 copies, while his 2001 debut, Room for Squares, was a great hit that didn't chart initially. Both albums went multiplatinum and earned Mayer a total of three Grammys. With his first studio album in 11 years, old time rock 'n' roller, Bob Seger sold 151,000 copies of Face the Promise to debut at four with a (silver) bullet. The Motor City rocker made a national TV performance last week on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno backed by the Silver Bullet Band. Seger's resurgence comes on the heels of his 2004 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the consistent sales of his Greatest Hits collection, a Top 10 regular on the Pop Catalog charts with 616 consecutive weeks (and counting) and over 8 million copies sold.

Lionel Richie, one of the '80s biggest sellers, moved 75,000 copies of Coming Home to open at six--his first Top 10 debut in two decades. During his heyday, the former Commodore topped the album charts, the radio charts and even earned the Album of the Year Grammy for 1984's Can't Slow Down. Surprisingly, after the multiplatinum chart-topping success of 1986's Dancing on the Ceiling, Richie didn't release another studio album for 10 years and became better known among the younger set as being Nicole's dad. Aside from Richie's trademark smooth vocals, Coming Home benefits from some all-star help in the form of Jermaine Dupri and Dallas Austin.

The Mars Volta landed the fifth and final Top 10 bow as Amputechture sold 59,000 copies at nine. The disc, which features the Red Hot Chili Peppers' John Frusciante playing guitar on nearly every track, is the first album from the prog-rockers without an overarching storyline, instead containing a series of loosely connected vignettes.

Finally, Guns N' Roses' Greatest Hits remains the Energizer Bunny of the Billboard 200. The collection just celebrated two and a half years on the charts, easily the oldest album on the list. The disc, which spent the week at number 91, sold another 11,000 copies to bring its 30-month tally to nearly 3.2 million.

With so many new releases and Timberlake's enormous debut, album sales for the week--over 10 million total copies--are up 6 percent from last week and up nearly 1 percent from the same week in '05. Still, year-to-date sales are down 5 percent compared to this time last year.

Here's a rundown of the Top 10 albums:

1. FutureSex/LoveSounds, Justin Timberlake
2. Continuum, John Mayer
3. B'Day, Beyonce
4. Face the Promise, Bob Seger
5. Modern Times, Bob Dylan
6. Coming Home, Lionel Richie
7. Extreme Behavior, Hinder
8. Danity Kane, Danity Kane
9. Amputechture, The Mars Volta
10. All the Right Reasons, Nickelback

WORLD NEWS

9/11 Revisted!!!

by Simon Wu

After 5 years, 9/11 is back and people remember the tragedy that happened on this day. On this day, two hijacked planes crashed into the twin towers in New York City. Some people think it was just terrorists being commanded by their leader. Other people think it was part of the government’s plan, but when I researched this, there was no evidence that Osama Bin Laden had anything to do with this, and I personally think that the Government/Bush had something to do with this.because a few days or so after the attack, Bush sent people into Iraq, and when people asked him why he just said "The Iraqi leaders have weapon of mass destruction".

Hurricane Katrina!

Contributing writer, Henry Pan

On July 31, 2006, President Bush visited of the National Hurricane center (NHC), which maintains a continuous watch over the tropical cyclones over the Atlantic, Caribbean, and Gulf of Mexico. President Bush visited the scene of the storm and was devastated by the area and how much it was damaged. The hurricane was one of the costliest and deadliest hurricanes in U.S. history. By August 31, 2005, 80% of the city was flooded, and some parts were under 20 feet of water. As the city flooded, those who remained in their homes were swimming for their lives, and some were even trapped inside their houses.

One year after Hurricane Katrina, resident of the Gulf Coast remember the victims and survivors of the deadly storm that claimed the lives of approximately 1,600 people. Brad Pitt is using his star power to help out the Hurricane Katrina victims. He’s making plans with builders and architects to construct solar homes. These homes are designed to save money for the owner by cutting back on energy usage. The community they are building as a whole will be saving millions of dollars each year.

THE WORLDS OLDEST CHILD FOSSIL

“LUCY’S BABY”

by Gary Moore

“LUCYS BABY” the oldest child in the world was discovered in East Africa in a location known as the Cradle of Humanity. This 3.3 million year old toddler may even trump the super star fossil LUCY. LUCY is a 3.2 million year old adult female who was earlier discovered in 1974. This discovery reshaped the theories of human evolution. Some experts want to call the baby skeleton “LUCYS BABY” because of the proximity of the two discoveries, despite the fact that the baby fossil is tens of thousands of years older than Lucy’s skeletal remains. The child fossil might have been a female and about three years old when she died, according to researchers. The remains were found in sandstone in the Dikika area. The remains include a preserved skull, milk teeth, tiny fingers, a torso, a foot, and a kneecap no bigger than a dried pea. Archaeologists hope that the baby skeleton, because of its completeness, will provide a wealth of details that LUCY and other fossils couldn’t. The age of the fossils death makes the find especially useful, scientist say, because the Dikika child is much more complete then LUCY.

AROUND SCHOOL

Poster Competition

Alex Kozakiewicz

This year’s poster competition is about Presidio Middle School’s rules: If you didn’t know before, you can now read about no liquids in the hall, no gum chewing or any other type of food, and staying to the right in the halls. We would like to thank Ms. Lewis’s 3^rd period art class for making the posters for the school. All the posters were so brilliantly done and are posted around the school. It looks like the students put a lot of effort into the posters. We asked one of our fellow students about the posters and he said “The posters were so cool that I wanted to make one for my self”. We hope all of the kids in the school will

obey them.

PMS YEARBOOK SALES !!!

Hey, if you didn’t already know, yearbooks are on sale now for the entire school, teachers and students. They’re $30, and they’re worth it!

This year’s yearbook will be better than ever before. New pages, more color pages, special features! You’ve gotta get one! You’ll regret it at the end of the year, when they all sell out. Pre-order yours now, during your homeroom!

Most other schools charge much more for their yearbooks. We are able to keep our costs down because the yearbook students do so much of the work themselves. You may see Yearbook students around school, with a camera and a notepad. Maybe they’ve already visited your class? Cheers for the hard work, Yearbook class! And a special thanks to Mr. Gortney for making sure our yearbook comes out looking so tight, year after year!

WHAT’S GOING ON IN DRAMA?????

by Journalism staff

Drama class is taught by Ms. Lewis! She has a full schedule this year. Choral tryouts happened late September, for the upcoming production. The first production was an Opera on October 25^th!!!! It’s amazing to think that students can sing that well this early in their singing careers!!!

After that, the DRAMA FEST is in January. We will have a guest artist visit Presidio in January also. In March, the drama students will perform “ALICE”, and then gear up again for another DRAMA FEST on May 28^th. It’s a heavy load, but we are talented, and ready for the challenge.

OPERA a la Carte

On Wednesday, November 1^st, the 1^st period Drama class will be performing “The Barber of Seville”. In case you don’t know about this opera,, “The Barber of Seville” is a two act comic opera about a Count in Seville, Spain, who goes to great trouble to woo “Rosina” and after much comedy and confusion, marries her in the end.

ROLES:

Rosina, Bartolo's ward (mezzo soprano)

Doctor Bartolo, Rosina's guardian (bass)

Count Almaviva, a local nobleman. (tenor)

Figaro, the Barber of Seville (baritone)

Fiorello, the Count's servant

Basilio, Bartolo's accomplice, a music teacher (bass)

Berta (Marcellina), servant to Doctor Bartolo (soprano)

Ambrogio, servant to Doctor Bartolo (silent)

STUDENTS STUDY THE WORLD!!!!!!

And speaking of school rules, these students clearly know how to follow the rules in class! These sixth graders raise their hand to answer Ms. Leong, in their Social Studies class, 2^nd period.

EARTHQUAKE DRILL!!!!!!!

A little over a week ago, our entire school district participated in a DUCK, COVER and HOLD drill, Tuesday, October 17, at 10:20 a.m. Did you remember to duck under your desk and cover your head? Did you hold on to a sturdy object? Did you stay there until the drill was over? Research shows that people who practice what to do in an emergency stay a lot calmer and safer in the event of a real emergency. Try to organize a drill in your home. It could make a big difference some day!

CARWASH TOMORROW, SATURDAY 10/28

Come support Presidio’s Music Department. Get everyone you know to bring their dirty cars to Presidio Middle School this Saturday, October 28, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Students will be here washing cars all day long. Proceeds go to help the Music Department. Pass the word! See you there!

GRADE LEVEL ELECTIONS!

On Thursday, October 26^th, all PMS students had the opportunity to vote for the President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary for their grade. Candidates have been campaigning for weeks! Their posters are all over the hallways! It’s so inspiring to see students step forward and accept the responsibility of making our school even better, through their leadership and efforts. Seventh graders attended an assembly during 1^st period, Eighthgraders attended during 2^nd period, and Sixth graders attended during third period. Counting the votes took a considerable amount of time, and then the winners were announced!

This newspaper was already assembled before the winning candidates were announced, but “Congratulations” to everyone who campaigned and ran for office. You all wrote and delivered great speeches, and we are proud of every single one of you Paw Prints will write more about student leadership in upcoming editions. Again, Congratulations to all of you!

Halloween Dance at PMS

by Savannah Kuang

The Halloween Dance was a blast!!! It was held on October 25^th. ! The dance contained a lot of new decorations in the Halloween theme. DJ Rex spun the music and students from all grades came out to boogie, some in costume, some in regular clothes. They gave out CD’s to the winners of the dance contests. This year's Halloween Dance was cool!!! Some of the songs were the best top songs in the USA, and some of them were requests. A BIG thank you to the teachers and parents who volunteered!

Just remember for Halloween Day, you can wear a costume to the dance, but make sure that it's appropriate and nonviolent. If you're not sure about it, please ask a teacher or the vice principal, Miss Morgan.. Any more questions? Ask one of the counseling staff team or the office.

POETS OF THE MONTH

Presidio Middle School is just so full of talent! We have athletes, and scholars, budding scientists and mathematicians, political leaders, artists, dancers and singers, actors, and photographers, and even poets and writers. We wanted to create a space to give them a little play, and some props for being brave enough to show the world their work, their masterpieces. We think you deserve the spotlight! We invite you to submit your work, through your teachers, or directly to Paw Prints. All original work will be returned after publication.

We received beautiful poems from Ms. Gold’s 4^th period, 8^th grade Language Arts class, and asked permission to reprint some of them here.

Name Poem

By Emma Williams-Baron

My name is Fragile, a crystal bowl among tap dancers. Yesterday, it was possible to see my name of then, Truth, through the curved clearness, but now that crystal is misted from the fog of a moor at dawn.

Echoing across the moor is my name of today, the repetition of words spoken.

A lone tree stretches to the sky, yearning to reply to the echo that is my name, its shadow mimicking as did my name. Shadow will be my name, in the time to come. Hidden in the depths of Shadow is my secret name, Wonder.

Nightingale bursts from the shaded branches, its beak hurling my name and what it once was to the world: joy, joy, joy!

At the witching hour of 12, when the beat of the birds’ wings log has been stilled, my name is lost. In dream, I am Nameless. Forsaken is who a grieving mother whispers for, calling for the daughter she lost. And in the universe parallel, this girl lives on as Grace and Beauty. But Light my name has never been, fading from the lips and mind of a mother all alone under a nightingale speeding towards a nest, perched on a tree, on a moor in the mist at dawn.

With the passing of time, my name may become Saved.

Life In My Shoes

By Samuel Fung

It was the start of a brand new day.

I could feel the rays of sunshine shining down on me.

Here came my owner, walking confidently toward me.

I was ready to start the day with him.

He put his feet in me.

I could feel his weight pressing down on me.

He laced me up, and we were ready to go.

Today was going to be a good day.

Everywhere he went, I went.

We did everything together.

I saw everything he saw.

It was like we were attached.

Alas, every good day must have an end.

At the end of the day, he took me off and set me aside.

I was alone, cold and lonely,

And there was nothing I could do.

For I am nothing but a running shoe.

Ode to Music

by Elise-Broteur-Jacob

The velvety blare of the bass and the flare drum,

The smooth rhythm of the guitarist and religious hymns. It comes to me in so many ways.

Like a baby bird chirping

in the misty gray haze of dawn.

You heal my wounds and soothe my troubles

with the screaming of the singer, to the conducting of the treble cleft.

Blaring through my speakers, leaking from my stereo

A sticky mess of notes on the ground

Joy of my world and light of my life

Carriage of your winding lyrics

giving me a symphony of sound

My mind, it sings of the songs since gone

Remembering your pattern of stops and go’s

Ups and downs, highs and lows.

Music.

Without you, I’m nothing

Trapped in a dark world of cold

Like an ever lasting sorrow

and everything’s dimmed down.

Do not stop singing

Never stop playing

Keep me happy, trapped in your velvety blue.

Dog’s Perspective

by Sabrina Seto

She’s finally home!

The day’s been so boring

But she was on the phone,

All day, I was just snoring.

She got off the phone

And came to play with me

After, she went to get an ice cream cone

Some fell, and I licked it off her knee

Soon, it was time to go to bed

She was running her hand through my fur

She grabbed a book and read

I looked in the book with her

And we both fell asleep.

TEACHER INTERVIEWS

Teachers, Teachers, Teachers!

By: Monika Murillo, Judy Tang, and Joann Kuang

We have decided to interview some teachers to have you guys know them better. We have interviewed Mr. Sedrakian, Ms. Karsant, and Ms. Ruiz.

First we interviewed Mr.Sedrakian, the Math and Algebra teacher in Room 309.

Monika, Judy, & Joann: Where were you born?

Mr. Sedrakian: Oakland, California.

MJJ: What middle school did you go to?

Mr. Sedrakian: Kit Carson JR. High in Sacramento

MJJ: How did you decide you wanted to be a teacher?

Mr. Sedrakian: In Academia. I was a graduate student in college and decided I wanted to teach instead of getting into the politics of academia.

MJJ: What do you like best about teaching?

Mr. Sedrakian: the “AAAH “ from when students finally figure something out.

MJJ: What is your way of teaching?

Mr. Sedrakian: I try to give the students examples of the correct method to do the problem and I put pressure on my students by calling on them in class.

MJJ: What characteristics do you think a role model student should have?

Mr. Sedrakian: He or she should have high expectations of themselves and be consistent in promoting those high expectations.

MJJ: How did you begin working at Presidio?

Mr. Sedrakian: I applied to the school district and they called me and I had a job interview here.

Next, we interviewed Mrs. Karsant, the Science teacher in Room 326.

MJJ: Where were you born?

Mrs. Karsant: San Francisco.

MJJ: What middle school did you go to?

Mrs. Karsant: Hoover Middle School.

MJJ: How did you start your career in Presidio?

Mrs. Karsant: I interviewed and came and thought “I’ve died and gone to heaven.” What a great place to be in!

MJJ: What do you think we should do in order to become even better?

Mrs. Karsant: We are the best, so we should keep doing it.

MJJ: What is your way of teaching?

Mrs. Karsant: Hands on.

MJJ: What is your idea of a role model student?

Mrs. Karsant: They shouldn’t have to be told what to do, take notes, look at the board, homework, and listen to the teacher.

MJJ: What do you like best about teaching?

Mrs. Karsant: The kids. They always keep me laughing.

Finally, we interviewed Ms. Ruiz, the Spanish and Language Arts teacher in Room 109.

MJJ: Where were you born?

Ms. Ruiz: I was born in Michigan.

MJJ: Why did you decide to be a teacher?

Ms. Ruiz: I had a lot of good teachers, so I thought about it.

MJJ: When did you come to Presidio?

Ms. Ruiz: I came 4 years ago because the prior Spanish teacher retired.

MJJ: What characteristics do you think a role model student should have?

Ms. Ruiz: I think that teachers and students have high expectations of themselves and must realize that to have a good future, you need to have an education.

MJJ: What is your style of teaching?

Ms. Ruiz: In Spanish, I like to have everyone speaking as fast as they can and communicating with each other.

MJJ: What do you like best about teaching?

Ms. Ruiz: I like being able to give students what they need for a good future.

So now you know three of the cool teachers in the best middle school in San Francisco.

MYSTERY TEACHER

by Alex Kozakiewicz

CAN YOU GUESS WHO THIS TEACHER IS?

HINTS:

1. This teacher went to High School in Petaluma.

2. This teacher has a dog.

3. This teacher was born in San Rafael, CA.

4. This teacher likes Chinese food.

5. This teacher likes to cook.

6. This teacher likes to draw.

7. This teacher plays tennis.

8. This teacher has no children.

9. This teacher hasn’t been a teacher their entire life.

10. This teacher has 2 sisters and 1 brother.

11. This teacher used to coach track.

12. This teacher participates in outdoor education.

13. This teacher teaches 8^th grade only.

14. This teacher loves Maui, Hawaii.

15. This teacher was in the air force.

FILL OUT THE ENTRY FORM BELOW TO WIN A $5 GIFT CERTIFICATE TO KFC !!

Random Drawing held on October 15^th!

My Name ______________________

Homeroom _____________________

Grade _____________

I think the Mystery Teacher is…..

_______________________________

Cut out and drop in box in main office

Introducing ’06-’07 Journalists

by Jefferson Phan

Hey everyone! Here’s the crew of ’06 and ’07 Journalism! We are working away daily, during second period, to bring you the most interesting stories and features we can every 6 weeks!

We all hope to do our best to impress you this year with our articles; contests, and pictures. We have five issues coming out this year, which just may be our best year yet, so let’s all read our great paper!!

Front Row: Helen Totterdell, Indra Enkhbayar, Savannah Kuang , Jefferson Phan

Middle Row: Simon Wu, Joann Kuang, Judy Tang, Silvia Hernandez, Bonita Hugh, Elisa Ho, Alex Kozakiewicz, Julian Tomescu

Last Row: Monika Murillo, Gabriella Ramirez, Chris Hernandez, Billy Guan, Dwane Camp, Gary Moore, Andy Chen

Journalism Teacher: Ms. Fairchild

MATH COUNTS

The Math Counts Club is a very popular club. It meets Wednesdays at lunchtime, in Mr. Sedrakian’s room, Room 309. Here are some photos of the club in action!

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Across

1. People wear these to Halloween parties
4. What children want (see 5 down)
7. A spirit that haunts a house
8. A small ugly fairy that plays tricks on people

Down

2. Halloween colors are black and ___
3. The bones of a body
5. The children say "___ or treat!" on Halloween
6. One Halloween party game is ___ for apples.

Halloween Wordsearch

Can you find the spooky words hidden in the grid belooooow?! The words hidden are listed at the bottom of the page. Happy Halloween!

HALLOWEEN WITCH WIZARD WARLOCK

HAUNTED HOUSE MASK OCTOBER DEMON

PUMPKIN GRAVE TRICK OR TREAT GHOST

OWL WEREWOLF MONSTER SPOOK

BAT