Student Content Creators
Allison Alder, Evalynn Andal, Lili Baldovinos, Elke Barlow, Chloie Biddle, Harper Bononcini, Olive Chelby, Paisley Douthwaite, Michael Eberhart, Quinn Fleming, Abiageal Frank, Natalia Garcia, Ava Henson, Ashley Hill, Elliot Holland-Neff, Trenton Kelly, Miah Littrell, Emily Malella, Olive Martinson, Adithya Rajendran, Evelyn Self, Bridger Thompson, Brooklyn Velasquez, Amelia Wooten, & Ellie Youngblood
Advisor/Editor
Mrs. C. Clark
509Teens Youth Group
Mrs. C. Clark
509Teens is a local youth program for teens ages 12-17 that provides a fun and inclusive space for teenagers to hang out, make new friends, and create unforgettable memories. They offer a variety of activities and events appealing to every interest and personality, including BBQs, bonfires, board game nights, and crafts.
Though the group has been actively proving these services for many years, they will now be operating in a new location. The new 509Teens Teen Center, located at 116 W 3rd Ave in downtown Ellensburg, will officially open on June 25.
All teens aged 12-17 are welcome to attend teen drop ins and 509Teens events. To ensure that everyone is able to participate, all events are always FREE, and all materials are provided for crafts, etc.
You can find more information on TikTok and Instagram at 509_teens, or at their website 509teens.com.
Field trip recaps
6th and 8th grades
Chloie Biddle
Both sixth and eighth graders had amazing times in Seattle for their field trips. The seventh-grade trip is coming up on June 6.
Eighth Grade Field Trip
Eighth-grade students explored downtown Seattle for the day. They went to Pike Place Market, went on a harbor cruise to discover the cool features of the city, and best of all, they took the Monorail to the Mariners game! The Mariners battled against the Toronto Blue Jays, losing 6-3, but the experience was awesome. Some eighth-grade girls, along with Mrs. Kellogg, received a ball directly twice from a star player, Julio Rodriquez. It was a great field trip to end middle school.
Harper Bononcini, an 8th grader, talks about her experience on the trip-
It was super fun and it was a unique and cool experience to receive the ball from Julio. i definitely recommend incoming 8th graders to go on the field trip. I rate it 8/10.
Seventh Grade Field Trip
Seventh-grade students have their field trip coming up on June 6. They are also going to Seattle, and they are so excited. Seventh-graders will be exploring Seattle and going on an underground tour to see the history of the city. They are also going to MoPop, the Museum of Pop Culture, and will be exploring the Seattle Center and seeing the Space Needle.
Allison Alder, a 7th grader, is looking forward to the upcoming trip-
“I am most excited about hanging out with my friends and exploring the city.”
Sixth Grade Field Trip
Sixth graders had their field trip on Thursday, May 22. They went to the Pacific Science Center in downtown Seattle, the Woodland Park Zoo, and Golden Gardens beach. The ended the night with games at a Seattle-area middle school. Many of them got their faces painted and saw a lot of cool animals at the zoo, but the highlight for most of the sixth graders was going to the beach, exploring, and playing in the sand and even in the water. The weather was perfect for the occasion and everything went very smoothly, with an overall great field trip to start off middle school.
Stephen Blum, a 6th-grader, shares about their time on the trip-
It was an amazing time and I hope that next year's sixth-graders won't hesitate to go on the trip.
Need Advice?
Ask Rocky the Bulldog!
Being a middle schooler can be difficult! You can be balancing everything from assignments and classes, life at home, to friendships, maybe newfound crushes and relationships, to extracurricular activities and sports, and everything in between!
I get it. I am a Morgan student too! That is why I am here to help you with all of the many questions you may have! ANONYMOUSLY share your problems, wonderings, and issues going on, and I will do what I can to help you!
All these questions were anonymously submitted by MMS students.
Dear Rocky,
I've been having a hard time with thinking I'll even be good at my classes next year. I'm an 8th grader but next year I'll be taking a really important AP class that has lots of writing involved and I’m worried I'll be bad at it. What should I do?
-Anonymous
Dear Anonymous,
AP classes can be intimidating, especially because some people make it out to be some epic thing to take as seriously as possible. While there’s some truth to that, as you really should take it seriously, it also shouldn't be something you struggle with over stress. If you are feeling overwhelmed about it, I would consider asking older kids about the class, and reaching out to the teacher beforehand. I’m sure whoever it is would be impressed if you did that. You might also benefit from getting to know the teacher before school starts! Good luck, you got this!
-Rocky
Dear Rocky,
I have this BEST friend that doesn't go to my school. I get to see her a lot for afterschool activities and on the weekends, but it's really hard for me because it doesn't feel like I have a close friend at Morgan to talk about the things that me and her talk about. What should I do?
-Anonymous
Dear Anonymous,
I totally understand your situation! Believe it or not, I’ve been in the same position. My first few days at Morgan, I talked to people but it wasn’t until a little later into the year that I found people I can trust and rely on. It’s really hard, especially when you feel like no one else will be able to match the other person you rely on outside of school. Even though it might feel wrong widening your circle, trust me when I say that there are people at Morgan who want to know YOU!
-Rocky
Dear Rocky,
My best friend and I mean BEST friend has a crush on this one boy and the thing is that she asked first if I liked him and I said no and I didn’t then, but then she told me she liked him and I was fine, but then I slowly started to like him. and I don't want to tell her and crush her but then again it feels like a burden to me like I’m lying to her and it's very hard not to. What should I do? I need help please.
-Anonymous
Dear Anonymous,
There’s a lot I can say about this, but the number one thing you need to know first is that it is not your fault. It’s impossible to control who we like and who we don’t. You reaching out to ask means you really care about your friendship with this person and that means you are a good person, and liking a boy shouldn’t define that.
-Rocky
Baseball Season Recap
Ashley Hill
The boys' baseball season this year was something to be proud of! The team put in the effort, showing up to practice consistently and pushing themselves to improve each time. The dedication they demonstrated was clear from the very start.
The season officially came to an end with the last game on May 19 at Wapato. The teams closed out the season in a good way, dominating with a 5-4 win for the 7th-graders and a 7-3 win for the 8th-graders.
Coaches Comment
Coach Brian
"This was a great season for both teams. There was a ton of learning, growth, and improvement. Plus, both teams had winning seasons. Coach Spencer and I are excited to watch the 8th graders move on and grow, and we look forward to next year's season!"
player Perspective
What is your favorite position and why?
Rivers Hardwood - 7th Grade
“I like shortshop because you will likely get the most action when the ball is hit in the infield. You are also the leader of the infield and have to communicate with your teammates. Another fun part about shortstop is that you usually get to cover the bag when someone is stealing second to get the chance for your catcher to work together to throw someone out.”
Gear preference poll
During the season, players were polled about their gear preferences. Clearly, Bulldog baseball players prefer both a hat and glasses.
Staff spotlight
Evelyn Self
All it takes is three simple questions to learn more about your teachers and role models.
Mr. Engeland
What are the pros and cons when it comes to teaching?
“I like working with students, I think it is fun. I also like that we get entire summers off.”
What are some of the things that you will miss about this year?
“I’m going to miss students and the routine of working in a classroom daily.”
What are some of the things that you like to do in your free time?
“I like to go camping, dirt biking, and coaching/playing soccer.”
Mr. Blaisdell
What do you like and dislike about teaching?
“I like getting to work with young people. What I don’t like is all the hard work. I also need to work on my patience when it comes to disrespectful kids.”
What about this year will you miss the most?
“I will miss the kids who won’t be in choir.”
What do you enjoy doing when you aren't teaching?
“I like to go fishing, work in my garden, and play with my dogs.”
Mrs. Johnson
What are the pros and cons of working as a school nurse?
“I like to have summers off, I also enjoy getting to work with kids and making new relationships with young people.”
What will you miss the most about this year?
“I am going to miss all of the 8th graders, I won’t be able to work with them anymore.”
What do you like to do when you aren’t working?
“I like being outdoors, hiking, and walking my dogs.”
What inspired you to become a school nurse?
“Originally, I worked in a clinic, but when the job was available, I took it because I have kids in the district and I wanted to be able to spend more time with them.”
Mount Rainier Day Trip
Olive Martinson
You might be thinking that your summer is going to be the most boring thing in the world. This little day trip can boost your vacation with tons of fun!
What to pack:
- BUG SPRAY!!! (I can NOT say this enough!)
- Lunch and snacks
- A raincoat
- A water bottle, and a jug of water for refills.
- Sturdy adventuring shoes (hiking boots would be best)
- A good attitude!
- Optional items: entertainment, hand sanitizer
Find the directions to Mt. Rainier National Park here. The drive is about 2 hours and 30 minutes. I would recommend bringing some entertainment for the drive, like a magazine or maze book. To better fulfill the enjoyment you and your family experience during this trip, you might want to consider making this a “no screen” trip and put away the electronics for a day.
Also, this Mt. Rainier trip can be an overnight trip if you want it to, but this guide is only made for one day.
Tip: I would recommend leaving around 8:30 A.M. for a full adventure.
Fast forward: In the parking lot, there will be bathrooms if you need them, as well as signs pointing you in the directions of different hikes. By the time you arrive at Mt. Rainier, it will be about 11:00 P.M. Pull forward into the parking lot and stretch your legs!
There will be several trail options, and feel free to explore wherever you want. If you don’t know where to go, there will be small wooden signs giving directions. I would recommend the Paradise area hike, one of my absolute favorites, especially in the warmer months when the beautiful wildflowers are in full bloom. The full hike is fairly easy and will take about 45 minutes at 1.2 miles. You can hike around the lake if you want.
After your hiking and exploring, I would recommend a picnic lunch at one of the picnic tables. If you need to get out for a bite to eat, the Wildberry Restaurant is a great spot to stop. It’s about 5 minutes away from the parking lot, find directions here. If you want to keep exploring the area, the word is your oyster. I highly recommend this trip and I hope you enjoy yourself!
Snapshot
A quick glance at some of my featured works
D&M Coffee Downtown
Food & Drink Review
Brooklyn Velasquez & Harper Bononcini
Brooklyn’s review
I got a ham panini, as well as a 24 oz. strawberry lemonade! The ham panini is always a go to for me, it is easily one of my favorites when I go to the Downtown location!
I got a strawberry lemonade which is also a go to! I personally am not a very big fan of Lotus, or Redbull, so a lemonade is perfect for me. Plus, the flavor variety of the syrups is great! So many choices just for you!
Not to mention D&M is a great environment and a lovely place to get your homework done ;)
Harper’s review
I got a 16 oz lotus with blue raspberry and vanilla syrup! This drink really gives me the energy to focus and get work done, I would rate this drink a 9/10!
I also got the savory roll. I got this for the first time ever, it was pretty good, I would rate it a 6/10, it was good but could have been more.
Just like Brooklyn said, this place is a great place to do homework, or even just hang out with friends! Overall, the drink and savory roll were pretty good and I would give it a total rating of 9/10!
Menu
June Specials
Huck Yeah - Huckleberry, Strawberry, Lavender, Coconut milk, and Redbull or Lotus!
Berry the Hatchet - White chocolate huckleberry latte!
Locations
D&M Coffee Downtown
- 325 N Pearl Street
- 7am-5pm
- Dine-in ~ Takeout ~ Delivery
- 509-962-9333
D&M Coffee Canyon
- 1709 S Canyon Rd #2
- 7am-5pm
- Drive-Thru
- 509-962-9333
D&M Coffee Drive-Thru
- 204 S Water St
- 6am-6pm
- Dine-in ~ Takeout~ Drive-Thru
- 509-962-6333
D&M Coffee KVH Cafe
- 603 S Chestnut St
- 7:30am-3pm (closed on weekends)
- Dine-in ~ Takeout
- 509-933-7545
- 7:30am-3pm
Advice for Incoming Freshmen
Elke Barlow
For 8th graders going into high school, it can feel nerve-racking going to a new school and not knowing where things are and how things work, but this article is going to give you advice for having a successful freshman year of high school.
New Friends
On the first day, you might not have friends in some of your classes, but other people won't have friends there either, so don't stress. This will be the perfect time and place to make new friends. Talk to different people in each of your classes.
Another place you can make friends is by joining different clubs and/or sports. If you’re not good at a sport that you want to join, just join it anyway; you will definitely make new friends, and might fall in love with the sport and grow a lifelong passion!
Class Schedule
Currently at EHS, there are 6 periods and Advisory. Advisory is right after 2nd period and is combined with the same class and teacher. There is also "Zero Hour," which is before 1st period.
This is what the bell schedule looks like currently, according to the EHS website. Your lunch would be based on your 4th-period class.
Though the schedule, lunches, and even Advisory might change before next year, this gives you an idea of the daily schedule you can expect at EHS.
Online Class Resources
In high school, you are no longer going to be using Schoology; you are going to use Google Classroom. As freshmen, you will probably not completely know how to use it, but remember you are all learning new things, and you're not alone; everyone is there to help.
Grade Point Average
In your freshman year, your grades and GPA start to count and affect your future. Focus on your studies to keep your grades up, which will make your GPA better. If your GPA is high, then you can get into better colleges.
relationships
It might feel like you need a relationship right away, but since high school is new, you may want to focus more on school than a significant other. It’s totally up to you and what you think is right.
Fresh Start
Freshman year is a fresh start. You should embrace this fresh start by being kind to everyone, especially yourself. The way you treat yourself and others is what will affect your mood and state of mind, so remember, if you wouldn’t say it to others, don’t say it to yourself.
Chromebook Collection
Morgan Insider Staff
Chromebook collection is scheduled for Tuesday, June 10. Eighth-graders will go first and will be called down to the auxiliary gym in alphabetical order by last name to turn in their Chromebooks and chargers to the IT staff. After the eighth-grade collection is complete, sixth and seventh graders will be called down to turn in Chromebooks only. New this year, sixth and seventh-graders will keep their chargers over the summer.
Like previous years, students who are returning to MMS next year will be able to pick up their Chromebooks on Bulldog Day (which is scheduled for August 27) or on the first day of school.
Students should make sure to complete all missing assignments and final projects before Tuesday if they plan to have Chromebook access.
Fun Summer Activities
Ava Henson
Summer is just around the corner! If you need some activities to kick it off, continue reading to learn more!
Homemade Root Beer Floats
A tradition my family has started is summer movie nights, which include root beer floats! We buy Virgil's non-caffeinated root beer and Breyers vanilla ice cream from Fred Meyer. We enjoy all sitting together and piling blankets on top of us as we watch some of the best scary films.
Water Balloon Fights & Squirt Guns
Water balloons are one key contributor to a summer packed with fun! My family enjoys hours of running through sprinklers, surprise water balloon attacks, and high-quality water gun battles. Last summer, we surprised my dad with water balloons as he got home from a day of fishing. He loved it!
Sleepovers
Sometimes during the summer, I get to hang out with a couple of friends and camp out with sleeping bags and pillows in our movie room. It is a great way to connect with people you enjoy!
Morning Runs & Hiking
An early morning run is a great way to exercise and start your day. Because Ellensburg is so hot, I love to run with my Mom bright and early, around 7:00 A.M. We also enjoy hiking in the morning, often around Manastash Ridge. According to the National Park Service, “Hiking is proven to have many health benefits, ranging from physical exercise you get when out on the trail, to emotional or mental relief.”
Camping
During the summer, my family loves going on adventures and camping. During the COVID pandemic, we rented a mini teardrop trailer and traveled to Tennessee. We roast marshmallows, swim in rivers, and read books while swaying in our hammocks. The Yakima River Canyon is a great place to spend time with family without an extremely long drive.
Thanks for reading! Have a great summer!
Grassroots Grill
restaurant review
Natalia Garcia
If you are interested in trying a new restaurant, you should try Grassroots Grill! Grassroots Grill replaced Perkins a couple of months ago, but the owners and staff members remain the same.
This restaurant has breakfast, lunch, and dinner! Every day, they open at 6 AM and close at 9 PM, which is 15 hours a day. They are located at 1504 US-97 in Ellensburg (in the building that was previously Perkins.)
According to their website, the Grass Roots Grill is "dedicated to sourcing the finest fresh ingredients to create mouthwatering dishes that will keep you coming back for more."
Food to try
You might get overwhelmed by all the things on the menu, but I´ll show you some favorites of customers from breakfast, lunch, and dinner!
Breakfast
One favorite they have is the Country Fried Steak, this is a steak that is battered and fried, it also comes with your choice of type of eggs, hash browns or potatoes, a biscuit, and gravy on the steak!
Another favorite is the Sourdough Buttermilk Pancake Platter, which comes with 3 pancakes that you can add strawberry or blueberry compote, chocolate chips, or even just whipped cream! This platter is also served with any style of eggs you like and 2 strips of bacon.
One last favorite is the Big Biscuit Breakfast, which includes two sausage patties tucked inside a biscuit with gravy on top. It also comes with any style of eggs, two strips of bacon, and hash browns.
Lunch
One customer favorite is the Chicken Bacon Ranch, which is a sandwich that features crispy chicken strips with bacon and pepper jack cheese on some grilled sourdough bread served with fries and ranch.
Another option is the Western Burger, which comes with cheddar cheese, crispy breaded onion rings, 2 strips of bacon, Sweet Baby Ray´s barbecue sauce, and, of course, fries!
If you prefer something on the healthier side, the Chicken Caesar Wrap is delicious! It comes with grilled chicken that is seasoned with lemon pepper, lettuce tossed with caesar dressing, and parmesan cheese.
Dinner
A dinner favorite, the Chicken, Bacon & Broccoli is chicken grilled with Alfredo sauce, broccoli, bell peppers, and bacon, served on top of fettuccine noodles with parmesan cheese.
Southwest Shrimp Skillet is rice with seasoned grilled shrimp, cheddar cheese, and black bean corn relish. With all that on top, there are tortilla straws, sour cream, avocado, and salsa!
For more information, or to place an order to go, checkout their website here.
Would You Rather
Ava henson
The Emu War
Adithya Rajendran
In cartoons, the hunter never catches the prey, because the prey always outsmarts the hunter. But what if I told you something similar like this happened in real life? And it was bizarre and big! This was the Emu war. A military operation was launched by the Australian government in order to control the Emu population, where they were outsmarted by the big birds that came out victorious.
Emu Attack on crops
After World War I, Australian veterans were given land in Western Australia and were encouraged to grow wheat. However, after raising their offspring, Emus usually migrated west to search for food and water. About 20,000 Emus showed up in Wagoolan and Chandler and began to wreck crops and fences designed to keep out rabbits. Not only that but the post-war economic recession was driving down wheat prices. Because of this, the farmers’ appeals to the authorities for help resulted in the government stepping in.
The War
In October 1932, the Australian government sent in 3 soldiers of the Royal Australian Artillery armed with two Lewis light machine guns and 10,000 rounds of ammunition, commanded by Major Gwynydd Purves Wynne-Aubrey Meredith, with the mission of “Eliminate the emus and protect the crops.” As well as to “collect 100 Emu skins to make hats for light horsemen.” However, in the first 3 days, they only killed 30 Emus. Instead of staying in herds the Emus scattered around, making them difficult targets. 2 days later a machine gun jammed after killing 12 Emus at a water hole with thousands of Emus. The attacks on crops from Emus continued. The big birds were too swift and agile for the soldiers.
On November 8, the Australian House of Representatives discussed the operation. Because the soldiers were only able to kill about a few hundred Emus, Defence Minister Sir George Pearce withdrew the military personnel and the guns.
2nd attempt
The attack on the crops from Emus still continued, and farmers once again asked for assistance. Premier of Western Australia James Mitchell supported the renewal of the military aid. 300 Emus were killed in the initial operation. On November 13, the military took to the field. Over the first 2 days, they killed over 40 Emus. The next day they weren’t so successful but on December 2 they were killing about 100 Emus per week. In a report from Meredith on December 10, they had killed about 986 with 9860 ammunition. It was also claimed by Meredith that 2,500 Emus had died from their injuries. This meant that only 3,500 Emus were killed over the last 45 days of the operations.
After calls for humane treatment for the Emus, the government called off the operation. The Emus had won the war.
What does this show about Emus?
The Emu war proved their incredible agility and resistance. Meredith himself compared the Emus to Zulus for their striking maneuverability.
“If we had a military division with the bullet-carrying capacity of these birds it would face any army in the world ... They can face machine guns with the invulnerability of tanks. They are like Zulus whom even dum-dum-bullets could not stop."
-Major Gwynydd Purves Wynne-Aubrey Meredith
Sources
Berry Smoothie Recipe
Paisley Douthwaite & Allison Alder
This refreshing Berry Smoothie is perfect for a nice, refreshing summer drink! With the perfect combination, sweetness from the strawberries, and a little zap of tartness from the blueberries, with the perfect creamy texture from the bananas.
Ingredients
- 1 cup strawberries
- 1 handful of blueberries
- 1 frozen banana, sliced
- a splash of milk
- 1-2 drizzles of honey
Instructions
In your blender, combine the strawberries, blueberries, frozen banana slices, honey, and milk.
Blend on high speed until the mixture is smooth and creamy. If the smoothie is too thick, you can add a little more milk until you reach the consistency you like.
Give it a quick taste and add more honey if you like it sweeter.
Pour the smoothie into a cup and enjoy!
More crazy questions
Bridger Thompson
We have more crazy questions. Let's harm my sanity even further and explore the inner workings of the minds of middle school students.
Is it legal to eat other people's pets?
In America, it is fundamentally illegal to eat pets, although if you consider your cow/livestock your pets, then you can eat meat-bearing animals.
I also researched and found a bunch of countries where it is technically legal to eat your (not other people's) pets:
- Antarctica- if you can smuggle pets across the Antarctic Circle, then the lack of government can’t stop you, plus you'll be painting the nice white landscape a cherry red
- India- in areas where extreme poverty rules, the law is not routinely enforced, and you would be able to get away with it
- Taiwan- just recently when they banned it, so you might be able to get away with it in an area where it's not as heavily restricted
What if everybody jumped at the same time?
If we gathered every human together in one area and, despite height differences, magically made everyone jump the same height and land at the same time, virtually nothing would happen. If you were hoping for massive tectonic activity, you may be disappointed, but the Earth did move down half an atom.
It wouldn't be until about 5 minutes later that everyone grew bored waiting to be magically transported back to their everyday lives, when the Earth's 8 billion cell phones came flashing to life, with no internet. (The shockwave created by the jump completely disrupted the internet towers within at least a 250-mile radius.)
But the real damage comes when we don’t magically transport every human back home because there are only a certain number of cars around and at least 7 billion people need to travel outside the continent (this is theoretically in North America by the way.) Local homes are ransacked to feed this mob, billions are left dead, and this area becomes a wasteland as nuclear power plants melt down (faulty cooling system fails), which leads to toxic chemicals in the environment.
I would consider it lucky if we ended up with a living, functioning society with more than 1 billion people after this.
There's a really cool YouTube video that I watched on this subject, and you should watch it too, here.
What if Jupiter were the closest planet to the sun?
If we swapped Mercury with Jupiter, then it would have a catastrophic outcome for at least 3 of the planets and nearly 70 of the solar system's moons.
First up, Jupiter would be so close to the sun that it would immediately crash into it and dispel all of its moons. Jupiter would eventually evaporate with time. Mercury would freeze, but one side of it was already being frozen during its night, so that's hardly a step down, and mercury would stop melting. However, the nearby asteroid belt could pelt Mercury and cause some damage, but that's a possibility.
For Earth, the effects would probably leave Earth a melting rock like mercury. First, the gravity. Jupiter's closeness would pull both Venus and Earth towards the sun; we wouldn't crash into the sun, but we would be warmed to the point of extinction.
Mars, however, is the “star” (pun intended) of this story; if it were pulled closer to the sun, then it might be put in the habitable zone for some types of life. In reality, Mars would end up a better place to live than Earth in this scenario.
In the end, the solar system is in disarray, and the person who asked this question is almost certainly dead, along with everyone else, at least 70 moons, and 3 planets.
What if the sun were replaced with a black hole of the same mass?
If the sun were swapped in this way, then nothing would happen to the orbit of any planet. As the question says, “same mass,” so the only thing that would change is that no sunlight would ever be shed on us again. Here are some of the minor* (*and not minor) changes in the solar system:
- All life ends due to a lack of sunlight
- Mercury stops melting due to the sun
- Every planet (not its inhabitants) would go on living for a long time because the sun would never explode
- The planets would have a new and more gruesome way of dying
The black hole would steadily gain mass and gravitational pull, and since the planets won't be eaten by the sun, the black hole has all the time in the world. Eventually, Mercury would spiral into the black hole, followed by Venus billions of years later, the process would probably stop at the asteroid belt. After billions of years, the solar system would at least get to say that it got the chance to be the home to a black hole.
What would the death toll be if water had the consistency of cement?
I originally was going to put this in the concerning questions from the inbox, but it turned out to be quite interesting. If water had the consistency of cement, all life on Earth would die instantly. You and I and every other being depend on water being able to flow through our bodies, plus the oceans; nobody's ever going to swim in the ocean again. Not on the death toll side of things, here are some other interesting things that would happen:
- Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn's (as well as Earth's) atmosphere contains water vapor, which would make liquid water temporarily available on the planets for some moments, before it evaporates and leaves us with nothing
- No life would ever be able to exist again
- Major disruptions would be found in processes like the formation of stars and atmospheres
Concerning questions from the inbox
Is this generation doomed?
Quite possibly, but I wouldn't know…
Is it possible to spin around so fast that your arms fall off?
At 250 rotations per second, I think you'll find it hard to keep your extremities intact, as well as your life. Also, DO NOT TRY ANYWHERE!
What if I sealed up all the holes in my face and sneezed?
Please don’t do that, I would not wish the outcome on my worst enemy.
Welp, I hope you enjoyed this rollercoaster ride through the mind of our middle school. I might just make another one of these next year, if I get 25 yesses on this poll.
Mandalorian History
Part 4
Miah Littrell
In this article, you will learn the history of the Mandalorians from the Clone Wars and beyond.
Note: This article is about legends' history; legends are everything before Disney owned Star Wars and changed the history.
quick facts
- MandalMotors is the Mandalorian ship producer, owned by Mandalorians, and makes ships for them too, such as the Kom’rk class fighter/transport.
- Vode An- song, lyrics, and audio
32 BBY, 28 years later
Darth Tyranus recruits Jango Fett to be the Genetic template for the clone army. He also stayed to be the military consultant, passing on parts of his Culture to the clones. He also assisted in the development, which is evident in their armour having the distinctive T-visor of their helmets. Finally, he helped in creating the flash training regimen used to train all clones, including the traditional Mandalorian song Vode An, which is helpful to instill purpose, only slightly modifying it to give meaning for soldiers serving the Republic, by changing the lyrics to Coruscant, so the clones could find meaning in it.
When Jango trained ARC troopers recruited 100 sergeants to help train the army's clone commandos, 75 of whom were Mandalorians, this is one of the reasons the clones had so much of their culture, some taking on Mandalorian names, and learning Mandalorian curses
Learn some Mando’a
MandoCreator has writing practice, reading practice, transcription, and the Mando'a dictionary. Visit mandocreator.com for all this and more.
Create your Mandalorians or clones
Sources
Summer Drink Ideas
Ellie Youngblood
Sour shark
The Sour Shark is a lemonade made with blue Gatorade, Sprite, Nerds, shark gummies, and, of course, lemonade.
Tropical mermaid punch
This drink is something that I make constantly with Sprite, Calypso, blueberry syrup, lemon, and gummies!
Peach lemonade
This drink is delicious with lemonade, Sprite, peach Alani, peach slices, and peach ring gummies for when it's hot outside.
Sherbert swirl
This fun milkshake needs to be made with Hawaiian Punch, lemonade, rainbow sherbet ice cream, and maraschino cherries!
Sour melon
The sour melon energy drink has Poppi, watermelon Celsius, watermelon syrup, Sprite, and Warheads to make it extra sour!
Flowers and their meanings
Abiageal Frank & Elliot Holland-Neff
Are you looking for the meaning of beautiful flowers? Well then, this article is for you! In this article, there are four different meanings of some flowers! Read ahead to find them out.
Peony
A peony is a fluffy-looking flower with big petals and a sweet fragrance. Many people purchase these types of flowers to symbolize their honor or happiness. For example, if someone you care about accomplished something or finished something important to them, you could get them a bouquet of peonies to celebrate.
This information can be found at bloomandwild.com.
Lilies
Lilies are a beautiful flower with beautiful colors and meanings. Lilies resemble Friendship and joy. Their colors are usually bright and colorful, making them perfect for summer! Lilies come in different shapes, it depends on the type of lily you get for how it looks.
All of this information was found on Britannica, where you can find more information as well.
Roses
Roses are a beautiful flower that comes in many different colors: red, pink, orange, and white. Many varieties. The red rose is a symbol of love, romance, and desire. The orange flower represents enthusiasm, energy, and passion. The Lavender rose is a symbol for enhancement, adoration, and love. All of these beautiful flowers have bold and beautiful meanings.
More colors of roses mean something, and if you want to learn more, all of this information is from floraly.com.
Iris
Irises are known for their showy colors and being multi-petaled. Iris is a beautiful, unique flower. The meaning behind these extraordinary flowers is that the yellow Iris represents friendship and passion. The blue Iris represents faith and hope. The white Irises represent purity, which makes them chosen for wedding bouquets and decorations. And purple Irises represent royalty and wisdom.
All this information about the meaning behind Irises can be found at bloomandwild.com. Visit the link to find out more.
Book Recommendations
Lili Baldovinos & Amelia Wooten
If you’re looking for some books to read this summer, this article is for you!
The Summer of Broken Rules by K.L. Walther.
This novel, written by K.L. Walther, is a contemporary romance about an eighteen-year-old girl named Meredith.
Meredith’s family’s annual game of assassins at Martha’s Vineyard during a summer wedding is the perfect chance to honor her sister’s legacy and finally join the world again after her sister’s tragic death. But when she allies with a cute groomsman, she’s at risk of losing both the game…and her heart.
Love on Paper by Danielle Parker
This book by Danielle Parker is a young adult story about a girl named Macy Descanso.
Macy is a young author and wants to start taking her writing seriously. When her mother enrolls her in a prestigious retreat for authors, writing isn't her only focus now, she is introduced and paired with Caleb Bernard, the son of two prestigious writers.
We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
This novel by E. Lockhart is a psychological mystery about a privileged girl named Cadence.
Every summer, she visits her family’s private island with her cousins and a boy named Gat. But after a mysterious accident, Cadence must uncover the truth hidden in her fractured memory, no matter how devastating it is.
Scythe by Neal Shusterman
This book by Neal Shusterman is a dystopian sci-fi story about two teens, Citra and Rowan.
In a future where death has been conquered, Scythes are the only ones who can end life. Chosen to train as Scythes, Citra and Rowan must learn to take lives, while fighting to keep their humanity.
How to Make a Paper Water Bomb
Michael Eberhart
First, start with one piece of paper. If you are using printer paper, fold it like this:
Then fold this part up. Make sure it has a nice crease.
Now, rip or cut this section of paper off to leave you with a square sheet.
Fold down the original crease.
Then fold the other corner over.
Now you can unfold it again
Fold the paper in half.
Now bend both of these edges in.
Now fold all four of these corners to the top on both sides.
Then fold these four points in on both sides.
Now find these little pockets in the corners and hold the paper with these facing up.
Then fold all four of these corners down on both sides.
Then tuck them into the pockets.
Now find this little hole on the top.
Now blow into it, and you’re finished! It should look like this.
You can fill these up with water; they hold it pretty well. Try it out!
Here is a YouTube tutorial if you are having trouble following this guide.
Outdoor Activity Ideas
Mrs. C. Clark
As the weather gets warmer, people start wanting to get out and appreciate the nice days. It almost seems like a crime not to be outside. However, sometimes it’s hard to figure out what to do, so here are some great ways to experience this season.
Take a hike
This is a great way to see wildflowers and other beautiful sights while getting great exercise. Umtanum Falls and Manastash Ridge are popular local hikes. To find information about hikes, look online or ask someone you know who hikes a lot.
Bike around
Biking is a great option for getting to commitments instead of taking a car, and is also pretty fun. Another plus of biking is that you can bike basically anywhere, like a summer meet-up with friends downtown, at the pool, or at the lake.
Take a walk
There are lots of interesting sights you can see in Ellensburg. It’s even more fun if you invite a friend or family member to walk with you. If you want to feel more in nature, you can go to Irene Rinehart Park, which is just a short bike ride or drive from downtown.
Play a sport
Though it may be a bit late to join an organized sports team for the summer, you can still play fun pickup games in a local park. Grab a couple of people, equipment, and have a blast!
Run
Running is a great way to boost your mood, see interesting things, and get great exercise. Lace up those shoes and hit a trail! Bonus points if you take your dog (or your neighbor's dog) out with you.
Garden
Planting vegetables and watching them grow is surprisingly satisfying. Even better, you'll be able to eat everything you plant. Buy some seeds, and get ready to get a bit messy.
Swim
On especially nice days, it’s a blast to get together with friends and go swimming. Besides the cost of snacks, it's an inexpensive way to stay cool and fit throughout summer. Carey Lake, Lake Cle Elum, and the Teanaway are great local spots to cool off.
Hidden Gem Hikes
Mrs. C. Clark
It may not officially be summer yet, but the summer weather is definitely here! The blue skies and warm weather make planning outdoor opportunities a must. One must-do outdoor activity that everyone should have on their summer calendar is hiking. Hiking is a good way to get exercise while having a great time looking at wildlife, plants, flowers, and other beautiful sights. You never see the same thing twice, and the satisfaction of peaking a ridge or mountain after a hard uphill climb is hard to beat.
It’s sometimes hard to find a good trail that isn’t muddy or snowy, but for a few short months during the summer, every trail is ready to be conquered. Here are three hikes that are perfect for this time of year.
Umptanum Falls
- Difficulty: easy
- Length: 3 miles
- Bonus: waterfall at the end
- Time to drive: 25 minutes
This trail is a local gem, with lots of wildlife, vegetation, and of course, a waterfall at the end. It’s also very close to Ellensburg, with only a 10-mile drive between you and the trailhead.
Ginkgo Petrified Forest Trail
- Difficulty: easy
- Length: 1.5 or 2.5 miles
- Bonus: petrified wood and petroglyphs
- Time to drive: Around 35 minutes
Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park is an area by Vantage with lots of petrified wood (as the name suggests) and petroglyphs. The interpretive trail has the option of a 1.5 or 2.5-mile loop showing 22 different types of fossilized wood. It's about a 30-35 minute drive east along Vantage Highway to the trailhead.
Mount Si
- Difficulty: challenging
- Length: 8 miles
- Bonus: incredible views
- Time to drive: 80 minutes
Mount Si has beautiful views in the spring. However, there are 3100 feet of elevation gain in only four miles, so be sure to bring lots of water and be ready for a challenging hike. It takes about 80 minutes to drive to the North Bend area where you'll find the Mount Si trailhead.
Even if you don’t choose to do one of these hikes, make sure to get outdoors and appreciate the summer weather while it lasts. It will be over before you know it!
For even more hiking trails, the Washington Trail Association hike finder map has lots of good information.
Empires in History
Part 2
Trenton Kelly
The Byzantine Empire
- 330 AD- 1453 AD
The Byzantine Empire was one of the most influential empires in human history. Being the sole successor to the Roman Empire, it had a significant name to uphold.
Modern Day Byzantines
The Byzantine Empire was in southeastern Europe and the Middle East. It spanned from Greece to Spain, following the coast of the Mediterranean along the Middle East and Northern Africa. It fully encompassed modern-day Greece, Turkey, Bulgaria, Israel, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Slovenia, Cyprus, and Italy. It partially encompassed Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Syria, Ukraine, Russia, Algeria, Jordan, Morocco, Serbia, and Spain.
Significant Wars
Byzantine-Bulgarian wars (913 AD - 927 AD)
The Byzantine-Bulgar wars were a series of conflicts between the Bulgarian Empire and the Byzantine Empire. Result: Inconclusive
Arab-Byzantine wars (7th - 11th centuries)
The Arab-Byzantine wars were a series of conflicts between the Byzantine Empire and multiple Arab Caliphates.
Result: Arab Victories
Byzantine-Ottoman wars (1265 AD - 1479 AD)
The Byzantine-Ottoman wars were a series of wars between the Byzantine Empire and the Ottoman Empire that led to the fall of the Byzantine Empire when the Ottomans took over Constantinople.
The Mongolian Empire
- 1206 AD - 1368 AD
The Mongolian Empire is the 2nd largest empire in human history. It spanned from Korea all the way to Eastern Europe.
Modern Day Mongols
The Mongolian Empire was one of human history’s largest empires ever. With this feat came an empire of many different nations. The Mongolian Empire contained the majority of modern-day Mongolia, China, North Korea, South Korea, Myanmar, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Russia, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Belarus, Ukraine, Romania, Moldova, and India.
Significant Mongolian Wars
The Mongolian Empire fought tons of minor wars throughout its existence, but it had 1 major war, which was its conquest of the Jin Dynasty. (China) The Mongolian invasion of the Jin Dynasty was a Mongolian victory which led them to many territorial gains in China and Central Asian as a whole.
The Ottoman Empire
- 1299 AD - 1922 AD
Modern Day Ottomans
The Ottoman Empire was extremely influential in Europe. It was also one of the most powerful empires until its downfall in the 18 and 1900s. In its youth, it defeated the Byzantine Empire I talked about earlier as well. The Ottoman Empire is thought about as the nation of Turkey in most minds, but it also contained large portions of northern Africa and the Middle East at its peak.
Significant Ottoman Wars
The most well-known war the Ottoman Empire was involved in is World War 1. (WW1) The Ottomans were on the side of the Central Powers and lost this war, leading to the dissolution of their empire. They were also famous for pushing back the naval invasion at Gallipoli and renaming Constantinople it Istanbul.
The Spanish Empire
- 1492 AD - 1976 AD
Modern Day Spanish
The Spanish Empire's dissolution led to many independent nations in North and South America and the Caribbean. The Spanish Empire today is represented by Spain. The Spanish gained much of their fame from discovering the Americas with Christopher Columbus. All of these things made the Spanish Empire a very influential empire throughout history.
Significant Spanish Wars
The Spanish were in many wars throughout history. One of which was the Napoleonic Wars. The Spanish never really used land warfare, but are known for their naval warfare and impressive boat technology. The Spanish Empire didn’t dissolve for a war but rather economic instability.
Sources
- Britannica: General knowledge and images
- Google: Images
Credits:
Created with images by moreidea - "Colorful burning clouds in heaven and birds flaying" • adri - "Bright spotlight beam on dark background. (2)" • Helistockter - "Row of High School Lockers" • peangdao - "Water in swimming pool" • Günter Albers - "Blue summer sky with bright sun" • Legend - "Old war cannon"