One mission of the Morgan Middle School Journalism Class is to create an engaging and student-focused digital newspaper that covers a variety of topics and includes content that appeals to all Morgan students and staff.
September MMS Recap Video
submitted by MMS ASB
September was a busy month for the Morgan Bulldogs! Relive some of the best moments by watching the September recap video, made by your own MMS ASB officers.
Sixth-Grade ASB Representative Elections Begin
Mrs. Carly Clark
Things are officially up and running at MMS, which means it's time for students in sixth-grade to elect ASB representatives.
ASB representatives are students who work as a group to promote school spirit and coordinate student-focused events and activities here at Morgan. They plan things like assemblies, Spirit Week activities, Advisory contests, and after-school socials. Also, they should set an example of Bulldog POWER for other students to follow.
ASB representatives are Morgan's elected officials, and they are intended to represent MMS students. For example, not all individual students are invited to organize assemblies because it would take a long time for everyone to have a say, and all those people would have a hard time agreeing on things. However, student ideas can be shared and possibly implemented through the elected ASB representatives.
ASB representatives are intended to gather information from the people they represent (students at MMS) and use that information to make decisions. For example, if lots of people at MMS are talking about how they really want to play games during lunch, ASB representatives should hear about it (in the halls, at lunch, in class, etc.) Then, those ASB representatives can ask people questions, gather more information, and take that information back to the ASB group, and the ASB advisor, Mrs. Jamie Smith. The whole ASB group can then meet and talk about the idea, and how to implement it at MMS. If everything goes according to plan, maybe bean-bag toss/cornhole or ping-pong would start being available during lunch.
ASB representatives don't have control over things like school rules and the daily class schedule, but they can use the information they gather from around the school to make sure that students have a voice in the activities that are planned at school.
The 7th and 8th-grade ASB representatives were already elected last year, but this year's sixth-grade ASB representatives still need to be elected! All current sixth graders are allowed to run for office if they meet specific criteria. Email the ASB advisor, Mrs. Jaime Smith, at jaime.smith@esd401.org for more information.
Sixth-Grade ASB Representative Election Timeline:
- Tuesday, September 19: 6th-grade ASB candidate information session- Advisory
- Tuesday, September 26: 6th-grade ASB candidate applications/speeches due
- Monday, October 2: 6th-grade ASB candidate meeting- Advisory
- Tuesday, October 3: 6th-grade elections -MPAC during advisory
Big Game Hunting in Washington
Haley Oliver & Emerson Warness
What is "Big Game" in WA?
Big game hunting in Washington includes Elk, Deer, Bear, Moose, Cougar, Mountain Goat, Antelope, Bison, etc. Over 182,000 people are licensed to hunt big game in Washington State. Among these individuals, there's a huge diversity in the game they hunt, the equipment they use, landscapes, etc.
Requirements
In order to hunt in Washington, you must take “Washington State Hunter Education,” and have a hunting license. Also, there are many different seasons for hunting, depending on the animal and the type of hunting (ie. archery.)
Hunting Seasons
Hunting seasons here primarily happen around the fall-winter, with some late summer dates. Most seasons are from August to November.
- Bear: August 1-November 15, 2023
- White-tailed deer: October 14-27, 2023
- Elk: October 28-November 15, 2023
These are just a few, but as you can see, the seasons each go on for quite a while.
Clothing
Before you go out hunting, you want proper clothing. When you're outdoors really early in the morning (most of the time) it gets cold. Get some warm and durable clothes. Also, wear layers so when it warms up later in the day you can take layers off. Some of our favorite brands are, Kuiu and First Lite.
Tips
- Know the land you're in! The more familiar you are with a particular patch of ground, and the animals that live there, the better your chances of hunting success.
- Be quiet. Deer and other animals are very attune to unnatural noises in their environment so it's important to make as little noise as possible in your approach to your treestand.
- Aim for low scores in predictability. A lung shot is the most effective shot for big game. Lung/heart shots are the most effective way to hunt because the animal doesn't even feel it when it passes.
- BE SAFE! This is the most important one of all. You must be aware of objects, people, and animals in your surroundings. You MUST be safe with your firearm!
There are many more tips out there from relatives with hunting experience, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, and maybe some small fishing or hunting stores around you! Make sure to ask the hunters in your life for more information on how you successfully go on the hunt for big game.
More Information
Click HERE to see WA hunting license info
Click HERE to see the WA Hunters Ed. course
Click HERE to see Washington State Hunting Information
Halloween Costume Ideas
Sienna De La Fuente
As we all know, Halloween is coming up, so it's time to pick a costume! If you don't have one in mind yet, here are some great ideas.
Clowns
Clowns are a great easy costume for one person or a group. All you need is some makeup, crazy hair or a wig, and a simple suit you could find at any costume store or even Goodwill.
Alvin and the Chipmunks
This is an amazing and simple costume idea for a group of three. You can go all out with hoodies, socks, and matching shoes, or just get some ears and basic t-shirts.
Tooth, toothbrush, toothpaste, & Tooth Fairy
This costume you can turn into a duo, trio, or just keep the way it is with four people. Amazon has some good options for not too much money, or if you're crafty, you could try to put something together yourself using stuff you already have at home.
M&Ms
M&Ms is a classic, easy costume for one person up to 10! All you need are tutus and different colored shirts. Feel free to add additional color-coordinated accessories like striped socks and scrunchies.
Bacon, Lettuce, & Tomato
If you love food and have two friends this BLT could be a perfect costume for you! It's a very simple idea, and with some supplies from the craft store, you could make it. You can also find this costume on Amazon or maybe even the party store in town.
Tourists
Tourists is such a simple costume that you can pull off using clothes in your family's closets. All you need is a big hat, a shirt that says “I love New York” and some tan pants or shorts. Add tall white socks, a camera, a fanny pack, or anything that reminds you of tourists.
Smurfs
Smurfs can be a little more complex costume, but it's really fun overall, and there is no limit to the number of people who can be in the group. Everyone will need a white hat, blue face paint, and blue clothing. You just can't be afraid to get your face stained blue.
Oompa Loompas
Oompa Loompas is great for a few people or a lot- you can have as many people in the group as you want. To pull this off, just get some face paint, green hair spray or a green wig, and white overalls.
Oklahoma Softball Reloads for Upcoming Seasons
Harper Bononcini
Oklahoma Sooners softball has the #1 ranked roster in college softball. Last year the team scored a total of 625 runs in all, which is a college softball record. They won the 2023 national championship with a 3-1 win over Florida State in game 2 of the Women's College World Series Final.
The team's current core is its three pitchers, Keirson Deal, Alex Storako, and Sj Geurin. Some are left-handed and some are right-handed, and they are all very good.
Oklahoma is reloading for upcoming seasons by signing new up-and-coming talent to the team.
Allyssa Parker, currently a high school junior, was recently recruited to the team. Allyssa plays for a select team and last season she had an amazing grand slam and earned 14 strikeouts that game.
In my opinion, she will be a very good and well-known player when she starts at Oklahoma, and I feel like they will be a much better team with her on the roster.
Allyssa will start playing for Oklahoma after she graduates from high school in 2025.
Another player who is joining Oklahoma is a softball star from New Jersey, Sophia Bordi. Sophia just committed on Tuesday, September 12, and is very excited to join the championship-winning Sooners.
Currently, Sofia is one of the top pitchers in the whole nation. She was named Gatorade New Jersey Softball Player of the Year because of how much effort she put into the 2023 season.
If you want to know more about the Oklahoma team and the champs that are getting ready for the new season, click here.
Seventh Grade Volleyball
Haley Oliver
The 7th-grade volleyball teams have had a successful season so far. Both of our volleyball teams work hard on the court and off to prove that MMS is the best of the best!
MMS 7th-Grade A & B
Both A and B teams have been working extremely hard at practice every day to get better at volleyball skills, teamwork, and sportsmanship. Playing volleyball takes lots of skill and strategy. These players must learn serving, passing, spiking, setting, diving, attacking, and much more!
Practices are everyday after school, and both of our teams push each other and themselves. These players require conditioning, movement, and agility practice, and they need to hone their attitude, and volleyball knowledge.
Watching games is very fun. During games, B team plays first and A team cheers them on, and when A team plays B team cheers them on!!
Player Interviews
Ashley Hill, A Team
What position are you playing right now?
¨I am a middle blocker/hitter.¨
How long have you been playing volleyball?
¨I would say about 2 years.¨
Who has been your biggest rival so far in the season?
¨Selah, duh.¨
What advice do you have for other volleyball players?
¨Definitely work harder than everyone else.¨
Karsyn Green, A Team
How do you handle making mistakes in volleyball?
¨I try to forget about it. Then focus more on the next play!¨
Who has been your inspiration since you started playing?
¨My mamma bear.¨
How long have you been playing volleyball?
¨3 years.¨
What teams have you played on?
¨City Recreation, KC Thunder, and now Morgan Middle School.¨
Kylee Bonjorni, B Team
What do you do to get excited or hyped up before a game?
¨I go to Emerson Warness, because she's super fun and gets me really excited to play!¨
How do you handle making mistakes?
¨You just gotta dust it off, bro.¨
How could someone become a better player?
¨Just get yo head in da game.¨
Emerson Warness, B Team
What is your position in volleyball?
¨I play all of back row to get serve receive.¨
How long have you been playing volleyball?
¨2 years.¨
What do you think your most significant strength is in volleyball?
¨Definitely my sportsmanship! I love my team and I always cheer them on so we can win and make them feel like they are amazing volleyball players, which they are!¨
What is your favorite volleyball drill at practice?
¨Probably scrimmaging.¨
What's your biggest piece of advice for players?
"You're always gonna think this is easy, so you're not gonna try. Nothing's easy, so try like your life depends on it.¨
Brooklynn Dicken, B Team
What inspired you to play volleyball?
¨Kylsee Ulmer, she has played volleyball for a long time and we decided to tryout together this year!¨
What do you love most about volleyball?
¨Being in a big team to train with just getting to play my favorite sport.¨
What is your greatest strength in volleyball?
¨Probably passing and serving.¨
Do you have any goals for your future as a volleyball player?
¨Yes I would love to play again next year and be better than I am right now!¨
"You learn you can do your best even when it's hard, even when you're tired and maybe hurting a little bit. It feels good to show some courage." —Joe Namath
Did You Know?
- Volleyball was invented in 1895 by William G. Morgan and has been a part of the Olympics since 1964.
- Volleyball is mainly played and developed in the United States, the Philippines, and Canada.
- A single player may jump as many as 300 times in a volleyball match.
- The record for most consecutive passes in volleyball is 110, achieved in the United States, in Raleigh, North Carolina, on February 5, 2010.
- The longest volleyball marathon on record was played in Amstelveen, Netherlands, from December 27 to December 30, 2011. The event lasted 85 hours, with 63 matches played in total.
All facts from Brittanica.com.
Upcoming Movies
Sienna De La Fuente
We are at the last stretch of 2023 before the New Year. It's a time where we are all getting busy and excited for the holidays.
The holidays can be fun, but sometimes you just need to relax and watch a movie.
Here are some movies you can expect to see in the upcoming months.
Wish
The new and upcoming “Wish” movie is scheduled to release on November 22 in most theaters.
According to Collider, Wish follows the story of a “17-year-old girl, Asha, who wishes on a star and gets a more direct answer than she was expecting when a trouble-making star comes down from the sky. She will soon have to go against one of the most impressive enemies in the universe.”
Some sources state that this movie might be tied to the famous movies Pinocchio and Peter Pan, as many are speculating that the star in Wish is the same star from those stories.
It has not yet been confirmed if Wish will be showing at the Grand Meridian Cinema, but we can cross our fingers.
Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes
This new movie, based in The Hunger Games world is scheduled to be in theaters November 17. (If you can’t wait until then, you can always read the book it's based on.)
According to Bazaar, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes takes place decades before Katniss Everdeen’s story. This film follows young Coriolanus Snow (played by Tom Blyth) and District 12 tribute Lucy Gray (played by Rachel Zegler.)
The story in this film is supposed to be based on the 10th annual Hunger Games, which took place right after the civil war when Panem was being rebuilt.
There's not a ton on this movie yet, but if the other films are any indication, I'm sure it will be a great one.
Wonka
Wonka is scheduled to be released in theaters on December 15.
This movie follows Timothée Chalamet as a young Willy Wonka who is just starting out with his magical chocolate business.
Wonka is also confirmed to be a musical, and it has been said that Timothée has 7 numbers to sing.
Though there is still little information available about the plot of this movie, it will obviously be tied to the original Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory story.
This movie will be a must-watch if you enjoyed the other Willy Wonka movies as a kid.
Candy Cane Lane
If you can't wait for Christmas, (like me,) you will surely enjoy this holiday movie, which will be released on Prime Video on December 1.
The Candy Cane Lane story follows Eddie Murphy, who is determined to win a holiday house decorating contest at any cost (even if he has to get a power-mad, evil elf to help him win.) Little does he know that his actions will bring terror to the whole town. Now it's up to him to break the spell.
We ought to wait to see what happens this December.
Jack-o-Lantern Cake
Violet Rivera
Do you need the perfect cake for Halloween but don’t want to do anything too difficult? Then I have the perfect cake for you!
Ingredients
- 1 White Box Cake Mix and the required ingredients listed on the box. (Note: Your box of cake mix may have different ingredients and measurements (oil, eggs, etc.) than the one that I used. Follow what your box says.)
- Yellow & Red Food Coloring
- Black Pre-Made Frosting
- 2 ¼ Tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1/2 Cup Butter, Softened
- 4 ½ Cups Powdered Sugar
- 3 Tbsp Milk
- Crisco (To grease pans)
Tools
- Two-Round Cake Pans
- Rubber Spatula
- One Medium Bowl
- One Large Bowl
- Hand Mixer (Optional)
- Parchment Paper
- Large Serrated Knife
- Small Spoon
- Serving Plate/Platter
- Wooden Skewer and Sticky Note/paper (Optional)
Recipe
Preheat your oven to the instructed time on your box of cake mix. Follow the instructions on the box to mix your cake batter.
Use parchment paper to create circles for the bottom of your cake pans. Once you’ve made your circles, place them in the bottom then grease the sides of your cake pans. (Note: The parchment circles will help your cake from sticking to the bottom of your pans.
Separate your cake mix evenly into your two cake pans and bake for the instructed time.
Once your cakes are out of the oven, let them cool until they are no longer warm.
Once they are cooled, even the tops of your cakes with a serrated knife, cutting off their rounded tops. (Note: You may need help from an adult.)
Mix together butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and milk with a rubber spatula or hand mixer.
Next, you will need to mix yellow and red food coloring together in your larger bowl of frosting. For every drop of red food coloring you will need two drops of yellow. (Note: In the picture it shows two frostings but you will only need one bowl of orange.)
Place one cake on what you’re using to serve your cakes and put frosting on top.
Once your frosting evenly coats the top of your first cake, place your other cake on the top, making sure the two cakes are lined up.
Frost the top of your cake and the edges.
Use a spoon to create four lines on your cake to look like the ridges on a pumpkin.
Next, use your black frosting to create the face of your jack-o-lantern however you’d like.
If you want to add a stem, you can use a piece of the extra cake that you cut off, or do what I did and color a sticky note or piece of paper green and use a skewer or toothpick to place it into your cake.
And you’re done! Enjoy your delicious jack-o-lantern cake!
New Staff at MMS
Mrs. Carly Clark
Seventh and eighth-grade students might have noticed that there are several new staff members at MMS this year.
Meet Mrs. Ham!
Mrs. Ham teaches Special Education at MMS. Mrs. Ham has taught preschool, elementary, and high school, and she applied for a position at MMS so she could have the opportunity to work with middle school students as well.
In her free time, Mrs. Ham enjoys spending time with her husband and two daughters, and her dogs Gunner and Tucker.
If Mrs. Ham won 10 million dollars tomorrow, she says that she would save most of it, but would buy a large cabin with enough space so her whole extended family could gather together for quality time.
Meet Mrs. Harwood!
Mrs. Harwood teachers math, specifically the Core Plus Math classes for 6-8th graders at MMS. This is Mrs. Harwood’s 13th year teaching math. Some students might recognize her because she worked as a substitute teacher at MMS last year.
MMS seemed like a great fit for Mrs. Harwood because she really enjoyed getting to know the students and staff last year while subbing, and she enjoys the middle-school energy. Also, Mrs. Harwood’s son just started sixth-grade at MMS, and she thought it would be fun to go to the same school as him everyday.
In her free time, Mrs. Harwood enjoys hiking, gardening, watching all the sports my kids play, watching musical theater and playing volleyball.
If Mrs. Harwood won 10 million dollars tomorrow she would hire a full-time chef and housekeeper!
Meet Ms. Rollin!
Ms. Rollin teaches 7th and 8th-grade math here at MMS. She says she's been teaching for most of her adult life. According to Ms. Rollin, "[f]or the last 9 years I taught high school math, but I have decades of experience before that which was all in middle school. It's like coming home."
Ms. Rollin moved to the Ellensburg area earlier this year. She says, "I was very happy when my current position came open, and even happier when I was hired."
When she's not at school, Ms. Rollin enjoys cooking, baking, working in her garden, and hanging out with her dogs.
If she won 10 million dollars tomorrow she would try to stay calm and make rational decisions, but once her head cleared, she would do more traveling.
Man of Steel
The story of America's first superhero
Jagen Higginbotham
Superman. When you hear that name what do you think of? The iconic symbol of Krypton? The bright red, blue, and yellow suit? Or the stack of comic books on your shelf? Superman is an icon of American pop culture. He is a symbol of heroism and the longing for American justice. Superman is a man. He is a myth. He is a legend.
In 1938 two men, Jerry Siegel and Joe Schuster began work on a character called Superman. Originally the character was portrayed as a villain but was quickly changed into a hero because of his growing popularity. And Superman was a hero; a hero that through his stories brought hope to the people suffering in the great depression. Superman used his power to defend the weak.
Superman first appeared in Action Comics number one. Superman in, Action Comics became so popular that Superman was granted his own title series called Superman releasing in 1940. Though he never left Action comics. The two series Superman and Action comics kept releasing both featuring Superman stories. Action comics remains a popular comic book series. In 2018 Action comics #1000 was released. Today the series has over 1,050 issues.
In 1960 DC comics released The Brave and The Bold: Volume 28 featuring The Justice League of America. The Justice League was led by Superman and battled a ferocious alien starfish. The Justice League became ever so popular among fans. The Justice League has been in their own comic series and separate comics. They have had several different series featuring different stories.
In 1986 DC released “The Man of Steel” a limited series retelling the origins of Superman in six parts. The series was created partially because DC wanted to make some changes to Supermans story, such as changing Lex Luther from Mad scientist to Evil buisnessman and reinstating that Superman was the only survivor from the destruction of Krypton.
Superman has been seen in comics, in radio, on stage, and in television. Although several Superman films were released before 1978, Superman The Movie was a breakthrough in its time. It was directed by Richard Donner and starred Christopher Reeve. Superman became so popular 3 sequels were released in 1980, 1983, and 1987. In 2006 Superman Returns was released as yet another sequel but it featured a completely different cast and director.
When modern times and technology came to the business DC decided to recreate the Superman movie in a reboot called The Man of Steel. Coming out in 2013 and Starring Henry Cavill the film led to several other movies such as The justice League and Batman V Superman.
The 2023 movie, the Flash did not turn out great. The reason I’m going to mention it here is because of a scene of the movie where Superman throughout the generations is highlighted. We get to see four different Supermans, Henry Cavill, George Reeves, Nicolas Cage, and finally Christopher Reeve. Though the movie itself was not a success it was a cool moment to look back and see America’s first superhero throughout the generations.
To conclude, Superman has had a huge impact on American Culture. He will always be remembered and the two men who brought him to life Jerry Siegel and Joe Schuster would be proud to see what how far their creation has come over the past 85 years.
Evolve
The third shop is Evolve. It is a great shop to get clothes and jewelry for amazing prices. Everything in the store is really cute, and their products are made from amazing materials and are great quality. The owner of the shop is Hildi Youngblood. She is so sweet and kind. I definitely recommend going there to look around.
We Want to Hear from YOU!
Morgan Insider staff
What content do YOU want to see in next month's issue of the Morgan Insider?
Perfecto
A History of Perfect games in MLB
Jagen Higginbotham
On June 28th, 2023 Domingo Germán of the New York Yankees pitched the first perfect game in over a decade, the last being in 2012.
Pitching a perfect game is one of the hardest things to do in professional baseball. Even some of the greatest most legendary pitchers of all time, such as Nolan Ryan, Greg Maddux, and Roger Clemens have never pitched a perfect game.
According to, Baseball-Reference.com, “A perfect game is a complete game pitched without a runner reaching base either by hit, base-on-balls, or error.” In the almost 150 years major league baseball has existed only 24 perfect games have ever been pitched, the first was in 1880 by Lee Richmond.
Famous Players who've Pitched a Perfecto
Lee Richmond and John Montgomery Ward
Lee Richmond was the first player to ever pitch a perfect game. He did so on June 12, 1880, for the Worcester Worcesters. 5 days later on June 17, 1880, John Montgomery Ward pitched the second perfect game in history for the Providence Grays leaving the game 5-0. Montgomery was the youngest pitcher to ever throw a perfecto.
Cy Young
The third pitcher to pitch a perfect game was Cy Young 24 years later for the Boston Americans. Cy Young was probably the greatest pitcher of all time. Young has the most major league wins in history with five hundred and eleven. He was elected into the Hall of fame in 1937. In 1956 the first Cy Young award was given to Don Newcombe. According to Brittanica, “The Cy Young Award honors the best pitcher in the National and American leagues.” Thus only the best pitchers receive the award named after the greatest pitcher.
Don Larson
The World Series of 1956 is one that will never be forgotten. The Brooklyn Dodgers played the New York Yankees. Don Larson pitched to Yogi Berra in game five. There hadn't been a perfect game in thirty-four years. And then Don Larson makes history, he throws the sixth perfect game and only to be thrown in a world series. Famed catcher Yogi Berra jumps into Larson's arms and his team swarms him. Later the Yankees win the World Series
Sandy Koufax
Sandy Koufax is the holder of three Cy Young Awards. He was born in 1935 and pitched the eighth perfect game on September 9, 1965. He only played 12 seasons due to serious elbow problems. Koufax was elected into the Hall of fame at the age of 36, the youngest player to ever be inducted.
Randy Johnson
The Arizona Diamondbacks had only existed for two years. And then the infant team acquired the legendary pitcher, Randy Johnson. 5 years later, Randy Johnson, at 40, pitches a perfect game, making him the oldest to do so. Johnson is the winner of five Cy Young awards and is second in strikeouts only to Nolan Ryan. Johnson has played for seven teams but spent most of his time with the Seattle Mariners and Arizona Diamondbacks. His time with the Diamondbacks was definitely an exciting one, he pitched his perfecto, won four Warren Spahn awards, won four Cy Young awards, won the World Series, and exploded a bird. Watch the video below to see Randy Johnson exploding his bird.
Félix Hernández
The Seattle Mariners have had a history of being a not so great team but they’ve had their players, Ken Griffey Jr, Edgar Martínez, Ichiro, and now Julio Rodríguez is bringing back the mojo for Mariners. But before Rodríguez there was Hernández. Coming up from Double-A Tacoma in 2005 Félix Hernández showed himself to be one of the most dominant pitchers in the MLB, winning the Cy Young award in 2010. In April of 2012 the Chicago White Sox pitched a prefect game against the Seattle Mariners. Later that year in August, Félix did to the Rays what the White Sox did to him. He reached his greatest accomplishment; a perfect game. He pitched his final game September 26, 2019 at his home T-Mobile park. August 12 2023 King Félix was inducted into the Mariners hall of fame.
An Unlikely Story
Philip Humber of the Chicago White Sox pitched the 21nd perfect game in MLB history striking out players like Ichiro Suzuki and Kyle Seager of the Seattle Mariners. Humber was the third White Sock to be perfect but by far the most unlikely to do so. Humber had been inand out of the minors for while. He was never a super famous ballplayer the day he threw his perfect game was his 30th start. He retired in 2013 with the Houston Astros.
The Perfect Game
In 2010 a movie called, “The Perfect Game” was released. It is based in 1957 the year after Don Larson pitched his World Series Perfecto. Based on a true story, the film was about a young Mexican Little League team who endure racism and other hardships as they make their way to the little league World Series. Watch the movie trailer below.
Money Makers
Trenton Kelly
Do you need more money? If you answered yes, then read on for four ideas on how to make some cash fast!
Decorate People's Houses
One way to earn money is by asking your family, friends, and neighbors if they need help with holiday decorating. You could ask if you could put their decorations up at their house in exchange for money. The job would include unpacking decorations and hanging them on people's houses, or in trees in their yards.
One way to advertise your services would be to make a digital flyer and send an email to your family members. If you or your parents have social media, you can also post about it online. Another option is to have your family ask their coworkers.
Do Yard Work
Good, old-fashioned yard work is something that people always need help with. You could mow lawns, rake leaves, pull weeds, and help people with harvesting crops. This work is old, but gold. Many people have big yards, and this time of year with all the leaves falling and weeds growing people need help with maintenance and clean-up.
If you need to advertise you or your parents can post about it on social media platforms. And, of course, you would need your own equipment, specifically a rake, work gloves, a bucket, and maybe some weed pulling tools. Your family might already have some of these tools around your yard, so make sure to check before you buy any.
Walk Dogs
This money maker really works all year and it works really well. Lots of people have dogs, but they either work long hours, get stuck in meetings, or get sick and can't go outside, which can keep them from giving their dogs exercise. That's where you come in. You can make arrangements with people to walk their dogs at certain times, on certain days. It might be a one-time job, or maybe it's something you do every week or every day.
Walking dogs is good exercise and you make money too, so it seems like a win win. If you don't know how to start, there are many dog-walking apps, like Rover, that have ideas, or you could always ask around. Another way to advertise is to ask your family to ask their friends and coworkers.
Cleaning Houses
People like to have clean houses, but it can be hard to find the time to do it all if you're really busy with work. If you don't mind cleaning, you could always clean houses. Most people have cleaning supplies at their houses that they will let you use to do this job, such as glass cleaner, hard surface cleaner, a mop, a broom, a vacuum etc., so you probably won't need any supplies.
If you are interested in cleaning houses to make money, you can also ask some of your family if you can clean for them. If you do this enough, that is some solid money.
So, if you are trying to make some money, it's time to get to work.
Movies To Watch This Halloween Season
Ryann Bradeen
Hocus Pocus
Hocus Pocus is a 1993 fantasy comedy movie that is about a villainous comedic trio of witches who are unintentionally disturbed by a teenage boy on Halloween night.
The main cast is Bette Midler, Kathy Naijmy, Sarah Jessica Parker, Omri Kats, Thora Birch, and Vinessa Shaw.
Scream
It starts in the small town of Woodsboro. Scream's plot focuses on a high school student named Sidney Prescott and her friends. On the anniversary of her mother's death, she becomes the target of a costumed serial killer known as Ghostface.
The main cast is Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox, David Arquette, Skeet Ulrich, Drew Berrymore, and Matthew Lillard.
Halloween
The story of Halloween in Haddonfield, Illinois, has been told over and over. The night in 1963 that 6-year-old Michael Myers, dressed in a clown suit, murdered his teenage sister. Followed by the night 15 years later, again on Halloween, when he broke out of a mental institution.
The main cast is Nick Castle, Jamie Lee Curtis, Donald Pleasence, Kyle Richards, and P. J. Soles.
Halloweentown
The main character is a 13-year-old girl named Marnie. On Halloween, she learns she's a witch. She discovers a secret portal and is transported to Halloweentown. Halloweentown is a magical place where ghosts and ghouls, witches, and werewolves live separate from the human world. But she soon finds herself battling evil curses and endless surprises.
The cast is Kimberly J. Brown, Debbie Reynolds, Joey Zimmerman, Emily Roeske, Judith Hoag, and Phillip Van Dyke.
All About Sharks!
Violet Rivera
Sharks are very fascinating creatures, there are so many different kinds of sharks and they all have their own interesting features.
There are more than 1,000 species of sharks known to man, and many of them are endangered. Saveourseas.com states that “Of the 1,199 species assessed, 121 are classed as Endangered, 90 as Critically Endangered and 180 as Vulnerable”, which is 32% percent, which means that ⅓ of sharks are endangered.
Sharks are very misrepresented, most movies show sharks ripping boats and people to shreds, but the truth is sharks are nothing like that at all. Sharks do not attack random people’s boats, and sharks do not purposefully eat people. Many people are scared of the ocean, going surfing, and swimming, because they fear being attacked by sharks, but there is only a 1 in 11.5 million chance that that will happen, so don’t be worried!
Fun Shark Facts
- Sharks don’t have bones, they have cartilage!
- Sharks are many different sizes, from smaller than a human hand, to 62 feet! The largest shark is the Whale Shark.
- Some sharks can glow in the dark!
- Some sharks go through more than 20,000 teeth in their lifetime!
- Some sharks are warm-blooded.
- Sharks have 2 more senses than people do and they can detect pressure changes in water and have receptors that detect even the smallest electric field.
- About 100 million sharks are killed every year by humans seeking to make shark fin soup.
- Shark populations have declined by 71% in the last 50 years!
- Sharks are a big part of keeping oceans healthy.
- Sharks live in every ocean.
How to make a Pink Drink at Home
Harper Bononcini
A copycat Starbucks Pink Drink recipe - and it’s even better than the real deal! It’s made with juice, coconut milk, strawberries, and sweetened whipped cream, and it's just as good a Starbucks!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups cold berry juice (such as Juicy Juice Berry or Juicy Juice Strawberry Kiwi)
- 1/2 cups cold water
- 2/3 cup canned coconut milk, room temperature or chilled
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 6 oz frozen strawberries
- 1 1/2 cups ice, for serving
- 3 fresh strawberries, sliced, for garnish (optional)
Whipped Cream Ingredients
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
The Recipe
Pour heavy cream, sugar and vanilla into a medium mixing bowl.
Using an electric hand mixer whip heavy cream on high speed until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
Add berry juice, coconut milk, cold water, frozen strawberries and sugar to a blender. Blend until the strawberries are pureed.
Divide ice among glasses or tumblers. Pour pink drink over ice. Scoop whipped cream on top. Add fresh strawberries to the top and enjoy with a straw!
3 Fun Easy Treats to Make at Home!
Violet Rivera
Do you want to bake something to eat right now, or maybe just have a sweet treat without making a whole big batch? Well, I’ve got the recipes for you!
In this article, you can learn to make yourself your own small treat!
Vanilla Mug Cake
Ingredients
- ¼ cup & 1 ½ tsp all-purpose flour
- 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- 1 pinch of salt
- 2 Tbsp butter
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp sprinkles (optional)
Tools
- microwave safe mug
- spoon
- measuring spoons
Recipe
Add the flour, baking powder, and salt to your mug and mix.
Add the rest of your ingredients into the mug, (except sprinkles) and mix, making sure to scrape the bottom so everything is well mixed.
Stir in sprinkles!!
Cook in the microwave for 1 minute and 10 seconds. If it is not fully cooked, put it back in the microwave for 15-20 seconds more.
Let rest for 1 minute before enjoying!
Bakers note! If you want to check if your cake is done, stick a toothpick in the middle, if it comes out clean then your cake is fully cooked.
Oreo Mug Cake
Ingredients
- 5 Oreos
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp cocoa powder
Tools
- microwave safe mug
- spoon and fork
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
Recipe
In your mug, mash four Oreos and milk together until well combined.
Add the remaining ingredients (except the one leftover Oreo) and stir until everything is mixed together.
Press the leftover Oreo into the center of the batter with a spoon or your finger (wash your hands BEFORE AND AFTER.)
Microwave for 1 minute on full power (based on an 1100-watt microwave) until there is no more raw batter.
Let cool for a minute, then enjoy!
Chocolate Chip Cookie for Two
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp butter
- 4 Tbsp packed brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 6 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- ⅛ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp vanilla extract
- 3 Tbsp chocolate chips
Tools
- baking sheet
- parchment paper
- small mixing bowl
- mixing spoon
- microwave-safe bowl
Recipe:
Preheat oven to 350°F and line a small baking sheet with your parchment paper.
Melt Butter in a microwave-safe bowl for 30 seconds or until fully melted.
In a small mixing bowl, mix together butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until well combined. Add the egg yolk and vanilla until smooth.
Next add the flour, salt, and baking soda. Mix until there are no streaks of flour left in the bowl. Last, fold in the chocolate chips. (Do not over-mix)
Shape into two balls and place them on your cookie sheet. Bake for 11 minutes.
Let cool, then enjoy!
Different ways to Carve a Pumpkin!
Blaekly Williams
Halloween is coming up and we are all looking for ways to carve our pumpkins.
First, you need to get a pumpkin. Dustys Nursery and Jensen Farms/The Patch both have good pumpkins.
You're also going to need some basic supplies that you already have at home, like knives or pumpkin carving tools, spoons, and newspaper or cardboard to lay on your table/counter.
Now, here are some great ways to carve your pumpkin!
The Classic Jack-o-Lantern
Characters
Scary Faces
Halloween Sayings
Fun Fall Activities
Blaekly Williams
- Make candy apples and other fall treats
- Play hide and seek with glow sticks
- Play ghost in the graveyard
- Go through a corn maze
- Go to a pumpkin patch
- Make fall/halloween crafts
- Watch Halloween movies
- Decorate for Halloween
- Go to a haunted house
- Collect pretty leaves
- Fall scavenger hunt
- Jump into leaf piles
- Go to a fall festival
- Make a scarecrow
- Carve pumpkins
- Tell scary stories
- Go apple picking
- Bob for apples
- Go on a hayride
Morgan Wallen's Accidental Country Career
Emerson Warness
Morgan Wallen is an American country music singer and songwriter. He was born and raised in Sneedville, Tennessee. His birthday is May 13, 1993, so he's currently 30 years old.
Wallen is one of the biggest names in country music today, but did you know that he almost didn't pursue a musical career?
During his senior year, he received a few college baseball offers, which was a dream come true for him. A couple months before the season started, he tore a ligament in his right elbow, which required surgery.
As a result of the injury, all of his college baseball offers quickly disappeared, and his dream of playing baseball basically came to an end. He was devastated, but, during this time he learned to play the guitar and started writing songs.
By the time he was 19, he started to love making his own songs. After his mom heard him play, she decided to sign him up for the TV show The Voice. He earned a spot on the show in 2014.
Although he was a contestant in season 6, he didn't actually win the reality competition show. But, a bunch of people heard him sing and loved it, and a ton of other music artists wanted to feature him, which made some big hits and helped him break into the country music industry.
Now, at only 30, he is one of the top country music artists in the world, and is on tour, with thousands of people coming from all over the world to see him (including me in a few days!!)
So now you know! Morgan Wallen almost didn't pursue a musical career. You can bet that million of his fans are glad that he tore that ligament.
The Best Snickerdoodles
Ashley Hill
Ingredients
- 2 ¾ cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 ½ sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vallia extract
- Cinnamon Sugar Coating
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons cinnamon
Instructions
In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In a small bowl, combine 3 tablespoons sugar with 1 tablespoon cinnamon. Set aside.
Cream together the butter (barely softened) and sugar. Add the eggs and beat until it is well blended
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mix well, and then shape dough into 1 inch balls.
Roll the dough balls into your cinnamon and sugar mixture.
Place on an un-greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.
Let sit on the cookie sheet for a few additional minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
The FNaF Movie, Help Wanted 2, and FNaF Ruin are Right Around the Corner
Are you ready for more FNaF?
Urijah Holiday
2023 is a big year for FNaF. If you don’t already know about the Five Nights at Freddy's franchise then let me fill you in.
Originally a video game, but now also books and an upcoming movie, Five Nights at Freddy's is about you, the player, becoming the night security guard at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizzeria where the monstrous animatronics are coming after you as you try to survive the night.
Five Nights at Freddy's- The Movie
News of a FNaF movie has been circulating since 2015, but it was not until the fall of 2022 that fans got official news that a movie was coming to theaters. The movie stars Josh Hutcherson (he was in the Hunger Games movies and Bridge to Terabithia) as the night security guard who gets terrorized by maniacal animatronic creatures in a broken-down pizza parlor.
Besides some fans being upset about the looks of the characters (especially the eyes,) fans of FNaF are excited to see if the movie will actually live up to the hype.
From the trailer, it is clear that there will be many easter eggs in the movie. Fans quickly spotted that in the background there is an employee list with a bunch of FNaF YouTubers in uniforms, and CoryXKenshin (a FNaF fan and Youtuber with nearly 20 million subscribers) is in the movie as a taxi driver!
The movie, rated PG-13 will release in theaters just in time for Halloween, on October 27. It will also be available to watch on Peacock the same day it releases in theaters.
Click HERE to watch the official trailer.
FNaF Ruin
FNaF Ruin is a DLC for the FNaF Security Breach (FNaF SB) video game. The DLC is free, but to play it you need to have the original game FNaF SB, which costs about $20 on Steam. The game is available on consoles as well.
This DLC was released on July 25th, 2023. The DLC focuses on Gregory’s friend Cassie who is trying to find Gregory in the abandoned and broken-down pizza parlor.
Cassie runs into the animatronics that have gotten worse and more broken; she also finds a Vanny mask that she uses to get around the pizza plex while trying to find and save Gregory.
There are different endings to the DLC: one involves M.X.E.S and one involves something classed "the Mimic." You will have to play the DLC to find out more, or you can look it up on YouTube.
FNaF: Help Wanted 2
The upcoming game FNaF: Help Wanted 2 is a sequel to FNaF: Help Wanted, which was released in 2019.
FNaF: Help Wanted is a VR game where the player completes various minigames (like parts-n-service, vent repairs, survival, etc.) and Help Wanted 2 is expected to be similar.
The game is scheduled to be released in December.
If you want to know more about Five Nights at Freddy's, there are many YouTubers who create FNaF specific content.
Fun Facts about the USA
Trenton Kelly
The USA is the country where you, me, and most of our friends most likely live. Here are some fun facts about the USA from Wikipedia.com.
- The official name of the USA is The United States of America
- The USA consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territories, and nine Minor Outlying Islands
- The total area of the USA is 3,796,742 square miles
- The US government is a federal presidential constitutional republic
- The first president of the USA was George Washington
- The current president of the USA is Joe Biden
- The next presidential election in the USA will be in November of 2024
- Alaska is the biggest US state at 665,400 square miles
- The USA was originally a colony of the British Empire
- The USA shares land borders with Canada to its north and with Mexico to its south
- The official motto of the USA is "In God We Trust"
- The capital of the USA is Washington D.C.
- In the 2020 census, the population of the USA was reported to be 331,449,281
- The US has had 45 presidents and 46 presidencies (Grover Cleveland was president from 1885-1889 and again from 1893-1897)
Why You should Watch Naruto
Jaydon Forrester
Naruto is a Japanese anime TV series based on a popular manga. I’m here to introduce you to the show and tell you why you should watch it.
The Beginning
Naruto takes place in the Five Great Shinobi Countries in the Ninja World. In this world, ninjas use Jujutsu and Chakra to protect villages from monsters. There are different ranks of ninja, but the strongest one is Hokage.
In the beginning, there’s a huge monster called the Nine-tailed Fox that is destroying Konoha, the hidden leaf village in the Land of Fire. It is very strong and seemingly unbeatable.
In order to save the village, the Fourth Hokage (a very strong ninja and village leader) sacrifices his life to seal up the monster. The monster is sealed into the Fourth Hokage's newborn baby. That baby's name was Naruto.
Naruto and Naruto Shippuden
The show moves forward twelve years later when Naruto, who does not know about the monster that was sealed inside him as a baby, is training to become a ninja himself.
Naruto soon learns of his past, and becomes a ninja- then the fun begins. Naruto is assigned to work in Team 7 with two unlikely allies: his crush, Sakura, and Sasuke, his biggest rival.
If you want to learn more about Naruto's love of ramen (and Sakura,) or how Sakura only became a ninja to get Sauske to notice her because she has a crush on him, or about Sauske’s dream to kill his brother and restore his clan, you will have to watch Naruto.
Why You Should Watch
Naruto is filled with many intense moments and many funny ones too. Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura go on many adventures with intense battle scenes and they make many new friends along the way.
You can find Part 1, Naruto on Netflix, and Part 2, Naruto Shippuden, on Hulu.
Sam and Colby
Lexi Aid
Do you like haunted things? Do you like paranormal activity? If you said "yes," then Sam and Colby might be for you.
Who are Sam and Colby?
Sam Golbach and Colby Brock are both mid-twenties guys from Kansas City. They met at band camp as teenagers and a few years later they started posting videos on YouTube. At first, they posted Vines and funny challenges, but as they gained more subscribers, they started exploring haunted places instead.
What do they Do?
Sam and Colby are ghost investigators. They have a popular YouTube channel and a Roku channel where they post videos about the paranormal. They investigate haunted places like The Queen Mary, The Conjuring House, The Whaley House, etc. In their videos, they use special equipment like magnetic field detectors and a cat ball to track ghosts.
Their main YouTube channel description says, "What's up guys! On this channel we create haunted, exploration videos. Our most popular series include Stanley Hotel, Hell Week, The Attachment, Empath, and Queen Mary. Subscribe to explore, travel, go ghost hunting, and watch some scary content."
They currently have 10.3 million YouTube subscribers to their main channel, @samandcolby, and 1.24 million subscribers to their reactions channel @samandcolbyreacts. They have 1,447,864,418 views on their main channel.
How Do I Watch?
- You can watch seasons 1 and 2 of the show Sam and Colby for free on Roku.
- You can visit their YouTube channel @samandcolby
Mexican Independence Day
Brianna Lara
Mexican Independence Day, also known as “El Grito De La Independencia,” celebrates Mexico’s declaration of independence and fight for freedom from the Spanish. It's one of Mexico's most important holidays and is celebrated by Mexicans on September 16.
On the evening of Mexican Independence Day, the president of Mexico reads a speech to the people and rings a traditional bell in honor of the bell that signaled the beginning of Mexico's long fight to free themselves from Spain.
Today, Mexicans everywhere gather with family and friends to honor this date. A country-wide holiday, the celebration for many includes starting the day by wearing the Mexican flag colors of red, white, and green and also by watching parades, listening to mariachi music, doing traditional dances, and eating traditional foods.
Covid-19 Vaccine Debate
Online arguments continue about the purpose, effectiveness, and necessity of the COVID-19 vaccine
Evelyn O'Brien
There have been lots of arguments about the COVID-19 vaccines since they became available to the public, and the debate is still going on today with news of another COVID-19 booster coming soon.
Some people on the internet have been arguing that the COVID-19 vaccine is actually a microchip implant that allows the US government to spy on those who get vaccinated, but much of the debate about the vaccine seems to have been caused by news of patients having seizures after receiving the vaccine.
Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System (VAERS) is a database that receives reports of adverse/negative reactions that occur following vaccination. With this system, people self-report their reactions to vaccines (all vaccines, not just COVID-19.)
In the US, 1,548 seizures were reported to the system following the COVID-19 vaccine being available at the end of 2020 and the beginning of 2021. But, it was also Flu season at that time, and many people were getting Flu vaccines too.
VAERS reports that "Between December 15, 2020, and May 13, 2021, a total of 277,209,338 COVID‐19 vaccines were administered in the United States. During the 2018, 2019 and 2020 influenza seasons a total of 155.3 million, 174.5 million and 189.4 million influenza vaccines were administered, respectively. During those time periods, 1408 individuals receiving the COVID‐19 vaccine and 140 individuals receiving the influenza vaccine reported a seizure‐related event."
But was it a vaccine that caused the seizures? Researchers say that there are also other factors to consider, like existing syndromes or health conditions. According to the National Library of Medicine, individuals with Dravet syndrome have a higher risk of seizure when being vaccinated than those without DS. According to the National Institutes of Health, “vaccination is a common seizure trigger in individuals with Dravet syndrome.”
Some of the people with DS who were vaccinated with the COVID-19 vaccine suffered seizures, which were reported to VAERS.
The National Library of Medicine says that they do not have enough evidence to state that any of the COVID-19 vaccines caused seizures, but many people are still scared of getting the vaccine.
All About Axolotls
Elliot Holland-Neff
What are Axolotls?
Most people have no idea what Axolotls are. An Axolotl in a salamander that lives mostly underwater. They are referred to as "almost fish" and are amphibians.
According to BBC, an Axolotl can regenerate lost limbs and even its heart, spine, tail, and gills! Axolotls are considered “highly intelligent”
Where do Axolotls live?
Axolotls need a lot of water. According to Wikipedia, most often, they are found in Lake Xochimilco in the central valley of Mexico as well as canals, waterways, and rivers throughout Mexico.
How long is an Axolotl lifespan?
In the wild, Axolotls live up to 5-6 years. But, according to some sources, an Axolotl in a tank can live up to 15-14 years if they have the right food and water.
Typically, baby Axolotl eggs hatch in March or June 10-14 days after they are laid.
Are Axolotls endangered?
Axolotls are severely endangered. Even though Axolotls have been a part of Mexican culture for centuries, they are still very threatened by human activities. Axolotls have seen threats like overfishing, pollution, and rapid urbanization.
According to WWF, there are only 50-1,000 left in the wild. Help save these amazing creatures by spreading awareness, or donating to efforts to protect them.
How to make Churros
Princess Cheesman
Want to make something simple, easy, and tasty but you don’t know what to make? Lucky for you I’ll be showing you how to make churros.
Here is a list of ingredients you’ll be needing to make simple, easy, and tasty churros.
Ingredients
For the topping:
- Cinnamon sugar mixture
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ½ tablespoon ground cinnamon
For the churro pastry:
- 1 cup water
- 5 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
For frying:
- 1 quart of vegetable oil
In a saucepan, put the water, butter, sugar, and salt and bring it to a boil. Fully melt the butter and the sugar.
Reduce the heat to medium and put the flour into the saucepan.
Keep stirring the flour over medium heat until it is the texture of a pastry and cleanly pulls away from the sides of the saucepan.
Place the pastry into a bowl and cool for 5 minutes.
After 5 minutes, beat the eggs using a hand mixer and mix it with the pastry.
Place the pastry in a piping bag. Twist the end of the pastry bag slowly to keep the pastry from oozing out.
Now you are ready to pipe!
In a pan, heat your oil to 380-400 degrees. Pipe 5 to 6-inch churros into the hot oil.
Fry the churros for about 2 minutes per side until golden brown and puffy.
Allow the churros to drain on a paper towel for about 1-2 minutes, then immediately toss the churros in the sugar or cinnamon/sugar mixture.
Place the coated churros on a cooling rack over a baking sheet to stay crispy.
Eating the churros hot or at least warm is highly recommended.
Hope you enjoyed making this churros recipe!
The Origins of Halloween Traditions
Jaydon Forrester
Did you know that Halloween wasn't always Halloween? In the eighth century, Pope Gregory III made November 1st a day to honor saints, All Saints Day. Then, eventually, All Saints Day started to have some of the traditions of Samhain. The day before All Saints Day became a day called All Hallows Eve, and then it eventually became Halloween.
One of the traditions you probably know is carving Jack-o-Lanterns, but you probably wonder about the backstory behind it. This tradition originated in Ireland, and instead of pumpkins, they carved turnips with scary faces and lit them up to scare away evil spirits.
You might also wonder why we wear costumes on Halloween. Long ago, the Celtic people believed that in order to avoid being terrorized by evil spirits walking the Earth during Samhain, people had to disguise themselves as spirits in order to not be recognized.
You may also wonder why people go trick-or-treating. There are two different theories on the origins of this tradition. The first is that trick-or-treating originates with the Celts, who used to leave food out for spirits. The second theory is that trick-or-treating comes from belsnickeling, a German Christmas tradition where children wore costumes and others tried to guess what they were dressed up as.
All information from Library of Congress.
How to Make Oreo Truffles
These Oreo Truffle Balls are my favorite and they're so simple to make.
They’re made up of all delicious things - Oreo, cream cheese, and chocolate. If you’ve never made truffles before, or dipped candies in chocolate, this is a great place to start!
Ingredients
- 36 Oreos (original not double stuff)
- Plus 3 more Oreos (crushed for topping)
- 1 (8 oz) package of cream cheese,softened
- 16 oz vanilla or chocolate melting candy
There are several ways to mix the balls: a food processor, a stand mixer, or an electric hand mixer, or by hand in a mixing bowl with a wooden spoon
First, you’ll add your 36 Oreo cookies into your mixer or bowl.
Then just mix them and make sure they're well crushed.
After you check you will put in the cream cheese.
Then just mix them together.
After they are all mixed well, line an 18x13-inch baking sheet with wax paper or parchment paper.
Roll your mixture into little truffles/balls, then put them on the sheet.
Place the Truffles in the freezer for 15 min
Crush the 3 extra Oreos then melt the vanilla/chocolate melts.
After 15 minutes, take the truffles out and dip them into the melted candy.
Let them settle, then put some crushed Oreo crumbs or candy swirls on top.
And there you have Oreo Truffle Balls I hope you enjoy making them!
Student Written Fiction
The Shadow Man Haunts Corey
Alexis Aid
It was September 9, 2009, when Corey escaped.
It was May 3rd when I started the ritual, it was supposed to be for fun. I didn't expect it to work. I turned off the lights and lit 13 candles, I wasn't sure how to do it.
But I tried, I sat in the middle of my room in a crisscross position. my door was shut, it creaked when I told the Shadowman spirit he was welcome to enter. I looked back at the door, I stared and stared, shivers ran up my spine when the door slammed shut. I ignored it, I wanted to do this ritual. I have been looking forward to this day. It's the day I dreamed of.
I looked back at the candles when one went out, then another, and another one by one.
The room was pitch black.
It had been 3 hours of me sitting there waiting for something, nothing I thought, until the lights went on and there he was the shadow man, he was here.
I looked at him in the eyes, his eyes looked innocent, that is until they didn't his eyes stared into mine it didn't feel right, and that's when my sight of him started to fade, my eyes were open I could feel it, but it was dark, I wasn't in my room anymore the lights slowly faded on. There was music, old music, the type of music from the 1930's.
Something about the music felt off, I couldn't tell where it was coming from, it sounded like it was coming from the pale red walls, I could hear it but not see it. It gave me butterflies And not the good kind.
It made me feel sick. There were many hallways.
It felt like I was hallucinating like I was in some sort of dream, but it wasn't a dream, it was real. I walked down one hallway and a loud creak followed me.
It followed every step I took, and I knew it wasn't me making that noise, it was something else, the music slowly turned into static.
Then one light was glitching, then another, and another. The lights were glitching every single one. Then they went out for a split second. The lights were back on except one, the one down the long hallway. I decided to go check it out. When I stepped under the light and it turned on, I was confused. When I looked to my left a light was out, I walked toward it then the same thing happened. I decided to follow the lights.
Five hours passed by of me following the lights when I saw a trap door, I hesitated before opening it. Inside was a room with a stained mattress on the floor. Maybe I should jump I thought so I jumped in landing on the mattress, I slowly looked around to see if there were any escapes but no none. None that I could see there were binoculars, I picked them up and looked through them, I could see through the walls, I could see the things behind the walls. I held the binoculars to my eyes and walked through the halls, there were magazines on the floor, and dirt, and flies were everywhere.
I took off the binoculars to get a clearer view instead of a green tint over my eyes, as I turned the corner there was a long ladder going up at least 40 feet, I climbed up the ladder in pitch black I had dropped the binoculars, when the binoculars fell there was a splash of water, I was confused I thought. "why was there water, I was just down there" I said, I kept climbing.
I reached the top, I took a deep breath.
When I heard a slimy movement I looked up slowly, my face was red and sweaty, it was an ink-looking creature, it jumped at my face making me fall into the water down below, something pulled me down, I was drowning trying to scream...
...that's when I woke up.
Student Contributors
Alphabetically: Alexis Aid, Elke Barlow, Harper Bononcini, Ryann Bradeen, Princess Cheesman, Sienna De La Fuente, Jaydon Forrester, Jagen Higginbotham, Ashley Hill, Urijah Holiday, Elliot Holland-Neff, Trenton Kelly, Brianna Lara, Evelyn O'Brien, Haley Oliver, Violet Rivera, Emerson Warness, Blaekly Williams
Advisor/Editor
Mrs. Carly Clark