The Middle Beat - December 2012

Seven Hills Helps the Caring Place this Holiday SeasonBy Charlie Goldsmith! This year, from Monday November 26 to Tuesday December 11, Seven Hills will hold its annual food, toy, and warm clothing drive for The Caring Place. The Caring Place is a local food pantry in Silverton where people in need can go to get food, clothes, and other necessities. Especially during the holiday season, people are looking for presents including toys and books, warm clothing to fight the cold, and nonperishable food such as canned soup, sardines, granola bars, cereals, peanut butter, jelly, and any other canned or boxed item. Each year, Seven Hills, collect donations of food, toys, books, games, and warm clothes for the more than 300 families helped at the Caring Place. ! Seven Hills hopes to contribute to people in need. Senate and Roots & Shoots are taking an active role toward helping The Caring Place by planning the food drive and the kickoff. You can drop your donated items off in the Commons with them in the mornings during the drive. This year’s theme is “I want you, to donate to the Caring Place!” This is because Senate wants the students to help out the people in need throughout the area who need it throughout this

festive holiday season. The incentive for 100% grade participation is two days where the winning grade can listen to music during study halls, lunch, and fruit break. So gather up soup cans and other canned stuff, coats that don’t fit, books that have already been read, and that one toy that you touched once after the holiday season. Also, encourage your friends and classmates to donate because to get the music days, there must be 100% participation. !Helping the Community, One Root at a TimeBy Lindsay Fisher and Charlie Goldsmith Roots & Shoots is a club at the Seven Hills Middle School run by Mrs. Glum and Mrs. Keller. The club began at Seven Hills six years ago when Mrs.

MIDDLE BEAT volume 13 ISSUE 2 December, 2012!

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Middle BeatVolume 13! ! issue 2 ! ! December,

2 Feed Your Mind and Join a Club !3 Statement of Purpose 3 Chanukah: Eight Nights to Celebrate 3 Guess Who? !4 Dr. Jane Goodall 4 Why Learn Latin? !5 French vs Latin? 6 The Scoop on Apple’s Latest Tablet 6 Movie Review 7 The Beatles 8 Led Zepplin 9 Tumbling into Gymnastics Season 9 Cincinnati Sports 10 Rumor Mill 10 Dear Miss Rose

Glum’s niece told her about it and how to get involved. The club meets every Tuesday at lunch and focuses on improving the environment and the lives of people all over the world. The members can participate in all of the events, or just the ones that they are interested in, so anyone who is interested in a project can attend. Mrs. Glum’s favorite Roots & Shoots fundraiser is the Bead for Life sale, which takes place in the spring, near Mother’s Day. Roots & Shoots sells beautiful bracelets and necklaces made authentically from woman in Uganda.

Recently, Roots & Shoots instituted Congo Week, which included the school’s no electronics day, the “Cell Out”, collecting unused cell phones year round, and presentations throughout the week about troubles in the Congo. Daniel Kalubi, who graduated the Seven Hills High School in 2002, spoke to the middle school about his experiences in the Congo while meeting his extended family, this past summer. The other presentation, made by Aspen Kelly (8), Emily Mclennan (8), and Matisse Peppett (8), was based on the ongoing problems in the Congo, including sexual assault, skirmishes, and children kidnapped and forced to become soldiers.

Also, in conjunction with Senate, Roots & Shoots has run the hot chocolate and donut sales to support the American Red Cross’s effort towards Hurricane Sandy’s relief. Roots & Shoots ended up raising a total of $710.00. Dr. Jane Goodall, who spent time in Africa researching chimpanzees starting in 1960, founded Roots & Shoots in 1977. Also, Dr. Jane Goodall has been awarded many prestigious awards, including being knighted by the Queen of England. The world wide organization strives to make the world a better place for any living thing. Seven Hills contributes to the effort by helping the environment and the world around us by raising money and donating it to Roots & Shoots. Early in the year, the Seven Hills’ Roots & Shoots entered, Congo Week, for the “Project of the Week” contest on the Jane Goodall Institute website, and was later awarded a certificate as a prize. Mrs. Glum says that the main goal for the Roots & Shoots club at Seven Hills is to “…help bring awareness about different issues and to give kids a way to make a change.” So, if you enjoy doing good things for the environment and world around us, Roots & Shoots is a good way for you to start getting involved today.

Feed Your Mind and Join a Club at Lunchtime!By Henry Marquardt

Math CountsThursdays at lunch, room 105 with Mrs. Keller and Mr. Betts

Math Counts is for everyone and anyone who loves math. If regular math class isn’t enough for you and you want to expand your math knowledge, then come to Math Club with Mrs. Keller and Mr. Betts!

Roots and ShootsTuesdays at lunch in room 219 with Mrs. GlumSee Roots and Shoots article in this issue.

Board GamesBoard Games Club meets Wednesday at lunch in the MS Commons with Mr. WaskowitzDo you love games like Chess, Checkers, Yahtzee, Euchre, and Uno? Then come on down to Board Games Club and play these games and more with your friends. S.A.F.E. ClubThursdays at lunch in the MS Commons with Mrs. HoltzlterS.A.F.E. stands for Social Awareness For Everyone. Safe club is for everyone, and forms a non-judgmental environment where the whole group can discuss and take actions concerning social issues.

Debate ClubFridays at lunch, room 104 with Debate Club picks a topic to debate every time they meet. Topics range from school topics to national and international issues. If you like to debate, then this is the club for you.

Book ClubTuesdays at lunch in the young Family Library with Mrs. DixWhat could be better than eating lunch with all of your friends AND reading and discussing books?!? Nothing, of course. Book Club has all of these, and throw the wonderful Mrs. Dix into the mix, and Book Club is almost too hard to resist.

100 mile clubThe 100 mile club meets after school with Mr. McGarvey. The goal of the 100 Mile club is to run a total of 100 miles by the end of the school year. If you love running long distances, then this is the one for you.

Music ClubFridays at lunch in the MS computer room (US281) with Ms. ReadyIf you like The Clash, R&B, Emo, free form jazz,


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you or just like music in general, come and share your music with others at Music Club!REMEMBER!!! IT’S NEVER TOO LATE TO JOIN A CLUB!!!

Middle Beat is the newspaper for the Middle School created by the students for the students. We strongly encourage letters to the editor, guest articles, short poems and short stories, and comics. However, be aware that submitting a letter or an article does not guarantee that it will be published in its entirety or be published at all. We reserve the right to edit any article for grammar and length, and all articles or letters must be appropriate for the Middle School audience. On each submission, please include your name and your grade. We will not publish any anonymous articles. Reporters include: Katie Corbett, Stephen Curtis, Joe Dizenhuz, Ben Farber, Lindsay Fisher, Charlie Goldsmith, Paige Hagerty, Jack Lane, Henry Marquardt, Quinn Merrell, Sean Moser, Adam Shim, Quinn Shim, Vaibhav Vagal, Jacob Weinstein, and Devin Williams. Faculty Advisor: Ms. Ready.

Chanukah: Eight Nights To CelebrateBy Charlie Goldsmith! Chanukah is a Jewish holiday celebrated every winter to commemorate the victory of the Maccabees over the Greeks. The Israelites were being ruled by the Greeks who oppressed them by denying them their right to be Jewish, so the Jews hid in caves learning Torah. Finally, a small group of Jews called the Macabees led by Judah who fought the Greeks and forced them out of Israel. Unfortunately, they had destroyed the Jewish Holy Temple before they left, stealing several valuable Jewish artifacts and stealing the oil. The Holy Temple had to be lit, but they only had enough oil for one night, but a miracle happened and it lasted for eight nights. This is why we light the menorah on eight nights, the same nights that the great miracle happened in Israel. ! The word “Chanukah” means rededication. This is because the Jewish Holy Temple was restored to the Jews after years of Greek rule. Also, the Jews light a nine branched Menorah to remind us of the miracle of the oil and how it

lasted for eight days. On Hanukah, people eat fried potato pancakes called latkes which taste very good with applesauce or sour cream. People also spin dreidel tops on Chanukah. They are to remind us of the time when Jews hid in caves to study Torah, and when the Greeks came, they hid the Torah and pretended to spin the dreidel. The game is played where everyone has their own collection of money or chocolate coins, both called gelt. There are four Hebrew letters on the dreidel which is an acronym for the Hebrew phrase “A great miracle happened there.” You start by everyone putting one coin in the center. The letter you land on corresponds to the amount you take. You may take the whole pot, half, nothing, or even have to put one in depending on your letter. Chanukah is a very festive holiday during the winter season. So grab your menorahs and dreidels and get ready for Chanukah on December 8 to remind us of the miracle that happened so long ago.

Guess Who?By Stephen CurtisBorn in Cincinnati, Ohio, this teacher’s favorite class in middle school was science. This teacher played basketball, volleyball, softball, and was a cheerleader in Middle School. This teacher’s dream job was to become a teacher in Middle School. This teacher went to the University of Kentucky home of the Wildcats. This teacher played intramural football in college, and majored in education. This teacher has taught at others schools, such as, Cardinal Pacelli, Elden Academy, and Summit Country Day School. This


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teacher has taught more than math, like history, social studies, language arts, and religion. This teacher loves Seven Hills. This teacher likes the I-Pad program but thinks they should have better math apps. This teacher has two boys. This teacher’s favorite college football team is Norte Dame Fighting Irish, and her favorite college basketball team is Kentucky Wildcats. This teacher’s name is Mrs. O’Connor, and she teaches eighth grade math.

Jane Goodall: Close Encounters With Chimpanzees By Adam Shim Dame Jane Morris Goodall, also known as Jane Goodall, is the world’s most knowledgeable expert on chimpanzees after her forty-five year close up study. Jane was born in London, England in 1934, which is where her love for chimpanzees begun. When she was born she was given a stuffed animal chimpanzee, which she still owns today. As a kid, Jane Goodall spent a lot of time in her yard observing native birds, and always dreamed of observing exotic animals in Africa. Doctor Jane Goodall attended Oxford University at the age of eighteen not as a student, but as a secretary. Afterwards

Why Learn Latin?By Quinn Shim In the Seven Hills Middle School there are three languages offered: Spanish, French, and Latin. These languages are important to learn for different reasons. Latin is captivating and important because students learn about interesting parts of Roman history, the roots of many

English words, and students show our knowledge of Latin and history when they play Certamen. Students learn many things everyday, but students are also relaxed and have fun. Latin creates an affable environment and is very lively. Students also get the chance to attend The Latin Convention in Columbus, Ohio where they compete against kids from different schools in history, poetry, reading, and more. Seven Hills came in third place academically last year and came in eighth place overall. They learn new ways to study and develop exceptional work habits through working in their LABs (language activity books), through translating the chapter stories in their Ecce Romani textbooks (a.k.a. their “hymnals”), and by doing many exercises in their textbooks. ! Latin is important because it was the linqua fracta, the language used by everyone, of the Roman Empire, and it helps students with English vocabulary and grammar functions. Based on the 2010 edition of College-Bound Seniors, a report to help teachers prepare students for college, Latin students have an average SAT score of 678. The next closest competitors are French students with an average score of 633. According to a study done from the Oxford Dictionary in 2006, Joseph M. Williams, a professor in the Department of English and Literature at The University of Chicago, found that Latin makes up 15% of the English language. Latin students shine particularly well in the vocabulary section of the SATs. They also have an average GPA of 2.89 compared to the French and Spanish GPA of 2.78 and 2.76 respectively.* Peter Dodington, the instructor of Bronx Latin School, said, “Latin is a vote of confidence in the kids.”*! Latin also influenced every romance language, which includes French, Italian,


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Portuguese, and Spanish. Latin teaches students to think critically and helps them understand words that they may have never heard of because they know derivatives, prefixes, and suffixes from Latin. Also, thirty-two United States presidents have taken Latin and almost all of them took it at a college level. ! French is good to learn because French students can maintain conversations, but French is not as helpful for understanding the English language nearly as much as Latin. Alfred the Great, the ninth king of England, knew how important Latin was and said, “If Rome is the eternal city, Latin is the eternal language.” Latin est bonus.*From “Latin in the Bronx” written by Kristin Deasy from The National Review Newspaper, December 6, 2012.

French vs Spanish vs LatinPouvez-vous parle en français?By Vaibhav Vagal! In the seventh and eighth grade, there are three languages offered in Middle: French, Latin, and Spanish. All of these languages have their pros and cons. ! French is used in over fifty different countries; twenty-eight of them have French as the official language, and twenty-four countries have it as the secondary language. French is the official language of the Olympics as the opening statement is always in French, and the language represents haute culture, fine cuisine, famous art, and beautiful literature. ! It is a common rumor that Spanish is the easiest romance language to learn, but in a recent poll, many students who took French and Spanish suggested that French was easier to learn. There are

precise rules for the accentuation of Spanish words and accents to let the speaker know when those rules are overridden, whereas in French accentuation goes by the sentence rather than the word. French has fewer verb tenses/moods than Spanish. French has a total of fifteen verb tenses/moods, four of which are literary and rarely used, thus only eleven are used in daily French. Spanish has seventeen verb tenses/moods, only one of which is literary.! French is very elegant. If as a native English speaker, one of the best reasons to learn French is to help the speaker understand English much more than they would taking another language. Although English is a Germanic language, French has had an enormous impact on it. In fact, French is the largest donor of foreign words to English. Unless your English vocabulary is much stronger than average, learning French will greatly increase the number of English words you know. French is the second most frequently used language on the internet. French is ranked the second most influential language in the world. ! In conclusion, when faced with a choice of either French, Spanish, or Latin, French is language to learn. French ést trés magnificique. Resources:http://french.about.com/cs/teachingresources/a/spanishiseasier.htmhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francehttp://www.aatfri.com/pdf%20files/Which%20Language%20to%20choose.pdfPoll from:http://french.about.com/b/2011/07/30/is-french-harder-than-spanish.htm


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The Scoop on Apple’s Latest Tablet: The iPad MiniBy Quinn Merrell

The iPad Mini is Apple’s newest, lightest and smallest tablet ever. The Mini has a remarkably big 7.8-inch diagonal screen for such a small device. The right and left bezels, (areas around the screen), are very small, and comes with a 10-hour battery life, good speakers, and great portability. It also comes with rounded edges are on all angles, making it easier to hold for long periods of time. At 0.28 inches thick, the iPad Mini is thinner than the iPhone, and weighs 0.62 pounds, or about half the weight of the iPad 4. The light weight makes the Mini super easy to hold while streaming movies, downloading apps, or reading a book.

The base model of the iPad Mini costs $329, and is 16 gigabytes. The best model is $729, and has 64 gigabytes and LTE connectivity. However, the base model costs about $130 more than its main competitors, Google’s Nexus 7, the Kindle Fire HD, and Barnes and Noble’s Nook HD. The Mini’s screen is not as good as its competitors, because it uses the iPad 2’s operating system and its screen. However, if Apple had used their newest retina display, it would have a huge battery suck on the Mini. Another reason that it is good that the Mini uses the iPad 2’s operating system is that all apps for the iPad 2 are compatible with the iPad Mini. Other improvements include having reduced thickness, standard iOS 6, and the cameras are the newest Apple cameras available. With almost 50% more pixels in the FaceTime camera than the iPad 2, the FaceTime camera has never been clearer. However, the iPad Mini’s back camera cannot be used with the FaceTime camera. But, with the smaller size, taking a picture with an iPad has never been

easier. The iPad Mini is Apple’s best tablet yet, because of its great portability, its fast, wireless, 4G LTE capabilities, and halfway-decent price.

Argo: A Declassified C.I.A. Story! Argo tells the story of a rescue mission of six U.S. Citizens trapped by protesters in Tehran, Iran in 1979. The CIA tried to rescue them, and the CIA’s cover was to shoot a film in Tehran. The CIA commissioned rescue mission specialist, Tony Mendez, to make the film, and to rescue the U.S. Citizens. Argo is Rated R for foul language, Argo runs for two hours and a half, and stars: Ben Affleck, Bryan Cranston, Alan Arkin, and John Goodman.! Argo was released on October 2, 2012, and was widely successful among critics and viewers alike. I enjoyed Argo because it was based on a real story, the story was riveting, and the film mixes comedy and thrills. Argo got a vast amount of positive reviews, hailing it for it’s enthralling tale, comedy, and tension. Argo got a 95% by Rotten Tomatoes, a 86% by Meteoritic, and a 83% by IMDb.! Argo tells the story of what happened in the U.S. Embassy in Tehran on November 4, 1979, and the fallout of the actions that took place. More than fifty U.S. Citizens were captured by Iranian protesters who were enraged with the U.S. For harboring Mohammad Reza Shah, the unpopular leader of Iran who was dying of cancer. Six U.S. Citizens escaped from the U.S. Embassy through a back door, and eluded the protesters by fleeing to the Canadian ambassador’s house. This event is just one of the many tension packed moments in the film.! Argo will keep you on the edge of your seat. The events are dangerous, like


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when the six U.S. Citizens are going through a mob of protesters, while Iranian protesters beat on their car. Even if you are already aware of how the hostage crisis ends, you still worry about. ! Argo combines comedy and thrills, making it a good movie for both crowds. I enjoyed Argo very much, I highly recommend it.

The Beatles: Why They Are the BestBy Jacob Weinstein! You have to go with the Beatles in this battle. Look at these facts: The Beatles sold 2 million songs in their first week on iTunes*, they had twenty number 1 hits in the U.S., they had 40 songs that made it over 40 in the billboard charts** , they sold over 2 billion records***, and they are the best selling artists ever. They sold three records that sold over 30 million albums! Led Zeppelin only sold one, which says the Beatles had more success selling. ! The Beatles even made multiple genres of music. Listen to “I Am The Walrus”, “I Want to Hold Your Hand”, “Let It Be”, and “Yesterday”. They all have a very different feel to them. “I Am The Walrus” has an upbeat, techno, funky feel. “I Want To Hold Your Hand” is a happy, peppy, and joyous song. “Let It Be” is a sad, emotional, slow song with soul, and “Yesterday” is an acoustic, slow, almost country song of sad reflection. Now I Am The Walrus is really weird, maybe not the best example, but they idea still holds true. The Beatles are a more complete band than Led Zeppelin.! The Beatles also had great personnel, and each one of them launched solo careers, McCartney’s being the most accomplished. Harrison did all right, and then joined the Traveling Willburys and they also were somewhat successful, being more of a country band.

Lennon’s solo career was also all right, and then he collaborated with Yoko Ono, his wife. Ringo Starr didn’t really do much solo, since he’s a drummer, but did collaborate with some other bands, like the All Starr band. McCartney’s solo career is going strong, and he has been very successful. He was also knighted, which is a huge honor.! Also, McCartney and Lennon were incredible songwriters. Even Led Zeppelin fans would agree that McCartney and Lennon were better songwriters than almost anyone, including Plant and his songwriting partner. Lennon and McCartney wrote almost fifty songs including, but not limited to, “Help!,” “I Want To Hold Your Hand,”(Their best selling single ever) and “Yellow Submarine.” Many people think McCartney and Lennon are the best songwriters ever, and whose to say there wrong?! Although “I Want to Hold Your Hand” was their best selling single, plenty of their other songs are easily recognizable and famous. Almost everyone knows “Yellow Submarine,” “Let It Be,” “Yesterday,” “All You Need Is Love,” “Here Comes the Sun,” “Hey Jude,” “Help!,” and “Twist and Shout”. Also, lots of people know the iconic Abbey Road cover, and the music. It spent eleven straight weeks at number 1 in the UK. That is quite impressive. Look to all these awards they won. They won Grammy Award for Album of the Year, Grammy Award for Best New Artist, Grammy Award for Best Short Form Music Video, MTV Video Vanguard Award, Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album, Grammy Award for Best Long Form Music Video, Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, Grammy Award for Best Performance by a Vocal Group****. That’s eight Grammys! For a British band


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with a ten year music career? That is pretty good, and all of this is why the Beatles are better than Led Zeppelin.

*http://newsfeed.time.com/2010/11/24/beatles-week-1-2-million-singles-sold-but-which-classics-endure/**http://leemichaelwithers.tripod.com/at40_beatles.htm***http://www.statisticbrain.com/the-beatles-total-album-sales/**** http://www.google.com/search?q=the%20beatles&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&source=hp&channel=np (On right side)!

Led Zeppelin: Better Than the Best?By Jack Lane ! The Beatles may be great, but I believe Led Zeppelin is better. First of all, the name Led Zeppelin is much more enticing than the Beatles; the name Led Zeppelin just screams rock n’ roll. It’s like comparing the Atlanta Falcons, a name striking fear in opponents, to the Cleveland Browns, making them sound like a team of chumps. The origin of Led Zeppelin’s name is also more interesting. The Beatles called themselves that because of the strong beat in their songs. Zeppelin’s name originated from the Who’s drummer Keith Moon who claimed that Page’s band would go down “like a lead balloon.” Page took that as inspiration for a name, and his manager changed it to Led Zeppelin. Zeppelin already has a lead over the Beatles because they have a better name.! Another reason Zeppelin is the better band is because the members of Led Zeppelin are more skilled than the

Beatles’. John Lennon and Paul McCartney are both very good singers and have great voices, but Robert Plant has all that and more. His voice has more depth than both of the Beatles’ vocalists and also has a raspier tone, a better fit for the era and a great fit for Led Zeppelin. George Harrison is a top twenty guitar player of all time, but Jimmy Page far outranks him. Page has to be considered in the least top ten guitarists of all time, maybe even top five. Rolling Stone believes Page is third best, only behind Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix. People can easily recognize Ringo Starr as the Beatles drummer, but John Bonham was very successful as the Led Zeppelin drummer as well.! The Beatles have set some very impressive records when it comes to selling their music. However, one of the most important records is who has the best selling album. The Beatles best selling album of all-time was Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Heart Club Band. It sold only 13 million certified copies of the album and 32 million total copies. The greatest Led Zeppelin album of all-time? Led Zeppelin IV, which sold twice as many certified copies as the Beatles did and at least 5 million more total copies. By the way, a certified copy is a copy sold that has an endorsement or a certificate that is a true copy of the original. Besides, who has the best song of all-time? The Beatles with Yesterday? Definitely not. Most experts would agree that Led Zeppelin wrote the best song of all time with Stairway to Heaven. Led Zeppelin goes down in rock lore because of it. ! The Beatles created a very nice sound profile with all their differentiating songs. They had a distinct air to all their songs that makes them instantly recognizable. Led Zeppelin, however, is more of a founding father to rock n’ roll.


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http://newsfeed.time.com/2010/11/24/beatles-week-1-2-million-singles-sold-but-which-classics-endure/






http://leemichaelwithers.tripod.com/at40_beatles.htm




http://www.statisticbrain.com/the-beatles-total-album-sales/




http://www.google.com/search?q=the%20beatles&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&source=hp&channel=np








They have more range in their songs than the Beatles and have more interesting sounds within their songs. Their music lays the cornerstone for classic rock with their originality. Zeppelin has a wide variety in their music as well. They can go from soft and almost ballad-like (Stairway to Heaven) to rock n’ roll (Good Times, Bad Times and When the Levee Breaks) to harder rock (Dazed and Confused and Over the Hills and Far Away) to heavy metal (Immigrant Song). They even went a little more exotic with songs like Kashmir. Any band with that much versatility needs recognition as the best. The Beatles were great; there’s no doubt about it, but Led Zeppelin is truly the best.

Tumbling into the Gymnastics SeasonBy Katie Corbett This year’s gymnastics team is led by the passion and strong leadership skills of Lindsay Fisher (8) and Olivia Belle Mayfield (8), the captains of the 2012-2013 middle school girl’s gymnastics team. The team members include: Jillian Blatt (7), Regan Brackett (7), Katie Corbett (8), Nina Dizenhuz (7), Maggie Ellis (7), Lindsay Fisher (8), Grace Greenwald (8), Callie Jacks (8), Carly Jones (7), Claire Kite (8), Olivia Belle Mayfield (8), Phoebe Schiff (8), Emily Waskowitz (7), and Hannah Waskowitz (7). Already, there have been major improvements and new skills learned including, Nina Dizenhuz (7) improving her side aerial, and Regan Brackett (7) getting her back tuck on the trampoline.

Practices are on Tuesdays and Fridays of every week from 3:30p.m. -5:30p.m. The meets are Saturday, December 8, 2012 at Turpin High School, Wednesday, January 16, 2013, at home, Thursday, January 24, 2013 at Miamisburg High School, and to finish the season off, the last meet is Thursday, January 31, 2013 at Cincinnati Country Day School.

There are four events in gymnastics: bars, beam, floor, and vault, and each gymnast preforms a routine for every event, except for vault. The routine consists of elements that help grant the gymnast points to get a higher starting value. The highest starting value one can have is a ten (10.0). Harder skills have a higher point value than the easier skills. For example, a back handspring will give the gymnast a higher starting value than a handstand. Through out the routine the judges judge the gymnast on what skills they are doing, and how well they do them. The judges deduct points for everything the gymnast does wrong, or badly.

The Seven Hills Middle School’s girl’s gymnastics team will do great at their meets and accomplish goals of getting high scores, and new skills. Everyone keeps on improving, and we have a great season ahead of us.

Cincinnati Sports: Becoming a National PowerBy Jack Lane! In the last few years, the University of Cincinnati has established itself as a respectable sports college. The college football regular season has just come to a close, and the Bearcats had yet another successful season. They made a bowl game for the fifth consecutive season, their eighth in the last decade. In basketball, the Bearcats are currently ranked eleventh in the Associated Press Poll, which is very high for any team, and is better than defending champion Kentucky’s rank. The UC’s team looks to match their Sweet Sixteen run in last year’s NCAA Tournament. Cincinnati has become a force in both sports, and we look for them to improve further.! After Cincinnati lost many of their starters because they graduated or went to the draft, including quarterback Zach Collaros and running back Isaiah Pead (drafted in the second round to the Rams), Cincinnati was not expected to have much success this year. However, after early victories over rival Pittsburgh and ranked opponent Virginia Tech, the Bearcats became the #21 team in the nation. They then suffered subsequent close losses to Toledo and Louisville, but finished strong at 9-3. With that regular season success comes a bowl game, their fifth consecutive one. The Bearcats will play Duke in the Belk Bowl on December 27. That will cap off a nice season for the Bearcats, and we hope they will with a win.! Switching gears to basketball, Cincinnati is having some early season success this year. They have yet to lose a game yet, although they had a scare with SEC opponent Alabama. Other games have gone quite smoothly though, including the recent victory over Arkansas-Little Rock, where they had 23 steals, a school record. This is an auspicious start for the Cats, especially after last season’s unexpected tournament run, where they knocked off solid opponents Texas and Florida State before their eventual loss to Ohio State. They retained many of their starters and should have some success this year. Cincinnati will have tough games ahead, including New Mexico,


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Louisville, Syracuse, and Notre Dame. Let’s cheer on the Bearcats throughout the year!

Rumor MillSources say that Mr. Rising is visiting Valve Corporation headquarters in Bellevue, Washington this winter break to be featured in the new Left For Dead video game for Xbox 360, PC, and PlayStation 3. Mr. Rising will be providing the game’s soundtrack.

The Rock Fanatic, Mrs. Maupin was spotted in the mosh pit of the heavy metal band “Metal Tork” at their concert. In the middle of the concert she went onto the stage and stole the microphone from the lead singer. She was escorted out of the concert.

Rumor has it Mr. Butler was denied access to all the rides at Kings Island during the Halloween Haunt for being to tall. He later complained to the Giant Justice League (GJL). The GJL will meet in the gym during lunch, and to join the GJL you must be over 6 feet tall.

Word on the street is that Mr. Revell has a secret passion for rapping. His inspiration came from 2pac, Busta Rymes and Notorious B.I.G. He recently auditioned for the group Young Money. Young Money consists of Lil Wayne, Drake, Nicki Minaj, Tyga, Gudda Gudda, Mack Maine, Lil Twist, Lil Chuckee, T-Streetz, Jae Millz, and Shanell. After he auditioned, Lil Wayne laughed and said “My grandma has better rhymes.”

Dear Miss RoseAdvice for the Weary Among UsI am going away for a vacation and there is a test on the day that I come back, but I forgot my textbooks and studying material. What should I do?Unprepared

Dear Unprepared,Converse with your teachers and explain what happened. Try to persuade them to let you take the test at a later date. It would be better to admit your mistake and seem careless in front of your teacher than to flunk the test. Don’t forget to study!

I recently was involved in a fight with my girlfriend/boyfriend and she/he dumped me. Due to that, I

have been feeling depressed and my grades have been slipping into Cs and Ds. What should I do? Heartbroken Slacker

Dear Slacker, you can talk to your girlfriend or boyfriend to see if they can get back with you or you can try talking to your advisor. Don’t be afraid to discuss your problems with your parents. You can ask your teachers for any extra credit work they may have to try to get back to your usual grades. Hope this works!

I am bullied at school because I am scrawny and not athletic. I am often teased for my inability to run fast, jump high, etc. Kids sometimes make fun of my weight and height problem as well. What should I do?DL

Dear DL, don’t be afraid to stand up to your peers. They’ll start to respect you if you stand up to them, and if you can throw in some humor, that could help too. Talk to a teacher, or parent and discuss with them what you are going through. Have you thought about joining SAFE Club so that you can talk to more supportive people? Wouldn’t it be great if everyone accepted each other as we are?

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Documents

The Middle Beat - December 2012