1. education
2. school

Paw Prints
Published by the Middle School Journalism Class at The Bear Creek School
April 5, 2007 • volume 02 • issue 03 • Redmond, WA 98053
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Having Fun?!
Bear Creek students know how to study, worship, think, read, work. . . and have fun!
1. ART: Lucas Fernandez 2. Coke and Mentos Experiment: Blake Dixon, Blake Emery 3. DRAMA: Sam Roberts,
Erica Leuenberger 4. STAINED GLASS: Madelyn Magee 5. VIDEO PRODUCTION: Barry McDonough 6. BREAK: Sam
Rongve 7. COMMUNITY SERVICE: Nikki Peterson 8. SPORTSATHON CAKE WALK: Nima Abtahi, and Steven Danek
Cover design by Nigel Saw
1
around school
PawPrints
April 5, 2007
Paw Prints
Are we having fun yet?
Is Middle School any fun? It may not
seem like it in the midst of all the
homework, but if you take a minute,
bet you can find something fun in
Middle School. We did! Some of the
fun stuff we came up with:
• when the teachers sang karaoke
at the Sportsathon
• the beach at the eighth grade trip
• sports
• socials
• Year-End video
• morning announcements on video
• frog and worm dissections
• electives
• friends
And, the most fun of all. . .
reading PawPrints!
PawPrints Staff
Madison Abraham
Catherine Binford
Daniel Cantos
John Davy
Blake Dixon
Dakota Dixon
Blake Emery
Neal Jatekar
Taylor Knott
Chris Mehta
Conner Morgan
Olivia Ochoa
Luke Richardson
Sam Rongve
Nigel Saw
Adviser:
Mrs. Sanger
Everyone
has a story
Evan Simpson likes TBCS
because, “it has better
academics than any other
schools, that I know of.” His
favorite subject is Geography.
During his free time, Evan likes
to watch his favorite movie,
Star Wars Episode III, which
also stars his favorite actor,
Hayden Christensen (Anakin).
Evan Simpson
Also, Evan likes to listen to
his favorite band, Xasthur, and his favorite song, Trail of
Broken Hearts. When he isn’t listening to music, watching
movies, or playing his favorite video game, Counterstrike,
Evan likes to play basketball.
If Evan could go anywhere in the world, he would
go to Elephant Island (off the coast of Antarctica) to go
inner tubing. But, his family's usual spot to go on vacation
is Oregon. Evan’s favorite food is bread, and his favorite
color is black. During Activity Period, he likes to do nothing
whatsoever, just kind of hang back. Evan doesn’t really ski
or snowboard, but if he could pick, he would snowboard
and his favorite sports team is the Minnesota Vikings.
As you can tell, Evan is an interesting kid. He likes
to listen to music, play basketball, and of course, watch
Star Wars. Now you a little bit more about one of our
newest eighth graders. If you or someone you know has
an interesting story for our next issue, please contact Neal
Jatekar for an interview.
“
We are discovering new stories
behind Middle School faces.
by Neal Jatekar
Lexi Elliot’s favorite subject
at TBCS is English, and she
likes Bear Creek because,
“the teachers are great and the
kids are really nice.” But when
she wants to get away and go
on a vacation, Lexi likes to
go to Hawaii where she goes
every year with her family.
If Lexi could go anywhere
Lexi Elliott
in the world, she would like
to go Italy because, “I’ve never been there and Italian
food is good.”
When Lexi is relaxing, she likes to watch her
favorite movie, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, while
listening to her favorite song, “Suddenly I See” by KT
Tunstall. Lexi’s favorite artist is Natasha Bedingfield
and her favorite actress is Kirsten Dunst, better known
as Mary Jane from Spiderman.
When Lexi isn’t watching movies or listening to
music, she likes to play volleyball, her favorite sport, or
golf. Her favorite sports team is the Seattle Seahawks
and her favorite food is pizza. During the winter, Lexi
snowboards and has been snowboarding for five years.
For activity period, Lexi likes to talk with her friends
and just hang out. Her favorite color is pink and her
hero is her dad.
As you can see, Lexi is one interesting 7th
grader!
“
What do you do for FUN on the weekends?
“I usually play basketball or
baseball on the weekends if it is
nice outside.”
Eric Domas, 7th grade
“On the weekends, I have fun hanging out with friends, watch
movies, and going shopping.”
Morgan Rial, 7th grade
Jonathan White, 8th grade
Paisley Showalter, 7th grade
“On the weekends I go out of
town, play sports, and play
outside in the neighborhood
with friends.”
Tom Postings, 8th grade
“I hang out with my friends and
play softball on the weekends.“
Emily Booth, 8th grade
by Taylor Knott
“On the weekends I hangout
with my friends, skate board, and
swim.”
“I go shopping, have sleep overs,
and watch movies on the
weekends.”
around school
PawPrints
April 5, 2007
COKE and MENTOS
STEP 1
Gather all needed
materials.
STEP 2
Set up Diet Coke
and tube with Mentos,
then drop them in.
STEP 3
Start with a
smaller bottles and fewer
Mentos.
STEP 4
Move to a bigger
two liter bottle and use up
to a dozen Mentos.
by Dakota Dixon and Blake Emery
On Monday, February 12, Blake Dixon, Dakota Dixon, Blake Emery
and Chris Mehta performed a science experiment, diet coke and mentos. What
they did was take a can or bottle of Coke and drop in the Mentos. Through
a chemical reaction fizz, from the bottle shot up in the air. This event took
place during activity period on the street right outside the boy’s locker room.
Thanks to John Davy, we have a couple of photos of the event.
There were a couple reasons why we did this. First of all, it just looked
like a fun experiment to do. Also, we wanted to see what the difference would
be when you put Mentos in different measures of Diet Coke. It turns out that
you can make any size of Diet Coke fizz, but the two liter bottle is the only
one where it goes up in the air more than six inches. But the main reason we
did it was to learn more about how and why it works, by actually doing it
ourselves. This experiment shows how we can have fun with things that work
in science.
Fun
Many mixtures of candy and soda have been tried to make explosions
like Mountain Dew and Lifesavers, Moxie and M&Ms, and Diet Coke and
Mentos.
Diet Coke is better than regular Coke because the artificial sweetener
in Diet Coke makes the explosion go higher.
Also Diet Coke is easier to clean up than Coke because Coke contains
a lot of sugar and will make the ground around the explosion very sticky.
The highest recorded explosion of Diet Coke and Mentos was 34 feet,
which was accomplished by the TV show Mythbusters.
The first person to ever start this experiment was Steve Spangler, who
also does many demos and explanations on the experiment.
One tip on making this experiment better is freezing the Mentos, which
makes the gum arabic in them expand.
Science
To perform the eruption geyser experiment, you need to simply drop
a handful of mentos into a bottle of Diet Coke. Diet Coke and Mentos is the
best mixture out of all of the mixtures of candies and soda tried. There are
a few reasons why the explosion works so well. Mentos contain gelatin and
gum arabic that break the surface tension by dissolving in the Diet Coke when
the Mentos are dropped in. The Mentos form bubbles all over the surface that
quickly drop to the bottom, causing carbon dioxide to be released by the
carbonated liquid. This sudden increase in pressure forces all the liquid up
and out of the bottle.
The BIG Questions
by Chris Mehta
HOW DOES IT WORK?
Well almost everyone can agree that carbon dioxide is the biggest
factor. When the Mentos are dropped into the soda, it releases CO2
rapidly into the Diet Coke, and the pressure makes the soda explode
out of the bottle.
IS DRINKING COKE AND EATING MENTOS BAD FOR YOU?
Yes, when you drink Coke and then eat Mentos they mix together in
your stomach and can make it expand. Someone actually drank two
liters of Coke and then ate three packs of Mentos and died because
his stomach exploded, so don't do it!
ARE SPECIAL TOOLS/EQUIPMENT NEEDED FOR THE EXPERIMENT?
Almost anything will make pop fizz, even a penny. Some specialized
tools have been made to make Diet Coke shoot up to 30 feet high and
others to make the Diet Coke shoot in all directions.
Warning!!
DO NOT attempt the Coke/Mentos experiment without supervision.
fun
PawPrints
April 5, 2007
feature
1. something that provides mirth or amusement
2. enjoyment or playfulness
by Catherine Binford
The Bear Creek School is a college prep school that emphasizes
studying and academic classes.
Since we go to a college prep school, does that mean that we are too
busy for fun?
Some people say at Bear Creek we worry about our grades too much,
we study too hard and we start too soon worrying about what colleges we will
go to. We are also “sexgregated” to help us do better in school. They don’t
think we have any fun.
So what do the teachers try to do to change that? Some activities (that
the students said are fun) include playing games to study for a final or a test,
like around the world or Jeopardy. Kids also like to dissect things in the
seventh grade science class—-worms, frogs, cow eyes, or cow hearts. Some
teachers even have food or candy that they like to give to the kids if they are
well behaved and focused.
Kids do other fun stuff in school too. Activity period is a fun time to
play sports, hang out, do homework or do whatever you want. During break
you can get what you need for your next class, hang out, or sometimes (when
the weather is nice) you can go out and play on the playground. Another
fun thing in school is Advisory. During this time you get together with your
advisor and the rest of your advisory to do trivia, play games, eat food, and
make jokes, etc.
Since we attend a challenging school, it is important to check our
attitudes. We need to think of school as a fun time to learn and be with your
friends. This will help us to see school as a fun place to be.
Just making a change in your attitude and looking at things from an
optimistic view will help you do well in school.
Having fun really depends on you.
You were taught, with regard to your former
way of life, to put off your old self. . .
to be made new in the attitude of your minds;
and to put on the new self, created to be like
God in true righteousness and holiness.
Ephesians 4:22-24
Lunch Bunch
The "Big Meal" has more than meets the eye!
Clauson's Room (219) every
Wednesday at lunch. They just had
by Conner Morgan
a pi day when they talked about
Ah…. Lunch, the middle pi and its discovery.
of the day.
On the negative side if
With the exception of activity you’re a boy and didn’t do your
period, chapel, break and P.E., devotional this week you are a
many students consider lunch “Lunch Buddy” with Mr. Davison
their favorite activity of the day; until it is turned in. Mrs. Wang also
but there is more to lunch than sponsors Lunch Bunch if you didn’t
meets the eye.
do your science homework. Behind the scenes many Another
students do other things upstairs in activity which was done last
the classrooms. In Mr. Davison’s/ year were football, basketball
Ms. Freeland’s room (217) there are and baseball. First came football.
board games to
The draft was at
be played and
Icebreaker, with
a weekly girl’s
meetings in
Bible study. Mr. Pohlman's
Math team in
Room ( 226) in
Lunch is a time where you
Ms. Clauson's
the following
can eat, talk and hang out
room (219)
weeks.
It
that meets on
consisted
of
with friends.
Wednesdays.
eight seventh
F i n a l l y, l a s t
graders (now
—Gannon McCahill
year there was
eighth graders)
fantasy sport
with
M r.
with Mr. Evans,
Pohlman and
Mr. Pohlman
Evans.
and Mr. Moe.
The next
Mr. Davison has taught fantasy sport was basketball.
a handful of eighth grade boys Started by Coach Moe, it concluded
the three types of Axis and Allies at the end of the NBA season.
board games, which they play
Lastly was the attempt of
periodically during breaks. The fantasy baseball. Mr. Pohlman six
games include Axis and Allies seventh grade boys (now eight
World, Axis and Allies Europe and grade) and one seventh grade
Axis and Allies Diplomacy.
girl (now eighth grade) were
Mark Cheever said “I like in on it. The draft was held in
the world game because of the Mr. Pohlman's room. But, after
space on the board and different members wouldn’t show up
pieces.”
and the computer failed to work
In mid-January Ms. Freeland fantasy baseball disbanded.
started a girls' Bible study that
There may be a chance
meets Thursday or Friday at that fantasy baseball will make a
lunch in the Christian Studies comeback this year.
Room ( 217). They study different
Overall lunch is considered a
parts of the Bible every meeting. favorite school activity (other than
Ms. Freeland started the study breaks and P.E.). How students
because it has been a tradition spend their lunch period is up to
that the girls have a Bible study. them as there are a lot of choices.
They are currently studying about
Remember to clean up after
friendship.
yourselves in the Lunch room and
Math team meets in Ms. don’t be a Lunch Buddy!
"
"
feature
The "FUN" Period
Activity Period has something for everyone
by John Davy
After second period at Bear
Creek, Middle School students
rush to the gym for about 25
minutes three days a week for
Activity Period. About two years ago it was
just half the gym with some balls
and most people just socialized
in the gym.
These
days
games
can include team handball,
badminton,
indoor
soccer,
kickball, ultimate frisbee and
sometimes all in one period.
When asked what activity
they like best, Nick Crowe
said, “Eliminator, because it’s
insane." Derek Culver also likes
Eliminator, while others enjoy
Dodgeball. Most students like Coach
Moe playing music during the
games because it energizes us. While some students go
to Activity Period, others choose
to stay upstairs and socialize. For
those who need to study for an
upcoming Geography or History
test, the time can be used for this. It is also an excellent time
to catch up after an absence and
talk to teachers about missed
assignments. Many teachers are
available during Activity Period
and lunch to help.
For those who like board
games, join Mr. Davison and play
games such as Diplomacy or Axis
and Allies in Room 217. If students had a choice
between longer passing periods
or keeping Activity Period, most
students would keep Activity
Period because it is nice to have
time to study and play.
Climbing High
Brady Maurer summits
the climbing wall on the
playground during an
Activity Period. Having
time to be outside,
especially when the
weather is nice, helps
with attention in the
classroom.
Hopscotch
With Jaime
Goodman and
Sandra Pereira
looking on, Natalie
Bangs navigates
hopscotch.
PawPrints
April 5, 2007
no pain
no gain
Most kids get braces between the ages of 9-16.
Most kids wear braces for 1-3 years.
by Sam Rongve
Braces… most teenagers’ dread the day they will have to get these
“corrective devices.”
More and more teenagers are getting braces. A straight smile does not
seem like much of a reason for putting up with braces.
If you get braces, you are not alone. One survey shows that over 70%
of teenagers will have braces at some point in their lives. The cause of this is
a medical condition called malocclusion which means “bad bite”. Many oral
condition are grouped under this category.
Lucas Peterson has had braces for the past three years, and looks
forward to having them off in a few months; the thing that Lucas says is the
worst part about having braces is “the annoyance of having tiny wires and
pieces of metal in your mouth.”
Catherine Binford is getting braces and is not looking forward to it.
She says that “I’m dreading them, now but I think I will feel grateful once
they are off.”
Orthodontics first emerged as its own definite science in the 1800’s.
That little rubber dam they sometimes stick in your mouth has been around
since 1864. In 1901 the first school of orthodontics was established by
Edward H. Angle, the same man who developed the first solid classification
of malocclusion. And the orthopedic doctor Calvin S. Case was the first
person to use those little rubber bands in braces.
A recent survey of the middle school showed that 50 teens have braces,
37 students have never had braces, and 18 kids had braces now have them off.
So now many students are with you at TBCS.
So in the end you have pearly, straight, white teeth. You may not
appreciate it now, but the benefits will far-out weigh your discomfort.
Remember no pain, no gain.
never had braces (35%)
Braces worn by
Bear Creek
Middle School
students
(105 surveyed)
currently have braces (48%)
had braces,
but they are
now off (17%)
PawPrints
April 5, 2007
feature
Too Much of a Good Thing
by Olivia Ochoa
This article might have
been longer, but piano and drum
lessons, fencing, theatre rehearsals,
and golf kept getting in the way.
No, really! Though this schedule
may seem crazy, I’m not alone
– this level of activity is very typical
among students today, and now
there are more options than ever
to add to the list. What’s so great
– and what’s not so great – about
extracurricular activities?
There are limitless positive
effects that extracurricular activities
offer. A study published in the
Journal of School Health reported that
of 50,000 Minnesota high school
students studied, the kids that were
in extracurricular activities had
higher levels of social, emotional,
and healthy behavior than those
that weren’t involved in those
activities.
Students in sports had less
of a risk of suicide and being
abused. Those not in sports but
in other extracurricular activities
had considerably lower odds for
marijuana abuse, drinking and
vandalism.
On the other end of the
spectrum, activities can cause
stress and make kids shirk their
homework. Those in sports
are more likely to be injured.
Sometimes, a sign of too much
activity is that students lose focus
in class or are tense and irritable.
Mr. Benson, MS math
teacher, says that it is more often "an
organization problem" that causes
a drop in grades. But are students
just so busy that they don't even
think about organization?
At TBCS, the average Middle
School student is involved in one
or more sports and plays a musical
instrument. Other extracurricular
activities that students are in
With after school activities, are kids
biting off more than they can chew?
include theatre, youth group, and
babysitting.
Students at Bear Creek also
spend anywhere from one to
fourteen hours a week doing their
activities! This can leave little or no
time for fun, work, and family time.
If this is the case, many web sites
and articles recommend creating a
schedule at the beginning of each
quarter and taking a look at what
you can keep and drop.
However, notes seventh
grader Christine Kindel, "They
[activities] are totally worth the
time." And they are - our activities
keep us and our brains busy even
when we're not in school!
Excuse me, now…I’ve got to
go get my drumsticks. It’s almost
time for drum lessons.
Other (drama,
babysitting, art,
youth group)
Sports
Music
TBCS Students' Extracurricular Activities
TBCS Calendar
3rd & 4th Quarters
April 2, 2007
by John Davy
MS Season 4 Sports Begin
April 6, 2007
End of 3rd Quarter - Half Day
April 9-13, 2007
Spring Break
April 16, 2007
First Day of Fourth Quarter
April 20, 2007
Teacher Work Day - Half Day
April 20, 2007
MS Social
April 26-27, 2007
P/T Conferences -Half Days
May 11, 2007
MS Social
feature
PawPrints
April 5, 2007
WEEK ENDS
by Madi Abraham
Sports
Update
Weekends. The one thing all students look forward to.
Once the bell rings at 3:20 on Friday afternoon the weekend starts. If
you ask kids if school is fun they will “Yes, but sometimes you just need a
break.” Weekends are the break that kids need. We work hard at Bear Creek;
we work for our teachers and parents, but also for ourselves. When we feel we
need a break, weekends are the best medicine.
There are three types of people, depending on how they spend their
weekends. Maybe you’re the person who is ecstatic about sports and are at
one game to another. Whatever the activity, you are constantly moving from
one to the next.
Maybe you like to hang out with friends, go to the mall and movies
and have a sleep over.
Last but not least, you may be someone that likes to take the weekend as
sports,
shopping or
sleeping?
a break, catch up on sleep, read a good book and hangout with your family.
Whatever the activity maybe, teens are busy having fun on the
weekends.
but as Middle School students, we can’t drive, so who drives us? Is it
the soccer mom or the older sibling? These days it’s a mixture. More kids have
older siblings drive them places, taking a big load off moms everywhere.
“It depends on the thing I am doing. If I am playing baseball, then my
dad takes me because he is my coach, If I am going to the movies or mall, my
sister is the one who takes me,” said Chris Pedersen.
“My dad usually takes me. My sister is taking drivers ed so she can’t
drive me yet, but she can real soon,” said Malia Bachesta.
After a long fun, full of excitement weekend, teens are getting ready to
head back to hectic school, we prepare by doing all the homework assigned
and getting our uniform ready for the next day.
Weekends are for fun and teens are making the best out of them.
Spring is creeping up on The Bear Creek
School, and that means spring sports! Middle School
students have a choice between track and field or
golf.
On Monday, April 2, the Middle School track
and field team started practice at Redmond High
School from 4:15pm to 5:30pm. Track team members
must be ready to leave in front of the school on the
track bus that leaves at 3:40pm. Upper School art
teacher Ms. Siems is the head coach of the track
team, but said she is still looking for a new helper
this year to assist her at practices Monday through
Thursday. Throughout the season, there are four to
five track meets that are located at other competing
schools.
At each meet, track members must compete
in at least one running event out of four total events.
At the last track meet of year, every person in track
will be awarded with ribbons for their outstanding
participation on the team.
Middle School golf also starts on April 2,
practicing from 4:15pm to 5:30pm at Carnation Golf
Course. The golf team’s members will rotate practices
on either a Monday/Wednesday or Tuesday/Thursday
schedule because only so many people can use
the course at once. After school at 3:40pm, team
members must be ready in front of the school to leave
on the Middle School golf bus. Each golfer must have
their own golf clubs and wear either school uniform
or collared shirt with dress pants. Bear Creek School
Facility Director Mr. Saulsbury has been the head
coach of the Middle School golf team for four years.
Their match will start about two weeks after the first
practice. After this point, there will be one match a
week for five weeks.
To finish up late Winter sports, this year the
Middle School girls basketball teams finished strong.
The green, white and gold teams each had about
eight players. The fairly small teams allowed the
players to get more playing time on the court. This
made the season a great experience. Mike Peterson
and Shelly Engelstone coached the green team,
Doug Johnston coached the white team and Jeff
Nelson coached the gold team.
“Coach Doug Johnston was a really nice coach
and encouraged us to work hard by giving out candy
at some practices,” said Elisabeth Fernandez from the
girls white team.
by Blake Dixon
Looking Down Court
Green team player
Charley Button stops to look for a pass
before taking it to the hoop.
Dribble Around
White team player
Hayley Jensen works to beat her defender
in a game against Shoreline Christian.
for fun
PawPrints
April 5, 2007
The Grizzly Games
Shake ’em Up
Where’s the fun?
Now it’s time to unscramble things that are fun
(and things that are not so fun).
How many of these can you find?
Baseball
Board games
Coke and Mentos
Reports
Sports
Video games
Computers
Parks
Spirit
Battleship
Candyland
Basketball
Braces
Movies
Soccer
Tests
Theaters
E
C
P
A
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K
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by Daniel Cantos and Luke Richardson
Hpogsnip
_______________________
Vacytiti drepoi
_______________________
Krabe
_______________________
Huncl
_______________________
Coilsas
_______________________
Korwomeh
_______________________
Skicsesn
________________________
Gelsnepi ni
_______________________
Kacbl uto
_______________________
Find the Happy Place