Coffee Captivation

How many people do you know who could say that they dislike or have never been to Starbucks? The number of people who loathe Starbucks are quite low. The reasoning as to why people of all ages like Starbucks ranges from the food/drink variety, that it’s friendly environment for homework and meeting friends, and that almost everyone has an access to one!

Starbucks is an American coffee company and coffeehouse chain. It is located all over the world and is very popular for teenagers but people of all ages go to Starbucks. When asked why they liked Starbucks, most people gave vague answers - most people don’t know why they like Starbucks. Many people just said they go because their friends go. People go to Starbucks because it is a fun place to meet, and it's a trendy company.

There are more than 23,000 Starbucks shops located around the world, with 11,000 located in the United States. With so many shops being all over the world, it's easier to locate a Starbucks, which makes it far more convenient than most coffee shops. When asked, a student named Cassandra said, “It is easy to get to in the morning, because there are different stores on the way to school, and they have a really good breakfast variety that I love.” Also, with Starbucks having so many stores located around the world, people tend to go to Starbucks when they travel, because it is a familiar brand that they know.

Another reason why Starbucks is so popular is because of the variety of fun drinks and delicious pastries, and it's a good study place. Students love that they can go and get a s'more or a cotton candy frappuccino instead of just having to get a latte or decaf coffee. Caroline said that the main reason that she loves Starbucks is because they have really good pastries, unlike most other coffee shops. They have a good selection of hot or cold drinks and of different types of pastries and snacks. Students also say that it is a great place for them to hang out and do homework with friends because of the free Wi-Fi.

In conclusion, Starbucks is so popular because of their specialty drinks and yummy snacks. All Starbucks are very nice inside and appeal to most people as an expensive high quality coffee house. People recognize that, if they spend a little more money on coffee, they will get a perfect and delicious beverage.

Article by Hali, Naomi, and Mia

Cheese Rolling?!?!?!

The annual event of Cooper’s Hill Cheese Rolling and Wake takes place in Gloucester, England on Spring Bank Holiday in May. People from all over the world come to this hill to chase a giant wheel of cheese down a steep hill and others come to watch competitors tumble. Cheese Rolling is a tradition where people compete by chasing after a giant wheel of cheese, and deal with the steepness of the hill and other competitors run and fall down the hill.

Cheese Rolling is a very dangerous competition, many injuries have occurred during this contest. In recent years the hill was always maintained and kept nice, since 2010 the hill has not been maintained which makes it more difficult for the competitors to make it down the hill safely. With the ditches and holes in the ground, to the wet slippery hill, cheese rolling is very dangerous and is recommended that experts compete only.

Not only is there cheese rolling but a lot of fun activities for all ages. You will be able to taste and purchase all types of cheese. For the younger kids they have bean bag tossing, face painting, balloons and much more. The cheese rolling festival allows fun for all people. The competition is a fun way to get together, people dress up in fun costumes and they tumble their way down the hill.

For the roll they use a 7-9 pound roll of Double Gloucester which is a hard cheese made in a wheel.  Each roll of the cheese of cheese is put in a wooden casing to protect it as it tumbles down the hill at 70 miles-per hour .  At the beginning of the race people decorate the outside of the cheese with colorful ribbons.  A local cheesemaker and her son have been providing the race with their rolls since 1988.  Traditionally there three rolls of of cheese that go down the hill.  In 2013 cheese maker Diane Smart was warned by a police officer that she could be held accountable for any injuries that occurred.   

In the past, contestants have successfully crossed the finis line and received their prizes. 27-year-old and a 39-year-old males each won one of the four races in 2013. Winners of Cheese Rolling receive the wheel of Double Gloucester cheese they were chasing after and they also with two free ski season passes.

Although this event may seem crazy and senseless to some people, it actually originated from a representative ceremony. Rolling burning brushwood a hill represented birth of the New Year and was said to bring fertility and fruit harvests. This is where the idea of rolling cheese down a hill came from.

Cheese rolling may be one of the weirdest and most dangerous sports, but it is definitely very entertaining to watch. The event is basically people face planting down the hill for a huge piece of cheese, but it’s a fun experience you’ll never forget.  

By: Mia R., Hali W., Naomi B.

Chicken or The Egg

Which came first - the chicken, or the egg? According to Dictionary.com, it’s a phrase we use in a situation in which it is “impossible” to say which of two things existed first and which caused the other. It is possibly the most controversial question in the world. However, recent science has confirmed that the egg did come before the chicken.

In nature, things evolve as changes (called mutations) are made to their DNA, which (usually) doesn't happen during a life, but when offspring is being produced. Before the first chicken zygote (its first cell, from which the full chicken grows) was created, there were no chickens, only non-chicken birds. Basically, two birds that were not considered chickens yet mated, which created a new zygote cell that contained the mutations needed to become what would then become the first chicken. The zygote cell is the only place where the mutated DNA could come together and form an organism, and the zygote cell is housed in the chicken’s egg. In case it’s still unclear, in simpler words, two birds that weren’t biologically chickens created an egg that hatched a chicken. Therefore, the egg came first.

When asked, 50% of students at Treasure Mountain Junior High said that the egg came first and the other half said that the chicken came first. So half of the students were right and the other half should probably read this article. The mystery to this question has been solved.

Why is Trump becoming popular?

The election is coming up quickly. After Kasich and Cruz dropped out, only three candidates remain: Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, and Bernie Sanders. Obviously, Trump running for President was sort of a joke to many people, but now that it’s narrowed down, people are starting to change their minds and think about what would be best in the future.

Trump was not expected to go very far in this election because of his poor behavior. At first, a lot of people were against him because of his racist and sexist remarks. Many women and people of different races especially didn’t like him because of the comments he would make about anyone that wasn’t a rich, white man. Other than his experience and decent ideas, there really isn't much to like about Trump. He has the most normal ideas out of all the candidates, but his comments make people see him as just a rude person. Bernie is a socialist, Cruz was conservative, and Hillary is a criminal, so that doesn’t leave much room for normal candidates, which we don’t have.

Since either Donald or Hillary is expected to be elected, US citizens are considering who they’re going to vote for (or if they want to vote at all - many people are just avoiding the situation altogether). Surprisingly, a lot of people who didn’t support or believe in Trump are beginning to see him as a serious option. A family friend, James, asked, “Who would you rather have as President? A criminal [Hillary] or just a really bad person?” Just like James, people are realizing that Hillary Clinton may really be fake and wouldn’t be trustworthy as President, while Donald Trump is super transparent and likes to speak his mind.

By Mackenna Doilney and Caroline Haaijer

Top 5 Places to Ski in the Summer

1. Les 2 Alpes, France - This popular mountain in France is open in the winter from the beginning of December, to the end of April. In the summer, Les 2 Alpes is open from mid-June, to the end of August. Although the lifts only run some of the time, the mountain is open year-round for anyone that wants to ski. The lifts run up to 11,811 ft high and has the largest skiable glacier in Europe. Les 2 Alpes is the 2nd oldest ski resort in France next to Chamonix, another populous ski resort. This resort has an amazing view of many mountain ranges in France.


2. Zermatt, Switzerland- Zermatt is a renowned ski resort for skiing, climbing, and other alpine activities. Much of it’s local economy is from the many tourists that visit the town. A very famous mountain in the Alpes is called the Matterhorn, which is next to the resort in Zermatt. The year round population is 5,770, but with so many tourists coming to ski, the population changes.




3. Ski Portillo, Chile - This resort is located in South America, in the Andes Mountain range. Ski Portillo has 35 runs and 14 lifts, reaching as high as 10,860 ft. This ski resort in Chile is most well known to hold world cup races for athletes all around the world. Athletes on the US Ski Team and other teams around the world ski here and race here for world cup points. Ski Portillo is between Chile and Argentina, but access is usually limited due to very heavy snow falls. Portillo is open from mid-June to early October, ranking as the 3rd best place to ski in the summer.





4. Mount Hood, Oregon- Mount Hood is located 50 miles east of Portland. Here, you can swim or canoe in one of the many lakes, hike to beautiful waterfalls, and best of all, ski! The mountain goes to about 11,240 feet high. The ski resort is one of the few in the world that is open all year round. It is a small ski resort, but an excellent glacier to ski on with a great snow pack. A lot of ski racers go to this resort to train for the upcoming winter season.




5. Whistler Blackcomb, British Columbia - Located north of Vancouver, Canada, Whistler Blackcomb is one of the biggest resorts in the US. It has a peak-to-peak gondola, running from Whistler to Blackcomb and claiming the name of highest and longest unsupported cable car in the world. It is one of the most-visited resorts in the world, with over 2 millions visitors a year. This mountain held the 2010 Olympics with super g, downhill, giant slalom, slalom and super combined. Whistler Blackcomb has over 200 runs and their longest run is 6.8 miles long.

How To Make A Relationship Last

Relationships are very unpredictable. Sometimes they last, sometimes they don’t. Due to the fickleness, there are some things that determine whether a relationship survives or doesn’t survive. Specific things can really help. With that said, here are some of the statistically shown things that help a relationship last.

The biggest thing that helps a relationship last, is money. The more money the couple earns together, the less chance there is of a divorce. The only thing that can change this, is if you both are too busy for each other, and never spend any time together. To prevent this, make sure you schedule time and dates that you and your significant other can spend time together. This will help make a healthy and happy relationship.

Another thing that helps a relationship last, is the time spent dating before proposal. If a couple dates three years or more, their relationship will last longer. Three years is probably a good time to wait to get to know each other and know their true colors. After all, Some people aren’t who you expected them to be. People who get married at a young age, typically get divorced.

The third thing that helps a relationship last, is communication. The more you communicate with your significant other, the more that your relationship will stay strong. Communication involves talking about your feelings, ideas, and concerns about the relationship, or just about daily life. People who don’t communicate, have too many unresolved feelings inside and usually feel overwhelmed. Communication is one of the biggest reasons people break up and get divorced.

The fourth thing that helps a relationship last, is to stay postive. If you are always talking to your significant other about how depressed and sad you are, the chances of your relationship lasting is not that great. No one wants to be with a negative person all the time. It’s very annoying, and will most likely make the person upset too. So, be happy and look at the bright side of every situation.

The last and final thing that helps a relationship, is to not be controlling. Don’t be searching through their internet history, or their text messages. You should have enough trust in that person, that you are not worried. If you are worried, then you should just break up the relationship, because you shouldn’t be with someone you can’t trust. Controlling behavior is not cool, and will definitley lead to heartbreak.

Sources: Psychologytoday.com

Top 5 Dumbest Things Junior High School Students Do.

Junior High Students are typical teenagers. However, as teenagers, we can do some dumb things. Adults usually don’t realize the types of idiotic things we do because we usually do it with our friends. With that said, here are the top five dumbest things junior high students do.

The dumbest thing that junior high students do, is having boyfriends and girlfriends at this young age. If you like someone more than a friend, just be friends with them! If they like you too, that’s great! Date in high school. This problem has been so big. Many kids are having many boyfriends/girlfriends in short periods of time. As an example, a boy will date 15 girls in a month. This leads to lots of heartbreak and dumb reasons why people are so depressed. The majority of people our age have had their first kiss, and have had a least one boyfriend/girlfriend.

The second dumbest thing junior high school students do, is make perverted comments. This is a big inconvenience. Just because you think something inappropriate doesn’t mean you have to say it to them. This is very common toward females. Perverted comments are usually caused due to hormonal changes, and new thoughts about the opposite sex.

The third dumbest thing junior high school students do, is dabbing. The “dab” is when someone puts their nose to the elbow (like sneezing) with the other arm up. It is a popular dance. It can be very annoying to see people just randomly dabbing.

The fourth dumbest thing junior high students do, is cracking cell phone screens and just being irresponsible with technology. If you were to ask a group of teenagers to show you their phone, you would see many with cracked screens. This shows they are being very irresponsible with their technology. Another example of being irresponsible with technology, is leaving your phone in the snow for two months. As hard as this is to believe, I have met several people who have done this.

The fifth and last dumbest thing junior high students do, is taking selfies obsessively. Selfies such as “walking down the street,” “At the store,” “At school,” “Just chilling,” “Just got out of the shower,” “Just being lazy,” stuff like that. Selfies have gotten so popular, but kids are now extremely obsessed with this fad, and will not stop taking pictures of themselves. Teens will do anything to take a “cool” selfie, even though some are very dangerous.

As you can see, junior high students do a lot of dumb things. But, as we get older, we hopefully will become more responsible and more intelligent about our decision making.





By: Brianna Miller, and Julianna Foltynowicz

X the Exam!

The eighth grade Math Honors final exam is scheduled on June 2, the second-to-last day of school. Every eighth grader is required to take this test. This results in laptop issues and unnecessary stress, and many students will be absent for the last week.

As the end of the year approaches, everyone is super excited for the summer and just want school to be over, but teachers have a different idea. End-of-year tests are being planned in multiple classes for either the week before school gets out or the very last day of school. This causes students to be worried about their grades and have to stay up late studying for all of their tests. By having students take tests that close to the end of the year, they will be stressed about trying to get their grades back up before the end of the year. Students will be so worried about doing well on their tests that they will forget to enjoy their last few weeks of school with their friends. The last days of school are supposed to be fun and enjoyable - students should not be freaking out about them!

All students are required to take the end of the year final, which goes over everything students have learned throughout the year... yet they return their laptops on May 31st. How are students supposed to take the final exam? The students could take the exam on paper, but if that's the case, how will the exams be graded and put into PowerSchool before grades lock? If the exam is graded and put into PowerSchool, students will have no way of checking their grades, so they'll have no chance to get their grades up by doing extra credit. The exam should be taken a week before school ends; this at least gives a fair chance for students to get their grades up.

For the summer, many families are planning big, long trips. These vacations might require kids to school a few days early to catch flights. If the final math exam is on June 2nd or June 3rd, then many students will have to take the test earlier. If so many students aren’t even taking the test on the day it’s scheduled, ALL students should take it a week before the last day. Having half of the students take the test early and the other half take the test at the very end of the year is just more useless work. It would make the testing process easier for the students and teachers will have a longer amount of time to grade the tests.

Overall, having the final math exam the day before school ends is unfair to the students and doesn’t benefit anybody. The test should be at least a week before the last day to prevent problems, like unneeded anxiety, work, and, most likely, a decline in grades. By the second to last day, the school won’t even have the resources necessary to take the test. These issues can easily be avoided if the exam is rescheduled to an earlier date.

Article by Mia Rapella, Naomi Baltzan and Hali Weaver

Shannon Hase: The Teacher That Rules Our School

     Mr. Hase is the teacher that everyone looks forward to having when they take geography. He’s hands down one of the best teachers in Treasure Mountain Jr. High. Mr. Hase is a kind person who cares about all of his students and you can really tell. He’ll never give up on his students whether they are failing his class or continuously getting As.
     Thank goodness Mr. Hase is bad at math or he wouldn’t be the most amazing geography teacher. Not only is he an amazing teacher, but he is an amazing person. He says that his mother’s mother is his biggest inspiration. She shaped him into the person he is today. She taught him to be nice to others, enjoy crossword puzzles and have a great sense of humor. All of Mr. Hase’s students love sharing a laugh with him. The best part of the day is when Mr. Hase tells us not to laugh, then bursts out into laughter, and the students can’t help but giggle along.
     Mr. Hase is the epitome of the perfect teacher. Not only does he love his job, but he loves his students. Working with the students is Mr Hase’s favorite part of the job. Unlike other teachers Mr Hase loves all of his students even if they are failing.
     Before Mr. Hase gets to school he enjoys a nice cup of coffee. If Mr. Hase had to describe his life in a movie title it would be “ Shannon Hase: The Movie. My life as a knucklehead”. Mr. Hase is hands down the best teacher in Treasure Mountain Jr. High. We are looking forward to seeing “Shannon Hase: My life as a Knucklehead”. Thanks for being the amazing teacher you are.

Five Dress Trends by Murphy and Sydney

Two-Piece Sets!

Everyone knows that, within the last year, crop tops have made an astounding comeback into the world of fashion. This new trend for two piece dresses are cutting edge and a great way to steal the show at any event. Also, when a two piece dress is combined with a high neckline, it is beyond trendy!

Cutouts!

Along with the two-piece trend, cutouts featured in prom dresses are totally in style right now. They can also be very flattering on any body. Plus, these dresses will be easy to find in any store and fit any style requirements.

Glam!

The glam and bling this year is unreal! From sequins to beading to stitched patterns, people are really piling on the glam this season. For a client trying to stand out in the crowd this season, there is no question that the glitz and the glam will be incorporated in their dress.

Backless and Simple!

This trend will always be a favorite and a crowd pleaser. This trend is simply beautiful and can be very sexy as well. A dress like this is timeless and an amazing choice.

Fun and Floral!

These dresses are very unique and amazing to look at. This bold print is absolutely beautiful on any dress silhouette. The floral trend is dramatic and surely unforgettable!

Why is a Gap Year Beneficial?

After students graduate from high school, they can choose to go to college whenever they want. Waiting a whole year before they continue on their paths of success is called taking a gap year. Many people chose to take a gap year for various reasons - they can’t decide on a major yet,  they want to continue their sport one more year, or they want to get a job to help pay for college or get experience in their field. Whatever the reason, a gap year is often an excellent choice for anyone who thinks it will be beneficial for college or for the future. Senior thinking about taking a gap year should definitely apply to college anyway; they can always withdraw later, and if they get accepted to a college that they know they really want to attend, but still want to take a gap year, admissions for a college can be held for up to a year - there’s no need to worry!

Deciding on a major can be hard; it’s a big decision that will dictate what a student's life will be like for a very long time. A major is the subject in which a student wants to specialize at a college. Whatever majors students choose, whether science-, math-, or English-based, will decide which classes they have to take to graduate. There are so many to choose from, so it’s really difficult to choose in advance what majors are best for them. The classes they take in college and the jobs they have later will depend on their majors. The majors students choose will stick with them for almost the rest of their lives, so it’s not a decision to take lightly.

Certain sports require a big commitment as well, and skipping college entirely may be one of those big commitments. If a student is not ready to give up their entire education for a sport, taking a gap year is a good idea to be able to pursue their sport for just one more year. They can use that year to enjoy what might be the last time they ever get to train with their team. They can also focus on improving so that they might be eligible for a scholarship. Some kids just aren’t sure whether they want to go to college for their sport, or take a bigger step and skip college to pursue their career in the sport. An extra year will give them time to think about that, or to realize if they’re good enough to skip college and give up everything for the sport.

Some students want to get a job to get experience or make money for college. A job can give them more experience in the field they might want to work in one day. It will teach them what life after college will be like, so they can prepare. It will teach a student many valuable lessons they will need later on. It can also be difficult to pay for college, so some people take a year to dedicate their time to make money to use for college the next year. They can use all of their time for their job, and hopefully make enough to pay for college. If a student works hard enough, a scholarship is also an option to pay, but a job will make a huge difference. A student can learn a lot and help pay for college by having a job.

5 Times People Got Kicked Off Flights For Weird Reasons

Due to terrorist attacks like 9/11, it's only natural that airport security would be enhanced. Keeping passengers safe in the air is extremely important, and sometimes luggage and body searches are entirely necessary. However, some airlines may have gone too far when “protecting” the plane. Here are five ridiculous reasons people were kicked off of flights:

1. Before takeoff in 2012, a little boy threw a fit because he didn’t want to turn off his iPad. After a few minutes of screaming and crying, the whole family was asked to leave for the safety and comfort of the other passengers.

2. A Berkeley Student boarded a plane just last month and was soon removed because another passenger claimed that he was making threats in Arabic. It turns out that he was actually talking to his uncle about a speech to which he had listened!

3. On a flight in Canada, a 6’9” man had his legs resting in the aisle. (Even for people of average heights, fitting into the space you are provided with can be very uncomfortable - it's perfectly understandable!) After he accidentally tripped a flight attendant and couldn’t fit into the space in front of him, he was asked to leave.

4. A travel blogger on a United Airline flight took a picture of the TV screen and tray-table in front of him. While waiting for the flight to take off, a crew member approached him and said that a flight attendant told him to stop taking pictures and he ignored her. The passenger said that he didn’t continue to take pictures and that the attendant was lying. The crew member then threatened to call the police if he didn’t exit the plane.

5. In 2014, a French passenger was embarrassed and humiliated on an airplane after a flight attendant confronted him about his body odor. She threatened to have him removed from the flight and said that he should take a shower before the next time he visits an airport. He sprayed himself with a woman’s perfume so he could stay on the plane.

Sources:

Klint, Matthew. "Thrown off a United Airline for Taking Pictures!" Upgrd.com. N.p., Feb.-Mar. 2013.Web. 10 May 2016.

Fitzpatrick, Alex. "5 Times People Have Gotten Kicked Off Flights for Ridiculous Reasons." Time.com. Time Magazine, 9 May 2016. Web. 10 May 2016.

Jill Hedges Teacher Feature

Jill Hedges has been working as a science teacher at TMJH for ten years. She grew up in southern California, but was born in Indianapolis. She is a great teacher, and delivers such a great science class. Here’s a little information about her. 

If there was a fruit that described Ms. Hedges’s personality, she would be a red cherry. She said it’s because they are cute, simple, and fun. She also said, that she is a good blend of things. She likes the outdoors, sports, music, dance, girly stuff, artsy stuff, being creative, being academic/nerdy, and loves rocks. If she were moving to a foreign country and could only bring a couple things, she would bring her favorite jeans, socks, walking shoes, black leggings, her Gore tex jacket, comfy shirts and a skirt, blowdryer with adapter, makeup, money, maps and her cell phone. If she was going on a trip and could only bring one person, she would bring someone who would appreciate where they were going, someone that was fun, adventurous, flexible, and not high maintenance. 

When growing up, Ms. Hedges had one brother named Jim. She said that he was very super, mega smart. She said her favorite childhood memory was when she lived in Germany, and visited castles and cool art galleries every weekend. Ms. Hedges stated that she was very lucky to have good parents. Her parents were junior high sweethearts from a small Indiana town. She said they sent her to college, were very strict, not so communicative, but expected them to do the right thing. Ms. Hedges said she doesn’t really have a best memory teaching, because she has good memories daily, and they are usually when she sees students happy in class, laughing and singing. 

Ms. Hedges is such a sweet lady, who has such a great passion for science, especially geology. She is a great teacher, and is very fun to chat with. Everyone should get to know her. 

The Park City Coffee Roaster Review

Park City Coffee Roaster uses techniques that have been used for centuries in Europe. They roast 25-pound batches at a time. Coffee beans are imported from all over the world. Park City Coffee Roaster have a wide variety of drinks. They have their fresh-roasted coffee that is made every morning from beans that are imported. They also have hot and cold espressos made from fresh-roasted beans. If you’re going there and want to have a healthier drink, they have creative and delicious smoothies made with fresh ingredients and real fruit. Park City Coffee Roaster has relaxing natural teas with many flavors. They have green tea, black tea, red tea and decaf. These fun and original drinks come with tons of flavors and fresh ingredients.

In our personal experience, Park City Coffee Roaster is a fantastic place to get your homework done or just hang out. It has a rustic and comfortable vibe that makes people feel at home. Park City Coffee Roaster is accessorized with cozy couches, checker board tables, and a wooden wall art of a world map. The coffee shop also has a great song playlist. The music adds to the relaxing mood and it goes with the shop’s theme. The coffee house feels as if it should be in a movie or a popular Pinterest post! The Coffee Roaster also provides a username and password for fast-running wifi, so it’s easy for students to do their homework. The customer service is filled with enthusiastic, kind workers that always offer a hand to help. It’s an enjoyable place to go and has a great energy inside, most people would love Park City Coffee Roaster.

Park City Coffee Roaster has a huge selection of iced and hot drinks. When we went to the shop, we tried an iced caramel latte and an iced vanilla macchiato. The drinks were delicious. They weren’t too sweet or too bitter, they had a lot of flavor, and although the drinks were iced, they weren’t watered down at all. Park City Coffee Roasters is the prime destination to curl up with nice hot chocolate or grab a cool drink on a hot summer day.

The only negative thing we have to say about the coffee table is the need for bigger tables. The shop needs bigger tables for students working on homework. There isn’t much space for people to spread out their school papers and laptops. This is just a small complaint that isn’t the most important thing. The good qualities of Park City Coffee Roaster definitely outweigh this small issue.

Although Park City Coffee Roaster has a great coffee selection, we think they should advertise their business more. The Roaster has a great vibe inside, delicious coffee and pastries, but we think it could thrive from more exposure if it were in a better location. The shop is a bit hidden in it’s current location, and with its great food and drinks, it could be a lot more popular.

In the end, the coffee roaster left us with a great feeling from its food and coffee to its cozy atmosphere. We definitely recommend giving Park City Coffee Roaster a chance.




By: Mia Rapella and Naomi Baltzan

Michelle Stratton's Teacher Feature

Michelle Stratton is an 8th grade English teacher, and also teaches the 8th and 9th elective of Creative Writing. She's lived in Park City for going on 14 years after she moved to go to the University of Utah, and has been teaching for 11 of these years. Previously, though, she grew up in Long Beach CA. and Wisconsin. She's always wanted to be a professional writer, and currently has 3 novels in the works; she also writes songs, plays guitar and sings in a band.

Ms. Stratton has a 16-year-old son at Park City High. She describes him as "the most important person in [her] world." She also has five younger siblings, who affect her life in a great way as friends and supporters during tough times. Music is also practically a tradition for her and her loved ones. Both she and her son play guitar in their own bands. She writes in a songwriting circle, with whom she gets together with a few times a month to share music, collaborate, practice and perfect skills. Ms. Stratton has made some great friends through playing music, and says it's "a really cool thing to bond with other people through music."

Ms. Stratton is the kind of teacher that supports all of her students. She knows what it's like for the 8th graders coming to a brand new school, as the same thing happened to her when she was in 8th grade. She's always proud of them when they accomplish anything – from raising their Galileo score to writing a 74,000-word novel in a month ("What is that, like 200 or more pages?"). She says her Creative Writing class has a more relaxed atmosphere, as it's an elective full of kids who are passionate about writing and want to be in there. According to her, students that are enthusiastic make the day fun for her; and even though some students don't like literature as much, she loves them all the same.

In the summer, Ms. Stratton say she'll most likely be moving to a new home in Kamas. "It's quieter, there is a little creek that runs through my new backyard, and it feels more like a small town, which is important to me. Best of all, it allows me to still be close to work and all of the other Park City things, places and people I enjoy." Ms. Stratton is looking forward to her new move, and while she isn't sure what the next year is going to bring, her students will always love their English (and Creative Writing) teacher.

"The greatest experiences come when students learn from their mistakes and move on to climb mountains! It's why I get out of bed and come to work each morning." - Michelle Stratton, 2016.

Teacher Feature

Teacher Feature
By: Ellie Fischer

Jennifer Valaika is a 9th grade english teacher here at Treasure Mountain Jr. High. Ms. Valaika is a very interesting, fun, and amazing teacher. She has two sons, ages 8 and 4. She also has a black labarador, Roxy, and a tabby cat, Bootsie. She is from Jaffery, New Hampshire. Her favorite teacher growing up was her high school English teacher. Ms. Valaika stated that, “She made me believe I could be a writer if I wanted to.” Although she loves being a teacher, her ultimate dream job is being a competitive eater. Ms. Valaika graduated from Boston University and started teaching 15 years ago. Before she started working here in Park City, she worked not very far from here up in Heber City. She added a funny comment, saying, “I miss having students bring me elk jerky and antlers.” Not only is she very intelligent, she is also athletic. Her biggest accomplishment in life was when she earned a full ride basketball scholarship to a Division 1 university. On her free time, she still stays active. Currently, she likes cross-country skiing and mountain biking. To get in touch with her more creative side, she is currently learning the piano. If she were stuck on a remote island and had the choice to take three items with her, she would take her family, a bounce house, and a sushi bar. Her dream vacation spot is Cinque Terra, Italy, she loves traveling when she gets the opportunity to. As you can see, Ms. Valaika is an extraordinary, successful women. She inspires people every time they walk into her classroom.

Glamorous Gaudet Teacher Feature

This week’s teacher feature is on Mrs. Gaudet, the eighth grade History teacher at Treasure Mountain Junior High. She’s been teaching for seven years, and she chose to teach history because she fell in love with it while studying abroad in the Czech Republic. Mrs. Gaudet states that she grew up hating history, but her history teacher where she was studying abroad made history like a story, not just a bunch of dates and facts to memorize.

Mrs. Gaudet met her husband when she was at her sister’s wedding as a bridesmaid. He was a groomsman. She also has one daughter, Eloise, and two dogs, Chauncy and Leroy. Mrs. Gaudet shares that her favorite thing about her daughter is her sense of humor and the fact that Eloise can remember everything (which can be good or bad, depending on the circumstances!). Chauncy unconditionally loves his owners and looks at for them, even if that means holding grudges against people and dogs that have crossed him, and Leroy is constantly excited about every little thing that happens - Mrs. Gaudet wishes she could be as excited about things as he is!

The majority of Mrs. Gaudet’s life has been spent in Park City, although she was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut. When she was seven, her own family moved to Park City; the first thing she remembers about the city is getting locked outside on a balcony before she had moved here! After high school and in hopes of pursuing her dreams of college and art school, Mrs. Gaudet left Park City, but she realized that Park City was the place she wanted to live and that Treasure Mountain was the place she wanted to teach. Mrs. Gaudet is so dedicated to this town and school that, when asked what her favorite childhood memory was, she responded, “My days at Treasure Mountain."

Mr. Parker's Teacher Feature

Mark Parker, known as Mr. Parker to his students, is the ninth grade Honors English teacher at Treasure Mountain Junior High in Park City. He is definitely a favorite! Although most of his students only see Mr. Parker in a teaching environment, it’s always fun to take a look at life outside the classroom.

First, when asked about his biggest fear, he stated, “something dreadful happening to my daughter.” It’s really special to see how much his family means to him and how much he cares about others. Next, when asked what his biggest pet peeve is he answered, “when a student uses my classroom charger and then doesn’t put it away afterwards.” Put away the charger, people!! He also mentioned that his dream vacation would be “Vancouver - because it’s the most wonderful city, and the people are SO nice!”

Overall, Mr. Parker is a widely appreciated teacher and never fails to work his hardest. Students are free to have fun in his class, while also learning at the same time. There is no doubt that students will continue to love Mr. Parker for years to come.

Ultimate Summer Bucket List

By Murphy G and Sydney L

This summer is going to be 82 days long, and it’s important to have as much fun as possible!

• Travel outside of Park City!

• Go to the pool often!

• Take the best Instagram pictures ever!

• Go to Lagoon!

• Get your nails done!

• Sleep outside (go camping)!

• Hike somewhere!

• Binge watch an entire Netflix season!

• Eat breakfast with friends!

• Do an exercise/yoga class!

• Eat snow cones!

• DIY spa day!

• Have 2 sleepovers in a row!

• Cook dinner/dessert with friends!

• Watch at least 1 cry-worthy movie!

• Watch a horror movie in the theater!

• Try every Starbucks frappe on the menu!

• Get a makeover (change your hairstyle)!

• Go to a concert!

• Get ice cream with friends!

• Create a summer playlist!

• Create a blog/website!

• Make money somehow!

• Make up a dance!

• Go to the mall with friends!

• Go to the Cheesecake Factory (or another favorite restaurant)!

• Try something new!

• Take a risk!

• Go to the Farmers Market!

• Get Henna!

• Donate something or do community service!

• Go thrift shopping!

• Go to the Olympic Park!

• Ride a bike somewhere!

• Make your own popsicles or ice cream!

• Get a pizza delivered!

• Get frozen yogurt! No, get really good frozen yogurt!

• Go Geocaching!

• Tie-Dye something!

• Decorate your room!

• Make s’mores!

• Get food from a food truck!

• Have a super lazy day (don’t leave the house)!

• Go river rafting!

• Go to a rodeo or state fair!

• Go berry/fruit picking!

• Go bowling!

• Go rollerblading/ice skating!

• Complete your bucket list! Have a really great summer!

A Parent's Perspective on May 3

By Mackenna and Caroline H

The recent news about a possible threat to the students and faculty at Park City High School has brought up many concerns from the parents. In early October, a student made a threat to the school, specifying the date of May 3. The Park City High School superintendent refrained from telling the community about this issue until late the preceding night. Multiple announcements on social media had spread the word about this potential day. The superintendent kept assuring parents that this kid would be under surveillance at home during May 3 and all the students were safe to go to school. This was not very promising to parents, mostly because of the fact that they lost all their trust with the Park City School District. Parents are angry, concerned, and just downright frustrated with the school.

After hearing the news, parents went into a sort of a panic, wondering what precautions would be taken and whether the student who threatened the school was under control. Parents and students were extremely concerned with many questions, like why they weren’t notified sooner about the situation. Obviously, people were either too concerned to send their kids to school or they just wanted to make a statement. The issue eventually turned into a little bit of a protest. Parents were so angry at the district and that’s why the hallways were so empty.

There may not be a restful night for a while for some of the parents, students, or teachers. Parents have lost almost all of their trust with the school district, and considering they send their kids to the school for multiple hours per day, multiple days per week, trust is important. A board member, Julie Eihausen made the comment, “Kids are STUPID.” How are parents expected to trust the school when a board member tells the kids that they are stupid? Superintendent Ember Conley chose not to tell the community about the threat until late the night before, which was very irresponsible on the school’s part. May 3 was the specific date given, but this threat could take place any day and the schools wouldn’t be prepared. Now, students and parents will continue to live their lives knowing that there is a threat amongst our community. The student is continuing to attend school, putting kids in danger day by day. Kids will not be safe until they know that this threat is controlled.

The lack of communication between faculty and community about the situation was a big issue. In the end it could even result in a faculty member losing their position. The fact that parents were so angry and were lowering the school’s rating gives the Park City School District a reason to fix their mistakes. These mistakes have been made more than once, such as the inappropriate relationship between a student and a teacher that was discussed earlier this year.

As of now, parents need to feel comfortable that their children are in a safe environment and security should become more proactive in the Park City schools.

Top 5 Ways To Get Over Losing A Friendship

Losing a friendship is one of the worst things in the world. It hurts badly, and it’s hard to get over. Sometimes you will feel lonely, and angry at the person. According to psychcentral.com, losing a best friend is worse than breaking up with a boyfriend. With that said, here are the top 5 ways to get over losing a friendship.

The first top way to get over a friendship, is to cry it out. According to Psychcentral.com, it says,”Let yourself be sad. Losing a best friend is just like any long-term relationship ending.” “It sucks. Moving on will be an adjustment that takes time but there is no shame in feeling awful for a little while.” Crying is a great method, just to get out your feelings of sadness.

The second way to get over losing a friendship is to punch a punching bag. This lets out your anger toward the person. Punching it will blow off steam. It will make you feel better, and make it so you feel calm about the situation. Punching a punching bag is very therapeutic, and can really help with anger.

The third way to get over losing a friendship is to say goodbye, privately. This includes making a letter that you don’t give them, but just let out all your feelings through it. Writing a letter will make you feel at peace, and you will soon be able to move on. You can write things you would never say, but are thinking. Before you write a letter, make sure that the person will never see it. So once you write it, throw it away, burn it, or just hide it in a place no one would find it.

The fourth way to get over losing a friendship, is to come up with a list of everything you want in a friend. Do you not want someone that is untruthful? Or that does not come for relationship advice from you? Making a list will help you feel better, and will also give you an insight of what you want and do not want in a friend.

The fifth and final way to get over losing a friendship, is to move on. Forget about the person, and try to find more friends. Do not close yourself out with people. Make sure you consider what you want in a friend before you become friends with a person. Moving on is great and will make you happy.

Losing a friendship can be hard, but with these steps, you can get over it and move on. If a friend breaks off your relationship he or she is not a good friend. Everyone deserves a good friend, so don’t feel so bad about the situation.


Information sources:
Psychcentral.com

By: Julianna Foltynowicz

Ten Best Ways to Prepare for College

Ten Ways Junior High Students Can Prepare for College - Caroline H. and Malia
College seems to be on the mind of almost all students after sixth grade. Students conference with school counselors for the CCR (College and Career Readiness) meetings, but do those meetings cover everything? Here are what students should do in order to be prepared and qualified for college:

Study hard for the ACT/SAT. 

If kids don’t study for the ACT/SAT, they shouldn’t expect to do well. There are classes you can take to prepare, as well as specialized tutors, preparation apps on cell phones, and practice texts. Before a big test, the best thing a student can do is study and especially on the ACT/SAT. Reading ACT/SAT textbooks will also help the student be well prepared for the test, and learn some of the things that will be on the tests. These textbooks have information about the test, and practice questions - that won’t match the questions on the test word-for-word - but are very similar and have the same level of difficulty. These test are some of the most important a student will ever take, and will make a huge impact on whether they get into college or not.

Have an idea of what kind of college they want to go to. 

It’s hard for a student to pick a college, but even harder if they don’t know what kind they want to go to. It’s usually helpful for a student to know what he or she wants to do for a career, but if they don’t know, they can always go to a two-year community college and transfer to a university once they have a decided major. Liberal Arts colleges also give a strong foundation for a number of careers. 

If they do know what kind of job they want to have, then research what kind of school would be the best. If they want to be a lawyer, they should look into what universities have good branches of law school. If they want to be a journalist, they should research which schools are best for writers. It’s also important that they keep their personal interests in mind. Flexible schedules, small class sizes, or study-abroad options are all things to look into.

Create a list of colleges.
Having a list of potential colleges can be very helpful. Students will always have their first-pick for college/university, but it’s important to have a backup plan in case they don’t get into their preferred college. Students should have a wide range of colleges on the list, as well as have an idea of what each college’s requirements. It will also help to know what the average acceptance rate, SAT/ACT score, and GPA average is for the school as a whole.

Write a unique college essay.
College essays are one of the most important things when it comes to college applications. A high school student recently wrote an outstanding essay on Costco of all things. The essay got her accepted into Harvard, as well as other ivy leagues. If a student has an amazing essay, that will be the key for getting them into college. A unique essay really stands out in an application pool, and if someone can write a good essay, and they have good test scores, they’re likely in.

Get involved in school clubs and activities.
Colleges enjoy seeing students that show dedication outside of school. Extracurricular activities, volunteering credits, past job experience, and sports teams reflect well on a student’s resume and application. Doing other activities show that a student is good at managing time and can handle juggling school and activities at the same time. Plus, they can also be fun!

Take AP classes and score well on the test.
Teachers strongly suggest that their students to take Advanced Placement classes in high school, but recommend these AP classes are ones not related to a student’s major, or are even the classes a student doesn’t like. For example, one shouldn’t take all English AP classes when they’re favorite subject is English, because once they’re in college, they’ll already have credits for that class and won’t be able to take it in college. Instead, it’s better to get the boring, uninteresting classes out of the way, and leave room for the fun classes once in college.

Maintain a high GPA.
This ties in with having AP classes. Even one AP class can raise a student’s GPA a potential .25, and this is a big deal to schools after high school. It shows that a student is dedicated to their classes and school work. Colleges don’t want slackers - they want hard workers who wouldn’t drop out of school when things get too hard.

Ask the right teachers for letters of recommendation.
Students don’t always have to go to their favorite teachers for recommendation letters. It’s also beneficial to go to a teacher who’s seen them improve and grow a lot, even if that isn’t their favorite class or their favorite teacher. Teachers want students to get into college and university, so they won’t go around writing negative letters for a student applying to college. They’re called ‘letters of recommendation’ for a reason.

Have transcripts that show they are an all-around good student.

A transcript shows everything about the person. It gives their test scores, GPA, essays, extracurriculars, and about everything they look at in college. The transcript should be well-rounded; for example, a low GPA but a high score on the ACT/SAT might suggest that the student doesn’t take school as seriously as they should. Transcripts should have many activities or leadership opportunities that a student was involved in, such as community service. All of these make for really good traits a college looks at.

Early Start

Treasure Mountain Junior High School (TMJH) and Park City High School (PCHS) have the start time of 7:35 in the morning. However, some students have to get up even earlier due to the bus schedule. Junior high students often feel exhausted, and have a hard time focusing this early in the morning.

According to mlive.com, a teenager getting up at 7:00 is like an adult getting up at 4:00 am. The recommended amount of sleep for teenagers is 8-10 hours. If a student wakes up at 6 in the morning, they should be going to bed at 9. Although with homework and other extra-curricular activities, some students are only getting 6-7 hours of sleep. This causes major stress and fatigue.

"My alarm goes off at 5:30, but I wake up around 6:15," Gina Mechling, a student at TMJH, states. “I am still tired at school.” They want it to be more enjoyable, with less stress. Cayden Gray, another student from TMJH, states, "I get up at 5:45, I don't like how tired I am at school during the day."

Even teachers disagree with the schooling time. Mrs. Hurner, a French teacher at Treasure Mountain Junior High, also gave her opinion. "I get up at 5:15. I don't like to be rushed, and enjoy a little time to stretch and meditate. I also make a smoothie which takes some time. I still feel like it's too early and wish that school started at a regular time so that my wake-up time could be more reasonable.”

And not to mention high school students need time to get homework done. All of these activities and schoolwork, can cause stress, and lack of sleep. Some high school students, are up until 12:30 at night finishing homework. Plus students have to take tests once the school bell rings. Not only is it hard for teenagers to wake up so early but then they need to take a test that early in the morning!

Some reasons why Park City schools start so early, is because of the school bus schedule and time for after school activities. These activities include performing arts, sports, and time for a part-time job. Although the time is nice for students, many of them would be willing to start school later and have later after school activities.


By: Brianna Miller and Julianna Foltynowicz

Putting the A in GPA

Report cards are often confusing and frustrating to junior high students. Some students might’ve thought they got straight As, but just one A minus brings their entire GPA down. A little minus sign is keeping them from a huge success. Many people feel that all As and one A minus are fantastic grades, but it’s very frustrating to perfectionists to be so close to that perfect grade, but to miss it by a close margin.

Eight out of ten people that are interviewed will say that they have or have had an A minus. This wouldn’t be a big deal, but it brought their GPA down, which bothers them. With one A minus, their GPA goes down to a 3.957; two As minus bring it down to a 3.9; and it just keeps going downhill from there. When high schoolers apply to colleges, the colleges look at their GPA. If these colleges see that students have 3.9s, they might not accept them, even though it is only an A minus that is bringing their grade point averages down.

Carley Rogers, a hardworking eighth grade student, has all As, but a few As minus. When she was asked a few questions, she said, “It really bugs me that a 92% takes away my 4.0 GPA, because an A minus is still an A. An A minus and A should be worth the same amount, because I work just as hard for an A minus as I do for an A.”

Another smart eighth grade student, Bella Criscione, said, “An A minus is still in the A category, just a couple percentages lower, so it shouldn’t make such a big difference. I don’t think that an A minus should even exist. Grades should just be A, B, C, D, F.”

Madeline Rapella is a senior in high school who is applying to colleges. She responded to the questions by saying, “If a college looks at my GPA and sees a 3.9 or 3.957, I won’t be the student they’re looking for because some of my dream colleges are only looking for a 4.0. An A minus is still an A, and one percent lower shouldn’t stop me from getting into college; it’s still a great grade, but your GPA doesn’t show that.”

Based on our interviewee’s responses, many students are agitated that a couple As minus bring down their perfect GPA and possibly prevent them from getting into their dream colleges. Students think As minus and regular As should be worth the same, because A minus is still an A - it’s still in the 90 percentile range.

By: Hali W and Mia R