Red Ribbon Week 2014

Red Ribbon Week 2014

By Waverly Spratt

Starting this Monday, October 27th, the Woodlands Preparatory school will be participating in the annual "Red Ribbon Week", the largest anti-drug campaign in the United States. Red Ribbon Week is a national movement that encourages students across America to live a healthy, drug-free lifestyle by simply saying "no" to drugs! To help enforce this positive message, the students at Woodlands Prep are invited to participate in the following 5 themed days:

Monday, October 27th (Today): Students are urged to "Sock It" to drugs by wearing crazy socks with the school uniform.

Tuesday, October 28th:  It's time to "Band Together" against drugs! Students can wear a bandana with the school uniform.

Wednesday, October 29th: Students can get inspired to "Team Up" against drugs by wearing their favorite team shirt / jersey / outfit with school uniform bottoms.

Thursday, October 30th: Keep calm and "Lei Off" drugs for life; wear a Hawaiian shirt, flower, or lei with the school uniform bottoms.

Friday, October 31st: This Halloween, students are encouraged to "Scare Away" drugs by wearing a Halloween costume to school! (Make sure this costume is school appropriate).

In addition to this fun week of themes, both lower and upper school students will be learning more about the harmful effects of drugs through a series of lectures and activities.

Woodlands Prep is proud to be drug-free!

The Truth About Ebola

The Ebola virus has affected thousands the past three months. Ebola, also known as Ebola hemorrhagic fever, is a deadly virus that started in northwestern and central parts of Africa.  Recently, the Ebola virus has managed to become a major concern for countries in Africa and across the world. With a death rate of 90 percent, the Ebola virus has killed more than 1,200 people in Africa, particularly those in impoverished areas like Sierra Leone.        

Last month, two people from America caught Ebola in West Africa; both were transported back to the United States, treated with experimental drugs, and were released from the hospital. This past month, a traveller from Monrovia, Liberia was diagnosed with Ebola in Dallas, Texas; predictably, this person was infected with the virus before boarding a flight to America. He was not treated successfully and passed away from the strong disease. Two nurses who cared for this person have been infected with Ebola the past few weeks, and there are no more reported cases with Ebola thus far.

How does a virus like this even enter the human population and spread, some might ask? According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the virus is transmitted to humans by wild animals that are infected with the virus. Mainly fruit bats are known to be the natural host for the Ebola virus. Once a person contracts the virus they begin to experience symptoms that include: fever, muscle pain, weakness, sore throat, and headaches. Those are only the sudden symptoms when infected with the virus, and then more dangerous symptoms occur like diarrhea, rashes, and vomiting. The only way the virus is transmitted from human-to-human is by the contact of bodily fluids.

There some are treatments for those infected with the virus, but there are no vaccines availed so far. Although there are treatments available for the virus, there is no single, specific treatment for Ebola; however, new ones are being tested continuously in order to get those infected healthy again, and there are two people in the USA today who were successfully cured from the virus. Until a cure is developed, we should realize following:

-Trustworthy Ebola information is produced from organizations such as Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO). 

-Resources, such as the American Health Officials from  CDC, have assured the public that an outbreak of Ebola is very rare, and there are measures in place to prevent its spreading.

-Unless you engage in direct contact with the blood or   bodily fluids of someone who has Ebola, the CDC explains that you cannot get the disease.

-Ebola cannot be spread through air, water, or food.

For more truth on Ebola, please visit the following reliable links:

http://www.cdc.gov/ebola

http://www.hcphes.org/response/Ebola.htm

http://www.businessinsider.com/how-nigeria-stopped-ebola-2014-10

Researched and written by Dean Osmond and The Woodlands Preparatory School 

Senior Class Feature: Environmental Science

By Waverly Spratt

This year, some fellow seniors and I have had the chance to immerse ourselves in AP Environmental Science class. I think many of us didn't expect to come into contact with plenty of unique creatures! Take a look:

Ball Python

Red-Eared Slider

Softshell Turtle (or "Pancake" Turtle)

Box Turtle 

Rose-Haired Tarantula 

Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches 

Ms. Newman, our instructor,  loves having us interact with all of these creatures, as well as other forms of life. She says:
"science is touching, experiencing, and hands on discovery. I want my students to be able to directly interact with their environment on a daily basis. Also, my goal for this class is to implement a sense of appreciation and responsibility for the environment, as their generation has some big decisions ahead of them regarding the environment."
Ms. Newman's objectives are certainly evident in class, as demonstrated by the photos below:

Nathan sketches a tree for his project

Claudia feeds the hungry turtles

Olaf, the class kitten

Peace Day 2014

September 21st marks the UN's International Day of Peace. See what Peace means to Woodlands Prep, as expressed in this multilingual video by Claudia Jimenez: 

My First College Visit

My First College Visit

By Waverly Spratt 

As someone who is not fond of math, I never expected to have an epiphany in the midst of my calculus class. While discussing the mundane topic of functions, my calc teacher made a statement that was meant to simply pertain to math: "nothing is constant. The only constant is change itself." Even though he was referring to functions, I started thinking about how this, in fact, applies to life. Maybe I should have focused on functions based on my quiz grade. However, I could not help the affect that this sentence had on me. 

As a senior, I will be facing a constant influx of changes. As exciting as these changes will be, I'll admit that I'm a little bit nervous - not so much about being on my own, but about choosing the right college for me. It's a big decision. Thankfully, I was able to take a visit to a school I am considering, the University of Calgary (in Calgary, AB, Canada). I was born and raised in Calgary, but left when I was only 11 years old; thus, it was the perfect time to rediscover the city and to garner information about the school.

The University of Calgary's campus was a lot larger than I expected. Thankfully, however, I had my brother - a student at the university - to show me around. I was extremely impressed by the on-campus amenities: there is a gorgeous, state of the art gym (Calgary has previously hosted the Winter Olympics, so the gym remains a profound training facility for athletes). the food court offers a wide variety of cuisines that appeal to the diverse student population. There's even a student gastropub directly on campus - an uncommon feature for most universities. My favorite amenity, however, is the library: a sleek, modern building that seems to serve as the centerpiece of the campus. It's the perfect place to study.

My brother showing me around campus.

The library, my favorite building.

After my brother's tour, I had the opportunity to check out the University of Calgary's dance department, as I am interested in being a dance major. During this tour, I was able to see the rehearsal studios and talk to current / prospective dance students. It was awesome to hear about the dance program straight from the dancers themselves; I even learned some valuable tips for the audition process. 

One view of the magnificent skyline.

In addition to exploring the University of Calgary's campus, I had the opportunity to explore the city of Calgary itself. After this bout of exploration, I can honestly say that Calgary is one of the prettiest cities I have ever been to. There are plenty of trendy neighborhoods, delicious restaurants, exciting events throughout the year, and stunning displays of art on every block; however, Calgary's most appealing quality, in my opinion, is its skyline. A short hike reveals its beauty: a river lined with bright green foliage meanders in front of the glimmering buildings, and on a clear day, you can see the Rocky Mountains stand stoically behind the buildings. I don't think I could ever grow tired of this view.

A pedestrian bridge known as the Peace Bridge. 

My trip to Calgary was a huge success. Seeing the campus for myself and discovering plenty of new information helped ease my nerves about the momentous decision I will have to make in a few months. I hope to visit the campuses of other universities fairly soon.

9/11: Woodlands Prep Remembers.

Even after 13 years, the effect of the 9/11 terrorist attacks remains heavy in our hearts. The magnitude of the tragedy reverberated not only across the United States, but across the world. Here are some of the ways in which we were perturbed on the day the world stopped spinning, plus an overview of what happened:

13^th Anniversary of the 9/11 Terrorist Attacks

By Deen Osman

Edited by Waverly Spratt

Photo by Gabriel Sanchez 

Thirteen years ago, on September 11, 2001, tragedy struck on the east coast of the United States. This day, now referred to as 9/11, is the worst terrorist attack on US soil, and has devastated many lives across the nation. The terrorist group known as al-Qaeda is responsible for the attacks on 9/11. Before the attack, Al-Qaeda militants hijacked four American airplanes - two of which crashed into the Twin Towers in New York City, one crashed into the Pentagon in Washington D.C, and one crashed in a rural area of Pennsylvania. Since then, several memorials have been built around the Twin Towers, the Pentagon, and the crash site of the flight that crashed in Pennsylvania. One of the memorials around the site where the Twin Towers once stood is known as the Freedom Tower. The Freedom Tower, which has become the new World Trade Center, is a skyscraper that stands 1,776 feet in the air. This height is not random: the Freedom Tower is 1,776 feet tall because, in 1776, the 13 colonies won its independence from British rule, making the United States its own country and nation. Another memorial around the site of fallen Twin Towers are the two waterfalls that signify where the Twin Towers once stood. Next to the waterfalls is the 9/11 museums. Moreover, the Pentagon Memorial has benches that represent the innocent lives lost during this catastrophe. The benches facing the Pentagon are dedicated to those who passed in the plane crash, while the benches facing away from the Pentagon are dedicated to those who passed in the Twin Towers. Finally, the memorial in Pennsylvania, which consists of two water fountains, is meant to honor those died in the plane crash. These memorials are important reminders of this tragic and surreal day. We must never forget 9/11. 

Video by Claudia Jimenez. 

First Volleyball and Football Games of the Season

First Volleyball and Football Games of the Season

By Claudia Jimenez

            BUMP! SET! SPIKE! The Woodlands Prep girls’ volleyball team is ready for the 2014-15 season! This year, there are 19 very talented girls on the team: Claudia Jimenez, Onome Amudo, Sara Dechant, Ariel Daisy, Liliana Valdivia, Hailey Gaige, Cathryn Saninno, Camryn Sosa, Tanielle Joseph, Nakashu Ghuman, Estefania Tizon, Obie Amudo, Casey Gaige, Denise Jaidar, Elaine Pauli, Layneth Iovino, Caelan Elsborg, Mimi Olayeye, and Casey Gaige. All these girls are pumped and motivated for the season to begin. Their first game was on Tuesday, August 26, where they played against Frassati. Unfortunately, our Lady Wolverines lost; however, it was a very close game and the girls played very well. This week the girls have a home game on Tuesday, September against their rivalry, Calvary! They played four out of five games and won the first two, lost the third game and won the last! We had many aces’ from Sara, Hailey, Cathryn, Ariel, and Camryn, as well as kills from Sara, Hailey, and Camryn. Coach Holburt had a few words about the season: “I’m excited to be here with the team, I believe we have a lot of talent, and I’m looking forward to the season to bring the talent all together.”

            DOWN! SET! HUT! This is the second year that the Woodlands Prep has a flag football team and their first game was on Thursday, August 28, 2014. The boys team includes: Spencer Dobrik (the quarterback), Nicholas Schaps, Brandon Gale, Nik Hammond, Josef Carnahan, Rodrigo Lopez, Declan Gunn, Eyitee Olayeye, and Dilichi Ogbutor. During this game, Josef caught an interception and ran it back for a touchdown Then, Spencer ran in the touchdown. Their final score was a close 12-7. Dilichi is the only freshmen on the team and he feels very welcomed; even though he is the youngest, he feels as though he’s one of the older kids. Their next game is Friday, September 12, 2014.

Let’s go Wolverines!!

Labor Day, Texas Style

No more easing back in: the ebb and flow of school and homework is back in full swing! But fear not; this upcoming weekend is Labor Day weekend, so it's the perfect time to recharge after these busy first two weeks of school. Here are some fun suggestions for what to do this Labor Day weekend, courtesy of Savannah Biggert:

Things to do for Labor Day weekend 2014 

Current Event: The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge

The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge

By Waverly Spratt

Casually scroll through the feed of any social media outlet. Aside from the constant inundation of "selfies" and "Throwback Thursday's", What do you come across? Chances are, you will encounter a video - or several videos - of people dumping buckets of ice water onto their heads. But what is the meaning behind this new fad? Well, just in case you have been living off the grid for the past month, I am happy to inform you that what you are seeing is the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge: The charitable phenomenon that is taking the world by storm.

Bill Gates partaking in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge.

The premise of the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge is simple: If someone nominates you, then within 24 hours, you must either dump a bucket of ice water onto your head or donate $100 to the ALS Association (to be used towards ALS research). Then, after you have completed one or both portion(s) of the challenge, you nominate three more people to do the same. At first, this challenge drew a large following of skeptics and critics. There was speculation as to how anything charitable could come out of dumping ice onto yourself, especially when it seems as though more people are opting to take the chillier way out of the challenge.  However, thanks to the popularity of the challenge, the ALS Association has raised a total of $79.9 million so far. This is $77.6 million more than the amount raised at this time last year. The challenge has proved successful due to several factors, such as its rampant presence on social media outlets and the chain reaction of nominating others to take the challenge. The awareness being raised is subsequently raising money, as many people are choosing to donate as well as choosing to get drenched. Plus, the involvement of celebrities (everyone from Bill Gates, pictured above, to Jennifer Lopez) has garnered some big bucks for the ALS Association. ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (also known as Lou Gehrig's disease), is a horrendous condition that deeply affects the central nervous system. In the past, ALS Research has been radically underfunded, so this huge spike in donations has been a wonderful feat.

To donate or to learn more about ALS and the work being done to combat it, visit www.alsa.org.   Source: http://time.com/3173833/als-ice-bucket-challenge-fundraising-total/

Current Event: Celebrities Stand Up Against Cancer

Celebrities Stand up Against Cancer

By Claudia Jimenez
Edited by Waverly Spratt

On September 5^th, 2014, the Stand Up To Cancer telethon will commence. Stand up to cancer is a charity designed to raise money over televised a event as well as online. The telethon lasts an hour and in that hour you are invited to call in to donate money towards funds to find a cure for cancer. In past years, Stand Up to Cancer has pledged more than $260 million in part due to the influence of multiple celebrities. This year, big names such as Jennifer Aniston, Jon Hamm, Halle Berry, Reese Witherspoon, Pierce Brosnan, Rob Lowe, Will Ferrell, Ben Stiller, Eric Stonestreet, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Kiefer Sutherland will be taking part in the event. Celebrities have always helped in donating to the cause as well as talking to some of the viewers that have called in, but this year they’ll be connecting more with viewers by phone and on Facebook from a "digital lounge", hosted by Katie Couric. This has been dubbed “We’re Calling You”, a segment in which donors call in to donate as well as interact more with the celebrities involved with the telethon. Reaching out to donors via social media outlets is a relatively new concept for this charity, but it is expected to increase the amount of donations due to the popularity of social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The Stand Up to Cancer special will also include performances by Jennifer Hudson, Ariana Grande, The Who, Common and Lupe Fiasco and Dave Matthews. Another big and exciting new change that will occur this year for the first time is the addition of a Canadian co-broadcast, which will raise funds that will benefit research and awareness programs in Canada. If you’re interested in participating in the "We're Calling You" you can sign up at werecallingyou.org.

Sources: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/jennifer-aniston-jon-hamm-sign-on-for-stand-up-to-cancer/

http://www.cbc.ca/news/arts/jennifer-aniston-jon-hamm-halle-berry-to-stand-up-to-cancer-1.2741447

Woodlands Prep Tour

Video: A Quick Tour of the School

See the Woodlands Preparatory School at a glance with this awesome new video by senior student Claudia Jimenez.

A Look Into The First Day of A Wolverine

It's not always easy coming to a new school, but here at the Woodlands

Preparatory School, we try to make the experience as painless as possible. Deen Osman, a new freshman, can concur:

The First Day

By Deen Osman 

Edited by Waverly Spratt

Hello! My name is Deen Osman, and I am a new student in the ninth grade at the Woodlands Prep. This is my first year here, and so far I am having an astounding time. The morning before I started my first day, I had mixed feelings about the school.  I was nervous and anxious because I would have to start all over again in a new place. However, I was excited to meet new people. My worst fear was that I wouldn’t know anyone in the school, but surprisingly, I did know some people because of the international environment. I am thankful for those people because they helped me, guided me, and talked to me on my first day to make it a day to remember. Without them my first day wouldn’t have been the same.

In the classroom, I had a great experience as well. I witnessed how professed the teachers are and how much they care about their student’s success. Teachers in my own opinion are the foundation of the school, because without them, students may struggle to find direction in life. Also, the Woodlands Prep has earned the reputation of a college preparatory school by having an excellent staff that cares about the student’s success. I do plan to have a fun and studious year and so far, even on the first day, I feel that it will happen.

In conclusion, I thank all of the students and staff for making my first day one to remember. I plan to make new friends and to learn a lot more this year and years to come at the Woodlands Prep. 

Cool School: Check out some of the exciting new features at The Woodlands Preparatory School!

From the moment you step foot into the building, it is evident that there are some big changes underway here at Woodlands Prep. Although these changes have certainly presented some challenges and growing pains, there is still a plethora of new features that signify that the school is headed in a fresh new direction. Check it out for yourself! 

Feature #1: The Nook. Study, socialize, or simply just relax at this cute new seating area!

Feature #2: The Wonder Wall (among many wonderful walls). Woodlands Prep is delighted and honored to have Mr. Luis Castillo create magnificent works of art throughout the school. Keep an eye out for his unique, colorful designs - like this one, located behind the front desk.

Feature #3: ROYGBIV Hall. Located at the back of the school, it's impossible not to smile while walking through this colorful corridor!

Feature #4: The Front Desk. This clean-cut design, complete with 6 sleek televisions on the wall, is the first thing you see when you enter the school. A lovely and informative spot.

Feature #5: The trophy case. As bright bold as the awards it stores!

Feature #6: The Clocktower. You can see this impressive new clock upon entering the school. Time for class!

Feature #7: Solar-powered trash bins. These solar powered compacting trash bins are as stylish as they are smart - its compacting mechanisms allow it to store up to 50 gallons of trash. Talk about eco-friendly! After all, a worldly school has worldly responsibilities.

Feature #8: The art room. Get inspired to create something wonderful in this beautiful space.

Feature #9: School values. Some of Woodlands Prep's core values have been plastered all around the school. They are sure to inspire you to walk through the halls with purpose!

Feature #10: The Wolverine Cafe. Arguably the most exciting new feature at Woodlands Prep, the Wolverine Cafe boasts a cafeteria-style kitchen with gourmet international food and a salad / pasta bar, 3 state of the art TVs in the wall, napkin dispensers at each table, a projector, and plenty of fun colors! The very back wall displays the words "think", "learn", and "act" - easy to do when your body is fueled properly, courtesy of the chefs at the Wolverine Cafe. Anybody else feeling hungry?