By: Lucy Roth

Throughout the week of December 5th to December 9th, the sixth graders of New Haven Elementary worked on a toy drive. Gently used or new toys, books, as well as clothing have been donated by students, teachers, and parents.

Donated toys are given to the Mommy & Me store in Washington, MO. Here, Mommy & Me employees will figure what all of the donations are worth and sell them to the public. Melissa Frick, a 6th grade teacher at NHES, noted that in last year’s toy drive, Mommy & Me was very generous in what they dubbed the toys’ worth to be. However much money raised by purchases of the donated toys will be put into a voucher for those who go to Grace’s Place, a crisis nursery on Lafayette Street in Washington, MO. Anyone who goes to Grace’s Place will then receive a portion of the voucher to spend at the Mommy & Me store for clothes, books, toys, etc.

Grace’s Place is a crisis nursery where families or members of families go to escape hardships at home. It serves as a safe place for those who can no longer live at home for an abundance of reasons. Here, they are treated with love and care and are given a second chance.

Eley Barber, a student in 6th grade at NHES, stated, “I think Grace’s Place helps a lot of families through hard times, and it’s really cool that we get to help them in some way.”

Kate Unnerstall, a 6th grade teacher at NHES, commented in regards to the toy drive last year, saying, “Last year's toy drive was our first, and it was amazing! There were at least 3 or 4 car loads of toys for Mommy & Me. We raised almost $1000 for Grace’s Place, and we hope to do the same this year!”

“Every morning this past week, students from all grades who brought in toys paraded around the gym, holding up and showing off the items. After the parade, the kids set the things down under a Christmas tree for the 6th graders to collect,” Eileen Roth, NHES counselor, explained. “The kids march around and Mrs. Meyer plays music in the background. I think it really makes the kids feel special that they are making someone’s holiday a little bit brighter.”

Throughout the week, car loads have been taken down to Mommy & Me in Washington, and on the last day of the event, a total of 3 toy-filled cars were brought down to the store. The total amount the toys will be worth will not be released until right before Christmas; however, we can only imagine how much 3 car-loads of toys could be worth.

​Thank you to all those for donating! Your generosity was key to the toy drive’s success.

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By: Diana Ribera

On Thursday, December 8, New Haven High School hosted Silent Night. In this event, the junior varsity and varsity basketball girls were playing, and the cheerleaders cheered silently until the teams got to 10 points.  It took until the second period of the JV game before they started calling out the cheers.

Mr. Tucker was asked why he thought the school participates in the Silent Night tradition, and he said it was to get people involved. It makes the crowd wait a while to finally cheer, building all the tension.

When asked how they felt about Silent Night, Ariana Ribera, a middle schooler at NHMS, said, “I think it was a lot of fun. Even though I don’t really watch sports, the girls were interesting to watch. I did like how the cheerleaders were cheering quietly.”

Lexi Oetterer, a cheerleader that was cheering that night, said, “I like how everybody gets so into it. When they don’t cheer until the tenth point, then they go really wild because they’re so excited.”

Kamryn Poe and Vanessa Vallejo are managers for the JV and varsity teams. Kamryn was asked how she felt about the game, and her response was, “It was real intense. The game was nerve-wracking, and I was at the edge of my seat. By the fourth quarter, I knew it was a sure win. Congrats, varsity girls!”

Doug Peirick was asked how thought the girls did, this was his response, “I thought we could have played better on the offensive and defensive end in the 1st half.  We did play better in the 2nd and were able to pull away from them. I thought Emma Engelbrecht was our best player on both ends of the court.  She had 19 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 steals.”

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Emily Knoppe and Kimmy McDowell are both students in Mrs. Borcherding's 2D Art class at New Haven High School. The featured works include a variety of drawing media and techniques such as:  color pencil, marker, drawing pencil, and printmaking.  Stop in at the New Haven Branch of Scenic Regional Library to see the works shown here and more.

By: Celesse Smedley

With the midterms that are coming up, many students forget some tips that’ll help them survive finals. I asked students and teachers the same question-- what piece of advice would you share with students about the upcoming finals?-- and these were their responses.

1. Manage your time

As stated by Mrs. Koch, “I advise students to manage their time wisely and prioritize their tasks.” Many students sometimes forget the most important thing during exams, which is time. You can manage your time by making schedules or putting dates into your cell phone which will remind you to complete your tasks.

    2.    Prepare all semester
When Mrs. Schlafer was asked, she stated, “The key to being successful on finals is preparation all semester.  If a student has completed assigned work and prepared for tests during the semester, they are more likely to be successful on the finals.  Before the finals, students need to look over notes, review sheets, and old tests.”

    3.    Don’t Stress
Asking a student, Emma Eichelberger replied, “I would say to study a lot and to not stress out because the finals you take will not be the end of you.  When you stress out, every situation gets worse.” Therefore, before your final, take a breath and relax. Also, make sure you study so you know your materials.

    4.    Get Sleep
According to Time’s Magazine, “Fatigued brains do not retain information, nor do they recall it well…. Adhering to a reasonable sleep schedule is the key to their effectiveness.” A good night's rest will always help you on your finals. Try to get to bed an hour or two earlier so you have longer to sleep.

    5.    Work Out
Huffington Post claims that “studies show that exercise boosts memory and cognition. Most recently, a study at Goethe University in Frankfurt, Germany, showed that vigorous exercise helps prime the brain to learn new information.” Working out can be as easy as going on a jog or doing yoga for at least a few days before the exams.

Therefore, coming up into finals, always remember to manage your time, prepare, don’t stress, sleep, and work out. These important points will help you during the midterms.

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By: Brande Kubiak and Emilee Hinten

One of the best parts of being a teacher is getting to know all of the the students.  But how often do you get to learn about your teachers?  Eighth grade journalism students Brande Kubiak and Emilee Hinten have been working hard to find out more about your middle school staff!

The first interview was with Mrs. Smith, our Social Studies, Geography, Keyboarding, and Spelling teacher.  Mrs. Smith is also the Student Council and 8B class sponsor.

1. What’s the hardest thing for you about being a teacher?
    "It is hard to see students struggle, whether it is academically, physically, or emotionally. I want to help every student, but that isn’t always possible."

2. Who was your favorite teacher and why?
    "I had two favorite teachers. My 7th grade science teacher kept snakes in the classroom and made us excited and interested in science. We weren’t afraid of snakes, either. My middle school social studies teacher was a very kind and caring person. He made each of us feel that we were important. We kept in touch with him even after we were out of high school."
3. Do you like the food the school serves?
    "I think the food is fine. I just don’t usually eat school lunches because I can never finish everything in twenty minutes. I can’t pass up the Thanksgiving feast, though. It is my favorite."
4. Do you sing in the car or other times when you are alone?
    "I absolutely sing in the car, or when I’m busy at home. I dance, too, but that’s not pretty."
5. What’s your favorite funny story about yourself?
    "That is a hard question. I laugh at myself all of the time. One of the most embarrassing things happened in high school, when I was a cheerleader. We were cheering and it was a very close game. We were ahead by one point, and the game was almost over. The buzzer sounded, and I ran out onto the floor in excitement, thinking we had won. However, the buzzer was for a foul that had been committed by one of our players, and the opposing player was getting ready to shoot a free throw that could possibly tie the game. I just kept on running across the floor, up the bleachers to my parents on the other side of the gym!" 

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By: Lexie Nixon

Every year, when New Haven High School gets back from Thanksgiving break, the senior class decides to kick off the month of December with a decoration day. On this day, seniors not only decorate their hallway with lights and Christmas trees, but they also each bring in wrapping paper to personalize their lockers.

This tradition at New Haven High School was started because it was thought of as a way for seniors to bond and celebrate their last Christmas together before graduation. As the years went on, each class followed the tradition of the annual senior hallway decoration day.

When senior Nicki Zeitzmann was asked what her favorite part about this tradition at New Haven High School is, she exclaimed, “I love having a day to bond with our class and it gets everyone in the Christmas spirit!”.

According to Nicki, the class of 2017 really enjoyed this chance to bond together and show their Christmas colors to the rest of the high school.

This tradition is not only enjoyed by the senior class, but also by the students who walk through the hallway every day going to class. Miranda Durbin, a sophomore at New Haven High School, was asked about her thoughts walking through the senior hallway after the decoration, and her response was, “All of the lights and wrapping paper were amazing! You can tell the class of 2017 really enjoyed decorating their hallway.”  Lacie Grater, junior, added, “The seniors did a great job decorating. I can't wait until my class gets to do it!”
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According to Nicki, Miranda, and Lacie, the senior Christmas decorating tradition is not just something for the seniors to look forward to, but it also offers excitement to underclassmen of New Haven High School.

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New Haven High School
November Student of the Month
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New Haven High School has selected Brooke Reed as the November Student of the Month.  Brooke is the daughter of Deon and Tara Reed.  She is involved with National Honor Society (President), FCA (Vice-President), FBLA (Secretary), Stu-Co (Secretary), Class of 2017 (Secretary) and manager for Varsity Volleyball.  Brooke is currently employeed by New Port Engineering.  When she is not at school or work, Brooke likes to watch/attend Blue's hockey games, work in the garden, hunt, draw, play chess, cook/bake, go to movies or watch Bob's Burgers or Bachelor/Bachelorette on TV.  

One of Brooke's teachers said, "Brooke is very organized and on top of things.  Brooke is always kind, considerate and respectful to her peers and her teachers.  Her work ethic, responsibility and positive attitude make her a great role model for other students."

After high school, Brooke plans to attend Missouri University of Science and Technology to study elementary education.

​Congratulations Brooke!!!

By: Lucy Roth

“Fast, full hearted” (Hollywood Review), “foul-mouthed and hilarious” (The Atlantic), “graceful and bold” (Rotten Tomatoes) are just a few words to describe the newest teen classic, The Edge of Seventeen. Hailee Steinfeld, Woody Harrelson, Blake Jenner, Kyra Sedgwick, and Haley Lu Richardson star in this Denver-based comedy.

Hailee Steinfeld plays 17-year-old high school junior Nadine. The movie begins with Nadine and Krista (Haley Lu Richardson), her best friend, young and at the school playground. Nadine’s brother, Darian, is shown as well. There is an air of superiority in Darian, and Nadine knows it. The movie then flashes to Nadine when she is 13. She stares into a mirror with her hair cut all pageboy and her face covered with acne. A horrible car accident that kills her father precedes the next scene of 17-year-old Nadine. The drama begins when Krista starts dating Darian, leaving Nadine feeling worthless, lonely, and used. Nadine tries to make friends with her crush, Nick Moss, which leads to unexpected circumstances. The story goes on with Nadine meeting a “very kind, very gentle, very wise” (or so she describes him) Asian boy named Erwin and bonding with her history teacher, Mr. Bruner.

Kyra Sedgwick, playing Nadine’s mother in the film, gives her the advice that “everyone in the world is as miserable and empty as I am-- they’re just better at hiding it.” Darian, the popular and big-headed football team captain who seems to have the perfect life, breaks down near the end of the movie under the weight of all he has to deal with-- from his widowed mother to the tumultuous life of his sister. This movie is about realizing that no matter how perfectly pristine someone’s life appears to be, no one is perfect and everyone is going through something. The movie expresses how all problems are equally significant and shows that we should never judge someone by how they look.

Emma Eichelberger, senior, who saw the movie on its opening night, commented, “[The movie] was hilarious, especially the scenes with Mr. Bruner and Erwin. I loved the movie; it played all my emotions! I definitely would recommend it.”
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“Steinfeld's wonderfully nuanced, authentic portrayal of the delightfully opinionated, angst-ridden, and awkward Nadine turns this sometimes-edgy high school comedy into a touching gem,” Common Sense Media reviews. This movie isn’t just another teen movie. With spunk, sass, and occasional satire, this film is all about the sometimes-rough life of being a teenager.

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By: Jake Wilson

This season got off to a very good start for our Shamrocks as both the junior varsity and varsity boys’ teams picked up wins last Tuesday, November 22, in Belle.  The Shamrocks look to improve on last year’s record of 5 wins and 22 losses.

The JV won with a score of 49-31. The varsity then followed with a 54-46 win to start the season at 1-0. Junior John Fleer and senior Will Soete both led the team with 12 points each. Junior Abe Madden hauled in 9 rebounds, while Fleer grabbed 6.  

Coach Aaron Peirick commented on the team’s performance, stating, “We played a very solid all-around game.  We worked hard, and did a lot of things right.  Our guys rebounded very well and handled penetration without fouling.  Everyone that played contributed in some way.  We earned this win.”
    
The beginning of the basketball season is always a special time for this community.  After all, New Haven is and always will be the basketball capital of Missouri.  Historically, after the Shamrocks won a 3rd consecutive state title in 1958, Kansas City Star sportswriter Fritz Kreisler dubbed New Haven “the basketball capital of Missouri”.  Ever since, basketball season has always been a highly anticipated time of year for this community.  
    
After the JV and varsity tournaments this week, the Shamrocks will play Tuesday, December 6, at Bourbon, with JV tip-off set for 5:30 P.M.  Good luck to our boys this season! ​

By: Andrew Lamke and Jacob Engelbrecht
    
The 8th grade basketball team played Bland in New Haven on November 22nd, 2016. During the 8th grade game, New Haven was down by 13 at the end of the first quarter. At the half New Haven was down by 11. At halftime, Coach Witthaus told his team they needed to trim the lead to five. New Haven did cut the lead to five at the end of the th quarter. Bland came out hot in the fourth quarter and stretched their lead to an amount that would win them the game. Matthew Otten stepped on and broke Andrew Lamke’s foot in the fourth quarter. The final score was 28-20 with Bland winning the game.

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