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The Panther Press
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The Panther Press
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By Students. About Students. For Students.
Edited by Parker B.
Hard Work Pays Off
by Tsadiku C., Davina S.
HOOD RIVER- Hood River Middle School drama put on a strong performance of the musical Beauty and the Beast. The students performed the play for three days last month. This is the first play put on by our middle school in a very long time.
Haley R., a seventh grader at Hood River Middle School, and Tom S., an eighth grader, played the two main characters. Tom played the Beast, and Haley played Belle in the musical Beauty and the Beast.
To audition for the play all of the actors had to sing a song from the play called “Be Our Guest”. After auditions, students were assigned roles, and then rehearsals began.
Raven S., one of the actors in the play, played the role of Monsieur D’Arque. When asked about his favorite part of the play, he said “When one of the character's hats fell off.”
Emma M., an 8th grader, played Babette, a feather duster. When asked about the experience of the drama students Emma said, “This was the first play for a lot of people.”
All of the students we interviewed shared how they had a positive experience this year in drama. Haley R., the main character in the play said, “She definitely recommends the play for anyone that wants to do it, and she will do it again next year.”
SPORTS
Track and Field. Athletes of the Season.
Track Stars
HOOD RIVER- HRMS’s track and field athletes just completed a very successful season. The team consisted of 52 boys and 39 girls, making the total team 91 athletes. The head coach this year was Stacy Claus.
Max G. came in first for boys in the 100 meters during the first meet of the season. Brady R. and Cooper C. came in close behind at third and fifth place. At that same meet Georgiana W. came in second for girls in the 100 meters and Lilah T. came in third.
Coach Claus says her favorite part of coaching this season was, “Seeing kids push themselves hard, both physically and mentally. Athletes work WAY HARDER than they do in PE!” She also said that she wished she could give her athletes “a sweet, rubber track worthy of champions!”
All track and field athletes participated in four meets with a small group going on to the district meet. At the District Championship, the girls won 1st place and the boys won 2nd place.
To conclude, this track season has been a success for HRMS, and a lot of these athletes show promise to continue improving and winning in their high school and middle school years.
Athletes of the Season
Students who were recognized by their coaches
Boys Wrestling
Eli Piatt
In wrestling, we have what is called a milkshake move. The milkshake move changes weekly, depending on what new move we have been working on before the competition. Eli accomplished a milkshake move nearly every time we had competitions. He is the type of wrestler who can set a goal before walking out onto the mat and working the entire match to accomplish that goal. The goal could be anything from earning a milkshake by doing the new move to getting a pin as fast as possible to preserve energy to place in a tournament. Eli is also an enthusiastic teammate. He always brought energy to practice and was excited to work to improve. One difficult part of wrestling being a winter sport is that we have to account for snow days and no school days. On days we didn't have practice because there was no school, Eli did a fantastic job of staying in shape and focusing on wrestling.
Girls Basketball, 7th
Tiana B.
Tia was a bright spot for us on a very talented team all season. Not only was she a captain and one of our best players, she was also a great friend and a humble leader. She made this happen without a big ego or attitude but by showing her heart for competition and whether she was or wasn't leading us in scoring she was doing all the little things on the court. Her help on defense was immediate, her rebounding was unstoppable and her leadership was magnetic. When she was out of the game we all felt it and no matter the outcome she was encouraging throughout. Off the court she was the same which could be seen after our final game when she volunteered, without being asked (with Diyora!), to clean up the mess left behind on the bus by her teammates. We hope to always have players like Tia on our team.
Girls Basketball, 8th
Claire R.
Claire is a humble and committed player. She has many characteristics that I think many coaches wish they had on their team. She makes eye contact, listens, and welcomes feedback from her coaches. Claire is an unselfish player, instead of shooting the ball she looks to pass and hit open teammates. She elevates her teammates by leading by example and celebrating her teammates success.
Track and Feild
Noah Reynolds
Noah showed great improvement during the 2024 Track & Field season. Each week, he put his head down and worked hard, focused, and got faster. Noah PR-ed (set a personal record) in the 400m with a time of 59 seconds. Coaches can count on Noah to be a quiet leader and set an example for dedication and sportsmanship. Next year is guaranteed to be even a bigger one for this young athlete!
Track and Feild
Diyora K.
Diyora is a competitive athlete with a lot of natural talent but also no stranger to hard work. Diyora worked tirelessly during the T & F season to improve her skill. She practiced on weekends and found meaningful ways to challenge herself in high jump, hurdles, discus, and javelin. Many athletes are intimidated by high jump and hurdles, but not Diyora! Diyora has lots of positive energy and was always willing to help the team however she could. Diyora is also very coachable- she responds well to feedback and is hungry for advice. Diyora jumped 4’10” in the High Jump this season- that’s a score that qualifies a high schooler for the state meet! We are excited to see Diyora continue to soar, throw, and leap.
STUDENT LIFE
Wellness, A Day in the Life, Reviews, Opinons, and More!
A Day in the life
A Glimpse Into the Life of Your Fellow Panthers
8th grade
Cooper and Djuna
Do you wish you could stay in middle school or are you excited to go to high school?
Djuna: I don't want to go to high school. I like middle school.
Cooper: I want to go to high school.
How is 8th grade going so far?
Djuna: It's fun.
Cooper: It’s alright. Nothing much.
Who is your favorite teacher?
Djuna: Ms. Louis and Ms. Vandehey.
Cooper: Mx. Kissinger.
What is your favorite class?
Djuna: Math and Social Studies.
Cooper: Social Studies.
What is one thing you would change about school?
Djuna: More time for lunch.
Cooper: You can be outside for all of recess and lunch.
What is your favorite food?
Djuna: I like candy a lot.Cooper: Sushi.
What do you do during recess?
Djuna: Go outside and say hi to Jai.
Cooper: Play basketball.
7th grade
Zane and Sierra
How does it feel being in the middle of the grades?
Sierra: Annoying because the teachers don't care about us as much as the other grades.
Zane: Good I guess.
Are you excited for 8th grade?
Sierra: Yeah, because I wanna get out of middle school. I hate school.
Zane: Um kind of.
Who is your favorite teacher?
Sierra: Probably Elam or Mrs. Dehart.
Zane: Mr. Turner.
What is your favorite class?
Sierra: Strength and fitness.
Zane: Probably P.E.
What is one thing that you would change about school?
Sierra: More time for lunch and passing periods.
Zane: I don't know.
What is your favorite food?
Sierra: Probably chocolate.
Zane: Probably, like, tacos.What do you do during recess?
Sierra: I talk with my friends and play volleyball.
Zane: I either play football or basketball.
6th grade
Ailin and Castle
Do you like being the youngest of the grades or would you rather be older?
Ailin: I feel like it's better, like I'd rather be the youngest.
Castle: I like being one of the youngest grades, because I have a lot of people in 7th and 8th grade to help me.
Is 6th grade what you expected it to be?
Ailin: No it's worse than I thought. I thought it was going to be better.
Castle: Kind of yeah. I expected it to be hard, not too hard but that's what it turned out to be.
Who is your favorite teacher?
Ailin: Mrs. Norton.
Castle: Mrs. Norton.
What's your favorite class?
Ailin: Science.
Castle: Science.
If there is one thing you would change about school what would it be?
Ailin: To not have a lot of homework.
Castle: Kindness.
What is your favorite food?
Ailin: Mac and cheese.
Castle: Tilly Janes wings
What do you do during recess?
Ailin: Play volleyball with friends.
Castle: It kind of varies, I hang out with my friends and play games.
Student Opinion
Student's Opinions on School Issues
Bathroom Passes
With the bathroom passes in our binder being new this year, it brought many comments from students. This trimester, we all have twelve passes with a signature needed by the teacher of the period you're in. I think almost everyone can agree that having someone take the bathroom pass and walk around the school, is annoying to those of us waiting to go. The new bathroom pass procedure has decreased this happening and now the bathroom pass is getting used like one.
But along with the good is also annoyance and dislike. Once you divide those twelve passes by how many months are in a trimester, you only get to use the bathroom four times a month across seven periods including advisory every day. Nobody can help when they need to use the bathroom and when they don’t. Also, this pass system still isn’t perfect. For example, the kids who always roam the hallways still do, just less often.
Most kids feel neutral about the bathroom pass system. It can be annoying but it all comes down to trust. Most kids who use the pass properly, don’t really have a problem with it.
E-bikes For Teens
Jordan K.
There are lots of different types of hobbies such as mountain biking, basketball, and guitar. But I want to talk about e-bikes. E-bikes are fun and a great way to get around places. A lot of teenagers and adults have these. Right now the legal age to use an ebike is 16 years old. I believe that the legal age to ride an e-bike should be dropped to at least 12 years old.
Ebikes that don't go over 20mph shouldn't be illegal, because they are not harming anyone or anything. According to eugene-or.gov Class 1 and 2 e-bikes are legally considered bicycles. These e-bikes cannot go over 20mph. E-bikes give teenagers a way to get around places like going to and from school, or to a friend's house. Maybe you live far away from your school and your parents can't give you a ride, or you don't like the bus; you can ride an e-bike to school. Gas bikes are more harmful than e-bikes. Gas bikes can cause more pollution which harms the air while e-bikes use batteries which causes less pollution.
I propose we drop the legal age on riding e-bikes to at least 12 years old so us kids can have fun and also get around town.
Wireless Earbuds
Jordan K.
Right now HRMS doesn’t allow wireless earbuds on campus. The reason given for this is that adults think we will be accessing our phones through our earbuds. Another reason schools don't allow students to have them is because it could cause cheating during quizzes or distract students.
I think that wireless earbuds should be allowed on campus. I feel like if students are doing independent work, they probably want to focus and not hear any loud talking in the background, and students want a workspace where people cannot bother them. Also, earbuds would not be allowed during instruction time or testing.
I think that HRMS should adopt a new policy so we can have wireless earbuds during independent work time.
We Don't Need Math Homework
Faith R.
Math teachers tend to give homework out to students at the beginning of the week. They sometimes work on a few problems with students, but it's almost always the easiest ones.
Students are in school seven hours a day, five days a week, nine months a year. That's around 1,232 hours. With classes almost an hour long, homework shouldn’t be mandatory. Most of our day is spent in school with work in every period. To go home and do even more work, when some of us have after-school sports and such, is annoying and draining. It leaves us with even less time to relax and have our free time. Teachers should instead just help students with practice in class rather than have them take it home to do. It would also be less hassle for the parents at home who have to learn or reteach themselves how to do their kid's work before being able to help them. Homework should just serve as extra credit.
Homework adds extra stress to a student’s daily life of work and assignments. We don’t need more work. We need more assistance.
Student Wellness
Wellness Tips
Riley M., Isabella M.
Personal wellness means being physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually healthy. There are many ways to achieve wellness like getting more sleep, nutrition, exercise, eating a balanced diet, reducing stress, setting goals, and lastly positive relationships.
Sleep - Go to sleep early. The recommended time to sleep is 7-9 hours a night.
Nutrition -Cut down on sugary food and replace it with nutrient rich food.
Exercise - Join a sport and go on walks.
Eat a balanced diet -Avoid junk food and processed foods.
Reduce stress -Do everything at once like homework so then you can have time to do other things. Or take breaks when needed.
Set goals -Set goals and try to be optimistic.
Positive relationship -only be friends with people who are nice and you have a good time with.
Student Survival Guide
Phe H., Layla W.
Supplies:
- Pencils. KEEP TRACK OF YOUR PENCILS (have more than enough for the whole year).
- Pens.
- Paper (don’t get the type with the plastic edges).
- Fidget (something quiet and not too distracting).
- Mental health break (take this once a week to keep your bubbly personality alive).
- A good friend (Life’s better with a friend. You don’t need a lot of friends to be happy, just one will do).
Suggested Steps:
- Eat breakfast (It will help you focus)
- Shower (good hygiene is important)
- WEAR DEODORANT
- Pack a lunch.
- Charge your iPad (Ms. Wheeler’s a little scary.) WE LOVE YOU THOUGH.
- Places to avoid at all costs:
- Teachers' closets.
- Teachers’ chairs.
- Behind the music room (What’s even back there?)
- The stairs between Mr. Scharfenberg's room and the MPR (if you want to step in gum, you know where to go).
Photo Math: A Study Hack
Naomi R.
Instead of pulling your hair out over a math problem or feeling stressed over math material, there is a resource to help you figure out what you are doing wrong step by step: Photomath.
With Photomath, you can get your weekly practice out and open the app. When you open the app it will ask you to use your camera so you can take a picture. Choose a problem that you are stuck on. Photomath will give you an in-depth step-by-step explanation of how to solve the problem while giving you the solution.
This is a great study hack to use, but don't abuse it or you'll flunk your test.
Teacher Tea
by Davina S.
Middle school is different for everyone, and sometimes it is interesting to see the difference between someone else’s middle school experience and your own. The Panther Press team interviewed 3 teachers about their experiences in middle school and paired the interviews with their middle school picture. Can you guess who?Teacher #1
How long have you been working here?
This is my 4th year at HRMS, and 23rd at this school district.
Did you like middle school when you were our age?
I liked school, but middle school was my least favorite of the three levels.
Where did you go to middle school?
White Salmon.
Why did you want to work in a school?
I enjoy working with children and youth. I like to see them learn and discover.
Did you ever get in trouble in middle school?
No, that didn't happen until high school.
What advice would you give to a middle schooler?
The way to reach your dreams is by setting goals and taking baby steps. You can do it!Teacher #2
How long have you been working here?
This is my fifth year at HRMS!
Did you like middle school when you were our age?
I liked middle school quite a bit. I played a sport every season, did drama, and played in the band.
Where did you go to middle school?
Crescent Elk Middle School in Crescent City, Ca.
Why did you want to work in a school?
I’ve done a handful of jobs since starting college and none as rewarding as working with students at school. They can make me lose my hair faster than I’d like sometimes, but overall, I have an incredibly fun job and get to help kids succeed!
Did you ever get in trouble in middle school?
Yes, I did. I was kind of a troublemaker in school. I was the kind of student that was really nice to teachers, but a little sneaky when they weren’t looking. The biggest thing I got in trouble for was wrestling in math class while the teacher was teaching. I got 2 weeks of lunch detention.
What advice would you give to a middle schooler?
Nobody is too cool in middle school. Everyone is just trying to figure things out just like you. Try something new that interests you, not your friends!Teacher #3
How long have you been working at HRMS?2 and half years.
Did you like middle school when you were our age? I actually did, I had a lot of fun in middle school.
Where did you go to middle school? I lived in Los Angeles, and I went to Eastmont Intermediate.
Why did you want to work in a school?
I grew up always helping at the schools. They used to actually, let you help the teachers after school and I lived right near my elementary school. All the teachers knew us really well, so they would let us stay after school and help. You know like clean up the classroom, organize, and then during summer school we also did the same thing. So I always grew up helping teachers and I loved doing that. One of my dreams was to retire as a secretary for a school, and, I didn’t think I was going to start working at this age at a school but, it happened.
Did you ever get in trouble in middle school?
I did not, I was a very quiet, shy student, so I always did my best to stay out of trouble.
What advice would you give to a middle schooler?
To always try your very best at everything you do, not just school but sports, and anything fun that you like to do. And always have an open mind, and listen to what other people have to say because you never know what you're going to learn from them.
Reviews
Movie, Book, Shows, Music and Food Reviews
The Last Thing He Told Me
Layla W. 4/5 pawprints
The Last Thing He Told Me was a book I read during a road trip on spring break. I like fast- paced books, so I decided to open up this contemporary thriller. It throws you right into the thick of the story, which hooked me immediately. The synopsis of the book is this: Owen Michales is about to be arrested for fraud when he vanishes, leaving his new wife Hannah in charge of his daughter, Bailey. I loved all the characters in this book, especially the main character, Hannah. It’s a really well -written book, which I think helps transport you into the story. It was also a book that had multiple different storylines that weave into one, which made the book even more interesting to read. If you like this book, Laura Dave has written 9 books, all contemporary thrillers. The only reason I gave it a 4 instead of a 5, was because Bailey and Hannah had a dynamic that drove me nuts most of the book. Bailey was really rude, and Hannah never did anything about it. It defeated the point of Hannah being smart and independent without her husband. Try out this book next time you’re in the mood!
Chang Can Dunk
Isley L. 4/5 pawprints
Chang, a 16-year-old Asian American high school student in a band, bets the school basketball star that he can dunk by homecoming. But before he can rise up, he'll have to reexamine everything he knows about himself, his friendships, and his family.
Chang, played by Bloom Li, trains with a coach named Deandre (Dexter Darden) who he found online. He improves his jumping abilities by lifting weights, pushing a car down the road, and running before school.
When the big day arrives, Chang learns that being able to dunk isn’t as important as being honest with his friends.
I think this is a good movie that teaches the important lesson of honesty. It was fun to watch because it was about basketball and friends while teaching a good lesson.
Arlo The Wonder Dog
Clementine W.
Arlo, the therapy dog makes HRMS students happy when he comes to our school. He is the white, fluffy dog who is the official mascot of the water polo teams, and sometimes a therapy dog for our school.
Arlo is a Great Pyrenees who loves to cuddle and be cuddled. Once in a while, he comes to school during lunch as a therapy dog. He and his person (Kelli Dunn) wait next to the flagpole for Arlo to be petted.
Dunn decided to turn Arlo into a therapy dog when she noticed how good he was with little kids and adults. He was officially certified in the summer of 2023.
Arlo’s life was not always so pleasant. Dunn adopted Arlo through the Great Pyrenees Rescue Society. He was found in Fort Worth, Texas in the parking lot of a police station.
When Arlo comes to HRMS, everyone is glad to see him. He is joyful and everyone loves to give him pats.
Summer Bucketlist
Fun things to do this summer!
Student Art Spotlight
Tom S.
Lilah T.
Local Hero: Anne Gehrig
Clementine W.
HOOD RIVER- Many people in Hood River know Ms. Anne Gehrig, but many do not know the contributions that she has put into this town and other towns close by.
Gehrig has spent 41 years as a teacher. Of those 41 years, she has spent two years teaching preschool, one-year teaching in Parkdale, twenty years teaching at Pine Grove, and 18 years teaching 5th grade at Westside. She has also owned a bakery inside of her basement for 41 years. She bakes bread for places like Bette’s and Boda’s.
Ms. Gehrig may not know this, but I look up to her as a role model, because she is a very intelligent person who I think needs to be recognized for all the work she does for our community. Thank you Ms. Anne Gehrig, we all appreciate you.
About Us
Meet the writers behind the articles
Layla W.
Layla is a 7th grade newspaper student who loves reading, listening to music, and dressing up her dog in costumes. She is on the 7th grade volleyball team and is a huge Taylor Swift fan.
Phe H.
Phe is a 7th grade newspaper student who likes listening to music and crafting in her free time. She is also on the volleyball team and loves to dance, play lacrosse, bike, and ski. She finds much fun in swimming with friends and loves adrenaline boosting activities such as zip lining and bungee jumping.
Ryan M.
Ryan is an 8th grade newspaper student who loves to read and hangout with friends in the outdoors. She loves playing sports and doing physical activities. She’s on the 8th grade volleyball team and is doing wrestling and basketball in the winter.
Isley L.
Isley is an 8th grade newspaper student who likes to play basketball and ride horses.
Davina S.
Davina is an 8th grade newspaper student who plays volleyball, basketball, and loves skiing. She likes spending time with her friends, and having fun. When she is older, she wants to become a journalist.
Parker B.
Parker is an 8th grade newspaper student who loves to dance, make art, listen to music and read in her free time. She enjoys boating with her family, spending time with her friends, and playing basketball.
Naomi R.
Naomi is an 8th grade newspaper student who enjoys listening to 80-2000’s rap, making art, and spending time with friends. She enjoys playing volleyball and basketball.
Hannah F.
Hannah is an 8th grader newspaper student who likes to dance, write, and paint. In her free time, she loves listening to music, dancing ballet, and hanging out with her friends and family.
Riley M.
Riley is an 8th grade newspaper student who loves to play Roblox, watch TikTok, go to the beach, and hang out with friends. Her dream career is to be a nurse or a hair stylist.
Isabella M.
Isabella is an 8th grade newspaper student who likes to do makeup and hair. She spends her time hanging out with friends and listening to music.
Jordan K.
Jordan is a 7th grade newspaper student who likes hanging out with friends, snowboarding, and basketball. In his free time he likes listening to music, especially R&B. When he's older he wants to be a professional snowboarder.
Tsadiku C.
Tsadiku is an 8th grade newspaper student who likes frolicking in feilds, pink sparkly unicorns , and listening to Taylor Swift.
Clementine W.
Clementine is a 7th grade newspaper student who you may not have seen before. They spent most of the year in London, England, and skipped third grade. They also love to do math, and do historical fashion.
Jezziraya K.
Jezzireya is an 8th grade newspaper student who likes listening to music, taking her cat for walks, and eating ice cream. She also likes to swim in the Hood River.
Faith R.
Faith is an 8th grade newspaper student who enjoys listening to music, texting friends, football, and art. They often relax alone in their room, but make time for friends too.