Pearl Harbor

The Bombing of Pearl Harbor was a tragedy. We were defenseless and venerable. Pearl Harbor was when the Japanese launched a surprise attack on the US in Hawaii killing a lot of people and that attack dragged the US into World War II. A total of 2,403 people died that day. It happened on December 7 1941.

Some famous quotes from pearl harbor are “May God have mercy on my enemies, because I won’t” from Gorge S Patton. "We must be the great arsenal of democracy. For us this is an emergency as serious as war itself. We must apply ourselves to our task with the same resolution, the same sense of urgency, the same spirit of patriotism and sacrifice as we would show were we at war." Franklin D Roosevelt. The second oldest surviving member of Pearl Harbor Jim Dowring said that he felt “Surprised then lead to Fear then led to Anger…”. There is now a memorial site in honor of those lost in Pearl Harbor that floats over a ship that was sunk in shallow waters.

Semester test study tips

The first thing you should do is make a study guide with the vocabulary and their definitions first. The second thing you should do is put on all of the other things that you think you might need to know on the study guide. The third thing that you should do is study with another classmate. The forth thing you should do is have another classmate quiz you so you can figure out what things you need to study. The next thing you should is if your teacher gives you a review to study from do it because it will help you know what kind of questions expected on the semester test.

According to https://www.fastweb.com/student-life/articles/the-20-study-tips-for-finals. You should study things that are not on your study guide. You should also make a study schedule. Creating a study schedule will help you from getting overwhelmed. According to http://college.usatoday.com/2014/12/08/25-crucial-study-tips-for-finals-week/. You should make a to-do list so you can make sure you have enough time to study before your semester test. You should be reviewing your notes daily to remind you what things mean and how to do them. The next thing you should do is to answer questions you didn't know the first time. If you need extra help studying go to your professor, tutor, or teacher to get extra if needed.

Matthew Bailly - Assistant Bowling Coach

I sat down to ask one of the coaches for MCM’s Bowling Team to find out what he thought of his team, and how he himself was introduced to the sport.  I was curious to see what he thought were the strongest and the weakest point of our team and here is how he responded. “The strongest aspect is how well the team gets along with each other. We could use more work on learning how to aim and focus on bowling.” After asking him these questions I wanted to know how he thought we could improve in matches he reciprocated with “The team can improve by taking practices more seriously and listening to what the coaches are explaining to them.” Then to some up these questions I asked how he thought we were going to do against West Central. “That all depends on how serious MCM takes it, because their practices haven’t been taken too seriously” was his response.

To find out a little bit more about the coach I asked how he got into bowling, and his response was a very simple his parents, and they surprisingly also taught him how to bowl. I was curious to find out what he thought his strengths were as our coach his response was, “Being able to watch how students throw and seeing what they are doing wrong.” I wanted to know if he saw any improvements with our team and what they were, he came up with “Yes, students have started paying attention to what the coaches are saying.” The final question was just to see who among the students he thought the biggest leaders are, and what they brought to our team. “I would have to say Bryce and Dylan for the guys and Faith for the girls, and they bring knowledge that they can share with the team” was his response. 

Winter is Coming

Winter is coming. It's that time of year again. Living in South Dakota, we can expect to see inclement weather. The holiday season is also among us which means more travel in South Dakota. Although the South Dakota Highway Patrol is doing what it can to be proactive and prevent crashes, we would like to remind the residents and visitors of the State of South Dakota you are a key component in keeping yourself and the roads safe. Here are a few tips for travelers driving in winter weather conditions to help keep you safe and help join our mission to prevent crashes and injuries this holiday season:

1. Always Wear Your Seatbelt. It goes without saying but this is one of the most important tips. Crashes cannot always be prevented but injuries can be as long as you are doing everything you can to ensure your safety. Making the decision to put the seatbelt on is the one thing we all can have control over.
2. Check the Weather. Before you leave on a big trip check the weather to see what you might expect to run into on the way. For weather conditions in South Dakota, you can dial 5-1-1 for the most up-to-date information on road conditions. You can also refer to safetravelusa.com for information on road conditions.
3. Put Your Phone Down. Distracted driving is becoming more and more of a problem. If you need to divide your attention from driving, wait until you are in a safe place to stop and use your phone.
4. Don't Set the Cruise Control. Using the cruise control when the road is wet could cause you to hydroplane. Using the cruise control when the roads are slippery could cause unwanted movement of your vehicle as you are driving.
5. Watch Your Speed. Although we have posted speed limits, it's not always safe to drive those limits. These limits are safe at clear and ideal road and weather conditions. When these conditions change, such as when the road is slippery or wet, you may need to reevaluate what speeds the road and weather conditions will allow you to drive.
6. Don't Be In a Hurry. Give yourself extra travel time to get where you need to go in case you run into inclement weather conditions.
7. Defrost Your Windows. Give yourself the advantage to see what's in front of you and be sure that your windows and mirrors are clear of ice and snow.
8. Be Smart. We understand that the holidays are a time of celebration and family for a lot of people. We would like to remind you that if you decide to drink, don't drive.

The South Dakota Highway Patrol would like to thank you for your attentiveness and your role in helping to keep the roads safe. We wish you a happy holidays and a happy new year.

Written By: Trooper Tori Gordon and Trooper Weston Fischer

Bullying

The actual definition of bullying is to use superior strength or influence to intimidate (someone), typically to force him or her to do what one wants. There are different types of bullying and they are cyberbullying. Cyberbullying is when you use electronic communication to bully a person, typically by sending messages of an intimidating or threatening nature. Physical bulling is when another person is hurting a person's body or possessions, that includes Hitting/kicking, pinching, spitting, tripping/pushing, Taking or breaking someone's things, making means or rude hand gestures. Verbal bullying is saying or writing mean things. That includes teasing, name-calling, inappropriate sexual comments, taunting, or making threatening to cause harm.

What should parents do if their child is getting bullied. The first thing they should do is encourage their child to talk about it. The next thing they should do is try to figure out who is bullying their child. The final thing they should do is to stay in touch with their child's school.

What should you do if you're getting bullied? The first thing is to tell the person bullying you to stop in a calm, clear manor. If that doesn't work just walk away from that person. If you're being bullied tell an adult that you trust like teachers, counselors, your parents anyone you can trust. The next thing you can do is stay away from the places where bullying happens. The last thing you should do is stay by adults and other kids. If you see bullying you should tell a teacher or another adult that you can trust. Be kind to the person getting bullied. Show them that you care but sitting by them at lunch, or on the bus, invite them to things.
https://www.medicinenet.com/bullying/article.htm

Here are some facts according to www.challengediscoveryprojects.org/bullying.html: 

• Every 30 minutes a teenager attempts suicide because they were being bullied.
• Bullying and harassment has been linked to 75 percent of school-shooting incidents.
• 282,000 students are physically attacked in secondary schools each month

Thanksgiving's Meaning

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays, top three to be exact. The reason that it is, is because this is the holiday my family has always got together, ate food, talked about random things, and watched football. When we get done with the game we usually start playing cards because it’s something we all learned how to do by the time we turned ten. Thanksgiving has to be one of my Grandma’s favorites too because she always loves preparing for the meals, and hearing her kids and grandkids gather around and laugh and thank her for how amazing the food is.

Thanksgiving has a big meaning, it means to be thankful for what life has given you, and not to worry about what is going on at the moment, but be thankful for the fact that you are alive and surrounded by the people you love. Lately a lot of people have been looking forward to Thanksgiving because of all the sales that start, and losing the point of the holiday. One year I went shopping on thanksgiving and I didn’t mind it, but I thought it was too much running around for a holiday that you are supposed to be with family. Some families choose to shop together to count that as their thanksgiving celebration, but it’s not the same as sitting down to a home cooked meal in a warm house gathered by those you love.

Thanksgiving has always brought a smile to my family members faces. I have never heard any of them complain about the preparations, like you see on every television’s Thanksgiving episodes. This year my aunt Nicole is in charge of hosting the holiday, and we are all nervous because although my aunt is patient she has a lot to take on, especially with just moving into her new house with her family. A lot has changed with my mom’s side of the family, but the one holiday that has always been the same for as long as I can remember is Thanksgiving, and I am glad of that. Thanksgiving has and will always bring families together, no matter the situation.  

An Interview with Mrs. Kroon

Recently Mrs. Kroon was cited in an article about bivariate data, and this is just one among many of our very own math teacher’s accomplishments. I decided that I needed to interview her to see just how she reacted, and why she does what she does. Before I share the interview questions and answers with you, I want to share how proud I am to have a math teacher in our small school that is, so successful in what she does and loves.

How does it feel to teach at a small school, but be known worldwide? “I love teaching at small schools because we’re like a family, and it makes me feel good to have people want to include me in their articles, or the way they teach.”

How would you describe your excitement for being cited in the "Bivariate Data" article, being on a Chinese website, and your other accomplishments? "I was really excited and every time I submit something I am taking a chance, and sometimes it works and others it doesn't."
What made you fall in love with math? "I was pretty good at it, so I want to share what I know. You also have to like kids, and I do so that’s why I teach.”
Why did you decide to teach high school math? "If I wanted to teach college I’d have to go back to school for that, so that’s one reason. The other reason is that I love teenagers, and being able to teach them what I love.”

Which form of math do you prefer (geo, trig, and etc.)? “That’s like asking me which kid is my favorite. All math teachers love numbers, so I can’t really answer that question.”

How did you celebrate your accomplishments? “Tell everyone I know, and they’re always happy for me. None of them really ever get jealous or anything, they’re just genuinely happy for me.”

Did you know any of the authors of the article “Bivariate Data”? “No they saw my article from last year that was submitted, and it applied to their data and so they used it.”

Who was your mathematical role model? “Mr. Smith my high school math teacher, he would teach you just enough for you to figure out the rest on your own.”

Who inspires the way you teach your lessons? “I have a lot of heroes some I know, and others that are nationally known people like Dan Meyer.”

For my final question, I decided to get the answer to a question that I have always had for Mrs. Kroon. How did you come up with your idea with the class rock? "Years ago for Award Night, I thought we needed a reason to decorate, and dress up, and just have fun with it."