Feburay 2011
Red Raider Review
New Technology Club
ajostudents.com/clubs/
By: BreaAnna Gates
This year, Mr. Powell is teaching a Technology Club. The club is basically to teach students about computers and other things, such as a robot.
During our recent meetings, club members have been programming our robot (who has officially been named Bob) into doing different tricks. So far, Bob has been programmed to do a figure eight, and he has antennae that tell his "brain" that he has hit an object, such as a wall, and needs to turn around.
I asked Mr. Powell a few questions and these were his responses:
Q. What do you hope the students will gain from joining this program?
A. My hope is that students will use the Technology Club, also known as the Computer Club, to expand their understanding of technology and to investigate, in detail, technologies that are of particular interest to them. I may introduce ideas from time to time, such as building computers from parts, programming our robot Bob to do tricks, investigating other computer operating systems such as Linux and creating "apps", or games, using the C++ programming language. However, the students will determine the direction(s) the Club takes.
Q. Do you have any goals for this year?
A. One goal is to encourage students to become curious about technology and for them to gain knowledge to satisfy their curiosity. Beyond the satisfaction of curiosity, I would like to see students use their knowledge of technology to develop products and services.
Q. What encouraged you to start up a club like this?
A. About two months ago I decided to build a computer from parts, rather than buy a finished product. At about the same time I came across robot kits offered on the Internet. Building a computer and programming a robot seemed like academic activities that would be of interest to students. But these projects would not be appropriate for my Web Design class, so the idea of a computer club was born.
Q. How many members have joined so far?
A. The Technology Club is not yet recognized as a school club, so we do not have any members. So far, we have had ten students attend one, or more, of the five meetings.
Additional information: Meeting dates and times will be announced in the Daily Bulletin. All High School students are welcome. Bring your ideas for projects and activities.
The Club meets Mondays and Thursdays, 3:00 pm in the CTE Lab.
13 Facts about Friday the 13th
by BreaAnna Gates
- Ancient Romans regarded the number 13 as a symbol of death, destruction and misfortune.
- Lizzy Borden uttered a total of 13 words at her trial.
- Fear of Friday the 13th dates back to Nordic Mythology. Many of their thirteenth Gods met with violent deaths, such as Loki, the trickster.
- The Chinese, Pagans and others in ancient times marked time by the lunar cycle and calendar, thus 13 was considered a very lucky number.
- There are 13 steps leading to the gallows.
- 13 knots in a hangman's noose.
- 13 feet which the guillotine blade falls.
- 13 people, Christ and his 12 disciples, were in attendance at the last supper. This is where the Christian belief ties in, making Friday a believed unlucky day, as the crucifixion occurred on a Friday.
- Certain ocean liners will be held in dock until after midnight to appease passenger's fears on Friday the 13th.
- British study concluded that even though there were less cars on the road on Friday the 13th (as compared with other Fridays) more accidents were reported.
- Triskaidekaphobia is the technical name for fear of Friday the 13th. Friday the 13th is considered a day of bad luck in English-, French- and Portuguese-speaking countries around the world.
Cited from: www.cosmicsociety.com/friday13th.html
Graduation Prep
By: Dominique Pacheco
There's a lot to think about when planning for college. But staying focused on graduating from high school is key.
The first part of your plan should be making sure you're on track to finish high school. To graduate from a Ajo high school, you need 22 credits, take classes in English, math, science, social studies, P.E, health, vocational/fine arts, Spanish, and electives. Some other high schools also require senior projects or portfolios. This may seem like a ton of rules, but you will still be able to focus on classes and subjects you like - if you plan ahead.
High school graduation requirements vary from school to school and district to district. All graduates must meet minimum state standards, and you'll learn about those here. But your high school or school district can add extra requirements. Check with your school counselor to learn what the exact requirements are for your school to meet class/course credit requirements. You must meet the state's minimum requirements AND complete any extra coursework required by your school district. Note, the minimum requirements for your school may not be enough to prepare you for the college or career you want. You are strongly encouraged to take more than the minimum number of classes. Earn a certificate of academic or individual achievement Most students have to earn the Certificate of Academic Achievement to graduate. Create a plan for your life after high school.
Finally, you must complete a "high-school-and-beyond" plan before you graduate. Some schools require students to work on this plan in their senior year, while other schools start the plan much earlier. Your plan will help you connect your high school activities with your post-high school goals. It might include an outline of the classes you plan to take, a career interest inventory, job market research, colleges you'd like to visit or attend, admission and financial aid information, and an outline of your goals.
Additional High School Graduation Requirements
- Of the 22 units of credit, 16 credits must be in solid subjects. All subjects are solids excepting Band, Student Tutor, Teacher Aide, Library Aide, and Office Aide.
- No more than 2 units of credit may be counted toward the elective category in the following: Student Tutor, Library Aide, Teacher Aide, or Office Aide.
- Credit will be given by semester for all subjects passed.
- A student may repeat a course that has been passed to earn a higher grade. No additional credit can be earned for the same course.
- AIMS - Arizona Instrument for Measuring Success: Students must meet the standards in reading, writing, and mathematics to be issued a diploma. During their high school career students will be given 5 opportunities to pass the AIMS beginning their sophomore year.
Math AIMS Prep
By: Arely Nunez
Every year, high school students throughout Arizona are presented with the required state test; the AIMS. It's wonderful if you pass on your first time, even greater when you exceed, but unfortunately, not all of us pass it on the first try, or second, or even third. Some of us even have to come back after graduating high school to give it another go, in the hopes of taking it for the last time.
Luckily, there is hope. I recently sat with our school counselor and head football coach, Mr. McGoldrick about the AIMS prep. "If you don't pass the AIMS, there is something called "augmentation." Now, what that means is this; you take all your grades through high school and you add them to your test scores, and if you have high enough grades, the combination of the grades with your test scores still allows you to graduate and get a diploma." Sounds good, doesn't it? Well, not entirely. "Now, here's the problem," Mr. McGoldrick continues, "every year they've given fewer and fewer points for the augmentation and eventually, the plan is to not add those points to the test scores anymore."
Here's the deal, though; every student that doesn't pass it, needs to take it whenever it's offered through his or her high school career. That's why it's so important to be here on test day people!
"Students come to me and say 'Hey, I might as well drop out of school because I'm never gonna pass the AIMS test." What I say, "hang in there, because I don't want to tell them "Hey, don't worry about it. You'll pass with the augmentation, because I can't promise that. A- I don't know if they have good enough grades, B- I don't know how many points the state is giving as opposed to previous years, so I never want to see anyone give up and not continue with their education with high school because of not passing the AIMS," explains Mr. McGoldrick.
His message to students is "number one; do the best you can, number two; prepare for it on the state department of education website. There are study guides, things that you can do, practice tests to prepare. I'll show anyone the website. I'll do what I can," says Mr. McGoldrick.
Mr. Shorey has done a great job helping students with their writing methods to pass the Writing AIMS and many students have succeed with the test says Mr. McGoldrick. There will also be tutoring with Mrs. Semilla twice a week to prepare for the Math AIMS. Bottom line is you have to prepare for the AIMS and be positive, and most importantly to take your time. Remember high schoolers, there is hope to graduate!
Founder of Facebook
By: Kacy Tryon
Mark Zuckerberg was attending Harvard University when he created the popular social networking website "Facebook." In 2004, The Facebook had over a million users. Zuckerberg and his associates bought "the facebook.com" domain from its previous owner. They got rid of the "The" from the website's name, and facebook.com was born. In the beginning, you could only have a facebook account if you had an educational-domain email address, this means you had to be a high school student, faculty member, or a college student to use facebook. By fall of 2006, this rule was lifted and the site was opened up to anyone who wanted to use it. Mark Zuckerberg moved to Palo Alto to operate Facebook full time, putting his Harvard education on hold. Facebook is now the sixth most used website in the United States, and an estimated six million photos are uploaded daily! There have been several rumors of companies such as Yahoo trying to buy out Facebook for billions of dollars, but Zuckerberg isn't selling.
How to Puppy Proof your House
By: Anjel Kanan
Having a puppy around your house is a lot of fun as well as a lot of work. Puppies love to run around and chew on things. That includes things that you may not want to be chewed. Such as phone cords, video game cords, socks, underwear, papers, shoes, pencils, and furniture. To stop your pooch from eating your stuff, try to keep cords under desks or up out of reach. Get a hamper or bag for dirty clothes so you don't end up with toe-less socks or half eaten underwear. They will find things to chew on, no matter what you do or how hard to try. But the less they can find to chew the better. Another good idea is to get rawhide bones or dried pig ears. Both of which can be found at dollar stores. Aside from chewing, puppies have accidents because they don't know any better. You just have to train and teach them right from wrong. Getting training pads for dogs is a good way to train them not to ''go'' in the house. Remember, your puppy is like your child. You have to teach it, spend time with it and love it. Puppies are a handful but if you raise them right, they can be one of the best things in your life.
Dominique's Crazy Column
SEA BEARS!!
A Sea Bear is a large piranha-like fish with claw-tipped fins and the head of a grizzly bear. Squidward did not believe in the sea bear's existence until he was attacked by one in The Camping Episode. However, Sponge-Bob and Patrick are fervent believers, having read about them in the Bikini Bottom Enquirer and Fake Science Monthly. The Sea Bear has a big green piranha fish body, a big tail, clawed tipped fins, and he has a Grizzly Bear head.
What attracts the Sea Bear? There is a plethora of circumstances which can attract a sea bear, the most prominent of which includes:
- Playing the clarinet badly (they might hate the sound or it upsets them.)
- Waving a flashlight around (it's their natural prey.)
- Eating or holding cubed cheese or possibly cheese in general (perhaps they hate it or the smell might set it off.)
- Stomping around (they take it as a challenge.)
- Wearing a hoop skirt (it might disgust it.)
- Wearing clown shoes (ridicule)
- Wearing a sombrero in a goofy fashion (offensive, perhaps.)
- Screeching like a chimpanzee (may mimic the sound of a dying animal.)
- Running from a Sea Bear (might show cowardness.)
- Limping from a Sea Bear (might also show cowardness)
- Crawling away from a Sea Bear (might also show cowardness)
- Drawing ovals in the Dirt (dirt ovals can't protect against sea bears)
How to prevent the attack!
The only known thing that can prevent a sea bear attack is an Anti-Sea Bear circle (only a circle, not an oval, it has to be a circle). All the experts say its the only thing that can stop a seabear. So next time when your camping think twice before you do anything offense to the sea bear. He's watching YOU!
In The Spotlight
By: BreaAnna Gates
One of the seniors this year is Sonora Rogers. I interviewed her recently and these were her responses:
Q: What is your favorite food?
A: "My favorite healthy food is pasta, and for dessert I always love to eat ice cream."
Q: What is your favorite color?
A: "I absolutely love silver."
Q: What are your plans for after high school?
A: "I plan to attend a community college. My sights are set on the Tohono O'odham community college in Sells."
Q: Has your high school experience been good so far?
A: "The best ever."
Q: Any additional information you would like to add?
A: "Everyone has their own unique potential waiting to be discovered."
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