Summer vacation

Every kid looks forward to summer vacation I mean who wouldn't? We get three months off and don't have to go school or wake up early. Personally I think that high school and elementary schools should switch the start times. So the little kids would go to school earlier because they are more awake then teenagers at this hour. Studies show that teenagers do need that extra sleep to be able to be able to get through the day and be focused the whole day. I strongly believe that at least once a week we should either have a half day or early release. This would benefit both teachers and students. But if we were to dramatically change students schedules do you think it would effect them in their school environment or would they just adapt to the new schedule?

Holiday season spending

I believe that during the Holiday season most people spend more money than they should. Then again if you have the money to spoil your love ones then why not? I am a believer of if you have the money then you can spend it on whatever you want but you have to stay humble. If you are rich why do you need to rub it in everyone else’s faces. It all depends on the person you are and if you would rather get sentimental presents or designer products. We defiantly spend a lot of money on useless things during the Holiday season that could go to more efficient causes that would help those in need. During this day and age people don’t look at Christmas as a holiday or a day to celebrate the birth of Christ only on how much gifts and presents you get. I think everyone needs a reality slap in the face. We depend on name brand stuff way too much and we have to be showy with what we get. I don’t find that fair to the people who can’t afford to buy things for their loved ones.

real or fake

Wedding Rings Swapped for Chiefs Tickets
A longtime Kansas City Chiefs fan says he swapped six game tickets for a wedding ring set advertised on Craigslist.49-year-old Kansas City resident Rusty Jones, said he first learned of the ring offer last week through a story in The Kansas City Star. He contacted the seller, who wanted to swap the rings and surprise a loved one with tickets to the Dec. 1 game at Arrowhead Stadium. The rings, which the newspaper said were from the seller's previous marriage, were appraised at $2,800.

Do you believe that sports are a good impact on students in high school?

Ethos- students who play sports are more likely to succeed In school and be less stressed because they can take all their anger out in games and practice.

Pathos- Students who play sports are more likely to be a people person and have better communication skills. Also if you are good in your sport it gives you an advantage if you receive a scholarship.

Logos- Playing sports also opens up a whole new window in life. From meeting people, to expanding your horizon and steping out of your comfort zone. Sports are beneficial to the people who put 100% effort into them and live and breathe for their sports.

Limiting techology

Some pediatricians are recommending that parents limit the amount of technology their children are using on a daily basis.  I have to disagree with this subject because I believe that most kids know their limits when it comes down to it. If parents start limiting the amount of time their kids can use their phones, laptops, video games, and TV I think it will all back fire on them. Whenever you tell a kid that they can’t do something that makes them want to do it so much more. This is causing children to become sneaky and go behind their parent’s backs. I’m not saying that using technology 24 hours of the day is good for your children but there are more important things in life that parents should be worrying about. It’s our generation that has all the technology at our finger tips every second of the day, some kids abuse this while other kids know when enough is enough. Also we are all now so dependent on our phones and technology I think everyone would be lost without them including adults.

Question

Do you think Hollister is over prized for their clothing?

                                                                                Kylie Barrows
10/28/12

Journalism

 

 

 

After reading and collecting the data from SEVENTEEN magazine I came to the conclusion that this magazine consist a normal ratio of ads to articles. This actually surprised me because most girl magazines consist of mostly ads for products. In 100 words there was only 7 sentences and 145 syllables. For every 2 ads there was an article, 2:1 ratio. The ratio says the producers of this magazine want enough ads to make money but yet still keep your attention to the articles.  After using the graph to figure out what age group is targeted I was shocked to find out the age group. The target audience age is 15. Kind of weird considering the name of the magazine is called SEVENTEEN.  Seventeen is directed to girls mostly I don’t think any guy would choose this magazine to read in their spare time. I always thought this particular magazine was targeted to teenagers 17 and older. Everyone else I compared answers with they also said their target of age group is 15, both boys and girls. SEVENTEEN actually stands out unlike most other girl magazines that consists of more than half ads.

Kylie Barrows

10/16/12

Journalism  

Data Driven Essay 

Olympic Controversies

                The International Olympic committee was about to deliver a shocking message to all baseball and softball lovers; softball and baseball are no longer a part of the Olympic games. After a secret vote in Singapore. The two sports would have their last showing in the 2008 Olympic Games. Shortly after the two sports were eliminated they were informed of the edibility of the reapplying for the 2016 games. 

                 Once the former Olympic athletes found out they said they were going to fight their hardest to get the sport they love so much back in the games. Jennie Finch said "it's devastating and heartbreaking, all combined especially because the sport's at an all-time high right now. I know it's devastating for the young girls. We're going to do all we can to get the sport back for 2016." Jennie Finch being the star pitcher for the U.S.A Olympic softball team, said she was going to do everything she could to make an impact on the voting. The USA Woman softball team won all three god metals since softball joined the Olympics.

This Olympic change really hit home with me.  Ever since I was a little girl I have dreamed about playing in the Olympics.  Even though I knew it was nearly impossible, I drill dreamed about it.  Now the team has been taking out of the Olympics younger softball players can no longer dream of being in the Olympics or on an Olympic team.  The decision to eliminate softball has definitely has crushed many girls hopes and dreams.

After my research I found out that 9 out of 13 people I asked had no clue of what was going on with the Olympic controversies.  The remaining people knew exactly what was going on.  Most students said "I have no clue, nope, nothing." One student said "I know they got rid of softball, baseball, and wrestling, which does not make sense to me.  Those three sports were among the first to join."  

Another said "I have not heard of any changes." My theory is either the student completely knew   

about the changes and controversies or knew nothing at all.  

After the most recent secret meeting Olympic wrestling was voted back into the games for the upcoming 2020 games.  Baseball and softball sadly lost the vote.  No one knows where that leave both baseball and softball.   Until we hear more will be left in the dark not knowing if these two sports will ever appear again as Olympic teams. 

     

Kylie Barrows

9/24/13

Period F

                   Interview with Sean Matthews of Norton High School

 Today in Journalism we did interviews and my partner was Sean Mathews. Sean has 

been living in Norton since he was three months old. Sean was born in Russia and 

was adopted and made his journey to the US when he was only three months old.

 Sean was born on December 12, 1995 and is 18 years old. Sean is a senior at

 Norton High school. Sean unlike most teenagers is in a band and is the lead singer

 for his band. His band is very special to him “ya I’m that kid that does the 

screaming” Just like any other American boy he played baseball and soccer growing

 up but no longer plays and sports. Sean does a lot of family traveling in their free 

time. The farthest he has been is Hawaii so cool right? On his trip in Mexico he 

swam and kissed a manatee “ I went swimming with a Manatee like you do with 

dolphins and when we came back to where we started he just kissed me.” Not on 

an every day basis do you go and kiss a manatee. His favorite go to meal is pizza 

and if he isn’t in the mood for pizza it’s off to subway he goes! Sean’s biggest pet 

peeve is when now a day technology like GPS or phones talk to him or tell him what 

to do. He feels like the technology is soon to going over rule the human 

population. “I want to travel around the world and help out all the orphans and all 

the people in need in third world countries” Sean has an emotional connection to 

orphanages. He him self was adopted when he was a baby. It has inspired him to 

want to help those in need. Well that my friends is a rap about Sean Matthews. 

Gun Control

    Recently in the past couple years this topic has caught a lot of eyes, having the right to bare arms has been a constitutional right since 1787. In today's society most people believe guns should be outlawed. Due to recent activity in the media everyone now blames these actions on the gun owners. I have grown up in a family that guns are a life style to me. Guns should not be outlawed for the sake of personal safety, protection, and for safe recreational uses and hunting.

    There are countless reasons why guns should not be taken away, but one of the reasons is for personal safety. Everyone should have a gun for their own families’ safety. Most people who own guns use them for the right reasons. There are a small amount of people that use them for intentionally harming someone. Most men would do anything for their families’ safety. Guns are a perfect way to protect your wife and kids. If the government wants to take away guns how are we supposed to protect ourselves? The people abusing their rights are ruining it for everyone else. People always want to be safe yet they want to get rid of guns. If guns get taken away how is law enforcement supposed to do their job? But when something tragic happens everyone only feels safe when police and anyone in uniform have a gun in their hands. Also if we didn't have guns how would people in the war fight? We wouldn't be able to protect our country. Freedom isn't free we have been fighting to keep our freedom since we earned it. No one can take that away from us.  Hence the phrase “don’t tread on me" us Americans will do what we have to too keep our constitutional rights.

      Most people use guns for hunting and safe recreational uses. Both men and women take hunting very seriously. For most hunters it isn't just a hobby it's a way of life, a life style for them. They live, eat, breathe hunting. The NRA has a big impact on most hunters’ life too. The NRA stands for National Rifle Association. They will fight and protect our right to bare arms If the government takes passes this law than no more fun for the family, no more hunting, nothing. Weapons are why we are here in the first place. The Indians lived off of this land by hunting and they protected there land and their family with these weapons. 

    This right should not be taken away, not now not ever. Guns aren't always bad. It's the person behind it holding it. Why start now outlawing guns. If someone is crazy enough to want to kill someone they will find a way to get a gun. Nothing is going to stop them. So why take them away from the people who use them safely and wisely? There are true die hard guns men and women out there that will not settle for our guns being taken away.

                                                 Reactions to the "Rolling Stone" Cover

 

    There are many thoughts about the "Rolling Stone" cover, they portrayed him to be the

victim and to be a "beautiful, tousle-haired boy with a gentle demeanor" but in reality he is
a monster. As most people already know or should know about the Boston bomber,
Dzhokhar Tsarnaev "Jahar". Just from his name you can already come to a conclusion
he's a terrorist. Jahar; the boy who was claimed to be "just a normal American kid" went
off the ricketier scale. Jahar was from Republic of Kyrgyzstan he is from Muslim ethnic
group. He also went to Umass Dartmouth; this kid with a promising future threw it all
down the drain when he let his religion over power his thinking.

 

    Most people have such a problem with this cover story because the Rolling Stone cover

or making any cover of a magazine is supposed to be someone you look up to not
someone that has caused mass destruction. Me being from the Boston area it hits the
heart more because this is my city. My sister also goes to school in Cambridge so for
me it was a very emotional time. Actually my cousin Jeremy and his girlfriend were in
the second blast. They were both hospitalized and received money from the One Fund.
Along with most people in the Boston area we wanted these two boys to suffer. These two
boys picked the wrong city to mess with, you bomb our city we will shut down
everything and find you and make you pay. The Rolling stone almost makes Jahar
sound so innocent "it's heartbreaking". Nothing is heart breaking about this boy.. He
obviously had some mental issues and made other people suffer and even lose their life.
One boy will never make it to high school or graduate or have his first kiss or get
married or have kids just because of two sick boys. New York Times said "The Rolling
Stone cover is glamorizing the face of terror". Many stores around this area actually
refused to put this story on their shelves. Can you blame them? I know for sure I would
never idolize this boy who cause all this grief in one nation.

 

     In this day and age there is so much violence that should not be happening, many

acts of terrorists attacks. We will never know if this was actually the boys religion or
country or leader calling the shots or maybe that him and his brother were just not
good people. I personally don't think Rolling Stone went about this subject in the right
manner. I strongly believe if they wanted to have an article about the Boston
Marathon bombing the cover should have been of the first responders and aids and
state police and police officers that were there on the scene that were doing
everything in their power to help the people. Or dedicate the cover to the victims that
lost their lives and the people that were harmed. Then in the story they could have
talked about Jahar but I don't believe he should have had a full story about him and
who he was. No one can change what happened and what he did. He will forever be
known as the Boston bomber and will sit in a jail cell until he rots and goes to hell.
The impact these two brothers left on our country is remarkable. Who knew that one
event could bring one country together like nothing else.