Bengal Community
"Knowledge is power. Information is liberating. Educations is the premise of progress, in every society, in every family."
―Kofi Annan
―Kofi Annan
December Rotary Seniors of the MonthBy Raechelle Sandoval '18 Although the November Rotary Seniors of the month, Raechelle Sandoval and Kyle Yazzie, chose to not be interviewed, the December Rotary Seniors of the Month agreed. These seniors are Kristopher Lee, and Jessica Ramirez. Where do you plan to go to school? Ramirez: I would like to continue my education at Fort Lewis which I have already been accepted to with a great running scholarship and such. Lee: I want to attend Eastern New Mexico University. What are your plans after high school? Ramirez: My plans after high school are to continue to strive for greater things in both my running career and education career. My plan is to become a veterinarian, but to also experience the world with nothing but positivity. I also plan on living in Colorado for a couple of years and to come back to help the community because Gallup is Home. Lee: I plan on going off to college for four years while attempting to survive on my own. Fingers crossed. How does it feel to be Rotary Senior of the Month? Ramirez: Being Rotary Senior of the Month was a great experience. Honestly, I never thought I was gonna be picked for it and knowing I was made my family, my friends, and myself happy. Lee: I’m rather hard on myself, so to be recognized as Rotary Senior of the Month feels nice. Congrats to others who have been recognized as well. Are there any other comments you would like to make? Ramirez: None. Lee: Don’t drink and drive, don’t eat Tide Pods, and don’t play on your freakin’ phone at the movie theatre. Congratulations to Jessica and Kristopher, as well as all other seniors who have recieved Senior of the Month. Library BingoBy Mr. Omoth Library Bingo (or Book Bingo) began last October as a way to get GHS students interested in reading. The game is set up in a similar manner to regular bingo, except that the student is playing against him/herself. Spaces on the playing card describe the type of book to be read. For example, “a book written the year you were born” or “a book written by a female author”. Once the book is read, the player makes a book report to Mr. O and the student earns an incentive, such as a coupon for chips at the Bengal Store. The objective is to cover enough squares to make horizontal, vertical or diagonal line on the board. Once a bingo line has been made, the student can enter his/her name in the drawing for the grand prize, which will be an IPad. The game is a great way for students to set a goal and push themselves to achieve it. It also encourages students to push their own boundaries by reading different types of books they haven’t read before. Also, some lucky reader will win an IPad! Last Week's Poll ResultsLast week we asked if you know if college admissions officers are looking your social media accounts and got no responses.
College and High School Drop Out RatesBy Derek Curly '19 When you hear the word “dropout”, do you think of a high school student? Students dropout in two main and different levels of education. Dropout rates vary in different locations, ages schools and many other factors. The United States, New Mexico, and Mckinley County all have different dropout rates. With many factors affecting why students dropout, it’s hard to pinpoint one. There are also many effects on students after they dropout. The United States has one of the highest college dropout rates and lowest high school dropout rates. The college graduation rate in America is 59%. This means the dropout rate is at 41%. The United State’s high school graduation rate is at 83%, and 17% for the dropout rate. New Mexico's dropout rates are low compared to other states in the U.S. The dropout rate for colleges in New Mexico vary in schools. The high school dropout rate in the state of NM is at a 29%. With a graduation rate at 71%, this makes New Mexico's graduation rate one of the highest in the country. There are many factors on why students dropout of either college or high school, but there are four main ones. One factor is family related problems, more common to high school students. Some students choose to dropout because their parents need help financially, or a major family difficulty has come up. Another factor would be drugs. This is common in both college and high school students. Many students dropout of their education due to some of the most common drugs including alcohol, marijuana and prescription drugs. Another factor in dropping out of school would be teen pregnancy. Only 40% of teens in finish high school, and 2% finish college. In New Mexico, the dropout rates due to pregnancy is between 65% and 73%. The next factor is also one of America’s major problems. Bullying affects 71% of kids in America and is most common in high school. One out of every ten students dropout because of bullying in the United States. One last factor is difficulty and mental health problems and it is most common with students in high school. Around 40% of kids graduate because of mental disorders. 50% of kids dropout due to emotional or behavioral issues. College students also may dropout mostly due to debt or too much work. Students also dropout because of the difficulty of work. The dropout age varies in different states for high school students. The dropout age in New Mexico is at 16 years of age. There has been debate on whether or not to raise the legal dropout age in the United States. Students dropout at different ages, grades or levels of education. There are also many reasons why students dropout of school. These reasons vary from drugs to bullying. The dropout age also varies in different states. The United States does encourage students to complete their schooling, and to even further it. https://www.google.com/amp/amp.slate.com/blogs/moneybox/2014/11/19/u_s_college_dropouts_rates_explained_in_4_charts.html#ampshare=http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox/2014/11/19/u_s_college_dropouts_rates_explained_in_4_charts.html http://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/n-m-high-school-graduation-rate-up-to/article_46b2ca28-dc36-11e6-8f6a-8398e2285b57.html https://www.learningliftoff.com/why-kids-drop-out-of-high-school-and-how-to-prevent-it/ https://www.newportacademy.com/resources/substance-abuse/the-link-between-high-school-dropout-rates-and-substance-abuse/ http://www.challengediscoveryprojects.org/bullying.html College Applications and Social MediaBy Raechelle Sandoval '18 and Lucia Kezele '18 Do you ever wonder who looks at your social media account? Who decides to search your name and see if anything interesting comes up? Are any of these people college admissions officers? Do you feel your social media accounts are clean enough to not affect a college admissions officer’s decision on your admittance to the school? Do you think your social media account could reveal things about you that could make a college want you even more? There’s a good chance that your social media accounts actually are being looked at by college admissions officers. Kaplan Test Prep surveyed colleges on whether or not they are looking at prospective students’ social media accounts. 35% admitted to doing so. Of that 35%, 47% said the search revealed a positive impact, while 42% said it had a negative impact. Both of those numbers are up from 37% in their previous year’s survey. One mom, who graduated from Crownpoint High School and now lives in California, surveyed schools within 150 miles of Chicago. Out of 43 schools in the area, 67% admitted to Googling prospective students and 86% admitted to looking at social media sites. Some of the admissions officers from the Kaplan Survey shared something good they had found. These things included finding prospective students have done things such as starting a business with their mom, facilitating an LGBTQ panel for their school, or recieving an award and the admissions officer getting to see a picture of the student with their principal. But some shared bad things, such as questionable language, the story of an accepted student receiving a felony (which led to his admission being rescinded), and a prospective student flashing weapons. Yariv Alpher, the executive director of research at Kaplan Test Prep, says that a vast majority of colleges do not look at social media, but because a meaningful number do, students should remember that other can see their social media accounts, and if your not sure if you should post something, ask for a second opinion, or don’t post it at all. We spoke with Gaelyn Rose, Associate Director of Admissions at Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin about social media and its relation to the college application process. When asked about how big of a part social media plays in admission decision, she says the importance is “[v]ery little, to be frank. When I consider your application, I am considering what you’ve provided me: the application itself, your personal statement, you transcripts and test scores, and anything else I feel gets at your contribution to a community. Unless you list your Social Media accounts for us to consider, we don’t go digging!” She also told us that though they don't police accounts, if they do happen to come across anything that breaks the school’s honor code, after being admitted, they do have the right to rescind your admission. Rose says “[t]his may include posts about cheating, bullying, racist/sexist attacks on others, etc.” Rose also provided tips for applicant regarding social media. “Update your privacy settings! And when you do engage with Admissions Counselors or your future peers by your choice, do so with kindness and authenticity. When in doubt, you could always explore a college’s Social or Honor Code on their website. (But really, if you’re in doubt at all, should you be posting that???)” So please, remember that although not all colleges are looking, and social media does not always play a large part, it could still affect you. You can never be sure of who is looking, so make sure you’re comfortable with anyone seeing what is posted. http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/post-tribune/opinion/ct-ptb-davich-college-social-media-st-0518-20150515-story.html http://press.kaptest.com/press-releases/kaplan-test-prep-survey-college-admissions-officers-say-social-media-increasingly-affects-applicants-chances College TipsBy Lucia Kezele '18 The process of filling out and actually submitting a college application can be very daunting. However, the hardest step is actually starting your application. Oftentimes, the biggest obstacle to overcome in the application process is getting over your fear of rejection and getting yourself to start the application process. All applications are different, for example, my applications to Oklahoma State university and the university of Kentucky both took me well over a month to complete yet my application for the University of Alabama took me less than an hour to complete. Every application has different criteria to meet before you can submit it, the best way to be prepared is so have your most recent transcript on file, your ACT or SAT scores on hand, credit card information ready, and all of your personal information together. Once you begin your application I advise getting all of the information done that you have the materials available for. This will most likely be your personal information, school information, and test scores. Some applications require essays which I would always advise be done last and be revised multiple times. Aside from the essay, the hardest part is getting all of your extracurricular activities and community service activities organized to list on your application. For me, this one took a week of my dad and I working together and going back through all of my portfolios. The biggest tip I can give for making future applications easier is to make a folder on your computer containing all of the information you need for your applications. My own personal folder includes a pdf copy of my transcript, a pdf copy of my ACT scores, a copy of my most recent resume, multiple essays covering different topics I have been presented, and a document that gives a description of every single extracurricular and volunteer activity that I have done. In the end, filling out the actual application is a million times easier than having to wait for the college’s response to your application. Next week I’ll talk about what you can do while waiting for your college’s decision that can help push your progress in your journey to college readiness. Poetry SlamBy Danica Daniels This month, February 2018, is poetry month at Gallup High School. There will be a poetry board in the library where students are more than welcome to post their original poetry. There will also be a poetry slam held during both lunches at the end of the month to allow students to share out with others. I interviewed GHS librarian Mr. Omath on the poetry slam. Q; What is the reason for having a poetry slam? A: Well hopefully it generates interest in poetry for students. It will give students the chance the share their thoughts as well. Q: What will students get out of this? How will it benefit them? A: Hopes that some students will share their work with others. There will be a winner and hopefully a prize given out to them but as of now the we don’t know what the prize will be. Ms. Kurpiel still has not decided on a prize but she said that there will The Legend of WitchesBy Danica Daniels 20' There are many beliefs about Witches and where the story about them originated from. Many people were asked if they believed in witches and where they thought the story came from, while most of them did say they believe in them there were some that said they didn’t. As far as where they thought the story originated from, most said that it originated from Salem, Massachusetts while others said it came from Europe. Despite their cultures most people I asked believe on the “Salem Witch Trials”. The Salem Witch Trials occurred in Colonial Massachusetts from 1692-1693. During this time 200 people were accused of practicing witchcraft but only 20 of them were actually executed. From the 1300s-1600s there was a craze in Europe and just as that was being forgotten the Salem Trials was starting up. Many people were executed but it was mostly women who were being accused. On January 1692 two young girls experienced what was known as “fits’ as they were screaming, mumbling strange words and positioning themselves into odd positions. There was no medical diagnoses but the doctors did blame supernatural. There was also another young girl who experienced the same thing a month later. All three girls blamed three older women for experiencing these “fits”, and although two of them claimed they were innocent and one confessed they were all put in jail. The village of Salem were greatly concerned after a loyal member of the church, Martha Corey was accused of being a witch. On May 27,1692 Governor William Phipps created a special court and the first case brought before them was Bridget Bishop who was also the first person to hanged on Gallows Hills. After that five more were hung in July, five more in August and eight more in September. In January of 1697 the court ordered a fasting and soul-searching after the tragedies of Salem. In the Navajo religion and beliefs a skinwalker is known as a “witch” it is something that it spiritually practices but greatly feared and rarely mentioned to others. A skinwalker is medicine man or witch who has attained the highest level of priesthood but chooses to use his or her power for evil. One will only become one after committing an evil deed such as killing a close family member. They also gain supernatural powers, the most common one being that they are able to transform into an animal of their choice but the most common ones are a coyote, owl, fox, wolf or a crow. Encounters that have been discussed are described as hearing a knock or bang on windows or doors and also seeing animal-like figures peeking through a window. It is said that the way to get rid of a skinwalker/witch is the say their name in one after being identified and he or she will either get sick or die for the evil they’ve committed against others. http://www.navajolegends.org/navajo-skinwalker-legend/ https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/a-brief-history-of-the-salem-witch-trials-175162489/ Comic StripVanessa G '20 SO BE IT!By Raechelle Sandoval Readers, don't forget that Ambush! News has opened an advice column. Send us anything you need advice on using the SO BE IT! Advice submission form below. You'll remain anonymous, so don't be afraid to share any of your issues with us! Last Week's Poll ResultsLast week we asked if you believe in El Chupacabra. 100% said yes.
The Legend of El ChupacabraBy Raechelle Sandoval '18 Reports of farm animals and livestock turning up dead, but still completely intact except puncture wounds in their neck arise. The creature being blamed is El Chupacabra, or the Chupacabra. Chupacabra translates to “goat sucker” in Spanish, likely because it most often feeds on goats and chickens. These reports rose quickly in Puerto Rico in 1995. Farmers in Orocovis found eight sheep drained of blood. A 44 -year-old reported being attacked by a gorilla, when Puerto Rico has no gorillas. He was treated for scratches from fighting off the creature, and then soon after chickens and cows were found dead near by, drained of their blood and with similar puncture wounds. A women in Torrecilla Baja found chicken, cat and guinea pigs dead. The cat’s genitals were missing, and the guinea pigs throats were slit. The mayor of Canovanas, Mayor Jose “Chemo” Soto, started a hunt for the creature once the deaths reached hundreds. The search lasted for a year, but the monster was never caught. Attacks soon spread to Florida, Michigan, Oregon, Mexico, Texas, Russia, China, Thailand, the Philippines, and other countries. In 2000, Chile underwent their own search, but also came out empty handed. This is not the first experience with the Chupacabra though. These creatures appeared in Mayan mythology and were called the Camazotz. Camazotz had a lizard or bat-like face, two arms, and a sharp snout that aided it in sucking the blood. The creature was also described to have the ability to turn into statue during the day, and was referred to as the death bat or vampire bat. There are many theories that the Chupacabra is from government experiment, or an alien. The Chupacabra is described to look two different ways. One is reptilian, with greenish-grey skin, and spines running down it’s back. It is described as being two-three feet tall and bipedal. The second version is dog or coyote like, lacking fur, but still described to have spikes similar to the reptilian version. It is described to have menacing claws and fangs used to draw the blood of its prey. Some scientists, such as Alison Diesel from Texas A&M University, have said that the Chupacabra is simply dogs with sarcoptic mange, which causes the beastly appearance. This disease is similar to scabies in humans. Benjamin Radford, who studied the Chupacabra for many years attributes the idea of the blood of the animals being drained being a illusion of science. The blood is still there, but because the heart and blood pressure have stopped, lividity has occurred, so the blood has thickened and sunk to the lowest part of the body. This causes there to be no blood drain when the animals are cut open to be examined. This would explain why it seems like the blood has been drained by the beast that killed it. Today, there are still reports of the beast. Many people claim to catch it, and many kids are raised to the tale of it. Those who truly believe in it are careful of their animals out of fear of the loss of their animals. https://www.chupamacabre.com/chupacabras/legend-el-chupacabra/ http://www.animalplanet.com/tv-shows/lost-tapes/creatures/chupacabra-history/ http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20161109-the-truth-about-a-strange-blood-sucking-monster Tips for Applying to CollegeBy Lucia Kezele '18 No matter what grade you’re in, college is always something that nags at the back of your head throughout high school. Teachers, parents, family members, etc. are always talking about school after high school and the questions from them seem to be endless. It will always be hard to navigate the college process but hopefully, we can help you out. First of all, a 4 year college is NOT the only option. There are many options that are available other than just a 4 year institution. The first step is figuring out what is the best fit for you. In my case, I always knew that a 4 year, out-of-state institution was the fit for me. However, many people will not reach their full potential if they choose that route. There are trade schools, junior colleges, community colleges, 4 year in-state institutions, private universities, public universities, all girls and all boys schools, as well as just working right out of high school. For example, someone wanting a degree in sociology would fair better at a 4 year institution than they would a junior college because they can get their full degree and are presented with more opportunities for that field. Adversely, someone that wants to go into construction should look at the idea of a trade school. This is a cheaper option and allows the student to get more hands on experience with their field as well as allows them to meet people that could readily employ them upon graduation. Before applying to colleges make sure to do your research. The last thing that a student wants is to enter into this new chapter of their life without any idea of what they actually want and then having to deal with a community in which they do not thrive. This is the time when you get to begin experiencing life on your own with nothing holding you back. The last thing you want is to be sheltered within your college experience because you chose the wrong type of institution to study at. Check back next week for tips on applying to colleges!! Last Week's Poll ResultsLast week, we asked what you planned to do during the Student vs. Staff Basketball Game. 50% said watching, and 50% said sitting in commons.
Student vs. Staff Basketball Game UpdateBy Raechelle Sandoval '18 As the Student vs. Staff basketball game is approaching, the Senior class is starting to sign up students and staff to play on each team. Class officers will begin sign ups Tuesday, January 16th. To sign up, just talk to a class officer. The class will also be signing up cheerleaders. To sign up as a cheerleader talk to Tashina Lowe. The student team captain will be Mr. Butckovich, and the Staff captain will be Mr. Romero. Boys basketball players, the Senior Class knows you want the chance to cross up your old coach! The senior class will also be taking orders for Navajo Tacos before the game, starting Monday, February 5th. The tacos will be delivered the day of the game. The class is also in search of donations and help. The class will need supplies for the Navajo Tacos. They will also need help making the fry bread, which will also be sold during the game. If you know someone who can help, please let a class officer know. Last Week's Poll ResultsLast week we asked if you would like it if it was easier to get information on school budgets. 100% said yes.
Feature: Budget Cuts and Their Affect on Gallup McKinley County By Raechelle Sandoval '18 Budget cuts. Something seen in everyday life, they help to save money and reduce underspending. Your family may be making a few budget cuts to save money for Christmas and the new year. A company may make budget cuts to increase profit. But what happens when schools that seem to already be underfunded face federal budget cuts? The 2018 Fiscal Year (FY) has begun. This means that Congress had to pass the budget for the year, including the education budget, which affects all students in America, including the students of Gallup McKinley County. This year's budget comes with multiple cuts in education funding. These include cuts to Education for the Disadvantaged programs to help low income students, School Improvement programs which falls under multiple grants, 21st Century Learning Centers for out-of-school hours, Innovation and Improvement programs, American History and Civics Academies, School Leader Recruitment and Support which has little national impact according to the budget, Magnet School Assistance which awards competitive grants to fund and open magnet schools, Arts in Education which will receive no funding, Safe Schools and Citizenship Education, Promise Neighborhoods which provides grant to aid troubled neighborhoods, IDEA National Activities Program which provides support for states early intervention and education of disabled children, and Technical Assistance and Dissemination which funds technical assistance, demonstration projects, and information dissemination. In McKinley County, the cuts to Education for the Disadvantaged programs, and 21st Century Learning Centers may cause the biggest issues. According to the Gallup McKinley County 2012-2022 Five Year Facilities Master Plan Update, 92.3% of students were economically disadvantaged during the 2015-16 school year. This means that the $190,000,000 cut to the Education for the Disadvantaged Programs, compared to the 2017 fiscal year budget, is likely to cause big issues. These programs provide funding to provide additional instruction and supplies to teach students that are disadvantaged. This is meant to help raise test scores for these disadvantaged students so they are on par with other students. The programs also help to fund after school tutoring that many students rely on to pass and some schools may rely on to rise test grades. Without this funding schools may see multiple drops in test scores and regular class grades, especially in the lower grades. Because of this, Gallup McKinley County overall scores could drop dramatically. This could also affect the teachers and staff who participate in these programs, as they are often paid more to do so. These teachers may also have to focus more on the students who are more likely to fall behind and less on students who are likely to succeed. This could cause more advanced students to fall behind. This could also create a drop in test scores. On level students may also fall behind, creating more below average students that drop overall grades. 21st Century Learning Centers are federally funded programs that take place before and after school, and during the summer, and are facing a $191,673,000 cut from the 2017 fiscal year budget. There is no recent data on how many GMCS students attend these programs, but many of you may remember staying for after school programs in elementary and or middle school. These programs focus on high-poverty schools, and as mentioned before, a large majority of GMCS students face poverty. Many students stay to receive tutoring, while others might use it as a place to stay until their parents get out of work. This budget cut may mean that there are fewer after-school programs being funded to support these students. This could also mean less schools will have these programs, possibly causes a decrease in test scores and grades do to the lack of extra instructional time these students will receive. Some of the money taken from the programs can be seen going to Charter School Grants. Charter Schools are public schools that operate outside of the county school system. They are aimed to raise student achievement without the restrictions public schools in the system face. This, along with the fact that they are tuition-free, unlike private schools, create an appeal with parents and student alike. Within the Gallup McKinley County School borders there are two charter schools. These schools are Six Directions Indigenous School and Middle College High School. A third charter school, Uplift Community School closed at the end of last school year due to not getting rechartered. This does not leave many options for students, as charter schools have limits on how many students they can take based on various factors. This means not all students will have the opportunity to go to the school that is receiving more adequate funding. Those who do not make it into these schools will be stuck in public schools with questionable funding. This increase in funding for charter schools may cause an increase in charter schools in the area. But if there is no increase, students will lose out on the funding they need to succeed in their education because of the funding pulled from county schools to fund the alternative. While researching how Gallup McKinley County Schools will be affected by these budget cuts, this reporter emailed the United States Public Education Department and did not get a response. She also emailed the New Mexico Public Education Department. Upon receiving my email, the department contacted Gallup McKinley County Schools Central Office. Gallup High Principal Dominic Romero then received an email from an Assistant Superintendent at Central Office. They asked to speak to Mr. Romero about the email I sent to the New Mexico Public education Department. My email that they wanted to discuss was sent as follows: “I am a journalist for the Gallup High School newspaper, Ambush! News. I am writing a story on how budget cuts will affect our local school district. I was hoping you would give me a comment on how you will see the budget cuts affecting our area. Thank you.” From that point, I was only allowed to contact the person who emailed Mr. Romero. I emailed them asking about the issue, they replied asking for clarification, stating they were not aware of which budget cuts I was referring to. I have not received a response since I clarified my question. Because of the lack of allowed contact, along with the lack of response, I did not have a large amount of information to use. Although budgets are public information, many sources do not actually state how these funds will be used. This extreme action rises the question of what about my email caused them to react this way. Is there information they do not want to be leaked? Do they not want students and families to know how schools are allocating their money? Are they using the money in ways they do not want revealed? Or is it simply odd to have a high schooler asking for information on the budget? This lack of communication and the communication restrictions set on me create more questions than answers for this story. Without more information from those allocating the funding, it is hard to predict how the students will be affected. There are many possibilities, including the possibility that schools will find a way to spread the money. There is also the possibility they will pull money from various places to make up for the loss. These places may include sports funds, performing arts funds, funds to supply new materials such as textbooks, calculators, and other equipment, or funds to supply art and industrial tech supplies for classes such as woodshop and metal shop. This could mean students involved in clubs and sports will have to fundraise even more money, when many are already fighting tooth and nail to raise enough money with the funding they have now. The absence of Arts in Education funding could add to this issue, as the usual money allocated for arts will have to come from somewhere else. New Mexico’s 2018 fiscal year budget has not been passed according to my contact in their last email asking for clarification. Because of this, we do not know how New Mexico will be allocating any money they have. We will not know how each schools programs will truly be affected until this information is released. Once this is released, we will see exactly what funds will be lacking, along with what funds will have to be made up through fundraising. Until we can see this, students, parents, teachers, and administrators alike will be left to wonder what we will have money for in the coming year. This makes it hard for club sponsors, coaches, teachers, and administrators to plan for the coming year. The 2018 Fiscal Year budget can be found on Congress’s official website, the first link listed will take directly to the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, 2018. https://www.congress.gov/congressional-report/115th-congress/house-report/244/1 http://www.nmpsfa.org/files/fmp-plans/Gallup_2017-2022_FMP-Vol1.pdf http://ped.state.nm.us/PED/21stCCLC_index.html https://www2.ed.gov/programs/titleiparta/index.html Last Week's Poll Results!For our last poll we asked Ambush! Poll takers what student vs. staff contest they would like to see most: 100% of poll takers said they wanted to see a hot dog eating contest.
Student vs Staff Basketball GameBy Raechelle Sandoval '18
"Tracks"By Danica Daniels '20 Gallup High School Drama Club will be putting on the play “Tracks”. The play will be performed Dec. 7th, 8th and 9th at 7 p.m. The performance will be helps in the Kenneth Holloway Performing Arts Auditorium at Gallup High School. Tickets are $4 for students and $5 for adults. Come support the Gallup High drama club and enjoy the show! SO BE IT!By Sydney Terran '18 Don't forget, Ambush! News has opened a new advice column: SO BE IT! The Ambush! staff wants to help students, parents, and viewers in any way we can by answering questions you send us to the best of our ability. Why say so be it and give up, when you have SO BE IT! to help? To send questions you must put in your email, however you will remain anonymous. Send us your questions and we’ll answer weekly. Last Weeks Poll ResultsLast week we asked if you feel restricted by the education system. 66.7% said to some extent and 33.3% said yes.
Dull Pencils Op-EdBy Jocelyn Sung Mom has always pressured me to cross the line, The snail’s tread between success and happiness. Dad urges me to burn under a disapproving sun, Exploring my limits, exercising my own strength. Society demands I be someone I absolutely despise, Restraining me with facades, ideas I do not share. Cuffs biting into my wrists, shackles binding my feet. Yet the worst, the most restraining of all my chains Is a sham set by a “free nation,” called education. It starts small; crayons and blank sheets of paper. Our teachers urge us; “Draw Something!” We do. Sometimes they are pleased with the results: Stick-thin kids with triangle dresses and square pants. Other times they frown, because we do not conform. We scrawl our rocky upbringings onto paper: Angry fathers, absentee mothers, cardboard boxes. “Children should always be happy!” they insist. So the teachers dispose of our art deemed trash. We grow as we should, but we do not flourish as we need. By the time we have matured enough to fight the system, We choose a false sense of familiarity over revolutionary. Those of us who wish to excel are forced to fall behind. It’s breaking an ankle seconds before finishing a race. And those of us who are unable to meet these standards Are not given the help required for us too; to excel. Education is a pair of chains in disguise, a false promise. We learn, but to what extent? It isn’t to gain knowledge. It isn’t so that we become more insightful, more human. It’s so our nation can limit us to one way of thought. Christmas BazaarA Christmas Bazaar, hosted by the GHS Student Council, Baseball Team, Key Club, MESA, and Junior Class is being held Saturday, December 2nd from 10 am-12 pm. Come out for food, games, and Christmas gifts! SO BE IT!By Sydney Teran '18 and Reylena Tsosie '21 “My dog is too fat and I don't know what to do she loves peanut butter so much” Have you ever tried another snack that would benefit your dog and be healthier? Or how about limiting the amount you are giving her? Dogs, like people, enjoy different things. People like Cheetos, pizza, McDonalds and more types of food that are bad for your health. Relating to your dog, you can find something nutritious but enjoyable for her. Here are some websites you can check out if you want to know more about types of treats and the amounts that should be given. https://pets.webmd.com/dogs/guide/healthy-dog-treats#1 https://dogheiro.com/articles/dog-treats-snacks-store-bought-and-people-food-for-dogs/ “How do I stop stress eating to cope with my problems?” Try to put your mind to something else. You should do something you enjoy to keep your mind occupied like walk outside, listen to music, or run. Find what works for you. Some people turn to drawing, reading, etc. What are you interested in? What gives you a sense of peace? The upside is there's options for you. When dealing with stress it's okay to take your time and go at your own pace. When you have found a way to cope remember to think positive even in the difficult times. When you think positive you feel positive. Down below are links to know more about how to deal with stress eating. Also relaxation techniques. It's important and ‘relaxing' to take a moment and clear your mind. https://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-15554/try-these-powerful-tools-to-stop-emotional-eating.html https://www.helpguide.org/articles/stress/stress-management.htm https://www.helpguide.org/articles/stress/relaxation-techniques-for-stress-relief.htm Submit your questions below to receive advice from SO BE IT!! Last Week's Poll ResultsLast week we asked how you were planning to spend Thanksgiving. 75% said they were spending it with family in town, and 25% said they were not celebrating Thanksgiving.
Coat and Mitten Drive WinnerBy Raechelle Sandoval '18 The coat and mitten drive, hosted by GHS Key Club, ended Friday, November 17th. Many classes donated, but Ms. Sweetwyne’s class donated the most. They have won a dress down day for Monday, November 27th. This is the Monday we come back from Thanksgiving Break. Thank you to everyone who donated, and thank you to Key Club for hosting the drive. Congratulations to Ms. Sweetwyne's class. If you are in her class, make sure you have your dress down ticket for the dress down day! SO BE IT!By Sydney Teran '18 Don't forget, Ambush! News has opened a new advice column: SO BE IT! The Ambush! staff wants to help students, parents, and viewers in any way we can by answering questions you send us to the best of our ability. Why say so be it and give up, when you have SO BE IT! to help? To send questions you must put in your email, however you will remain anonymous. Send us your questions and we’ll answer weekly. Last Week's Poll ResultsLast week, we asked if you took anything away from Rich Garza's talk. 75% of students said they didn't take anything away from it, while 25% said they took a lot away from it.
A Talk From a Pro Football PlayerBy Raechelle Sandoval '18 On Wednesday, November 8th, former Pro Football player Rich Garza returned to Gallup HIgh to speak to the students for the second time, the first being last spring. Garza played for the Broncos and Eagles. He went into pro football with the dream of beating the Dallas Cowboys. Garza has been speaking to groups for 33 years now. He has spoken to high schools, middle schools, professional sports teams, and prisoners, including speaking to death row twice. Garza told student that he found his faith to talk to people about making good decisions from God 34 years ago, and made the transition into public speaking, traveling from place to place, taking time away from his wife and kids, and speaking for free. Sponsors support Garza’s traveling, so a big thanks to those who brought Garza to the Gallup area this week. If you missed the assembly, here is what he told students. Garza’s big message was that “you are not born a winner, you’re born a chooser.” He wanted to remind students that you make all of your decisions, which do not only affect you. “Your decisions affect everyone around you,” which includes your family, school, and community, Garza told the students. Garza also urged students to choose to do your work “everyday!” and to do whatever you need to do to get your high school diploma, whether that means tutoring, summer school, night school, or anything else, because the one regret most inmates Garza speak to share, is dropping out of high school. Although Garza knows not everyone took his talk seriously, he does not want to see anyone who he has talked to end up down the wrong path. He shared a story of this happening to a student he spoke to before. Garza had spoken to the student twice, in middle school and high school. The student did not take the talk seriously, and soon after got high, committed a terrible crime, which he did not share, and will spend the rest of his life in prison. Garza does not want to see this happen again, and urges all students to take him seriously. Thank you to Rich Garza for speaking to the school, the sponsors who brought him here, and the students for remaining respectful during his talk. Coat and Mitten DriveBy Raechelle Sandoval '18 As winter is approaching, not everyone has clothes to keep them warm; this is an issue many students are aware of. To help with this issue, Key Club is hosting a Coat and Mitten Drive. To donate to the drive, bring coats, mittens, other warm clothing, and old blankets to your 5th hour class. Your donations will help those in need as the nights and days get colder. The class that donates the most will also be awarded a dress down day. The drive ends November 17th, so bring your donations in soon! Last Week's Poll ResultsLast week, we asked if you went trick or treating. 66.7% said they have never been trick or treating, and 33.3% said trick or treating is for kids.
|
Associate EditorBengal CommunityArchives
August 2018
|