Wildcat Nation News Blog

Career Shadowing is an event that every grade (except for seniors) does every year. It is also a day when you don’t have to go to school. Basically, what you do is: Step 1: Find a career you have an interest in. Step 2: Find a company that has to do with your career (Like: A Hospital or a Bank). Step 3: Find someone you would like to shadow for the day. Step 4: Contact the mentor (or the person you want to career shadow) and ask them if it would be okay if you could career shadow them. Step 5: Find out the day of your Career Shadow (Middle School: March 6^th, High School: March 7^th). Step 6: Set up a time to meet with your mentor at the career site. Step 7: Ask them questions and take notes of what you did during the day.

Even though you won’t be at school there are still some rules you need to follow:

Unless you are going to a place that requires you to dress safe, you must wear your school uniform (NO JEANS)
You must be on your best behavior
You must career shadow someone who works outside of your home.
Only one student should career shadow one adult.
You must stay at the career shadowing site for a full work day or shift.
You must arrange your own transportation to and from the career shadowing site.
You need to be supervised by an adult at all times
You must make an arrangement for your own lunch (Unless you are career shadowing someone who you know and would like to get you lunch)
Even though you’re not at McKeel you must act like you are still in school.
You cannot Career Shadow any McKeel teachers (Includes: McKeel Academy, McKeel Elementary, South McKeel Academy)

Career Shadowing is really fun if you are Career Shadowing a career that you want to do in the future. So pick something that you enjoy doing in your life. I interviewed a friend of mine about Career Shadowing.

Interview:

Me: So what do you think about Career Shadowing?

Jasmin: I think it’s interesting but it depends on the place you go.

Me: Why do you think it should be a school assignment?

Jasmin: Because people should see if they want to pursue the job they choose.

Me: Should it be a big part of your grade?

Jasmin: It shouldn’t be that big of a grade.

Me: Why?

Jasmin: Because it’s not that important.

Me: Since 6^th graders are new to this assignment. Do you have any advice for them on their choice for their career?

Jasmin: Make sure they choose a job they would like to pursue in the future.

Me: Okay. Thank You

Jasmin: Your Welcome

Written By: Kira Morisako

______________________________________________________

Black History Month

You know you love black people to our completion and our nappy hair. It all started back when sailors use to explore out there to find new locations and different souvenirs to bring back to the kings and queens. But different villages didn’t like each other so they would go and take over the rival village and sell the people in that village into slavery. Many slaves were on board and were shipped all over. Many got sick or died of hunger before they could get to their final destination. They were sold as slaves. In a way they were sold kind of like how a phone would be sold; based on the structure of their body, how big they were, and their specialty. Many of the slave owners treated their slaves like dogs leaving them outside and barley giving the food. The houses were cold during the winter, there was no heat to keep the family of slaves warm. There would be up to eight people in a house all lying on the floor. If they got sick the owners would still make them work or they would give them a day or two to get better. Kids where sold as soon as soon as they were able to walk, many slaves were sold and never see their family again, also wives and husbands would be separated and sold leaving not just their spouses but their children behind as well. The slave owners used to rape the women slaves and have children with them. You probably would think that since the child was theirs they would treat them 100 percent better than they treated regular slaves, but they didn’t. The only difference is that instead of working outside in the fields like other slaves they would stay inside. Also unlike the other slaves, slaves that were conceived with a slave mother and an owner father, could never work their way to freedom. Because, since they were related to the owner they were considered back then the property of that person forever or until the owner thought different and let them have their freedom.“The time is always right to do what is right.” ~Martin Luther King, Jr.

“Laundry is the only thing that should be separated by color. “~Author Unknown

“For I am my mother’s daughter, and the drums of Africa still beat in my heart.” ~Mary McLeod Bethune

“The African race is a rubber ball. The harder you dash it to the ground, the higher it will rise.” ~African Proverb

___________________________________________________________________________

Valentines Day

Happy Valentine’s Day Everyone! So whether you hate it or you love it, it comes around once a year on February 14. Most people go through the day giving out cheesy little cards, roses, boxes of candy, and teddy bears that say “I love you Beary-much!” But what is Valentine’s Day really about?

Well it all started when Emperor Claudius II decided that single men would make better soldiers than men with wives and families. So he forbid marriage of young men. However St. Valentine did not agree with this act so he continued to perform marriages for young lovers. When Claudius learned of this act of tyranny and ordered that he be put to death.

While he was in a prison awaiting his death Valentine fell in love with a young woman who was said to be his jailer’s daughter. He gave her a letter before he died and it was signed “From Your Valentine”. And that is where we get it from.

Facts About Valentine’s Day:

15% of U.S. Women send themselves flowers on Valentine’s Day.
About 3% of pet owners will give valentine’s gifts to their pets.
Verona, the Italian city where Shakespeare’s play lovers Romeo and Juliet lived, receives about 1,000 letters every year sent to Juliet on Valentine’s Day.
A single perfect red rose framed with baby’s breath is named by some florists as a “signature rose,” and is the preferred choice for most for giving on Valentine’s Day, anniversaries and birthdays.
Cupid is a symbol of Valentine’s Day. Cupid was associated with Valentine’s Day because he was the son of Venus, the Roman god of love and beauty. Cupid often appears on Valentine cards and gift tokens holding a bow and arrows as he is believed to use magical arrows to arouse feelings of love.
In the Middle Ages young men and women drew the names from a bowl to see who would be their Valentine. They would wear this name pinned on their sleeves for one week. This was done so that it becomes easy for other people to know your true feelings. This was known as “to wear your heart on your sleeve”
In addition to the United States, Valentine’s Day is celebrated in Canada, Mexico, United Kingdom, France, Australia, Denmark, and Italy.
The most fantastic gift of love is the Taj Mahal in India. It was built by Mughal Emperor Shahjahan as a memorial to his wife.
On February 14, 2001, 34 couples from 22 countries exchanged wedding vows ten meters underwater near Kradan Island in Southern Thailand. This currently holds the Guinness World Record for the most number of couples married simultaneously underwater.

Superstitions about Valentine’s Day:

To be awoken by a kiss on Valentine’s Day is considered lucky.
By tradition, a girl was supposed to marry the first eligible man she met on Valentine’s Day.
Pick a dandelion that has gone to seed. Take a deep breath and blow the seeds into the wind. Count the seed that remain on the stem, and that is the number of children you will have.
Seeing different animals on Valentine’s Day can result in different ways. For example: seeing a goldfinch, you will marry a millionaire; seeing a robin you will marry a crime fighter; seeing a dove, you will have a happy peaceful marriage; if you see a squirrel on Valentine’s Day, you will marry a cheap skate who will hoard all your money.

The Language of Flowers

According to old traditions, sending different kinds of flowers sends a secret message to the one you love. Here are a few of these secret flower messages:

Red roses mean “I love you”!
Yellow roses mean “I love you, but I don’t know if you love
me.”
White roses mean “Our love is pure.”
Four leaf clovers are a wish for good luck.
Orange blossoms represent everlasting love.

I talked to Shelby Jason (9^th Grade) about how she celebrates Valentine’s Day. Here was her response:

Rebecca Burnsed: Do you celebrate Valentine’s Day?

Shelby Jason: Yeah, sort of.

Rebecca: What do you give people on Valentine’s Day?

Shelby: Um… Cards and Candy

Rebecca: Who do you give these things to?

Shelby: Friends Definitely!

**By: Rebecca Burnsed 9^th Grade. **

Homecoming 2011!!

2011 McKeel Academy Homecoming! Coming December 3rd! Freshmen are excited about it being their first high school homecoming, sophomores are excited about it being their second, juniors are ready for their last one before they’re a senior, and seniors are hyped up hoping for a memorable one as their last one. This year is going to be a “Winter Wonderland” theme in the gym. We asked for students responses about homecoming and if their excited for it!

Taylor’s question: Are you going to Homecoming and are you excited?