The Say Something program teaches students how to recognize warning signs and threats of someone who may be at-risk of hurting themselves or others and to “say something” to a Trusted Adult before a tragedy can occur. We are continuing our efforts to encourage students to be an Upstander. An Upstander is: A person who speaks or acts in support of an individual cause, particularly someone who intervenes on behalf of a person being attacked or bullied.

To take it one step further, students who learn the three Say Something steps: Also intervene when another student is at risk of harming themselves or others. The program teaches students the following three steps to be an Upstander:

1. Recognize Warning Signs and Threats
   Learn what warning signs and threats are and where they are likely to be found.

2. Act Immediately; Take it Seriously
   Learn strategies to take action when warning signs and threats are observed as well as how to be an Upstander rather than a bystander.

3. Say Something
   Learn how to tell a trusted adult when warning signs and threats are observed.

During the week of March 21-25th, 2022, students took part in Say

Something Week at Overlook Middle School. We discussed how to

recognize warning signs and threats of potential violence and the

importance of telling a trusted adult.

It can be hard for adults to know how the children in their lives are feeling.

Today, many teens and adolescents turn to online channels to express

themselves, their thoughts and hopes, and their anxieties and personal

feelings. Some even go as far as hinting they want to hurt themselves or

someone else. Their friends and peers are the eyes and ears of a school

community and may observe these communications but not always

understand or know what to do with that information. Say Something

teaches all of this. The 30-minute training worked through the 3 steps-1)

Look for warning signs and threats, 2) Act immediately, take it seriously; 3)

Say Something to a trusted adult.

We encourage you to talk to your students about how important it is to

Say Something and encourage them to share what they are learning. Not

only will this conversation help you to recognize any signs in your own

student’s expressions, but it also demonstrates to them that you take this

subject seriously and can be one of the trusted adults they turn to if they

suspect someone may need help.

We know that schools are meant to be safe places. Say Something will help

equip our young people to do their part to keep our school community

safe. For more information on Say Something, please visit:

www.sandyhookpromise.org/saysomething.

Overlook Middle School held its second school dance this year! The theme was Spring Fling Luau and took place on March 18, from 6:00-7:30 PM. There was music, food, and lots of fun! Many attended, bringing friends, or that special someone, and had a great time. It was great seeing everyone dress up for the event whether it be alone or with your friends. Thank you to the Student Council for organizing and running this fun Overlook evening!

From the photos it is clear that the dance was a great time.

By Meghan Dorsey

The mask mandate has been lifted within the school! As of now masks are NOT required, however if you are a person who would like to continue wearing one, that is your choice. That being said, students must keep in mind that they should respect people’s choices regarding masks. Please remember that not all people are in the same situation as you, and their decision quite likely has good reason behind it.

Do keep in mind that COVID-19 is still around. It is still contagious, so please be sure to contact the school if you test positive in order for them to alert the people you were close with that they were a close contact. The symptoms for COVID-19 are as following;

• Fever or chills

• Cough

• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing

• Fatigue

• Muscle or body aches

• Headache

• New loss of taste or smell

• Sore throat

• Congestion or runny nose

• Nausea or vomiting

• Diarrhea

Stay healthy and safe! And have a great month!

By- Stella Deschenes

This month is women’s history month. Women’s history month is every March going back to 1987. This month is to recognize the hard work women have put into this country to make the United States a better place not only for women but for everyone. Did you know that every Women’s History Month has a theme? Anyways I hope you all had a great Women History Month! As always, thank you for reading!

By Lucas LeGrand

Have you ever wondered why we spend time doing St.Patrick's day? Well you’re about to find out.

Every year, on March 17th, we celebrate St.Patrick’s day. People celebrate by going to parades, wearing green, and many other things. The first St.Patrick’s day was celebrated in 1762 in Ireland by British soldiers in the Revolutionary War. The reason why? Did you know that some part of your family was living in Ireland? More than 35 million Americans in the United States of America are Irish? That’s 9 times as many people in Ireland! In the 18th and 19th century, lots of Irish people immigrated to America, and still are today. Back then though, they were treated like trash, but on St.Patrick’s day, they had a day to celebrate their ancestors. And their children have kept the traditions alive. “But was there a person named St.Patrick?”, you may ask. Yes there was. He was born in the 5th century, but when he was a child, he was kidnapped. He was sent to Ireland where he was a slave for 6 years as a Shepard. When he escaped, he went back to Ireland as a Christian priest. He became a Saint, and died on the 17th, the day when we celebrate St.Patrick’s day. There you have it. Now you all know how St.Patrick’s day is celebrated.

By Keira Dodd

March is a normal month of the year. A month like any other. Like other months March also has some National days and holidays. I will share some National days and holidays. Along with some sun facts.

March Includes:

St. Patrick's day

Read Across America week (Dr. Seuss Birthday)

Pi Day

Daylight Savings Day

Women's History Month

Days

Mar 3: United States Mint was made by US Congress (1791) , first indoor hockey game was held (1875), TIME magazine was first published (1923), Star Spangled Banner became US anthem (1931)

Mar 4: Microphone first invented by Emile Berliner (1877) Thomas Jefferson became the first US president inaugurated in Washington DC (1801)

Mar 5: Boston Massacre (1770) Elvis Presley got out of army

Mar 7: First Ford Mustang built

Mar 10: Alexander Graham Bell makes first successful telephone call, Astronomers first discover rings around Uranus

Mar 12: Coca Cola first sold in bottles, Girl Scouts founded in US

Mar 13: Harvard College was named after John Harvard, Uranus was discovered

Mar 17: Rubber bands were invented, St. Patrick's day first celebrated in New York

Mar 18: First person walks in space

Mar 20: Sir Isaac Newton Dies

Birthstones: Aquamarine and Bloodstone

Flower: Daffodil

Zodiac: Pisces and Aries

Birthdays

Justin Beiber birthday Mar 1

Dr. Seuss birthday Mar 2

Henry ll (King of England) Mar 5

Michael Eisner (CEO of Disney) Mar 7

Carrie Underwood Mar 10

Albert Einstein Mar 14

Simone Biles Mar 14

Stephan Curry Mar 14

Andrew Jackson (US President) Mar 15

James Madison (US President) Mar 16

Kurt Russell Mar 17

William Bradford Mar 19

March is also the month with the first day of Spring. Where the flowers bloom, snow melts, bugs come out, animals come out of hibernation and school has almost ended.

By Joshua LeGrand

Welcome to this month’s edition of Our Wacky World! Thank you to everyone who voted in last month’s poll! The categories were Commercials, Laws, or Animals. The winner is… LAWS! Without further ado, let’s take a look at some of the strangest laws in history.

Let’s start with a law that sounds too ridiculous to be true. At some point in your life, you have probably heard someone mention Bigfoot, the supposed missing link. You might think that Bigfoot isn’t real and that he is just some dude named Bob dressed in a gorilla costume, but the people of Skamania County, Washington State certainly believe that Bigfoot is out there. In 1969, the county passed a law prohibiting hunters from shooting the legendary Sasquatch, doing so could earn you a five-year jail sentence. In 1984, the law was amended, making Bigfoot an endangered species.

This next law only applies to you if you’re about to commit a serious crime. Yes, you read that last sentence right. In New Jersey, it is illegal to wear a bulletproof vest while “attempting to commit murder, manslaughter, robbery, assault, burglary, kidnapping, or criminal escape”. Well, if you are thinking about doing any of those things while in New Jersey, then make sure to leave your bulletproof vest at home!

Finally, a list of some honorable mentions:

-It was illegal to have a scoop of ice cream on your cherry pie in Kansas.

-It’s illegal to kill any wild animals on a Sunday in Virginia, unless you’re hunting raccoons. Then it’s okay.

-It is illegal to wrestle with a bear in Louisiana

That is all for this edition of Our Wacky World. I hope you enjoyed reading about some of the wackiest laws in our nation’s history. Thanks for reading!

By- Kaelyn Hildreth

Oh, how many people love mint. I personally don’t, but you might! This month, we are making a shamrock shake. Oh so very seasonal!

Recipe-

(recipe adapted from DELISH.COM)

5 Min

INGREDIENTS:

3 large scoops of vanilla ice cream (about 1/4 c. each)

1/4 c. heavy cream

1/2 tsp. peppermint extract

6 drops green food coloring

Whipped cream, for topping

Maraschino cherry, for topping

Directions

1. Place ingredients in a blender

2. Blend until smooth

3. Pour into cup

4. Top with whipped cream and cherry

5. ENJOY!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

By Marko Peterson

I frolicked in the sun

Oh, was it fun!

It might’ve hurt

The occasional fall in the dirt

But the sun shone!

I felt it down to my bone

But

What

If it went out?

What if it fell down the spout?

There would be no sunshine

No land to call mine

The 8 minutes of fun

But nowhere to run

Once it was gone

Fell on the lawn

The hurtful thought

I can’t expel from what I caught

If the sunshine were done

Where would we run?