The Buffett Bugle
Spring 2019
Buffett Bugle
Students in this course participate in all areas of the production process, including planning, interviewing, photographing, editing, and computer layout design.
Carrying on the Tradition By: Tony Garrett
Fifty-five seventh and eighth graders were inducted into National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) for the 2019-2020 school year. The qualifications to receive the application for NJHS consisted of having a 3.75 GPA or higher, showing outstanding leadership, citizenship, and respect. Moreover, the applicants were narrowed down by the quality of their application and on March 28th, the remaining 55 students were formally inducted.
The ceremony took place in our very own cafeteria. A violin quartet played exquisitely as parents and other guests took their seats. Elizabeth Bassett, a 7th grader, said, "We prepared for the ceremony by going to the practice we had in BCD." After organizing the inductees both alphabetically and by grade, they strolled into the cafeteria as the string quartet gracefully played “King Henry's March.”
Once the inductees took their seats, the current NJHS president, Claire Bentley, started the ceremony by asking the inductees and the audience to rise and say the Pledge of Allegiance with her. After the Pledge of Allegiance, the NJHS officers and keynote speaker, Mrs. Krebs, introduced the five pillars of NJHS: citizenship, leadership, character, scholarship, and service. After that, the inductees were asked to say the NJHS pledge. Thus, they were inducted. After the formal induction ceremony, a reception took place. "I thought that the after party was really fun because I got to socialize with my friends, and we got cookies," Bassett said. Older NJHS members volunteered to help serve refreshments, and they helped set up the reception.
All in all, the new NJHS members made a promise that night to be role models and leaders of Buffett. "I am very excited. I feel like it will be a great opportunity for me." said Bassett. These select inductees will grasp the honor and the privilege of being a part of Buffett's next chapter of National Junior Honor Society.
Bobcat Bucks to the Rescue By: Emma Barnes
Bobcat Bucks…you just have to love them! For some reason this piece of paper is what some kids dream of having. Bobcat Bucks were introduced this school this year for all students. There are many interesting ways for students to earn a buck while doing a good thing for the school.
This year for the first time ever, Bobcats of all grades got introduced to the popular Bobcat Bucks. They have proven to be a great way to express kindness and respect for others in school. They help kids try to be their best and be very hardworking in everything they do with the hopes of earning a buck.
Many students enjoy the idea of Bobcat Bucks. Grant Behne-Ryan said, "You can get shirts and other things in everyday life for free." It's very important that kids care about helping other students and teachers to do good things around the school. "Kids, they try harder to be good in class rather than not caring care about being bad or good," Behne-Ryan stated. It helps students get motivated to start their day off right and go out of their way to make the school a better place. Whether they are picking up trash from the floor, helping another student, or even just making sure to stay on task in class, these bucks pay off for many.
Bobcat Bucks were an important addition to this school year that encouraged students to try hard at everything they do. For some students, that blue buck was just an added bonus for already doing what they should be doing. Jenna Winters said, "Kids should always try their hardest to be their best." If we all do that then the school will be a better place.
Eighth Graders Are Off to High School By: Megan King and Maddy Roberts
Seven different OPS high schools… which one will you choose? At Buffett Magnet Middle School, 8th graders are preparing to go to high school. In late January, 8th graders selected which high school and what classes they are going to take next year.
Leading up to that experience the 8th graders went through a lot of emotions and had to make sacrificial decisions. The teachers and counselors were there to help them every step of the way. Eighth grade teacher Ms. Haley said, "Get involved in as many things as you can, because high school is a pretty big place and I think that if you can find a small little community within that big world, you will be more successful." Overall if you make sure to get involved in sports and clubs, that could set you up to be successful in high school and experience a smooth transition.
While the 8th graders are very excited for high school, they also have some worries. "I'm more nervous about how big the high school will be and how I will have classes with upperclassmen," said 8th grader Vivian Chapman. Another common worry is the amount of homework they will have and adapting to a new school.
Even though the 8th graders are excited for a new change, they are also sad to be leaving. 8th grader Abbie Ross said, "I'm going to miss the teachers because I got to know them really well since they've been are our teachers for two years." Change can spark both happy and sad emotions, and leave a lasting mark. Bye Buffett 8th graders, good luck in high school!
School’s Out For Summer! By: Gabby English
School's out for the year! Many Bobcats are thrilled that summer is finally here. After all of the horrible winter weather the sun is finally out and shining. Bobcats have different things they are planning to do this summer.
Summer plans for Bobcats vary quite a lot. Some students have more laid-back summers, while others have more busy summers with things like swim team, tennis, golf, camps etc. "In the summer I will have conditioning for cross country every morning, then swim team, and then dance team," said Jillian Fierro. But for others summers are more easy, "Most of the summer I just hang out with my friends and go out to the lake," said 8th grader Alec Mayfield. Bobcats agree that relaxation comes in different forms.
Many Bobcats are excited to have three months off school, but others not so much. "I like school, I like being with my friends every day, sometimes in the summer I get bored." said Katie Min. Whether it’s a staycation or a vacation, Bobcats find exciting things to do. "Me and my friends in the neighborhood like to go biking, have picnics, go shopping downtown and other fun things that keep us busy," said Amelia Roth. Some prefer to leave Omaha for vacations, "We go to Nationals for dance every summer and it's really fun to travel with your best friends and do the thing that I love to do the most, dance on stage," said Abbie Ross. No matter if you're staying at home or going out of the country, summer is a fun time to spend with the people that you love.
Spread the Love of Reading! By: Lauren Riley
The love of reading is very popular at Buffett. National Junior Honor Society wanted to spread the message to younger kids so they could also share the love of reading.
On Friday, March 1st, the 8th grade NJHS members loaded up on a bus and traveled to Jefferson Elementary School to read to younger students as they participated in the program "Read Across America." They read picture books to the younger kids, but with the older kids they talked about books they recommended and read parts of them. Their mission was to spread the message that reading can be enthusiastic and fun for all ages.
NJHS members were excited to participate in this program for many reasons. "I really wanted to read to the kids; I love kids in general, and reading to them sounded like a lot of fun," said 8th grader Isabella Mitchell. Reading to kids and experiencing their reactions was another popular reason for why NJHS members loved attending this field trip.
The elementary students had mixed reactions that ranged from being shy to being excited about the NJHS members being in their classrooms. Mitchell said, "I really liked meeting the kids and talking to the 6th graders because they were very chill and nice. The 6th graders were my favorite. But, the little kids were very smart and cute." The kids acted differently depending on what grade they were in, which enriched the experience for the NJHS readers.
Disney Movie Club: A Memory to be Shared By: Isabella Jeck
Disney Movie Club sparks memories of being thrilled and content with your family as a young child while watching your favorite Disney movie. Now in middle school, Disney Movie Club brings back those fond memories and allows for Bobcats to share these treasured memories with friends.
In Disney Movie Club members find comfortable seats around the room that are nearby friends while watching selected Disney movies. Each quarter, a new group of students assemble in Mrs. Willmott’s room during club day every Friday. Mrs. Willmott started this popular club to let students have fun watching movies that they might have watched as kids and to introduce new Disney movies with valuable themes and life lessons to her students. Disney Movie Club is a hit among students because so many kids did and still do watch Disney movies.
Everyone has their own special memory that floods their minds while watching certain movies. "My aunt and I would watch the Lion King and The Little Mermaid all the time. When watching the movies, I am reminded of all the fun times I had with her." Isabella Jeck lamented. Michael Umble stated, The Lion King was my favorite because I always watched it with my mom and sister growing up.” Over the years many students can recall their favorite memories of watching Disney movies.
Whether it's with friends or family, these movies are something Bobcats can hold in their hearts forever.
She Shoots, She Scores! By: AJ Meeske
She stares down the field and spots the lacrosse ball on the grass. As she sprints down the field, she prepares to scoop up the ball. She scoops it up and races towards the goal with her opponents close behind her. The crowd is cheering for her as she shoots the ball into the goal. She scores!!! The crowd jumps from their seats cheering.
This spring, some of our Lady Bobcats are participating in girls lacrosse. Open to any girl who is interested in playing lacrosse, this club meets every Monday and Friday after school on the soccer field. They play games on Sunday afternoons at Creighton Prep High School and are coached by Mr. Kuecker and Mr. Heber. Lacrosse is not the most common sport in OPS but is quickly gaining popularity.
Lacrosse is a great way for girls with similar interests to bond with each other. Teamwork is a very important quality to have while on the field. "Our teamwork is somewhat of a work in progress. We have a couple different groups of friends represented and we are in a continual process of growing together as a team. We are teenage girls, so drama sometimes happens, but so far nothing major has gotten in the way of our teamwork," says coach Kuecker. It's very important for a team to not only be teammates but also friends.
Every game takes a lot of preparation and effort. 8th grader Anli Gute says, "We always do stretching exercises before we practice shooting and catching with our sticks. As we are practicing shooting and catching, we slowly hype ourselves up with each pass and catch. Then as we are about to get in our positions, we do our team cheer and get hyped up for our game." Their hard work certainly pays off on the field at competitions.
Overall, the team is experiencing a successful season. They not only work well together, but they get along with each other and have fun. "I think a memorable moment is when we won our first game. We are definitely not as skilled as the other club teams but we definitely try our hardest. I think that winning our first game just made us really proud of ourselves and the work we have gone through," said Bailey Peters. Through this sport, the girls share many memories with one another and take pride in their victories, whether they occur from winning a game or helping out a teammate.
Heading To The Top By: Dipika Karki and Gabrielle Garrett
Boys soccer practiced hard for their games this season. Although they were a small team, there was no doubt that they worked hard this year. Players used the skills and fundamentals they learned in practice and applied them to their games.
Even though it is a very athletic sport, the team also helped many players in non-physical ways. Players said that playing on the team helped them make good choices in school and keep up with their academics. Kyle Perry said that by playing on the team he was required to work hard in class and follow the rules even more than he usually did.
This year, the coaches looked forward to their games. Coach Norris stated that she expected the team to do well, "I think this group of boys is a talented team and that they can definitely be in the top five teams if they work hard on the field." This was the case on April 9th. The Varsity team won their first game 3-1, against McMillan.
Many players thought the practices were fun too! They aimed to get better and had fun as a team at the same time. Kevin Diaz stated "I like the drills that we do because it helps us with our techniques." At practices the team mixed fun and structure.
Teamwork was another important quality for the soccer team. Players enjoyed working together with the players they also went to school with. "I get to play with people and make new friends." Said Liam Urban. Soccer proved to be a place to build new friendships with people you normally wouldn't talk to.
Overall the team experienced many successes and enjoyed their games. Their overall record this year was 2 wins and 6 losses. Kyle Perry said "I'm looking forward to trying to win that first championship!" Although this didn’t happen this year we still have next year and beyond to look forward to!
A Fight For The Title! By: Madeline Coe
After 13 years of girls soccer taking home the championship trophy, another year passed of putting forth their best effort. The stakes were high this year for the girls, striving to keep their number one spot for the 14th year in a row. Unfortunately that did not happen for them, but the girls did show off their strong effort and communication skills.
The girls soccer team practiced every day on the soccer field after school. They would practice touches on the ball, shooting, passing, etc. Several of these students brought experience to the team, as they had been playing soccer for years with individual clubs. Their practices helped with working on the skills they struggled with the most.
The girls' goal this year was to win the City Championship. Even though they didn't achieve that goal, they still had fun playing in the games with their teammates and celebrating their successes. "It’s a lot of fun after the team scores a goal because we come together and celebrate, it just makes the game more fun," said seventh grader Taylor Ruma. Not only did the goals help them get closer to the championship, but they also allowed the players to let loose and have fun with their teammates.
Motivation was a major influence for the soccer games. Staying in positive moods and energized was essential. "Probably the thing that gets me most motivated is the fact that Buffett has won the past 13 years, like it is almost scary to go onto the field because they have won so many years and you want to do the same. So you just have to try your best," said seventh grader Dylan Vobejda. Trying their best was exactly what they did as they competed in the City Championships that took place on our Buffett home field on May 7, 2019.
In the close, intense game Buffett ended up losing to Davis Middle School with a final score of 1-0. Davis scored the only goal of the game early on during the first half. Despite Buffett's best efforts, the team was not able to score on the Davis goalie. Next year the remaining team members will be able to work on areas they struggled with, and hopefully start a new winning streak.
Girls Run the World By: Vivian Chapman
Spring is finally here, and the Lady Bobcats are ready to race for girls track. With the cold winter weather coming to an end, the nice warm weather will be a great start for the track season.
At Buffett Middle, 7th and 8th graders can participate in track. Track has many different events that the Bobcats participate in. Some girls like to sprint, others like to do long distance, and some like to jump or throw. Every event has different skill sets that the runners need to have to be able to be successful. This team is filled with students and coaches that are dedicated to do their best at the track meets.
To prepare for the track meets, the girls practice after school every day from 3:05 to 4:45. Eighth grader Heaven Newson said, "We stretch first then we run a lap or two. After that we usually practice our events."
In track there are many events. There are running events like the 100 and 400, and then field events such as long jump, shot put, and discus. These events are what make up a track meet. "The track meets usually take one hour to one hour and thirty minutes depending on your event," said Newson.
Track is a satisfying experience for Bobcats. Gabby English says, "Track makes you feel like you have accomplished something and did something for the day." Many runners love how track is a place where they can be with their friends and run once the weather finally turns nice.
The Buffett track team is full of amazing and dedicated Bobcats who work hard to represent our school well.
Lavish Languages By: Callia Jackson
You walk into the Spanish classroom, and all around you see eighth graders making booklets and hear snatches of Spanish conversations. Then, you walk into the French class, and hear students reading out from a book, improving their comprehension and fluency in the language. You marvel at how well these students can speak after less than a year's worth of instruction.
In Buffett's World Language classes, eighth graders are taught how to speak each language, and learn about its culture. This is treated as one of a student's five blocks every other day. The classes give them an opportunity to learn about ways of life outside of America while picking up useful skills (a new language to speak).
Ms. Drees, the French teacher, uses chants and games to help students understand the lessons. Gabrielle Garrett said, "In French, we do lots of projects and lessons that we can apply to real life. My favorite project was the menu because I loved learning about French food and culture." Other projects students did were family trees and the Francophone Countries project, where students researched places around the world that speak French.
The Spanish teacher, Ms. Lane, besides using games as well, takes a different approach to teaching students a new language. "We make little books about the [current] lesson we're being taught to help us understand and remember the new information," said McKenna Nickell. Other lessons teach students about things like school subjects and supplies, and nouns and verbs, to give them knowledge of basic vocabulary in Spanish.
The World Language classes allow students to have a different class structure than their other courses. Both French and Spanish are enjoyed by its enrolled students, yet make sure, current fifth-seventh graders, that you choose the one you want to learn!
It’s Yearbook Time! By Liv Mossage
You've definitely seen the Buffett yearbook, but do you know what work goes into making it? A lot of time and energy go into making the yearbook something great that Bobcats can look back on.
The Buffett yearbook is written and designed by 8th grade journalism students, led by the journalism and yearbook teacher, Ms. Christensen. It takes all year to make, with the work mostly focused in 1st and 3rd quarters. Student photographers attend school events and take thousands of pictures throughout the entire school year, from fall to spring. The best of those pictures are then selected and placed into pages in the yearbook. A variety of events that happened throughout the year are featured in the yearbook, including sports, spirit days, clubs, new things taking place, and more.
The process of making the yearbook takes time. First, journalism students pick the theme. "We all picked themes and then voted as a whole of all of the classes on what theme we liked best,” said 8th grade journalism student Vivian Chapman. The theme that was decided for this year was “High Five!” The cover was designed similarly to how the theme was determined. Students who were up for the task made different cover options, and then the classes voted on their overall favorite, with the majority of votes determining the theme.
The yearbook coming out is a time of excitement for both journalism students and the yearbook adviser. "I am really excited for this year's yearbook! I loved the top 5 lists and students did a great job of coming up with unique responses. Don't tell the 8th graders from last year, but I think this one will be even better," said journalism teacher Ms. Christensen. Students are just as excited for the yearbook to come out. "I'm excited to see how my page turned out," said Chapman.
Along with the excitement, there are some nerves among those who create the yearbook. "I'm most nervous that I might have messed up somewhere," said Chapman. Ms. Christensen shares similar concerns, "I always get nervous about the inevitable errors that will pop up. With such a large book and so much writing, it seems like there will have been some sort of typo that will have been made. And trust me… we will hear about it!"
The yearbook takes a lot of effort and time to make. So, when you get this year's yearbook during the last week of school, remember to think of all the hard work that went into creating it and ENJOY!
Metro Science Fair By: Amaya Garrett and MacKenzie Mabus
Buffett students in seventh and eighth grade had the opportunity to participate in Metro Science Fair, which showed off their creativity and application to a project related to different areas of science. This event took place on the Friday before spring break, and students missed the whole day of school. Since the science fair was cancelled at Buffett two times in a row due to snow days, Metro was a great opportunity for students to show their projects that they had worked hard on.
On Friday, March 8th, seventh and eighth graders went to the Henry Doorly Zoo and presented their projects in the Metro Science Fair. Students from various schools were judged to win awards that included money, special awards, and plaques.
Presenting at Metro more difficult due to the Buffett Science Fair being cancelled. 8th grader Hanna Sortino said, "I was just really nervous about going to Metro because I didn’t have any time to practice," Despite this, students were very ecstatic to participate in Metro, even without having the experience from Buffett.
Buffett students prepared in different ways to get ready for the Metro Science Fair. Some students practiced outside of school and in class. 8th grader Claire Bentley said, "I was pretty confident about my project, I liked how my board looked and I was confident in what I did but since we didn’t have the Buffett science fair I was a little less confident about presenting it." Many students found that practicing in their science class helped to boost their confidence for the Metro Science Fair.
On the day of Metro, students left at the beginning of the school day and stayed for the entire day. There were positives and negatives for this day-long event. Eighth grader Bethany Thimjon said, "The worst part about being at Metro would have to be the waiting, there was a lot of sitting and standing and waiting for judges." Still students were excited to be able to go to Metro and meet new people as well as present their projects.
Although the Buffett Science Fair was cancelled many students still had the opportunity to attend the Metro Science Fair and found it was a way to share their creativity and meet new people. Students used this as an opportunity to use their problem-solving skills to find ways to prepare for success despite missing the opportunity to formally present their projects in the science fair at Buffett. In the end many students won awards for their innovative projects and presentations.
POPS! By: Elektra Dohe
Many people participate in the Buffett Pops concert that takes place in the cafeteria at the end of every school year. This year the chorus class will be singing "Man in the Mirror" by Michael Jackson, "I'm Still Standing" by Elton John, "No One" by Alicia Keys, "Halo" by Beyoncé and "I'll Be There For You" (the 'Friends' theme song) by The Rembrandts.
Students who are in chorus opted to take chorus instead of band, strings, or general music. They spend every class period working on songs and figuring out how to make them better, working on every note until it is perfect (or at least until they like it). Each class has only about 30 minutes of work time overall, but they still manage to make it work and put a lot of effort into the songs they sing.
Ms. Craven works with the Pops students and teaches the music to them. She also puts everything together for the concert that ranges from the date and time of the performance to the design of the shirts and the selection of songs. Students then vote for their favorite design in class. The songs were also voted for by students.
The Pops concert welcomes all families, teachers, and friends to attend the performance. Even though the concert is after school the students still manage to make it and do a wonderful job. The concert runs approximately an hour long and is well worth it.
K-pop, the Korean Pop Music that is Sweeping the Nation! By: Alexis Schovanec
K-pop is reaching every corner of the world the world. K-pop has many groups and soloists, with many amazing songs. Some popular groups you might have heard of are BTS, BlackPink, NCT, Stray Kids, Twice, Red Velvet, Wanna One, EXO, Monsta X, SNSD, 2NE1, and many more! K-pop has gotten so popular that they have songs on the radio and the groups have been on many T.V shows. As it spreads worldwide, numerous people are falling in love with this unique genre of music.
What is K-pop? K-pop is Korean music based is Seoul, South Korea, with idols and songs. K-pop started getting popular in late 2017 when BTS released the hit song, “DNA.” It's not all pop though, K-pop has many different genres spanning from rap, EDM, pop, hip-hop, rock, and even country! There are girl groups and boy groups and they're all very unique. K-pop also has fun dances that you can learn so you can rock out to your favorite K-pop songs. K-pop idols love their fans, and always try to make them happy. No matter what style of music you like, K-pop will surely have something you'll love!
As K-pop gets more popular in the U.S., their fans are getting a lot happier. K-pop fans are excited that their favorite music is becoming well known around the world. More and more people are falling in love with this outstanding music. Eighth grader Divine Woodruff said, "K-pop is just so unique anyone can like it. Even though it's in a different language, it just speaks to you in a special way, it's so relatable too."
K-pop is growing fast, and so is everyone's love for it! Now there are K-pop songs on the radio, and on our favorite T.V. shows. There are even many K-pop concerts in the U.S! K-pop has gotten so well-known, the popular girl group called BlackPink were recently at Coachella.
Our Senior Bobcats By: Elle Winder
A lot of students attend Buffett Middle School, but an important group of students won't be here much longer…the eighth graders. It doesn't matter what year you arrived, you're always a Buffett Bobcat. So, it's important that we cherish our senior Bobcats and wish them luck going into high school.
The school year is swimming by rapidly, and eighth graders don't have much time left at Buffett. It’s important to hear about their Buffett experiences. Plenty of students want to know what it's like to be at the top of the food chain. Sasha Long, an eighth grader, says, "It's not really a feeling of power…I mean, we are only eighth graders. But it's definitely a fulfilling experience, like, wow. We made it. We did this, all of us, and now we get a year of glory and then we're kicked back down to the bottom. It’s a short-lived pride. I'm going to miss the feeling." There are higher expectations for eighth graders, in seventh and eighth grade you begin to be separated by your strengths. It's a way to help you find yourself, and figure out who you want to be.
As the end of the school year lurks, many students are ready for a two and a half month break from middle school, but eighth graders have to make the most of their time with their last summer before heading to high school. "I'm not necessarily afraid to go to high school, though it is kind of hard to process. I mean, you go from having no obligations to credits, jobs, school work…everything becomes so important and I'm not too confident in my ability to handle it," says August Rauch, an eighth grader going to Central. Buffett teachers do their best to prepare you for high school by supplying you with valuable morals and teaching you every day. "I hope our students can leave knowing that they've been nurtured by their teachers, we prepare them every day for the future and it's shown. They've all grown so much from seventh to eighth grade." says eighth grade Language Arts teacher, Mr. Tolliver.
Going to high school is fearful in itself, but another aspect that is found worrisome is the process of leaving. Leaving Buffett will be easy for some eighth grade Bobcats, all for different reasons. "I didn't have the best Buffett experience. No one is necessarily enjoyable to be around, we're all sort of at each other's throats. I'm looking forward to high school, in an emotional aspect. Kids will be a little more mature." says eighth grader Hailei Reif. And some will struggle. "As embarrassing as it is to admit, I'm going to miss Buffett. You kind of condition yourself to people you're constantly around, I'm going to miss that environment." says eighth grader Jakaylee Spencer.
Good luck eighth graders! Continue to grow, gain knowledge, and wisdom in high school.
The Environment: Problems, Progress, and Possibilities By: Isabella Mitchell
It's a late Sunday afternoon. As the sun shines down above your head, your legs walk mindlessly along a serene dirt path. Trees hover over you, casting shade along the grass resting next to your feet. You crunch over a few leaves, leaving crumbs on your path. Suddenly, you notice something on the path. A plastic bag, torn and bitten. It floats around before coming to rest in front of you. As you walk, you notice more and more plastic bags surrounding you, until you stop, completely surrounded by plastic. That once serene trail has now turned into a trench filled with trash. You sit down, tucking your head in between your legs. It may not seem like that would ever be a reality, but in 20 years, it could very possibly be.
Problems
Right now, as of 2019, there are 8.3 billion tons of plastic on Earth. Along with that, air pollution caused from cars, busses, cigarette smoke, and factories puts "nearly 134 million people in the United States (40% of the population) at risk of premature death," according to Air Pollution, Explained, a National Geographic article written in February of this year. In 2015, only about 20% of plastic was recycled. The rest was either incinerated or thrown into landfills.
Global warming and climate change are more monumental problems that we face. "We have raised atmospheric carbon dioxide levels from 280 parts per million to 400 parts per million in the last 150 years… there's a better than 95 percent probability that human-produced greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane… have caused much of the observed increase in Earth's temperatures over the past 50 years." Says NASA. Carbon dioxide and methane are the two most problematic and apparent greenhouse gases. Carbon dioxide comes from cars, machines, busses, and factories. Methane, a gas produced by animal manure and waste, makes up the whole atmosphere of the planet Uranus. Because of this, we know that methane is very thick. "In its 2006 report, the United Nations said raising animals for food generates more greenhouse gases than all the cars and trucks in the world combined." Says Down To Earth, an organization that supports vegetarianism and veganism.
According to Our World in Data, Death Rates from particle matter and indoor fluids have started to go down. Though, they resulted (in total) about 11 million deaths in 2015.
Progress
So, to combat these problems, what can we do to help? The first step is acceptance. We can't deny the obvious problems going on in our very own backyards. "I think the main problem in the environment is all the pollution and trash," says Lauren Riley. "Humans just throw their trash on the side of the road," Grace Hodges, another 8th grader, agrees. "A huge problem is pollution, and not recycling or reusing. We are just making more product and making it trashy. We already have the materials, we just don’t reuse it." The second step is to make some changes to how we interact with Earth. "You can not throw trash outside or pick up trash when you randomly see it," says Cameron Rohlfsen, "You can go outside and help clean up places and places with thick pollution."
There are many ways to try and help the environment without making huge changes that drastically effect your lifestyle:
1. Pick up trash and recycle.
2. Help plant trees, flowers, and plants.
3. Use reusable bags; try not to use as much plastic, either with straws, bags, or silverware.
4. Take shorter showers or wash clothes with cold water.
5. Unplug your lamp, phone, or other cords during the school day, and/or when you are gone.
6. Open your window and use natural air.
7. You could also go vegan or vegetarian.
Being a vegan or vegetarian (or pescatarian) has an unnecessary stigma. "I think that the benefits [of being a vegan/vegetarian] are good. If you want to do it, then you can do it, no matter what people say… some say 'Oh my God, vegans are so annoying!' But that is just a stigma," Hodges explained. When you are a vegetarian, you cannot eat any meat, fish, or poultry. Beef, chicken, or pork is off limits. Bacon, some types of parmesan cheese, steak, and gummy candies/marshmallows are some common foods you can't eat. But, you can eat dairy products, such as yogurts*, milk, and cheeses*. Being a vegan, on the other hands, constricts you of eating any animal by-products like dairy, meat, or eggs. "If you are intensely vegan, you can't buy animal products like leather or wool." Says Hodges, who was a vegan for about a month and a half. "I’m not a vegetarian or vegan, and I really don’t care. It’s their decision about how they want to live, do, and be." Rohlsfen stated. Being a pescatarian, though rare, is to not eat meat, but eat fish instead. No matter what lifestyle you choose, it helps the environment significantly. "It takes 100 to 200 times more water to raise a pound of beef than it does to raise a pound of plant food." Says Global Citizen, an organization set to promote healthy living. "[Not only does it help the environment], it helps combat world hunger, drought, air pollution, and energy consumption."
*Some cheeses and yogurts may be made with animal preservatives or rennet, as a part of the natural creation process. Make sure that you check the labels for "100% Vegetarian" or "Animal Rennet Free". Most dairy products in the United States are made with vegetable rennet, but you have to be careful and research brands. Parmesan cheese is NOT vegetarian, but depending on the brand, it is. Do your research.
Possibilities
So, why should we help the environment? "I live in it. I want to make the Earth good too. I want to have a good life; I want everyone to. Why not help the earth? Make it last long. We don’t want to turn into the 'Wall-E' movie where robots are cleaning up after the mess we created." says Hodges. There are more benefits of helping the environment. "Healthy ecosystems clean our water, purify our air, maintain our soil, regulate the climate, recycle nutrients and provide us with food. They provide raw materials and resources for medicines and other purposes. They are at the foundation of all civilization and sustain our economies. It's that simple: we could not live without these 'ecosystem services'. They are what we call our natural capital." Says the European Commission, an organization ran by the European Parliament, a government group in Europe.
According to YPTE (Young People's Trust for the Environment), destruction of the environment lead to many downfalls. Rainforests help to process soil formation and regulate the climate. Wetlands help the purify water because of the spongey material they hold. Coral reefs protect nearby land affected by erosion. The destruction of these areas (as they are being destroyed) will causes us to lose animals, change the climate, and lose priceless water filtration and soil filtration.
If we continue trying to become more sustainable and help the environment, rates may slowly decrease. So far, as Europe takes more steps to prevent further damage of the environment, more studies are coming out about what would happen if we don't take steps to preserve the environment.
In the end, it is our Earth that we get our nutrients, energy, and overall living from. We must take steps to protect it, and small changes can lead to big solutions. "Get the community together to recycle, pick up trash, and clean up the environment." Hodges suggests. Start tomorrow morning; get a refillable water bottle and fill it with water. Unplug your computer charger or light in your room before you go to school. Open your windows. Let in some air. Enjoy nature; for all we know, if the rate of destructions continue, it may be gone in a matter of years.
6 Feet No More: 5 Feet Apart Movie Review By: Carly Wilson
Imagine a disease keeping you from being with the love of your life. Well, that’s the situation two teenage kids, Stella & Will, face in "Five Feet Apart."
Cystic Fibrosis is keeping the two teens in the hospital for treatments and trials to make sure their disease doesn’t worsen. In this tragic movie, Will and Stella run into each other and Will tries to make a move for Stella, but she doesn’t fall for it. Instead, they become very close friends through a deal they made with each other. Throughout the movie their relationship advances as they spend more and more time together. To reduce the risk of cross-infection, the two patients must keep at least six feet apart, which poses many challenges to their relationship. There are a lot of ups and downs, but they stay together and make each other happy and occupied within the walls of the hospital.
Students had mixed opinions about this movie. Many of them were fond of the whole movie and all the little details. McKenna Nickell said, "I liked how they [Will and Stella] made each other laugh and how they always FaceTimed while doing their daily treatments. I also liked how they tried to figure out a way to be with each other without being too close." There were also things about the movie that some didn’t enjoy, like how everything ended. "The ending was not my favorite because that’s not how I wanted it to end, I wanted them to be together," said Nickell. Although the movie didn’t have a perfect ending, it was enjoyed by many.
The movie follows the book closely, observing the same summary and plot. So, if you enjoyed the movie and wanted to read the book, go ahead! If you read the book and want to see the movie, go for it! Eighth grader Callia Jackson has read the book and said, "I liked how the book was very relatable even for people who don’t have Cystic Fibrosis or any sickness at all." The movie/book showed the living conditions and the realistic situations that CF patients face when they are constantly stuck in a hospital and many real-life CF patients enjoyed the fact that they could relate to the movie on a whole other level.
Overall, this is a fascinating movie, especially if you're a crazy romantic. It tugs at your heart and makes your emotions go on an up and down roller coaster. It may be emotional, but it is a truly great movie that is worth checking out!
The Silent Impact of Music By: Elle Winder
There are many things we struggle as a society to agree on, but we can all resolve one question quite easily, in a symphony of accord. "Is music important to you?" Whether we notice or not, music plays a most vital role in our day to day existence, it's in the films we watch, how many of us start our mornings, and our way of transportation in the halls. Music wavers emotion, it's powerful, it's scientific.
Music is used to help with physical therapy, memory, and sets moods for blockbuster films and heals its listeners mentally. Music is so beneficial for our developed society, it helps us stay in contact with the human side of us.
Music is with you, regardless of where you are. It's an unappreciated art because of how normalized it is in our world. Music ignites something inside of you that nothing else can, we can relate to artists and we can feel rhythm. We process emotion conveyed in the art, we sympathize. A world without music would be a world without feeling. It'd be bleak and empty, it would feel so much more alone. Music is how we find common interest, it represents emotion, it represents our faith and our countries. It's international, it projects culture and belonging. It's something we as human beings confide in, it can never hurt or betray us. Everyone has a relationship with music, everyone can find pleasure in song.
Students at Buffett can agree they have a personal connection to music as well. "Music is something I've never experienced before, it feels other-worldly. I feel so calm." said Mia S. Music is used to do many things, it can motivate or sooth the listener. It's such a broad spectrum that it can make you feel almost any emotion.
"Music is a good thing. It makes me feel like I belong. Keeping up with popular artists makes me feel mainstream." said Sara H. We can use music to connect and relate with other people, an easy and profound way to do that is to listen to more popular artists.
Music is something much more personal too, "I like music because it's something just for me, you know? It's what I like, it's my own taste. No one can take that away from me. I think that’s kind of cool." says Nyomi K. It's nice to know that music is something that is just for you. A song can have a purpose that means something entirely different to you than someone else. It's a representation of your character, your personality. Music is a flexible form of art.
In world of so much chaos and departure, it's nice to know that there is something no one can take away from us. All of us can identify with music, it's a natural part of life. Music helps us thrive in day-to-day life.
Bugle Staff
About Us
Location: 14101 Larimore Avenue, Omaha, NE, USA
Phone: 531-299-2320