Panther Roar
Speech and Debate Club
By: Kayla Amador
Ridgeview High School’s Speech and Debate Club started earlier this year, and I'm proud to say that it's still going strong. It has been a great year so far for the club, but it's not over just yet. Over the past months, we have combed through different forms of speaking and debate one by one, from Lincoln-Douglas, to Public Forum, to Dramatic Interpretation. Does that sound like a lot of work? Don't worry, there's no homework. Most, if not all research and practice takes place during the club meetings. The National Speech and Debate Association, and its competition guidelines guide the club primarily. Speech and Debate club is an excellent way to broaden your horizons and take part in something you are interested in, not to mention the club can better your public speaking skills. It is never too late to join the club. In fact, new members are greatly appreciated and welcomed, so do not be afraid to come check it out! Meetings take place every Friday in Mr. Mochowski's portable (portable 48), until 2:30. I hope to see you all at our next meeting!
Sidewalk Talk: Whose your favorite super villain and why?
By: Aleeshba Basil
Jessica Baker 11th- The Joker, because he literally just doesn’t care
Jared Wright 9th- The Prowler, because he’s very unknown and he does all kinds of good deeds (even though he’s a villain)
Maelle Eugene 11th- Fish Mooney from Gotham, because she’s sassy like me
Anonymous-Your mom, because they all run from her in fear
Kara Parham 9th- Loki because he’s hot and you kinda feel bad for him because of his tragic back-story.
A.J. Stair 11th- Magneto, because he’s really cool and has cool powers. Plus, he’s really unpredictable and interesting.
Moe Cott- The Joker, because his purpose is more than just greed, more than just anger. He is drawing from all of his past experiences to create his motives and has a reason for why he is evil. I really like his quote, “It’s not about money, it’s about sending a message”, because I think it sums up how his character thinks very accurately.
Why Change is Essential in Our Lives
By Rachel Louviere
Change is one of the most powerful things in our lives. It affects us in everything we do, including school, work, and our personal lives. Whether we are switching schools, moving to a different city, getting a new job, or starting a new relationship, change is present to help move us forward.
We don’t like it when changes occur because we are pushed out of our comfort zones into unfamiliar territory. We often avoid different things because we’re insecure and afraid of what may happen. Excuses are made as to why we won’t change or why we can’t move on, but in reality, change allows us to progress. Every so often, a stimulus is needed to jolt us from our routine and prevent us from stagnating. We are reminded of our ambitions in life and what must be done to achieve them. Change might not be comfortable or easy to transition through, but when we look back on our experiences, we see how beneficial the change was in reaching our goals.
While changes can be scary and cause anxiety, things always work out in the end. Life is funny in that way. At the moment, it might seem as though everything is awful. However, in the long run, you can recognize that the change was necessary and beneficial. Change matures us, builds our character, and provides us with new opportunities, as long as we are open-minded and accepting of it.
Social Media: Grade Massacre?
By Halee Lester
We’ve all done it. Almost no one can deny that there has been a time when they’ve procrastinated on homework to go on Instagram, Tumblr, or some other form of social media. It’s practically second nature to all students now. The question is, how does this affect our grades? The answer depends on how much time we spend on these social media sites. Many students will go on Tumblr to simply look at a few posts for a couple of minutes, but then they get sucked in. They can’t stop scrolling until it’s three in the morning, and they’re questioning every decision they’ve ever made. Students spend hours upon hours on these social media sites, which could be negatively impacting their grades. Instead of studying, they choose to go like pictures on Instagram of celebrities that they will never meet and ‘friends’ who have never conversed with them. Always being on social media can cause people to isolate themselves from society, and not spend time with the people who matter, like family and true friends. So, is this a detriment to the students’ grades? In some cases yes because the students spend so much time on Snapchat or Twitter that they do not make time to study. However, if the students have the will power to turn off their electronics and do the required assignments, then their grades will not be affected and their relationship with social media is healthy.
The Best Vacation from Home
By: Kayla Hobson
Books have affected the minds of many generations and will continue to affect the generations to come. Books help expand the imagination of the youth while simultaneously educating readers with their vast language and sentence structures. When you pick a book to read, usually it appeals to your imagination and interests. There are many different genres of books out there, so you can find one about almost anything.
Some people say that reading provides a break from reality, like an adventure for the mind. Sometimes a book is just what you need when you're stressing out over an important job or school assignment. Being taken away for a little bit is so relaxing. Reading can make a person content with everything around them and help them to relax. Even those people that don’t prefer reading need an escape, so maybe they should start looking for the right book!
The Easy Ways to Save up Money
By: Jenais Ford
We all have things that we want in life, something that we spend hours thinking about. Some people may want a car or a game system, or even a tattoo, but the daunting expense drives us away from actually purchasing the item. This world runs on money and in order to garner what you desire you will need some method of obtaining it. Let us say that you have a job and are looking to save up for a car. With each paycheck, you should put aside at least 10% of the money. Even if you do not have a job, it is important and crucial to save up your money. You should place this money in a savings account or a bank to ensure its security and to make sure you do not succumb to other desires by purchasing other items that stray from your main objective. Saving money is very easy, you just have to keep up with putting money away and not spending all of it. The best way to do so is by getting a job. Jobs can teach you responsibility as well as people skills. Depending on your income and how much you retain, in a couple of months to a year, you could purchase the artifact that you want. Sometimes bargaining with your parents to pay for half works as well. However, with this situation it is necessary that you produce half of the money,, and for that you must save up money, even though it will be less. Anything is possible if you know how to save up money and work hard. Good luck!