DJs Spin More than Music
I went to the studio only to find that JR’s computer was having a problem. There’s an 8-second delay between what the DJ plays and what you hear.When K-HIT airs UofA football and basketball games, the DJ has to juggle the timing of the songs and turn off that delay at the exact second that the game starts, so you can hear the game happening live.
Radio stations also do a lot of remotes, where they set up at a local event and give away prizes. JR says that sometimes DJs see some pretty wild stuff at remotes.
The silver lining of this sad situation is that we were now have a wonderful, new principal. Mr. Herrmann is very funny and always jokes with us. He is full of energy, and he does things like bring track equipment outside during lunch recess for us. He also does goofy dance moves.
There are two different names for a mitzvah. For a boy, it is called bar mitzvah, and you celebrate it at age 13. For girls it’s called a bat mitzvah, and you can have it at the age of 12 or 13.
I am a fifth-grader at Manzanita Elementary, and that’s what I got to do at school! The entire fifth grade got to take a break from math and science and bake cookies.
On Dec. 2, there was a dance at Chaparral Middle School. Some kids were break dancing while others just danced. While the kids were dancing, the DJ put this song on, the overhead lights went out and all kinds of colorful lights came on. The kids and teachers were amazed!
I paid a visit to David Williams of Water Well Services in Marana and learned that a well is a lot more than just a hole in the ground. Williams explains that most people are more familiar with a dentist’s drill than with a well drill. 
Students learn “Drunken Sailor” and other folk songs. The class has two concerts a year.
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Miles and Miles of Mountains and Ice
Alaska’s Wild Beauty and Diversity Leave Visitors Breathless
by Reporter Sarah SakhaRancho Solano Private Schools
Adviser: Stacey Lane
Brrrrrrr…imagine shivering and trembling violently in the frigid air as you ogle looming, snowy mountains, unceasing cedar and spruce trees, and tranquil waters. That’s what experiencing the breathtaking, lush—and cold—state of Alaska is like!
Sure, the state is all over the news because Wasilla is the hometown of recent Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin. But have you ever wondered what Alaska is really like? A group of my close friends and I were fortunate enough to go this past July for two weeks to experience Mother Nature at its peak. We visited Anchorage, Seward, Denali, Kenai, Willow, Hope, Talkeetna and Wasilla, as well as Denali and Kenai Fjords national parks. We traveled by plane, car, foot and ferry. 
“Through smiles and laughter, and snores and sighs, we still had the time of our lives out in the treacherous wilderness,” Bethanie Emerick, a fellow trekker, remarks about the trip.
Who knew that Alaska was like a whole other world full of minuscule nooks and crannies to discover? Each city is unique for its own special reason. Anchorage has the largest population in Alaska, while Juneau is the most contemporary city. Talkeetna is known for its “moose-dropping festival,” (which is not exactly what it sounds like), and Wasilla is famous both for Palin and having the biggest stock of duct tape in America…every size and
color! Hope is a small town well known for gold panning, and Talkeetna is also a minuscule historic town. Willow is known for the Dream-A-Dream Dog Farm, home of dog musher Vern Halter (four-time Iditarod participant and Yukon Quest winner) and 80 Siberian huskies. The Iditarod is 1,049 miles long, and Wasilla is the starting point for this race.
My friends and I, or sourdoughs (the term used for the bread and newcomers), had a once-in-a-lifetime experience in the great state of Alaska. We especially enjoyed the constant bright sky and the midnight sun! We learned quite a bit, but still were breathless at the sight of clouds hovering about the colossal mountains and tranquil waters surrounding us.
Alaska is a land of beauty, but it can only remain so if we take on environmental responsibilities. We cannot permit a human trace to permanently singe the stunning Alaskan wilderness.
ALASKA FACTS
- It’s the largest U.S. state and the second youngest.
- U.S. Secretary of State William Seward bought Alaska for $.02 per acre from Russia; it’s often called Seward’s Folly.
- Alaska’s capital is Juneau, but its most populated city is Anchorage.
- A number of native tribes inhabit the state, among them the Athabascans, Cup’ik, Yup’ik, Iñupiaq, Aleut and Haida. They hunt their own food, sew their own clothes and construct their own homes. They eat muktuk, which is made from seal fat and whale blubber, but they wear mukluks, or boots made out of sealskin.
- A crevasse is a gap in the ice, while a mulon can be up to 10 feet deep and is the place where swift glacial waters run, taking anything and everything with them.
THINGS I LEARNED AT DENALI NATIONAL PARK
- Mount McKinley, the highest mountain in North America, is covered by fog 65 percent of the time!
- A newborn grizzly is hairless and only weighs about 2 pounds!
- The greatest cause of death for wolves is quarreling of wolf packs over territory or the position of the leader.
- Moose may battle over a mate until death.
- Female bears can increase/decrease their metabolism all winter long to nurture their cubs.
- The ground squirrel lowers its heartbeat to eight or 10 beats per minute and its body temperature to 27° F during the winter.
Principal Wishes for Kids’ Success
by Reporter Petra JaureguiGlenn F. Burton Elementary
Holly Northcott is the principal at Glenn F. Burton Elementary.
She is originally from Texas and studied at the University of Texas. She has been working 18 years in the educational system. The last two schools at which she has worked are in District 40. Previously, she was the assistant principal for Glenn F. Burton. Now she is its fantastic principal. 
Northcott studied to be a principal so she could make changes for the school and bring new ideas that would have a positive effect for kids and the staff. She does not want anyone to leave Glenn. F. Burton and wishes for parents and teachers to work together to help kids accomplish their big goals. She and her secretary, Virginia Ramos, make such a great team for our school that many kids return.
Northcott’s holiday wish is that everyone has a good year. She says “put your best foot forward so you succeed in life.” Your success, she says, becomes her success and also society’s success. These are the wishes of a good principal; she is not asking anything for herself, but for our benefit.
Quilters Cover Kids with Love
by Reporter StephanieBrodish-Aquino
Kingswood Elementary
I went to a group called Helping Hands for Children in Crisis on Oct. 13 (a day off of school), to volunteer.
Sharon Gullickson started it in 2004 with 12 people. Now it has120. The driving force behind Helping Hands is the fact that four children are abused every 10 seconds.
The group makes blankets, pillows and quilts for abused kids throughout the Valley. Jean Carlson showed me how to sew the middle of the blankets so that the stuffing doesn’t shift. Helping Hands also makes baby bonnets and “Angel Blankets” for babies who die early. Each of these blankets has a little charm that states, “Made for an Angel.”
On holidays, Helping Hands gives blankets to Luke Air Force Base and to kids in burn units. From what I hear, that is pretty brutal.
If you would like to get involved, volunteers gather the first three Mondays of each month from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at The Church of the Advent, 13150 Spanish Garden Dr., Sun City West.
Guinea Pigs Make Fantastic Pets
By Chantal NavratilRancho Solano Private Schools, Greenway Campus
Advisor: Stacey Lane
“Mommy, Mommy, can I have a pet?” You may have asked your parents that question and gotten the response, “No, absolutely not in a million years.”
Well, not anymore. We finally found a pet all can enjoy without all the work. It is a guinea pig—an easy pet that is not pricey, stinky or hard to take care of.
“I love you,” coos guinea pig owner Nicole Navratil, snuggling her guinea pigs. “My guinea pig is so gentle. She has never bitten me.” she says.
Just like everybody else in the family, Nicole loves animals. I’ve had my guinea pigs for two years now and still am completely satisfied with my choice. Nicole wanted her first big pet to show that she was responsible.
Amanda Peterson, president of Arizona’s Piggie Poo Rescue, says guinea pigs are vocal, very friendly and make better pets than gerbils and hamsters because they are awake during day.
Guinea pigs belong to the rodent family. Despite their name, they are not pigs and they do not come from Guinea. They weigh about 2 pounds and measure 9 inches in length. They need a good shelter (a large cage with some bedding). Guinea pigs usually get along with each other, though it’s not a good idea to put two males together. Don’t put more than two together in a cage. Also they need toys such as fluff, wood and gnawing blocking. Guinea pigs eat guinea pig food, which you can buy at most pet stores. They need lots of veggies and fruits for a very healthy diet.
If you want to buy a guinea pig, try Piggie Poo Rescue in Anthem. The number is 623-551-2798 and the Web site is www.piggiepoo.org.
New Year’s Resolutions Prove To Be Hard Promises to Keep
by Reporter Becca Galcik,Homeschool
What is a New Year’s resolution? It is a promise to yourself to change a habit or to start something new. The name “New Year’s resolution” was given to these commitments because we make and start them on New Year’s Day. 
It is believed that the first New Year’s resolutions were made in153 B.C. (The Babylonians began celebrating the New Year about 4000 years ago.) Early Christians decided to make the first day of the new year a time to reflect on mistakes and resolve to improve in the coming year. Another religious connection to this tradition is the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, when Jewish people reflect on their wrong-doings and seek and offer forgiveness. Christians who fast during Lent do something similar.
Some example of New Year’s Resolutions adults often make are: to lose weight, save money, take a trip, spend more time with family and be less grumpy (my favorite). Can you think of some great resolutions that kids can make? Here are a few ideas: make your bed every day; help around the house more often; volunteer in your community; exercise more and read more books.
A recent study showed that 52 percent of people who make resolutions are only able to keep them 12 percent of the time. Men have better success at keeping their goals when they create small measurable goals—like losing one pound instead of just losing weight. Women succeed when they tell people about their goals and have the support of their loved ones and friends.
Firefighting Tough Mentally, Physically
by Reporter Ariana Russell,Madison #1 Middle School
The job of a firefighter is pretty hard.
Spencer Russell likes being a fire fighter. For him, it was a childhood dream. He started the job in May 2000. He says whenever there is a new person on the job, he or she has to be a firefighter and move up to chief or engineer. Russell will be made an engineer very soon.
When there is a call, the ladder truck goes, the chief goes and three fire engines go. That is called a three-and-one assignment. Fourteen firefighters work at Station 18, where Russell works. He said there are different numbers of fighters at different stations. The best part of being a firefighter, he shares, is the schedule: 24 hours on, 48 hours off.
“The hardest thing I have ever had to do physically was an apartment fire,” he adds. “The hardest thing I had to do mentally was helping hurt children.”
Russell says that the three worst things about being a firefighter are getting up in the middle of the night, breathing smoke and getting blood on your body.
Russell has some advice for people who want to become firefighters. “If you’re a child, and you want to become a firefighter, stay out of trouble and stay in shape,” he says. “Remember, the job gets harder as you get older.”
Chile’s Past Marked by War, Reform
by Reporter Adiam Yeghin,Ocotillo Elementary School
Chile’s first civilian president, Manuel Montt, held office from 1851 to 1861. During his administration, large numbers of German immigrants, mostly farmers, quietly settled the lands of southern Chile.
Meanwhile, in the capital city of Santiago, the decade was far from peaceful. Montt, who proved to be more authoritative than his military predecessors, faced civil war twice during his two terms in office. The Montt administration’s repression of dissenters led to a second revolt and several months of fighting in 1859. Peace was restored only when Montt agreed on the selection of a compromise candidate, Jose Joaquin Perez, to succeed him.
Perez ruled from 1861 to 1871 and enacted liberal reforms. For example, public services were improved and agriculture was expanded, particularly in southern areas of the country where European immigrants had settled in substantial numbers.
Kids Care about the Environment
by Reporter Leah Dight,Red Mountain Ranch
World, I need your help! Endangered animals are becoming extinct because of us! Animals are an amazing part of our world. Some endangered birds help pollinate plants, which helps flowers grow. Endangered animals are all part of our habitat. If you take one of the animals out, the whole ecosystem could fail.
We, as humans, have choices, and our choices can change the world. If we choose to save endangered animals, we can save the fragile ecosystem. If we don’t save them, the world might not be as interesting.
Global warming is killing endangered animals. In 50 years, if we don’t do something polar bears are going to become extinct. The ice that the polar bears live on is melting, and the polar bears are drowning.
Here are a few ways to stop global warming and help endangered species: First, recycle; second, use other sources of fuel, such as solar energy; and lastly, change a light bulb to a fluorescent variety. Make these changes and you will be taking a large step toward saving the environment.
Vital Rainforests Are Disappearing
by Reporter Angelica Fox,Ward Traditional Academy
Rainforests now cover less than 6 percent of Earth’s surface. But scientists estimate that more than half of the world’s plants and animals species live in them. And they produce 40 percent of Earth’s oxygen.
A tropical rainforest is a forest of tall trees in a region of year-round warmth, usually near the equator. The temperature in a rainforest ranges from 93° F to below 68° F. The average humidity is between 77 percent and 88 percent. Rainfall that comes down during the year is normally 100 inches—that’s more than 8 feet! One of Puerto Rico’s rain forests, El Yunque, has 50 inches to 260 inches of rainfall every year!
Retired Col. A.R. Hillebrand or Greatpapa as I call him, was born in 1910. He told me he didn’t have the same toys back then as we have now. He would throw a football around with his friends. While kids our age get to take ballet, play soccer or go to fun after-school activities, my great-grandfather would just hang around with his friends and try to find something to do. “Finding something to do was half the fun!” he says.