Nelson Mandela: 1918-2013

A nation mourns the loss of

its former leader, Nelson Mandela,

who has died after a long illness. He

was 95.

Jacob Zuma, South Africa's

president, announced Man-

dela's death at a news conference.

"We've lost our greatest son," Zuma said.

Mandela was known for ending apartheid, a system that separated

whites from nonwhites in South Africa. After spending 27 years in prison

for fighting against racial inequality, he became the country’s first democ-

ratically elected president. “I think he’s a hero for the world,” said Presi-

dent Barack Obama in a speech during his visit to Senegal in June.

Mandela stepped down as president in 1999. That same year, he

created the Nelson Mandela’s Children Fund, a charity that helps poor

South African children. “Children are the wealth of our country,” he said in

an interview with TFK in 2002. “They must be given love.”

Article taken from: http://www.timeforkids.com/news/nelson-mandela-1918-2013/97361

Paul Walker: 1973-2013

By: Alan Cruz-Bonilla and Terrell Kpa

On the afternoon of November 30TH 2013 the world lost a very special person. He’s been

in movies and very famous events. Paul Walker died in a car crash on Saturday on November 30th.

He was a great person and hero to us all. He will be remembered

forever in our hearts and will be missed lovingly.

Paul Walker was in very popular films and franchises. He

was mostly popular for his role in the Fast and Furious movie as

Brian O’Connor. He was in films like

the Fast and Furious franchise, “Eight

Below”, “She’s All That”, “Varsity

Blues”, and many other fascinating roles. His passing has left behind his

fifteen year old daughter, Meadow Walker.

December 2013

Inside This Issue:

Top Stories:

Paul Walker ……..…pg. 1

Nelson Mandela…… pg. 1

Winter Holidays .…..pg. 2-3

Features:

Teacher of the

Month……....pg. 4

Teacher Interviews…pg. 5

“Family Guy”……....pg. 6

Sports:

Volleyball ..………..pg. 7

Editorials……..……pg. 8

From the Principal...pg. 9-10

Activities Page.……pg. 11

Lobos Need to

Know……....pg. 12

Page 1

Hanukkah is one of the

happier Jewish festivals. It be-

gins on the twenty-fifth of

Kislev on the Hebrew calendar.

It usually falls in November or

December. The celebration re-

solves around kindling of a nine

branched menorah. The Hanuk-

kah menorah holds nine candles,

one for each night of the eight

nights and an additional candle

is used to light the others. Jew-

ish people celebrate Hanukkah

by exchanging gifts and sharing

a meal with their families.

Christmas is the day

when Christians believe Je-

sus was born. They start to

celebrate it on December

24th which is called Christ-

mas Eve. On this day many

families exchange gifts and

family gathers. They cele-

brate it by decorating trees

and giving presents and they

make many different kinds

of food.

By: Yareth Torres-Dorame

and Teresa Tovar Rea

We have all heard about the winter holidays but we haven’t heard

what people do. In this article we will be talking about the holidays and

what people do on these days. We are going to talk about four different

holidays, which are Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza, and Winter Solstice.

Page 2

Even though the holidays are celebrated in different ways, they

have similarities. Like all people each person has their traditions and

their manners. No matter what you celebrate in December, the Howling

Herald wishes you Happy Holidays!

Kwanzaa is the day when

African-Americans celebrate.

The festival is seven days long.

They also have seven candles

that reflect the principles of Afri-

can culture and reinforce family,

community and culture. On

Kwanzaa people use that day to

reaffirm their dignity of them-

selves and culture. People who

celebrate Kwanzaa put on the

Kwanzaa symbols, they make

food, and they gather and play

music.

Winter Solstice is when

people adore the sun. Solstice has

had an influence on Christmas, in-

cluding the decorating of Christ-

mas trees. The Solstice takes place

on the shortest day of the year,

which usually starts on December

21st and ends on the 22nd. On Sol-

stice people have a meal just like

in Christmas. The Solstice is cele-

brated because it announces the

return of the sun after a long pe-

riod of darkness.

Page 3

By: Ariane Oulai and Taja Nicholson

This months Winter Wonderland Teacher of The Month for December of 2013 is

Mr. Kurt Melvin. Mr. Melvin was said to be nice, helpful, joyful, and really good at

teaching. Mr. Melvin was interviewed by Taja Nicholson and Ariane Oulai. They asked

him:

1. What is your favorite activity?

Answer: Coaching

2. What is your favorite hobby?

Answer: Golfing

3. What is your favorite sport?

Answer: Baseball

4. What accomplishment, that you made, are you most proud of?

Answer: Graduating college

5. What are 3 words to describe yourself?

Answer: Patient, adaptable, and loyal

6. What is something that people might be surprised to know about you?

Answer: I have 10 tattoos

“Mr. Melvin was a blast and it was great working with him,” says Ariane and Taja.

Page 4

Meet Ms. Officer Jackie at South. She is an interesting person to meet who has a sweet

side. We started with some simple questions to start our interview with her:

Abelardo: If you had 100,000,000 what would

you do with that money?

Ms. Jackie: I would put some money away to

give to my boys. I would also give to Burns

Charity. I would make a swimming pool for

them because they have nothing to do there.

I’ve been there before on off cop duty. Then

save some money

Abelardo : Do you have any hobbies?

Ms. Jackie: Yes, I ride motorcycles, I make

cute greeting cards, and I love cooking.

Abelardo: Do you have any family here in Colorado?

Ms. Jackie: Yes I do, two grown sons!

Now, come meet Mr. Feeler. He is, as

you may know, the principal of South. We also

started with some simple questions.

Stephanie: Is your job hard ?

Mr. Feeler: Yes, well I have over 800 students

and adults that I am responsible for.

Stephanie: If you had 100,000,000 what would

you do with that money?

Mr. Feeler: I’d save quite a bit for my kids to go

to college. I'd buy my parents a house here in Colorado. I’d buy a motorcycle and a house in the

mountains. I’d donate some money to different charities and save the rest or invest it.

Interviews with South’s

Principal Mr. Feeler and

Officer Jackie ! ! !

By: Abelardo Sanchez & Stephanie Perez

Page 5

By: Jason Montoya

A’Dontre Thompson

Why spider blood is blue? //-//://-// Spiders blood does not have Hemoglobin which is

responsible for the red color of our blood. Instead, they use what is called Hemocyanin which is

a copper based as opposed to an iron based oxygen carrying molecule. Due to the differing lev-

els of oxygen and other components of Haemolymph or blood, the color will be a blue or green

color.

How cold does your breath has to be to freeze? //-//://-// Your breath will freeze at a tem-

perature less than 32F. Condensation will occur quickly because breath is warm and moist, and

it is being introduced into cold air. Freezing will occur eventually. The colder the air is, the

quicker your breath will freeze.

How long does it take form worms to grow really long? //-//://-// An earthworm can

grow only so long. A well-fed adult will depend on what kind of worm it is, how many seg-

ments it has, how old it is and how well fed it is. A Lumbricus Terrestris will be from 90-300

millimeters long.

Denver Broncos News

By: Erik Casillas & Jshai Bell

Have you heard Denver Broncos News? First, coach

John Fox is back. Also Champ Bailey is back from his in-

jury. In addition, the Superbowl is coming. The season is

almost over for the Broncos and the whole NFL.

Denver Broncos are recovering from injures. One of

Broncos, Chris Harris Jr., is back on the field from his con-

cussion. The Broncos hope to get their defense on top. Also,

Denver needs to get better defense plays. Cross your fingers

for the broncos make it to the super bowl. Also Denver has

to go against Titans, Chargers, Texans, and Raiders. They

made the Chefs lose three games in a row. They have a

chance to go to the Superbowl.

See you next time on Denver Broncos News.

Page 6

Volleyball By: Gisselle Gomez

Volleyball is a team sport, you have to work together and play together. I am going to tell

you how to play volleyball in 4 easy steps.

First, when you play volleyball the ball is usually played with the hands

or arm, but players can legally strike or punch the ball any part of the body. The

team may touch the ball up to three times but individual players may not touch

the ball twice.

Second when you play you have to follow the rules. The complete rules

are extensive but simply, play proceeds as follows: a player on one of the teams

begin a rally by serving the ball from behind the back boundary line of the court.

Third, when you play with your team mate you have to play nice and fair

because if you don’t play nice and fair you will not be able to play. When you are playing try not to

hit people in the face because then they cry and we don’t want that.

Lastly a number of consistent techniques have evolved in volleyball, includ-

ing spiking and blocking as well as passing, setting, and specialized player positions and offensive

and defensive structures.

South's Volleyball Team By: Josue Ramirez and Juan Santos

We interviewed a couple of the volleyball players here

at our school. Here is what 7th grader Yatzari Gurrola

Gutierrez had to say about the team.

Josue & Juan: What do you play best at?

Yatzari: I play best at serving.

Josue & Juan: What encouraged you to try out for the team?

Yatzari: I just like to play volleyball

Josue & Juan: Do you enjoy playing it?

Yatzari: Yes I enjoy playing it

Josue & Juan: What is the hardest thing about volleyball?

Yatzari: I think overhand is the hardest thing about volleyball

Josue & Juan: What don’t you like about volleyball?

Yatzari: What I don’t like about it is that the coaches are too

hard on us.

Page 7

Is Fast Food Really That Bad?

By: Zahla Neal Coleman and JasmineNelson

Today we are going to speak about pros and cons of fast food. For some people, it will be easier for

you to let go of fast food if you carefully think about all the advantages and disad-

vantage of eating it.

Fast food is dangerous to your health because it has high levels of calo-

ries, fat, and sodium. In most cases fast food can eventually lead to other health

problems. For example, a study published in the “Journal of the American Heart

Association” found that eating significant amounts of fast food can contribute to

atherosclerosis, another term for clogged arteries, which can increase your risk of

conditions like heart attack and stroke. Fast food is bad for the stomach. Too

much sugar and indigestion and can cause more problems. Too much fried food,

oil and etc. can be dangerous not only for your stomach may put your life at risk. “We are what we eat” – this

is a very old saying but it is so true. You may become addicted to fast food.

With some of your fast food meals do you have soda? Do you know how bad soda is for you? Regular

sodas have been found to give you obesity, kidney damage, and certain cancers. Regular sodas elevate blood

pressure. You might think diet sodas are better for you but it’s not. Diet sodas increase your risk at having

strokes.

A pro for fast food is that it is fast and you can get it to go. Also, there is no need to go to the store,

choose all the ingredients, and sit in front of a hot stove to spend two or even more hours cooking. Most of

adults just don’t have that much time. It is way easier to go to the McDonald’s or other place and buy a bur-

ger. Also it is delicious and most people get addicted to the smell of fresh bread and meat, sweet and fizzy

soda. It gives people all the sugar and energy that they need in order to get through the day or the week.

In conclusion , it should be your choice if you want to still eat fast food. If you don’t we are proud of

you.

Is It Really True Brian Off

To The Grave ?

By . Yasmine Ahmed & Simbi Mugongo

Although most people know, the cartoon comedy known as

Family Guy has killed off their white dog named Brian Griffin. He

was on the street, about to play street hockey when a car hit him and

he was forwarded to the hospital. The hospital said his injuries were

too severe so the Griffins had to say their good byes. Brains response

was “You’ve, you’ve let me have a great life." We were shocked and

so were other fans. I think they made a terrible mistake. R.I.P.

Family guy has been on air since 1999 and was created by

Seth MacFarlane. The show is mostly about a family that has a since of humor and negative attitudes, but

sometimes have feeling for each other like when Brian died. Family guy is similar to other shows like The

Simpsons and The Flintstones. They’ve won 12 primetime Emmy awards and 11 Annie awards.

Page 8

Parents and Students,

I can’t believe the end of the first semester is upon us! These past 18 weeks have flown by!

During the recent cold streak I couldn’t help but notice that many of our students were not wearing

jackets or coats outdoors. After talking to several students there appears to be a misconception that

they cannot wear coats to school. Please know that this is NOT the case! Since we are an outside

campus students need to dress accordingly for the weather. Jackets or coats are to be taken off once

students enter the classroom or can be left in their lockers. If your child does not own an appropri-

ate cold weather coat, please contact the school to see if we can provide assistance in getting one.

This year all students at South participated in Acuity Reading and Math testing during the

Fall Semester. The Acuity tests, a predictor for TCAP, were given in August, October, and will

also be given through the month of December. The information from the tests in October showed

some gains for South students!

6th Grade went from 13th to 4th in the district for Reading.

7th Grade went from 12th to 8th in the district for Math.

8th Grade went from 7th to 6th in the district for Math.

All grade levels showed gains in points obtained on the test from August to October! In

January, all students who made high growth on the last Acuity test (December) will receive free-

dress day passes! All students who are both proficient and making high growth will receive addi-

tional free-dress day passes.

This year we have had numerous students have participated in track, wrestling and swim-

ming. Many of our athletes have made it to, and placed, in the city final meets. Currently girls’

volleyball is underway with a massive turnout! In the spring we will have boys and girls basketball

and co-ed soccer. Being a student athlete is an honor. Athletes must maintain passing grades, work

habit, attendance and discipline in order to participate in a sport. If you are interested in our up-

coming spring sports, please see Mrs. Savaloja, our school athletic director for more information.

Parents, we are asking for you continued support in getting your child to school on time and

ready to learn. Aurora Public Schools strives for a 95% average daily attendance rate (ADA). Af-

ter the first quarter at South we were below the APS average at 93.31%. This is also down com-

pared to this time last year. After 10 unexcused absences, parents will receive a letter in mail mak-

ing them aware of the absences. If unexcused absences continue there is a possibility of a home

visit from our truancy team or administration. Please remember classes begin at 8:30 Monday,

Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, and at 10:00 on Wednesday. If you child is to be out of school for

ANY reason, please call the attendance hotline 303-326-1658 or send a note the next day.

At South we are constantly looking for ways to involve parents and the community to be a part of

South. If you have any ideas on how we can increase parental involvement please let us know!

Also, if you are able to volunteer in any capacity, please call the front office with your name and

times you might be available. Be on the lookout for upcoming parental involvement meetings at

South!

Thank you all for all of your hard work in bringing our first semester to a close! We look forward

to working with you semester 2! We hope you have an amazing holiday season!

Rob Feeler

Principal

South MS

Page 9

Estimados Padres y Tutores,

No puedo creer que el final del primer semestre ya esté aquí! Estas últimas 18 semanas han volado!

Durante la reciente helada no pude dejar de notar que muchos de nuestros estudiantes no traían abrigos cuando

estaban afuera. Después de hablar con varios estudiantes parece que hay un concepto erróneo de que no pueden

usar abrigos a la escuela. Por favor, sepan que este NO es el caso! Ya que somos una escuela abierta los estu-

diantes tienen que vestirse apropiadamente para el clima. Los estudiantes deben de quitarse las chamarras o

abrigos una vez que entren al salón o los pueden dejar en sus casilleros. Si su estudiante so posee una chamarra

o abrigo adecuado para el frio, por favor póngase en contacto con la escuela para tratar de proveer asistencia en

conseguir uno.

Este año todos los estudiantes en South participaron en la prueba de Acuity en lectura y matemáticas duran-

te el semestre de otoño. Las pruebas de Acuity que son un predictor para el examen TCAP, se les dio en agosto,

octubre y diciembre. La información de las pruebas en octubre mostró crecimiento para algunos de nuestros

estudiantes en South!

6o año pasó del lugar 13o a 4to en el distrito para lectura.

7º año pasó del lugar 12o a 8o en el distrito para matemáticas.

8º año pasó del lugar 7º al 6º en el distrito para matemáticas.

Todos los grados mostraron ganancias en la puntuación obtenida en la prueba de agosto a octubre! En ene-

ro, todos los estudiantes que hicieron un alto crecimiento en la última prueba de Acuity recibirán un pase para

un día sin uniforme. Todos los estudiantes que son a la vez competentes y tienen un alto crecimiento recibirán

pases adicionales para un día sin uniforme.

Este año hemos tenido muchos estudiantes que han participado en atletismo, lucha libre, y natación. Mu-

chos de nuestros atletas llegaron a competir en la final de la cuidad. Actualmente el voleibol de esta en marcha

con una gran participación de parte de nuestras estudiantes. En la primavera los estudiantes tendrán la oportu-

nidad de participar en baloncesto y futbol. Ser un estudiante atleta es un honor. Los atletas deben mantener

buenas calificaciones, buenos hábitos de trabajo, asistencia y ningún problema de disciplina para poder partici-

par en un deporte. Si su estudiante está interesado en nuestros deportes durante la primavera, por favor, comuní-

quese con la señora Savaloja, nuestra directora de deportes de la escuela para más información.

Padres/Tutores, les pedimos que por favor continúen a apoyarnos para lograr que su estudiante llegue a

tiempo a la escuela y listo/a para aprender. Las escuelas públicas de Aurora se esfuerza por un promedia diario

de 95% de asistencia (ADA). Después del primer cuatrimestre en South estábamos por debajo de la media de

APS en 93.31%. Este también se ha reducido en comparación con el mismo periodo del año pasado. Después

de 10 ausencias injustificadas, los padres recibirán una carta por correo para que tomen conciencia de las ausen-

cias. Si las ausencias injustificadas continúan, existe la posibilidad de una visita a la casa por parte de nuestro

equipo de absentismo escolar o administración. Por favor recuerde que las clases comienzan a las 8:30 los lu-

nes, martes, jueves, y viernes y a las 10:00 de la mañana los miércoles. Si su estudiante va a estar fuera de la

escuela por CUALQUIER razón, por favor llame a nuestra línea de asistencia al 303-326-1658 o mande una

nota al siguiente día.

En South estamos constantemente buscando maneras de involucrar a los padres y a la comunidad para ser

parte de South. Si usted tiene alguna idea de sobre cómo podemos aumentar la participación de los padres, por

favor háganoslo saber! Además, si usted quiere ser voluntario en cualquier capacidad, por favor llame a la ofici-

na con su nombre y tiempos que esté disponible. Este atento a las próximas reuniones de participación de pa-

dres de South.

Gracias a todos por todo su trabajo durante este primer semestre y esperamos trabajar juntos durante el se-

gundo semestre. Esperamos que todos tengan unas felices fiestas!

Rob Feeler

Director

South MS

Page 10

Cocoa Gloves Sled Snowflake Cold Hat Sledding Snowman Evergreen Icicle Snowball Winter

Page 11

Teachers and Students!

Do you have suggestions for our

newsletter? Contact Ms. T

hurber

in D24!

December School Events

December 19: Last day of 2nd Quarter

December 20: Teacher Workday

December 23– January 3: Winter Break

January 14: Parent Meeting, 6pm

Page 12

This newsletter was created by Ms. Thurber’s

Publications classes!

Looking for something to do over Winter Break?

These Denver activities are FREE!!

November 30– February 17: Southwest Skating Rink, 16th and Arapahoe

November 29– January: Denver City and County Building Holiday Lights

December 22: Tuba Christmas, Skyline Park, 1pm

December 31: New Years Eve Fireworks, 16th Street Mall, 9pm and Midnight

January 9: Denver Zoo Free Day

Interested a South Yearbook?

Order it now for $15! The cost

will go up to $20 in May.

See Ms. Thurber in D24!