Windsock

Picking up Trash

On Wednesday, December 3rd, in Mrs. Leonard's home base 6th grade science class, we went down to the creek, baseball fields, and along the road to look for trash. We are studying about soil, landfills, burning trash, and recycling waste. Our class picked up all of the trash that we could find, and brought it back to the classroom to see what we had found.

We started down by the creek where there were lots of cigarettes and plastic bags. Then we went along the baseball border where we found baseballs, Gatorade bottles, water bottles, and food wrappers. Along the road there was lots of food wrappers, receipts from businesses across the street, paper, and other items that had been thrown out of cars. Some of the strange objects that we found were: a kneepad, baseballs, an invitation to a party (4), a library overdue notice, beer cans-lots, a small bottle, a net, and a cardboard box.

It made sense that there were baseballs by the baseball field and lots of bottles from the players and audience. Some of the receipts were from BB&T across the street. All of the food wrappers and beer cans were beside the road because people would throw them out. People may have thrown out the beer cans because they didn’t want the cops to notice lots of them in their car if they ever were pulled over. Someone even found finger tape in the parking lot, which was probably from the night before’s basketball game.
 

Amount of Trash

Bottles (Drink items)- 30   14 %                             Food wrappers- 95
Paper- 48   23%                                                     Drinks- 36   12%
Food items, wrappers- 62   29%                              Paper- 55   19%
Plastic bags, etc.- 28   13%                                   Metal- 6    2%
Sports items- 7    3%                                             Building Supplies- 23   18%
Smoking items- 4   1%                                           Cardboard- 6   2%
Metal items- 4   1%                                                Other- 68   24%
Construction- 12   5%
Cardboard- 4    1%
Other- 12   5%

211 items total                                                    289 items total
Results of Mrs. Leonard’s class                           Results of Mr. Martin’s class

- Lillian Hughes, Mrs. Leonard's class

Feeling Welcomed

For those of you who don't know me, my name is Katherine. I am in seventh grade, and this is my first year at EMMS.  I have felt very welcomed here throughout this first quarter. I had friends here at EMHS before starting, so I fit right in. People are willing to help me find my way around the school. There have been multiple ways to get involved like after school clubs and sports. Mrs. Fisher also did a lunch for all the new seventh graders.  I have made new friends and have kept old ones. I am looking forward to my years here at EMMS and EMHS.

                                                              - Katherine Mumaw
                                                                       7th Grade

Middle School Hot Dog Roast

On November 6 the middle school held a hot dog roast in park woods after school. They were able to enjoy each others' company as well as have a good time snacking on hot dogs and smores.

At 3:15 the middle school met outside the school and walked the short distance over to Park Woods with several teachers. Supplies for smores and hot dogs were set up on benches and students sat around the fire toasting (and in some cases burning!) marshmallows and hot dogs. There was a fun competion of trying to roast the best hot dog!

After students ate, some participated in a few games of twenty-two scadoo. It was exciting to have all three grades interacting together in the game, as older students were able to get to know the new sixth graders better. Those who didn't participate in twenty-two scadoo enjoyed chatting with their friends or playing in the freshly fallen leaves.

It was a wonderful, relaxed way to get to know students from other grades, and have fun with students in the same grade. It was a nice change from the busy fall schedule to sit down and talk with other students and teachers.

- Carolina May (picture by Monica Brunk)

7th Grade Service Project

Throughout the first quarter the 7th grade has been going on service learning trips to Muddy Bikes and the Urban Garden project, a garden that grows food for homeless families and gives bikes to people who need them.

During fourth period for the past several Tuesdays, between eight and ten seventh-graders climbed into the mini- bus and drove over to Muddy Bikes and the urban garden project. We take part in a variety of activities, including planting, digging, fixing up bikes, building a chicken coop, ect.

Two seventh graders built a chicken coop under a family's deck. Now that family will have easy access to fresh eggs. A few others tilled the soil for a garden and had fun trying to dig up large rocks.
Still others of us went to Muddy Bikes and helped take apart old bikes so that the parts could be put back together into new bikes for  people without other means of transportation to use. They patched up old tires and helped to repair other pieces of the bike. The bikes are not given for free; the idea is to have to earn your bike. People wanting bikes would either donate ten to fifteen dollars, or work for several hours. 

We worked with generous volunteers, Tom Benavento, Daniel, Pedro, and others, and we all got along very well. Volunteering gave us the good feeling that we were doing something helpful for people not as fortunate as ourselves. We also met a family's cat that was interested to see so many visitors!
The service learning project will continue as long as the weather allows. It is an excellent way for seventh graders to learn how to do everyday work, help others and learn to get along with each other. Every one is looking forward to seeing the improvments that we have made on several families lives, and revisiting our new furry friend!

- Carolina May and Mary Zook

Junior MSEC in Lancaster

Many of the seventh and eighth graders are travelled to the Jr. M.S.E. C. music festival on Friday, October 31 at Lancaster Mennonite High School. The instrumentalists, both strings and band, arrived around noon and practiced for a concert that they performed that night. The band played four songs, and the strings three.

Each instrumentalist paired with another student and stayed with a host family from the school.  Some people stayed with relatives if they have any in the area. This was be a fun and connecting experience for both the students and their host families.
 
by Caleb Schrock-Hurst

EMHS Wins Miller Cross Country Invitational

This year, Windsock will be running articles from Barometer, a middle school club focusing on writing.  These fledgling journalists are interested in having a voice in what happens at all levels of EMS. Ed.

On Friday September 26 the EMHS Cross Country team won the Miller Invitational with runners in five of the top six spots. Aaron Zook placed first for the guys race, followed by Brian Shenk and Matt Layman who took second and third. Jacque Zook came in second for the girls with Kierra Stutzman behind her with third place.

It was a cloudy with a slight drizzle, a good day for a tough course. The team was ready to run, after a long bus ride to Miller school. The guys race was at 4:30 and held exceptional results. Matt Layman quotes, "It's nice to know that all our hard work is paying off." Most of the team agreed that the race went better because of a controlled pace so that they could stay strong on the hills, when other teams slacked off.

The girls race followed at 5:00. Jacque Zook, a ninth grader, quotes "The harder you work in practice, the better your race results turn out."  The girls agreed that the hills were hard, but going back down felt great.

The 3 mile course was tough and consisted of many hills and several different surfaces. The middle schoolers ran as well, even though their normal races were 2 miles. All the runners were glad that the day was cool, instead of the intense heat at some of their previous meets.

Everyone was proud of the team for working hard to produce great results. It was also satisfying to know that the girls had won a meet for the first time in a while. EMHS is looking forward to returning to Miller for another invitational next year.

- Joy Njoroge and Caroline May