The CMS Courier - Punahou School

The Case Middle School
COURIER
Volume 7
Issue 4
March
2011
Produced by the Students of Punahou School, 1601 Punahou Street, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822
Stress Attack
By Madison Francis
Erika Kuo & Connor Walsh
H
Many teens suffer from test
anxiety.
Photo by Connor Walsh
“I think that the
more I stress
about a test, the
worse I do,”
ow do you feel when your
teacher hands you a test
paper? Nervous? You shouldn’t be.
Seriously; it might just improve
your score. According to a new
study by Sian Beilock, an associate
professor at the University of Chicago, teens can reduce their test
anxiety by writing about it before
a test.
Almost everyone feels nervous
or stressed before a test. Test anxiety is an extreme form of this. To
be precise, test anxiety is defined
as a condition of excessive nervousness or anxiety about a test.
Test anxiety has many negative
effects on a teen. Since the student is caught up worrying about
the test, their grades could suffer.
They could also contract physical
ailments such as an upset stomach,
dizziness, lightheadedness, sweating, shortness of breath, and diarrhea. Other symptoms may include
irritability, loss of concentration,
forgetfulness and disorganization.
Researchers think that worrying takes up space in a person’s
memory that should be used for
information instead. University of
Chicago Researchers believe that
worrying can confuse a person’s
short-term memory.
If students are anxious about
their test, it can disrupt information that the person had studied
for. Stress also can lower student
focus which leads to a lower grade
as well.
“Usually, I study for 30 minutes
because I get distracted if I study
too long,” Nicole Jao ‘16.
“I think that the more I stress
about a test, the worse I do,” Owen
Piper ‘16.
“Sometimes, when I have a
big test, I get a little stressed,
but then I get over it. I never get
overly stressed, though. Whenever
I have a test, I just study a lot and
tell myself that I’ll do fine.” Kiana
LeClaire ‘16.
There are ways to help prevent
stress before the test. You can
write about your fears or worries
before the test. When you write
out your feelings, you free up brain
space that was taken up by worry
and anxiety. You should plan time
to study and shouldn’t wait the last
minute to cram information inside
your head. Studying in a quiet and
peaceful place will help you focus.
Relieving stress before a test can
improve a grade up to a whole
marking point.
The next time you have a big
test, remember to prepare well and
to not get stressed out. Don’t let
the stress get to your head. Good
study habits will reduce your anxiety and result in a better grade.
—Owen Piper ‘16
Get Some Sleep
Teen Sleeping
Photo by Tia Lovell
By Sophie Bruno and Tia Lovell
A
re you tired in school? How
much do you sleep at night?
Do you get less than nine hours of
sleep? You might be suffering from
sleep deprivation.
What is sleep
deprivation?
Sleep deprivation
is when a person
gets less sleep
than he or she
needs to. 12- to
17- year- olds
need a minimum
of nine hours of
sleep per night.
Sleep deprivation causes teens
to have high
stress levels. According to researchers, teens
can’t perform to
their full potential in school, if they
don’t get enough sleep.
When teens are stressed, their
minds are someplace other than
the classroom. They aren’t able to
absorb the information the teacher
is giving.
Stress can also cause mood
swings. Teens have mood swings
when they are tired. They might
be really mad one moment and
then sad the next.
Another effect is less energy
throughout the day.
As Mary Carskadon, director of
sleep research at Bradley Hospital
said, “The eyes are open, but the
brains are asleep.” You need a lot
of energy to get through the six
hour and forty-five minute school
day and your after school activities. Sleep could help you get all
that energy that you need.
The Courier interviewed some
seventh graders to find out how
much sleep they get every night.
…continued on page 3
The CMS Courier
March 2011
Spring Break on Oahu
The Honolulu Zoo has over 1,200
animals.
Photos from the Internet
Wet n’ Wild is located in Kapolei
and is only 30 minutes aways from
downtown.
Staycation at
the Hilton
The jacuzzi is very warm and relaxing.
Photo by Russel Cheng
By Elizabeth Winnicki
Spring Break is just around the
corner. It is a time to relax, enjoy
yourself, and have a lot of fun!
Many people are going on trips
either inter island or another state
or even to another country. But,
you don’t have to leave Oahu to
have fun.
Here are some fun examples
you can do during your Spring
Break vacation on Oahu:
1. Go to the Mall. Hang out
with friends and go to the mall.
There are many different types
of fantastic malls you can choose
from, like Kahala Mall, Windward
Shopping Center, and Ala Moana
Shopping Center.
2. Go to the beach and have
a picnic. Eat healthy and nutritious meals. Magic Island and
the parks of Ala Moana are great
places to have a picnic. After eating, play frisbee or football in the
grass or go to the beach. Whether
it’s canoeing, stand up paddle
boarding, or even surfing, it’s all
very fun!
3. Do community service.
Choose a program you think you
will have fun with. If you like pets,
you could help out with the humane society. Other places to start
with are Hawaii Meals On Wheels,
Support the He’eia Stream Restoration Project, Use Your Voice and
Hands to Assist Hawaii Literacy.
Punahou School itself has some
service opportunities. You can help
out at the Luke Center and become a Luke Leader.
4. Go to the Ice Palace. If you
are pretty bored and hot from the
scorching sun and need a really
fun place to go to, Ice Palace is
just for you. Admission is $8.90
per person.
By Arissa Cheng
D
o you feel a bit jealous when
you hear your friends describing where they’re going to
visit over break? If your family is
planning on staying in Oahu, but
you still want to have fun, why not
visit one of the luxurious hotels
Oahu has to offer. The Hilton Hotel
might be the perfect hotel for you.
The Hilton Hotel has many pools
surrounding the hotel. There is a
beach nearby too, if you prefer
the vast ocean, salty waters, and
waves. If you want to experience
the beach feeling but don’t enjoy waves, there is a man- made
beach. It is not as big, but has
sand and uses salt water, enough
to give you the beach feel. If
you prefer just a plain old pool,
there’s a regular looking pool and
a kid’s pool with two water slides.
Children under 48 inches tall are
required to wear a flotation device
if they want to slide down. If you
want to go shopping, there are a
few shops around the hotel.
Since Hilton has a good break-
Page 2
5. Visit a Museum. There are
many great historical places on
the island. Some of them include:
Kamehameha’s statue, Iolani Palace, Mission House Museum, and
Kawaiaha’o Church.
6. Read a book for fun! Reading helps you strengthen your
thinking. Some really good books
you might enjoy are: The Hunger Games Series, Eragon Series,
and the Fablehaven Series. All
of theses are action packed and
are a good read for middle school
students.
7. Have a sleepover with a
bunch of friends! You can rent a
movie, enjoy popcorn, or make an
ice cream sundae.
8. Go to Wet n’ Wild. Wet n’
Wild is an awesome place to have
fun whether it’s with your friends
or family. The admission rate for
children is $31.99 and general
admission is $41.99. Great rides
include: the Tornado, the Kapolei
Kooler, Water World, and Hawaiian
Waters.
9. Go to Honolulu Zoo and
visit the exotic animals there. This
is the only Zoo in Hawaii and the
only Zoo in the United States originating from a King’s grant of royal
lands to the people of Hawaii.
10. Visit the Waikiki Aquarium. The Waikiki aquarium is an
excellent place to go and watch
the sea animals swim. This Aquarium is the third oldest aquarium in
the United States and holds over
500 different species of aquatic
animals and plants. Admission
rates for kids is $4.
Punahou School’s Spring Break
time is March 21-25. During that
time, go to the movies, cook, or
read, there are so many fun activities you could do. There are many
great ways to spend your Spring
Break!
fast line, I would encourage you
to eat breakfast inside the hotel.
Based on popularity, the best
breakfast place is the Rainbow
Bazaar, which is a buffet with an
assortment of foods. They have
omelets, bread, salads, bacon,
hashed potatoes, you name it.
Kiseki Suzuki, ‘17 describes Hilton
as “a very nice place to have fun
with your friends and families.”
“Hilton is a family-oriented hotel, and has many pools. It is easy
to get around because the hotel
has many monorails and boats.
The rooms are pretty big too,”
Keith Minami ‘17.
Hilton Hotel is a lovely vacation
place to stay, and you will never
have to worry about time difference or being homesick, because
you’re still in Hawaii. You can have
good food, you don’t have to make
your bed, and you have a beach
and several pools just near where
you’re staying.
Next time you’re friends are
describing their vacation, you don’t
have to be jealous. You have a
vacation plan too.
The CMS Courier
March 2011
Privacy on Facebook
Media giant Facebook has struggled with privacy issues.
Photo from the Internet
After the initial
fun of connecting
with people I
hadn’t heard from
in years, I realized
I hadn’t much to
say, and by what
I read, neither
did anyone else.
—Mr. Tsujimoto
4 GET SOME SLEEP
…continued from page 1
By Grant Sugimura
H
ow many of you have a
Facebook? Are you really
safe? Facebook has struggled with
privacy issues for most of their existence. So can you trust Facebook
with your personal information?
Facebook is the leading social
networking site that more than
two hundred fifty million people
use every single day. You can post
pictures and video, update your
status and current location, chat
with friends, and even play games.
Each person has their own profile with bits of information about
themselves, their name, date of
birth, where they live, etc. Personal information. That’s where the
problem begins.
Facebook has come under fire
for a series of recent changes to
its policies that have limited what
users can keep private, as well
as some embarrassing technical
glitches that have exposed personal data. According to the New York
Times, Facebook encountered a
glitch where people could see their
friends’ “private” information, like
chat histories.
The privacy problems are piling up as the company, which is
approaching five hundred million monthly users, grapples with
how to build new services off all
the data provided by users. The
company is trying to turn that vast
amount of data into a multi-billion
dollar ad industry.
CEO Mark Zuckerberg has
continually advocated for people
to make more of their private
information public. Zuckerberg
has overturned many attempts by
other Facebook executives to make
Facebook more private.
Zuckerberg said that if he were
to recreate Facebook, he would
make information public by default. Zuckerberg states in an
interview with Michael Arrington,
“We view it as our role in the
system to be constantly innovating
and updating what our system is
to reflect what the current social
norms are.”
In other words, Zuckerberg is
saying that Facebook is only reflecting the changes that society is
going through.
“I get about nine and a half
hours of sleep,” said Connor Walsh
‘16.
“I get near nine hours of sleep,”
answered Aly Sumida ‘16.
“I get about nine hours of
sleep,” said Reed Morgan ‘16.
One way you can prevent sleep
deprivation is to go to bed earlier.
Another way is to take cat naps
during the day to keep your energy level up.
A set schedule will help you get
to bed earlier. Watching TV is not
a good idea before bed because
you will get too caught up in what
is happening on the screen, and
Page 3
Libby Hoffenberg ‘15 states
that,
“It’s good to have privacy settings, but I’ve never had a problem with them.”
Yesul Do ‘15 concurs, stating
that,
“I haven’t had a problem with
[privacy]. Unless you’re a hacker
you probably won’t be able to see
other people’s information.”
Johnny Richardson ‘15 feels
that,
“To be honest, I just use Facebook to chat and post stuff. I don’t
really post any pictures so it’s not
much of a problem for me.”
Even teachers have their
thoughts about privacy. Eighth
grade English teacher, Mr. Tsujimoto, says,
“I was encouraged to join Facebook by fellow seminar teachers
in Chicago in the summer of 2009.
After the initial fun of connecting
with people I hadn’t heard from in
years, I realized I hadn’t much to
say; and by what I read, neither
did anyone else. Which is to say,
there was little of anything worthy
of privacy.”
These comments in mind,
maybe privacy issues aren’t as big
as they seem. Many may feel that
the information on their Facebook
doesn’t require privacy. So the privacy issue dosn’t affect some.
But, Facebook has definitely
brought to light the issue of privacy.
They have shown us how vulnerable information is, because
nothing is ever really “private.”
Even though Facebook does
have some issues, it’s still a fantastic social networking site that
can lead to closer families and
stronger friendships.
This site has allowed the public
to “see” friends they haven’t heard
from in years, and “meet” family
they’ve never seen in person.
But ultimately it’s your decision
whether or not to put faith into
this media giant. Will you stand by
them and not let this bother you?
Or will you leave because of the
risk of your information falling into
other people’s hands?
end up not sleeping.
Whatever you do, don’t take
sleeping pills. They might feel like
they work, and you sleep better,
but they actually are very harmful.
Some examples of side effects are
dizziness, headaches, sore throat,
and heartburn.
So if you feel tired at school,
you might need to go to sleep
earlier. Remember that both your
growing body and mine need more
than nine hours of sleep.
The CMS Courier
March 2011
Project Citizen
Gets Students
Involved
A project board shows all the componenets of Poject Citizen: Action
Plan, Social Response and Public
Policy.
Photo by Eyrica Sumida
Eddie Would Go!
Eddie Aikau surf contest has only
been held 8 times in 26 years.
Photos from the Internet
By Eyrica Sumida
D
o you want to make a difference in our community? Do
you want to get involved in government? Do you want to create
policies that will change the world
for the better?
“Project Citizen is a curricular
program designed to help students
develop an awareness of democratic principles, civic mindedness
and civic engagement by identifying public policy problems in their
community” said Mrs. Lyons, social
studies teacher for Team 8Y.
Project Citizen started in 1995.
Mrs. Anderson, a teacher in 8X,
brought Project Citizen with her
much later from the school she
was teaching at before Punahou.
As a teacher of Project Citizen,
Mrs. Lyons integrates it into her
curriculum “Because students
learn best when they get to do
things “hands on” and experience
learning as a process that has relevance to their lives. I appreciate
the program’s requirement to have
many students work together on a
single problem-- I also appreciate
the complex skills involved-- writing, gathering research, synthesizing information, learning how to
communicate with adults outside
of the classroom, working together
collaboratively and independently.”
Public Policy is an agreement
between the government and
the community that states how
the government should fulfill its
responsibilities in a certain problem.
A civic action is the organization
of the people who work together
By Makana Elaban
W
ho is Eddie Aikau? Why is
there a big surf contest only
held on special occasions
in honor of him? Why
did my friend skip school
just to go watch this surf
contest?
The Eddie Aikau Surf
Contest is one of the most
world renowned and dangerous surf contests in the
world. It is held in honor
of the fearless surfer Eddie Aikau. The contest
has been held 8 times in
the past 26 years. It is
rarely held because it may
only have at least 20foot waves, which doesn’t
happen quite often. The
contest is held in Waimea, but
originated at Sunset beach, on the
north side of O’ahu.
The last Eddie was held in December 2009, and won by world
renowned Bruce Irons, the brother
of world famous champion Andy
Irons, who passed away this past
November. Just 28 qualified “big
wave” surfers can participate, and
may not be towed into the surf.
Page 4
to solve the problem without the
government’s aid.
Project Citizen is a part of the
curriculum. It is an interactive way
for students to make a difference
in their community. All 8th graders participate in Project Citizen.
Each section or class undertakes a
problem to study and work on for
several months.
Many steps are involved in this
project. It starts with an identification of the problem, where students have to vote on an issue to
research. The groups examine and
explain the problem. Then the students have to look for ways that
the government can be involved
and also to look for alternative
polices, or laws that have been
passed to model their policy after.
After proposing a public policy, the
students design an action plan that
specifies what the government
should be doing.
Team 8Y is currently participating in Project Citizen. Some of
the problems are: student support systems, obesity and animal
cruelty.
Punahou participates in Project
Citizen’s annual showcase. Students send Project boards that
they’ve designed to Washington
DC, which are evaluated and
placed into categories: “excellent”
and “supreme.”
Project Citizen is a great way for
students to get involved in the law
making process of government.
Punahou students are fortunate to
have the opportunity to be involved in issues in their communities.
Eddie Aikau was a courageous
swimmer, and risked his life to
save his voyaging crew. He was
on the voyage of the Hokule`a in
March 16, 1978. Unfortunately,
they got a leak in one of the hulls
and later capsized about twelve
miles south of Molokai. Eddie,
being the guy that he was, attempted to paddle out to Lanai
to get help for his crew who were
in distress. Later the coast guard
rescued the rest of the crew, but
Eddie’s body was never found.
“He was a courageous, modern
day Hawaiian hero who put others’
lives before his when he went to
find rescue for those who were on
the capsized canoe, Hokule’a on
Mar. 17, 1978. I saw Eddie surf a
25 foot + wave in the Smirnoff Pro
Ams which was a surf contest held
at Waimea Bay in 1974,” says Mrs.
Lyman-Mersereau.
Eddie Aikau was a valiant
surfer, swimmer who represented
Hawaii with much pride. Many
looked up to Eddie for his courage, bravery, and his charisma. So
whenever you are unsure, or afraid
of something, always remember
Eddie Would Go.
The CMS Courier
March 2011
Children and
Teen Obesity
By Maddie Miura
D
Basketball is a great way for kids
to be active.
Photo by Maddie Miura
P.E. Every Day?
6th Grade Girls Exercising
Photo by Mrs. Crowell
id you know that in 2008,
19.6% of kids from the ages
of six to eleven were obese? A person is considered obese when they
are more than 20% above their
ideal weight, which varies for each
body type.
18.1% of American adolescents
between the ages of twelve to
nineteen are obese. The rate of
childhood and teen obesity is rising gradually, and more needs to
be done to prevent this. Regular
physical activity is advised to prevent and treat obesity.
“Just the other day we had an
11-year-old at 200-plus pounds
come into my emergency department. He had an enlarged heart,
largely due to obesity,” said a doctor in Virginia.
The rate of childhood and adolescent obesity has increased by
more than three times in the last
30 years.
Television is a major contributor
to the childhood and teen obesity
rate. Kids and teens spend an average of four hours in front of the
TV each day, which makes them
inactive and lazy.
Those with obese parents are
more likely to become overweight
because families tend to have the
same eating patterns, including
unnecessary snacks.
Obesity happens due to lack
of exercise and proper nutrition.
People would rather sit at home
playing video games than get out
and be active. Overeating out of
boredom, depression, stress, or
anger leads to being overweight or
By Tia Lovell
T
he government is thinking
about requiring P.E. every day.
Why?
P.E. stands for physical education. In P.E., children learn how to
exercise. It gives them a way to
get out in open air and use energy.
The first reason for requirement is that P.E. keeps children
from getting obese. Obesity occurs
when you eat more calories than
what you burn off. This makes
them overweight, and if it continues, it may turn into obesity.
Without P.E., children that don’t
have after school sports won’t
be exercising. They need P.E. to
experience their full 60 minutes a
day of exercise. P.E. is a complete
part of the total education of every
child in Kindergarten through 12th
grade according to researchers.
Almost half of 12th grade students don’t participate in P.E. This
may have a role at this grade by
preparing students to continue
physical activity while making the
transition from high school to college or work.
CMS Courier interviewed some
7th graders.
Page 5
obese.
Many children and teens don’t
eat balanced meals, usually due to
their parents’ lack of time to make
food. So they end up wasting time
in front of the TV while eating a
microwave dinner. Microwave food
is loaded with sodium, saturated
fat, and sugars. Although they’re
easy to make, microwavable TV
dinners are unhealthy and costly.
Different body types burn off fat
at different rates, so it’s important to know your metabolism. For
some people burning calories is
easy, but for others with a lower
metabolism eating right is very
important. No matter the level
of your metabolism, if you eat a
variety of fruits and veggies every
day, your weight is more likely to
stay at a healthy level.
There are many risks of being
obese including high blood pressure, high cholesterol and abnormal blood, and type 2 diabetes.
Bone problems, joint problems,
and shortness of breath that
makes physical activity more difficult, are also huge health risks.
Many obese children, but more
commonly teens, experience restlessness, uneven sleep patterns,
the tendency to mature earlier,
and are more likely to become
depressed.
Although many children and
teens are obese, it’s easy to prevent it from happening. Simple
routines like exercising for at least
an hour a day can really make a
difference in your life.
What do you think is the importance of P.E.?
“It keeps us healthy and physically active,” said Kiana LeClaire
‘16.
Do you think we should have
P.E. every day?
“No, I don’t think we should
have P.E. every day because it
takes away from acedemics. Kids
should exercise on their own time,”
said Kiana LeClaire ‘16.
Teachers have found that P.E.
focuses the students in class. The
children use most of their energy
playing during P.E.. That means
that their energy level goes down
and they become more disciplined.
According to researchers, their
concentration level increases and
their math, reading, and writing
grades improved.
P.E. improves the children’s
physical fitness. It improves their
muscular strength and endurance.
P.E. also improves their flexibility.
According to researchers, exercising at least once a day can help
children become fit.
So, to prevent obesity and to
get full exercise, the government
is thinking about requiring P.E.
every day. Until the government
mandates P.E., children should be
active.
The CMS Courier
March 2011
Extended
School Hours
Students in the United States
spend six hours a day in school.
Photo by Madison Francis
By Madison Francis
H
ow do you feel about a longer school day? What about
studying in school until dinnertime?
President Obama thinks these
are great ideas and wants children to have a longer school day
and shorter summer. School hours
would be extended so students
have more study time.
Currently, children in America
spend around 6 hours a day in the
classroom. On average, school
starts at 8:00 a.m. and ends at
3:00 p.m. There are around 180
days in a typical American school
year, compared to a 200-day
school year in Thailand, Scotland
and the Netherlands and a 243day school year in Japan, Israel
and South Korea.
According to International
Tests, American fourth graders are
doing poorly, and middle school
students are worse. High Schools,
by far, have had the worst scores
on worldwide tests taken by many
children throughout the globe.
Obama’s solution is that school
end around dinnertime. The President says that summers should
be shorter, and everyone should
attend summer school so all
children have a safe place to stay
after school and over the summer
break.
He believes that school length is
currently putting American chil-
By Adam Mercer & Meghan Murakami
Cursive- A Dying Art?
Cursive handwriting is a dying art
form.
Photo by Meghan Murakami
D
o you enjoy writing in cursive? Do you use it all the
time? Do you even remember
how to write in cursive? If you
answered no to all of these questions, you are not alone.
For students in the U.S. cursive
handwriting is a dying art, and
is being taught and used less in
school. Cursive is mostly taught in
the third grade. Why don’t students in America
use cursive? The first reason is the
internet- before the Internet and
texting, you needed to write down
messages to your friends via mail,
but now, texting and emailing
makes it easier to keep in touch
with people because the messages
send instantly.
The second reason is that print
writing is preferred over cursive.
In college, when you take a written test, there is a better chance
of getting a higher grade if your
handwriting is neat and legible.
Many students’ handwriting is better in print.
The final thing that contributes
to this loss of longhand writing is
computer labs in schools. Everywhere, students are learning how
to use computers in their school’s
computer lab.
90% of kids between the ages
of 5-17 use computers. Using their
ability to type, they don’t find
the need to use cursive. This is
a battle between technology and
writing.
Page 6
dren at a disadvantage compared
to other kids around the world
because children spend too little
time in school.
Children need more preparation
for the 21st century’s economy.
Obama states that children need
more opportunities for better jobs
that will help support them when
they’re on their own. Some school
districts are considering the idea of
longer school days.
“I feel that Punahou School
hours now are just right. I don’t
really want a longer school day or
year,” Erika Kuo ‘16, states.
“I think it would give us less
time to bond with friends, and
take the bus back home. We’d also
have less time to do homework,”
Logan Moss ’15.
“It cuts into extra curricular activities like sports,” Darren Tamura
‘15 thinks.
“It cuts into taking the bus. I
usually take the bus after school
and if there are longer school
hours, I can’t take the bus home.”
Brent Tokumi ‘15 also proclaims.
Many children complain that
Obama’s is a bad idea and it will
reduce their already limited free
time.
So far, the idea of extending
school hours is unsure. Are we
ready for a longer school day in
Case Middle School?
Many people just don’t see the
use for cursive because of print
and technology. You might be wondering why cursive is so important
and if it matters that much, then
why aren’t teachers teaching it
anymore?
Using cursive is important
because many of our history’s
documents like the Declaration of
Independence are in cursive. What
would people in the past think of
our inability to write in cursive?
Cursive has been around since
the seventeenth century. Historical
papers are written in cursive.
Most students are used to using their hand muscles for typing
and video games. It is difficult for
children to hold a pencil correctly
and write legibly because of their
dependence on technical devices.
Teachers are trying to teach
their students how to write cursive, but children reject it because
it is a difficult thing to learn.
Younger teachers also lean towards the use of computers in
their classrooms because they’re
more comfortable with technology.
It isn’t known if cursive will die
out. Many people think it could
disapear soon.
“Personally, I don’t use cursive,
and I like typing out my papers
and using print. I can write cursive, but I don’t prefer it. I don’t
know if it’s a bad idea to get rid of
cursive in school because I don’t
use it.” Erika Takase ’16
Do you know how to write in
cursive?
The CMS Courier
March 2011
Smiles That Light
Up The Night
Laforet Harajuku is just minutes
away from Harajuku Station.
Photos from the Internet
Fashionably
Dangerous
By Tiffany Agustin
Reed Morgan & Kylie Tokujo
H
ave you ever wanted to
smile so brightly your teeth
light up? Well, now you can! Daito
Manabe and Moto Ishibashi of
Japan invented the LED Teeth for
some fashion in your
mouth.
This creative accessory works with two
parts- a mouthpiece
and a wireless remote.
The part resembling a
mouth guard fits on your
teeth, while the remote
can change the color
to green, red, or blue.
It can even make your
teeth blink! It looks as
if someone has installed
a glow stick into your
mouth.
The glowing teeth
have been requested by
many Japanese schoolgirls.
The idea was inspired by LED
throwies, gadgets that allow the
users to stick glowing LED lights
onto a solid surface.
“I think that it’s really cool but
I wouldn’t wear it because it’s too
bright and it looks weird.” Kiersten Chong, ‘16 said.
“Who would want glowing
teeth?” Candace Chung, ‘16 adds.
Krissty Sumida, ‘16 says about
them, “I think that the idea is
cool, but not very stylish. I would
not wear them in public.”
Laforet Harajuku is a popular clothing store located in the
By Meghan Lai
W
Skinny jeans can cause a nerve
problem called meralgia
parensthetica.
Photo by Courier staff
Page 7
e’ve all heard the saying
before- beauty comes at a
price. Well, its true. Some people
will do anything to look their best,
even if it comes down to a causing
cancer in a stuffy booth, or a painful nerve condition.
It’s no secret that tanning whether in a booth, or on the
beach, can cause skin cancer. Skin
cancer is the most common form
of cancer in the United States, and
1 in 5 people will develop it in their
lifetime. Women and men under
the age of 30 who use tanning
beds have a 75% chance of developing some type of melanoma.
You see that pair of designer
skinny jeans on a sale rack…
and you take them. Little do you
know, skinny jeans can cause a
nerve problem called meralgia
parensthetica, also known as
“tingling thigh syndrome”. This
condition occurs when pressure
cuts off the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve, and it causes a numb,
tingling, or sometimes burning
sensation along the thigh.
Usually, sufferers of this condi-
The Laforet Grand Bazar is one of
the biggest sales in Harajuku.
Shibuya neighborhood in Japan.
It is popular among young women
and schoolgirls.
An ad campaign for Laforet’s
twice annual Grand Bazaar displayed various models with LED
teeth. Their smiles were shown
glowing in shades of blue, green
and red. After Japanese teens
saw the ad, the glowing teeth
were in demand.
So are these glowing gadgets
out or in? Would you walk down
the street at night, showing off
your new grin?
According to the NY Times, the
LED mouth guards are not available commercially. Users will have
to visit the workshops to make
their own. What do you think
of this teeth fashion craze? Is it
cool, or just plain bizarre?
tion are obese people, pregnant
women, and construction workers,
but skinny jeans have increased
the risk of younger, healthier
women getting this syndrome. So
what’s an alternative to skin-tight
jeans?
Some young women have
been buying “jeggings”, or “jeanleggings”. They’re designed to
look like you’re wearing skin-tight
jeans, only more comfortable.
How does the affect us? Since
the dress code changed this year,
Case Middle School students can
only wear pants knee length or
longer. It seems that most girls
have resorted to wearing skinny
jeans almost every day, which puts
Punahou students at risk for this
condition.
How can you prevent this syndrome? When trying on a pair of
jeans, they should be comfortable,
easy to walk in, and you should be
able to bend at the knees.
So next time you walk into that
tanning salon or that expensive
designer store, ask yourself: Is it
worth it?
The CMS Courier
March 2011
St. Patrick’s Day
If you catch a leprechaun, he has
to tell you where his fortune is.
Photos from the Internet
Cars of the Future
The Cadillac Aera was the winner
of the competition.
Photo from the Internet
Page 8
Another big part of St. Patrick’s Day is the leprechaun. The
leprechaun has been a part of
o you know why we celebrate
Irish mythology for many years.
St. Patrick’s Day? Why is
It is about a faerie that has magic
everything green for the holiday?
building powers, and have a huge
What is this holiday really about?
fortune.
St. Patrick’s Day has a very interIf you catch a leprechaun, he
esting history and purpose.
has to tell you where he hides his
St. Patrick’s Day is a holiday to
fortune. But
commemorate
be careful, lepSt. Patrick. St.
rechauns are
Patrick is the pavery crafty and
tron saint of Iresneaky.
land, but he was
Some
born in Britain.
believe this
As a child,
is a story to
Patrick was sold
represent
into slavery in
a good role
Ireland, but he
model because
escaped and
the leprechaun
returned to his
is rich, hard
family after about
working, and
six years.
protects his
St. Patrick
fortune.
became a great
Four Leaf Clover
In America,
teacher of the
we wear green
Christian religion.
so we don’t
He died on March
get pinched.
17th, which is
In Ireland, people wear green bewhy we now celebrate St. Patrick’s
cause it stands for the Catholic reDay every March 17th.
ligion, and St. Patrick was Catholic.
St. Patrick’s Day is filled with
Also, some say that it is just
many traditions. You may be wonworn to represent the beautiful
dering why the four-leaf clover is
landscape of Ireland.
always associated with this holiSt. Patrick’s Day is an Irish
day.
It started with the shamrock. It holiday that many people celebrate
now.
has three leaves, which St. Patrick
How will you be celebrating St.
used to represent and teach about
Patrick’s Day?
the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
If you find a four-leaf clover,
legend says you will have extra
luck. The four leaves are said to
stand for faith, hope, love, and
luck.
By Kiana LeClaire
D
By Tiffany Agustin
H
ave you ever thought about
what the future will be like?
Will there be
floating cities?
The ability to
teleport? What
will the cars
of the future
look like? Will
they be more
energy efficient? Will
they be made
out of recycled
materials? The
2010 LA Concept Car Design Challenge
helped companies achieve
and share their
designs.
Every year,
the LA Concept Car Design Challenge has a
new theme. In 2010, the theme
was technologically savvy youth.
Companies from the U.S, Germa-
ny, and Japan entered the show.
The competitors included Honda,
Mazda, Cadillac, Nissan, Toyota,
Volvo, and Mercedes Benz.
The requirements for each car
to enter the competition were that
it had to seat four people, weigh
less than 1000 lbs, and be energy
efficient. Companies that met the
requirements were featured in the
running for the title “Car of the
Future.”
The well-anticipated results
were finally released around the
end of November. The winner was
the Cadillac Aera. It met the 1000
lbs. requirement and could also
seat four people. The Aera could
also travel 1000 miles without
needing to refuel.
Annually, the LA Car Show
thinks of more futuristic ideas that
will inspire not just the future of
automobiles, but also the future
itself. The show also helps car
companies show what they can
do, which is great advertisement.
It gets you wondering… What will
they think of next?
The CMS Courier
March 2011
Colorblind Sharks?
By Candace Chung, Theo Huo, &
Kristen Takebayashi
W
Wearing dark colors will keep you
safe from sharks.
Photo from the Internet
Doggy Distractions
The ramp could be useful for elderly dogs or small chihuahuas.
Photo from the Internet
hen you go out into the
ocean, are you afraid of
shark attacks? Do you stay out of
the water because of your fear of
sharks?
A new study may help ease your
fears. Australian scientists suggest that these mighty fish can’t
distinguish color. If this is so, using
different colors on swim clothes
could prevent shark attacks.
Different colored nets can keep
sharks from entangling themselves
in fishing nets.
All living things have two different kinds of cells in their eyes: rod
cells and cone cells. Rod cells are
extremely sensitive and measure
brightness, allowing for normal
eyesight during the day and the
night.
Cone cells are the cells in your
eyes that allow you to distinguish
the difference between colors.
Using the technique known as
microspectrophotometry, scientists
examined the retinal (layer at the
back of the eyeball containing cells
that are sensitive to light) cells of
17 species of sharks, which were
caught off the shores of New Zealand and Australia.
What they found intrigued
them. Ten of the sharks lacked
cone cells all together, and the
other seven had cells so weak they
could only see green.
If the color blindness applies
to all species of sharks, fishing
lures and swimming suits can be
designed in colors that are less
noticeable to sharks.
By Meghan Lai
W
e all know that drinking,
talking on a phone, or texting is dangerous to drivers. But
have you ever thought that man’s
best friend could be your worst
enemy on the road?
Having a dog in your car is not
only dangerous to you, but also to
your pet. Tens of thousands of accidents have been caused by dog
distractions, though no one has
solid numbers.
According to AAA’s (American
Automobile Association) online
survey of a 1,000 dog owners,
31% admit to being distracted by
their dog while driving, but 59%
have participated in at least one
distracting behavior while driving
with their dog. More than 55%
have pet their dog while driving,
and one in five allow their dog to
sit in their lap. Drivers have also
admitted to giving food and water
to their dog and playing with them
while driving.
About 80% of owners said that
they have driven with their pets
on a variety of car trips. However,
only 17 % used any form of pet
restraint system.
“Restraining your pet when driving can not only help you protect
Page 9
This will make the waters safe
for both man and fish. These findings are also constant with a similar research done on other marine
animals such as whales, dolphins,
and seals that all possess only the
green cone cells.
Scientists also believe that
distinguishing colors is not that
important to the sea creatures,
because colors are pretty useless
in the depths at which they live.
Sharks are known to attack
swimmers, surfers, and paddlers
that they mistake for food.
When they realize that we’re
not some big fish or turtle, they
turn around and swim away. Unfortunately, sometimes they realize
too late.
But scientists are very excited
about the fact of colorblind sharks
along with some students in the
seventh grade.
“The discovery is awesome. It
would be better if the sharks can’t
see us depending on the clothing we wear in the water. I hate
sharks,” Nicole Harrison ‘16
If we can design swim attire
that sharks can’t see, sharkinduced injuries could be reduced.
Brightly colored nets means fewer
of these fish swimming straight
into fishing nets.
Since there are over 400 species of sharks, more studies are
beong done before a conclusion is
reached.
So the next time you are deciding which swimsuit to wear to the
beach, consider darker colors. You
never know where the sharks are
hiding.
your pet, but you and other passengers in your vehicle as well. An
unrestrained 10-pound dog in a
crash at 50 mph will exert roughly
500 pounds of pressure, while an
unrestrained 80-pound dog in a
crash at only 30 mph will exert
2,400 pounds of pressure,” warned
Beth Mosher, AAA Director of Public Affairs.
What do you do about your
pets? Some companies sell special dog harnesses that strap in
your dog and that attach to your
cars seatbelt. Pet carriers are not
recommended. A sudden stop
can send them flying, and the pet
could get hurt while in a small
cage. If you really love your dog,
you could have a whole design
change.
The Honda Element has a dog
friendly package that keeps the
dog in the cargo area within a
nylon-webbed kennel, out of reach
from the driver. The floor is softer,
and there’s a ramp that helps
them enter more easily. There’s
even a spill-resistant water bowl!
So the next time you think
about bringing your dog on a road
trip, think again. Maybe it’s good
for Fido to stay home once in a
while.
The CMS Courier
March 2011
Russia and Quatar
Will Host World Cups
Quatar will host the 2022
World Cup.
Photo from the Internet
Russia will host the 2018
World Cup.
Photo from the Internet
By Ho Seoung Lee and Kelly Marshall
O
n December 2, 2010, FIFA
World Cup President Sepp
Blatter announced the
future hosts of the FIFA
World Cup. Russia and
Qatar will be hosting the
2018 and 2022 World
cups respectively. The
large Euroasian country
and the small Middle
Eastern country differ
in many things, namely
size, but they’ll both be
the home of all the action.
All of the last three
cups have been held on
different continents.
Spain, Italy, and Brazil
have been the victors of the past 3
cups, and Brazil still holds a record
5-world cup wins. America has
never won a world cup, has never
done better than 4th
place, and is currently
ranked 18th
Many countries were
bidding for the opportunity to host because
there are many benefits
to hosting. These comes
mostly from ticket sales
and tourism. They can
improve the host countries’ economy.
Not only are they
left with the monetary
gains they also have
the benefits of the infrastructure
that comes from being the center
of soccer fans attention. Roads,
soccer stadiums, and hotels remain after all the teams have left.
Dongdaemun stadium in Seoul was
By Johnny Richardson & Wil Stanley
Knicks Come Out
of the Dark Ages
Six time all-star Amare Stoudamire
with his new team.
Photo from the Internet
T
he rejuvenated New York
Knicks, led by Amare Stoudamire, are making a great comeback from last season.
At the end of the 2009-2010
season, the Knicks had another
losing record and missed the playoffs.
They have not had a winning
season since the 2000-2001 season. This was a franchise on the
downfall.
Meanwhile in Phoenix, there
sat a very unhappy Amare Stoudamire. The former six time AllStar with the Phoenix Suns wanted
out.
In Charlotte, Raymond Felton
also wanted out. The former 5th
round pick and stellar player wanted to be a part of a new franchise.
That is when the fortune of the
New York Knicks started to turn
around.
Amare Stoudamire has signed a
100 million dollar contract with the
New York Knicks.
Last summer, Raymond Felton
also signed with the Knicks.
“This is a rejuvenated team that
could have their first winning season since 2001,” claims ESPN.
If the Knicks make the playoffs, it will be their first time in a
decade. This is a critical season for
Page 10
built for the 2002 World Cup and
continued to be used for not only
soccer but many other sports.
It may come as a shock to some
that the small nation of Qatar
would hold this event.
One of the major reasons that
Qatar was picked was its stadiums.
They’re planning to make nine new
stadiums, adding to their already
standing three. They will be solar
powered with air conditioning systems. Also, parts of the stadium
can be disassembled and shipped
to third-world countries that have
less sports infrastructure.
Qatar forced its way into contention by pouring money into the
project. They’re hoping that the
revenues will balance the amount
they’re going to spend.
Like Qatar, Russia is also ready
to spend money to host the cup.
They are expected to use about
$10 billion to build the stadiums
and other features.
In addition to this exorbitant
sum, they were helped by a video
of the Sasha twins. These two
young soccer-playing boys created
an ad supporting Russia to host.
Many major European television
channels aired the commercial.
Along with this, Russia agreed to
hold the cup in western Russia to
reduce the trip from Europe.
Although 2018 is years away,
it didn’t lessen the celebration for
the victors. The host countries
are starting construction and the
nations of the world are pulling
together their teams.
Brazil will be hosting in 2014
and will be looking to add to their
record five world cup wins.
the New York Knicks to rise in the
Eastern Conference once again.
At this point in the season, it is
still hard to tell whether they could
make the playoffs or not.
The Knicks have a caliber team
to make the playoffs. It is a matter
of whether they can pull it together. With their new team they can
play with teams like the Celtics,
Heat, and Magic.
Now the Knicks have Carmelo
Anthony, Chauncey Billups, Anthony Carter, and Sheldon Williams
which makes them a well rounded
team.
Carmelo Anthony and Amare
Stoudamire pose a big threat on
the boards. Chauncey Billups
gives them a point guard that can
shoot and drive.
The Knicks have played three
games with their new players have
won over the Milwakee Bucks and
the Miami Heat. The only loss so
far was to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
New York Knicks fans have
waited long enough for their team
to return to dominance and the
playoffs. This could easily happen
with the talent they have and the
talent they can get. The Knicks
have risen from the ashes and
started to climb back toward the
top.
The CMS Courier
March 2011
“The More You Read,
The More You Know”
A New Orleans teacher celebrates
Read Across America day by honoring Dr. Seuss.
Photo from the Internet
Better Than Books
Simple yet effective
Photos from the Internet
Two-in-One
By Libby Hoffenberg
O
n the March 2nd birthday of
beloved children’s author Dr.
Seuss, the National Education
Association, along with teachers, students, and librarians,
will celebrate Read Across
America Day.
Although Read Across
America is a year round program, on one day each year,
the NEA calls for “every child to
be reading in the company of a
caring adult.”
The program started in May
of 1997, when a small reading
“task force” came up with the
idea to create a day to celebrate reading. The first Read
Across America day was recognized on March 2nd of the next
year.
Read Across America was made
to create “lifelong successful
readers.” One of the NEA’s main
purposes for recognizing this day
is that research has shown that
children who spend time reading
do better in school.
A better grade is just one of
the infinite benefits; reading can
reduce stress, improve analytical
thinking, increase vocabulary, and
improve writing skills and memory.
These are just some of the many
reasons for setting aside one day
Page 11
to read.
Although there haven’t been
many special activities on Read
Across America day at Punahou
in the past, the Punahou libraries
may pay tribute to Dr. Seuss on
March 2nd.
The Courier interviewed Ing
librarian Marci Johnstone and BLC
librarian Lynette Roster to find out
what Punahou is doing to encourage children.
Things like Dr. Seuss-themed
bookmarks and hats could be popping up, and books that have won
the Theodor Seuss Geisel award
will be featured. This award is one
of the other ways libraries and
readers recognize Dr. Seuss’ magical books.
Individual teachers for the
younger grade levels are also
encouraged to think up some fun
activities.
Punahou is very enthusiastic
about inspiring children to read,
and Read Across America is a
great opportunity. In fact, some
of the books collected in the book
drive that was held all through
February will go to the Read
Across America association.
Although Read Across America
day only comes once a year, the
organization provides children and
teachers with the motivation they
need to read 365 days a year.
Plus, ¼ of its books are free.
It also has connection to AT&T’s
3G network, and is designed easily
Lately, the news has been
handheld.
overflowing with new “eReaders,”
Cost: $259. Size: 6”/3.5”.
large phone-like devices that allow
Weight: 12.1 oz. Rating: 3.5 ****.
you to purchase and read books
The Apple iPad is capable of
digitally. The biggest ones are
downloading books, but was dethe Amazon Kindle, the Barnes &
signed to watch movies, listen to
Noble Nook, and the Apple iPad.
music, and play games.
They all have their pros and cons,
It consists of a
and the best buy
single color touch
depends on the
screen that seems
buyer.
to do practically
The Kindle is a
everything. To
standard eReadread books you
er with a very
can download
simple design:
the eBooks app,
a pencil thin,
or the Amazon
colorless screen
Kindle app. As
with a keyboard
an eReader, it is
and page turning
highly unique and
buttons. It has
wonderful, but
540,000 books
as the universal
readily available
tablet it was
for download, a
An eReader…or more?
designed to be,
USB port, and
Photo from the Internet
it sometimes is
Internet access.
seen negatively.
This is a good choice if you want
It has no camera, the digital
something cheap and simple.
keyboard is difficult to use, and
Available colors are white,
computers can do more. It is
black, and graphite; and Amazon
still amazing compared to other
has also released a Kindle DX.
The DX is more expensive, but has eReaders, though with its huge
selection of apps, its super speed,
better picture and better Wi-Fi.
and touch screen.
Cost: $259 ($379 for DX). Size:
Cost: $499+. Size: 9.7”.
6”. Weight: 10.2 oz. Space: 2GB.
Weight: 24 oz. Space:
Rating: 4.5 *****.
16/32/64GB. Rating: 4 ****.
One thing that makes the
These are just a few of the
Barnes & Noble Nook unique is its
many eReaders currently available,
double screen display. The upper,
and they are constantly getting
larger screen has an E Ink display
for reading and turning pages, and better. On the other hand, one
of the best ways to read is still in
the lower screen has a color touch
books.
screen capable of buying books,
browsing the web, and more.
By Justin Kunimune
The CMS Courier
March 2011
iPods and iPads
vs. Textbooks
The new tools help students maintian an interest in subjects.
Photos from the Internet
Apple’s New Screw
Prevents Tampering
This kit “liberates” owners from
the pentalobe screws
Photos from the Internet
By Nicole Harrison
D
o you have an iPad or iPod
touch? What if you were told
that you could use one to learn
in school? Well maybe you can.
Some schools around the country
are buying iPads and iPods for
classroom use.
Students have excelled at
learning because of iPods and
iPads. Every classroom in Logan,
Ohio was given six iPod touches.
Jen Green, a teacher from
Adam Elementary, has her students record themselves reading
and then play the recording back,
so that they can hear themselves
and make corrections. This helps
the students with their reading
and fluency skills.
Schools in New York, Illinois,
Arizona and New Jersey have also
embraced the iPod touch, and
more states are expected to follow. Teachers are in full support of
the thousands of educational apps
available.
One example is the Pearson
Algebra Prep application. This
app helps students prepare and
review for a test or quiz. You can
take practice tests and get answer
feedback.
For English, there is the Princeton Review SAT Volume 1. It helps
you review for your SATs.
The new tools help most students concentrate longer, focus
more often and maintain an interest in subjects, which translates to
Page 12
improved letter grades.
The CMS Courier asked a few
students what they thought about
having iPod touches and iPads in
the classroom.
“I think that it’s a great idea to
have iPods and iPads in the classroom.” said Candace Chung’16.
“I think that it would be cool
but it could be harder because
you would have to type on a touch
screen instead of a keyboard.”
said Carli Ing ’16.
“That would be cool,” said
Christian Tjioe ’16.
The lightweight device would
also relieve students of heavy
backpacks, which would help to
sustain healthy backs. Textbook
heavy backpacks can cause neck,
back and shoulder pain.
Many students have so much
homework that they have to carry
heavy bags to and from school.
Having an iPad instead of a
textbook would make walking
around campus a little more enjoyable.
iPods and iPads are good learning tools for the classroom, and
some think that Punahou should
get some too.
Also, having iPads instead of
texbooks will help students to
have healthier backs.
but in every country other than
America, the iPhone 4 already had
pentalobular screws.
pple has recently put a new
As people bring in their phones
pentalobe screw on some of
to Apple for maintenance, Apple
their products, in an attempt to
switches the Phillips screws with
stop users from tampering with
pentalobular ones.
the internals.
This frustrated
The screw
many people beprevents removing
cause their product
the battery, also
was changed and
making jail-breakthey were not ining, color changformed of this.
ing, and other
How can you rid
changes very
your appliance of
difficult.
these screws?
The differences The screw makes easy modiiFixit has rein the screws are
fictions very hard unless the
leased an iPhone
minor, but make
screws are gone.
4 Liberation Kit
normal tools use($9.95), which
less.
includes a 5-pointed Phillips driver,
The pentalobe screw resembles
a regular Phillips driver, and two
something between a flower and
new normal Phillips screw for your
a torx screw. Instead of the five
phone.
sharp points of the torx, the edges
The MacBook Air and mid-2009
are curved.
MacBook Pros have a slightly
The 54-bit driver kit from iFixit.
larger pentalobular screw and this
com was able to claim that it could
iPhone kit will most likely strip the
take apart almost any appliance.
screws.
Now it cannot, thanks to Apple’s
Luckily iFixit has also started
new screw.
to sell a larger version of this kit
Which products are they on?
($14.95 for the MacBook Pro and
Pentalobe screws were originally
$12.95 for the MacBook Air)
introduced on the mid-2009 MacApple upset many tech tweakers
book Pros, but for reasons unknown Apple switched to a tri-wing with this new screw, but repairs
and modifications could be solved
screw instead.
with the Liberation kit mentioned
Now, the current MacBook Air
earlier or by bringing your appliships with these devious screws.
ance into Apple.
The original iPhone 4 shipped
with simple Phillips head screws,
By Luke Withy-Berry
A