Newsletter Team
best. The reason I say this is because once my class came to NHMS, test scores grew rapidly.
Athletically, almost all of our sports teams have had winning seasons, including this year’s
football team's undefeated season.
I was nervous when I started at NHMS because all I had heard from people was that it is
terrible. Former students told me things like, “I hope you have a better experience than I did.”
But when I got here, I realized that it wasn’t as bad as I had heard. In fact, it was kind of great. I
did have some ups and downs, but overall I have really enjoyed my time here. I got involved in
the right things. My 6th grade year I was inducted into Beta and spent my time going to
meetings and preparing for conventions. Eventually, I had the honor of being named Beta Club
President. In my 7th grade year, I joined the news team. I played football and baseball both my
7th and 8th grade years. I also took honors classes this year.
As I think about some of the memories at NHMS I quickly realized that I have many great ones.
For example, I have made a lot of new friends that went to different elementary schools. I will
also never forget playing on the undefeated football team. We got to ride in a parade down Main
Street in Jefferson. Our pep rallies before our homecoming games were the best. I also have
great memories of the Beta conventions I attended in 6th and 7th grade. I had great times with
my friends on those trips.
It has been an honor to serve as the News Team Editor for the 2024-2025 school year. I would
like to thank Mrs. Medlin for giving me the opportunity to be the Editor. She has taught me so
much. I wish the rising 6th, 7th, and 8th graders the best of luck during your time at New
Heights.
Rayson Funderburk
What is Grief ?
by: Lyric Davis
Grief is the complex feeling that comes with losing a significant other . While grieving you feel an intense amount of overwhelming feelings . Ultimately everyone will experience grief at a point in their life , so it is important to know what grief is whether you're going through it now , someone else is , or if you're completely unaware of what it is .
Grief can impact someone's mental and physical health . When someone is grieving you can always help them . You can help them by listening , acknowledging their loss and validating their feelings . Remember to also let them know there is no right or wrong way to grieve . Everyone goes through the process differently and processes their emotions at their own pace . The best thing you can do is to listen to them.
Grief can impact you physically and emotionally. Grief as you can imagine can take a huge toll on someone's mental health that consists of sadness and shock . Grief as you know can be emotionally draining, ultimately leading it to be physical as well . You can experience fatigue , lack of energy , digestive issues , headaches and muscle tension . It's important to know that all these side effects are normal and apart of grieving a loved one .
For immediate emotional support
Regarding mental health call or text 988 .
Thorny devils
The animal that look dangerous but is harmless to us humans
By: Alonso rios
Do you like lizards like I do? What about strange and fascinating ones? If you do then I have a fascinating animal for you! Thorny devils, scientifically known as “moloch horrdius.” have the spikes as sharp as knives, and the skin of a leaf. There are four things I want to talk about these amazing creatures. Their fake head, where they live, their spikes, and where they got their name from. So, let's dive into the world of amazing creatures.
Starting off with their native habitat, The thorny devil or maybe known as “moloch horrdius” are native to australia. Devils are well-adapted to their hot,harsh environment. In extreme temperatures, they bury themselves in the sand to protect themselves from the sun. Then they use channels on their skin, located between their scales,to draw moisture from the damp sand and transport it to their mouth like a straw! Also another thing about the thorny devil is that their population is unknown.
Moving on, let's talk about their skin!! Now you might think their skin is only useful for camouflage but it's more useful! For example they can change color to help them regulate their body temperature and metabolism! In the cooler mornings, the lizards are a drab brown, becoming a lighter yellow as the temperature rises and they become more active. The lighter coloring likely helps them reflect the sun and prevents them from overheating.
Moving onto a more creepy and fascinating note. The thorny devil can also inflate their chests to make themselves look larger when faced with a threat. When they are out in the open they are either looking for food or mates.They also have a very slow and jerky walk, which is thought to confuse predators.This is because moving slowly and intermittently may help the lizards from activating a predator’s chase-and-attack response, which can happen when they spot quick-fleeing prey.
Last but not least you might wonder where did the thorny devil or maybe known the moloch horridus get their name?Thorny devils are named after a human sacrifice god. Their scientific name, Moloch horridus, was inspired by John Milton’s poem “Paradise Lost,"which references the Canaanite god Moloch — a bloodthirsty figure that requires child sacrifices. The Latin word horridus means rough, dreadful, wild or frightful.
Thorny devils are misjudged because of their appearance and name But in reality they are lovely creatures. And I hope you feel the same after reading this article.
Pangolins
The creature you never knew you needed
By Hunter Sims
Do you like Armadillos like I do? What about Anteaters? If you said yes then I have the perfect animal for you! Pangolins, sometimes referred to as “scaly anteaters” have the shell of an armadillo, and the body and tongue of an anteater. There are three things I want to cover about these cuties, their endangerment level, their appearance and relatives, and their way of surviving. So, without further ado let’s dive in
Starting on more of a sad note, the pangolin is critically endangered. This is due mostly to them being the most illegally trafficked mammal on earth! They are trafficked so much due to their scales being of high demand in the field of traditional medicine. They are eaten as a delicacy in Vietnam and China and they are even turned into boots and belts. This is highly unfortunate and I hope they don’t go extinct. However, only time will tell.
Moving on, let’s talk about their relatives and adaptations. Now you might think that their closest relative is the armadillo or the anteater. Surprisingly enough though, it’s the Mongoose! Moving on to its most obvious adaptation, It’s scales. They use them for protection from birds and other mammals. When it sleeps it curls into a tight ball, exposing none of its body. It also has claws useful for digging and fighting off predators. And on top of all that, it can run on its hind legs.
On to its way of survival. You may have noticed that I did not mention its tongue in the last section. That’s because I was saving it for this one. Its diet consists of mostly termites, which are dug out and slurped up with its claws and tongue. The pangolin is commonly hunted by Lions, Pythons and birds of prey. To defend itself, it rolls into a tight ball leaving nothing vulnerable.
Pangolins are extraordinary creatures all around. They are cute (at least to me.), cool and by far my favorite animal, and I hope they’re yours now too.
Adrianna story:
Question : Should students be allowed to use cellphones in class or school?
I think we should be allowed to have cellphones in school and I think if we vote with the whole school, mostly everyone will agree with me for the people who don't have a phone will Not agree but it's only because they don't have one so we can be nice and let them us ours if it important . Some examples are,....
What if you get in trouble with a teacher but you didn't do anything bad then we will be able to call your mom and dad to come and solve it. And what if it's a mean teacher and he or she doesn't tell the truth then you could record it so your parents will know you are not lying and that teacher could get fired for not telling the Truth.
For example, If you don't feel good or you feel sick then you can call home and see if they can come get you because, if they hear you over the phone they will know how sick you are. And sometimes the teachers don't call the nurse so now you can call your parents because if she said I got something for you to take then sand you back to class but it doesn't work so then you can call home yourself.
Also i think, if we have a fire then we can call home so they will know and we okey, and they got to come to the school house if we wouldn't
Be allowed to have phones out and they were in a book bag then how do we call home if there is a fire? no one will have a phone on them. Even the teachers and the parent will not know if we okey or not. They will be worried.
This all adds together and means my answer is yes. I think we should be allowed to have phones out in school, because you never know what's going to happen and what will happen because no one see
What's going to happen later there are many examples why we should have phones out. Do you think we should have phones out?.
