Central Panther Press

January 2017
Volume 4, Issue 3

YEAR 2017
Grace Beyer
Not many people pay too much attention to
New Years, but it really is an exciting holiday. Its
the start of a new year. Here are a few random
facts about New Years Day
The most popular places to celebrate New
Years Eve are Las Vegas, Disney World, and
New York City. Internationally, the biggest
celebration is in Sydney, Australia.
The Times Square New Years Eve ball was
first dropped in 1907. The tradition has
continued ever since EXCEPT 1942 and 1943
because of wartime restrictions.
In Italy, people wear red underwear to bring
good luck to them all year long.
Almost one million people gather in New York
City on New Years Eve. Over one billion people
around the world watch the event on T.V,
After the ball drops on New Years Eve
in New York, 2,000 pounds of confetti is
dropped.
75% of New Years resolutions will be
continued throughout the first week of
January, but only 46% of resolutions
will make it through six months.
The most popular resolutions are to
lose weight, get organized, spend less
and save more, stay fit and eat
healthy, and to quit smoking.
The Chinese animal zodiac sign for 2017
is a Red Fire Chicken.

2017
By : Hannah McMahon
Happy new years everyone! Here are a 3 interesting things to know about 2017:

1. In the Chinese Zodiac 2017 is the year of the rooster.

2. According to the the Chinese Zodiac the lucky colors for the year are gold, brown and
yellow, while lucky numbers are 5, 7 and 8.
3. On August 21, 2017 a total solar eclipse will occur. This will be
the first total solar eclipse in the continental U.S since 1979.

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 Central Panther Press
January 2017 Volume 4, Issue 3

The Dickens Christmas Canon, and Hot Chocolate from The

By Miss I. Wright Polar Express. They also sang
all-time favorite Christmas carols
such as, Rudolph the Red Nosed
Reindeer.

Children were also able to get their

faces painted and take a ride in
Santas sleigh with real reindeer.

On December 3, 2016, the Annual

Dickens Christmas Fest was held at
Circle Park.

Otherwise know as A Christmas

Carol, the story was written by
Charles Dickens in 1843. It was
later adapted in 1949.

The event started off with the choir

singing, The 1st Noel/Pachelbel's

All About 2016

By Hannah McMahon

As 2017 approaches, it is time to look back at all the things that happened in 2016. Lets just say a
lot of good and bad things happened this year.

The Cubs won the World Series.

Donald Trump won the election.
The USA won 121 olympic medals.
Nasas spacecraft Juno finally entered orbit around Jupiter.
A lot of famous people died. ( R.I.P Carrie Fisher , Mahamed Ali , Debbie Reynolds , Prince , &
more. )
The tiger population increased.
The first around the world flight by a solar powered plane was completed.

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 Central Panther Press
January 2017 Volume 4, Issue 3

January 1
National Black Eyed Pea Day
January 2
National Buffet Day
National Cream Puff Day
January 3
National Chocolate Covered Cherry Day
January 4
National Spaghetti Day
January 5
National Whipped Cream Day
January 6
National Shortbread Day
January 7
National Tempura Day
January 8
National English Toffee Day
January 9
National Apricot Day
January 10
National Bittersweet Chocolate Day
January Holidays!
By Lizzy McQuillan
January 11
National Milk Day
January 12
National Glazed Doughnut Day
January 13
National Gluten-Free Day
January 14
National Hot Pastrami Sandwich Day
January 15
National Fresh Squeezed Juice Day
National Strawberry Ice Cream Day
January 16
International Hot and Spicy Food Day
January 17
National Hot Buttered Rum Day
January 18
National Gourmet Coffee Day
January 19
National Popcorn Day
January 20
National Cheese Lovers Day
January 21
National Granola Bar Day
January 22
National Southern Food Day
January 23
National Pie Day
January 24
National Peanut Butter Day
Lobster Thermidor Day
January 25
National Irish Coffee Day
January 26
National Peanut Brittle Day
January 27
National Chocolate Cake Day
January 28
National Blueberry Pancake Day
January 29
National Corn Chip Day
January 30
National Croissant Day
January 31
National Hot Chocolate Day

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 Central Panther Press
January 2017 Volume 4, Issue 3

February Calendar Shrove Tuesday/ Mardi Gras- Mardi Gras is a

by Miss I. Wright
Every now and again you find a holiday that
you are curious to learn about. Down below
are some famous holidays and what they mean.
Groundhog Day- Thousands of years ago many
people in Germany thought that the badger had
the ability to predict the coming of spring.
They watched the badger to see when to plant
their crops. When German immigrants settled
in Pennsylvania however, they figured out
that the myth is wrong. Since their arent
many badgers in Pennsylvania, they were
substituted to groundhogs. Punxsutawney Phil
was chosen to be the official groundhog on
February 2, 1887. This holiday is also
celebrated in Canada.
Christian and Catholic holiday celebrated on
February 28th. It was first held in 1703. It
signifies the last day before the long fast
for Lent, which is known as Ash Wednesday. As
a part of tradition,
parades are held. People
participate in the
customary parade throw
where small trinkets are
thrown from parade floats.
Many people are dressed in
elaborate and colorful costumes. One of the
famous tradition is the King Cake. The King
Cake is a circular cake with a hollowed out
center (like a Bundt cake). When the baker
makes the cake he/she put a small trinket,
such a tiny Baby Jesus inside of the cake. If
you get the slice of cake with the trinket,
you are the King for the next Mardi Gras.

National Freedom Day- National Freedom Day Valentines Day- Valentines day is
is a celebration honoring Abraham Lincoln for celebrated on February 14th. On this day
signing the proposal for the 13th Amendment. people show their love and affection towards
The Amendment was established on December 18, others. Things such as pink,red, hearts,
1865, outlawing slavery. Although it wasnt arrows, and Cupid. Many
an official law, the first tribute was held people named Valentine are
on February 1, 1942. President Harry Truman honored this day in history.
later made National Freedom Day an official Emperor Claudius II
holiday on June 30, 1948. assassinated two men named
Valentine on February 14th
in 300 A.D. The Catholic
Church later named this day St. Valentine's
Day in their honor.

Chinese New Year

By: Ryan OMalley and Paul Lieske

This year the Chinese New Year begins on Saturday, January 28th and lasts 15 days. The animal for
this year is the Rooster. People clean throughout their houses as they call it sweeping the dust, and it
represents a time to put away old things, say goodbye to the old year, and welcome the new year. It's probably
a good idea to have earplugs, too, because as soon as the new year comes, a barrage of fireworks are set off
all throughout China. Even children participate with setting off fireworks. A tradition is to give people money in
red envelopes.The Chinese New Year concludes with a Lantern Festival. They release lanterns into the sky.
Central Panther Press
January 2017 Volume 4, Issue 3
4
 10 Ways to Spend Your Winter (with Bad Drawings)
By Noah Flores
Have you ever woken up on a cold # 5 : HOLIDAY SONGS!! # 2 : Eugene Krabs
winter day, wondering what you might
do that day? Well, Im going to be
helping you find out what to do this cold
winter! Enjoy!

# 10 : Well, we all expected this one,

SNOWMEN!!!
# 4 : DRAWING / COLORING!!
# 3 : St. Nick (Santa Claus)

# 4 : Mother Nature
# 9 : SNOWBALL FIGHTS!!!
# 3 : READING!!

(keep in mind I made this part when it

# 8 : HOT CHOCOLATE!!! was raining non-stop)
# 2 : THE COUNTDOWN TO THE
And # 5 : Me and all of my editors
NEW YEAR!!

# 7 : WINTER SHOPPING /
CHRISTMAS SHOPPING!!!

Before we say our #1 way to spend the Okay then the NUMBER ONE way to
winter, we would like to give a couple of spend your winter is
honorable mentions. with FRIENDS!!
# 1 : Frosty the Snowman

# 6 : SLEEPING!!

Fin.

Central Panther Press

January 2017 Volume 4, Issue 3
5
Fast food RUMORS! Chicken McNuggets
By: Aidan Harling
There are way too many fast food myths
including hot dogs and chicken McNuggets. I have
limited it to 2 myths. one for chicken McNuggets, and
one for hot dogs.
Now, I think personally that McNuggets are not
made with this so called Pink slime. Thanks to
Mythbuster host Grant Imahara, we can find out.
According to an ad campaign by McDonald's known
as,Our food, your questions Their chicken, burgers,
and fish are 100% real.
The way this pink slime was made and used
according to ABC news in 2012, is it was used in beef
products around the time of 2012 as a beef additive to
give it more flavor and texture. The way it was
supposedly made was, that the beef company would
take the unwanted parts of the animal. These
unwanted parts would then be used for the slime.
The parts were thrown in a grinder to make a form of
this pink slime. But theyre not done yet, the slime is
then processed through chemicals to give it taste. The
slime was put into real beef or chicken. If you ate
supermarket meat in 2012, you probably ate this. 90%
real meat and 10% pink slime. What a disgrace to
food.
This Pink Slime is still used in meat today,
but not as much. The fact they still use this disgusts
me. In England it is banned for human consumption.
That does not mean it is still not fed to animals. Yes,
this goo made from unwanted parts of an animal is still
fed to animals in certain foods like, some dog food
and some cat food.
In conclusion, this Pink slime is still used in
some foods, but it had been completely eradicated in
McDonalds products.
Sidenote: I meant to do hotdogs for this but I
was way too grossed out to keep studying.

A Review of Yuri on Ice

By Marion Isaac
After his defeat last year not even qualifying for the Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final, Yuri Katsuki
decides to quit figure skating. He finishes college abroad in Detroit and returns home to Japan, where he hasnt
been in 4 years. Upon his return, Yuri visits his childhood friend Yuko at the ice rink. "Ice Castle Hasetsu"
perfectly mimics an advanced skating routine performed by famous Russian figure skater Victor Nikiforov, who
is Yuri's idol. Victor becomes interested, flies from Kyushu to Japan, and quits being a skater to become Yuris
coach. Together with Victor, Yuri aims to win the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating series as he battles against
his rival, Yuri Plisetsky, a 15-year-old rising star skater from Russia.

My review of this anime: it was really cute and funny. Yuri vs. Yuri is such a fun battle to watch. As Yuri
Katsuki comes out of his shell to meet people and take more chances in his career, he makes crazy friends and
more acquaintances. He becomes more cheerful as his hometown roots for his victory; he is not alone in his
fight to win. Additionally Yuri Plisetsky learns the values of others. This anime helps to build confidence in
something you believe can happen, and to put hard work into something you worked for. It takes month to
years, not days, to accomplish things and people can help you accomplish them if you believe in yourself.
Central Panther Press
January 2017 Volume 4, Issue 3

6
 Miss I. Wrights Teen Scoop thing for another. For example, The Dress was
Are you a teen that wants to know all of the a very popular topic among many Americans.
latest trends? Well look no further! Dont forget Many thought it was white
to read every single edition to stay caught up and beige, while it was
on the latest news! actually black and blue.
Now, people are believing
The Hottest Trends of 2016- that Clorox toilet bowl
Bomber Jackets cleaners are LUSH bath bombs. Bath bombs are
Chokers a mixture dry ingredients, when dropped, they
Over the Knee Boots will fizz. This goes to show that you need to
Velvet read the label before buying anything.
Jumpsuits
Pins and Patches Stars That Will Always Shine-
Ripped Denim In 2016, we lost many famous people. From
High Necklines actresses, to boxers, to singers, these stars will
Suede always shine.
White Sneakers
Holographic Glitter Debbie Reynolds Florence Henderson
Gene Wilder Noel Neill
Christina Grimmie Muhammed Ali
The Kylie Jenner Effect- Carrie Fisher Barbara Tarbuck
Instagrams matte lipstick army, The Kylie George Michael Alan Thicke
Jenner Effect, is growing. Her sold out matte John Glenn Peter Vaughan
lipstick had a hand in the 553% increase Prince Sir George Martin
increase in searches for nude lipstick and the Nancy Reagan
and the 267% increase in searches for matte
lipstick. Matte and nude lipsticks are now all Trim, Paint, Repeat- Take a look at the Top 10
the rage. These lipsticks are popping everywhere Nail Trends of 2016
including Miami, New York, Chicago, and Seattle. Holographic Nails Oil Slick Nails
One full makeup kit can cost up to $280.00. Kylie Jenner Lip-Kit Themed Nails
Iridescent Nails Mirror Nails
The Bomb.com- Marbled Nails Nail Contouring
People have a very long history of mistaking Gold Nails Nail Bracelets
one Quilted Nails

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 Central Panther Press
January 2017 Volume 4, Issue 3

Live On News News News:
Fine Arts in Life
Wonder Linens - Hi everybody,
its me Wonder here on a cold and
sunny day in Evergreen Park,
Illinois, and today I am going to be
handing the microphone over to a
Central Middle School student
named Aliyah. She is going to be
talking about fine arts in life and
how we need to appreciate them.
So here she is.
to respect. Now I am going to tell One of Vincent Van Goghs fine
you some famous and well-known arts look like this -
artists who have made or created
some type of fine art then show
you each of their work. Some
famous and well-known artists are
Picasso, Donatello, Leonardo Da
One of Gustav Klimts fine arts look
Vinci, Vincent Van Gogh, and
like this -
Gustav Klimt.
One of Picassos fine arts look like
this -

Aliyah Polk - Thank you, Wonder.

Hi everybody, my name is Aliyah Aliyah Polk - Ok now that you
Polk. I am an 8th grader at Central
have seen all the beautiful art by
Middle School and today I am
One of Donatellos fine arts look the very skilled artists please
going to be talking about fine arts.
like this - notice fine arts in life and
The reason I wanted to talk to guys
appreciate them. See you later,
about fine arts is because it is a
guys.
very important aspect in life. So
about fine arts. Let me explain
Wonder Linens - Thank you,
what it is first. Fine arts is basically
Aliyah, for that valuable information
art that is meant to be shown. It is
on fine arts. Ok, that ends today!
visual and creative art. Fine arts
See you guys next time!!
also gives you a chance to express One of Leonardo Da Vincis fine
yourselves through creativity. Next, arts look like this -
why we should appreciate fine
arts? We should appreciate fine
arts because again it is a very
important in life and many people
sometimes judge other peoples
creativity and creativity and fine
arts is something

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 Central Panther Press
January 2017 Volume 4, Issue 3

The Sports Section

College Football Playoffs Finally, we reached the big game: Alabama v.
Tadhg Scanlon Clemson, the rematch we had all been waiting for.
Soon after the first Alabama touchdown, people
This season in NCAA football many smelled victory. Bo Scarbrough seemed nearly
unstoppable and Alabama's defense were starting
powerhouses failed to win the big game. Colleges
to slow the fast-paced Clemson. By the fourth
like Louisville, who most people thought were sure
quarter, Clemson trailed 24-14. Down ten, Clemson
National Championship contenders, were handed an
needed something, fast. Alabama seemed to start
L.. By the end of the season, four teams were left
playing conservatively. Less of what we knew and
in the bracket. Alabama, a football team with a
more of a protective formation. Not only were they
history of winning and a national powerhouse. Ohio
playing with less aggression, they also lost their
State, another college with a rich history. Clemson,
star running back, Bo Scarbrough. After about a
looking for their first title since 1981. And fInally
minute Clemson scored. After a few series back
Washington, probably the biggest underdog in the
and forth, Clemson scored again with 5 minutes
bracket.
left. They took the lead 28-24. Alabama gained the
In the first game, Alabama dominated
lead back quickly with an end zone run. In what
Washington. This was not a surprise to many.
was a storybook finish, Clemson drove down the
Alabamas pure strength ran over all of their
field. With seconds left, Deshaun Watson rolled
opponents this year. The final score was 24-7.
out and hit Hunter Renfrow with 1 second left on
In a game that was thought to be close,
the clock. Beating their opponent and sparking a
Clemson blew out Ohio State. The speed and skill of
rivalry between Clemson and Alabama. Final score
Clemson surprised Ohio. After an explosive first
35-31.
half, Clemson continued their domination for a
final score of 31-0.

Chicago Sports Trades could be possible
Leo Cassidy as well and injuries, so the
lineup could change. The
backups are..
Bulls
The Bulls could Isaiah Canaan G
have a good year. Michael Carter Williams G
Their lineup is.. Denzel Valentine G
Nikola Mirotic F
Rajon Rondo PG Doug Mcdermott F
Dwyane Wade Bobby Portis F
SG Cristiana Felico F/C
Jimmy Butler SF
Taj Gibson PF Blackhawks
Robin Lopez C
The Chicago Blackhawks
are in first place, keeping
a grudge. The Hawks have a great shot of making it to the
playoffs. Patrick Kane is having difficulty with only 8 goals
in 30 games. However, the Hawks are off to a good start.
Sox
The Sox are making a big trade. The star Sox player, Chris
Sale is gone. He was traded to The Red Sox for the two
big prospects, and people think the Red Sox traded too
much. They also trading the Center Fielder Adam Eaton to
the Washington Nationals, also for prospects.
Bears
The Bears have absolutely no chance to make the
playoffs. Very sad, but like they say, there is always next
year. The Bears are even projected to be the worst team in
2017 and 2018. The season ends and they have the third
pick of the draft. Many people hope for a quarterback, and
I do too.

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 Central Panther Press
January 2017 Volume 4, Issue 3

Reviews

by Miss I. Wright
Are you sporty? Girly? In the middle?
Well visit Fashion Geek! They have three
locations at 69 E 16th STREET CHICAGO, IL
60616, 2148 95th STREET CHICAGO, IL 60643,
and 17663 Torrence Ave, Lansing, IL 60438.
Fashion Geek was started by brothers, Alonzo
and Alan Jackson in 2005. They have a variety
of colors, styles, sizes, and designs. All kids and
teens should visit their store in Beverly at, 2148
95th STREET CHICAGO, IL 60643.
. The items I have include the heather gray
college pullover hoodie, heather gray GEEK Toon
t-shirt, red and green GEEK hat, and the pink
GEEK zip hoodie.

Tuber Simulator Game review by Brendan Farrell

Tuber Simulator

This game is fun, interactive,and a great time killer, it has a rating of 4.8 on the play store. Yes that's right it's
Tuber Simulator

Tuber Simulator allows players to become YouTubers with Pewdiepie as their guide. You get views and subs
as ranking and currency to buy fun items like a camptosaurus, radioactive waste, and Pewdiepie's pets Maya
and Edgar. Personally, I really like the game. It gives players a chance to do something that usually can cost
hundreds of dollars totally free. There is also the thing that keeps you playing: every time you level up you gain
new items to place around your room. That's just the basics of Tuber Simulator.

10
 Central Panther Press
January 2017 Volume 4, Issue 3

World War I After that the Ottomans had a secret treaty with the
Germans, and they helped the Germans in the war.
By Michael Cihocki Near the end of the war, the French fell and the
Russians fell, but the British were still fighting but not
World War I started in 1914 when the assassination of
doing well. The U.S was hearing about this and they
Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austro-Hungary was
were worried if the Germans would win the world war.
assassinated by Gavrilo Princip, a Siberian nationalists
The U.S sent a message to Germany saying if you kill
with a secret military force of Seria. The
one single American, we declare war on your country.
Austro-Hungarians were mad, and so they sent the
Germans, their closest allies, a note saying if we attack
One day there was a U.S ship going to England, and
Syria can you back us up? And if Russia attacks us
then the Germans sent a submarine and the Germans
because we attacked Syria, than attack the Russians.
sunk the ship killing Americans. The U.S trained
Austro-Hungary sent an attack on Syria, and Russia
troops and sent them to Europe to help England in the
was mad, so the Germans were involved in the war.
Western Front. The U.S forces helped the British a lot
in the war, and that is what caused them to win the
Then the French heard about the war, so they decided
war. If it wasn't for the United States getting involved
to help Russia, and that made the Germans turn
with the war, the Allied Forces would have lost. The
against France and Russia. Germany sent troops to
Allied Forces won the war with thousands of casualties
France and Belgium to fight France. While they were
in the war, and the Germans lost many of their
marching through Belgium, the British told the
soldiers in the war. The win for the Allies left
Germans to get out of Belgium or else. The Germans
Germany's army to decrease to a certain amount of
ignored the British and the British declared war on
men. They had to redraw the borders after the war
Germany because they did not get out of Belgium, and
because Germany took a little bit of land from the
they wanted to help France, so they helped France in
French. The Allies won the war, and the war changed
the trenches fighting the Germans.
Europe.

Archduke Franz Ferdinand

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 Central Panther Press
January 2017 Volume 4, Issue 3

Greek God Parent Quiz Question 5: When you get homework, what
do you do?
By Olivia OKeefe
A) Swim first, do homework second
B) You try it, but ultimately decide its
Question 1: What is your favorite place in
too hard, and go do something else
the house?
C) Tear it up and party
A)The bathtub
D) You dont do it, and give an
B)In front of a mirror
elaborate excuse the next day about
C)By grapes
why you do not have it
D)A doorway with a trip wire
E) You do it right away, homework isnt
E)In a library
a big deal.

Question 2: What is your favorite thing to

Question 6: Your parents get you a new
do in your down time?
phone, what do you do?
A) Swimming
A) Immediately reset the background
B) Putting on makeup
on it to something blue, or beachy
C) Partying
B) Text all of your friends right away on
D) Playing pranks on people
how awesome your new phone is
E) Reading a book
C) Throw a party
D) Prank call your friend, parent, or
Question 3: What is your favorite animal?
siblings
A) A dolphin, all sea life
E) You ignore it for the moment and
B) Animals are gross, other than doves
finish what you are doing
C) Leopard
D) Snake
E) Owl
If you answered mostly As, your parent
is Poseidon, the god of the sea!!!
Question 4: What type of clothes do you
wear?
If you answered mostly Bs, your parent
A) All blue, Bathing suits
is Aphrodite, the goddess of love!!
B) Whatevers in fashion
C) Purple
If you answered mostly Cs, your parent
D) Black, with a ski mask
is Dionysus, the god of wine!!!
E) Whatever
If you answered mostly DS, your parent
is Hermes, the trickster god!!!

If you answered mostly Es, your parent is

Athena, the goddess of wisdom and battle
strategy!!!

12

January 2017 Volume 4, Issue 3
Superhero School
By Aine Hynes
To refresh your memory,
this is what happened last
time
It was the last day of fifth
grade for Rachel, John, and Kenny
and they were dying to get outside
to go to their secret meeting spot, a
treehouse in Johns yard, to
celebrate the start of summer and
the transition to middle school.
When the bell finally rang, the trio
bolted to Johns yard only a couple
blocks away, and ripped open the
report cards. They stared at them
in awe. A piece of paper
proclaimed them to be going to a
school for superheroes . The
letters said, Congratulations,
you have been accepted to
The School For
Superheroes. There you
will receive your powers
and heroes you will be a
sidekick for. When you
graduate, you will become a
superhero with your own
new student sidekick. Go to
your usual bus stop at 9:45,
the bus will be coming at
precisely 10:00. Sincerely,
The Principal.
We should ask our parents
before we go tomorrow, Rachel
said.
We will, John and Kenny
replied.
I hope we get to design our
own suit, Kenny said.
Central Panther Press
Authors Among us
The kids went home to their
houses and received permission to
go to superhero school. The next
morning they woke up, packed
their bags and went to the bus
stop. As promised, 15 minutes later
a bus pulled up and asked for them
to climb aboard. When they pulled
up to the school, a boxy gray
building, they found that the boys
would be sharing a dorm room and
that Rachel would be by herself in
a room down the hall. They settled
in and unpacked right away. Then
John and Kenny met Rachel to go
down to lunch. When they got to
the cafeteria, they saw older kids
with suits on and kids their age
looking scared and anxious. After
lunch the kids would decide their
superpowers and receive their hero
assignments based on their
powers. Kenny became Morph
Boy, sidekick to Metamorphosis.
Rachel transformed into Brain,
sidekick to Mind Bender. And John
became Zoom, sidekick to... No
one?
That evening the trio met
up in John and Kennys room to
discuss the current situation.
Kenny and Rachel found out that
John was going to see the principal
tomorrow morning.
He wants to ask me how I
became so powerful, said John.
Well, just tell him about
having the fastest Olympic runners
train you, Kenny said.
I will, but, do you think hell
believe me? John replied.
Im sure hes heard of your
dad and how famous he is. Thats
how he got all the runners to train
you. You can also show him the
picture of you and Usain Bolt,
Rachel said.
When John got back from
the principals office Kenny and
Rachel were there waiting for him.
Im not in trouble, John
said, hes going to give me private
training sessions to help me control
my abilities. Oh, and one more
thing. When I asked, he told me we
do get to design and make our own
suits.
In the morning the new
children woke up and headed to
breakfast. During breakfast an
announcement came that after
breakfast the new kids at school
would meet their superhero and
design their suits to match and
contrast their heros suit.
When the kids got out of
making suits and meeting their
mentors, they went back to their
rooms, and John saw a letter
summoning him to the principals
office. He got there, and the
principal greeted him with a warm
smile.
Are you ready to begin
learning how to control your
powers? Im still in shock at how
powerful they are with no training
except for running training.
My father was training me
for the Olympics right before I got
invited to come here for school.
Continued on the next page.
13
 Central Panther Press
January 2017 Volume 4, Issue 3

Authors Among us
Superhero School
By Aine Hynes
(continued from previous page)
After that discussion John was ready to train. When he sprinted, he could run two miles in five seconds
each.Even when he was sprinting, his power gave him incredible stamina; he wasnt even winded. Although the
practice was pretty easy for him, after John practiced for an hour, he felt strangely tired. He was tired as if
someone had attached a tube to him and used his energy to fuel a great machine.

John went back to his room and saw Kenny and Rachel sitting on the carpet. He explained his tiredness
to them. Maybe the principal is only pretending to train you, Rachel said, he could really be sapping your
powers.
I could morph into something that could get me into his office and find out what his motives are,
Kenny replied.
Thanks, but you could get in a lot of trouble, possibly expelled for doing that, John worried.
Its worth it though, Kenny retorted, What if he goes too far and starts to sap your regular running
strength so much that you cant walk. I have to go... To be continued.

THE NIGHT ON CHRISTMAS EVE 2 No I didnt. Jake replied

By: Leo C & Savannah C
Previously on The Night On Christmas Eve
But to their surprise, there was not even a speck of
wrapping paper. Frightened and disappointed, the kids
went to wake their parents. Jake, to the parents
surprise, wasnt as disappointed, but full of joy. And so
the mystery began.
Who stole the presents was it Ted or
Jake????
Why did they steal the presents???
Read on to find out
Mom woke up, hopped out of bed and to her surprise
there were no presents under the tree, not even a
speck of wrapping paper.
Oh my, where are all the presents? Mom said with a
confused look on her face.
Jake took them Mommy, Jake took them! Lily cried
while pointing at Jake.
The whole day went by and no one confessed to
stealing the presents. Lily walked around the house
with a disappointed look on her face. Jake was on the
phone talking to Ted. Mom and Dad looked at the tree
with confused looks on their faces. Where could the
presents have gone?
Finally, someone yelled I did it, I took the presents!
But who? The mom and dad were appalled at the face
they saw, walking down the stairs
It was Lily. She walked down the stairs with a regretful
look on her face. Jake was surprised, and so were
Mom and Dad.
Why, would you steal all the presents? Mom asked.
Because.
Why did Lily steal the presents? What was the
reason? You decide..

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 Central Panther Press
January 2017 Volume 4, Issue 3
Authors Among us
The Foolish Garage
By Jasmine Green
Once upon a time, there lived a group of 4 kids
that went by the names of Jackie, Michael,
Ella, and Ronald. They lived in a small town
called Creepsville. There was a legend about
this old, creepy garage that was in Creepsville.
A group of bikers used to go there and rest.
One day something terrible happened, they all
disappeared. So, one cold, gloomy day, the
four kids were walking past the garage.
Hey, you guys isnt this the old, creepy garage
that my Grandpa Joe talks about, because if it
is then we picked the wrong the day to walk
past here, said Michael. They all looked up
into the dark, dreary, dusk-looking sky. It got
even darker and the air seemed to get mistier
and foggier.
Come on you guys, we should probably
leave, said Ronald with a tremble in his voice.
Ron had always been the scared one, but he
was also always the smartest.
Dont be such a wimp Ron, you have to Man
up.
Yeah!, said all the others.
Well actually, scientists say that theres a
90% chance that
Oh shut-up Ron, youre always so sciency and
geeky. They all started to argue with Ron when
suddenly, the garage started to rumble.
Run!!!!shouted Ron. They all ran to Ellas
house because it was the closest to the
garage. You would think that they would want
to be farther away from the rumbling garage.
They hung out at Ellas house until their
parents called and said that it was time for
them to come home.
A couple of days later, they heard the same
noise. Inside, all four of them-even Ron- were
thinking about going into the garage. They
ignored their urge to go into the garage. Next
week they called each other to the garage to
check it out. Ella brought a metal spatula and
a hammer. Jackie brought a spoon and fork.
Ronald brought a knife (plastic because he
wasnt tough enough to bring a real one), and
Michael brought a mixing whisk.
Ready guys?
Yes were are the fantastic four, said the
whole group. When they opened the garage
they saw something unbelievable..
ITS A SQUIRREL! they all shouted. They went
in and inspected the garage. There were lots of
acorns in a bowl on top of some storage
boxes. They could see clearly what was
causing all the ruckus now. The squirrel was
collecting acorns for the winter and putting
them into a bowl on top of some boxes. In
order for him to reach the bowl then, he had to
climb on top of a table with a radio on it. His
feet were so big that they touched lots of
buttons on the radio. The radio was so loud
that it made the garage rumble. But the only
unanswered question was how did the two
bikers just disappear one day?
They did some research on it and it turns out
that they left one morning to catch a flight to
another state and never returned because they
loved it there.
Well, I guess next time we should just check
things out before going all ninjago on things,
said Ella.
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Yeah, agreed said the other boys.

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 Central Panther Press
January 2017 Volume 4, Issue 3

Authors Among us
Back to School
Chapter 1: The Start of Bully Town
Do you know how it's really like?said Nathan.
Yeah, I mean life when you're in fifth grade? said Ethan. Its either really hard or easy. It can be fun or
not. For me its both hard and um not easy, but its fun and all the time not. I think the biggest problem is that
there are bullies. His name is Big Cal. I know, I know, you might be thinking of the Big Cal movie that came
out, but it is nothing like that at all, and I mean it. I cross my empty heart. The end.
Well if you stop writing now, then you will never have a career when you're older.
ack to School. I don't really
I'm just kidding, its not the end, probably never. I'm writing a book called B
know what it is about, but I'll find out sooner or later.

By Nathan Johnson

THE COLOR OF BLOOD
by Oliver Richmeier
Entry 1
So Ive decided to start a diary.
Not too sure why, I suppose I just
wanted to kill some time, and Im not
too sure of what to write about either. It
would make sense to start out by giving
a brief introduction of myself. My name
is Mark McKinley, and I am 8 years old.
I would describe myself, but Ive never
been good at that sort of thing, so Ill
just go off of what my father says. He
says I am quite intelligent for my age,
and that I am one of the only kids that
can fluently read and write, though
theres nothing much to read. I have a
brother named David who is 11. We get
along pretty well, which is anything but
the norm for siblings nowadays.
Well, I have to go to training
hours. Ill write about it when I get back.
Entry 2
Just got back home. If youre
reading this, youre probably wondering
what training hours are, so Ill explain
it to the best of my ability. It takes up to
6 hours of our day, and is designed to
train us for the real world, hence the
name training hours. It is divided into this up in a conversation, everybody
2 main segments, Knowledge Booster
and Physical Ability Booster. They are
each a little less than 3 hours long,
leaving about 30 minutes for a meal
break. The first half of the day is spent
in a room with a giant screen in front of
us that teaches us information
necessary for life in the real world. We
are each hooked up to machines which
monitor our thoughts while we are
watching the films. The government
says that they do this to make sure we
are always paying attention, but my
father says that they do this to prevent
unorthodox thoughts. Whenever I ask
him what that means, his reply is
always, Youll find out soon enough.
After this comes the daily meal.
Its just a large piece of something.
They wont tell us what, and I dont
have the words to describe the taste of
it, but its the same color as everything
else. Thats another thing I should
probably mention; everything here is
the color of blood. We havent been
taught the names of any colors, but I do
know that everything in this town is the
same color as our blood - the ground,
the sky, the sides of buildings, the walls
of our home. Whats more is I seem to
be the only one who notices it.
Whenever I bring
else seems so surprised. Anyway, lets
get back to the topic of training hours.
The 3-or-so hours is spent
improving our physical shape and our
athletic ability. One part is designed to
boost our growth. We are to lay down
on these long tables with our arms in
the back of our head. A machine grabs
both of our hands, another grabs our
feet, and they both begin pulling in the
opposite direction. They tell us that this
stretches our bodies out and allows
growth at a healthier rate. It feels
again, I dont have the words to
describe how it feels. Maybe we just
havent been taught those words yet, or
maybe they just dont exist. Whatever
the word I am looking for is, it would be
the same word Id use to describe the
taste of the lunches, if that makes any
sense.
We also do plenty of exercises
in the physical ability booster class.
Generally, they have us do them for as
long as we possibly can. I cant seem to
remember what happens in the end. I
just remember seeing nothing for quite
a bit of time, and then it is suddenly
time to go home.
So that is what happens during
training hours. I have to go to bed now,
Ill write more tomorrow.
Continued on next page

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January 2017 Volume 4, Issue 3
THE COLOR OF BLOOD
by Oliver Richmeier
Continued from previous page
Entry 3
Every once in awhile, my father
tells David and me stories about this
place he calls the imaginary world. It
is a place completely different from the
one we live in today. In this world, there
are many other colors, and they all
have names. Trees are brown at the
trunk, and, most of the time, their
leaves are green. But in this world,
there are 4 different seasons, and
during the one called autumn, the
leaves turn all different colors and fall
off of the trees. In this world, the sky is
a color called blue, and there are
these white things called clouds. The
clouds turn gray, and they bring rain,
which he says is water falling from the
sky. During winter, it gets very cold,
and all of the rain turns into snow.
People eat three meals every day
there, unlike our world, where kids eat
one meal every day, and adults simply
swallow one capsule before they go to
sleep. I ask him where he came up with
all of this, and he says it comes to him
while he is sleeping. He says that
almost every night he dreams about the
imaginary world, wishing he were in it. I
seem to have picked up the same habit.
In this world, when people
worked, they were rewarded with
money, which they could redeem for
various items. He says that most of
these items were not necessary, and
people only bought them for their own
amusement. However, making money
was necessary to live. There were
these things called taxes, which
people had to pay. The money used to
pay them went to the government for
various things. Today, everybody still
has to work, but as far as I know, they
dont receive any money for it.
I cant help but feel like he is
telling us these stories for a reason. I
suppose Ill find out soon enough.
Central Panther Press
Authors Among us
Entry 4
I suppose I should tell you a bit
more about my town, as the information
I have provided is rather vague. Our
town is surrounded by a giant wall. We
are taught that this wall is to protect us
from what lie beyond. They still havent
told us what lies beyond, other than that
it is very dangerous. During the first
few years of training hours, we are
taught basic math and reading skills.
Now, however, we are mainly taught
about the government and how society
works. For example, today I actually
learned that we do earn money for
working; however, the tax rate is 100%,
so all of the money we earn goes to the
government. They say that the money
goes towards keeping the citizens safe,
but that doesnt really make any sense
to me. There doesnt seem to be everybody who was living in the town at
anything to keep us safe from, other the time, but he managed to live in
than whatever lies beyond the wall. And
they also never give us any reason for
all of the surveillance, either. I dont
think Ive told you yet, but there are
security cameras hidden everywhere in
this town. I dont just mean outside, but
in our own homes. Theres not a single
place we cant be seen and heard -
well, except for the bathroom, but they
wouldnt allow two people to go in there
at once. We are told that if you break
rules at any time, there will be a loud
alarm, and police will arrive shortly at
your house, or wherever you are, to
arrest you. In fact, now that I think
about it, none of this really makes any
sense. We really arent being taught
anything new or useful; it seems like
the same ideas are being forced upon
us over and over again. We are just told
about how good the government is and
how important it is that they have so
much power, but we are never told why
they are so good, or why they need all
of this power.
Wait a minute. I just thought of
something.
Maybe the imaginary world
was once real.
Central Panther Press
Entry 5
I dont have much time to write.
Theyre trying to find me. Ill try to
explain to the best of my ability what
has happened in the last few hours.
I finally decided to ask my
father the question that I had been
asking myself.
Is the imaginary world real?
He looked like he was about to
answer, but then he suddenly broke
down in tears and ran into the
bathroom. I came running after him into
the bathroom, asking what was wrong,
before quickly telling me to shut the
door. Then, he explained everything.
When he was 6, the revolution
began. The imaginary world was simply
the world of the past, before all of these
changes were made. They tried to kill
hiding for quite a while. Once they
believed everyone was dead, they had
a huge supply of newborns, who were
each assigned to their own house and
were raised being taught everything
that I am taught now. My father
managed to sneak into one of these
houses. Once those children grow up,
they are assigned their own children to
take care of. My father is the only one
who was still alive after the revolution.
Until today, he was the only one who
knew of everything that had happened.
Once he was finished, I started running.
He called for me to stop, but I couldnt
control myself. I ran out of the house,
into the streets, and to the other side of
the town. They know where I am.
Theyre looking for me this very minute,
I can hear sirens in the distance. I dont
know where Im going to go, but I have
to get moving now.
Entry 6
I made it all the way to the end
of the town, where the giant wall is.
During the whole run there, I was
thinking about society. I now know why
I couldnt find the words to describe the
Continued on next page
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 January 2017 Volume 4, Issue 3
THE COLOR OF BLOOD
by Oliver Richmeier
Continued from previous page
taste of the food, or the way the
physical ability booster classes felt. We
were never to be taught those words.
We were only taught words like good
and great because they didnt want us birds, foxes, and animals of all sorts I
to be able to describe our true feelings
on society. We also werent taught
about colors because they didnt want
us to see diversity, and they killed
everyone before the revolution so that
no one would ever know that diversity
once existed; so that no one would ever
know that freedom once existed.
I thought about this the whole
run, and when I got to the giant wall, it
was made out of a weak material; I
could break it with my bare hands! It
could never stop something, or
someone, from coming through. I broke
through the wall, and I saw something
Ill never forget. It was a vast forest;
something straight out of the imaginary
Authors Among us
world. For the first time ever, I saw
other colors. I saw the brown trunks of
trees, and the green leaves. I saw
brown dirt on the ground, and green
grass, and blue streams of water. Once
I got out farther, the blueness of the sky
became more apparent, and I could
even see a cloud or two. There were
even other living creatures; squirrels,
daytime, the town was green, yellow,
thought I never wouldve seen!
I was so filled with joy that Id
almost forgot the reason I came here.
Suddenly, all I could hear was the
sound of loud sirens behind me. I ran
as fast as I possibly could into the
woods, until all I could see was nothing.
Entry 7
This will be the last entry I
write. I had a plan. I didnt care if it
would cost me my life, I had to do it. My
plan was to take plants from the forest
of all different colors and cover the town
with them. I took green leaves
and grass, and flowers of all sorts with
me. The walk back took ages, I must
have run many miles out. But soon
enough, I could see the giant wall
again, still that same color that I thought
Id never have to see again. It
was night, and the town was on full
alert, so I had to be quick yet stealthful,
and quick yet stealthful I was. Before
purple, and plenty of other colors, and I
was still alive. I went back to my house
as if nothing had ever happened. That
was my mistake. There waiting for me
were many cars of police officers. I
could make no attempt to flee, there
was no doubt theyd catch me. I had no
choice but to turn myself in. I am
currently sitting in the back of a police
car. I dont know where they are taking
me, or what will happen to me, but I
overheard one of them saying that they
were going to have to paint the town
red again. I wish I knew what color red
is.
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 Central Panther Press
January 2017 Volume 4, Issue 3

Cartoon Corner

By Noah Valdez

20
 Central Panther Press
January 2017 Volume 4, Issue 3

Cartoon Corner

21