I Can Only Imagine!

On Mar. 3, 2010, my close friend and my hero, Miranda Shepard, lost her life long battle with cystic fibrosis. Cystic fibrosis is a disease that is inherited from the parents. It is a cancer that causes thick mucus to build up in the lungs causing trouble breathing. It affects 30,000 children and young adults every year in the United States. 

About a year ago, Miranda got a lung transplant to help her to be able to breathe on her own and to help her be healthy again. The lungs helped her until about Christmas 2009. Her health started to rapidly go downhill from there. Around Christmas, she was admitted into Birmingham's Children's Hospital where she stayed until she passed away. The day she died she made a decision on her own to let her doctors give her a set of shots to help her relax and so she could be pain free when she died, they said she had one to two hours to live once the shots were given, she passed away about 45 minutes after the shots were administered.  She decided this because she was tired of being in pain all of the time and she didn't want her daddy to have to sit and watch her suffer while there was nothing he could do. Miranda was 13 years old when she died.

Every morning before my dad went to work he would send a text message to Miranda's dad and say a few words of encouragement to him. Wednesday morning before she passed away, my dad text him these words, "J.J., if she goes don't forget she will be in a better place with better people." He replied, "Burt, I'm just not ready to let her go." Little did he know that he was about to have to face just that. These words my dad sent to Mr. J.J. gave him the hope that when she did pass she would go to a better place.

At Miranda's funeral, her youth pastor told a story about her. He said when their youth group would go outside and have activities and play games Miranda couldn't play. You could hear Miranda inside with a microphone singing her heart out, even when it was quiet and everyone could hear her, Miranda sang. Now, every time I think about her I can hear her sing in the back of my head. Every time the same song, the same voice, I hear "I can only imagine, what it will be like. When I walk, by your side. I can only imagine, what my eyes will see, when I see Your face is before me. I can only imagine."

Having her and another friend pass away in less than eight months makes me think that any day could be my last. Even though some days are rough and I don't feel like doing anything I need to remember that life is short and you never know when your last day will be. Treat every day like it is your last and everyone like your best friend. You never know when they are going to pass away either. Tomorrow isn't promised, and it is always a gift. "Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever."- Ghandi

By: Harlie Guy; 8th

Keeping Track of the Dolphins 

It's time for track to start. Mr. Tim Akins and Mr. Wil Tuggle are the track coaches at Gulf Shores Middle School (GSMS). Practice's started Mon. Mar. 8. The practices are on Mondays and Thursdays from 3:15 to 5:15. They have three meets this year. The first one is on Apr. 1 at Central Baldwin Middle School. Another is on Apr. 8 at Spanish Fort Middle School. The last meet is the Championship meet, which is at the Gulf Shores Sportplex on Apr. 22.  

Track has been around for a long time. The Olympic Games began in the year 776 BC, when Koroibos a cook, won the stadium race. A foot race that was 600 feet long. According to some literary traditions, this was the only athletic event of the first 13 Olympic festivals. More evidence, both literary and archaeological, says the Olympic Games have been around much longer than 776 BC. Maybe even as early as the 10th or 9th century BC. A series of bronze tripods, which have been suggested may have been used for prizes, were found around Olympia in the 9th century BC.

 From 776 BC, the games were held in Olympia every four years for about 12 centuries. More athletic events were added gradually. The athletic events were: three-foot races, the pentathlon, pugme (boxing), and plae (wrestling).

Track and field really started to take-off in the United States in the 1860s.  As track and field developed into a modern sport it was considered a purely amateur sport. Athletes were not allowed to accept training money or cash prizes. The first NCAA national championships were held for men in 1921. Women's track didn't become part of the Olympic Games until 1928. Track and field has been a huge part of the summer Olympic Games since their revival in 1896.

 Parker Mason, 8th grader, said, "I like to run track because it is good exercise and keeps me in shape and this is my first year running track."  Brandon Stewart another 8th grader, said, "It is good exercise and it is fun. This is my first year running and I am excited." Morgan Campbell, 7th grader, said, "This may be my first year running track, but I think running track is fun because I like running!" Cade Boyd another 7th grader, said, "I ran Cross Country so I am ready to run track!" By: Lauren Williams and Danielle Watts; 7th

Focus on Devin Diehl

        This week's focus is on Miss Devin Blu Diehl, a 7th grader. Devin lives with her dad, Dan Diehl in Gulf Shores, and also lives with her mom, step dad and her two step sisters and step brother. She loves to go long-boarding, golfing, surfing, and hanging at the beach! Devin played on this year's volleyball team, and loved it very much. She enjoys watching NCIS and CSI. Some of her goals are to make good grades through her school career so she can attend her favorite team's college, the University of Alabama! She loves geography and Devin has a special pillow that one of her friends made her in F.A.C.s class. "Because my friend made it, it's very special to me" said Devin. While Devin is attending the University of Alabama, she wants to study to become a doctor.

        It's her first year here at Gulf Shores and she recently moved here from Mobile, Alabama. She loves to eat at Tequilas and going to SmoothieK. Devin was voted to be on the homecoming court for GSMS for 2010. Her dad escorted her down the football field and he was very proud of her. She has a fish named Popeye. She likes to go to Target with her friends and try clothes on and take pictures with their cameras. Devin loves to go to Alabama Football games with her best friend Amber Warrington. On the weekends she goes and walks on the golf course with Emily Taylor.

        When Devin grows up she wants to travel to Fiji and take an adventure there. Her favorite movie is Forrest Gump because she loves his country accent. Devin has made a lot of friends this school year. Lauren McDonald says "I've known Devin since 4th grade because we both lived in Mobile together and transferred here at the same time. She is a great person, fun to be around, and  is always smiling."

By: Lauren Bowden and Abby Grimes 7^th

Devin Diehl, G.S.M.S. focus of the week
Photo By: Sunny Billion

Devin Diehl, G.S.M.S. focus of the week
Photo By: Sydney Ayers

Angel Dust

 Don't let the name fool you.  Angel dust (PCP) is a dangerous drug with serious short term and long term effects. Angel dust is a white crystal-like powder that has a bitter chemical taste. It is available in tablets, capsules, liquids, crystals, and powders. It can be snorted, smoked, eaten, or injected. First developed in the 1950's as a surgical anesthetic, it was discontinued in 1965 because patients sometimes became agitated, delusional and violent during recovery. Later it was used as an animal tranquilizer, but it is no longer legally manufactured in the United States. 

                PCP is called a "dissociative drug" because of the fact that it alters one's perception of sight and sound and creates a feeling of being separated from one's surroundings.  Unfortunately many people use PCP unknowingly because it is often added to other drugs such as marijuana and LSD. Short term effects when used in small doses are similar to those associated with intoxication. Shallow breathing, sweating, numbness and poor coordination are common with low doses.  When used in large doses PCP can cause hallucinations, nausea, seizures, dizziness, and drooling. In extreme cases large doses have led to comas and even death. Usually death is caused by an accident or suicide that occurs while using PCP.  When used during adolescence PCP can interfere with growth related hormones and the learning process.  PCP is addictive meaning that its use can lead to dependence. People who use the drug for a long time have reported memory loss, depression and weight loss. 

  Other names for PCP besides angel dust include rocket fuel, supergrass, killer weed, hog, whack, wave, purple rain, and even DOA. Symptoms to look for if it is suspected that someone is using PCP include dilated pupils, slurred speech, blank stare, severe mood swings, extreme strength, paranoia, and easy agitation.

By: Ashton Walther; 7th         

Painting Tiles

 In Mr. Wil Tuggle's (science teacher at Gulf Shores Middle School) 5th period class, some of the students have been taking ceiling tiles out of other classrooms and  painting pictures on the tiles for the rooms.

They are trying to draw the pictures so that relate to the teachers. For example, Ms. Woerner's ceiling tile picture could be something to do with soccer because she is the soccer coach or for Mr. Tim Akins the picture can be something to do with track because he is coaching track. The ceiling tile doesn't just have to relate to sports like for the teachers not coaching any sports, the students could draw something along the lines of what that teacher teaches or peace signs, the school symbol, or any thing relating to the school subjects. The students are trying to brighten up the school, make it more colorful and more open. Not all teachers are required to have their ceiling tiles painted they do have a say in that. The students who have been painting the ceiling tiles are Savannah Kichler, Kali Templeton, Geovanna Martin, Sai Patel, Shelby Parker, Trenton Stafford, and Olivia Helms.

Geovanna Martins said this about the project, "I think it's a great way to help the school, I've enjoyed the project and it's helped me with my painting skills. I'm happy to make the school more colorful." Sai Patel said , "I love the idea of leaving behind something in the school, I think it's a great way to liven it up and I've enjoyed painting the tiles". Kali Templeton said" The ceiling tile project has definitely brightened up the school, the teachers all have some of them ... and the thought of leaving something I did behind in the school is satisfying" 

By: Ginny Taylor; 8th   

Dolphin Canvas

This week at Gulf Shores Middle School, Mr. Austin Boyd's fifth period art class is finishing a canvas that will be hung up in the school. His class is experiencing a different way of painting. Instead of them using paint brushes or other paint materials they used their own handprints. They did this to experience a different way to paint and explore their different creative abilitled. In the picture there is a big picture of a black painted dolphin with different color handprints throughout the whole picture. Makenna Hermecz stated "The painting was really fun and I got to experience different ways to paint." Then Caroline Tilley stated "The painting was so awesome because we got to see and learn other ways to paint, and not just use paint brushes." Mr. Boyd stated "This painting will teach students they don't have to use paint brushes to paint a picture, you can use your hands, paint sponges, and other artistic materials."

        The thing that inspired Mr. Boyd to do a painting like this was Jackson Pallock. It inspired him because Pallock had different and unconventional ways to paint. They are learning more things about Pallock through some of their paintings, like he began to study painting in 1929 at the Art Students' League in New York, under the Regionalist painter Thomas Hart Benton. During the 1930's he worked in the manner of the Regionalists, being influenced also by the Mexican muralist painters (Orozco, Rivera, Siqueiros) and by certain aspects of Surrealism.

Pallock's name is also associated with the introduction of the All-over style of painting which avoids any points of emphasis or identifiable parts within the whole canvas and therefore abandons the traditional idea of composition in terms of relations among parts. The design of his painting had no relation to the shape or size of the canvas, indeed in the finished work the canvas was sometimes docked or trimmed to suit the image.

By: Tasheena Keller; 7th

Dolphin Banner painted by the hands (literally) of Mr. Boyd's
art students, Jacob Bown, Michael Caine, Christian Cook, Brooke Cooley, Lakean Epperson,
Makenna Hermecz, Erika Killian, Braxton Lipscomb, Davan Louviere, Maddie McAlister, Maryah Mixon,
David Nelson, Paisley Shook, Brandon Stewart, and Caroline Tilley
Photo By: Sunny Bill

Traveling to Europe

     All of Mrs. Debbie Kenyon's classes are working on home bound project that will help them with their knowledge of Europe, research skills, and presentation skills. The students had to select a country in Europe and act like they were going to visit that country. The students had to pick six historical places to go in that country. They had to get a picture and write a paragraph about the places they picked.

     The students also had a list of certain physical characteristics such as, what is the country like, what is its climate, human characteristics. Also what are the people like, what language do they speak, and lifestyles ,what life is like there, and what holidays are unique to that country. They were allowed to pick how they would present their country to the class they could have chose a travel scrapbook, poster, travel brochure, and many other things.

    On Thursday Mar 11 the students presented their country to Mrs. Kenyon and the class. They had to become an expert on the country they drew. Over half of the grade will be on the six historical places the students picked to "go to" (or write facts about). The students must also have a list of all the resources they used to get this project finished. The students can either pretend they went to the country they selected or just write basic facts about the country. If they choose to pretend to go to that country then they would start off there presentation stating something along the lines of, "When I went to..." but if they were simply stating the facts they would just state facts about the six places they choose to write about.    

    "Every year the creativity in my students' projects never ceases to amaze me." says Mrs. Kenyon when asked what she thought about the project.

Savannah Wilkinson; 7th