The Talon

By: Sophie Armor and Anna Richards

In February of 2009, Mitch Stone, then 11, came home from school with his left eye drifting in

toward his nose like he was trying to make himself look cross-eyed. Mitch had been experiencing

headaches for a few months, so when his mom called the pediatrician, she was instructed to take him to

Cincinnati Children’s Hospital immediately. That was a Monday; by Friday Mitch had a tumor the size

of a man’s fist removed from his brain.

In 2009 a foundation called Friends of Jaclyn asked Mitch to be adopted on the UC team after he was

officially healthy. Mitch was adopted by the Cincinnati Bearcats and the gets to go to all of the games

for free and meet all of the players. Mitch is very close with players and coaches. The bearcats help

him with Mitch’s Mission and give back to the funds for cancer. With the funds they send cancer/ dis-

ease patients to summer camps! The patients they help are patients at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital

Medical Center, and Cancer and Blood disease Institute. They call the camp “Camp Njoyitall!” A

friend of Mitch’s, Isaac Delev, who is another student at Nagel Middle School donate $750 of his bar

mitzvah money towards Mitch and his mission.

This whole experience has had a huge impact on Mitch’s life. He has been getting a lot of support

from people all around the community. All of these people helped him get through it all! “Although it

made me sick at the time, the experience has made me smarter, stronger, and thankful for all I have

been blessed with,” says Mitch Stone.

Volume 1, Issue 9 March 9, 2012

Page 2

By: Jack Malone

Mr. Chad Weddle is the theater and film teacher here at

Nagel Middle School. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree from

Miami University, Ohio and Master’s degree in teaching from

Ohio State University. He is the head of the theater department at Anderson High school.

He has been teaching acting and film here at Nagel for five years.

Mr. Weddle is married with two children, and expecting another child due in Au-

gust! Some interesting facts about Mr. Weddle are that he had a part on the hit T.V. show

“The Sopranos.” He also played Aragon in the first global showing of “Lord of the Rings”

the play. His proudest moment was the birth of his two children, Olivia (five) and Henry

(two). His favorite stage production is always the one he is working on so currently it is

the production of “Robin Hood, A Monk’s Tale,” which showed at Anderson High School

from February 17-19, 2012. His favorite movie this year was “Tree of Life”. Mr. Weddle’s

inspiration was his fifth grade theater teacher, Mr. Scribner. If he could be on any current

television show right now he would have a part on “Modern Family”.

Mr. Weddle is a very interesting and successful teacher here at Nagel. He can

bring students out of their shell and up onto the stage. His class is one of the most re-

quested in the building! Consider yourself lucky if you get to take his class in either sev-

enth or eighth grade.

By: Jake Saunders

Mrs. Krekus is an amazing science teacher on Team 8-3. She went to Bowling

Green State University. She has a degree in Middle Childhood Education specializing in

science and math. In college she was captain of the cheerleading squad for two years. She

loves teaching and loves how entertaining eighth graders are. Mrs. Krekus’ sixth grade

teacher inspired her to become a teacher because he understood what would help learn

the best. Her favorite movie is Rush Hour and her favorite book is Nineteen Minutes by

Jodi Picoult. Her proudest moment was in high school when she came in first place at the

state cheerleading competition and in college she got fifth place nationally! In her free

time she likes to work out and exercise. She has miniature American Eskimo puppy

named Ziggy. If Mrs. Krekus could relive one year of her life she would relive her senior

year of college because she was finally treated like an adult but with no adult responsibili-

ties, and because that is when she was at the top of her cheerleading and her academics. If

you don’t know Mrs. Krekus then you should really get to know her because she makes

learning fun and is really nice.

Page 3 Volume 1, Issue 9

The Golf club is one of the Nagel clubs that we are lucky to have;

many other schools don’t have it until high school. Golf club is good

practice if you want to play high school golf and compete. Mr. Suder

is the Golfing advisor for the club. Both genders can play, and golf club starts in the fall ends

before winter, and starts again in the spring, six weeks before schools out. It ends before

school ends. You can join in the spring even if you didn’t join in the fall. The golf courses par-

ticipants get called Little Miami, The Vineyard, the Reeves, and Legendary Run it they’re

lucky. Golf gets canceled when it’s raining, but they practice once a week. Mr. Suder said, “I

only like joy riding in the golf cart when Mr. Peters is driving”. Students do not compete

against each other, so it can be a very relaxing sport. “It’s only relaxing if you don’t take it

too seriously and let it get the best of you,” Mr. Suder remarked. Golf is a group sport be-

cause participants can play in outings. Golf can be very difficult, but with lots of practice

players can get better. Many say golf is difficult but fun to learn and you can start at any

time, but Mr. Suder says it’s better if you start younger. His least favorite thing about golf is

right when you think you’re doing well, you can do very badly. Golf club often gets canceled

in the spring more due to rains and flooding. Mr. Suder has been playing since he was eight

years, and his average score is about 90, maybe if you practice you might be as good as or

better than him!

By: Zach Diehl

Everything in the world

And nothing

Aliens with adaptations no one can imagine

Endless possibilities in your mind

Time travel and parallel universes

Bombs, stars and destruction

Beautiful formations and models

Invisibility and robots

Immortality and telepathy

Light and sound co-existing in an amazing frame

The world of physics

~ Original poem submitted by Deni Morales-Rodriguez

The Talon Page 4

One of the most popular sports for the Olympics is swimming, where male and female

competitors race for fame and glory in thirteen events each, which are held in a 50 meter

pool. As of now, four strokes are recognized around the world: Butterfly, Backstroke, Breast-

stroke, and Freestyle. On June 25-July 2, 2012, in Omaha, Nebraska, the U.S. Olympic

Team trials are held as one of the fastest, exciting, and pressured-filled competitions held in

the United States every four years. There, we will be able to name the team that is compet-

ing in the 2012 London Olympics, which are scheduled for July 27, 2012.

2012 USA Swimmers: Possibly going

out for trials

Swimmer Name: Michael Phelps Missy Franklin Ryan Lochte

Interesting Fact: Won eight medals

at the Olympics in

Athens (2004), six

of which were gold

16 years old! (Still

in high school)

Three time gold

medalist

Interesting Fact: Named the world

swimmer of the

year in

2003,2004,2006,

and 2007

Youngest ever to

qualify for the

Olympic Trials in

2008, she was 12

12 time Olympic

and World medalist

Interesting Fact: Has won 16 medals

overall

Won 24 medals during

the course of the seven-

stop series -- including

a gold and two bronzes

earlier in the four-day

Santa Clara event

24-time NCAA All

American at the

University of Flori-

da

Another admired sport competing at the Olympics for the United States would be gym-

nastics. The entire gymnastics team will be announced at the San Jose trials this summer.

This four day event takes place at the HP Pavilion from June 28-July 1, 2012. The top two

men and the top woman at the 2012 trials automatically qualify for the U.S. team, pending

approval by the U.S. Olympic Committee. The remaining three men and four women will

be chosen by selection committees.

Page 5 Volume 1, Issue 9

2012 USA Gymnasts:

Possibly going out for trials

Gymnast Name: Shawn Johnson Alicia Sacramone Jonathan Horton

Interesting Fact: 2008 Olympic Women’s Gym-

nastics Gold and Silver Medal-

ist

Won nine career World

Championships medals

(three golds, four silvers

and two bronzes)

Junior- National Champi-

on

Interesting Fact: 2007 World Women’s Gymnas-

tics Champion

Highest career tally in US

history

Won two Olympic Medals

Interesting Fact: 2007,2008 U.S. National

Champion

Attended Brown Universi-

ty for two years

Won the Nissen-Emery

Award

More Upcoming Trials:

Olympic Sport Upcoming Trial

Date

Diving: June 18-24, 2012

Beach Volleyball: None (Teams accumulate

points on the international

tour to make it to the 2012

Games)

Track and Field: June 22-July 1, 2012

By Marissa Martin

Buffalo Rings & Wings! The Talon Page 6

Nagel Middle School is partnering with Buffalo Rings & Wings to raise funds for our

school! All of the proceeds will be going towards improving the Learning Commons to make

it a friendlier place. Our goal is to raise $2,500.00 by the end of this year. To help raise that

money, there are a few things students should know. On the Nagel Website, there is a link.

Students should go to the link, and sign up. Buffalo Rings and Wings will give Nagel $1.00

for each and every person who signs up. No one has to buy anything!

Within the next few weeks, there will be a competition. Each advisory will compete to see

how many people they can get to sign up. Anyone can sign up; members of the advisory, their

parents, extended family, neighbors, etc… The advisory with the most people will be provid-

ed with lunch one day at school from Buffalo Rings and Wings. There will be a computer in

the Learning Commons so students can go there to sign up, and you will be awarded a SOAR

card for doing so! Also, starting in the next few days, for 90 days, anything bought from Buf-

falo Rings and Wings, 10% of the proceeds will go to Nagel! So Nighthawks, if you want

wings, get on that website and sign up! Help raise money for our school !

By Merrell Welage and Marissa Martin

Page 7 Volume 1, Issue 9

At Nagel, students are required to wear uniforms for gym. Some students dislike these uniforms. Students

at Nagel have to wear navy blue shorts, and a gray t-shirt with their name on it. According to Mr. Weaver, “We

have students wear gym uniforms so the clothes they are wearing for the rest of the day don’t stink! The boys don’t

like the uniforms, I think, because the shorts are too short. For the girls it is the opposite case. If students don’t

wear your uniform, they lose points. If a student continues not to wear it, it becomes an office referral and a call

home.”

With high school visits and scheduling, eighth grade students have been curious about whether or not the high

schools in Forest Hills have gym uniforms. Jamie Harloff, one of the Turpin gym teachers, said they do not have

gym uniforms. Turpin students just have to wear different clothes than what they would be wearing all day in high

school. It has to be a t-shirt and athletic shorts along with gym shoes. For swimming, girls need a one piece bathing

suit and boys need swim trunks. According to Debbie McDaniel, the freshman counselor at Anderson, there are also

no uniforms. Anderson students are required to wear gym shoes, shorts or sweat pants, and a t-shirt.; No Uggs or

jeans or things like that are permitted.

In a survey of 100 Nagel students, 27.3% said they like the current gym uniform and 72.7% said they don’t.

Most of the students said they did not like having them because they don’t like changing, they don’t like the style of

the clothes, and they feel it takes away time from gym class. We also asked for suggestions on how students would

change the gym uniforms. Most people said they would make the shorts shorter for girls and longer for boys, just as

Mr. Weaver predicted. Students also said they want different uniforms for girls and guys. Girls want brighter fluo-

rescent colors. Since some students like uniforms, we asked why they like them. The students said it’s because then

everyone wears the right clothes and the punishment is equal and fair if they don’t. The other response that was

commonly said was that then their clothes for everyday don’t get sweaty and gross. Over all, most students agree

that they don’t like the style of our current gym clothes. Maybe the P.E. teachers

and administrators would consider changing them.

By: Merrell Welage and Beth Smiddy

The annual Career and Health fair is this Friday! The Career and Health fair is when over 50 different

companies come to Nagel and set up tables to show Nagel students what their jobs are like. There are many

health and fitness experts who attend, as well, to help educate staff and students on maintaining a healthy life-

style. Some of the careers that will have representatives this year are architects, nurses, law enforcement, fire-

fighting, real estate, veterinarian services, the Marines, and cosmetologists among many others. All of these

professionals will give students insight into what it’s like to work in their career area.

There will be activities to do at these stations, too. Professionals will have demonstrations and

equipment for students to try and every student will have an opportunity to attend. Both seventh and eighth

graders get to participate. Mr. Peters said, “Students usually really like the Career and Health Fair. It’s very fun

and there are a lot of activities for students to do.” He also said that this helps students by teaching them how

to keep healthy and fit. It also helps 7th and 8th graders with their future plans such as career and college.

By: Beth Smiddy