by Saber Slate | Apr 6, 2020 | Opinion & Reviews
So as you all hopefully know, most of us are stuck at home instead of going to school. You’re not supposed to go out and meet up with friends or do any of the fun things you used to with them. Instead for our school days we do online work so we don’t risk the chance of spreading the virus at school, where there are large gatherings in classes and hallways.
For me, I definitely miss some parts of life before the quarantine. Mainly, I miss seeing my friends. Of course, I can still talk to them online through snapchat and text messaging, but actually seeing them in person has much more impact than just talking to them through the internet. I do admit I feel a bit more lonely without seeing them each day. I also miss having to see my teachers. Sure, we can still stay in contact, but I feel that I learn better in an actual classroom than through online work on Google Classroom. In classrooms, there are more opportunities for hands on work like full ensemble in band or hands on language work in world language.
One thing that I don’t miss is waking up early for school. I would never get enough sleep the night before, and would be very tired in the morning which would affect how focused I was. But with online work, I’m not forced to wake up at a specific time and I can work more at my own pace, being more focused at my work. It also helps to not have distractions around me, like that one noisy group in math class who the teacher always had to quiet down. I also don’t miss the public restroom facilities.
I know that this is hard for all of us, but it’s important to keep a good mindset as we are all working through this hard time together. Hopefully I will soon see some of your faces again when this is all over, and possibly have a normal last summer before college. And most importantly, STAY INSIDE! Follow the stay at home order, and don’t gather, no matter how much you want to. The more you gather, the longer the stay at home order becomes. Some of you, it seems, don’t know what that means. Please keep that in mind so we can have everything go back to normal as quick as possible! I would like to have a normal graduation at the end of the year! And, have a nice day, and don’t overwork yourself.
by Saber Slate | Mar 2, 2020 | Opinion & Reviews
Image: the roundabout of 51st and Drexel is an example of sidewalks ending abruptly.
Franklin is a very large city- it has a population of over 35,000 people! However, to many Franklin doesn’t seem like a city- especially in terms of being able to walk places. According to Wikipedia, Franklin is almost 35 square mile in area, making it one of the larger suburban areas in southeastern Wisconsin in terms of area. But it seems a car is required to get basically anywhere outside of your neighborhood. Let’s talk about sidewalks.
Many of the subdivisions here in Franklin have sidewalks, or the roads are safer to walk on due to curbs and grass. But once you’re outside of the sidewalk and on main roads like Drexel and 51st street you start to have challenges. These main roads don’t have many sidewalks– if they do, they end abruptly at or near intersections. Thus, if you want to walk somewhere, such as the grocery store, from your house, you gotta walk on the shoulder of the road next to high speed traffic.
Some roads that do have sidewalks is the stretch of 51st between the high school (near Forest Hill Ave) and Rawson. Rawson has a good stretch of sidewalk as well that ends close to 76th. Parts of Drexel near Target and Church St. has sidewalks as well that goes across the roundabout into the parking lot. I’ve never seen anyone cross over that though lately. Another adequate stretch of sidewalk is on St. Martin’s Road. Leave a comment if there’s an area I’m missing.
There’s a bonus if you live by major highways such as Loomis Road or Highway 100, it’s even more fun when people speed at 60-65 mph while you’re walking on the tiny shoulder. You stick out like a sore thumb when walking on any of the busy streets without sidewalks. Some roads aren’t friendly for walking at all. Many, such as the west, older end of Puetz Road and Forest Hill Avenue by the middle school don’t have shoulders so if you have to walk on the road you will get in the way of cars and will have to walk on the grass across yards and such. If you happen to be driving you have to avoid the plethora of potholes and bumps on these poor neglected streets.
Overall it’s just unfriendly to walk in as it seems like the city was designed around the automobile as that was the way to get around back then. But now, more and more people prefer walking and biking to driving and this town hasn’t adjusted to that newer idea. Oak Creek’s town square, for example, prioritizes walking and biking compared to using cars, but there’s lots of parking spaces available so you can get out and walk around without too much of an inconvenience since everything is nearby to each other there. If Franklin had a town center like that (perhaps the new Ballpark Commons will become that, but I don’t have high hopes. Poetic that it’s built on a landfill), this would provide better opportunities for people to get what they need without the need to drive too far. Plus, a town center with businesses all around where you walk outside is more welcoming than the generic strip mall we see far too much of in this city. Which brings me to my next topic.
Strip malls. It seems like one is on every corner. There’s the Wyndham Village on Drexel, Franklin Center on 76th, and Orchard View across from that. Farther away is the Garden Plaza on Lovers Lane, and the strip mall by 27th and Rawson. There’s probably more that I’m missing, but those are the more major ones in my opinion. In these you can find stores and fast food type restaurants, as well as Chinese restaurants in just about every one of those. It’s easier having these places close together under one roof. But in a city they just don’t look good. There’s better ways to have businesses near each other and look pretty. If they were easier to get to that would be better as well.
There are lots of solutions to this problem, but it would take just too long and too much money unfortunately. As citizens of Franklin we all play a part in its future to make it a better and more friendlier place.
by Saber Slate | Mar 2, 2020 | Opinion & Reviews
This article has been written by Miranda Jones and was submitted through the Saber Slate Writing Upload, which is linked here. If you want the Saber Slate to publish something you write, upload it there and you might be published by the Saber Slate.
Miranda Jones:
Do you love movies? Well, so do a lot of other people! That’s why all the movies on this Top 10 List were so popular. So no more waiting, here it is! And if you think one looks interesting, be sure to see it at the theatre, or buy it and give it a watch.
1. Parasite (R)
“Greed and class discrimination threaten the newly formed symbiotic relationship between the wealthy Park family and the destitute Kim clan.”
Parasite won Best Picture, Best Director, Best Foreign Film, and Best Original Screenplay. It got a 400% ticket sale increase since the Oscars.
2. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (R)
“Actor Rick Dalton gained fame and fortune by starring in a 1950s television Western, but is now struggling to find meaningful work in a Hollywood that he doesn’t recognize anymore. He spends most of his time drinking and palling around with Cliff Booth, his easygoing best friend and longtime stunt double. Rick also happens to live next door to Roman Polanski and Sharon Tate — the filmmaker and budding actress whose futures will forever be altered by members of the Manson Family.”
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood won Best Supporting Actor and Best Production Design, and it was the director’s ninth movie. It made 389.3 million USD in the Box Office.
3. Marriage Story (R)
“A stage director and his actor wife struggle through a gruelling, coast-to-coast divorce that pushes them to their personal and creative extremes.”
This movie only won Best Supporting Actress, but it was nominated for other awards such as Best Actor (Adam Driver), Best Picture, Best Actress (Scarlett Johansson), etc. Many were surprised that Marriage Story was nominated for Best Picture because of the fact that it was a Netflix original movie.
4. Avengers: Endgame (PG-13)
“Adrift in space with no food or water, Tony Stark sends a message to Pepper Potts as his oxygen supply starts to dwindle. Meanwhile, the remaining Avengers — Thor, Black Widow, Captain America and Bruce Banner — must figure out a way to bring back their vanquished allies for an epic showdown with Thanos — the evil demigod who decimated the planet and the universe.”
It is not surprising that this movie is on this list. This movie was highly praised with a 4.6 star rating on Google, and it made 2.8B USD in the Box Office. It did not win any awards from the Oscars, but it was nominated for Best Visual Effects.
5. Knives Out (PG-13)
“When renowned crime novelist Harlan Thrombey dies just after his 85th birthday, the inquisitive and debonair Detective Benoit Blanc arrives at his estate to investigate. From Harlan’s dysfunctional family to his devoted staff, Blanc sifts through a web of red herrings and self-serving lies to uncover the truth behind Thrombey’s untimely demise.”
This movie was fairly popular in 2019. It did not win any Oscars, but it was nominated for Best Original Screenplay. It also made 293.7 million USD in the Box Office.
6. Joker (R)
“Forever alone in a crowd, failed comedian Arthur Fleck seeks connection as he walks the streets of Gotham City. Arthur wears two masks — the one he paints for his day job as a clown, and the guise he projects in a futile attempt to feel like he’s part of the world around him. Isolated, bullied and disregarded by society, Fleck begins a slow descent into madness as he transforms into the criminal mastermind known as the Joker. “
This movie shows how the Joker dove into madness, and it was a highly praised film. Many people went to the theatre to see this, and the majority obviously loved it. It won Best Actor (Joaquin Phoenix) and Best Original Score. It also made 1.072 billion USD in the Box Office.
7. Jojo Rabbit (PG-13)
“Jojo is a lonely German boy who discovers that his single mother is hiding a Jewish girl in their attic. Aided only by his imaginary friend — Adolf Hitler — Jojo must confront his blind nationalism as World War II continues to rage on.”
This movie was seen as witty and funny, and many people enjoyed it. It only won Best Adapted Screenplay, but it was nominated for Best Picture, Best Supporting Actress (Scarlett Johansson), Best Costume Design, etc. Its budget was 14 million USD.
8. Ford v Ferrari (PG-13)
“American automotive designer Carroll Shelby and fearless British race car driver Ken Miles battle corporate interference, the laws of physics and their own personal demons to build a revolutionary vehicle for the Ford Motor Co. Together, they plan to compete against the race cars of Enzo Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in France in 1966.”
This movie won Best Film Editing and Best Sound Editing but was nominated for 3 other awards. It made 222 million USD in the Box Office, and it was a film that many people enjoyed.
9. A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (PG)
“Lloyd Vogel is an investigative journalist who receives an assignment to profile Fred Rogers, aka Mr. Rogers. He approaches the interview with skepticism, as he finds it hard to believe that anyone can have such a good nature. But Roger’s empathy, kindness and decency soon chips away at Vogel’s jaded outlook on life, forcing the reporter to reconcile with his own painful past.”
This movie was not as popular as the others, but it still deserves to be on this list. I am not going to lie: it made me cry when I saw it. But it’s such a heart-wrenching movie, it’s hard not to cry! This was not nominated for any award, but it was a fairly popular movie, and many enjoyed it.
10. Frozen II (PG)
“Elsa the Snow Queen has an extraordinary gift — the power to create ice and snow. But no matter how happy she is to be surrounded by the people of Arendelle, Elsa finds herself strangely unsettled. After hearing a mysterious voice call out to her, Elsa travels to the enchanted forests and dark seas beyond her kingdom — an adventure that soon turns into a journey of self-discovery.”
Surprise surprise! Frozen II is here! Many people say this movie was better than the original, and I would agree. It was nominated for a few awards from The Golden Globes to the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA). But it did not win any. But this movie did make 1.431B USD in the Box Office, which is a huge amount of money for an animated kids film to make.
I hope you enjoyed this Top 10 list! And make sure to check out any of the movies on here you did not get to see.
by Saber Slate | Feb 11, 2020 | Opinion & Reviews
One of the websites that has been a staple of our childhood and our generation is Coolmath-games.com. To this day, me and many of my friends pass the time on this website if we have our work done and are bored. Today, I will be ranking my personal Top 5 Coolmath-games based on how memorable they are to me and how fun they are.
- IQ Ball
IQ Ball is a fun platformer where you play as a little purple creature who moves around by swinging like Spider-Man, and who doesn’t like Spider-Man? Now you can get to live your dreams within IQ Ball, where your goal is to grab the swirly target to beat the level. This game is memorable to me because I played this throughout the third and fourth grade trying to beat this game and seeing what my “IQ” was compared to my friends.
- Run 3
Run 3 is the third installment in the Run series. This time, there’s more levels, worlds, and characters, and even cutscenes. Although not as classic as the first two Run games, it’s still very fun to play during a slow day and find the different paths you can take. This game is memorable to me because of the memories I associate with the other two Run games- they took everything great and dialed it up in this installment.
- Parking Mania
Parking Mania is probably one of the first Coolmath Games I’ve ever played, and it will probably be the last one I play. The goal of this game is based on the title- your goal is to park the red car into a parking space. Pretty straightforward, if you ask me. But as you go on, you will have to execute expert-level parking maneuvers (including parallel parking) to get perfectly aligned into the parking spot. However, you must be careful- one hit to your car and you will have to start all the way at the beginning. This game is memorable to me because it’s probably the single reason why I passed my parking test.
- Papa’s Pizzeria series
Papa has many different games in the series, from a pizzeria to a sushiria. The goal of these games is straightforward- you need to manage your business, taking orders from people while simultaneously cooking the food, being a time management game. When I first played this game it was very overwhelming for my little mind to do all this stuff at once but as time went on I became better and better at this, forming better time management skills.
- Idle Breakout
I have a lot of favorites on Coolmath, but this one is probably my favorite newer one. The goal of the game is similar to Breakout, where your goal is to break as many bricks as possible to move to the next level. However, it’s called idle Breakout because you can just let the game run in the background while the balls earn money for you by breaking bricks. You can buy many different kinds of balls, each with different abilities. There’s also power-ups that are unlocked over time. As the game goes on, the bricks become harder and harder to break, and black colored bricks appear, which you can only break once you break all of the other bricks. There are also bosses you can fight to own bonus points for unlocking more skills. For a game with such a simple premise, it’s actually very complex as you progress from level to level. For example, I’ve been running the game in the background with the most powerful balls and I’ve made it to almost level 800 (the levels repeat themselves with more powerful bricks) and made millions of in-game dollars. It’s addicting to see each brick be whittled down each level. You also need to manage your money as well to get the right kind of upgrades for what you need. There are definitely better games to pick as my favorite, but I couldn’t think of anything else because this is one of the only ones I play anymore.
So, I hope you enjoyed my Top 5 Coolmath Game picks. Leave a comment down below if you think I missed a game that deserved a pick, or some honorable mentions you would like to see added to the article. Thank you for taking the time to read!
by Saber Slate | Feb 1, 2020 | Opinion & Reviews
This article has been written in response to this advice column article.
Dear Delaney and Saber Slate staff,
The staff of The Saber Roar wants to thank you for some of your suggestions. We were looking to the students for ideas as to what they want to see covered and you gave us a few good leads. However, we also felt we needed to address a few misconceptions you may have about The Saber Roar and why it is played during the advisory block.
Why is it played during the advisory block?
The gold block time on Monday is called the advisory block. It is a purposeful time together when all students are required to stay with their gold block teacher. Teachers confer with students around academic needs, but also to get to know the student and build a supportive community among all the gold block students. Most students will be with that teacher for four years, so they really get to know each other. This is also a time to build a cohesive FHS community, and one of the ways we do this is by taking the time to share ten minutes watching The Saber Roar, where we see the great things students and staff are doing at FHS.
What is the Saber Roar? A class or club?
The Saber Roar is a class. It is not a club. What you see on The Saber Roar is our classwork. We are learning in front of our audience. Not everything we do will be perfect. Imagine listening to presentations in English class. Are all the presenters perfectly polished? Do they reach the depth of content needed? Or is there a variety? We have on average about 3.5 hours of class time per week to produce a 7 to 12-minute show. Since it is a class, we believe that everyone deserves an opportunity to try all the jobs, including hosts. We always work to become better. Mrs. Hepworth has helped our on-camera hosts work on being more comfortable and this comes with time. When you wrote your suggestions, we had only produced 3 shows out of the 24 we do in a year.
Who gets to be on The Saber Roar?
To get into the Video Production Company class (TSR) we have taken two years of video production classes, Intro to Video and Advanced Video. We then have to go through a job interview to be accepted in the TSR class. It is organized as a student-run production company. There are coordinating producers that run the overall production and show producers responsible for individual shows as well as mentoring the first-year TSR students.
What is the purpose of The Saber Roar?
We try to help build a stronger FHS community and we take that responsibility seriously.
We cover events around the school so students can be recognized for their hard work and take time to celebrate accomplishments. Over the years we’ve covered conference champions, state qualifiers, musical performances, important fundraisers such as Relay for Life, March Madness, and more. We also try to advertise upcoming events and special projects.
We also use the time to educate students on people in our community and give all groups a voice. We’ve done segments on Ramdan, the history of African American hair, March for Our Lives, Hispanic history, LGBTQ history, Native American Day of Mourning, Saber Spotlight and many more. TSR started the Kindness Movement to create a more inclusive school. We ran the National P-Wats day to recognize our amazing security aide. We’ve surprised teachers for teacher appreciation week. We hope these moments give students a glimpse into someone else’s life, bring understanding and empathy for all.
We also try to entertain and involve students. We have done comedy sketches with students and teachers. These are some of our most popular segments, but they are also the hardest to do well. We’ve surprised students in class with giant cookies, played games like the hidden saber, given away tee shirts, and involved gold blocks in challenges and Gold Block Games; all in hopes of building a stronger, kinder, and more spirited community.
We grow as filmmakers and change agents. We enter our work into many film festivals locally, nationally and internationally. We invite filmmakers, documentarians, cinematographers and more into our classroom. We travel to films, events, and Los Angeles to grow and learn as a team and as people.
So we hope you find some value in the things we do. We appreciate your suggestions and more leads are always appreciated.
Ms. DeClark, Ben the Diabetic, and the students of The Saber Roar
by Saber Slate | Jan 23, 2020 | Athletics & Activities, Opinion & Reviews
Friday the 10th was the third annual Voices of FHS, an event where students go up on stage in the auditorium to talk about certain topics. These students have months of preparation for the event. In my opinion this event was very inspiring. To see these students go up on stage and publicly speak was brave in and of itself. Some of the things they talked about were important contemporary topics that they shared their opinion on and what we as a society should do about these problems. I interviewed the host, Angie Carchesi, about the event. My questions are in bold.
What is The Voices of FHS, and why was it first created?
“The Voices of FHS is an event where students give TED Talk style speeches in the Saber Center,” Angie says. “It was first created three years ago by Priyanka Iyer and Katie Harris in order to give students the opportunity to speak about their ideas and passions.”
What inspired you to host this event?
“I was inspired to host this event because I spoke at it my sophomore year and wanted to have a bigger role in it, so I decided to take it over!” she states.
What does this event mean for students?
“This event gives students a platform to talk about what matters to them and the audience the opportunity to learn more about others’ experiences,” Angie says.
How long does it take to prepare for the event?
“We began to prepare for the event in November,” she tells me. “We had weekly meetings where we worked on speech writing and speaking techniques.”
How can one join the Voices of FHS?
“One can join the Voices of FHS by contacting Mrs. Tindall or the student who is in charge next year. There will also most likely be announcements about the event!” she says.
Thank you Angie for participating in the interview with me!
The students who talked at the event had a lot of interesting topics, and I will include a brief summary of them! Evie Sellers was up first, and she talked about the topic of having 12 years to change the world. She went over how our generation is going to be the next ones to deal with the world’s problems and what we can do to get involved.
The next speaker was Cody Timmer, and he talked about the importance of manufacturing classes. He said that jobs with manufacturing are in high demand, and it’s an important skill to have whether to get you a job or help you learn life lessons along the way.
Next was Nicolas Greaves, who talked about the expansion of our universe, which was a very fascinating topic to hear about personally. It’s an important skill to know how the universe around us works!
Fatima Farooq talked about the importance of beauty and culture in our world, and the idea that humans are so similar despite being so unique and different. She also talked about the concept of comparing oneself to others.
Tyler Kelly talked about how our generation can make a difference offline instead of online. He advocated that we can make more of a difference by getting involved in person with activism instead of just claiming to be one online.
Emma Mickelson talked about the truth about body image and how your own opinion about your own body affects you.
Last but not least, Amenah Syed talked about racial, ethnic, and religious stereotyping, and how it has affected her in the past.
Thank you again to Angie for agreeing to have an interview with me, and thank you to all of the speakers at the Voices of FHS to take a step up to speak at the event!
