Tag Archives: dodd

Could you stand up to a Bully?

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Did you know that there are about 160,000 children that miss school every day out of fear of being bullied? A bully is defined as a person who uses strength or power to harm or intimidate those who are weaker. Bullying affects many people , some more harshly than others. I am sure that in many instances we don’t even notice that we are hurting someone elses feelings. But the fact of the matter is ,that when we say these hurtful things people will feel like they don’t belong. Diversity is a good thing and what makes us… us.  Bullying is something here at Dodd that we take very seriously.  We even have a bullying incident form. Though no matter how much the school officials try to keep a safe school climate, bullying still seems to creep into the school atmosphere.
I believe that the only way to  diminish bullying it to stand up for the victims. There should be less bystanders and more people standing up for the victims. We can have hundreds of assemblies, but they won’t make a difference unless we ,the students, change. Sometimes we are afraid to stand up to the bully because we are afraid that the bully might turn on us, and we might become the next victim. But if we all stand up to the bully, the tables will be turned. Doing what is right is a lot harder that doing what is the less noticeable.  I believe that if we each stick up for the victim, they will feel like they are not alone. We might just turn that bad situation a little bit better.  So next time you see someone getting bullied, try to come out of your comfort zone and stand up for what you believe is right.
~Cameryn Guetens

BYOD

Here at Dodd Middle School, the Board of Education has recently allowed students to bring their own devices to school. Students are allowed to bring in iPad’s, laptops, and other devices so they can research and even work on projects on their own device. The purpose of this policy is to improve the way students learn. Electronics are being used everywhere, they make things easier and more convenient so it only makes sense for them to also be used in school. I personally think that this was a good idea because I will be able to use my own electronics that I know how to use rather than something I don’t. I think that many people would agree with me due to the fact that everyone is already reading on their iPads,e Readers, kindles, nooks, etc. and they all have internet access.


Schools should definitely remember the opportunities that electronic devices allow because they can definitely help student receive the best education possible. I know that there are some classes that will never need to use the new BYOD (bring your own device) policy, like math, because you only need a pencil and a calculator. But in other classes we will definitely have the opportunity to use our own devices in class to enhance our education. The new BYOD policy will also help out teachers because with teachers bringing their own devices it will allow them to record their lesson in a podcast and have the students listen to them as homework. Therefore, I think that the new BYOD policy is an amazing exclusive to Dodd Middle School’s education for their students.

-Brooke Denne

School Lunch: What Kids Really Think

School lunches in 2012 have the goal of making healthier generations to come.   By doing this they have decided to cut calories in school lunches. This will most likely leave all of us hungry throughout the day. Already we don’t eat all of our lunch because we don’t find all of it appetizing. Not only does this leave us hungry but it also gives us a higher chance of obesity because it slows down our metabolism.

Personally, the food Dodd Middle School serves is definitely better than our elementary school food, but it still is not as appetizing as one would hope. Our school cooks make us take a fruit or vegetable. My question is, how much waste are we creating if most people don’t even eat the fruits or vegetables? Also, are they trying to make us hungry throughout the school day? Already, most kids don’t eat breakfast before school and now lunch is becoming smaller. This cut in calories will actually make our performance in school be not as well because we will become unfocused. With our lunch program and America’s lunch program in general, school lunch will be going from “gotta love it” to “gotta hate it”.

~Natalie Bryden

Dodd Middle School Baseball

The Dodd Middle School Baseball team is currently 6-5 on the year. They have beaten Moran, Lincoln twice, Depaulo twice, and DAG once. But they lost to Washington twice, DAG once, Moran once, and a Scrimmage game against North Haven Middle School. The two remaining games left in their season are both to Wilson a hard hitting team from Middletown. Also they possibly could have a makeup game from the best team in the league Kennedy. In this game they played 4 innings and then it got rained out before they started the 5th. They were down 3-1 in the start of the 5th with Kennedy at the plate.

I believe this year Dodd is having an ok season. The previous records from Coach Lopez have been much better like 13-1,12-2, and 14-0. But most of the games we have lost have been close. Only one was a complete blow out, this game was the most current one and it was against Moran Middle School of Wallingford. This team has always been a rival with Dodd because they always have a great team. The first time that Dodd played Moran Connor Davey threw a no-hitter against them resulting in a 4-0 win. But the next time Dodd played them Luciano Gaudio and Dylan D’Addio threw and unfortunately didn’t throw as good as Connor. Although, the umpire was squeezing the life out of our pitchers and had a very tight strike-zone which was hard to throw many strikes. But when we did throw strikes they hit the ball very well resulting in baserunners and eventually scoring runs defeating the Dodd baseball team. As you can see, Moran is a great baseball team and has been a rival for many years with back and forth wins and losses.

~Nicholas Strollo

Forgotten Sports At Dodd

Here at Dodd Middle School there are a total of 12 athletic teams to join. These teams include sports such as soccer, track, volleyball, and baseball. Many students are able to find the sport they enjoy and try out for the team. But what about those students who play a sport that Dodd doesn’t provide a team for? These students deserve as much of a chance as others do to represent there school and play on a team.

If Cheshire High School has teams for hockey, wrestling, and swimming then why can’t Dodd have them as well? Of course there are always the community teams students can join, but most of them don’t hold try outs and this doesn’t prepare those athletes for high school teams who require try outs and even cut athletes. By creating teams for these growing sports, such as lacrosse, at Dodd it will open up more chances for students to improve there skills and prepare them for the process of try outs. It will also allow the students who play these forgotten sports to work as a a team with familiar faces who they will continue playing together with throughout high school.

~Hannah Hackett

Soccer: not an easy game!

Soccer is one of the most popular sports around the U.S.; besides football and baseball. Soccer is not one of the easiest sports to play. There are a lot of rules and requirements that you have to learn. Many people say you do not need to be in shape to play soccer, but yes, you do. In soccer you have to run up and down the field no matter what position you play, unless you are a goal keeper. But the goal keeper still needs to stay in shape and have upper body strength to be able to hit the ball and throw the ball to players. In my opinion, soccer is not an easy sport.

I know this because I am a former soccer player on the Dodd Spartans. I also play soccer for Cheshire. You have to know how to keep your team in position and have the right shape. Being a Captain of the Dodd Spartans was hard because I had to teach the kids that did not know their position, where they should stay. You also have to know where to go when playing soccer. For example if we take a shot on goal and the goal keeper saves it, you have to know if you have to run back to mark up a player so they will not get the ball and score a goal for their team. There are plenty of complicated concepts and steps that you have to remember when playing soccer. Soccer is not just an easy game to play, its very challenging.

~Samantha Calabrese

Rachel’s Challenge Comes to Dodd

On December 6th, Dodd Middle School had an assembly called Rachel’s Challenge. Rachel Joy Scott was one of the of the 13  people that was shot and killed in the Columbine High School shooting in 1999. This program teaches the  principles of this wonderful girl. Rachel had a theory that if one person  went out of their way to spread a random act of kindness, that person would do the same, which would start a chain reaction of kindness. While the seventh graders learned about Rachel’s Challenge, which focused on her theory, the eight graders were taught the program called Rachel’s Legacy which focused on how to keep Rachel’s Legacy alive.

At the end of the assembly the  speaker asked the  student to close their eyes, and then  asked them if they excepted the challenge. The eight graders were asked to take that a step further  and to forgive and apologize to all the people that they hurt, or people that hurt  them. Every student excepted this challenge. To make sure that all the  things that the students learned that  day  did not fade away in the next week or month, Mrs. Landino and other faculty organized the Chain Links Club which meets once  a month. I know that Dodd will do a great job honoring Rachel Scott by following her codes and ethics. So why not start a chain  reaction today?

~Adam Majeski

A Gift That Keeps Giving

Christmas season is a time for loving, caring, sharing, and forgiveness. Most people believe this is the time for presents and spending money. But what people don’t realize, is that the biggest gift you could ever give someone is kindness. During my 2 years at Dodd, we have had many clubs, speakers, and presentation on the Columbine shooting. For those of you who do not know what the columbine shooting is, it was a terrible and unforgettable shooting at columbine high school back in 1999. This inexcusable shooting left 13 people dead, 21 wounded, but millions and millions disturbed and scarred for life. Throughout those 13 who had died, there was one amazing, kind, and beautiful girl I would like to talk about.

Rachel Scott was born on August 5th, 1981. Dying at the age of only 17, Rachel had many years she had to live up too. Before this young girl’s innocent life had been unwillingly been taken from her, Rachel had profusely egged on acts of kindness. Scott had multiple diaries and many essay regarding sharing acts of kindness. In one of her essays she had written, “I have this theory that if one person can go out of their way to show compassion then it will start a chain reaction of the same.”

In my opinion, Rachel would have had something huge going with the life he had ahead of her. I am 100% for her theories, and believe her connection was no quad incidence. Being in the same kindergarten with one of the perpetrators, Dylan Klebold, she had know, and seen how he had been acting. Her theory, in my world, explained how incidents like these could have been avoided. If one person had simply taken the one or two seconds it takes to say hi to someone, or just chatted for a split minute, things like this could have been avoided. Dylan and Eric stormed into the building with rage and anger. Had someone been nice to them just once, they may have changed their minds about their horrible dissension that a waited, subsequently stopping 13 murders, and two suicides.

Overall, I believe the Cheshire school systems have done a wonderful job spreading the demonstrations of acts of kindness. As for everyone who has not been so nice in the past, I hope you can start to understand the importance of kindness, and how the smallest things can change even the most hopeless people.

~Brianna Mariano

Field Hockey: My Favorite Sport

This year was my very first year playing field hockey. I wasn’t sure that I was going to like it, but it turned out that it is now one of my favorite sports! When I went to the first practice, I was terrified of all the plays I would have to learn and my position. To be honest, it is not that hard at all! Once you get the hang of it, it is like learning how to ride a bike, you won’t forget it! Having a great coach, Mr. Rahn, made it easy for me to learn because he would explain things in a way that was easy to understand.

During the game, there are 11 players out on the field. In my opinion, this is just enough people to play the game. If there were less than 11 girls, it would be a lot harder to pass the ball, but if there were more than 11 girls, it would just get crowded. My position was a mid-fielder. In this position you were the girls that ran the most. You would have to go up and down the field, basically just following where the ball goes! I personally love this position because it is where most of the action happens. I got the ball multiple times, and when this happened, I had an adrenalin rush go through my body. This is what makes the game for me; having the ball and being an influence on your teams victory!

~Lily Graham

Rachel’s Challenge

Today, December 6th, something changed me. I’ve always tried to fine the better in people, and try my best to accept everyone even though I might not want to. Today I learned that I can be a better person to everyone. Rachel Scott, the first victim shot in the Columbine High school, has made a big impact in every ones life. You may be thinking, so what, she was the first one; twelve others got shot too.  The other twelve were greatly remembered, but there was something special about Rachel. What Rachel had in here is something everyone should have just so we could spread a little more understanding and compassion around.

I never knew about this school shooting, and this is my first year attending Rachel’s challenge. I have learned that one person can make a difference in the world. Rachel Scott wrote in a diary and thought of a theory: “I have this theory that if one person can go out of their way to show compassion then it will start a chain reaction of the same.” She had wrote many things about how she could make an impact on every ones lives, and that she knew she was going to die at an  early age. I will show compassion just like Rachel did, to anyone and everyone. I have learned that I can make a difference. I guess you learn something knew everyday.

~Alexzandra Bradley