Voicing the View

Mount View High School's Newspaper

Category: MUSTANG MUSINGS (page 1 of 2)

Easter Sunday is in March this Year

by Schuyler Hunt

This year, 2024, Easter will occur on the last day of March, the 31st. Usually, when you think of Easter you think about April because Easter is typically celebrated during the month of April. This year will be different as it will be celebrated on March 31st. The question for some might be, why would Easter occur on the last of March? Well, that is due to the Vernal Equinox. The Vernal Equinox is when the Sun is perfectly above the equator and night and day are at equal length. This will be happening on the 19th of March. Usually, Easter is celebrated the first Sunday after the first full moon that is on or after the Vernal Equinox. The Vernal Equinox will be happening on the 19th of March. Then the full moon falls closely after on the 25th, leaving the 31st, the Sunday after the full moon making it Easter.

Black History Month

by Mary Macary

The First African-American Woman to Travel in Space, Mae Jemison

In 1992, 35-year-old Mae Jemison became the first African-American Woman to go to space. As a mission specialist aboard the space shuttle, Endeavour, she and her crewmates were in space for about eight days orbiting Earth. 

As a young girl, Jemison had always felt she was destined to go to space. She felt this way despite knowing that when she was a kid, no women or people of color had gone to space. It was her dream. After being enrolled at Stanford University at the young age of 16, Jemison’s dream was closer than ever, soon graduating with a degree in chemical engineering in 1977. Furthering her education for several years, in 1987 she finally decided to reach for her dream of becoming an astronaut by applying to NASA, being accepted to go to space in the first mission after the explosion of The Challenger

 One of her main inspirations for her love of space as a kid was Star Trek. What’s special about this is that she later became the first real astronaut to appear on an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, being featured just a year after her space mission. In addition to achieving her dreams and being able to act in Star Trek, Jemison also wrote several children’s books. 

Though she left the world for only eight days, when she came back, she had made a permanent impact on the acceptance and view of African-American women not only in NASA, but in the scientific community in general.

14 Ways to Beat the Winter-Time Blues 

by Jill Jewett

It is no surprise that you may be feeling a little more upset, or “blue” during the winter months. Do not fear! This is a common feeling affecting about 5% of Americans for about 40% of the year. Although this is a very uncomfortable time, there are many ways to make your seasons a little brighter. 

  1. Keep Active 

All year it is important to try to maintain some activity, but it’s even more important during winter! It is recommended that people get an hour or more of physical activity a day. Exercising releases endorphins and dopamine, which are known to improve moods! 

  1. Get Good Sleep 

Yes. You probably have heard this many times before. However, it is very important to make sure you are saving enough time in the day to prioritize yourself, especially your sleep schedule. Insomnia is known for giving those who suffer from it anxiety, battling seasonal depression on top of insomnia with anxiety is a recipe for disaster.   

  1. Give Back

It is not a surprise that human behavior is motivated by the search for purpose in your life. So when you’re feeling down, try giving back. Learn about where you can volunteer in your community, and try to keep in touch with your community. 

  1. Use a Light Lamp

A light lamp, also known as a light therapy box, is a box that mimics a light the same as light from the outdoors. This can be a beneficial purchase because the body craves outside, and bright light, especially when it gets darker earlier in the winter. 

  1. Take Vitamins 

Always reach out to your healthcare physician before taking any sort of vitamin. During the winter months, our body craves more vitamin D, something we get from the sun, especially during summer. Vitamin D does come in capsule form and is beneficial for your body as it lacks this vitamin with little amount of sun. 

  1. Outside Time 

I will be the first person to admit that I hate the cold! I dislike being outside when it’s cold, wet, and snowy. However, forcing yourself outside for at least an hour during the day can boost your mood and energy, especially during these winter months. 

  1. Laugh!

It is always a good idea to laugh even during these cold months, when you may find nothing funny. Laughing can brighten your mood and release some stress. Perhaps crack a few jokes with a friend, or go to a comedy club, or you can even watch your favorite comedic movie. 

  1. Hangout With Those You Love 

Seclusion is one of the leading effects of seasonal depression. It’s known that people tend to isolate themselves when they feel down. However, do not let these bad feelings stop you from hanging out with people you enjoy being around. Try to see a friend or have some well-deserved family time. 

  1. Preparation

One of the best ways you can help yourself fight seasonal depression is to prepare for it. If you know that you struggle during the winter, find out things you can do to beat it during the fall. Feel these emotions, and let them go. Understand that this time is hard on everybody! 

  1. Stick to a Schedule 

As mentioned before, you may find yourself struggling to sleep during this time, maintaining a regular schedule can help you maintain a sleep schedule. Although your life may not change when winter hits, you start to feel different. Perhaps you start giving yourself more time to get ready in the morning, or you sleep for a little bit longer. Changing your schedule in the winter is a normal thing to do! 

  1. Keep a Journal 

If you aren’t the kind of person who likes to talk about your feelings, try writing them down in a journal. It’s recommended that you make this journal something you like, maybe a color you like or a nice print. Your journal doesn’t have to make sense, and you don’t have to let anybody read it. Getting these feelings out may help you find your clarity. 

  1. Reach out to a Healthcare Professional

Perhaps you’ve tried all of these tasks, and you just can’t seem to get out of your slump. Don’t be afraid to reach out to your doctor, make sure to tell them exactly how you’re feeling! 

  1. Give Yourself a Break 

There can be a lot of stress during these cold months, and adding seasonal depression on top of that doesn’t help anybody. Remember that you also need a break, take a day off, and watch a show you like. Or even just lay in bed all day. It’s important to remember your own needs, especially if you are mentally struggling. 

  1. Be Realistic 

Alongside giving yourself some lee-way, you have to be real with yourself. You are not going to feel amazing every day, and that is okay! Everybody has their struggles, and many other people suffer from the winter blues. You may not remember to journal every day, or take your vitamin D, don’t beat yourself up for simply being a person. 

A Moose Hunting Adventure

by Rylee Corson

Moose hunting is a popular thing here in Maine. This year, the state of Maine issued a little over 4,000 permits for moose hunting. This year, I was lucky enough to go on a moose hunt with my family for the first time! My dad and my uncles have been going moose hunting together for almost 20 years now. I felt honored to go. It’s such a great experience and a chance to make great memories with my best friend, my dad. It wasn’t my permit; it was my cousins, so we all went together. It was a 4-hour drive up to our zone.

We got to the camp and unloaded a week’s worth of stuff. We went scouting and saw a huge bull with huge paddles. We decided that was going to be our go-to spot. It wasn’t as easy as it sounds. We weren’t seeing any moose. The day continued that way until there were 10 minutes left of shooting time. We saw this huge bull that was 600 yards away. They decided not to take the risk because it was only Monday, and we thought we were going to have a lot more opportunities. We didn’t have many more opportunities. It was a tough week of waking up at 3:30 a.m., hunting all day, and not going to sleep until 11:00 p.m. I wish I could’ve experienced more from the hunt, but just being able to go was such a good experience, and it meant a lot to me to be there with my family and support them.

A Final Farewell to Mount View Retirees

by Belle Holt

Mount View High will soon lose three great faculty members due to retirements. All three will be greatly missed.

Ms. Chase

For 19 years, Ms. Chase has been working at Mount View, teaching Science-based classes for a few different grades. She began her job in one of Mount View’s older buildings, working there for five years until they built a new building, which she has been working in for fourteen years. Ms. Chase always knew that she wanted to be a teacher. 

“My dad tried to talk me out of it because everyone in our family was a teacher, and there is not much money in the profession,” she says. “Compared to other professional degrees, teachers make less.” Although her dad was initially opposed to the idea, Ms. Chase pursued her dream and ended up getting her teaching degree after studying geology. Geology was another one of her interests, and she would have continued it in college if not for the need for a Master’s degree, which would boost her success in that field of work. She now incorporates her love of geology into her class. Ms Chase quotes, “Geology is my love.” 

Ms. Chase has enjoyed her time at Mount View, saying, “I have always felt the faculty here is really great. I have always felt welcomed and validated. I feel like my opinion matters.” She has helped out with the student council, as well as Envirothon. She is a teacher mentor, and Ms. Hanagriff was one of her mentees. For a time, she was head of the science department.

She said, “I have helped write grants, which helped kids get off of the school campus to do activities.” She had helped run Envirothon at her old school, so when she came to Mount View, it was offered to her. She has now been running Envirothon for 18 years.  “I was a class advisor for seven years for the classes of 2009 and 2013. The class of 2009 was the last class to graduate in the old building, and the class of 2013 was the first class to go all 4 years in the new building.” 

She is also a geocacher, and she has traveled to New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Canada, and more. She travels to Canada to attend a variety of music festivals. “We don’t go that often because we have dogs,” she says, “if someone wants to come babysit my dogs, then I could go more often.”

After she retires, she plans on doing more of her favorite activities such as geocaching and knitting; she says she would like to learn how to weave.  Mrs. Chase is very unique with all of her interests and quirks, including an impressively high IQ of 138, and she says, “I’m really good at remembering things. If someone says something interesting, I remember it, I don’t have to write it down.” 

Here are some quotes from some of her students and peers:

“She is a good leader in Envirothon” – Greta Blake

“She has a funny personality” – Aspen Fogg 

Being a student council member for four years, it has been really helpful to have Ms. Chase as a guide. She gives us space to do what we believe are good ideas and then she will help us achieve those goals. She is also pushy when she needs to be, which is helpful as well!” – Belle Holt

I really appreciate how involved she is with school events like student council and Envirothon. She always goes above and beyond with her teaching, and cares about her students. She’s very adventurous and travels all the time, and I love that about her and I love hearing her stories!” -Hans Bassett 

When I first came here, she was one of the teachers I looked up to because she knows what she’s doing, and as a fellow crafter, we’ve had many creative conversations.” – Frau Mussatti

I like how Ms. Chase incorporates her own experiences into teaching.” -Emily Richards 

She helped me when I passed out at the blood drive.” – Kaylee Pigott 

She slays leading Envirothon!” – Izzy Healy 

I had her as an Earth Science teacher for my freshman year. She is pretty relatable, and I appreciate her patience with students.” -Jack, journalism co-editor

Mr. Bridges

Mr. Bridges has been working at Mount View for 21 years as the school’s librarian.

“When I first came here, I really liked the family feeling of Mount View. Twenty-one years ago, we were in the old building. There were lots of family farms, and I really enjoyed working with the kids and my fellow teachers,” Mr Bridges says, “In the old school, there were three wings; there was the middle, elementary, and high school. There was only one teacher’s room, and everyone ate lunch there together. It was kind of a jolly time during those 8 years in the old building. When I got there I said, ‘Wow this is where I’m going to stay!’ It felt like home.” 

Mr. Bridges said that his favorite thing about Mount View was working with the students, and the “family feeling” he got from being here. He has a small farm, and he plans to do lots of gardening when he retires, and to do more work on his leather smithing business, which he does custom orders for. He also enjoys dabbling in the arts and is looking forward to having time to spend on different creative projects and hobbies.

Here are some positive words said by his pupils and fellow staff members:

He is really helpful. He knows the answer to everything in the library and with the microphones. He always helps with concerts and pep rallies. He knows all of the behind-the-scenes stuff at Mount View.” – Kricket Thompson and Sawyer Collins 

For any audio or visual needs people can go to Mr. Bridges. What stands out the most is that he is always so willing to help teachers find resources for whatever unit they are planning.  He introduced me to Digital Theatre Plus, which I use all the time now.” – Ms. Callahan 

He’s just really cool honestly.” – Anna St. Onge

He is a really nice person and seems to genuinely enjoy what he does. He is always more than willing to help students and teachers learn how to work the library databases.” – Belle Holt

He is always willing to help students find books and navigate the library database. He helps with fundraisers and is really good about teaching the sound system to others.” -Sydney Bishop 

I haven’t spoken with him many times, but he seems like a pretty intelligent guy, and he knows what he’s doing, too.” Jack, journalism co-editor

Ms. Hewett

Ms. Hewett (Gloria Hewett) has been working at Mount View for 27 years as a teacher. She has been a strong support for many of her students, always welcoming them in with her kindness and enthusiasm for art. She is not only a teacher for art, photography, and pottery, but she’s also the field hockey and track coach. She has made positive impacts on many of her students, and she gives them a safe and quiet place to go. When asked if she would miss anything about working at Mount View, Ms. Hewett said, “I will miss my students. I will miss the energy and ideas of students.” She adds, “I won’t miss rubrics and grading, but I will miss the kids.” She thinks that fall will be the hardest time because she “won’t be going back to work.”

Our community will always be very grateful for the effort and commitment she put into our programs, and for the encouragement and positivity she has offered to many students throughout the years.

Below are some words that a few students had to say:

I go to Ms. Hewett’s room during every study hall.” –Mackenzie Burgess

She is lovely, and she is nice to talk to.” –Kelsea Doughty

She is sweet, and I love her.” –Lexi Cluney

She makes classes fun.” –Breana Marr

She would always encourage me during drawing and painting and said I was doing a good job; it was really sweet.” –Emily Hodgdon

She allows you to have a creative mindset when doing art and gives constructive criticism.”–Ezra Holt

She’s very chill and laid back in her style of teaching which is nice. Also a hands-on side of teaching that I enjoy.” –Max Bottenfield

Ms. Hewett has always helped me along when I was confused on how to do an assignment, or what tools to use for certain clay projects. She has always been understanding and considerate. I have always felt flattered by her faith in me, and believing that I will get my work done and not disappoint her. Ms. Hewett has helped me find my love for pottery and I will forever be grateful to have had her as my mentor and teacher.” –Isabelle Holt

Ms. Hewett’s class has been a huge stress relief for me. I have also discovered a lot of things I am good at here. I am thankful for the opportunity to be in here and get the chance to enjoy myself and have fun.” –Lottie Eastham

She was my art teacher in my freshman year and my photography teacher for my sophomore year. She can be funny and she knows a lot about the subjects she teaches and has a lot of resources available at her students’ disposal. She had previously taught my older sister as well, and was one of my sister’s favorite teachers.” –Jack, journalism co-editor

There were many students who had nice things to say about Ms. Hewett.

Congratulations on your retirement. Ms, Chase, Mr. Bridges, and Ms. Hewett! The students, faculty, and staff of Mount View will certainly miss you all.

The True Meaning of Christmas

by Jack Foye

What a lot of people look forward to on Christmas is what they get. Personally, that’s what I look forward to a lot as well, because there are so many things to wish for. AirPods, expensive perfumes, and maybe even a new drawing tablet. However, I tried to think of at least one Christmas where I went without presents or a stocking, and I realized that there hasn’t been even a single Christmas in which I’ve gone without.

It really struck a chord in me when I read the wishes on the cards of the RSU3 Holiday Tree in our school’s lobby. The tree was adorned with several of these cards, and at first, I took two of them home with me and read them. I was surprised at the simplicity of the wishes. There were no Apple products or high-tech toys and gadgets. Instead, there were things like gloves, shirts, dolls, and toy dinosaurs. In my mind, I could think of the thousands and potentially millions of kids around the world who’d receive not a single blessing on Christmas eve or day.

I thought about my own wishes, and I came to the realization that most of the things that I want are things I don’t need and things that I could probably save up for and buy later this year. Meanwhile, there are kids whose parents work numerous jobs and are still unable to scrape together enough to buy their children gifts for the holidays. There are so many possible scenarios and so many who will have t0 go without, so for at least this year and hopefully more to come, I wanted to do something. Prices of even the most basic items have risen to an all-time high which I cannot believe. I was left gawking at the prices of children’s jackets, boots, shirts, and most notably; toys. Even in the early 2010s, I can remember some of the most popular toys in stores for only a dollar or two. I am not any millionaire of the sort, so I didn’t have hundreds to thousands of dollars at my disposal, but what I did have was money from my own Christmas budget, and that was something that I decided to sacrifice most of.

In the long run, it wasn’t much of a loss knowing that I could be the one to bring joy and hope to at least a few kids. Gifts are not everything, but in my honest opinion, I think that every child who celebrates it should be able to experience Christmas. I bought some comfortable clothes for the kids and some high-end toys that have been all the rage this year; LOL dolls, Jurassic Park, LEGO, etc. I wish that I could’ve donated even more gifts, but unfortunately, even just four kids was already quite expensive, and there are so many more kids in the world to buy gifts for; so many people in general, actually. I think that is something that needs to be spoken about, too, as it is very important that we as people put in the effort to make positive changes and impacts in the short lives we lead.

 We need to create opportunities for others and share our wealth if we have some to share. Greed is a very common problem and it is the catalyst for global poverty. For everyday people, it seems hard to make a difference, but if you really give it your all, great impacts are to be made. Even something small such as donating a gift or planting a tree is a step in the right direction. Hope is a very important thing, but we cannot just hope for things to get better; we must act.

This Sunday, (Christmas Day) cherish every gift and every meal you get, because for every meal you eat, another goes hungry, and for every gift you receive is another stocking or tree without a single treat or present to behold. Even if you do not get everything you want, be happy that you get something, and relish the time that you spend with those who you love.

The History of the Christmas Tree

by Brooklynn Brown

Christmas trees originally came from Germany. During the 16th century, Christians originally brought decorated trees into their homes. Martin Luther first added lighted candles to the trees. On a walk home, he admired the stars twinkling against the trees, and this inspired his idea to put candles on the trees. 

Christmas Shopping Tips

by Brooklynn Brown

  1. Wait a few days before ordering to wait for possible sales.
  2. Look around on multiple sites for the best price. 
  3. Make a list. 
  4. If buying clothes, make sure you know the sizes.
  5. Make a different Christmas list for each family member.
  6. Turn on sale notifications. 

Thank you for a great season, Lady Mustangs

by Kelsea Doughty

The girls’ soccer team ended their season with a loss against Dexter (0-4). The Lady Mustangs had an amazing season with many memories. Good luck next year for the underclassmen, and thank you to the seniors who left their hearts on the field at their last high school soccer game. 

The Common Ground Fair

by Lexi Cluney

On September 23, 24, and 25, 2022, The Common Ground Fair returned to Unity. One Voicing the View reporter was able to experience the excitement first-hand.

When I attended the Common Ground Fair on Friday, I made food for one of the booths and got to talk to so many people. People of many different races and ethnicities attended the fair that day. There were even people that spoke completely different languages that I couldn’t even understand, and many people even traveled from other states. Everyone was so happy to be there, and it was good to see all the smiles and excitement. There were also a lot of smells there from all the different foods and animals there. Face paintings and a lot of other activities were available for kids so everyone was included. 

Older posts

© 2024 Voicing the View

Theme by Anders NorenUp ↑

Skip to toolbar