A New Member!!!

By Spencer

Hello, all you Cougar Times fans! Say hello to our new member, Micah! He will be helping me with the blog from now on. So be prepared for double the action twice a week with back-to-back posts. If you recall, we featured him in two stories here at the blog: the story about In Motion because he's a singer in that band and on top of that he was the mastermind behind the homework petition. So, just like Mrs. Rowe asked me, I'm going to do a little Q&A with Micah right now:

S: So what do you hope to do with the blog?

M: I hope to carry it out and make it better!

S: So Micah, if you had to pick one favorite moment from 2010 so far what would it be?

M: In Motion's Performance at the Middle School Dance. I had a blast.

S: What is your favorite food?

M: Tasty food!

S: So good luck, Micah! I look forward to working with you.

M: Thanks, Spencer, same to you!

Stay Healthy: Tips From School Nurse Mrs. Dunstan

By Chloe

How do you stay healthy working with sick children?
"I think it's because I've worked with children for a long time. My body has built an immunity. I think if you are a healthy person, you can stay healthy."

If someone had a cold, what would you say?
"Do not ride on an airplane! It will be painful because of the plane's movements."

What can you say about Staph/MRSA?
"Watch for any sore or open area in the skin. See your doctor if you have a cut not healing well."

What is the best way to stay healthy?
"Exercise, eat right and sleep. Wash your hands frequently."

Do you recommend that students get flu shots?
"Yes, I think it's a good idea. Get plenty of rest and eat right."

Parent Spotlight: Andrew Revkin Saves Environment One Article at a Time

By Simon

Andrew Revkin is the lead environmental reporter for the New York Times. He writes and photographs. "My job is to keep track of changes in the world, mainly in the environment, that can benefit or harm humans, including our own actions," he explains. He deals with subjects such as people fishing too much or earthquakes or volcanic eruptions. His main interest and work now is with global warming. He says, "I also write about the politics of the environment, which can get very heated sometimes!" Revkin has two sons. His youngest, Jack, is in fourth grade at Garrison.

Revkin has been interested in writing since he was a kid. He enjoyed writing fictional stories about superheroes. He also loved to be outside and interacting with nature (following animal tracks, snorkeling and other nature-related activities.) He read stories about people surviving in the wild. When he was in high school he worked on a "goofy" newspaper that was mostly fiction. When he was about 25, he started to write real stories.

Revkin said he started writing about global warming because he is keen on working with issues that have big consequences for life as we know it. He believes "we're turning up a thermostat that is very, very hard to turn back."

Revkin not only talks the talk, he also walks the walk. He plants trees and turns off lights "religiously" when not in use. He drives "as little as possible," commutes via mass transit and uses video hookups instead of traveling. Revkin also votes for "candidates who care about the environment."

Revkin has been to the Arctic three times. After visiting the Arctic he wrote a children’s book about the Polar ice caps and melting glaciers called "The North Pole Was Here." It’s about man’s effect on the atmosphere and the rapid melting of the glaciers.

I asked Revkin if he enjoyed his job. He answered that it was "great much of the time, exhausting much of the time and really draining and awful once in a while." He pointed out that the 9/11 attacks, the crash of TWA Flight 800 in '96 and the tsunami of 2004 were especially difficult periods.

Revkin has won many awards for his work, including the American Association for the Advancement of Science Journalism Award and an Investigative Reporters & Editors Award. He has also appeared on the Today Show, Good Morning America, NPR and CNN.