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Racist Intimidation at KHS

    By: Ellie Salvatore & Chloe Babb

Recent allegations towards Kennebunk High School arose as more people found out about the apparent disregard against a former teacher, Rosa Slack, of blatant acts of racism towards her were kept under wraps by the administration. Slack recently revealed that she was “fearful for her family’s safety” and felt “harassed” as a student said to a school technician that he wanted to “burn her house down.” This is only one account of the racist acts that were kept under wraps. During spirit week, on flag day, one student came into Slacks classroom wearing a confederate flag on his back.

The meeting originally was scheduled to be behind closed doors but was changed to be public, to discuss the school incidents. This was a good decision because the community has the right to know about this incident. During the meeting, Dan Sayre spoke out to say, “We are here tonight because a crisis was hidden from members of this board and this community.” Everyone was astonished of the fact that this went on for so long. After the meeting they came to two conclusions of an act they would take, the first was to have a subcommittee determine an independent investigation and who would perform it. The board also asked the administration to provide more information about the policies. It is not only unfortunate that these acts of racism happened. But what is more unfortunate is that they were kept hidden as if these acts towards Slack were not of importance.

Pollinators

                Emily smith
                C4

    Pollinators are disappearing and the are starting to die,you might not know this but they are really helpful for a lot of reasons.One reason is the they help us pollinate ⅓ of our food crops.

                Now people are finding the reasons why the are dying and the reasons for that is because people will find                     nest of bees and they get scared that the are going to come out and stung them.They don't want to sting you because when they sting you they just die and the just want to go to the flowers and get nectar and the pollen from the flowers.People think the are going to harm you.They don't they actually do a lot to help us.Here are some of the things they help us do,They help us from most of our fruits and veggies.They help us make honey.


            Now they are dying way more.Walmart and all the stores like those are selling and are spraying pesticides down to kill bees.What they don't know is we need those in life if we did not have them in life we would not be able to eat fruits and healthy food and we would have to eat junk food like chips,popcorn,candy and more unheathy food.They are also dying off because of a big issue which is habitat loss.What people are starting to do is that the are making habitats for all the animals that help us pollinate.If they were all gone then we would half to hand pollinate our own food and the that would take more time until the end up going into the stores.

                 Next here are a few reasons why the are important to our world.Here are some reasons why they are important is because we would have to self pollinate if we did not have them we would have to self pollinate.Here is another reason why the are helpful,when the gather a bunch of pollen they will get it in their body and then they will bring it to another flower which when the do that they are doing a lot to help people.They are really important.They might also go instinked ,There are over 20,000. species of bees and if they all die then that will not be good at all.


If we lost all of our pollinators the biggest consequence would be that we are going to self pollinate which will be hard.Another one is that if we lost all of the bees then all of the flowers would have a lot of nectar and pollen building up in it and it will never come out because that is the bee’s  job.If we went to the store and there was no food because there were no bees or anything that could pollinate.Then it would take like a month or so to get all of our food self pollinated and into the stores.

In conclusion we need to stop spraying and killing our pollinators.Those we some reasons why we need to stop hurting them and also what our consequences.Have you been doing what you should be doing.We don't want them to die so don't harm our bees and all of our Pollinators. Remember they don't want to hurt you they just try to get to flowers and live their lives like us humans.Are you harming animals think about it.

Jon's writing

Environment                          


     We should care for the environment by keeping beaches clean and picking up plastic bags so animals don't get caught in them if you see cans or plastic bags you should pick them up and throw them away. An example from the text is if you see an animal caught in a plastic bag help it and bring it to a vet or back to the animal's habitat so it can be safe and rest for a while until it's back to full health.

      An example from the text is if you see a computer on the ground all alone pick it up and dispose of it properly so there is no e waste there. Keep cans and bottles in recycling bins and make sure you take care of paper so it doesn't end up on the streets so an animal doesn't eat it or get killed by it there because of that one person that threw the paper outside instead of in a trash can or recycling bin.

      Plastic bags are being dumped on the ground every year by people not thinking correctly. Every year 4 million plastic bags are dumped on the beach or on the street by people who are too lazy to get up and recycle them or throw them in the trash so they don't end up in the streets or in the water if people don't throw away trash properly animals will pay for and so they don't kill animals like whales turtles or even bird that are on the beach. In one day kids found eleven pounds of plastic bags on the beach.

    People are the reason that  animals are dying because they are eating and choking on plastic bags people leave on the beach plastic bags that get in the ocean cause animals to die every day by eating them or getting suffocated by them. An example from the text is whales turtles and birds are dying by humans being lazy and just leaving plastic bags on the ground instead of being recycled or put in the trash.

      These are the things we are doing to affect our environment and the humans and animals that live here. This is also how we can fix it and help every person and animal that is here so that they don't die and we don't die so we can keep living on this planet earth and have it clean and healthy. Which means we can be clean and healthy as well.


                                                                                     Source (Santa monica)
                                                                                    Written by Jonathan Daigle

Zachary's Pollinator Essay

                                 Pollinator
           Essay
    By:Zachary Hansen

            Pollinators are dying because of the use of pesticides. We need to fix this by convincing retailers and big cooperated stores to stop spraying pesticides all over the flowers. Then the bees will fly to those stores and try to get the pollen but then once the pesticides are in them it will start to affect their body then once it is fully in them they will not remember where and how to get back to the hive. So we need to stop spraying bad chemicals and pesticides on all of our plants and flowers that stores have. Such as Home Depot, Lowes and Walmart and need to start using organic fertilizers and substances.

          Pollinators are dying because of the use of pesticides. When the bees take in the pesticide called neonicotoid it makes the bees hard to fly and find their way back to the hive. Evidence includes, “We know how to live In harmony with the ecosystem through the adoption of sustainable practices that simply do not allow toxic pesticide use.,” So this shows that we need to be activist and save the bees.

          The importance of pollinators includes the fact that they can save a lot of time and money for humans.,”20,000 species of pollinators are key to hundreds of billions of dollars.,” So if we lost pollinators we would be in a deep hole because we would have way less food in stock prices will run up and the food chain just wouldn't make sence. Evidence shows, “Because our survival depends on healthy pollinators, we must do everything in our power to solve this problem.,” This shows that we really need to put in some brain power and hard work to fix this problem. Because if we don't fix it we will have not as much food and prices will go up and more people will be poor with not as much food.

          If we lost pollinators ⅓ of our food population would be gone and if we lost pollinators it would be humans fault because of the use of pesticides that we spray. Crops would be way down because the pollination would not be going around as much. If we lost pollinators. Evidence shows, “Hundreds of years now we have been working together with bees so let’s just do the bees a favor and stop using pesticides on all crops and wildflowers. So this shows that we can save the pollinators and work together and make a difference in the world and to help save the pollinators.

         The soulution to fix this problem is going to be. If you are in a city and have no room on the ground to plant wildflowers so be it plant them on your roof. Do urban beekeeping. This is when you plant flowers on your roof and they pollinate those then they would pollinate everybody’s crops and then they would pollinate all the other crops that we have. So urban beekeeping is one option to save pollinators. Another option is to stop spraying weed killer on your front yard did you know that chemicals just don’t kill weeds it kills all of the wild flowers to. So stop using pesticides and start using organic fertilizers and substainces. Evidence shows, “Urban beekeeping is an option for saving the bees on rooftops in cities. So this shows that there are many ways that everybody can help save the pollinators.

      Students are being activist at MMS by planting wild flowers and milk weed beds for the Monarch Butterflies and the Honey Bees. we are also spraying organic fertilizers on our flowers and crops to. This shows that we are being productive at being activist at MMS. Because we saw an issue and there has been a steep decline in honey bee population over many years. So this is why here at MMS we are being activist to fix the pollinator problem.

       

 



                        Pollinator Die Off
                                                          By.Daniel Belanger


       Bees are important because they pollinate plants and crops but they are dying off. If all the bees die off we will have to pollinate by hand.

       Bees are dying, this is because of pesticides. The chemicals in pesticides make the bees die or not able to find there way home. Evidence of this is “every polling that bees grab has at least 6 pesticides.” This is important because when the bee brings it back to the hive then all the bees get sick and die. This is because the pesticides are meant to kill things that eats them so when bees take the pollen they take the pesticides are in the polling. So next time you want to use pesticides on your plants think of the bees, use organic pesticides.

      The bees pollinate to get food for themselves, but they don't know that they are also pollinating at the same time. They shake their wings which shakes the pollen off of them from underneath their  bodies  and lands on other flower and plants they land on. Some evidence of this is “bumble bees shake their wings and knocks off the pollen off the flower.” This is important because if they did not do we would most likely to have less plants. So we would have to pollinate by hand so we can have food, and it would be a lot harder and longer to do.

     We would have less food if the bees die off. We would have to pollinate by hand it will take longer and it would cost more. It would cost more because the companies who sell fruits or vegetables would have to hire more people to pollinate by hands. If they don’t hire more people to pollinate by hand we would have a lot less food. See it is a loss, loss because we would have less food, and companies will have to pay more money.

    These are the reasons why pollinators are important they pollinate plants, and if there were no bees there would be less food. Bees are dying or not able to find there way home. If bees die we would have to pollinate by hand. They pollinate plants and crops that helps them grow so we can eat. To stop this we need to warn companies who use Monsanto products. At Massabesic Middle School we are planting milkweed to increase the population of bees. The other thing we are doing at Massabesic is writing letters to companies that use Monsanto products.

   
 

Mia's Pollinator Writting

Pollinators by: Mia Libby

All of these pollinators are dying because of the use of pesticides, not enough flowers are planted, lastly colony collapse disorder. We are all capable of helping these little creatures, for them to help us.


Pollinators are dying because of the use of pesticides. People use pesticides to kill off any pests or disease carriers, such as spiders, mosquitoes, ticks, rats and mice. “People have used varieties of pesticides on their crops”(newsela.com) This is important to us because we need our food, to keep us safe and alive.

 
   The importance of pollinators is they help pollinate our crops (fruits, vegetables). The pollinators do this by going flower to flower collecting pollen. “Pollinators create ⅓ of our food source”(tedtalk)


   The consequence of losing our pollinators is we would have to pollinate by hand. This affects our environment because the crops wouldn't grow; we wouldn't have as much food. “People in China have to pollinate their flowers/crops by hand, toothbrush, or paintbrush(Ted Talk).

   People are helping pollinators by planting flowers that the bees like and not using pesticides. Alternatives to Pesticides?- Colony Collapse Disorder- “is the phenomenon that occurs when the majority of worker bees in a colony disappear and leave behind a queen.” “When people use/spray pesticides, that causes CCD- Colony Collapse Disorder.”(en.m.wikipedia.org)


   At MMS we can plant flowers to attract the bees/pollinators. We at MMS ARE planting more and more flowers. “Our school is doing the Samantha Smith Challenge. To bring the world the food they need that comes from pollinators.”


   In conclusion, pollinators are dying because of the use of pesticides, not enough flowers for the bees, and Colony Collapse Disorder. To fix this problem we can not use pesticides on our plants, and we can plant more flowers around town. At MMS we can help by planting flowers. We can help by not using pesticides. Lastly we can help by not killing the bees, all the bees want to do is protect their colony and the honey.

Tias pollinator writing

POLLINATORS




Pollinators are dieing because of CCD,pollinate by hand,pesticides. Colliny claps disorder is a big part of the killing of pollinators. Pollination is a big part of our food sources. Pollinators help pollinate ⅓ of our food source. If we did not have pollinators we would have to self pollinate.



Pollinators are dieing because of CCD also known as colliny claps disorder. Also “People are useing pesticides on plants.”(newsela.com). This is important because we can not lose pollinators so we have to stop using them.



People would have to pollinate by hand if pollinators die. Also “We would have to pollinate by hand”(mms May 4th 2016). So if pollinators die people would have to pollinate by hand with a toothbrush or paintbrush.



People are planting habits all over New York. In 2010 is when the government allowed us to start putting habitats in New York. Also “ we make habitats all over the roofs in New York” (Ted talks). This is important because we are making more habitats in the city.


In conclusion pollinators are dieing because of CCD,pollinate by hand,and pesticides. Making habitats on roofs in New York having pesticides on flowers we would have to self pollinate.