The Day of the Duck event at Taylor Middle School was a success. Students participated in activities like hitting each other with sticks, racing through an obstacle course, and watching teachers get dunked in the dunk tank. The 8th graders enjoyed the bungee jump and seeing their principal get dunked repeatedly. The event was organized and funded by the school counselors and all had a fun time.

1. Volume 1, Issue 2
DAY OF THE DUCK by Heather Steffek
November 24
Everybody had a whole the event, and to all
bunch of fun this year at the clubs and teachers
the Day of the Duck! who helped out.
It was from hitting each
8th graders
other with a gigantic
Abby Howard and
stick,
Gabby Matuke said,
to racing another person
“We liked the bungee
in the End Zone obstacle
jump and seeing Mr.
Art by Avis Walls course, to watching your
Shuck get dunked...
favorite teacher or prin-
over and over again!”
cipal getting dunked in A huge crowd
the dunking booth. watched and laughed as
unexpected teachers fell
in the water of the dunk-
ing booth. Especially our
very own principal, Mr.
Kolek!
Thanks to the
counselors Mrs. Peterson
and Mr. Schroeder for
TAYLOR MIDDLE SCHOOL
organizing and funding
Veterans Day Assembly—photos by Esmerelda Rios and
Kady Crump
TMS Times
Jessica Rodriguez repre-
We were proud to give
thanks to our veterans!
The choir sang beauti-
sents the band!
Editor-In-Chief: Heather Steffek
fully!
Inside this issue:
Especially the parents of TMS
students like Estevan’s mom!
Faculty and student spotlight 2
Student Poetry 3
Guinness World Record Challenge 3
How to Turn Japanese 4
Question of the Month 4
Maze/Pictures 5
Birthdays 6

2. Staff Spotlight: Wade the techno guy! by Autumn Stabeno
What do you plan on doing for Instant mashed potatoes or normal?
Thanksgiving?
-Normal.
-Work…..
Coke or Pepsi?
What do you do when you are not
-RC.
working?
In high school what’d you think of
-Eat and watch football.
Thanksgiving?
If you could have Thanks giving with
-4 days off.
any celebrity, who would it be and
what do you think they’d eat? Last question, what came first, the
chicken or the egg?
-*long pause...laughs* Brett
Favre, BBQ. -I need to see an instant
replay!
Would you ever kill your own turkey?
-No but I’m okay if some-
one else does. Stay tuned for next month’s Staff Spot-
light of Tina Martinez
you think he’d say?
If you could talk to a turkey what do -Bummer of a month.
Student Spotlight: Oscar Cardonas by Nancy Hernandez
with your life? Become a po-
lice officer
1. What r u doing for
Thanksgiving? EATING! 5. What’s the best way to
2. What’s your favorite get a girl’s attention?
Make the class fun.
food @ Thanksgiving?
Pumpkin Pie 6. What’s the last movie
3. What’s your favorite you saw? Did you like
class and why? Math be- it? Why? Final Destination 3...
and I liked it because it has a lot of
cause I’m good at it.
action.
4. What do you plan to do
World of Immortals (Continued) By: Erin Nevins
...“ You really don’t like that guy do you?” and turned to me and said, “Why didn’t
said my mom. I turned around and thought you say so? You know your father and I
to myself, “Great, now she knows! Crap! are always here for you and you know
You should have just told her the truth in that.” I tried to lighten the mood when I
the first place! Well, being the princess just said, “Mom, I have told you that before,
does the trick, since now every guy in the but all you said was to look deeper.” And I
underworld wants to marry you.” was right. I thought to myself, Scarlet you
did it again. I got done washing the dishes
“Yeah,” I sighed, “I know I have
and went up the stairs only to find my fa-
to try to be the daughter you always
ther waiting uthefor me. “ Scarlet, dear,”
wanted, but mom, all of these guys just like
he reassured me gently, “We just need to
me for my high stature in society.” She
try a different path. Bend the rules a lit-
looked up from the dish she was scrubbing
tle.” (To be continued)
Page 2 TMS TIMES

3. Alice Human Sacrifice…...By: Lorena Sanchez
But those notes they twisted end they She created a strange country while wearing
There was once a dream
swirled a strange smirk
It was such a small dream
Up until he created an equally mad world The new Alice was the country’s queen
The dream thought
The new Alice was that of a rose Was possessed by that deserted dream
I don’t want to vanish- how do I make people
Was shot down by a man who can’t take his All the people were left to flee
notice me?
own woes
A gorgeous ruler now a body lost and
The dream thought and thought,
Left that flower blooming sadly red warped
And finally came out with an idea
The one who was loved by all is now left for
So grand dead
During this two children followed the red
I can make people notice me and they will path
make my world
Had a tree party near a rose bush
An invention from the queen
The first Alice was gallant with a sword in
It was the card of hearts
hand
The second Alice were children who looked
She went off into the woods and off to Won-
alike from birth
derland
Searching for this wonderland on earth
She cut up anyone or anything that crossed her
path
Up until the earth was red to show her wrath Even though they have arrived not long ago
The new Alice was deep in the woods Older sister is stubborn
Was locked in like a watched fugitive Younger brother is smart
If it weren’t for the red path she left behind They were the closest to Alice’s wonderland
No one would think she been and she was Though they never made it out alive
gone for good Third Alice was a child blessed with fine
form They will continue to wander this twisted
fairytale
She would always take all of the Wonder-
The second Alice was a sweet and gentle man land by storm
He would always sing a song for his dear She seduced the town folks to do her work
Wonderland
Guinness World Record Challenge! By Pat Mesta
Have you ever wondered how to 4 to 6 weeks to process. Then, if there is something else that
get into the Guinness Book of they’ll either reject your idea or ac- could
World Records? Well, my friends cept it, and send you the official be eas-
and I did, and we want to break a guidelines for your category. ier, or
world record, so here’s how you So far the only records we more
apply. found that sound like we could do fun to
Send an application in to are watching TV for 62 hours break.
Guinness Book of World Records. straight (possibly, it also sounds Let us
You can download it from: like a torture method.), wearing know!
http://www.guinnessworldrecords. more than 70 socks on one foot at a
com time, and eating 3 saltine crackers
They receive over 50,000 in under 28 seconds.
applications a year, so it does take Fun, right? We want to see
V O L U ME 1 , I S S U E 2 Page 3

4. Cheat code of the month……..By: Gabrielle Matuke
Rock Band 2: If you are trying to unlock all of the songs, here is the
code: Red, Yellow, Blue, Red, Yellow, Blue.
—Source, Tip and Tricks Magazine
How to turn Japanese in 10 easy steps….By: Minerva Alderete
6. Instead of saying “cute”, say
1. Change all meals to sushi.
“kawaii”.
2. Say konnichiwa to everyone
7. Wear your hair in Odongo
you see.
styles.
3. Go to the library and check out
8. Plant a cherry blossom tree.
volume 1 of Fruits Basket, Na-
ruto, and Vampire Knight. 9. Go to an online translator and
write a love note in Japanese.
4. Go on youtube and look up To-
kyo Mew Mew, and Ino-Yasha. 10. Wear Kimono style clothing.
5. Purchase Pockey at a bookstore
or Wal-Mart.
Question of the Month—What do you eat at Thanksgiving?
Thanksgiving Meals!
Stay tuned for next month’s
question! 200
Turkey
Dressing
And congratulations to 150 Ham
Pumpkin Pie
Nancy Diaz for winning the 100 Smoked Turkey
Potatoes
chocolate! 50 Gravy
Giant Cookies
By Kirmesha Thompson 0
Page 4 TMS TIMES

5. TAYLOR MIDDLE
SCHOOL
Phone: 512-352-2815
Email: jkrupala@taylor.isd.
tenet.edu
304 Carlos Parker Blvd.
Taylor, TX 76574
Once a duck,
always a duck!
By: Heather Steffek

6. Thanksgiving Jokes
Why did the turkey cross the road?
It was the chicken’s day off!
What’s the best dance to do on
Thanksgiving Day?
The Turkey Trot!
What kind of music did the Pilgrims
like?
Plymouth Rock!
Why did they let the turkey join the
band?
Because he had the drumsticks!
By Darion Diaz
What did you do
for your birthday
this year?
Wordfind by Chasity Hatch
I egged Kyle’s
Played Guitar Hero house!!!!!!
Metallica with my Went to Gattiland!
sis!!