April 2020 Issue 3

Friendly Reminders E.W.

H.E.

Staff Reporters

• Remember the expectations at Doral so we

can have an organized school. One of the

expectations is to stay on the right side of

the hall and no running in the school

building.

• Since we just received new outside

equipment be proactive with it, don’t throw

it over the fence, don’t bend it and don’t pop

any of the equipment.

• During lunch when you are outside at recess

DO NOT EAT on the playground unless

you have permission from a teacher at

Doral.

• When you are on the school campus please

respect all of our staff members and other

students here at Doral Academy.

• Do not break the dress code. No hats inside,

no black pants without a skirt, etc. Or else

you will get a dress code violation card.

• Only bring water to school and in a water

bottle so we don't have any major spills in

your classroom or anywhere else in the

school building.

Fun Fact About Principal Orr R.H. Staff Reporter

These are some of the jobs that Mrs. Orr had

that were not in the school business. Mrs. Orr was a

nanny, tutor, assistant accountant, waitress for three

restaurants. She worked at a jewelry store, recreation

center, bank, credit union. She served beach

concessions and painted houses one summer.

Night-time

A.K. Staff reporter

Night is time for bed,

But for animals’ like

Bats, pumas, owls,

Foxes, hedgehogs, and aardvarks,

It’s go time.

Bats fly through the night sky to find bugs,

Pumas to hunt,

Owls swoop around to find mice,

Foxes scout around to find their next meal,

Hedgehogs waddle around to play,

And aardvarks use their long snouts to look for ants.

It’s all about the midnight snacking!

Advice G.B. R.S. Staff Reporters “You’re braver than you believe and stronger than you seem, and

smarter than you think,” Christopher Robin, Winne the Pooh. “Do or

do not, there is no try”. Does this sound familiar? If you are a Star

Wars fan, then you know that this is a famous Yoda quote. This is

great advice because this quote is telling you not to try but to

do. This means when you are trying your best you should be

doing your best. Doing your best is important so that you can

succeed in life. What is the point of doing anything if you are

not doing your best at it? There would be no reason to even do

it at. Always do your best.

Ask Elliot -Elliot

Some Questions that I have been asked:

Q1: How do you know so much? A: I am the mascot of the school, and because of that, I use my free time to learn as

much as I can about this school.

Q2: Why is the sky blue? A: The sky is blue because the color of oceans and water sources are blue, and it reflects off

the water, and into the sky.

Q3: 20x10? -99x99? A: 20x10=200, 99x99=9,801.

Q4: 8,000÷986? A:8.11359026369168356997971602434077079107505070993914807302231-

23732251521298174442190669371196754563894523326572008, and the whole decimal repeats

Q5: 1,000÷2,000? A: 1,000÷2000=0.5, or 1/2.

Q6: 10,000x1,000? A: 10,000,000 or 10 million.

Q7: 100 million x 250 million? A: 25 quadrillion, or 25,000,000,000,000,000.

Q8: How do you do multiplication (multiply)? A: Simple multiplication is done by adding whatever number is being

multiplied as many times as what it is being multiplied by. For example: 9x4=9+9+9+9 which is repeated

addition. Multiplication is the same as repeated addition. Your teachers will teach you more as you get older

Q9: What does times mean? A: Times means multiplied by, you may know it as multiplication, or “3x4”

Q10: How far is New York City from Reno? A: It is 2,692 miles to drive,

and going there by plane is 2,411 miles.

Q11: Why are we called Doral Dragons? A: The school is named Doral,

and the mascot is me, Elliot, and I am a Dragon.

Q12: How much do cats usually cost? A: Long story short, a lot. Somewhere within $0-$200 to buy a cat, but owning

a cat is far more expensive. The average cost for all of a cat’s needs is typically $405–2,285 for your first year

of owning one, and typically $340–1,825 per year after.

Q13: Do you like Valentine’s day? A: Try to name a holiday I won’t like,

Of Course I do!

Q14: Can someone survive a tsunami? A: It depends on where you are, and how prepared you are. If you are in a

super safe bunker, then the chances are that you will survive, whereas if you are in the streets, and a tsunami

approaches, the chances of surviving are really slim. Tsunamis wipe out entire cities at a time.

Q15: Are dragons real? Well, I am a dragon… and I seem to be alive… So what do you think… Am I real?

Artist of the Month K.B.

Staff Reporter

Some of you may have been

waiting for the winners to be released!

Well, wait no longer, because our winners

are E.Y. (name removed for online

edition) in 4th grade, and P.B. (name

removed for online edition) in 6th grade.

Congratulations for being the first

winners as Artist of the Month, and if you

didn’t win this time, don’t lose hope! Next

month, I would like you to combine two

animals and draw what you think it would

look like! Thank you for participating in

the Artist of the Month contest!

Miss Bachman

A.G.

Staff Reporter

Miss Bachman is a second Grade Teacher here at Doral. Her

favorite subject to teach is Math, and she likes to give grammar and

math quizzes. She wanted to become a second grade teacher at this

school because she likes charter schools and she likes the second

grade age group. Before she was a teacher she was a Behavior

Technician that worked with autistic kids. When Miss Bachman

handles a difficult situation she talks to the students and gets both

sides of the story. According to Miss Bachman the most frustrating

thing about teaching is how many times she hears her name in a day.

Her favorite thing about teaching is the relationships she makes with

her students.

Miss Bachman grew up in Granite Bay California and her

favorite thing she did as a kid was ice skating. Miss Bachman's

favorite food is steak and potatoes and she has always wanted to go

to Europe. In her free time Miss Bachman loves baking and

cooking. Miss Bachman plans to still be Teaching in five years

Angela Orr L.V. Staff reporter

Angela Orr, our principal, started at Doral in 2019. Her favorite

part of her job is being with kids. She has an amazing family. She has two

kids, her daughter is 21, and her is 10 years old. Mrs. Orr also has three pets,

a dog named Tumblebus, a cat named Yoda, and a gecko Jadi. Last but not

least is her husband, Doug. They have been married for eleven years! She

has a wonderful family and loves any time she gets to be with them. Mrs. Orr loves to travel with her family; she loves to explore and

try new things. Mrs. Orr likes to hike and go on bike rides, Angle Orr loves

to be on the water. She loves to go on boats, be at the beach, fishing, and

more! Her favorite color is dark teal. She likes to eat spicy and sea foods;

and loves to cook in the kitchen! When I asked if you felt like a color what

color would you be? “I would feel like an organized but crazy orange” she

loves and tries to always be positive. Mrs. Orr’s favorite movies are “Sound of Music”, “Goonies”, and

she loves psychological thriller movies. She likes Marvel better than DC.

Her favorite animals are sea turtles, cats, and elephants. Mrs. Orr likes to try

new things, and loves to read to others. Being principal is crazy! But her favorite part is getting to be with

students, teachers, parents, PTO, and aides. There are a lot of hard things

about being a principal. First is trying to make a decision that makes

everyone happy. Then there's the schedule that changes almost every day!

Mrs. Orr said, “that it is important to give back to the community and know

what's happening in our government.” She thinks that what our school can

do (or raise) is incredible! She also said that, “the community at Doral is

amazing.” She feels that no matter what age every kid can make a positive

impact! Where happy and lucky to have you at are school Mrs.Orr!

Mr. C.

Mrs. Meier H.W.

G.B.

Staff Reporter

Mrs. Meier is a third grade teacher

here at Doral. She is originally from San

Diego, California. Before working at Doral

she worked at Double Diamond Elementary

School. She chose to work at Doral because

her son was going to go to school here and she

really likes art integration schools. Mrs.

Meier chose to teach 3rd grade because

everything that she is teaching is really fun.

Mrs. Meier’s favorite thing about Doral is the

people. Her favorite thing about teaching is

the relationships she builds with her students.

Her two kids are Dylan, who is 10 years old,

in 5th grade here at Doral, and Drew who is 5

years old and joining the Doral family very

soon.

Her favorite animals are orangutans

and otters, her favorite color is orange and her

favorite food is Thai food. Mrs. Meier’s

hobbies include photography, reading and

hiking. When she was a kid her dream job was

to be a Zoologist or a Vet. In her free time,

she likes to spend time with her family. For

vacation she likes to go to Park City, Utah.

Miss L H.E.

Staff Reporter

Miss L is one of our amazing second grade teachers here at

Doral. Ever since Miss L was in kindergarten she wanted to be a

teacher. The reason why? In kindergarten she loved all of the

teachers' materials, and she loved playing teacher. Miss L moved

here from California to attend college at the University of Nevada

Reno (UNR). Miss L’s favorite food is Mexican; she loves the taste

of it. She has a dog named Doodle, he is a Golden Retriever, she

loves him so much. In her free time Miss L does CrossFit,

volleyball, plays with her dog, and goes to Lake Tahoe with

Doodle. Her favorite grade in elementary school was 4th grade. Her

teacher’s name was Mr. Crater. Her real last name is Litvinchuk

but she goes by Miss L. She is super happy to be here at Doral

Academy.

Miss Filcher D.B. Staff Reporter

Miss Filcher teaches 3rd grade here at Doral, her full name

is Hannah Filcher. Miss Filcher has taught for 3 years now. She

became a teacher because she was a struggling learner. She wants to

help students like her teachers helped her. Miss Filcher is from

Eugene, Oregon, and moved to Reno, NV when she was 10 years

old. Her hobbies include anything outside, she loves hiking and

snowshoeing! Her favorite sports team is the Oregon Ducks! She has

two cats named Buddy and Ginger. They love to get into trouble,

there is never a dull moment with them! If she could go anywhere to

eat she would go to her favorite restaurant in Eugene called

Kowloon’s..

Mrs. Chavez K.C. Staff Reporter

Mrs. Chavez is a new mother, and a third

grade teacher here at Doral. Part of her job as a

teacher is to make sure that her students get the

information they need to make it to fourth grade. She

decided to work at Doral because she loves the staff

and students. Doral is her dream school and she is in

her first year of teaching, she says that she is so lucky

to find her dream school in her first year of teaching.

She chose to teach third grade because she likes

students she works with in third-grade. She also

chose to teach third-grade because she likes the third

grade curriculum. She plans to return to teaching at

Doral on March 30th, 2020, after being on maternity

leave. Her newborn baby girl's name is Olivia

Isabella Chavez. While she was pregnant she craved

pepperoni pizza, although her favorite food is sushi.

Her favorite animal/pet is a dog and her most favorite

holiday is Christmas.

Miss Peterson A.N. Staff Reporter

Miss Peterson is a kind and caring third-grade teacher. Miss

Peterson is from Reno, NV, in fact, her parents live across the

street! Miss Peterson lives with her cat Louie. Her favorite movie

is “The Holiday” and her favorite animal is a koala. Miss Peterson

is a super outdoorsy person, in her free time she rock climbs, skies,

and takes long nature walks. She wanted to teach because she

wanted to be like all the teachers that she learned from. She came

to Doral because of the art integration. Her favorite food is Thai

food. Miss Peterson is a great person; she is super nice and caring.

Mrs. Tidball M.O. Staff Reporter

Mrs. Tidball is one of our awesome 2nd

grade teachers at Doral this year. Mrs. Tidball

works hard every day to make 2nd graders’

education fun, exciting, and interesting! Mrs.

Tidball decided to become a teacher because when

she was a kid she felt like the boss and she was the

one who kids seemed to like. If Mrs. Tidball was

home right now, she would be exercising, or work

in the yard. She has one pet, his name is Odian and

he is a cat. Her favorite things to do include,

exercising, baking, cooking, and listening to crime

podcasts. She really wants to go on vacation to

Disneyland Paris, or Bali. If she was an animal, she

would want to be an owl or an elephant. She went

to Dominican University, which is located in River

Forests, Illinois. Her favorite place to eat is almost

anywhere in San Francisco.

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Teacher Spotlight: Mr. Frey N.P. A.G. Staff Reporters

Our Teacher Spotlight this month is our new science teacher, Mr. Frey! Mr. Frey is a 6th and 7th grade science

teacher who grew up in Henderson, Nevada. His favorite subjects are Ecology and Biology. He wanted to become a

teacher at Doral and teach at this grade level because he loves science and wants other people to love it like he does. He

uses a “taught hands on paper” to learn new information. He loves teaching because every time he has a lesson planned,

it always goes differently. He encourages classroom participation using a strategy called, “Think, Share, and Pair,” it

gives everyone a chance to participate.

Mr. Frey handles a difficult situation by first taking his mind off the situation mentally, then he goes over habit

5, “Seek first to understand then to be understood.” A frustrating thing about teaching for Mr. Frey is the students who

don’t want to try. Mr. Frey likes to do science outside of school in his free time. He also plants with his roommate and

takes nature hikes with his friends. The hard thing about coming halfway into the school year was moving with other

people that already had connections with each other that he didn't know about. Thank you Mr. Frey for being an amazing

teacher at Doral!

Mrs. Ponce

M.H. D.B Staff Reporters

Mrs. Ponce is one of our awesome

second grade teachers at Doral. Mrs. Ponce

grew up in Las Vegas, NV with her four

little sisters. She went to UNR for college

and had part time jobs working in offices.

Mrs. Ponce has two kids, a one-and-a-half-

year-old and a three and a half year old. She

has been teaching for eight years and she

came to Doral because she heard very good

things about the school. Before coming to

Doral, Mrs. Ponce taught at Honor’s

Academy. Mrs. Ponce’s favorite season is

fall, her favorite Starbucks drink is a latte,

and her favorite holiday is Christmas. Her

favorite sport to play is soccer and her

favorite movie is Ratatouille.

Mrs. Jones V.P. Staff Reporter

Mrs. Jones is the substitute teacher for Mrs. Chavez’s 3rd

grade class, while she is out on maternity leave. Mrs. Jones is from

Lodi, California and she loves organizing and planning events. Mrs.

Jones best vacation that she has taken was going to Italy last summer.

She went to northern Italy for 14 days and she saw Formula 1 in

Monaco. When not at Doral she likes to lead her Girl Scouts troop,

Coach 8 year old girls in soccer, volunteering at her church and

traveling with her family. Mrs. Jones has been a substitute teacher

for one year. She likes to be a substitute teacher because she loves

kids and it helps her understand what her girls are learning in school.

Mrs. Jones's favorite kind of food is Mexican food, and her favorite

color is pink. Before Doral Mrs. Jones was an engineer’s assistant at

the Civil Engineering Firm and was in charge of their marketing

department. Mrs. Jones favorite thing about Doral Academy is the

community, the support of the staff, the kids, and the parents. Mrs.

Jones likes to teach respect and how to raise the bar. She also

believes that her students are capable of incredible things.

The 8 Habits: Habit #4 & 5

Habit #4 B.G

Staff Reporter

The fourth habit of Highly Effective Teens and Happy Kids is called, “Think Win-Win.” This means that in any

given situation, whether it be a basketball game, or a game of rock, paper, scissors, think of it where everybody wins.

There are 4 different ways to think win-win, 3 of which are not positive. There is win-win, win-lose, lose-win, and lose-

lose. Win-lose is where you win, and someone else loses, lose-win is where you lose and someone else wins, and lose-

lose is where you and someone else loses. Win-win may be in a sport, where there is a tie, so instead of some team

winning, and another team losing, both teams win. A win-lose may be where siblings can’t decide where to go out to eat,

so your parents go where you want to go, and your sibling loses. A lose-win may be where you have a candy bar, and a

friend comes up, asks for a bite, so you give them a piece, and the process repeats until there is none left for you, you

have no candy bar, and all of your friends got a taste. A lose-lose could be when you are unable to make it to someone’s

birthday party, so you don’t get to go, and they don’t get to have you there.

Habit #5

The fifth habit of Highly Effective Teens and Happy Kids is called, “Seek First to Understand, then to Be

Understood.” Long story short, this means that you must listen to people before you attempt to get them to listen to you.

“It is always more important to know your surroundings and surrounding people than to have them know you,” is another

way to phrase this habit. This could also be interpreted by conversations with people. You could let people speak to you

before you speak to them, make sure that you are willing to let them speak, and/or the more you listen, the better you will

understand. In order to “seek to understand,” you need to understand and desire to see the situation from the other person’s

point of view, see their reasons, and try to feel how they feel, and then react to it.

Heroes of Doral K.B. J.V. Staff Reporters

Every day, students are struggling with self-esteem issues. Both teenagers and

younger children don’t think much of themselves and their abilities. But here at Doral

Academy, our very own seventh grade student, C.A. (7th grade student, name removed

for online edition), is working towards boosting self-esteem through a club.

C.A. got the idea of a self-esteem club because she herself suffered from low

self-esteem. C. knows from personal experiences that low self-esteem can damage

people beyond repair. She would like to assist those with low self-esteem so they can

be helped before they are hurt. One person that has inspired C. to make a self-esteem

boosting club is her older sister. Her older sister, like C., had low self-esteem issues,

but now she is healthy and happy. Within this club, she is going to give advice and do

small activities to boost self-esteem. It is yet to be decided when this club is going to

be active and when students can join. All ages are welcomed, and even if you don’t

have self-esteem issues but you want to join, C. encourages you to come and help out

with activities. If you need someone to talk to, this club is also the place to go.

Mrs. Cates’ 4th grade class are also Doral Hero’s for their Koala Dolla’

fundraiser. You may have participated in the Koala Dolla’ fundraiser by paying a dollar

for free-dress. Their goal was to raise $1,000, but instead, they raised $2,037.15! The

student that came up with the idea was Amelia, and she chose koalas because they are

her favorite animal. They intend to donate half the money to the Red Cross in Australia,

and the other half to Koala Hospital Port Macquarie. The half that is donated to the Red

Cross is going to help the people in Australia who were impacted by the raging fires,

while the other half will be used to help the injured koalas that also suffered from the

fires. Thank you for helping the people and koalas in Australia!

DAYLIGHT SAVINGS

K.C.

Staff reporter

Have you ever wondered why the time changes? It’s called

Daylight savings! We do daylight savings because we want to

make better use of light. Arizona doesn’t do it because they like

not changing. Today, about 40% of countries in the world use

daylight savings to make better use of daylight and to conserve

energy and make energy. The terms are: “spring forward” and

“fall back.” Daylight savings first began on March 19th, 1918,

an act to preserve daylight and provide standard time for the

United States; fall back is the standard time. This year daylight

savings started on: Sunday March 8th at 2:00 a.m. and will end

on Sunday November 1st at 2:00 a.m. 2020.

Mind Blown D.B.

J.C.

Staff Reporters

Hello welcome to MIND BLOWN and here are

some fun facts! Here you’ll learn about basically

everything so let’s get in to we have a lot to look at.

*Did you know that all the people in the world could

fit inside Los Angeles.

*The world's hottest chili pepper is called the

dragon's breath chili pepper and it is so spicy that

it can

kill you. It was originally used for medicine to

numb

people during surgery.

*France is the most visited country in the world;

mostly

for vacations and trips.

*The world's quietest room in the world is in

Washington state at Microsoft's headquarters. It is

so quiet that when most people enter the room,

they

get a weird feeling that is hard to describe.

*Sedate phobia is the fear of silence.

*The coldest temperature ever recorded was a

negative

144 degrees Fahrenheit and was recorded in

Antarctica.

*Muhammad is the most popular name in the world.

Did you know only two countries in the world use

purple in their flags, Nicaragua and Dominica.

*The world's most expensive coin ever was sold

for $7

million dollars and it was the 1933 double eagle

coin

it was worth $20 back then. (information obtained from: bestlifeonline.com) and (Fearof.net).

Universal Studios

H.W. Staff Reporter

Universal Studios is a very popular movie Amusement park, with locations in Orlando, Florida and

Hollywood, California. Universal Studios Hollywood was first opened on the 15th of July in 1964, and it has grown a

lot since then. In 1912 Universal Studios started to make movies, including, Jurassic Park, Jurassic World, the Grinch,

Jaws, The Secret Life of Pets, Furious 7, Minions, Despicable Me 2, The Fate of the Furious, E.T. There is a ride that

shows you where they film their movies and shows, and you can go on simulators that show you parts of movies.

At Universal Studio there are 15 movie rides, including, Jurassic Park, Mummy, the Transformers, Shrek, and

Despicable Me. There is The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, and Springfield, a Simpsons themed area. There are

also shows you can go to that include, the Pet show, the Lighting show, and the Famous Universal Studio tour.

At Universal Studios there are stores and restaurants. There are 16 restaurants and there are about 8 stores. Some

restaurants and stores are based on the rides and movies they have made. For example, in the Wizarding World of

Harry Potter they have a shop where they sell Harry Potter wands.

v

Around the World Languages L.J. Staff Reporter

Have you ever wanted to learn another language? Well now is your chance!

Hello Goodbye How are you doing?

Spanish: Hola Adios Como estas

(O-la) (Ah-dee-os) (Co-mo-est-as) Norwegian: Hallo Ha det Hvordan gar det (Ha-loo) (Ha-deh) (Voo-don-gor-det)

Hungarian: Hello Viszontlatasra Hogy vagy

(Heh-low) (Vee-son-thla-tash-ra) (Ho-wee-gee-va-gee)

Information from google translate

8th grade spotlight V.P.

Staff Reporter

Question: What are you doing for spring break?

Name: Ammi Answer: My family from California is visiting

Name: Colt Answer: Probably just playing video games and sleeping

Name: Kalee Answer: Hanging out with friends and playing video games

Name: Dasah Answer: Stay home and go to a cabin and draw

Mind blowing Holidays M.O. Staff Reporter Do you get bored waiting for holidays like

New Year, Valentine’s Day, Easter, and many others?

Well turns out there are things celebrated every day!

They are not very well known, mostly because they

aren't celebrated. But it's now time to celebrate the

weird, the fun, the crazy, and the wacky!

April 8th: Zoo Lovers day. Time to see your favorite

animals! April 4th: Tell a Lie day! You know just because there

is a holiday for it doesn't mean that you can do it.

April 9th: Name Yourself Day. It seems like a good day

but, why change yourself!?

April 10th: National Siblings day. Time to spend some

time with them! April 14th: Reach as High as you can a day. Why not

touch the sky?

Easter Dad Jokes M.H. Staff Reporter

Q. What kind of music does the Easter Bunny like?

A. Hip Hop!

Q.What day does an egg hate the most?

A. Fry-Day!

Q. What do you call a sleeping egg?

A. Egg-Zosted!

Q. Why did the Easter Bunny have to fire the duck?

A. Because he kept quacking all the eggs!

Q. What do you call an egg from outer space?

A. An Egg-stra-terrestrial!

Jokes from Fatherly.Com

Easter L.J. Staff Reporter

Easter is a time of fun with lots of candy,

chocolate and hunting for eggs! But have you ever

wondered how this exciting holiday came to be? Easter

is the oldest and most important Christian holiday on

Sunday that is about the rebirth of Christ. The white lily

is the official flower of Easter and is a symbol of purity

and grace. In the 1800s in the US the Easter Bunny

tradition started. It is believed that the first Easter Bunny

tradition most likely started in Europe, and was called the

Easter Hare. Though the idea of the Easter Bunny giving

eggs and candies originated in Germany in the middle

ages. Written by the author Bede, Easter was named after

the Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring and fertility, Eostre.

It was also believed that this goddess had a connection

with hares and eggs.

Did you know that 76% of Americans think that

the ears of a chocolate Easter Bunny should be eaten

first? Marshmallow peeps are the most popular non

chocolate Easter candy. Over 7 million peeps are bought

by Americans each Easter. Easter egg dyes once were

made of natural items like onion peels, tree bark, flower

petals and juices. The tradition of painting eggs is called

Pysanka. Even though egg dying is an Easter tradition,

giving eggs is an old tradition that dates back further than

Easter!

Facts from uselessdaily.com

L.V. Staff Reporter

Rio De Janeiro A.H.

Staff Reporter

Rio de Janeiro is a popular city because of its wonderful

past. Portuguese were the first to rule Rio, they hit the

Guanabara Bay on January 1st 1502. Rio de Janeiro is located

in Brazil. Rio de Janeiro means ‘River of January’. After two

years of intense war, they moved to a hill called Castle Hill

where they developed a strong economic system. However, this

economic system didn't last long, when Rio entered the 19th

century, sugar cane production had stiff competition. Gold and

diamond reserves beat down the business of the production of

sugar cane; to make money they exported coffee to royal

Portuguese families. During the 18th century, the new leader

gave the ok to start making sugar cane again. Brazil finally

reached its independence again. Rio de Janeiro is best known

for the most visited city in the southern hemisphere. A big

question that is asked, is Rio de Janeiro safe or not? In the

morning it is 100 percent safe, at night it says that's a different

story.

Now that we know the history, let's talk about

population and climate. Rio de Janeiro’s climate is hot,

humid and tropical. 6.32 million people live there and the land

mass is 485 square miles. The postal code is

20000-00. https://www.britannica.com/place/Rio-de-Janeiro-Brazil

Machu Picchu L.C.

Staff Reporter

Machu Picchu is known as one of the 7 Wonders of

the World. “Machu Picchu is located 50 miles northwest of

Cuzco, Peru high in the Cordillera de Vilcabamba of the

Andes Mountains” (Britannica.com). Machu Picchu is 7,972

feet high (2,430 meters) and is famous for its mysterious ruins.

On July 24, 1912, the ruins of Machu Picchu were found by

an American Historian named Hiram Bingham. Archeologists

say there could have been at least 1,200 people that lived

there around 1438-1472.

Machu Picchu is so special because of the amazing

archeology and many ecosystems it has. “Machu Picchu

symbolizes the excellent technical skill, and productivity of

the Inca Empire”-Machu Picchu.org. The stones used to build

the buildings were cut so precisely and wedged so close

together that you couldn't even fit a thin credit in between

them. Machu Picchu was built on top of two fault lines. When

there’s an earthquake, the stones move around and then fall

back into place. Without this great architecture, many of the

buildings would be turned into ruins.

Machu Picchu is a great place to visit because of the

views, the hikes, and knowing how old and amazing this place

is. If you get lucky, sometimes you can even see the mountains

protruding through clouds.

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/best-family-trips/machu-picchu/ https://www.peru-machu-picchu.com/ https://www.britannica.com/place/Machu-Picchu https://www.history.com/topics/south-america/machu-picchu https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/274/

Chichen Itza H.E

Staff reporter

Chichen Itza (chee-chen eet-suh), one of the seven

wonders of the world, is located in the Yucatan Peninsula of

modern Mexico. “Chichen Itza was a Mayan city on the Yucatan

in Mexico. Although it’s an important tourist attraction, Chichen

Itza also remains an active archeological site” (history.com). The

name Chichen Itza is a Mayan language term for “at the mouth

of the well of the Itza. The well in name refers to a number of

underground rivers that run beneath the region and likely served

as the source of water for the city. This easy access to water made

the location perfect for a city the size of Chichen Itza”

(history.com). Chichen Itza was a large city built by the Maya

people.

https://www.history.com/topics/ancient-americas/chichen-itza

Taj Mahal M.O.

Staff Reporter

Taj Mahal, located in Agra, India was built in 1632. Taj

Mahal is a real mind-boggling mausoleum made out of white

marble. Shah Jahan wanted to build the mausoleum as soon

as possible. Taj Mahal was decorated and made by 22,000

painters, laborers, stone cutters, and embroidery artists.

Emperor Shah Jahan tried to build a duplicate of the Taj

Mahal in black marble across the Yamuna river, but a fight

with his sons inflicted his intentions so he did not do it. Taj

Mahal is an Indian landmark, usually a tourist magnet,

millions of tourists visit every year! The materials that were

used to build Taj Mahal were carried along the Yamuna river,

by an unbelievable 1,000 elephants. Many believe Taj Mahal

was built out of love, but it was actually built out of guilt.

Mumtaz was Shah Jahan’s third and favorite wife. It was

believed she was a very beautiful and devoted wife. She had

14 children, although she did not get to see her 14th child, she

died during the birth. There was another side to her many

people didn't know about, she was great at chess and was even

better than her husband. When playing chess, she was ruthless

and ambitious.

THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA K.C. Staff Reporter

The Great Wall of China was built to protect the

Chinese Empire from invaders. The Great Wall of

China is more than 13,000 to be exact 21,196.18mi and

is located in the northern part of China. The Great Wall

of China is the most recognizable symbol of China

because of its long and vivid history. And the Great

Wall is over 2,300 years’ old “The Great Wall of China was originally

convinced by the Empire Qin Shi Huang in the third

century B.C as a means of preventing incursions from

the barbarian nomads.” (History.com) cool facts about

the Great Wall of China: “contrary to common belief,

the Great Wall of China cannot be seen from space

with the naked eye. It can be seen with aid. As early as

the Qin Dynasty (221-207BC) when building the Great

Wall, glutinous rice flour was used in making the

binding material into bricks.” (History.com) The Ming

Great Wall crosses 9 provinces and municipalities:

Liaoning, Hebei, Tianjin, Beijing, Inner Mongolia,

Shanxi, Shaanxi, Ningxia, Gansu. Nearly 1⁄3 of the

Great Wall has disappeared without a trace, no one has

seen the 1⁄3 of the Great Wall that went missing.

“There most popular Great Wall legend is about Meng

Jiangnv, whose husband died building the Great Wall

of China.

The Roman Colosseum A.N.

Staff Reporter

The Roman Colosseum is probably the most interesting

out of the 7 Wonders of the World. The Roman Colosseum was

used to hold gladiator fights for the emperor’s entertainment.

The gladiators would sometimes be forced to fight lions. The

Roman Colosseum can hold 8,700 people at the max limit. The

colosseum was built in 1,950 years ago under Emperor

Vespasian, that’s a sturdy building. The colosseum is 159 feet

tall and 512 feet wide. The colosseum was made entirely out of

volcanic rock, concrete, and limestone. Television wasn’t

invented yet so ancient Romans would watch people fight in the

colosseum for entertainment. Gladiators are slaves that have

been bought by the emperor and have been fitted for a bloody

battle. When they are brought into the arena they can expect to

see a labyrinth where the gladiators had to find each other before

they could fight. A usual fight would look like a scrawny servant

being pushed out of the dungeon begging to be let in for a while,

then they would start to look around for the other gladiator, spot

him and start running, by then he would have a sword stuck in

his chest.

https://www.rome.net/colosseum

The Lost City of Petra A.G.

Staff Reporter

Petra, also known as Raqmu, is an ancient city located

in southern Jordan. Petra is carved into sandstone cliffs located

around Jabal Al-Madbah, in a valley that is consumed by

mountains that form the Eastern side of the Arabah Valley that

go to the Dead Sea to the Gulf of Aqaba. The region

surrounding the city of Petra has been occupied as recent as

7000 BC, however the Nabataeans could have inhabited what

would eventually become the first city of their nation, “as early

as the 4th century BC” (Wikipedia). Yet, Archaeologists have

only found proof that the Nabataeans appeared going back to

the second century BC, and at this time the city of Petra had

become the Nabataeans capital.

The Nabataeans were nomadic People that established

a major regional trading hub. The Nabataeans trading career

grew and the city of Petra became the center of their wealth.

“Petra flourished in the 1st century AD,” when the well-known

Al-Khazneh was built “and its population peaked at an

estimated 20,000 inhabitants” (Wikipedia). In the first century

BC Petra became a state of the Roman empire, “it was only in

106 AD that it lost its independence” (Wikipedia). “Petra fell to

the Romans” who renamed Nabataea as Arabia Petraea. The

city’s significance decreased as “sea trading routes emerged”

and after an earthquake demolished many structures. During the

Islamic era the city of Petra was deserted there were only a few

nomads left. Petra was lost, no one knew about it, until one day

in 1812 it was rediscovered by Johann Ludwig

Burckhamdt.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petra

Area 51 K.D.

P.H.

Staff Reporters

Area 51 is a VERY restricted military base about 90 miles away

from Las Vegas. On google maps Area 51 was blocked because of how top

secret it is. Area 51 is working on top secret research for future aircraft,

spy gear, and advanced weapons, and there are no aliens, even though more

than 70% of Americans believe aliens are held there. The U.S. government

created area 51 around 1955 as a testing premises but in 2013 the C.I.A.

publicly announced that Area 51 was an existing base for the first time

explaining the forms and giving a run through of the background info and

meaning of Area 51. Did you know the original name of area 51 is called

“Watertown”.

The Area 51 raid was first made in a Facebook group called

“Storm Area 51” that had 471,000 users that planned to meet up at the Area

51 tourist attraction and coordinate the entry and the raid was scheduled on

September 20th 2019. Over a million people signed up to raid Area 51.

Matty Roberts was the person behind the Area 51 raiding and was the one

who started the event, then 2 million people responded with “going” and

1.5 million responded with “interested” on the occurrences Facebook page.

But less than 100 people showed up turning into a disappointing event

according to ABC news. Roberts beliefs of violence happening at the event

never actually came true, thankfully. This was one of the craziest events of

2019, but also one of the most interesting.

Aphrodite

K.D. Staff reporter

Aphrodite is the Greek Goddess of love and beauty. Aphrodite is one of the 12 Olympian Gods/Goddesses. She

was married to Hephaestus and mother to Eros, Phobos, Deimos, Harmonia, and Aeneas and her parents were Zeus and

Dione. “Aphrodite's symbols are the seashell and the mirror”.(greek-gods.info) Aphrodite’s strength is her looks and her

weakness is that she would make life horrible or even kill anyone who was more beautiful or attractive than her. Aphrodite

had an enemy named Psyche; Psyche was her enemy because her son Eros wanted to marry her and Aphrodite wanted

him to marry a goddess and not a mortal. Aphrodite was forced to marry Hephaetus but her true love was

Ares. Aphrodite’s favorite colors were either pink, red, or blue because she is the goddess of love and she was born in

the sea. The moral of Aphrodite’s story is love can’t be forced. Behindthename.com Prezic.com Google.com. Duckster.com Greek-gods.info

Zeus K.D. Staff reporter Zeus is the god of the sky and thunder, he is the ruler of all the gods and all man. His parents were Kronos and Rhea. He was married to Hera, his sister and they had two children Ares and Hephaestus. Zeus also had children with others, including Hermes, Apollo, Artimus, and Hercules. Zeus’s symbols are the lightning bolt, the throne, and a scepter. According to quora.com, Zeus’s weaknesses are love and lust/desire and his strength is how much damage he can do. His enemies were the Olympians, “The Olympians became his enemies because after he became the supreme ruler and God, he became impulsive and arrogant.”(zeus enemies.wordpress.com). His favorite color was red. He was born in 1701 bc and died around 2600 bc. Zeus now is the ruler of heaven and earth.

Lake Tahoe L.C.

Staff Reporter

Lake Tahoe was first discovered in 1844 by Captain John C.

Fremont with Kit Carson by his side. Although it’s first discovery on

record was in 1844. Lake Tahoe has supposedly been around for 2 million

years. The deepest point in Lake Tahoe is 1,645 feet. “Lake Tahoe is so

deep, you could stand the Empire State building in it and not see the top.”

(TahoeFund.org). The temperatures in Lake Tahoe can vary. The lowest

it usually is in a year is 18 degrees Fahrenheit and the highest is 80

degrees Fahrenheit. The deepest lake in America is Crater Lake at 1,949

feet, and the second is Lake Tahoe. Lake Tahoe goes through both

California and Nevada; ⅔ is in California and 1⁄3 is in Nevada. Lake

Tahoe contains around 37 trillion gallons of water. “The amount of water

in Lake Tahoe is enough to supply each person in the U.S. with 50 gallons

of water per day for 5 years.” (rvlove.com) The top 3 most popular

beaches in Lake Tahoe are Sand Harbor Beach in Nevada, Lester Beach

in California, and Baldwin Beach in California.

Lake Tahoe is an amazing place to visit if you are visiting

northern California/Nevada. Some super fun things to do in Lake Tahoe

include swimming, riding in boats, skiing/snowboarding on the

mountains, eating great food, and hiking. There are other winter activities

including sledding, tubing, and snowmobiling. The mountains are full of

snow during winter and makes these activities super fun. People from all

over the U.S. come to visit our beautiful Lake Tahoe!

Aquamarine R.S. Staff Reporter

Aquamarine is the birthstone of March. Aquamarine is a aqua colored stone. It is the Latin word for

seawater. It is also known as the “Sailor’s Stone” because sailors believed that the stone would protect them

from bad weather. “Into the 20th century, as the US Navy had a coastal patrol yacht created, called the USS

Aquamarine, during World War II in honor of the gemstone.” “The name aquamarine originated in the early

1700's during the Georgian jewelry era.” Aquamarine is mostly found in Brazil, Africa, Asia and Colorado. An aquamarine low quality is

worth $5 to $100. A mid-range quality is worth $150 to $200. A high quality aquamarine is worth much

more. Aquamarine is a semi rare and valuable gem. The stone is different varieties of blue. “The aquamarine

is part of the beryl family of minerals which includes emeralds. A few of the most well-known aquamarines

belong to the reigning Queen of England. The president of Brazil gave the Queen an aquamarine necklace

and matching earrings at her coronation in 1953. The Queen loved the jewelry she had a matching bracelet,

brooch and even a tiara.” “Today, aquamarines are often seen in engagement rings. Even Justin Timberlake

had two aquamarines set to his wife, Jessica Biel’s engagement ring in honor of her birthday March 3rd.” https://www.jewelsforme.com/aquamarine-meaning

Music Around the World R.S. Staff Reporter This instrument is called a Mayuir or Taus. Theayuir

is found in Punjab. This instrument was created by Guru

Hargobind. Then it was recreated by Guru Gobind

Singh. The Mayuir is a string instrument.

metmuseum.org

This instrument is called a Dan Tre. The Dan Tre was created by a man named Minh Tam Nguyen

in the Philippines. When he moved, he brought the instrument with him to Australia. Dan Tre is a string

instrument. collectionsearch.nma.gov.au

This instrument is called a Didgeridoo. The Didgeridoo is found in Australia. The Didgeridoo is a

wind instrument. “It has been suggested that the Didgeridoo was an adaptation of traded instruments from

India and/or Asia, this is possibly why it was mainly used by coastal tribes of the far North of

Australia.”www.didgeridoobreath.com › kb_results

This instrument is called a Theremin. The heremin

was invented in New York. Theremin is an electronic

musical instrument. “Theremin is an electronic musical

instrument controlled without physical contact by the

thereminist (performer). It is named after its inventor,

Léon Theremin, who patented the device in 1928.”

en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Theremin

The Amethyst E.W. Staff Reporter

If you were born in February your

birthstone is an amethyst. Amethyst symbolizes

signs of deep love, happiness, humility, sincerity,

and wealth. The word amethyst came from the

greek word “amethystos” which means sober.

The gemstone amethyst is ruled by the planet

jupiter. Since the gemstone amethyst represents

February the legend says St. Valentine wore an

amethyst ring with cupid’s likness. Amethysts

usually cost around $2-$70 per carat. You can

find the amethyst in Brazil, in lava/hot areas.

Amethyst is the world’s most popular gem. The

reason why it is very popular is because of its

color. The amethyst's color comes in different

shades of purple. https://geology.com/gemstones/amethyst/

Garnet R.H. Staff Reporter

Garnet is January's birthstone. Garnet comes in many different

colors, the most common color being red or maroon. Garnet is usually cut

into standard shapes, such as squares and triangles. There are many types

of garnet stones such as Almandine Garnet, Garnet Mica Schist, Andradite

Garnet, Garnet Gneiss, Demantoid Garnet, and Alluvial Garnet Crystals.

The type that is gemstones is called African Garnet stones. They are not

mined underground. They are usually found in streams as pebbles, so it

would take a really long time to make just one tiny gemstone. The range

in price for garnet is $500 to about $7000, but the $7000 gems are top

color, generally, that is the Demantoid Garnet. The African Garnet stones

that are found in necklaces are about $10 to $20. Garnet is mainly found

in Madagascar but can also be found in China and Brazil. Garnet has been

a popular gemstone for 5000 years. https://geology.com/, Wikipedia, knoxjewelers.biz, What is Garnet? - WorldAtlas.com,

www.wikipedia.org

Diamond A.K.

Staff reporter

Diamonds are a girl’s best friend! The

diamond birthstone belongs to the month of April.

April’s modern birthstone, its traditional

birthstone, and its Ayurvedic birthstone is

diamond. A diamond is a clear, shiny ore. If you

are wearing a diamond, it is known to give

protective powers and good luck.

Diamond is an allotrope of carbon,

allotrope means “different form”. The name

“diamond” comes from the Greek word

“unbreakable”. Diamonds are the hardest material

known to scientists and it is used in many

construction tools. Did you know that they are 58

times harder than any other natural material?

Most natural diamond deposits are

found in or near Africa. About 570,000

pounds of diamonds are mined each year. 1

carat diamonds are worth from $2,500 to

$16,000 and 2 carat diamonds are worth from

$7,700 to $72,000. And inside a candle’s

flame has millions of tiny diamonds inside of

it. In conclusion, diamonds are very cool,

powerful, mystic, and overall amazing.

Emerald Birthstone L.J. Staff Reporter

In ancient Egypt emeralds were symbols of protection, so the

Egyptians placed emeralds in the sarcophagus of pharos. Cleopatra is the most famous historical figure

to own emeralds. She even claimed ownership to ALL of the emerald mines

in Egypt when she ruled. The Muzo Indians that lived in Columbia had very

well-hidden emerald mines that took the Spanish almost twenty years to

find! The oldest emeralds are 2.97 billion years old! Emeralds were

believed to stop bleeding and stomach aches, and were thought to keep the

wearer relaxed. Today, an emerald is a symbol of loyalty, new beginnings,

security and peace. It is also the birthstone for the month of May. There are

many emerald mines throughout the world, even though emeralds are the

rarest gem. The top 3 emerald mines are in Colombia, Brazil and Zambia.

The rarer the emerald, the darker it is. americangemsociety.org

Pearl

P.H. Staff reporter

June's main birthstone is a pearl. June has three

birthstones, but the most common stone is a pearl, the other two

stones are Moonstone and Alexandrite. The reason for this is

because it relates to the zodiac sign of June, the Gemini since they

are twins. Meaning June is a three birthstone month. The pearls

signify purity; the ancient Greeks believed that a pearl was the

tears from Aphrodite, the goddess of love. Pearls are most

commonly found as white or cream, but a pearl can vary in other

colors such as, black, gray, and silver. The pearl can be found in

Sri Lanka, India, Persian Gulf, Venezuela, Mexico, and Australia.

Freshwater pearls are found inside of mussels. The price of the

pearl really depends on the size and weight, the average price if

the pearl would be $300 to $500. Pearls are believed to give

protection, health, and a longer life span to the sick or ill.

The Ruby B.G.

Staff Reporter

If you were born in the month of July, then your birthstone is a

ruby. The ruby birthstone is often considered “A rich, passionate, hot,

full red color with a slight blue hue” (wixonjewelers.com). Or also “deep

red with a hint of purple, called ‘pigeon’s blood.’” (gia.edu) The ruby is

also the gem that represents love, passion, courage, and emotion. A large

ruby is also rarer than a diamond, emerald, or a sapphire! Diamonds may

be worth more in value because of their clarity/perfection, but there are

gems that are rarer. The ruby is also the hardest gem aside from the well-

known diamond, as well as being the most valuable gemstone, with

increased value depending on color and quality. The ruby is a gemstone

that has the most value increase based on its size.

The ruby also has an odd history of weird theories and actions

that were done in older times, back when kings and colonies were

common. “Ancient Hindus, Burmese, and Ceylonese regarded sapphires

as unripe rubies, believing that if they buried the sapphire in the ground,

it would mature to a rich red ruby.” (earthsky.org) In the middle ages, the

ruby also had a weird history, supposedly, any type of red gemstone,

along with the ruby, would cure bleeding, and the ruby could warn its

owner of future events that would end up badly, such as illness or death,

by darkening.

Rubies can be most commonly found at the east coast of the

U.S.A. and in most states that are southwest of Russia. There are also

several spots across the world that rubies are less common, such as

southwest Canada, east coast of South America, and a few southern states

of Russia. Rubies are also one of the most valuable gems and have a value

that is most sensitively changing based on color, size, and other important

factors. “Top-Color Rubies are so rare, no trade data is available, but in

2015 a Top-Color 25.59-carat Ruby sold for over $1,000,000 USD per

carat.” (gemsociety.org) The ruby’s value is most dependent on its color,

its origin, its clarity, how it is cut, and its size.

Opal & Tourmaline K.B. Staff Reporter

October’s birthstones are pink tourmaline and opal. Opal is the more

popular birthstone. The word opal originates from the Greek word opalus,

which means “precious jewel”. Opal is said to protect the wearer from evil, and

is tied with innocence, creativity, and hope. It is also known to represent

faithfulness and confidence. Scientists found out how the opal has its rainbow-

like pattern, it turns out that microscopic silica spheres make up an opal, and

the fractures light to make miniature rainbows! Because scientists figured out

what makes up opal, they started making synthetic opals in 1974. Opal is

generally found in Australia, but can also be found in Mexico, Brazil, and

Ethiopia. They are normally sold for $14,000 to $15,000 per carat! The other birthstone that is represented in October is pink tourmaline.

Tourmaline comes from the word turamali, which means “stone of mixed

colors.” Pink tourmaline symbolizes relaxation, and making positive energy

out of negative energy. They also represent peace, love, and joy. Pink

tourmaline is found in the western United States, near San Diego, California.

They are commonly priced for $400 to $1,000 per carat. Information obtained at: Birthstones by Month: Colors & Meanings | What's Your Birthstone? |

The Where does opal come from Tourmaline - Gemstone Dictionary October Birthstones - Opal and Pink Tourmaline Tourmaline Pricing Guide

October Birthstone: Secret Meaning, Properties & Powers (2019 Update)

Citrine

V.P. Staff Reporter

The citrine is the birthstone for

November. Citrine is a quartz stone, and one of

the most popular yellow stones. It gets its color

from traces of iron and comes in colors ranging

from pale yellow to a deep brown orange. Its

color can be very similar to topaz; the two stones

are often very easy to be confused about with one

another. “Throughout history, citrines have been

valued for their beauty and brilliance. They

remind us of the bright, warm sun and the vitality

of their life. Their vibrant yellow color and

shining clarity often represent a healthy mind and

body as well as happiness and success.”

(jewelrynotes.com) The healing of citrine is that

it cleanses the cleans and opens the introduction.

Citrine attracts wealth and prosperity. It impacts

joy, wonder, delight and enthusiasm, Raising

self-esteem and self-confidence to you and

others. Websites: http://charmguide.net November-birthstone-citrine

http://www.jewlerlynotes.com Citrine gemsone.com

Tanzanite, Turquoise, and Zircon

H.W. Staff Reporter

The December birthstones are Tanzanite,

Turquoise, and Zircon. The stone Tanzanite represents

spiritual exploration, energetic protection, uniting the

heart and mind. Tanzanite stones can reach up to $650-

$750. Tanzanite stones can only be found in Tanzania.

The Tanzanite stone is blue. Turquoise symbolizes wisdom, protection,

success, and power. Turquoise is found in dry climates

around the world including, the U.S, Mexico, Iran,

Chile, China, and Tibet. Turquoise is one of the oldest

stones known to man. Turquoise can go up to $1000 if

it is in good quality. The color of Turquoise is blue. Zircon symbolizes peace, intuition, and

spiritual protection. It helps create a sense of happiness,

joy, and enthusiasm. Zircon is found in Cambodia,

Myanmar, and Vietnam. The birthstone Zircon can cost

up to $400 if it is good quality. Zircon is named from

the Arabic words “Zar” which means gold, and from the

word “gun” which means color. The colors of Zircon

include, reddish brown, yellow, and green.

diamondpro.com. GemRockauctions.com.

Peridot J.V Staff reporter

Peridot is the birthstone for August, it is the gem

variety of the mineral Olivine. The hue of the green depends

on how much iron is in the crystal structure. The colors form

a bright limey yellowish green, to a deep luscious leaf green.

It is a very undervalued gemstone at this time; Peridot has

been underappreciated for years. Peridot is one of the few

gemstones that only shows in one color. Peridot symbolizes

strength, compassion, restful sleep, harmony, and good

health, since of its natural green-olive color. Peridots are closely connected to the Hawaiian

culture, and are believed to help depression. Peridots are

usually around $50-$80/ ct. For well-cut gems, they are

worth about $400-$450/ ct. Peridots are commonly found in

China, Myanmar, Pakistan, Tanzania, Vietnam, and the

United States, while others are found in more exotic places.

Such as Peridot Beach, Hawaii, where the sand shines a

luscious green. Most gems are usually formed in the Earth’s crust.

Yet, the two exceptions are Peridot and diamond. They get

formed much deeper in the Earth’s mantle. Peridot gets

formed in magma in the upper mantle, about 20 to 55 miles

deep. Peridot usually gets brought to the surface by tectonic

or volcanic activity. Peridot is found in some meteorites,

making it one of the few gems that are known to be outside

our solar system. Peridot is the national gem of Egypt, and

referred to the ancient Egyptians as “gem of the sun”. https://www.crystalvaults.com/crystal-

encyclopedia/peridot https://www.minerals.net/gemstone/peridot_gemstone.aspx

Blue Sapphire N.P. Staff Reporter

If you were born in September, you have a beautiful

birthstone, the sapphire! Sapphire is a variety of the mineral

corundum, containing aluminum oxide with measures of parts

for instance, iron, titanium, chromium, vanadium, or

magnesium. Sapphires can occur in all colors except for red.

If it were to be red, it would be called a ruby. Pure sapphires

are colorless. To make different shades of sapphire you add a

different type of metal to a pure sapphire. To make blue

sapphire, you add titanium to a pure sapphire. For yellow, you

add iron, for pink add chromium. If you add too much

chromium you get a red ruby. Any combination like iron

(yellow) and chromium (pink) you get the famous

Padparadscha Sapphire, a pinkish orange color. It’s the rarest

type of sapphire a name that comes from the Sinhalese word

for lotus flower. Traditionally from Sri Lanka, these

gemstones are sifted from Sri Lankan rivers. Blue Sapphires in the 1 carat size may sell for $200

to $600 a carat. Fine stones, same size, may sell in the $800

to $1,200 territory. The cost per carat increments altogether

for bigger stones. Types of blue sapphires are, Ceylon,

Cabochon, and Burma. Ceylon sapphires can cost from

$1,600 to more than $10,000. Blue sapphire Cabochon costs

from $10 to $300. Burma sapphires ranges from $15 to

$4,000. The word sapphire comes from the Latin Sapphiru

which means blue. Sapphires have been prized as probably

the most valuable gemstones for a huge number of years.

Gemstones are rated on their ability to avoid scratching. A

sapphire scores a 9 out of 10 because only a diamond can

scratch a sapphire. Sapphires make an amazing engagement

ring. Sapphires are found in many places throughout the

world, including Australia, Tanzania, Thailand, Cambodia,

Malawi, Madagascar, Sri Lanka, the United States, and more. Deep blue sapphires were often worn by medieval

kings, some believed that gemstones would protect them from

their enemies. Some cultures believed that sapphires have

mystical powers, like heavenly powers, truth, innocence,

peace and good health. The most famous royal sapphire today

is the engagement ring given by England’s Prince Charles to

Lady Diana Spencer in 1981, and now worn by Princess

Catherine. It features a 12-carat oval blue sapphire surrounded

by diamonds. Websites:https://www.gemrockauctions.com/learn/technical-information-on-

gemstones/blue-sapphires-what-makes-sapphires-blue https://www.ajsgem.com/articles/blue-sapphire-prices.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sapphirehttps://www.brilliantearth.com/news/1

5-amazing-facts-about-sapphires-the-september-birthstone/

Butterflies A.K. Staff reporter

Butterflies that are gliding by,

Through the wind and through the sky,

All colors visible, red, green, or blue,

Caterpillars can be anything when they

are renewed.

Just like caterpillars, we can change,

You also can do anything, there’s no

limited range.