Volume 11 - Issue 1 MATES Messenger Tuesday, December 4, 2012

MATES Messenger Marine Academy of Technology and Environmental Science

Message from the Principal

Fall/Winter 2012

We have had quite an eventful school year so far; the

experiences we have shared help shape us as individuals

and as a community. We will only grow stronger as we

remain committed together and supportive of each other

at all times. In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, we can

reflect on what we are thankful for and continue to lend a

helping hand to those still greatly affected by the storm.

One of the most important observations I have made

while walking through our halls is the sense of

empowerment that comes from being connected to

someone or something, and being a productive member of

that group. I encourage you to find your passion and

make the connection. With a wonderfully committed fac-

ulty and the variety of clubs and opportunities provided at

MATES, I would like to think that there is something for

everyone. What has impressed me most though is the

maturity that our students demonstrate, recognizing that

our school community is a microcosm of “the real world”

and we understand that we must respect each other and

learn to live together in peace and harmony. Our mission

is to educate each and every student to be better prepared

for the world beyond MATES.

I am excited about the rest of this school year and

believe that it holds great promise for our entire commu-

nity. At year's end, I hope that we will all enjoy the re-

wards that will come as a result of our collective efforts

towards sustaining MATES as a school of academic

excellence!

Mrs. Alison L. Carroll Principal

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that

ever has. ~Margaret Meade

Hurricane Sandy Cleanup Information

by Walker Davis

In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, many volunteer

groups have taken the initiative to help clean up their

local communities. Here is the most recent volunteering

information; please spread the word and help restore the

Shore.

Beach Haven West & LBI: The LBI and Beach Haven

West cleanup operations have recently merged. Both now

meet at the Mud City Crab Shack, which is directly on the

way to LBI. Mold is widespread on the island and Beach

Haven West, so bring a respirator if you have one.

Lacey: The United Methodist Church of Lacey has

been running clean-up operations in the aftermath of the

storm. Contact the church for more information.

Point Pleasant: Clean-up operations are meeting at

Rockin’ Joe’s Café at 8:30 a.m. on Saturdays.

All of these groups are primarily concerned with

gutting houses and removing debris, so be prepared to get

dirty. Jeans, long sleeve shirts, boots, and work gloves are

a must. Additionally, mold has become extremely

widespread in houses with water damage, so bring a

respirator if you have one, or try and borrow one from a

cleanup site.

Some of the destruction LBI experienced during Hurricane Sandy

Page 2 MATES Messenger Tuesday, December 4, 2012

What’s Up at MATES

The Key Club Will Open New Doors to Success

by Ariel Petchel

If you stopped by the Club Fair in September, you may

have noticed a new club has found its way to MATES.

This new club is called the Key Club. Despite its name, the

Key Club doesn’t involve keys for doors of any sort. What

does the Key Club actually involve, you ask? How exactly

did it become a club?

Key Club is an international organization that supports

many different causes through volunteer work, student

leadership, and participation in the surrounding

community. A Key Club must adhere to the model set by

the Key Club International, but it will usually focus on is-

sues relevant to the school or area that it is in. Therefore,

fundraisers or causes that benefit the environment will

probably be sponsored by the Key Club. The MATES Key

Club is currently focusing on becoming an official Key

Club. To become an official Key Club, it must have a

sponsor and a member-elected executive council with a

secretary, treasurer, vice president, and president.

Fortunately, the Brick Kiwanis Club has sponsored the Key

Club and the executive council will be voted on shortly,

ensuring that this school club will become a part of this

renowned organization.

The Key Club has a few amorphous plans for this school

year. Besides volunteering wherever needed, members will

also communicate with and help out the club’s sponsor, the

Brick Kiwanis Club. The members and executive council

will plan events and fundraisers and also raise money for

future training events that help flesh out the Key Club.

Other events that the Key Club will plan and execute

include running MATES’s section of Relay for Life and

supporting the Boys and Girls Club of NJ with a bike drive.

Be on the lookout for these upcoming events.

Even though the MATES Key Club now has more than

forty members and is beginning to find its footing, it had

humble beginnings as the brainchild of one Bethany

Hartney. Bethany, who is now a sophomore, explained to

Mr. Hegerich and the Student Council during the

2011-2012 school year what a Key Club is and exactly why

MATES needed one. She convinced Mr. Hegerich to

advise the club and persuaded the Student Council to make

the Key Club an official MATES club. Mr. Hegerich later

expounded on why he became the advisor of the Key Club:

“What captured me was the humanitarian drive of the

organization.” He also stated that “MATES has always had

a student body with a strong commitment to the human and

ecological sides of the local environment. I’m sure the

activity of our members will reflect that commitment.”

Jenna Ball, a junior and the Vice President of this

exciting new club, said she was ecstatic to find a club that

could help support Justin Pritikin. Justin is a twelve

year-old boy from New Egypt suffering with leukemia.

Jenna explained, “I felt that just three people trying to help

Justin was great, but an entire club volunteering and sup-

porting any worthy cause would be beyond amazing. I

want to be a part of something with the potential to be that

fantastic.”

The Key Club currently has forty-three members. It

meets every other Friday in Mr. Hegerich’s room, room

213. Membership costs $16 due to club fees. If you are

interested in joining this promising club, approach Mr.

Hegerich for more details.

Key Club Officers (from left to right): Secretary Eliza-

beth Spina, Vice President Jenna Ball, Treasurer Bethany

Hartney, and President Tyler Bawden (front center).

What’s Up at MATES

Page 3 MATES Messenger Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Back To School Dance Excitement

By Stephen Zuckerman

The Back to School Dance was an awesome night at

MATES! Held on September 21, 2012, it was a certainty

that this year’s first dance would be a success because of

the great planning made by the Student Council. The

attendees came ready to dance and have a good time, with

a few dressed in party attire. Needless to say, people

were in the festive spirit! Eager to get everyone moving

on the dance floor with great music was the DJ, none

other than our very own Omar Mohammed. He played

only the best tunes, including the heavily

requested “Gangnam Style.”

For many freshmen, this was their very first

after-school MATES activity, and the dance was a great

opener! The floor was surrounded by a bright glowing

cable, and a banner welcomed back students. Off to the

side were the snacks and drinks, which were very

popular. Students enjoyed the free refreshments and

food, such as soda and cookies. In addition, the music

was certainly no disappointment, as the dancing seemed

to never stop! In fact, classic songs like the Cotton-Eyed

Joe only got the crowd dancing together. Also, the slow

dancing was a hit with the couples, too.

At the end of the night, as the final song of “I Gotta

Feeling” was played, all of the attendees seemed sad for

the dance to end, but glad to see it end on a high note. On

the dance, Junior Mia Francisco had to say “I had a real

great time at the dance. The music was good but the

company was even better. I love my MATES family!"

The dance was a great success, and many thanks go out to

the Student Council and Mr. Hegerich for their organizing

of the night, the teacher chaperones, and Omar for DJ-ing.

On the dance, Mr. Hegerich had some kind words: “our

Student Council sure knows how to throw a party! The

welcome home dance was a breath of fresh air for all who

attended, and it came at just the right time after a few

weeks of grueling new classes. One thing can certainly be

said for MATES students: they study hard, and when the

books are put away, they know how to relax--- gangnam

style!” The event was fun for all who attended, and hope-

fully more students will attend next year’s, and all of the

upcoming dances and events MATES has to hold this

year! See you at the Winter Semi-Formal!

Beaker

by Alexa Ornstein

On September 20, 2012, we lost a part of our terrapin

family. Beaker, a spiny soft-shell turtle known by both

veteran MATES students and students from last year, passed

away. During the previous school year, Beaker was

struggling to hold on to life. She, along with her excellent

care team that was composed of Devin North, Lisl

Wiedemann, Lucy Kosty, and Chelsea Aure, fought a long,

arduous battle for life. Beaker’s health was looking up when

school first started in September after a long summer of

rehabilitation, but sadly her many months of struggle finally

caught up to her. If anything, Beaker and her care team can

teach us all a lesson about never giving up. Taking care of

Beaker was no easy job and to have done it for so long while

still remaining positive is nothing short of inspirational. We

will all miss Beaker here at MATES, and she will surely be

looked back on as a symbol of strength and perseverance.

Everyone on the floor was having a great time!

Spiny Softshell Terrapin

Outside of MATES Page 4 MATES Messenger Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Sedge Island: The Freshman Perspective

by Kathleen Moran

Every year freshmen from our school head out to Sedge

Island for an overnight stay. It’s basically an initiation for

students here at M.A.T.E.S. No questions are ever asked

when someone shows up to class reeking of the bay or fish

because all freshman go through the same experience. Even

though we all went kayaking through the marshes, and we

all (or some of us at least) jumped into the mosquito pond,

everyone’s experience is different and the lessons we

learned vary. To get a sense of the different experiences the

freshman class shared at Sedge this year, I interviewed

freshmen on what Sedge meant to them.

What is the most important skill/lesson you learned at

Sedge Island?

“That everything in the bay, no matter how large or small, is

crucial to the ecosystem.”

-Ryan Gittler

“I learned how to seine, clam, kayak, and read a map cor-

rectly.”

-Chris Sayers

“I learned about “The ‘Re-clam the Bay’ initiative and

about the importance of reintroducing and helping plants in

the bay.”

-Alissa Papernick

“The most important skill I learned was definitely how to

seine.”

-Emon Ismail

I learned “How to fish. When I first started I wasn’t so

good, my bait kept disappearing. But I kept trying and even-

tually I got better.”

-Hope Beyer

“At Sedge I learned how to work better as a team with my

biology class and voice my opinion.”

-Rachel Stern

“Learning how to seine was an important skill; it will defi-

nitely help me all throughout M.A.T.E.S.”

-Tori Lees

The world famous Sedge Island House.

What was your favorite part of the Sedge Island trip?

“When we caught puffer fish. I loved it when they inflated

and made funny noises… it was hilarious!”

-Ryan Gittler

“Kayaking through the salt marshes and seeing different

species.”

-Chris Sayers

“I loved all of it, but the most fun was making a ton of new

friends!”

-Alissa Papernik

“Catching a bluefish and tipping our kayak over.”

-Emon Ismail

“Kayaking through the snail marshes and going clamming.”

-Hope Beyer

“Watching the sunset at the end of the day.”

-Rachel Stern

“Kayaking through the marshes. I had a lot of fun just tak-

ing everything in!”

-Tori Lees

Outside of MATES Page 5 MATES Messenger Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Only at MATES… 2012 Summer Experience

by Jenna Ball

The students here at MATES were once little too. We all

loved science and math, were intrigued by local flora and fauna,

and could always use a little adventure. This summer, our

school held its annual “MATES Summer Experience.” Children

from all around Ocean County entering grades 7th through 9th

were invited to explore the rustic Pine Barrens and magnificent

Barnegat Bay over a span of two weeks; there were two two-

week sessions running from July 16th to August 9th. MATES’s

very own Ms. Minnier and Stafford Intermediate’s Mrs.

O’Leary co-lead these day-long adventures. This year, they had

the help of MATES juniors Jenna Ball and Jainita Patel. This

fun-filled experience highlighted the science-filled curriculum

of MATES.

It all started with an overall look at the Pine Barrens. On the

first day, a trip was taken to the Forest Resource Education

Center (FREC) in Jackson. Students learned about the local

plants and animals, identified numerous trees, performed a

stream flow analysis, and finished their day off with a

macroinvertebrate activity. Day two was a favorite for all: fossil

hunting. Using colanders and shovels, the kids sifted though the

rocky substrate of Big Brook in hopes of finding shark teeth

and fish vertebrae from approximately 70 million years ago.

The third day consisted of a hike through an area of the Pine

Barrens that was severely burnt by the Jake’s Branch fire in

June 2002. The third day was complete after a visit to nearby

Double Trouble State Park. The students performed dissolved

oxygen (D.O.) tests. The Pine Barrens exploration concluded

with a fantastic day of kayaking on the Wading River in

Chatsworth. Bobby Ball—a seventh grader at New Egypt

Middle School and enthusiastic participant of the program—

stated, “I liked this experience because I had never gone fossil

hunting before and I enjoyed extreme kayaking.” The first week

the MATES Summer Experience was certainly a success, and

everyone was ready and excited for round two.

The students sifted through leaf litter and other decomposing

substances in search of macro invertebrates which they then

sorted and identified. (Photo by: Rachel Paul)

The second week of camp was centered upon the Barnegat Bay,

its inhabitants, and its properties. The adventure began at

Jenkinson’s Aquarium, where students were given a behind-the

-scenes tour of the operations and inhabitants of the aquarium.

After a few hours at Jenkinson’s, the group traveled to the

Manaloking Bridge Park, where they ran D.O. tests and used

refractometers to measure the salinity of that part of the bay.

The following day was spent at three new locations: Viking

Village in Long Beach Island, the Barnegat Lighthouse, and

High Bar Harbor. At Viking Village, the children were given a

tour of one of the biggest commercial fisheries on the east

coast. The tour covered information from the port’s history to

the locally caught fish and scallops. There is a Diamondback

Terrapin nesting and hatching facility nearby, which the group

visited. When they arrived, simply to see the facility, they had

the privilege of watching the first nest of the season hatch. On

the third day, with the assistance of MATES junior Dylan

O’Hara and senior Juliet Taylor, the students were taught how

to do beach profiling and how to use a grid to analyze shells at

the shoreline at Island Beach State Park. The last day of camp

was spent on a pontoon boat—our “floating classroom”—

traveling throughout the Barnegat Bay. Launched out of Cattus

Island Park, the boat served as a great platform to perform

water tests throughout the bay. The day was also full of species

identification as well as a brief visit to the salt marshes.

Although impending weather became a threat at times, a final

day spent on the water was a great one.

All in all, the MATES Summer Experience truly was a

wonderful, hands-on experience, fun for everyone involved!

New friendships were made and more knowledge was gained in

the process. Furthermore, this experience was academically

beneficial. MATES freshmen Sean Begane and Ian Gorlach

both agreed that their summer experience has already helped

them in their Biology I classes this semester with everything

from species identification to water testing.

Terry O’Leary instructs the group of students. (Photo by:

Rachel Paul)

Outside of MATES Page 6 MATES Messenger Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Hispanic Heritage Fiesta

By Quinn Dunlea

The salsa music pulsed through the dimly lit room

filled with dancing bodies. The crowd (and the

noise) spilled out into the entryway where the

non-dancers were chatting and eating. Sounds like a

scene that could take place at a club or restaurant in

the city, right? Guess again. This party took place

in the Stafford Branch of the Ocean County Library

on Wednesday, October 10, 2012. The library

hosted the 2nd annual Hispanic Heritage Event. The

event began at 6:00 p.m. and ended at 8:30 p.m. (más

o menos). Bussing was provided by OCVTS from

the Brick Center to the Stafford Library and back.

The school’s involvement was organized by the

Spanish Club.

The students arrived at the Stafford Library just

before 6:00 with savory dishes they had prepared and

contributed to the celebration. Soon after they

arrived, some students in ELL (English Language

Learners) and GED classes from Southern Regional

High School joined the group. There were also

many other immigrants in attendance. More and

more people arrived and brought dishes of food

specific to their cultures to celebrate their heritage.

A wide variety of foods were present, from Chinese

sweet and sour chicken to Russian blintzes to

Nigerian rice and tacos.

When everyone had stuffed themselves with food

from the delicious buffet, the music began. It was

provided by a salsa group called Ray Rodriguez y

Swing Sabroso. Suddenly everyone was on the floor

flaunting their moves. Later in the evening a dance

instructor taught a few basic steps of salsa and me-

rengue to the beginners in the crowd. As the night

wound down no one wanted to leave, but the

interesting evening of many mixed cultures had

come to an end and it was time to go home. When

asked about how she felt about the evening, junior

Demi Palmer said “It was a lot of fun. I’m so glad I

came. There were a lot of cultures and different

ethnicities. I will definitely go next year.” Her

sentiments were echoed by all in attendance. The

event was a definite success. “Empowering our

students to function in a global community is part of

the MATES Mission Statement”, commented Señor

McNamara, “and this was a great opportunity for

them to mix with people from distant places and

have some fun, too.”

Elizabeth Spina at the Hispanic Heritage Fiesta.

Femi Palmer and Becky Paulikens dancing.

Reviews Page 7 MATES Messenger Tuesday, December 4, 2012

A Review of The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a Hit by Veronica La Du

My Score:

World’s Score: metacritic.com

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

has been receiving a lot of press lately due to the fact that

the movie version of this book came out on September

21, 2012. I have not seen the movie, but if it is anything

like this fantastic book, then surely, it is a hit. The Perks

of Being a Wallflower follows the story of a slightly trou-

bled boy named Charlie as he navigates through his first

year of high school. The story is told through a series of

letters that Charlie writes to the reader. We follow him as

he comes to terms with his family troubles and his

friend’s suicide. We watch him grow as he experiments

with drugs, learns about girls, nurtures his writing ability,

finds true friends, and learns what it’s like to live.

Charlie goes from being a wallflower to actually

participating in social events at his school. The Perks of

Being a Wallflower is essentially about life. Even though

it contains both happiness and sadness, it is not a happy or

sad book; it is more in between. I felt extremely content

after finishing the novel, and I recommend it to anyone

who loves books like Catcher in the Rye or just reading in

general. However, I stress that this book should only be

read by mature readers because of its nature.

A Review of The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

by Ryan Gittler

My Score:

World’s Score: metacritic.com

Over the summer I had the pleasure of reading The

Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman

Alexie (illustrations by Ellen Forney). The book follows 14-year-

old Arnold “Junior” Spirit’s life on the Spokane Indian

Reservation in Wellpinit, Washington. Junior was born with

“water on the brain” and has countless medical issues, includ-

ing a lisp and a stutter. These conditions make him the reserva-

tion outcast and cause him to get beaten up countless times. His

family and reservation alike are plagued with alcoholism,

poverty, and abuse. Junior says that his reservation cares more

about alcohol than about education. Through all this, Junior still

manages to be a hilarious kid and an amazing artist. His draw-

ings will make you laugh until it hurts, trust me! Junior is also

the smartest student on his reservation and has an unquenchable

thirst for learning. When he sees that his Geometry book is f

alling apart and was used by his mother 30 years earlier, Junior

becomes enraged and decides to go the “white school” in

Reardan 22 miles away. By doing this, Junior becomes a traitor

and is disowned by his entire reservation, including his best

friend Rowdy. The only other Indian at Reardan High is the

mascot. At his new school, Junior faces a new obstacle: racism.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is about

Junior trying to fit in two different societies. This story with

make you laugh, cry, and cry again because of how much you

laughed. Alexie’s writing is very real and will make you

remember Arnold Spirit Jr. for a long, long time. The

illustrations only add to this book’s uniqueness and hilarity.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is a must-read

for anyone that wants a fresh and new type of realistic fiction.

The cover page of The Perks of Being a Wallflower The cover page of The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

Creature Feature Page 8 MATES Messenger Tuesday, December 4, 2012

The Rollin’ Pangolin

by Sandra Herrara and Cheer Tsang

The Pangolin (Manis temminckii) is a unique, mostly

nocturnal creature similar to the armadillo. Its long body is

almost completely covered in robust scales that resemble

artichoke leaves. The pangolin can be found in south-

eastern Africa, from the northern Chad and Sudan to south-

ern South Africa. The pangolin steers clear of arid regions

and forests, choosing instead to live in savannahs near a wa-

ter source. Despite their looks, they are skilled swimmers.

The ground pangolin has powerful claws for a reason; it

uses its claws to dig into termite and ant nests, its main

source of food. Its keen sense of smell allows it to search

out prey underground. This unusual creature also has other

features adapted to the fine cuisine of ant-eating, such as a

long tongue of ten to fifteen centimeters and armored eyelids

to protect against ant attacks. Furthermore, when vacuum-

ing ants from nests, sand is swallowed as well; however,

instead of being detrimental, the sand actually helps the ani-

mal digest, by grinding the food in its stomach. In addition,

the pangolin is equipped with an almost invincible armor,

made of plates of hardened hair. When in danger, it can curl

up and roll away unscathed, exposing only its sharp scales.

Despite its many defenses, the pangolin can still be

harmed by the ultimate predator – humans. Its scales hold a

magical charm in many of the native African cultures, caus-

ing it to be a desirable hunting target. It is believed that

serving pangolin meat will bring good luck and burning its

scales will keep away lions from the villages. Additionally,

human technology such as electric fences has killed many.

The ground pangolins are currently listed as “Least Con-

cern” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature

Red List, but its population continues to show a downward

trend. Conflicts between the culture of the natives and gov-

ernment regulations have slowed conservation action.

Blue Dragons Exist

by Kelly Szaniawski

Living in the tropical waters of the East Coasts of

Australia and Mozambique as well as the South and East

Coasts of South Africa lurks the Glaucus atlanticus.

Preying upon larger organisms, even venomous ones like

the Portuguese Man-O-War, this ‘blue dragon’ can be-

come cannibalistic when given the chance. This rare

creature is a whooping 3 centimeters in length on average.

In fact, the blue-colored ‘dragon’ is a mollusk. Consid-

ered a pelagic aeolid nudibranch, the marine mollusk is

part of the family Glaucidae.

Glaucus atlanticus, like all nudibranchs,

(Nudibranchia) at first seems to be easy prey, considering

it lacks a protective shell. Instead, it defends itself by

eating food with poisonous agents. For example, when a

blue dragon preys upon a jellyfish, the most potent nettle

cells of that jellyfish and other highly toxic prey are com-

bined to create toxins more powerful than that of themol-

lusks’ predators, and/or prey. The true identification of

the blue dragon comes from its lateral cerata, giving it the

nickname “the blue dragon.”

Glaucus atlanticus has also been called a sea swallow,

blue glaucus, blue sea slug and blue ocean slug. Even so,

the blue mollusk has been appraised for its exterior color

design with eye-catching blue hues as well as outward

anatomical structure described as “dragon-like.”

A blue dragon on sand A pangolin

Creature Feature Page 9 MATES Messenger Tuesday, December 4, 2012

New Monkey Found in the Congo

by Jess Sansone

In 2007, deep in the Congolese rain forest, a group

of scientist discovered what they believed to be a new

species of monkey. After several years of research,

they finally had all their proof. On September 12,

2012, the research team, led by John Hart, published

their research on this new monkey species,

Cercopithecus lomamiensis, in the PLOS ONE

journal.

The Lesula, as the locals call it, is well known

among the people in the Congo, but, until recently, it

was unknown to the rest of the world. It was first

spotted by a group of field scientists passing through

the village of Opala. They found this small monkey

tethered to a pole; a pet to one of the local children.

Although the scientists had never seen this type of

monkey, it bared a small resemblance to the African

owl-faced monkey, and was believed, by some, to be

part of the same species. However, upon further

investigation into the skeletal structure and genetic

makeup of the two monkeys, it was determined that

they were not even closely related. This was the

evidence the scientists used to prove that they had

found a new species.

A medium size monkey, the Lesula, has fur that

ranges from blonde, near its face, to black, near its

tail. It also has a very distinct face with hairless, pink

skin, a long nose, and large, human-like eyes. It eats

mostly fruit and other plants and is described as very

shy. The Lesula lives in a small section of rain forest

in the center of the Democratic Republic of the

Congo.

The part of the Congo that the Lesula lives in is

very rarely explored by scientists. Hart and his team

hope that this new discovery will help raise awareness

about all that the African forests have to offer. They

want to protect these forests from hunters and loggers

in order to save animals like the Lesula.

If you would like to read the research paper on the

Lesula, it can be found at www.plosone.org.

Lesulas have distinctive human-like eyes

A drawing of a Lesula

Creative Corner Page 10 MATES Messenger Tuesday, December 4, 2012

A Good Scream

by Christina Klein

The sound of screaming wakes me up. My eyes snap

open. I cast them around, desperately searching for the

source of the wail. It takes a few moments before the ache

in my throat alerts me that the scream is my own. I stop

immediately.

This was the third time this month. Every morning had

been the same. Every morning I'd arisen to the sound of

violent, anguished cries, only to find that I was the one

making them. The peculiar thing is that I don’t know why.

You'd think it'd be nightmares. I don't dream. I never

dream. Or if I do, I can't remember any of them once I

wake up. My nights are nothing but empty, calm black, as

far as I can tell. So why am I waking up screaming?

Like the last two times, my mother comes running into

my room, her face a mask of panic as she jerks to a halt by

my bed.

"What happened?! Are you okay?!"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just... Same as the other day."

My mom sighs, suddenly exasperated. It is three in the

morning, after all; no one wants to be screamed awake,

never mind this early. I don't blame her for getting frustrat-

ed.

"Why does this keep happening? It's not healthy for

you."

"If I knew that, do you think I'd keep doing it?" I can't

help but get a snippy. I don't want to be awake either, and

my throat hurts.

"Maybe we should go to a doctor," she suggests. It's a

good idea. I hadn't thought about that.

"Okay, sure. Let's go today."

Hours later, Mom and I are in the car. Now that I’m

truly awake I'm skeptical about whether the doctor will be

able to help; what can he tell a girl who screams herself

awake for no reason? What kind of tests can they possibly

run? Give me sleeping pills and see if it happens again?

Even if it does, what would they learn from that? But Mom

has a lot of faith in the medical practice, and she's certain

they'll have an answer for me.

We're also late. We're always late. Mom drives fast,

discussing possible causes for the episodes with me.

"No, not nightmares," I remind her for the thousandth

time.

"What if you're having a nightmare," she suggests, "and

it disappears from your memory when you wake up? That

happens to me with normal dreams."

"Wouldn't I know if I was dreaming? Remember some-

thing? Anything?"

A flash passes in front of my eyes. Time slows down.

It's a boy riding a bike. A teenaged boy, around my age.

Even from far away I can see every detail of this boy. His

hair, such a bright and vivid red, his own sunset, and in

stark contrast, an ocean in his eyes. His skin is milk-bottle

white but dotted with hundreds of freckles, forming count-

less constellations on his beautiful face. His expression be-

trays his terror as my mother speeds toward him on the

road, but he’s moving too fast to stop, and so are we. For a

split second his eyes are locked on mine. Instantly, I realize

that I do remember something from last night. I did dream

after all.

The car swerves. Tires screech.

I scream.

Can Dreams Predict the Future?

Dreams are a seemingly magical nightly occurrence

where we are plunged into a world of strange occur-

rences and stories. We meet unusual characters, we go

on adventures and we get to explore bizarre worlds.

None of it quite makes sense, but for some reason at

the time it all seems perfectly reasonable and as real as

any waking experience.

What makes dreams all the more mystical is the fact

that they have not been completely explained by sci-

ence and the exact process through which they occur

is not understood. This then paves the way for many

more romantic and exciting explanations for what

dreams are and the role they play in our daily lives –

and one of the most popular of these theories is that

dreams can be used in order to tell the future...

Follow the below link to read more.

http://www.healthguidance.org/entry/15790/1/Can-

Dreams-Predict-the-Future.html

Page 11 MATES Messenger Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Creative Corner

Guy With Mask by Christian Whalen

The Joys of MATES by Shawn Barry

Egrettathula by Rachel Camaligan

In Memoriam Page 12 MATES Messenger Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Our beloved Jaime Nicholson