To the Editor: Grade 6 writing project

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As part of our Grade 6 unit on Argument Writing on topics related to school, some of my students have chosen to write a letter to the editor of their city newspaper, the Superintendent of Schools, the Mayor of their city, and their own NMS principal.

Ever since we discussed the idea of turning their essays into an actual letter with an actual audience (besides the teacher) reading it, their engagement level has increased and hopefully their writing skills have improved, specifically their presentation of evidence and especially their explanation of the evidence–in order to argue their point to their new “audience”.

After students chose their topics, they were asked to work with a partner to research the topic and choose one side of the issue–PRO or CON. They will also be presenting these issues debate-style in our NMS auditorium on Friday, June 15. They will be orally arguing their positions on their topics at the podium!

This project is also a culmination of an entire year of these grade 6 students writing argument, starting in September, as part of a course I just completed through the Western Mass. Writing Project–C3WP–The College, Career, and Community Writers Program–through U.Mass/Amherst.

I have high confidence and hope in my students making their cases effectively. Here is the link to C3WP:

https://sites.google.com/site/nwpcollegereadywritersprogram/home

Mrs. Jeanine Plante, Team 62 Literacy/Social Studies teacher, North Middle School

Dear Editor of Westfield News,

Do you want kids in schools to be eating unsanitary fast food that can affect their mental health and lead to obesity? Do you know that America is the most obese country in the world? We have to change this. Schools should not be able to sell students fast food because it affects your mental health, causes obesity and is unsanitary.

Your mental health is affected by eating fast food. As said in the article “12 weird effects fast food has on your brain” the author says, “People who eat a lot of fast food are 51 percent more likely to be depressed than people who stand clear of it.” This evidence means that if students get fast food in schools a lot they are 51 percent more likely to be depressed. If you are depressed you are not going to try in school and if you don’t try then you will never move up any grades. You will be stuck in whatever grade you were in for the rest of your youth years. Next from the article “Fast food really can cause mental distress” it says, “Young people who ate fast food more than three times a week scored higher levels of distress”. This means that people who ate fast food more than three times a week are more likely to have mental distress. Then if students have it every day at school  they will be having it five days a week and then they will have even more mental distress and if you have mental distress you won’t do well in school and if you don’t do well in school it might ruin your life as a adult. Then in the article “12 weird effects fast food has on your brain” the author states, “Researchers found that fast food and other types of junk food reduce neuroplasty , the process that allows our brains to store our experiences as memories”. This means that if you eat fast food it actually decreases the thing in your brain that remembers the stuff that you learn or do. This is bad because they will give you this fast food at lunch and then send you back to a classroom to learn but you won’t be able to remember the stuff you have learned because you just ate fast food. Then you’re going to fail your tests so your grades will drop and then you’re not going to graduate and the new generation of adults will not accomplish anything. Some people think that fast food is healthy, but only a tiny bit of it actually is nutritious. That is how fast food affects your mental health.

This “greasy junk” can also be unsanitary. In the article “Why cafeteria food is healthier than fast food” It states, “A leading fast food restaurant creates 238 pounds of waste in one day”. This means that if a lot of kids get the fast food it will be equivalent to a leading fast food restaurant and could produce as many pounds of waste each day. And yes food does decompose, but the styrofoam containers that your food comes in can take over 100 years to decompose which means it will be sitting in landfills for 100 years. And when it does decompose it goes into the groundwater and contaminates the water that humans and animals drink so it can make humans sick and we could all die. Next in the article “11.4 billion reasons fast food and beverage chains should recycle packing” It says, “Plastic waste is a major source of ocean pollution used by fast food chains”. This is bad because all of the waste is ending up in the ocean and then the fish try to eat it but they can’t swallow it so they choke and die. Then there will be no more fish in the sea and we will never have or see another fish again. Some people still do want fast food in schools. Well, students may like it more, but it can be full of bacteria. That is how fast food produces waste.

Fast food (or fat food) can even lead to obesity. In the article “Why cafeteria food is healthier than cafeteria food” the author states, “Each additional fast food meal packs on pounds, so someone who consumes one fast food meal a week weighs on average 11 and 1/2 pounds heavier than someone that doesn’t eat fast food”. This proves that if you eat fast food you do get heavier and it can lead to obesity. And when you’re obese you are less likely to be active. But when you’re not active you can have major health issues that can even lead to death. Next from the article “Fed up with rising childhood obesity” the author notes, “There is a lot of research showing that eating fast food is harmful to young people’s health increasing the rate of obesity”. This evidence proves that when young people eat fast food it can cause obesity and affect their health. Some people may not care about this but young people are the future of our world and if things stay like this then the whole world will be obese and sick. Yet some people still do eat fast food every week but mostly everyone who does is very sick all of the time. That is how fast food can cause obesity.

And that is why schools should not sell fast food. To solve this major problem they could get rid of fast food in schools completely and replace it with nutritious, balanced lunches. To get them to do this we could put up posters stating the real facts about fast food and have fundraisers to earn money to buy healthy food. Hopefully after reading this letter, changes can be made in our schools. Thank you for your time.

Sincerely, Olivia Irving, North Middle School, Team 62

Dear Editor Of Westfield News,

Have you ever been told that you had to wear a school uniforms? Was it a good thing? Or was it a bad thing?  Did you know that about 19% of schools in America require students to wear uniforms? Public middle schools should require students to wear uniforms. The 3 reasons are discipline, dress code, and no bullying.

If school uniforms were allowed in public middle schools, there would be a lot  more of discipline shown in school and during students’ classes. For example in the article, “Should students be required to wear school uniforms.” It says, “Uniforms will mean less attention on clothes and social status versus what we are here for and that is learning.” This indicates that more and more students would focus more on their studies, and less on their looks and social life. It also says, “There is absolutely no doubt that school uniforms result by showing better discipline, academics and values.” This is important because in the the article it said that it has more and better discipline and more and more students putting their academic work first. This will help students also become more attentive to their work. And finally, it says, “ They said it has an impact on keeping kids focused and reducing distraction.” This piece of evidence is important because in the article it said that all the school uniforms decisions made an impact on not only students but also the teachers. This is why school uniforms should be allowed in public middle schools. Yet some people think that school uniforms are not necessary, and they think there is no reason for requiring it, but the evidence speaks for itself.

If school uniforms were allowed in public middle schools, the dress code would be banished, except for the uniform part of it. One piece of evidence is from the article called, “ School uniforms vs. Dress code.” In the article it says that, “School uniforms on the other hand require all members of the student body to wear clothes that follow a narrow set of guidelines.” This explains that the dress code is fine with it being the school uniforms. Plus nobody would break the dress code and even if they did, their parent or guardian would have to come to school to bring their clothes, and the punishment would be detention or in-school suspension. Everyone would look the same, nobody would care about their look or they wouldn’t care about the friends look. The last piece of evidence from the same article says, “While school uniforms can be seen as a type of dress code, they are not to be confused with dress code policies. Dress codes simply place limits on the type of clothing that students are permitted to wear.” This proves that the dress code is a good idea for the students and also even teachers. The dress code is simply the uniform, and it will help students save time and they won’t get confused on buying different clothes every time they go out to buy things. Plus some kids can stop their judgement (of other people) and begin looking forward to their studies. This is why bringing school uniforms to school can bring a simplified version of the dress code and make everybody happy.

Allowing school uniforms in school can reduce bullying. In the article, “Heads should not be bullied for uniform decision says Ofsted chief.” It says, “I don’t think that individual schools should be bullied by national lobbying campaigns.” This helps prove that the teachers and parents don’t want students to get bullied during the voting of allowing school uniforms. Some kids might want to have uniforms at school, but some might not and those who might, might get bullied by bullies who don’t want it. But in the end if uniforms are allowed, the bullying would stop because they have to wear it every day. They would probably get used to it so they would stop. Another piece of evidence from the same article says, “ They are also more frequently used in schools with higher rates of poverty and economic

disadvantage among members of the student body.” This helps prove that not only will it help students but it will also help students in poverty. It will stop the bullying by making everyone wear the same thing or at least the same colors. And kids in poverty won’t waste their money on buying clothes when they don’t have enough money.  This is why allowing the school uniforms in school is a good idea and it will cause less or even eliminate bullying from happening. Some people think that it does not help students nor will it help kids living in poverty, but it seems worth the effort to check out the prices and compare to see.

School uniforms should be required in public middle schools. This may take your time to read it and understand it, but it’s worth it right? Adding this policy  could start something new for students. The solution to bullying is right here in this essay. This is why public middle schools should require students to wear school uniforms. Thank you for your time.

Sincerely, Evelyn S. Minchala, North Middle School, Team 62

Dear Editor, Westfield News:

“Nearly three out of four teenagers have access to a cell phone”. Cell Phones should be allowed in schools. In this letter it will state all of the reasons for schools to allow cellphones like: In case of emergency situations and parental contact, being useful in classrooms, and the students needing to learn responsibility and control.

In case of emergency situations students should carry their mobile devices around school. Parental contact at all times is a must. A quote from the article “Should Public Schools Ban Cell Phones” it claims, “Providing students with a tool for added safety and parent contact.” This proves that when students have their phones on them parents and students will feel safer. If there was an emergency, parents wouldn’t know what would be going on and the school wouldn’t call every parent. They might only find out on the news. If the parents don’t know what’s happening they won’t know if their child is safe. Another quote from that same article  “Should Public Schools Ban Cell Phones” it states, “As the parents believe that the phones provide their children with vital tools of communication, especially if needs or emergencies arise. Furthering the argument, Sigel states that “The cell phone policy, in effect since 1988, is illegal and unconstitutional because it interferes with parent’s rights to oversee their children’s safety.” This evidence shows that it is technically illegal for the schools to tell students that they can’t have their handheld devices with them because that would be going against parents wishes and beliefs for their child’s safety. The schools need to be able to to make up a rule to fit the times and parental needs. Another quote from “Should Schools Allow Cell Phones?” says “Plus kids should be able to bring cellphones to school for safety reasons. Having a cell phone would give me a sense of security that I can call someone in case of emergency.” This shows that it would give this student a sense of security and safety. If given those senses the student might want to go to school and would feel safer in certain situations. Again with this sense they might engage in the learning, not just want to go to school for their friends. They will want to learn. Some people think that mobile devices may cause problems in classrooms, but as most articles state, electronics will be useful in case of emergencies and school situations as minor as looking up certain facts for projects, or as extreme as a school shooting. If schools allow cell phones in school, emergencies might become less frightening to students.

For kids phones in class must sound amazing but, for teachers not so much. However there are some amazing perks. In the article “Should phones be allowed in school? Let’s weigh the pros and cons” it states, “There are technological resources designed to make learning more fun and engaging and fester peer to peer collaboration and project management.” Therefore stating that with phones in the classroom students will learn social skills and will be more interested in schooling. If the students are engaged in the lessons they will learn more and be productive. With this they will be smarter and overall learn more of the material being taught to them. From the article “Should phones be allowed in school? Let’s weigh the pros and cons” it states, “Many of these tools help educators take effective action. Polling apps for example might be able to capture audience engagement.” This evidence implies that with teachers and students using mobile devices they can find better teaching methods, making their teaching more effective and fun, rather than just sitting in a chair all day. If the students are engaged they will learn more easily and with teachers using their phones they can make learning and teaching overall more enjoyable. In the article “Should schools allow cell phones” it states, “Kids can use phones to look up words and do research on the internet. And there are many engaging educational apps.” This indicates that if the kids have their phones they will have resources at their fingertips and by having these resources, doing projects will be easier and will take stress off the students. Others may claim that when phones are in classrooms students will use them in the wrong way. But if students use their phones in the wrong way then they could face consequences, but students have to learn responsibilities and how to have self-control. All in all, phones in classrooms wouldn’t be a bad idea.

When kids are in school they will learn the basics of human rights Like being responsible, having polite manners, and being it overall nice person. From the article “ Should phones be allowed in school? Let’s weigh the pros and cons” it states, “Education should help prepare students for their future, and an important part of that is preparing them to be both effective learners and highly intentional and efficient technology users.” This reveals that if mobile devices are allowed in schools students would be taught to correctly use their technology and not be tempted. If the students are to have their phones they can be taught how to take responsibility is into their own hands and make sure they could be against an inappropriate option . If the students end up going on their phones then yes, there should be consequences. The next quote is from the article “Seven reasons why students should be allowed to use cellphones in school“ It states, “Phones and tablets should be used responsibly for educational purposes”. This evidence shows that the technology is needed but has to be used correctly and responsibly. If they’re in the classrooms they’ll be used for educational purposes and to be used for certain apps and websites only. The teachers could use google classroom like teachers at NMS do. The next quote is from the article “Seven reasons why students should be allowed to use cellphones in school“  and it states, “Students could do research for English papers or download an app that provides extra information.“ This quote means that if the students have their mobile devices they will have special apps and the Internet to use for projects and assignments. If the students have these resources within reach and won’t need to print 1000 papers and articles. They can just save them on their phones. It’s understandable that some people think that students should just pile their phones In the front of the class and learn about responsibilities in different ways, but if students put aside their own responsibilities until later they will never learn self-control and how to make their own decisions and choices. With students putting aside their responsibilities then they are at risk of never learning how to use them.

With almost every teen having a cellphone it is hard to stop phones from being in classrooms. If cell phones are allowed in school there could still be rules, but phones are needed not just for fun but for learning situations. After reading this letter show support for my argument. You could even write a letter to someone important in your life about what you feel is right.

Sincerely, Allison Rehor, North Middle School, Team 62

Dear Editor of The Westfield News:

Do you feel that homework is one of the main reasons for stress? From Stanford News, it states that, “56 percent of the students considered homework as a primary source of stress, according to the survey data.” Schools should lessen or give no homework to students for the following three reasons: first there wouldn’t be as much stressing about the content of your work, next there would be more time for afterschool activities and family time, and lastly homework takes too long so it consumes up your day.

If homework was minimized or eliminated students would not be stressing as much about the content. According to the article, “Do Kids Need Homework” it states, “In a 2014 survey by Stanford University in California, 56% of the students said that homework was a source of stress.” This is important because students are stressed out in general and then they have four pages of assignments to do. Stress is bad because because if you  have a lot of homework you will be stressed and if there wasn’t a lot of homework you would have more family time and you would have time to decompress which is good for your mental health. According to, “The Great Homework Debate: too much, too little, or busy work” it says, “Parents shared that their children are stressed out and exhausted by the volume of homework they receive.” This evidence is important because it shows that the students are sick of having homework each night. It’s important because you need time to yourself, one because it feels good and two because everybody needs relaxation and recuperation. Some people think that stressing about the content isn’t a bad thing because it keeps students on their toes and also keeps them more competitive, but stressing isn’t goo. It can make you have emotional problems and mental breakdowns. Everybody needs and wants relaxation because many people are tired after school. Me personally, im always tired and stressed out after school because of the amount of homework so eliminating homework would make my life and others lives much easier.

If homework was eliminated or lessened there would be more time to spend with friends and family. According to the article, “Do kids need homework” it states, “If kids didn’t have homework, they’d have more time to spend with their friends and families. The extra free time would also give kids more time for activities such as music, sports, Boy scouts, and Girl scouts.” This evidence is important because it’s showing that since their school has dropped using homework the families most likely want to spend time with their children rather than not seeing them for hours on end because they are sitting at their desk doing work. According to, ” The Great Homework Debate: too much, too little or busy work.” It says that,” So i’ve put my foot down and refused to enforce no more than ten minutes of homework per grade level for each of my elementary kids.” This evidence proves that people agree that there should be less homework or none at all. Also it’s important because many people think that homework isn’t needed to succeed. Homework shouldn’t be needed because you are in school for six or seven hours and then you have two or three more hours of homework. It puts a lot of pressure on on you and if you have a lot of pressure on yourself it can cause a lot of emotional problems. Others may claim that you should focus on school, not friends, `family, and other activities but I think that family time is important because families and friends should see each other so you can talk and decompress about the day you’ve experienced.

The last reason is that homework takes too long. From,”Homework Hysteria” it states, “Homework now consumes 9.2 hours per week for the average Canadian Adolescent, according to Statistic Canada.” This is important because it shows that homework takes away time that you could be doing other things with. It is important because people don’t want to be doing homework for three hours a day. It matters because people are exhausted after they get home from school and then you have to do two or three hours school work while your tired which means it isn’t your best work. According to the article, “Too much, Too little, or busy work” it states,” I feel that, especially in elementary school, spending six or seven hours a day in school is enough, said Fullerton.” This proves that homework takes too long for students in all grade levels. When doing homework you could be outside or doing other after school activities, but instead you are stuck inside for so long. If you had no homework everybody of all grades would be happy and would have a lot of freetime. It’s understandable that people think that homework is needed for success and achieve possible grades but homework isn’t needed to succeed and to achieve a good grade because there are many other assignments that can help you raise your grade with. It matters because after all of that homework, your personal life has been taken over by your school life.

Homework should be lessened or eliminated for all schools and grade levels. A solution to this problem is that students could have homework once or twice a week which is what they don’t finish in class, so they still have days to themselves or maybe even eliminating home lessons all together. Hopefully you will help students in Westfield by printing this letter so others can support this issue.  Thank you for your time.

Sincerely, Madison Wondolowski, North Middle School, Team 62

Dear Editor for Westfield News,

Have you ever wondered why the straight A student gets the straight A’s? A neuroscientist, Harris Cooper of Duke University, studies how kids study, and his research states that, “As the kids get older, homework starts to pay off- and the optimum amount of time spent on homework increases with age,” from PRI “Is Homework Good for Your Child’s Brain.” Schools should not give less or eliminate homework in classrooms. The three reasons to support the claim are: homework gets the students more prepared for tests like MCAS, it gives the students more time to practice things they have trouble on, and they will get better grades on tests.

It gets students more prepared for tests like MCAS. Stated by Lisa Mangione, a special education teacher at Sweet Home Middle School, “The more conversations I have with friends and relatives who are panicked and confused over the homework that their children receive (and are incapable of completing on their own), the more outraged I become.” The evidence just shared says that if students stopped doing schoolwork, they would depend on someone else, because they needed help and no one gave them the educational task to practice. This could result in them not getting on the right path to lead a good life. “Still, even if grades were removed from the equation, it is doubtful that homework would suddenly become attractive to most students,” stated by Lisa Mangione in “Homework Has Value When It Reinforces Learning.” This evidence proves that even if you took the grades out of the school assignment, kids wouldn’t be attracted to it. So, you might as well give it to them so they can learn what they need to and get into good schools. From www.time.com “Is Homework Good for Kids? Here’s What the Research Says,” it states, “And plenty of parents take issue with no-homework policies, worried their kids are losing academic advantage.” This quote means that the parents don’t want their kids to lose time learning life skills for the future. From the article “Do kids need homework?” paragraph 5, it says, “Many people argue that it’s important for kids to review what they learn during the school day.” This verification means that if you don’t give the educational activities, your brain wouldn’t remember how to do it well. And also from “Do Kids Need Homework” paragraph 5, “They add that assigning homework is a good way for teachers to check whether students understand what’s being taught.” This evidence is so powerful because without going over it again, the kids could forget it. The teachers also need to check if the kids understood what they learned.  And finally, once again, from the www.time.com article, it explains, “A Massachusetts elementary school has announced a no-homework pilot program for the coming school year, lengthening the school day by two hours to provide more in class instruction,” which helps you better to understand, “The change was quickly met with outrage from some parents.” This evidence points out that parents were mad that they stopped giving out the graded paper because again, their children were losing academic advantage which could prevent them from getting into a good college. Some people think that you don’t know exactly what is on the MCAS test even if you did have the test prep papers. But, the MCAS test and other standardized tests are all based on what you learned that year. This means that if you don’t have homework to practice and master the subjects, you could need them to solve a problem and you won’t be able to. This evidence supports reason number one.

It helps students get better grades on tests. From “Homework Has Value When It Reinforces Learning” paragraph 18, the author says, “We may think that grading homework sends a message that it isn’t optional, but the fact is, the students who are most at risk will almost always opt out.” This evidence is so important because even though people say that this teaching tool causes stress, “In a 2014 survey by Stanford University, in California, 56 percent of students said that homework was a source of stress,” from “Do kids need homework?” paragraph 10, it is optional. It all depends if you want a good grade. From “Homework Has Value When It Reinforces Learning,” from paragraphs 19 and 20, “According to Duke University professor Harris Cooper’s research,” and, “Cooper himself does not advocate banning homework altogether, even at the elementary level.” This proves that homework is needed. The reader is able to infer this because the words said in the article are coming from a professor who has experience and knows what he is saying and doing. And from a www.time.com article, “The most comprehensive research on homework to date comes from a 2006 meta-analysis by Duke University psychology professor Harris Cooper, who found evidence of a positive correlation between homework and student achievement, meaning students who did homework performed better in school,” which supports the statement from the same article, “Cooper’s analysis focused on how homework impacts academic achievement- test scores, for example. His report noted that homework is also thought to improve study habits, attitudes towards school, self-discipline, inquisitiveness and independant problem solving skills.” This indicates that by doing the schoolwork the kids are given when they are in class, there is a better chance of you getting good grades and being responsible. Others may claim that students could get good grades on tests without the follow-up lesson by yourself. But, without the homework that the teachers give daily, the students wouldn’t know what to expect the test to have on it, so they would be prepared for the wrong things. This would end up in them having bad grades. All of that could’ve been avoided if they did the homework.

The last reason to consider is it gives students more time to practice things they have trouble on. Sometimes teachers will go through a lesson thinking everybody understands, but in reality there is at least one person in the class that doesn’t get it. From paragraph 4 of an article written by Katie Reilly on www.time.com, it states, “For decades, the homework standard has been a ‘10 minute rule,’ which recommends a daily maximum of 10 minutes of homework per grade level. Second graders, for example, should do about 20 minutes of homework each night. High schoolers should complete two hours of homework each night. The National PTA and the National Education Association both support that guideline.” This reveals that there is a rule for students to have a certain amount of homework every night. The PTA backs that up. There could be serious consequences for everybody if they don’t follow that rule. The second piece of evidence is, “‘A good way to think about homework is the way you think about medications or dietary supplements,’ said by Harris Cooper. ‘If you take too little, they’ll have no effect. If you take too much, they can kill you. If you take the right amount, you’ll get better.” Cooper states that homework is very helpful, and if you do the right amount in the day, you will get better with the subject you are having trouble on. From “Do kids need homework?” paragraph 6, it says, “Yes! Homework allows us to practice what we learn in class on our own time. That can be especially helpful for kids who learn at a slower pace.” This supports that some kids do not understand things well right away, and need time to think about what it is the teacher is teaching. Homework gives them the opportunity to do so. “Also homework allows parents to get a better understanding of what their child is learning in school,” from “Do kids need homework?” This evidence is important because if the parents knew the child was having trouble on a specific subject, they could get them a tutor in that subject. This could help them to get into good schools and getting great jobs. And from the same article, “Plus we don’t always have enough time in class on our own time. That can be especially helpful for kids who learn at a slower pace.” This explains that teachers do not have enough time to get into detail with every subject. If they had homework, they would be able to do what they are learning easily. It’s understandable that you can just spend the day doing a bunch of work, “We really want kids to go home at 4 o’clock, tired. We want their brain to be tired,” from “Is Homework Good for Kids? Here’s What the Research Says”. But, that would make the kids even more stressed out. And also, as seen in the evidence to support the claim, there is a rule that kids need to do a certain amount of this homework depending on what grade they are in. All together, not having the standardized test preparation is a bad idea for everybody.

So in conclusion, it would not be a very wise decision to stop giving kids homework. There can be a certain amount of homework every night, which there is, so the students won’t get too stressed, while still doing all their after-school activities. Hopefully these facts will help you make a wise decision that will benefit all parties in future if there is ever an issue with the homework policy. Thank you for your time.

Sincerely, Alannah Judd, North Middle School, Team 62

Dear Editor, Westfield News,

How do you think schools provide opportunities for students to show what they have learned at school? Standardized tests have been researched and studied for years by many  people and many support the fact that they should be used or kept in schools to measure student abilities. There should be standardized tests to measure student abilities because of these three reasons: Standardized tests give “positive effects” on student achievement, they provide useful information at a cheap or low cost, and give benefits to students who are interested or involved with college.

Standardized tests give “positive effects” on student achievement. This is expressed when the author of “Is The Use Of Standardized Tests Improving Education In America”, wrote, “93% of studies on student testing including the use of large-scale and high-stakes standardized tests, found a positive effect on student achievement.” Therefore, 93% of research and studies on students who use standardized testing ended up having positivr achievements. 93 out of 100 is very close to almost all students achieving their curricular goals and showing growth in their grades. Another important detail from the same article is “Positive effects in student achievement according to peer reviews for 100 years of analyzing of testing research completed in 2011 by testing scholar, Richard P. Phelps.”  This is important because on a course of 100 years, researchers discovered that many students who take these assessments have achieved goals such as passing tests and getting good grades. This will lead to success in the future so when this generation gets jobs, we would do well economically and educationally. A different example is from “education evolving.org, Achievement In School Quality” when paragraph three says, “The best assessments are those that are adaptive, embedded into instruction and able to measure student growth overtime.” According to “Education Evolving”, the best tests or assessments are the ones which create student achievement. This also means that standardized tests create student growth overtime. It can be argued that standardized tests don’t give positive effects on student achievement because the tests make students not achieve anything, but undoubtedly students  achieve many things after taking standardized tests such as receiving college scholarships for doing well on them. Achieving is one of the most important things to do as a student and this can be backed up by considerable amounts of research.

One reason which supports why standardized tests should be used to measure student abilities is that these exams provide useful information for a cheap price. Paragraph 13 of “Is The Use Of Standardized Tests Improving Education In America” states, “According to a 2002 paper by Caroline M. Hoxby, PhD, the Scott and Donya Bommer Professors in economics at Stanford University, standardized tests cost less than 0.1% of K-12 education spending is totaling to $5.81 per student per year.”  Obviously, the fact that standardized tests provide useful information at an inexpensive price is a great deal because teachers can get a precise test score for every student. Schools who use standardized testing don’t only get scores for every student. They don’t need to pay as much money as other tests to give to their students. This will give schools who use standardized testing an advantage to use money which isn’t used for standardized tests for other things such as field trips and classroom supplies. In the same article, “Is The Use Of Standardized Tests Improving Education In America”, the author describes, “Even payments were ten times as large, they still not be equal to 1% of what American jurisdictions pay per student per year by the nonpartisan US  Government Accountability Office (GAO), to as low as $2 per student per year by testing scholar Richard P. Phelps .” If payments were 10 times larger than $5.81 per student per year (stated in the previous quote), American school districts would still not pay as much money for standardized testing. Some will argue that standardized tests are expensive but, researchers have found that many standardized testing costs have decreased by a lot, overtime. Surely there is much evidence to back up the fact that standardized tests give useful information at a low cost.

Standardized tests give benefits to students who are interested or involved with college. Throughout the article “Benefits Of Standardized Testing For Students and Teachers” the author tells, “In an ideal situation, every student in the nation would be learning standards-based skills and taking formative assessments during the school year so he or she would know what to expects in high-stakes tests and score higher since his or her gaps have been or being addressed by teachers.”  This evidence implies that standardized tests give benefits to students who are interested or involved with college from “learning standards-based skills” could be ready for high-stakes tests. High-stakes tests are important in college because if you do well on it, then you’d have advantages such as being able to apply for more jobs. Another quote that supports how state assessments such as MCAS give benefits to students who are interested or involved with college is from “Why Standardized Tests Matter Beyond College Admissions”. The author states, “Certain colleges and universities offer financial assistance on the basis of ACT or SAT scores.”  This proves that colleges can offer and give scholarships because they performed well on the standardized test. Without these tests, there wouldn’t be as many opportunities to save money while trying to pay for college. Others may argue that standardized tests aren’t

helpful for college, but standardized tests give opportunities for students to get advantages in their future such as getting college credit in high school so they’d have better chances of not paying as much money for college.

Student achievement and abilities should be determined by standardized tests. Hopefully taking this letter into consideration and continue to have the students of Westfield Public Schools take standardized tests, would be a wise decision because they give positive effects on student achievement, provide useful information at` a low cost or reasonable value, and give benefits to students who are interested or involved with college.

Sincerely, Milana Camilleri, North Middle School, Team 62

Dear Editor of Westfield News,

Have you ever woken up and wanted to go back to sleep but you know it’s a school day? It can be a real pain. But the time can not be changed. In a recent survey done at NMS in 6th grade literacy class on whether school should start later, 50% said no, school shouldn’t start later. So not everyone wants this change. Middle school shouldn’t start later because of these three reasons: It messes with bus routes and more, it throws off teens’ jobs, and finally, it plays with teens’ sports.

The first reason is it messes with buses and more. In the article, “Should school start later? Delaying the open bell could have big benefits, but it could also interfere with after school sports and clubs,” it says, “A later release time can really upset things… Changing start time- and buses schedules- can raise safety issues.” This means if we change the school start time we have to change bus routes and have safety issues. Also in the process we have to worry about our kids while trying to help our kids. So we shouldn’t do anything and if we will help them wake up, we should get them moving. Have them walk around until they wake up. If we stay still when we are trying to wake up we may back fall asleep. In addition, in the text, “Should schools start later?” by Scholastic it reads, “The extra wave of commuters will shift traffic patterns; working parents will need to scramble to find morning childcare: next thing you know the whole town has to adjust. School districts shouldn’t have that power over the community.” This indicates the community should want the change. We would have done something if we wanted the change but we have not. Another thing is parents will have to get babysitters to watch their kids, but they would have their brother or sister but they can’t because they not home. In the article “Should School start later in the Day” by Scholastic it says, “Bus schedules would interfere with elementary school schedules, forcing schools to re-route or use more buses which is more money… it will cost more money.” This proves it will cost more money to make a time change. Furthermore the buses will need drivers so we would have to pay for the buses and drivers and the re-route. Some people think it’s a change for the better but it’s not because it raises issues and we want to help but we are not helping if we are raising safety issues.
The second reason is it throws off teens’ jobs. In “Should school Start Later in the Day?” by Scholastic it states, “Many students would not be able to get to after school jobs on time.” This indicates they would not make money and lose money. This would mess up things like trying to buy a car or a phone or, more importantly, trying to pay off college. Also in “Should school start later? Delaying the opening bell could have big benefits, but it could also interfere with school sports and clubs” by Scholastic, it says the following: “A later start say opponents also interferes with some teens part time jobs.” This indicates if we stop the teens’ money flow they can’t get essentials like coffee so they ask the adults for cash, so we all lose money. The adults because their teen want gas money or coffee, and the teens because they can’t get to their job on time. Finally, in “Snooze alarm: Should school start later in the morning so teens can get more sleep? (News Debate)” by Scholastic, it reads, “Also, many parent need their teens to get home early, many teens work or have to watch younger siblings in the afternoon.” This proves not only do we lose money but we lose more cash because you will have to pay for child care. To summarize so we spend money for sleep. Others may claim we will lose money but we feel better in the morning, but we won’t because our wallet has no money, so we can’t feel good knowing that you have no money. The change is not even for the better. If that did not convince you the next reason will.

The final reason is it plays with teens’ sports in some bad ways. In “Snooze alarm: Should school start later in the morning so teens can get more sleep? (News Debate)” by Scholastic, it says the following, “Late start time will affect many after school sports and clubs schedules. Some outside activities may have to be cut short because of daylight hours.” This means if we change the time we won’t have a lot of time for sports. Also sports are very important to most people and if we took them away they wouldn’t be happy. Another thing is clubs. If we got rid of some club like the ones that help the community they can’t pick up trash or help a charity. Also in “Should schools start later in the Day” by Scholastic it says, “Changing start times would make it difficult for interscholastic sport teams to schedule games with schools that keep early schedules, say opponents of later school hours. Outdoor sports would lose an hour of daylight.” This indicates sports should be important and if we got rid of them we would be shaming ourselves. Also we need to fit homework, sports, and chores in fewer evening hours. Also in “Should schools start later?” by Scholastic it states, “A later school day would interfere with tennis and possibly baseball….His current schedule and time allows him to see friends after school and still have time for homework.” This means we shouldn’t change the start time because people can do sports and get good grades with the current schedule, but if we got rid of the schedule we would lose hours of daylight and lose some of the kids who try to do everything but now can’t. It’s understandable that you want to get the change to happen and you may say quit sports– it’s better for your mental health, but sports are important for your physical health. And sports are much more than a ball to some– it is their life.

Those were 3 amazing reasons why we shouldn’t start later. Above all this letter’s solution is don’t do anything, just keep things the way they are. Something that this author recommends is a meeting to discuss the topic if needed, so decision-makers can make the choice to suit all parties. Thank for your time!

Sincerely, Nick Sorcinelli, North Middle School, Team 62

Dear Editor of the Westfield Newspaper,

“28% of United States students in grades 6-12 experience bullying.”  Since this is such a big issue, there should be harsher punishment for bullying. Bullies aren’t receiving as much of a punishment than they need to, bullying can lead to suicide, and that deserves something worse. The punishment that bullies are currently getting today is completely unfair to the victims of bullying. Finally, the students who bully are doing such bad damage to the victims that they should see what it feels like to be bullied.

Did you know that bullying leads to suicide? Well… unfortunately it does. Bullying can lead to suicide. I know this because in the article, “Bullying Leads to Depression and Suicidal Thoughts in Teens”, from “Science Daily”, the author states, “High school students subjected to bullying and other forms of harassment are more likely to report being seriously depressed, consider suicide and carry weapons to school, according to findings from a trio of studies reported at the Pediatric Academic Societies meeting in San Diego,” This explains that bullying can lead to suicide. The victims of tormenting will get so upset that bullies would cause someone to be depressed, suicidal, and bring weapons to school. Then, also in the same article from, “Science Daily” the author explains, “In a study based on the CDC’s survey of high school students in the United States Dr. Adesman and his team reports that depression and suicide are more common in teens who have been the victim of bullying in school and/or electronically.” This states that bullying can lead to suicide. Dr. Adesman and his team did a study on teens and they came to the conclusion that depression and suicide are common in teens who are being bullied. Finally, also in the same article from, “Science Daily” the author indicates, “Although cyberbullying may not pose the same physical  threat that face-to-face bullying does it can be far more harmful since it can spread like a wildfire throughout a student body and take on a life of its own.” Dr. A said. This indicates that bullying can lead to suicide. No matter what kind of tragedy the victim is put through, the victim would still feel the same as if someone were to bully them “face-to-face”, and, unfortunately take their own lives. Others may claim that kids who bully should be given more chances. But, as stated earlier, bullying can lead to suicide! That should be taken more seriously. According to the dictionary, the definition of “suicide” is “the act or an instance of taking one’s own life voluntarily and intentionally”. Children/ teens should absolutely not take their own lives for something like this. This needs to be put to an end!

A few months ago, my friend was being cyberbullied, and SHE got in trouble for standing up for HERSELF. The author of the article “ Facts About Bullying” says, “1 in 4 teachers don’t see bullying as an issue”. This needs to be fixed! The punishment that bullies are getting is unfair to the victims of bullying. I know this because in the article, “ Why Are We Allowing Schools to Punish The VICTIMS of Bullying, And Not The Bullies?” from, “Scheiss Weekly” the author explains, “ In the old days such vile creeps were kicked out of school and sometimes even hauled down to the station and sent to “ reform school” . Now, bullies and harasseres have “problems” and need “guidance and understanding” and should be “coddled” so their “anger issues” can be kept under control.” This states that the punishment that bullies are getting is unfair to the victims of tormenting. Bullies are being punished much different now, than ever, in good ways and bad. Today bullies are just getting a gentle reminder. That’s not fair at all! Bullying is much worse than in the “olden days” , because back then bullying was handled in a more serious matter. Then, also in the same article from, “Scheiss Weekly”, the author indicates, “I wonder why it is, that the parents of the worst and most dangerous kids, are always the ones who stand the tallest to fight for their rights? Don’t sweet well-behaved kids have any rights? Why are most of the rewards given to the bullies?” This says that the punishment that bullies are getting is unfair to the victims of bullying. She (the author, Jane Goodwin), brings up a good point that the victims of bullying, who stand up for themselves are getting in trouble and the bullies aren’t even getting in remotely as much trouble as the others. Finally, also in the same article, from “Scheiss Weekly”, the author says, “Why do the bad kids get all the attention? It’s not fair. A school should be a safe haven for all kids. Why has it turned into a safe haven mainly for rotten kids? When did school become the best place to bully, torment, and tease? Why don’t we put a firm and heavy foot down on these nasty little children?” This is important because this evidence proves that the punishment that bullies are getting is unfair to the victims of bullying. School has turned into a “coddling” ground for bullies. THAT’S NOT OKAY! It should be a “coddling” ground for victims. After all they just went through, you are going to yell at them for defending themselves?! Some may say, “Well he/she really does have anger issues, and there is nothing we can do about it.” But, there is something you can do about it! It’s not fair to the other students that they are taking their anger out on their peers. The children with “anger issues” should be seeing help outside of school or possibly homeschooled if needed. If you have ever been in this position before i’m sure that you completely, 100% understand now.

If you have ever been bullied before, haven’t you ever wanted bullies to see what it feels like to be hurt like that for a day? Bullies should see what it feels like to be bullied. In the article, “Bullies, Victims, and Disliking: The Feeling is Mutual”, from, “University of Virginia” the authors state, “Bullying is a distinct form of aggressive behavior when an individual repeatedly excludes, attacks, or humiliates another individual who cannot defend himself or herself.” This shows that bullies should see what it feels like to be bullied. These harsh words really put into a consideration what a bad thing bullies do. The victims of bullying are having something so tragic happen to them that the bullies should see how it really feels to be bullied. Take a step in their shoes. Haven’t they heard the “Golden Rule”? “Treat others the way you’d like to be treated.” Then, also in the same article from, “ University of Virginia”, the authors explain, “Findings suggest that victims are not disliked by most peers, but rather strongly disliking by those who identify as a bully.” This shows that bullies should see what it feels like to be bullied. Most people dislike bullies,  but are too afraid to say something, but someone needs to do something about this. Finally, in the same article, from “University of Virginia”, the authors say, “There is a long line of research suggesting victims of bullying are not well liked or rejected by their peers.” This states that bullies should see what it feels like to be bullied. The victims are being rejected, so why make them feel worse? Also, they are most likely being rejected/ disliked, because the bully is giving them a bad reputation. In return, sometimes the bullies/bully end up being that person, which hopefully teaches them a lesson. It’s understandable that some people may believe that the victim could have possibly been disliked before he/she was bullied. But, if that is the case then why are they being disliked? Being bullied is very hurtful. I know this because sadly, I have been through it myself. On the first hand, being disliked isn’t the best thing, but adding bullying to the situation just makes things ten times worse. That’s why bullies should see what it feels like to be bullied.

As stated earlier, there should be a harsher punishment for bullying. A few solutions to this problem would be to have a new rule for Westfield Public Schools, hold a meeting to discuss this topic, and finally have stricter policies on bullying. Peter Langman, Dr. of philosophy says, “Of the 48 shooters I studied, I estimate that approximately 40% experienced some kind of bullying.” This is completely unfair and blunt. Hopefully you will consider helping me to persuade Westfield Schools they should give bullies a harsher punishment.  I hope that you now agree with me on this issue. In conclusion, there should be a harsher punishment for bullying. Thank you so much for your time, effort, and cooperation.

Sincerely, Aliviya Starsiak, North Middle School, Team 62

Dear Editor of the Westfield News:

The sound of the alarm clock on a weekday morning is the most dreadful thing that a student could hear. School should start later for these three reasons: academic benefits, less stress, and less illnesses.

Starting school later would have academic benefits. This is shown in   Choices/Health.net, when the author states, “Studies show that starting school later even by half an hour has major health and academic benefits.” This shows that school should start later because if a student is well rested then they could do better on tests. If they do better on tests then the school average goes up. That would show that teachers improved at teaching. If the school board thinks that the teachers are doing such a good job then they could get a much deserved raise. It would also have academic benefits because in the article Should School Start Later, a sleep specialist says, “Adolescents have a deeply programmed biological clock to go to bed later and wake up later.” This proves that school should start later because if the students are getting enough sleep then they will do better in class, and will be smarter because of the increase in their attention span. They might even be able to get into better colleges because of the increase in academic success.  Some people might think that student’s grades don’t matter but if the students don’t get smarter then the country will get overrun by a smart country.

Starting school later would also cause less stress. Junior Scholastic News shows this when they say, in Current Events 5/16/15, “59% of sixth through eighth graders and 87% of high schoolers aren’t getting the recommended 8.5 to 9.5 hours of sleep.” This explains that school should start later because according to choices/health.net,  “poor or inadequate sleep can cause irritability and stress.” Less than 8.5 hours of sleep is inadequate sleep. If students get inadequate sleep then they could get stressed, and they might get mad and take their anger out on teachers. If that happens to much then the teachers might get stressed and quit. If all of the teachers quit then there will be nobody to educate students. Another piece of evidence supporting less stress is in the same article when the author says, ”well rested students have fewer health problems such as depression and stress.” This proves that school should start later because if students have the opportunity to get  more rest then they won’t be so stressed and experience depression. If they aren’t stressed then the teachers won’t get stressed and the kids will get a good education. Some people might not care that the students are experiencing depression and stress but if you put yourself in their shoes it wouldn’t feel so great to go to school every day when you just want to be left alone, but instead you are surrounded by hundreds of kids.

School should also start later because it would help prevent illnesses. Throughout the Junior Scholastic News article the author says, “Lack of sleep causes depression and other mental illnesses.” This supports that school should start later because if the students are depressed then they won’t be getting there work done. If they don’t get their work done, then their grades will drop. If their grades drop too much then they won’t pass. If they don’t pass then they won’t be able to get into a school that they wanted. In a different example Junior Scholastic News says, “Studies suggest a link between a lack of Zzzs mental illness and a weakened immune system.”This proves that school should start later because if students get to sick they could miss to much school and get held back. If to many students got held back then they and their families might decide that they don’t want to go to there current school anymore. If to many people are leaving a school then the school won’t have enough money to pay the teachers. If they can’t pay the teachers then they will quit. If there aren’t any teachers to teach then the students won’t get a good education. Some people might not care that the students aren’t getting educated, however if we don’t have smart adolescents then when the generation in front of them passes, they will be in control. If the generation in control isn’t smart then it won’t be good for the following generations.

That is why school should start later. To make this more fair for bus drivers, school should not start until 7:30 am for elementary school, 8:30 am for middle school, and 9:00  for high school. This would benefit the older students who need more sleep, and the town’s taxpayers because switching times would mean that we would use the same busses and same bus drivers, instead of buying new ones. So if you or someone you know hates the sound of the alarm, maybe it’s time for a change.

Sincerely, Johnny Blase, North Middle School, Team 62

Dear Editor, Westfield News,

Did you know that Americans chew about 1.8 pounds of gum per person a year, according to the U.S.Census Bureau? Gum should be allowed in schools because gum can be helpful, gum can be good for your oral health, and it can boost your scores in the classroom.

The first reason is gum can be helpful. In the article “Chew for health” it claims  that scientists can add ingredients to the recipe to make the gum able to cure headaches and other symptoms. This shows that scientists can add vitamins or medications into the gum. Instead of ch

ewing it for pleasure you can chew to make you feel better and able to continue your day symptom relieved. You no longer have to leave your job/school due to you not feeling well. If you’re out of school for a day or two sometimes, you have some make-up work for you to do. Others may claim that gum is just gum, and it can’t be used to cure headaches,but it can be used to deliver medications to the body to cure your symptoms such as a bad headache, fever, pain, and the list goes on. The most recent recreation of gum is “Stay Alert” a caffeinated gum.

The second reason is that it can be good for your oral health. In the article “Chew for Health” it claims, “Many studies show that chewing gum after meals fights cavities by stimulating the production of saliva.” Gum can enhance saliva production and neutralizes plaque and lessens cavity formation. Also in “GO FOR GUM; Something tangy to chew on” the article claims, “Chewing sugar-free gum after meals helps remineralise the tooth enamel of your teeth.” This is good to know because the enamel is important for your teeth to stay healthy. The mouths saliva washes away bacteria left in the mouth overtime which could damage your teeth. This could cause discoloration in the teeth and could lead to heart diseases. Others may claim gum is not needed in class, but gum can reduce the chance of getting a cavity which cost a lot of money to get repaired. A $2 pack of  gum can save you from getting a $100 bill for a filling. This would surely leave the parent(s) of the child highly upset. Nobody likes bills that they have to pay.

The last reason why gum should be allowed in schools is because it can boost your scores in the classroom. In the article “Chew for health” it claims, “One Japanese study of nine participants, he says, found that chewing gum boosted the flow of blood to participants brains by 40%.” . In the evidence it was shown that chewing gum increased the blood flow of a person by 40% allowing the person to focus 40% more than before. It can also boost your ability to remember things. This could be very helpful if you’re doing a test or a homework assignment that requires you to remember what you did earlier in class. It’s understandable that people think gum doesn’t make you concentrate more in the classroom, but people use mints to make them focus more on tests. What’s inside the mint makes you focus more. Gum factories have been making mint flavored gum for decades now. It all depends on what brand/gum you choose to buy.

Schools should allow gum in class. If that isn’t possible we should have a set time to chew gum after eating lunch. Maybe you will consider our thoughts about chewing gum in school and show support by printing this letter. Thank you for your time and enjoy the rest of your day.

Sincerely, Aaron Brockington, North Middle School, Team 62

Dear Editor of the Westfield Newspaper,

“A poll conducted  for the Associated Press earlier this year, (September 23, 2006) found that 57% of parents felt their child was assigned about the right amount of homework.”  Schools should give students some homework, for these three reasons: homework has value, homework helps students do better in school, and lastly homework causes good working habits.

First, homework has value. In the article, “Do kids need homework?” it states, “Homework teaches kids important skills. ” This proves that homework has value because it helps students learn things such as math facts, writing compositions, and other special skills.   So they are not confused and aren’t falling behind in class because they don’t know what to do. In the same article, “Do Kids Need Homework?” It says, “That homework teaches kids to manage time and motivate themselves to work harder.” This shows that homework has value because it helps students to learn many new things in class. So they are prepared for what comes next like a test or pop quiz.  Some people think that homework has no value, but homework has value because it teaches kids valuable lessons and many different skills.

Homework helps students do better in school.  In the article, “Does Homework Improve Academic Achievement?” the author states, “Students assigned homework in second grade did better on math, third and fourth graders did better on english skills and vocabulary, fifth graders on social studies, and grades nine through twelve on american history and twelfth graders on Shakespeare.”  This proves that homework helps students do better in class. This matters so they can get the best possible grades, so that they have a good future in school and know a lot of different information. In the same article it states, “grades k-2 homework is more effective when it does not exceed 10-20 minutes each day; older children in grades 3-6 can handle 30-60 minutes a day, in junior high and senior high the amount of homework will vary by subject.”  This shows what people think is an appropriate amount of homework, so their students have time to do other activities and also have time to get their homework done. Other people think that homework does not help students succeed in their class(es). In the article, “Does Homework Improve Academic Achievement?” The author quotes, “pressuring their child and confusing him by using different instructional techniques than the teacher.” Yes but, It may help students review what they have already learned in the previous class that day or learn it a different way, like the way their parents learned the material. Which may be easier for them to use in class, so they do better in class. So they are ready to learn something new the next class, and move forward.

Homework causes good working habits.  According to the article “ Does Homework Improve Academic Achievement?” It states, “it helps students develop good study habits so they are ready to grow as their cognitive capacities mature.” This evidence proves that homework causes good habits because it causes them to mature and causes good study habits. Which leads to good grades, which leads to success in school. Others think that homework leads to stressing out. In the article “ Do Kids Need Homework?” It says, “homework can be stressful, for both kids and their parents.” But, homework helps the brain exercise because it is thinking to figure the problems out.

Kids should have some homework. Teachers could minimize the amount of homework they give to their students, so they get some homework but not too much homework. So that they don’t become stressed out, bored or have no time for hanging out with friends and family. Thank you for your time.

Sincerely, Abigail Dorunda, North Middle School, Team 62

Dear Westfield News Editor,

Incredibly, 50 million Americans eat fast food per day. If so many people eat it, why can’t it be a choice for public school lunch? In my  personal opinion, fast foods should be a choice for school lunch. Why, you may ask? Well, the lunch quality will go up, kids will like it more, and the school will have a financial boost.

You don’t have to be a detective to know that school lunch is bad. According to an article by Public School Review, “The preparation of school lunches fall short of minimums imposed on fast food places such as KFC and McDonald’s.” This proves fast food is actually a step in the right direction. Kids won’t get sick from the pathogens in school lunches, which might be bad news for the school’s health code. Some people may think fast food is worse than school lunches because it is unhealthier, but as it says in the evidence, fast food chains have better standards for food preparation. Also, as it says in the aforementioned article, kids are at risk of digesting deadly pathogens. This states that kids are at risk of being extremely sick from school lunch! And nobody needs kids being sick.  Kids need better food to fill up their stomachs, and fast food is the way to go.

Many kids enjoy a trip to a fast food place to dig in to chicken nuggets or a burger. How about that on a normal school day? Frank Castro, a coordinator for a Californian school foods, declares, “This community is very brand conscious. I could sell the same quality burger or a better burger, but it wouldn’t increase my lunch count.” This is important because kids will eat more brand-name burgers than a school burger, which means less food will be thrown away. Also, fast food is always a big hit for kids. Having it as lunch at schools would be even better. In the article “Should Fast Food be in Schools?,” it says, “It is delectable and moreover will enjoy it with their friends.” This evidence means kids will eat it more than school lunch, which means less food will be wasted, which also means not as much work for cafeteria chefs.  People might think fast food makes you fat, but it will make kids go less hungry.

It definitely costs a lot of money to make school lunches for nearly 700 kids a day, (that is if they don’t brown bag it), but fast food will be cheap and pretty easy to sell. As it says in the article “Why Schools are Dishing Out Fast Food,” “Obviously, fast food is not only easy to prepare, but also takes less time and can be served for more students.” This states fast food is cheaper for selling to kids than making food each day.  Others may claim that fast food is too costly to be bought, but from the article above, it also says, “Financially, it’s also important for schools to go up to about 400 meals. If we don’t break even and encroach into the general fund, we’re going to have to cut back staff.” This makes crystal clear money is important because teachers might lose their jobs without money from the kids with their lunch money to the school.

In conclusion, school lunch should be a lunch option. Maybe fast food could be an option on some days, because, yes, it’s kind of unhealthy, but maybe it could be “Fast Food Fridays” or something. You could possibly send this to a school principal or something. Thanks for considering and reading my thoughts.

Sincerely, Andrew O’Sullivan, North Middle School, Team 62

Dear Editor, Westfield News:

Should phones be allowed in schools? 64% of schools in the U.S. allow cell phone use as of 2016. Cell phones shouldn’t be allowed in schools/class because of these 3 reasons: they’re distracting, they are (most of the time) not used in the correct way, and it could cause online bullying.

The first reason is that phones are distracting. An article from PublicSchoolReview says, “Many public school leaders assert that cell phones are a severe distraction in the educational process” This shows that phones distract both individual students from class, as well as their peers. So, their grades will suffer because they are distracted from class.  Another quote from the same article reads, “Cell phones have been an increasingly negative disruption in schools.” This means if cell phones weren’t a big distraction before, they will be soon. Cell phones and distractacting students are increasing largely. We have to ban them before it becomes a bigger issue. Some people think that students should always have a phone on them (even at school) in case of an emergency, but schools are more than obligated to contact a parent or guardian when a dangerous situation is taking place at school. So, students shouldn’t have to contact their parents when the school will do it as soon as possible.

The second reason students shouldn’t be able to use mobile devices in school is that they are used in the wrong way. An article from Kids InfoBits says, “Many students are getting in trouble in schools across the country for being on their phones in class when they’re not supposed to.” This proves kids are misusing phones and getting consequences. It can affect their grades, and participation in class. The same article also says, “Students who interact with their cell phone in class perform worse on tests. In fact, just having phones within reach can cause academic performance to decline.” This shows kids with phones present during class time do worse on test because it takes them away from what’s happening in class. Others may claim that students should have phones to teach them important lesson on responsibility, but students and schools shouldn’t have to rely on phones to teach a responsibility lesson. Homework, being on time, and things like taking notes already teach important lessons on responsibility.

The third reason phones shouldn’t be allowed in schools is because it can widen the opportunity of cyber bullying. A different article from Kids InfoBits says, “Too many students face micro emotional hits, When they are left out of group chats or see photos which they compare themselves, leading them to feel inferior.” This describes what kids feel when they see other people hanging out and get jealous or compare themselves to other kids. The same article written by Delaney Ruston states, “A 2016 study published by the pediatrics journal found that the increasing rates on depression in adolescents, especially in girls, correlated with the use of mobile phone and texting apps.” This implies that kids, especially girls, get sad or feel inferior because they don’t feel like they look as good, or things of that nature. It really affects their emotional health, which could affect their grade, participation, motivation, and overall skill level. It’s understandable that phones can be useful in classrooms (calculator, research, etc.) but you don’t need phones to have a useful resource. There are plenty of calculators, computers, and books to use in classrooms.

All in all, cell phones should not be allowed during school hours. Hopefully, after reading this letter you will show support for this argument. Maybe even consider spreading your support to your children’s school.

Sincerely, Hailey Shay, North Middle School, Team 62