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The Palm Valley School Student Blog

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An Open Letter to Parents

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By Claire Jenkins

 

An Open Letter to Parents,

     Your child is worth more than their GPA

     Your child is worth more than the colleges they get into

     Your child is worth more than the sports they play

 

     Your child is going to get hurt, but they will heal

     Your child is going to fall in love; it will be messy, but it will be beautiful

     Your child is going to make mistakes, but they will learn

 

     Your child is trying to figure themselves out, so be patient

     Your child is trying to make you proud, so don’t pressure them

     Your child is trying their best.

 

                                                 Sincerely,

                                                                A child

 

Editor: Shelby Armor

songs that I’m always in the mood for

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By Makena Behnke

 

we’ve all been in that mood when you don’t really want to listen to any of the songs on your playlist… so here is a list of songs that i listen to when i don’t want to listen to anything.

 

  • Rebel Love Song by Black Veil Brides (when you feel a little bit like hard rock)
  • Coffee Talk by Broadside (when you need some pop punk)
  • Matter of Time by Five Finger Death Punch (heavy metal)
  • Thank God I’m Not You by Himalayas (indie rock)
  • Blank Generation by Richard Hell (punk rock)
  • All You Are Is History by State Champs (pop punk)
  • I’m Shipping Up To Boston by Dropkick Murphys (punk rock)
  • Palette by Grayscale (pop punk)
  • Free Your Mind by En Vogue (R&B/pop)
  • My Own Way by Drowning Pool (metal)
  • Sugar, We’re Goin Down by Fall Out Boy (pop punk)
  • Coffin by Black Veil Brides (hard rock)
  • Your Body Is A Weapon by The Wombats (indie rock)

Editor: Claire Jenkins

*Warning: some songs might contain swear words.

OSCARS 2018: PREDICTIONS, PICKS, etc.

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 By Leo Milmet, Resident Film Critic and Academy Awards Guru

Yay! That one weekend where everyone suddenly becomes a huge film buff like me is almost upon us! The Oscars are coming up this weekend!

Here is my list of predictions, wishes, and personal picks.

The following list will be divided into the Oscar nomination categories. I will write “Will Win,” “Should Win,” and “My Picks” next to the contenders:

*“Will Win” = the film/person that is likely to win the award;

*“Should Win” = who deserves to win;

*“My Picks” = my personal picks for that category.

 

BEST PICTURE:

Will Win: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Should Win: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

My Pick: The Big Sick

 

BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

Will Win: Gary Oldman–The Darkest Hour

Should Win: Gary Oldman–Darkest Hour

My Pick: Gary Oldman

 

BEST ACTRESS:

Will Win: Frances McDormand–Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Should Win: Saoirse Ronan–Lady Bird

My Pick: Saoirse Ronan

 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR:

Will Win: Sam Rockwell–Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Should Win: Sam Rockwell–Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

My Pick: Sam Rockwell–Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS:

Will Win: Allison Janney–I, Tonya

Should Win: Allison Janney–I, Tonya

My Pick: Allison Janney

 

BEST DIRECTOR:

Will Win: Guillermo del Toro–The Shape of Water

Should Win: Greta Gerwig–Lady Bird

My Pick: Martin McDonagh–Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

 

BEST ANIMATED FILM:

Will Win: Coco

 

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE:

Will Win: Faces Places

 

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY:

Will Win: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Should Win: The Big Sick–Emily V. Gordon and Kumail Nanjiani

My Pick: The Big Sick

 

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY:

Will Win: Call Me By Your Name–James Ivory

Should Win: The Disaster Artist–Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber

My Pick: My Friend Dahmer – Marc Meyers

 

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY:

Will Win: Blade Runner 2049–Roger Deakins

Should Win: Blade Runner 2049–Roger Deakins

My Pick: Blade Runner 2049–Roger Deakins

 

BEST COSTUME DESIGN:

Will Win: Phantom Thread–Mark Bridges

Should Win: Phantom Thread–Mark Bridges

My Pick: Baby Driver–Courtney Hoffman

 

BEST FILM EDITING:

Will Win: Baby Driver–Paul Machliss and Jonathan Amos

Should Win: Baby Driver–Paul Machliss and Jonathan Amos

My Pick: Baby Driver

 

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM:

Will Win: A Fantastic Woman

 

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT:

Will Win: Edith + Eddie

 

MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING:

Will Win: Darkest Hour–David Malinowski, Kazuhiro Tsuji, Lucy Sibbick

Should Win: Darkest Hour–David Malinowski, Kazuhiro Tsuji, Lucy Sibbick

My Pick: Darkest Hour

 

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE:

Will Win: The Shape of Water–Alexandre Desplat

Should Win: Phantom Thread–Jonny Greenwood

My Pick: Darkest Hour–Dario Marianelli

 

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN:

Will Win: The Shape of Water–Production Design: Paul Denham Austerberry; Set

Decoration: Shane Vieau and Jeffrey A. Melvin

Should Win: Blade Runner 2049–Production Design: Dennis Gassner; Set Decoration:

Alessandra Querzola

My Pick: The Shape of Water

 

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS:

Will Win: Blade Runner 2049–John Nelson, Paul Lambert, Richard R. Hoover, Gerd

Nefzer

Should Win: Blade Runner 2049

My Pick: Blade Runner 2049

 

SOUND EDITING:

Will Win: Dunkirk–Alex Gibson, Richard King

Should Win: Baby Driver–Julian Slater

My Pick: Baby Driver

 

SOUND MIXING:

Will Win: Baby Driver–Mary H. Ellis, Julian Slater, Tim Cavagin

Should Win: Baby Driver – Mary H. Ellis, Julian Slater, Tim Cavagi

My Pick: Baby Driver

 

BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT:

Will Win: DeKalb Elementary

Should Win: DeKalb Elementary

 

BEST ANIMATED SHORT:

Will Win: Lou

Should Win: Lou

 

BEST ORIGINAL SONG:

Will Win: “This Is Me” from The Greatest Showman–Benj Pasek, Justin Paul

 

Editor: Renée Vazquez

Be Careful Out There

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Advice of the Week from “Dear Claire”

According to Medical Daily, 24,000 people per year die from being struck by lightning, so obviously you should consider carefully before leaving your house. A BuzzFeedYellow article says 450 people die per year falling out of bed. So, the risks of getting out of bed should also be considered carefully–maybe just stay there and hide from whatever objects could kill you. Our day-to-day activities clearly are an adventure in living dangerously. Claire’s compiled some interesting, unexpected, and worrying ways to die. Watch out for the following.

(A list of “Unexpected Ways to Die” on Valentine’s Day? “Dear Claire” says, “Death can be romantic. Haven’t you read Romeo and Juliet? Thanks, Mr. Griffin.”)

Top 5 Unexpected Ways to Die:

  1. Eating a cherry pit: The inside of the cherry pit is lethal! Don’t eat it!
  2. Elevator crash (cdc.gov says 30 people die annually by elevator): If the elevator seems unstable or old, maybe don’t get in it!
  3. Vending machine falling on you: Even if a bag of chips is stuck on the other side, do not rock the machine; it may fall, and you will DIE.
  4. Electrocuted by a toaster: Don’t touch a toaster with wet hands; it increases your chances of getting electrocuted. Also, don’t put any metal in the toaster to fish out your toast (forks, knives, etc).
  5. Hippo attack (bbc.com says 500 people per year die in Africa via hippo attack): Hippos are more aggressive than they appear, and they are known for charging at smaller boats and capsizing them.

Editor: Brennan Nick

*Medical Daily referenced.