Calum Webster Archives - the bird on fire

Waffles versus Pancakes

May 15, 2025 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

By Middle-School Bloggers Calum Webster and Mason Conway

Inspired by the song “Do You Like Waffles?” by Parry Gripp, 7th-graders Calum Webster and Mason Conway set out to find which breakfast entrée is the ultimate way to start your day. The two conducted their scientific research by walking around the Palm Valley campus and asking people for their opinions: Waffles or Pancakes?

Addison chooses “waffles because they have little pockets that can hold syrup.”

Jaxon says, “Pancakes because they have the crispy edges.”

Sami likes “pancakes because they are so fluffy and soft.”

Max prefers “waffles because they are pancakes with abs.”

Ben likes “pancakes more because they have aura.”

John says, “Pancakes because I eat them more.”

Elizabeth “prefers a flat breakfast”–so pancakes for her.

Morgan likes “waffles because they’re fluffier.”

Mason and Calum weigh in . . .

Mason: My tastebuds tell me that pancakes taste like cardboard and waffles taste way sweeter. Waffles have a nicer nexture and have a little bit of give with a slightly crunchy outside unlike their counterpart.

Calum: I believe that waffles are way better than pancakes. Waffles have places to hold syrup, and they are so much fluffier.

At the end of the day, pancakes won, but, with Mason’s and Calum’s votes, waffles would have won. So, the boys have answers to the song “Do You Like Waffles?” but not the way they wanted. It is fine because, according to the two of them, people will soon see the beauty of waffles over pancakes.

What’s Your Favorite Candy?

April 29, 2025 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

By Middle-School Bloggers Calum Webster and Mason Conway

Candy is a seemingly innocent topic, but it is heavily debated. Do you like Mounds Bars or Almond Joy? Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup or Nerds Gummy Clusters? Whoppers or Milk Duds? The topic about what candy is best gets talked about often. In order to get to the bottom of people’s opinions here at Palm Valley, 7th-graders Mason and Calum went out interviewing to discover the best candy to chomp on.

7th-grader Julian says of candy, “My favorite candies are Sweet Tarts, and Twizzlers are my least favorite.”

7th-grader Silvanita says she dislikes “Snickers because I do not like the peanuts in it, and I love Nerds because of the sweet flavor.”

8th-grader Edward replies, “Hi-Chews taste amazing, and Milky Ways . . . too sweet.”

10th-grader Rylie says she likes “Haribo Raspberry because they are crunchy on the outside, sweet in the middle; . . . she hates “black licorice because it tastes horrible.”

Teacher Mr. Killeen recommends Godiva because “it’s pretty high quality and consistent quality. He hates “Werthers.” He says, “It is blah and too sweet.”

7th-grader Sami says, “Elephant Poop Chocolate” is his favorite because of its nice texture. “This is a real thing!” Sami adds. “Dubai Chocolate” is his least favorite because he says it “tastes like grass.”

7th-grader Jaxon’s favorite candy is the “Kinder Bueno bars/eggs because they have a creamy hazelnut filling,” and he says his least favorite candies are “Milk Duds because they look and taste like over baked cookies.”

7th-grader Emmy says she likes “The lollipops from the kids’ meal at the sushi place in Mammoth,” and she doesn’t have a least favorite candy.

7th-grader Max says, “My favorite candy is chocolate-covered pretzels,” and he adds, “My least favorite candy is Vegemite.”

7th-grader Ben says, “My favorite candy is Twix because of the carmel,” and he adds, “My least favorite is Dots because they taste artificial.”

8th-grader Moses says his favorite candy is “Reese’s Pieces because the peanut butter tastes good,” and he says, “I hate Almond Joy because it tastes so bad.”

7th-grader Devlin says, “My favorite candy is og Hershey’s,” and adds “my least favorite is Whoppers because they suck.”

7th-grader Gavin says he does not have a favorite candy, but he has a favorite place to get candy–”it is by far See’s Candy.” And, he says that his least favorite is “Dots because they don’t taste like anything, but they have a weird factory taste to them.”

8th-grader Addison says she likes “Nerds Gummy Clusters or Watermelon Sour Patch Kids,” and she says my “least favorite is probably black licorice because it is gross.”

Candy sells. PVS middle schoolers mixed and matched their favorites at the CJSF candy “salad” bar.

This has been a really fun project searching for the best candy, but the PVS community has not decided upon a clear winner.

Calum and Mason received a lot of great answers–from Dubai chocolate to Vegemite–but logged no clear consensus. However, Ms. Zachik adds, “Judging from the rush for Nerds Clusters at the CJSF Candy Salad Wednesdays, I’d say Nerds are a courtyard favorite.”

What’s the Hardest Sport and Why?

April 4, 2025 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

By Middle-School Bloggers Mason Conway, Calum Webster, and Elizabeth Greenwood

Here at thebirdonfire.org, we argue over everything–including Why my sport is harder than your sport! We thought we’d take it to the Palm Valley sidewalks. We asked people what they believe is the hardest sport and why. We know what the hardest sport is (Water Polo!), and we know everyone else is wrong, but wanted to hear their insights. Their answers surprised us, displaying a wide range of perspectives on the physical and mental challenges involved in different sports.

**John Webster, What’s the hardest sport?** “Formula 1 or rock climbing. F1 is difficult because you are driving at a high speed and you risk your life, but rock climbing is also difficult because there is a demanding mix of physical strength and balance.”

Mr. Kisling : “Open water swimming because if you stop, you drown.”

Ms. Maguire: “I think that decathlon is the hardest because you have to be able to run a marathon and do all of those sports really well, and I think that is really hard.”

Devlin Roosevelt: “Soccer because sometimes the refs are blind.”

Mateo Omier: “I think boxing or wrestling because you get beat up every single time.”

Maxwell Pretorius: “Boxing because you can get hurt.”

Ivana Vega: “I would say wrestling because you can genuinely die.”

**Addison Uhlhorn, What’s the hardest sport?** “Hockey because it’s physically demanding on multiple different levels.”

Emmy Kaminsky: “Hockey because you have to skate while you are fighting while holding a stick while moving a puck.”

Jaden Ramer: “Ice Skating because you have to be precise.”

Brooklyn Hatrak: “I agree with Jaden because you have to be flexible.”

Sami Alnabelsi: “The hardest sport and why? I don’t know soccer because the refs are blind.”

Grace Ghaly: “Soccer because the coaches in soccer are mean.”

Ryder Gardner: “Hardest sport? Football because you have to do conditioning.”

**Jaxon Pacilio, What’s the hardest sport?** “Football because you get get hit really hard.” Photo Credit: Mason Conway

Sarah Alnabelsi: “Soccer because it has a lot of running.”

Zoe Groendyke: “Ice Skating.”

Mr. Killeen: “F1 because you have to be short.”

Riley Jorgensen: “Football because it’s the most physical sport possible.”

Coach Jake: “I would personally say football.”

Julian Berumen: “Volleyball”

Cindy Wang: “Volleyball’’

Silvinita Garcia:” Volleyball or basketball.”

Now, Elizabeth says…

As you can see from the wide range of answers, everyone has a different opinion on what makes a sport difficult. Whether it’s the physical demands of hockey or the precision of figure skating. It’s clear that all sports require hard work and dedication.

And, Calum adds…

In my opinion, water polo is the hardest sport for a couple of reasons. First, you have to be treading water for a long period of time. The game is 50 minutes long with only 13 players and 7 playing at a time, and you can only get subbed out after a goal or a time out. So you are for sure going to be tired after the game. Secondly, you can only use one hand at a time. You can not pass in from hand to hand. You either have to dribble it or drop it in the water. This can be really hard because you are going to have to have a really good grip on the ball. The ball is constantly in the water, which means it is going to be wet and slippery. In addition to that, you can only shoot from 5 meters or farther. Finally, it can be a very physical sport. There is a lot of fighting that goes on under water that the ref doesn’t see. That is why water polo is the hardest sport.

Finally, Mason concludes…

I’m going to agree with Calum on this one, I can barely swim, so imagine swimming for that long. If I was to try to play water polo, I would be at the bottom of the regulation 20-feet deep pool. Some people like to drag the players when the refs are not looking, which sounds terrifying; I’d die. I also believe lacrosse is one of the hardest sports solely because you’re allowed to break your stick over someone; the sticks they use are made out of carbon fiber and hard plastic, which I imagine would hurt a lot.

School Uniform Debate: Necessary or Restrictive?

March 20, 2025 by szachik@pvs.org 1 Comment

By Middle-School Bloggers Mason Conway, Calum Webster, and Elizabeth Greenwood

Should we wear uniforms? Many schools, such as PVS, require strict attire. Most are private schools, but some public school students wear uniforms. It seems everybody’s got an opinion on whether we should switch back to no uniforms or keep them. Mason, Calum, and Elizabeth have something to say on that:

Mason says . . .

It can be a good idea to reinforce wearing uniforms as it could limit bullying and reduce distractions, but other people argue that it could limit creativity and make families struggle to buy more expensive uniform clothing. I personally believe that we should have no uniforms as in the morning I waste time trying to find my khaki shorts and my polo, which sometimes makes me late for school.

Calum says . . .

One point that Mason said is requiring uniforms can reduce bullying. I believe this is a fair point; everybody is wearing the same thing, so you can’t bully people on what they are wearing. On the other hand, you have to spend more money on uniforms, and most people are not going to wear them outside of school. In my opinion, I don’t think there should be uniforms, but there should be a dress code. First, a dress code lets people wear what they want. Choosing their own clothes will make kids feel more comfortable and relaxed during the day. They will also not have to go through the struggle of getting ready in the morning–looking for those lost khaki shorts and polos. I believe that it is easier to find my casual clothing in the morning than it is to find my uniform.

Elizabeth says . . .

Personally, I believe that uniforms should be mandatory because they create a sense of uniformity among students. One reason uniforms should be mandatory is that they help students focus on their work rather than on their appearance. And, while I slightly agree with Mason and Calum that uniforms might reduce bullying, without uniforms, students may be pressured into wearing certain clothes–which can have a negative effect on younger students because they are pressured into wearing expensive clothing. Another reason why uniforms should be mandatory is that uniforms are easier to find (way easier to find a pair shorts and a polo than putting a whole outfit together), and by wearing them it takes less time to get ready in the morning.

And, finally, Mr. Koehler says . . .

“The main reason for school uniforms is to create an inclusive and welcoming environment for students to thrive in.”

It seems school uniforms have some value. They create a sense of uniformity, reduce stress, and can make mornings easier (except for Mason). By wearing uniforms, students have more freedom to focus on their work and less on external distractions. Uniforms are not just for looks but are about inclusiveness.

Mason, showcasing the Palm Valley School uniform, tells us he’s doing his “model walk.”

Advice on Being a Good Friend

February 13, 2025 by szachik@pvs.org 2 Comments

By Middle-School Blogger Calum Webster

As a 12 year old in middle school, I have had lots of friendships. Over the years, I have also acquired first-hand experience on how to be a good friend from my own friendships.

Advice #1: Don’t interrupt your friends when they are talking.

A very important step in a friendship is not interrupting them when they are talking. It shows respect when you are listening, and you can give feedback, but you should wait till they have finished talking before you start. You don’t have to like what they are talking about, but still stay interested in what they are saying.

Advice #2: You don’t always have to like the same things, and you can have your opinions.

When you guys are talking or texting, it doesn’t matter what you are doing. You don’t have to like what they are talking about or what sport they play. You have to accept they can like what they like, and you can like what you want, too. Everybody has their own opinions, and that’s okay. Also, don’t get in a lot of fights. It is normal to get in one or two. There are many ways you can get in fights. But, when you fight over who’s right or who’s wrong, you have to accept that you can be wrong sometimes.

Advice #3: Be supportive of your friend in what they decide to do, but also don’t let them do something bad.

You have to be supportive of your friend and cheer them on in what they are doing. But you also have to be careful of what you cheer them on for; perhaps don’t cheer them on if they are doing something bad. You can help your friends out in many ways, like if they are going on a long road trip with you and you are done packing, you can help them pack. Another way you can help your friend out is if they are in a tough time; it won’t hurt to help them when they are having a bad day. Also a real friend should make you feel comfortable and lift you up. A friend should not make you feel uncomfortable; they should make you happy to be their friend.

Advice #4: You should be in a real friendship because you like them as a person, not because you want something.

You should not be in a friendship with someone because they are popular or have money. You should be their friend for who they are. It is important to have a strong friendship because you like them as a person.

So, there you have it: be “real” in your friendship; be supportive; still, be an individual; and never interrupt.