Oliver Martinez Archives - Page 2 of 3

Never do these things in your relationships

September 15, 2023 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

Oliver’s post is the first in our series on Forbidden Things – stay tuned for forbidden foods, forbidden places, and surprise forbidden Indy things. Follow Oliver’s advice in “Things to Never Do in a Relationship” and you may avoid painful mistakes with that best friend, pet, or with your mother.
–Instructor Zachik

By Oliver Martinez

Have you ever done something to your friend, or your mom, or your pet—maybe as a joke, or by accident, or on purpose–and then you realize that your loved one kind of hates you for it ? Well, here are seven things never to do in your relationships . . . because who wants to be hated?

Don’t Do This to Your Friends

1. Leave your friend hanging

This is just cruel. Making plans and never showing up is pure evilness. After this, don’t expect to be talking to your friend for at least the next week or so. And, it’s even worse when you don’t give them a heads-up that you won’t be showing up. You just don’t show up at all, and now your friend won’t talk to you.

2. Leave your friend on “read”

What’s worse than leaving your friend’s text message on “delivered”?

When you read their message and decide not to respond.

Now, I speak from personal experience. I have been left on “read” and left others on “read ,” too. And, I can see why it’s annoying. Reading someone’s text and just deciding it’s not worth twenty-five seconds of your life to respond can lead to hurt feelings. Now, maybe your friend won’t stop talking to you for this, but they definitely will point it out the next time you hang out with them.

3. Prank your friend

Now, I’m not talking about those little pranks, like joking with your friends or just messing with them. I’m talking about those types of pranks where you throw their phone into a river or throw eggs at them. Those pranks are the ones that make your friend hate you, and “it’s just a joke” won’t fix the situation. Thankfully, for this one, I do not speak from personal experience. I’ve seen it happen, but it hasn’t happened to me.

Don’t Do This With Your Pets

4. Forget to give them their usual treat

Pets are smarter than they seem. They remember the routine of you giving them their usual treat. And, when you forget, they will remind you. And, by reminding you, I mean they will bark at you until you give them their treat. Here, I do speak from personal experience.

5. Put pet clothing on them

Pets hate when you put clothing on them. During the winter, we used to put a little sweater on one of my dogs because we thought she would be cold. But I guess one day she had enough of the sweater and found a way to take it off. She ripped it to shreds. From then on, we didn’t put clothes on my dog anymore. Besides, experts say that dressing up your dog “could cause painful rubbing against a dog’s skin, as well as causing them to potentially overheat and get stressed” (Prima.co.uk). So, whatever you do, don’t dress up your dog.

With Family Members, Remember, Don’t . . .

6. “Forget” to do your chores

Whether you actually forgot to take out the trash or you were just not feeling like it, parents –most of the time– get pretty mad if you don’t do your chores. I think that what annoys them most is knowing that we can easily do our chores but decide not to because we’re lazy. I would recommend at least giving a valid reason on why you couldn’t do your chores.

7. “Forget” to clean your room

This one technically comes under the umbrella of “not doing your chores,” but it’s such a problem that it’s in its own category. Are you ever just relaxing in your room and then your parents walk in and realize it’s a mess? Well, I know this has happened to the vast majority of us. And, parents get really upset when our room isn’t clean and tidy. I understand why they get angry, but at the same time, does my room really look that bad if I forget to make the bed one day? Or if I have two or three water bottles in my nightstand? Well, the point is, clean your room to make your parents happy.

Truth is, it’s impossible to keep everyone happy. At a certain point in time, you will say or do something dumb and your friends and family will briefly hate you for it. Best thing to do is to just make the mistakes and learn from them.

Four Ways to get your Fuzzy Friends to Favor You

September 7, 2023 by szachik@pvs.org 1 Comment

Let’s use “relationship” as a verb, as in how to “ski,” or how to “cook pasta.” Here at thebirdonfire.org, we considered “how to relationship”: how to be the best we can with our loved ones, how to be healthy, giving, and strategic. We have relationships with our spouses, our boyfriends, our girlfriends, our siblings, our parents, and our bff’s. We have relationships with our furry loved ones–or, as Oliver says, our fuzzy loved ones. Oliver considers how to have healthy relationships with our dogs.

By Sophomore Oliver Martinez

Having a good relationship with your dog can be hard work. However, there is a reason why dogs are called “man’s best friend.” I have a Basset Hound and a Dachshund–Muñeca and Heidi respectively. I’ve had Muñeca the Basset Hound for three years. Heidi has been with me for ten years. Here are four things that have helped me get along well with my dogs.

Tip #1: Spend time with your dog.

This one may be obvious, but to have a good relationship with your dog, you have to spend time with it. Some ways to do so include: Take your dog on a walk; teach it some tricks; play catch with it. Dogs love when you spend time with them. It makes them feel safe and happy. According to rover.com, “The hormone oxytocin, or ‘the love chemical,’ is released in dogs’ brains during positive social interactions.” It would be wise to spend time with your dog as they enjoy it and start to like you more.

Regularly, Oliver takes his dogs Muñeca and Heidi for walks. He recommends you do the same.

Tip #2: Buy your dog gifts.

Buying your dog a gift every once in a while can feel really nice. Both the doggo and you enjoy these types of moments. Whether it’s a new toy like a chewy squeaky toy or a new bed, dogs like the attention and appreciate you even more.

According to Dr. Ellen Langer, a professor of psychology from Harvard, “When you give a gift to your dog, it’s sort of pure. You just assume the dog is going to like it, you feel relaxed, the dog senses that you’re relaxed, and the interaction is loving.” When the dog perceives that you are relaxed, it relaxes, too. So, maybe it’s time to go buy a gift for your pet–for both your sake and the sake of your dog.

Oliver bought his Basset Hound Muñeca a blue plastic Dodgers cap when she was still a baby. Oliver recommends you present your dogs with the occasional gift.

Tip #3: Reward your dog with treats.

Dogs love being rewarded. And, they also love treats. When your dog is being obedient, why not give it a treat? There are many different types of foods to give your dog. I usually give my dog vegetables, like carrots or celery. I also give my dog salmon bite treats. These dog treats are not only healthy, but dogs genuinely like eating them. According to Reader’s Digest (rd.com), the salmon bites “contain Alaskan salmon oil”; they “improve dog’s skin and coat and can reduce itchiness and chronic licking” and are “easily digestible”–all of which are big pros for your dog’s health.

Apart from that, treats help you train your dog to obey your commands. My dogs get carrots when they “Sit” successfully.

Frequently, Oliver rewards his dogs with treats for good behavior. Here, Muñeca gets a carrot for putting herself to bed.

Tip #4: Respect your dog.

This one may be the most important one of them all. Respecting your dog is very important. It’s like the popular phrase “treat others like you want to be treated.” Dogs are clever animals, and they understand when you show them respect; in turn, they’ll show you respect as well. It is important that we take care of our animals because we accepted responsibility for them when we adopted them. Their well being depends on us. So, let’s make our best effort to respect our dog and show them our love. Talk nicely to your dog–no raising your voice. Pet your dog. In play or training, don’t be physical to the extent that you could hurt your dog.

Having a good relationship with your dog certainly isn’t easy, but is definitely worth it. I’ve been using these tips with my dogs since we got them, and it has worked out pretty well. Try these tips out, and let us know in the comments if they worked!

Oliver’s Ranking For Every Star Wars Movie

May 11, 2022 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

By Oliver Martinez, Middle-School Correspondent

Due to the fact that this month we celebrated May-the-4th-Be-With-You Day (AKA Star Wars Day), I’m ranking every main-story Star Wars movie: ninth being the worst and first being the best. I’m leaving out some other movies that aren’t main series like The Clone Wars, Solo: A Star Wars Story, etc.

Spoiler Alert: In Oliver’s rationale as to his rankings, he drops in some details as to how the movies climax and resolve. But, in the words of Luke Sonderman, if you haven’t already seen a Star Wars movie, you’re probably not going to go out and see one now.

Number 9:

The Rise of Skywalker

This movie was terrible; it has a horrible ending for a great trilogy that Star Wars was. To me this movie seemed boring. The lightsaber skills were appalling; the main villain (Palpatine) being brought back also wasn’t good because it’s like they bring him back every single movie; and he miraculously survives everything when he should’ve been dead a long time ago. It was so bad even Rotten Tomatoes gave it a 52% (rottentomatoes.com).

Number 8:

The Last Jedi

Do I even need to explain? This movie was BAD. The movie felt awfully long; some scenes even seemed unnecessary. Luke Skywalker acting like a coward? Really? All the past Star Wars movies worked to make Luke look like a leader, a legend perhaps. But in this movie, tossing the lightsaber and… milking an alien? That just throws everything else to the bin. Also, Snoke being killed right away although the movie makes him look super powerful is just absurd. Pretty much nothing works in this movie. The only reason this is above The Rise of Skywalker is because it has a higher score in Rotten Tomatoes; it scored a 91% from official critics and 42% from the audience.

Number 7:

The Force Awakens

This movie is… well boring. Easily one of the least creative. For people who watched this movie before any other Star Wars film, it may seem wonderful. But it lazily recycles old ideas like blowing up a star base, being in a sand world, etc…. There was some good acting. The death of Han Solo was heartbreaking, and the mistakes were not as severe as in The Last Jedi or in The Rise of Skywalker, so this movie is just a meh, and takes the seventh spot.

Number 6:

Attack of the Clones

Attack of the Clones is the series Episode 2. It definitely has more romance than any other Star Wars film. We can see how Anakin starts taking a liking for the dark side. There is some character development, etc. This movie is definitely not the worst, but the other movies are better.

Number 5:

The Phantom Menace

The Phantom Menace is the first episode of Star Wars. In this movie we get introduced to Qui-Gon Jinn, who finds Anakin. This movie has some really good parts in it. Like the lightsaber duels, acting, and the racing scene. This movie has gotten a lot of criticism for being too “childish.” People say the characters are too exaggerated or the racing scene is a bit ridiculous. But, in my opinion, the movie is still good.

Number 4:

Return Of The Jedi

Here we see the true dedication of the hero. George Lucas develops this movie fantastically. After Vader saves Luke, you can see how there’s still an Anakin inside of Vader. Although Palpatine doesn’t die (Palpatine is revived in the movies that follow), this heroic act of Vader makes the movie so much better. Apart from that, the opening scene–with the plan to rescue Han Solo from Jabba the Hutt and how Han Solo gets unfrozen–was epic. This movie is an art piece and barely comes behind number three.

Number 3:

A New Hope

This movie is easily one of my favorites. It’s a must watch from the Star Wars series; the movie takes the hero on a journey, as Princess Leia requests Obi-Wan’s help. The acting is brilliant; the plot is exciting; the movie is fun, as we go from place to place trying to save Princess Leia, the actors fit perfectly to their roles; the effects are amazing, like the CGI of the Star of Death is great, and the design of the lightsabers are really awesome; everything about this movie works. Easily one of the best.

Number 2:

The Empire Strikes Back

Arguably one of the best films of all time, The Empire Strikes Back. This movie makes the hero work; Luke Skywalker loses his hand, and the lightsaber; he doesn’t beat Darth Vader, and the “I am your father” line from Darth Vader is an absolute classic. Also, the addition of Yoda to the cast is great. It makes the movie so much more mysterious and interesting as he pours his wisdom into Luke. This movie is a must watch, and every aspect of it works and makes it feel more and more exciting.

Number 1:

Revenge of the Sith

Although some may disagree, this movie is in my opinion the best Star Wars movie. It was sad how Annakin had turned to the dark side and become Darth Vader, and how he tried to kill everyone that he loved. The fighting scenes were absolutely amazing, as the lightsaber animations were on point, and the CGI was great throughout the movie. Obi-Wan trying to convince Anakin to come back to the Force was so heartbreaking with the classic line, “You were the chosen one. It was said that you would destroy the Sith, not join them!” In this quote Obi-Wan tells Anakin how disappointed he is in him for betraying the Jedi. This movie made almost everything work; it was brilliantly executed, and the acting was amazing.

Now, remember these are only opinions. Everyone can have their favorite movies. If you want to disagree, leave your opinion in the comments!

The Most Poisonous Garden on Earth

May 3, 2022 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

By Oliver Martinez, Middle-School Correspondent & Budding Botanist

A castor bean plant sounds harmless, even like it’s meant to be eaten. But, be careful; eating it could be catastrophic. There are lots of dangerous plants on earth. Here’s a garden full of them.

The Poison Garden in Alnwick Castle, located in the English county of Northumberland, was founded in 2006. Interesting point–this is also the place where Harry Potter and Downton Abbey were filmed. Originally, the garden was the Duchess Jane Percy’s idea, to make a garden filled with deadly plants. According to RENATURED: ANIMALS, PEOPLE AND THOSE IN BETWEEN, Duchess Percy said, “I wanted to create a garden that was beautiful yet pleasurable, educational yet not stuffy.” She succeeded. The garden is definitely not stuffy, but it is scary. This garden has over one hundred poisonous plants: such as the Strychnine tree, deadly nightshade, Castor beans, etc. Entering and breathing this garden could actually kill you. Many people faint upon entering this garden.

Here is what the interior of the garden looks like.

Photo Credit: Garden Collage

Let’s look at something that sounds harmless: the castor beans. According to ScienceDirect, “Ricinus communis (castor beans) is classified as the most poisonous plant on earth for humans. The toxicity of raw castor beans is due to the presence of ricin.” Yes, ricinus communis is raw castor beans, and they are highly poisonous. According to MedicineNet, “Ricin is a toxic protein found naturally in castor beans from the castor bean plant. It can be deadly, but it depends on the dose and route of exposure.” So, it is safe to have and use castor oil, but it can cause some issues if taken internally.

Picture of Castor Beans: source finegardening.com

Another dangerous plant is the Strychnine tree. According to Centers for Disease and Prevention, “Strychnine is a strong poison; only a small amount is needed to produce severe effects in people. Strychnine poisoning can cause extremely serious adverse health effects, including death.” So no, I would not recommend having strychnine at home. This plant is extremely dangerous.

Another poisonous plant found in the garden is deadly nightshade. According to all that’s interesting, “Ingesting just two to four berries can kill a human child. Ten to twenty berries can kill an adult. Even chewing on just one leaf can lead to a dirt nap. Milder symptoms of deadly nightshade poisoning include delirium and hallucinations, which appear quickly once ingested.” Owning this plant if you have kids would be ludicrous. I would say that even if you are an adult, don’t have this plant in your garden.

Deadly Nightshade: source woodlandtrust.org

I’ve asked my friends if they would go into this garden, and for how much cash:

“I will go for 10 million dollars, and I’ll make sure I bring a good quality gas mask with me.”
Sherwin Hemmati, 8th Grade

“I won’t go at all no matter the money because that can cause me death and my life is worth more than money.”
Michael Pete, 8th Grade

“I’m going in for 10k and I’m bringing a gas mask and dodging all the plants.”
Zander Eaton, 7th Grade

Now, The Poison Garden may not seem like the best place to go for a vacation, but if I ever go to England, I want to visit the Alnwick Castle and its fascinating garden. The reason why is because I’d enjoy reading about the poisonous plants and their history, but I’d definitely bring a gas mask.

Comedy Tonight at PVS

May 3, 2022 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

By Oliver Martinez, Middle-School Correspondent

Comedy tonight was a theater show where students at PVS performed multiple plays that aimed to bring a smile to whomever was watching. The PVS theater classes prepared for over a month for this show. The show played Wednesday, April 6th, Thursday the 7th, and Friday the 8th. Some plays or songs that were part of the show included the beginning scene of the Wizard of Oz, Pure Imagination, Good Morning Baltimore, The Gold Rush, The Cat in the Hat and so much more!

I have interviewed students who acted in the play compilation.

I asked them what role they played and if they enjoyed it.

“In Comedy Tonight I was one of the MC speakers, and I was also the Pawn Shop Man/Frankie in Gold Rush, written by Oliver, Tal and Zander. I did really enjoy both of these parts, especially Frankie in Gold Rush.”
Sherwin Hemmati

“I was part of the opening quartet, Jeff in Gold Rush, Tin Man in Wizard of Oz and solo singing ‘My Favorite Things.’ I really enjoyed all of them.”
Tal Maruvada

“I was part of the sonnets and of the MC. I didn’t really like doing the sonnets, but I liked doing the MC.”
Michael Pete

The Production Team’s Perspective:

As part of the Production Team, I was helping in lights and was stage manager. I’d say this was a really successful play because we got laughs from the audience, everyone remembered their lines, and the production team made few errors.

Fellow Production Team member Kayliee Augustine-Sails agrees:

“I’m part of the lights, and I think it went well. The actors did their job.”

I have also interviewed members of the audience:

“My favorite part of the play was Good Morning Baltimore. But everything else was good, too.”
Timothy Reed

“I liked Comedy Tonight, but it took a long time to finish. My favorite play was Gold Rush.”
Donavan Knott

*Gold Rush* actors in this scene include, from left to right, Oliver Martinez, Zander Eaton, Tal Maruvada, and Sherwin Hemmati.

Lastly, here are a few words from our director Mr. Hilbert:

“I liked how we had different types of comedy. The acting was good; the singing was good. I’m really proud of all the actors.”
Mr. Hilbert

Comedy Tonight was an amazing experience, hopefully we see more people in future plays. Like . . . High School Musical! PVS’s next production, High School Musical, premieres next week, May 10th and plays through the 13th. Get your tickets now with Ms. Greer at the Middle-School Desk.

High School Musical in Palm Valley School

March 29, 2022 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

By Oliver Martinez, Middle-School Correspondent & Theater Technician

This week, Oliver writes about the play High School Musical that is currently in production in our Drama Department. We hear from the actors live. – Editor-in-Chief Jesse Denyer

High School Musical is a play written by Peter Barsocchini and composed by David Lawrence. You probably know it as a movie starring Zac Efron and a series streaming on Disney+. It’s a play which includes plenty of music and dancing. To summarize the play, High School Musical has four different groups of people: the brainiacs, the jocks, the cheerleaders, and the theater kids. It’s an exciting film or play where some teens go through problems and stress but find the way to fix it by working together. In Theater Production class taught by PVS’s Mr. Hilbert, we are doing the lighting, set designs, makeup, costumes and more. There are two classes that will make this play happen: Theater Production and Theater Performance. In Theater Production, we are learning more about the play and memorizing lines. We are waiting on a specific date of when the play will be performed. I interviewed some people from both classes to see their thoughts on the role they got and on the class itself.

“I feel like Ryan is an expressive acting role. Since he is the more submissive twin, he doesn’t have lots of lines. I’m still happy to get this role as it’s my first production.”
8th-grader Tal Maruvada

“I think my role as Chad is pretty cool. I wanted Zeke as my main option, and Chad was my second choice. I’m still very glad that I got Chad because he plays basketball and he has a good personality.”
8th-grader Sherwin Hemmati

We hope you guys are excited for the play. We have been practicing and soon the play will be ready for performance! See it in the Palm Valley Black Box Theatre (the MPR) this spring.

How To Do Anything You Want In Your Dreams

March 22, 2022 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

By Oliver Martinez, Middle-Schooler with an Opinion and a Dream

If you don’t live under a rock then you probably have heard the phrase “everything is possible.” This is partially true, as some things like going back in time or reviving the dinosaurs are impossible. But, there is one way to make it possible–in our dreams. Anything is possible in our dreams: we can fly, go back in time, be rich; the list goes on. But how can we do this? It’s called lucid dreaming. You may remember Levi’s post on Astral Projection and Lucid Dreaming in “Has Levi Been to Area 51?” Lucid dreaming is the act in which you become aware of what you’re dreaming and you’re sometimes able to control the dream.

How can you have a lucid dream? According to healthline.com, there are a couple reliable ways to test if you’re lucid dreaming. Here are a few:

Test reality. Testing reality is the process of asking yourself if you’re dreaming, or if what’s happening is real. Experts suggest doing this every 2-3 hours. Wake up; ask yourself “am I dreaming?”
Get a good sleep routine. Try to sleep a good amount of hours each night. Around 8-10 hours of sleep is ideal. Also, try not to take in caffeine and peer into a computer screen before sleeping as both can affect dreams in a negative way.
Keep a dream journal. Keeping a journal with all the dreams you’ve had is a good way to force the brain into remembering each dream. This can affect your dreams as it increases the chances of you realizing you’re in a lucid dream.

Sadly, there is a downside to things we find good. According to WebMD, lucid dreams can lower your sleep quality. They can also make it harder to fall back asleep if you’ve woken up. Imagine waking up after having a lucid dream about somebody chasing you, or falling from a cliff. This can seriously make it hard to fall asleep again.

I have personally experienced a lucid dream, and I found it really interesting and crazy how real it felt. In the dream I was running through some mountains, but after going so fast I fell into a river. Right before touching the water I woke up. I was nervous, but around 10 minutes later I fell asleep. In my opinion, you should definitely try these methods to have a lucid dream yourself as they are very exciting and are definitely an experience you would want to live through and share with others.

The Fastest 8th Grader on Earth

March 16, 2022 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

Oliver Martinez interviews 8th-grader Chloe Elbaz who has earned many prestigious awards in cross country and track-and-field events. Some of these awards include her team winning 1st place in Amateur Athletic Union’s (AAU) Cross-Country Nationals just last December in North Carolina, and, individually, earning 2nd place nationally at the same meet in the 14-year-old division.

By Oliver Martinez, Middle-School Correspondent

Word of her successes filtered over to Blog, so I went out and interviewed 8th-grader Chloe Elbaz. We know her as an accomplished cross-country racer and track-and-field competitor. Now, the nation knows of her as well. She has won and placed in several races and events around the country. She’s very good at running and jumping and throwing–I mean, nationally good. Check out the video interview, and hear her tell about running and running well:

8th-grader Chloe Elbaz is a nationally recognized runner.

Why Coachella Valley is the Perfect Vacation Spot

March 9, 2022 by szachik@pvs.org 1 Comment

By Locals Ani Madanyan and Oliver Martinez

Ani moved to Palm Springs two years ago. She considers herself a local now. But, she started out as a tourist. She’s been coming to the Coachella Valley since she was little. Hence, she knows good touristy spots. Beyond the hotel rooms and swimming in the shallow, heated pools, she knows we all love an adventure. Blogger Oliver embraces more the comforts of home, but he’s got recommendations of places to take desert visitors.

Ani Recommends The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway.

The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway is a fast journey into the mountains that will take you out of the desert heat. Mount San Jacinto, which towers above Palm Springs, is 10,000 feet above sea level (planetware.com). The Tramway has the world’s largest rotating aerial tram cars. It’s definitely exciting to go from the scorching hot pool to snow on a mountain within one half-hour tram ride. The views are spectacular, even a little scary. The Tram, built in Chino Canyon, has been around a while. Its inaugural ride was way back in September 1963.

Photo Source: visitgreaterpalmsprings.com

Oliver Recommends staying at home. He says it’s a great place to go.

But, if you must get out, go visit the windmills. The windmills are a great part of Palm Springs, and you can’t miss them. According to planetware.com, the Banning Pass is one of the windiest places on earth. It is harsh, but picturesque. The windmills make for dramatic photos as sunset.

Ani also recommends local hiking.

Hike to a waterfall! How fun is that? I personally love to go on hikes because I know that there is a pot of gold at the end of it (the pot of gold is the waterfall). The Indian Canyons, which are at the south end of Palm Springs, are the perfect place to go hiking.

Palm Canyon is a fifteen-mile-long canyon full of waterfalls and the famous palm trees–the indigenous Washingtonia. There’s also the Andreas Canyon. You can drive directly into the canyon and grab a table by the water. “It’s a great place for picnicking,” says Ms. Zachik. The canyons are also known for having lovely birds all around. People often go bird watching. It’s also a beautiful place to see animals such as deer, snakes, and all other sorts of animals. “The hawks up there are really cool,” Ms. Zachik adds.

Lastly, we have Tahquitz Canyon. This Indian Canyons is located all the way up Ramon Road when you drive toward the mountain. At the end of the designated hike, there is a 60-foot-tall waterfall. There are guides, theaters showing documentaries about the canyon, and artifact displays. Adult admission costs $12.50 per person, while an entrance fee of $6 applies for each child. Kids 5 and younger and active military members can visit for free (planetware.com).

Oliver’s final recommendation is The Living Desert.

The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens has plenty of animals from all over the world! There are giraffes, mountain lions, zebras, cheetahs, wild dogs, and a lot more! There are also lights at certain times of the year, and it makes the whole place look even more beautiful. “Glow in the Park” occurs from March 27 to April 29, 6:30-10:00 p.m. The Living Desert is a great place for families with a lot of attractions for everyone. You can even get married there.

What are you waiting for? Invite friends and family to the Coachella Valley! Tell them to bring bathing suits because even though it’s March, it’s always pool time!

Our Neighbors the Coyotes

February 10, 2022 by szachik@pvs.org 3 Comments

Have you ever taken a second out of your life to think about coyotes? Well, Oliver Martinez certainly has. This week, Oliver explains the history of coyotes, along with riveting tales of local encounters with them. – Levi Kassinove, Editor

By Oliver Martinez, Middle-School Correspondent

In my three years of being in this school, I’ve heard many stories of students and even teachers seeing coyotes on campus. This made me wonder how coyotes even got to campus, or even how they got to the desert.

Photo Source desertridgelifestyle.com

Where do coyotes originate?

The coyotes have been native to North America for 1 million years. Currently they are still found in North America, from Southern Panama, to Northern Mexico, through the United States and Canada. (nationalgeographic.com)

How coyotes got to the desert

Coyotes are native to the desert. They might migrate to the east, but they originate from western America. According to the National Park Service, Coyotes attempted migration from the west of the United States to other places, but they are still native to the west. Coyotes can live just about anywhere, but they prefer open areas. This is why coyotes are found frequently in the deserts of California. (urbancoyoteresearch.com)

Experiences with Coyotes

I went and asked people about their experiences with coyotes. Tal, an eighth grader, told me his story. He woke up in the middle of the night to a coyote howling outside; he heard it making noises as if it were struggling. Creeped out, Tal went to sleep.

Another story comes from Ms. Zachik. Ms. Zachik was walking with her dog in a wash on a path, when she found herself having a staredown with a coyote. She quickly grabbed her dog and walked off and around the path to avoid the coyote.

If you happen to see a coyote, Dr. James Danoff-Burg, Conservation Director at the Living Desert, says, “Most of the time when you see a coyote out in the wild if you make yourself big by waving or yelling they’ll run away. If they don’t run away you are probably near the den.” The most likely time you’ll see coyotes will be at dawn or dusk. (kesq.com)

Coyotes are interesting creatures. A reason to like coyotes is because they maintain a balance in the ecosystem by being the top carnivores. Says Dr. Danoff-Burg, “Coyotes . . . help control the rodent population and even eat insects, including cockroaches.” Coyotes help maintain healthy ecosystems.