Tyler Andersen Benefit

The RRMR community was shocked to hear that one of their own was sick, and been diagnosed with cancer. As Tyler Andersen started his fight against his disease, the whole community was behind him and he was in their prayers. After a few weeks of a strong fight and many treatments Tyler was the center of attention on March 18, to raise money to help him and his family pay off those expensive bills. As many people came to show their support for Tyler and his family, they were generous with gifts that were to be raffled off in a silent auction. The benefit raised much more than expected, and the family was greatly appreciative of the donations and effort put forward by the community.

Possible Hate Crime: Murder Of Trayvon Martin

Orlando Suburbs;

Seventeen year old Trayvon Martin was attacked and shot by 28 year old George Zimmerman a married man, and a father who worked as the neighborhood watch saw Trayvon walking back home from a store. He was minding his own business, carrying no weapons being completely unarmed carrying Skittles, and ice tea with his hoodie up. George started to follow Trayvon, and had called the cops telling them that Trayvon looked suspicious, and he was complaining about how they always seemed to get away. They had asked him if he was following Trayvon he said yes ,and they told him not to do that, but he did anyway.

People ended up calling 911 as they heard sounds from outside one witness saying that they were on the ground wrestling with one another, and another saying they heard a single gun shot after a boy, Trayvon had started to scream out for help. George Zimmerman said he did it in self defense which is legal looking at the law saying if necessary to use deadly force in self defense, and from this alone he ended up getting no charges, no arrest, and walks as a free man today.

When I read this I was outraged! How could something that connects so well together, so many things that made it lead to this answer, and it all pointed to George being at fault 100% there was no way it was self defense! George started it, attacked Trayvon because he was walking home at night with his hoodie up and was carrying skittles and tea, so he went and harassed him when even the police men told him NOT to, and in the end he shot him, why, because Trayvon cried out for help? That doesn't sound like self defense what so ever, he shot him because he wanted Trayvon dead, it makes me sick to my stomach after all the obvious answers about George Zimmerman. He seemed to be racist toward African Americans and he got away with it because of the law which they shouldn't be letting him use to his defense just because he says so! Anyone can lie-- they need more than that to believe him to be innocent which in all honesty I don't think he is! I'm positive there will be tons of follow ups on this story, this isn't over!

New movie "Bully" becomes controversial

By: Jocelyn Arends

A new movie simply entitled “Bully” is creating a lot of buzz lately and not just for the blunt, real, and inspiring message but also for the rating. The MPAA has the movie “Bully” rated R but thousands and thousands of people all around the world are up in arms saying that the movie should be rated PG-13 and not rated R. The main reason for this is that the movie “Bully” which is a documentary depicting the lives of bullied students everywhere in America, is that the movie is aimed towards the 13-16 year old audience the most and with out at least a PG-13 rating the movie can not be shown to as many kids that should be aware of the cause and effect that bullying has. The movie showcases the lives of 3 boys ages 12, 16, and 14 and the lives of 2 families that have been affected severely from the result of bullying. It’s a great and real movie that will change minds and lives everywhere. But why is it rated R? The reason is because there are just 6 swear words in the movie, just 6. Many people, including myself believe that this is not a movie that should be rated R just because of 6 swear words. For someone who has been in high school and junior high in recent years, I know that swearing is a language used everyday in the halls and though it’s hard for many adults to admit it, 12, 13, and 14 year olds use that language everyday as well. So why take away an opportunity for thousands of kids to see a movie that can help the issue of bullying in all ways if it’s only language used by the students anyway? If you don’t want your child to see the movie, then don’t let them see the movie but this issue must be put out there. Even in the movies trailer it shows that 13 million kids will be bullied this year, this is an issue that can’t be un-noticed. Schools should not be a place where kids feel scared, hurt, and worthless. This is why the filmmakers created such a documentary and thousands of people have signed the petition to make the MPAA change the “Bully” rating to PG-13. Even famous celebrities like Ellen Degeneres and Justin Bieber have signed the petition to show that “Bully” should be shown to 13 to 16 year olds especially. Whatever the rating ends up being, I strongly recommend seeing this documentary. I believe for teachers, parents, and students alike, it can change the way we all treat each other and how we all handle important issues. To sign the petition to change “Bully” rating to PG-13 go to www.change.org and to see the trailer just search “Bully” on www.youtube.com.

RRMR band trip to Wartburg College

The RRMR highschool band students got the chance to travel to Wartburg college on Monday the 12th of March, to play in front of the choir and band students that are attending Wartburg. The students had a good time and said it was a very nerve racking experience. They even had the chance to be instructed by the Wartburg band instructor. The RRMR students got a tour of the school, and even got to enjoy a meal with their visit. They plan on doing it agin in the next couples years.

A Monster Calls

The book A Monster Calls is about a thirteen year old boy who talks about this "one" nightmare that he'd have every single night which he'd rather die before telling a soul about it. This nightmare started after his mom told him that she had cancer, which ended up changing his life forever! A yew tree (which turns out to be a monster) "comes walking" because the boys dream awakened him, and calls out to him. The monster comes to tell the boy three stories, and the fourth the boy will have to tell him the nightmare. This story is about how the boy deals with the pain, and the problems that come with whole situation. Find out what happens in A Monster Calls this story circles around healing, and it's very inspirational! I recommend that everyone should read it!

I can relate to this story a lot, not from my mom having cancer but my grandma, my mom's mom having cancer I wasn't as old as the 13 year old boy. I wasn't around as long as my mom was dealing with grandma getting sick all the time, my mom had to watch her mom go through treatments and have to spend most of her life in the hospital. I was to young to realize it all the way, but my grandma went through so much pain, and so did my mom what she must of been feeling about the whole situation still gets to her until this day. My mom is a very strong person and knowing her mom had to go through 30 years of cancer was over bearing, sad and painful. I miss my grandma now but me and mom and just everyone that knew my grandma and how great she truley was have moved on, we all have healed and have been able to grow stronger from her passing! This book honestly made me cry, it may be just a book but basing off real events that can happen in life the words alone are worth more than we'll ever be able to describe.

Kony 2012

By: Jocelyn Arends

An 29 minute video has taken the world by storm. Kony 2012 was released earlier last week in effort to raise awareness of the war lord and leader of the African rebel group the LRA Joseph Kony to make him as the video says “famous”. This effort will try and stop Kony and his rebel group from Uganda from kidnapping children from their homes and making the girls into sex slaves and the boys into child soldiers. The children are demanded to kill their parents and put into a camp where the conditions are not suitable for any child.

The video starts out as a way to connect a person. The way Facebook and the Internet connects all of us. This creates so many new opportunities for the world to bond and come together to stop different epidemics or causes that are happening throughout the world. If the Kony2012 campaign works then it will change the way everyone looks at the human history forever.

The video shows first, the journey of the Jason Russell and how he wants his son Gavin to live in a world that he can be proud of. It explains the journey of Russell as he finds a Uganda boy named Jacob. Jacob told Jason Russell and his friends exactly what was going on and even explained to them that he had seen his own brother murdered because he was trying to escape. At that moment Russell promised Jacob that he would do everything he could to catch Joseph Kony and stop the rebel group the LRA. This promise was made nearly ten years ago and in those ten years Russell was finding ways to get Joseph Kony’s name out there. Now he knows exactly what to do. In order to get the American Government to deploy American forces to Uganda, they must have the command from the citizens. In order to get the command from the citizens, they must raise awareness. And in order to get awareness, they must make Joseph Kony famous. So just like an election campaign, the corporation Invisible Children are creating posters, stickers, wristbands, and several other techniques to make Kony famous. Once they make him famous, the issue will not be ignored by the U.S. Government and small numbers of U.S. troops will be deployed to Africa to catch Kony. Once Kony is caught, the mission will be complete but right now is the awareness period. Right now there have been millions of views of the video on youtube and there has also be a “Cover the Night” arranged for April 20, 2012. On this night, in every city there will be thousands of people putting up posters, flags, and banners of Kony2012 and when everyone wakes up the next morning, they will know who Joseph Kony. That is the plan for the corporation “Invisible Children,” get Joseph Kony captured. You can help too! Just go to www.Kony2012.com and watch the video on www.youtube.com and search Kony 2012.

Sports Weightlifting

RRMR has decided to make charts for weight lifting. They have every students name on them in the secondary level of the High school. The coaches came together to find a way to find out who is "hitting the weight room" and who is not. RRMR is trying to get there students and athletes into better shape and make them work for their goals.

Their rules on lifting; if you are not out for a sport, the coaches would like you to be in the weight room at least three days a week. And if you do participate in sports, you have to weight lift at least two days a week. if students don`t lift the don`t get to participate in that sport at the time.