The Insider is an ALC student publication. The articles reflect the opinions of students and

do not necessarily reflect the views of either the ALC or of Independent School District 518.

Click here to read the ALC Insider publication guidelines

The Worthington ALC Insider
Volume 4, Issue 8 November 15, 2006
Casting my first vote By Raul Avila I voted for the first time in last week’s election. All in all, the election outcome was good for students. First of all, the ISD 518 referendum passed. If it had failed, many programs would have been cut and teachers could have been laid off. Also, classes might have gotten bigger, like 30-40 students in one room. Tim Walz is our new member of the U.S House of Representatives. He is a teacher and also a member of the Minnesota National Guard. He served in both Iraq and Afghanistan. He will be good for education because he knows what needs to be done. He defeated Republican Gil Gutnecht. Tim Walz, our new U.S. Representative (Continued à)	Raul plans to leave his sombrero at home next time he goes to vote. In local races, Paul Langseth, former dean of students at the ALC, was elected to the School Board. Mike Kuhl and Ron Woods are new members of the Worthington city council. Al Oberloh was re-elected for mayor again, and Kent Wilkening was also re-elected for Sheriff. My first experience with voting was interesting. I felt discriminated against because the poll workers asked for proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate, but didn’t ask the same thing of the white people who were registering. It’s true that I’m a proud Mexican. I just had to prove to them that I was an American-born Mexican.

The ALC Insider November 15, 2006 page 2

The Thanksgiving Story By Teresa Lugo The pilgrims were originally members of the English Separatist Church. The Pilgrims set ground at Plymouth Rock on December 11, 1620. The first winter for the Pilgrims was terrible, and they lost 46 of the original 102 who sailed on the Mayflower. The harvest of 1621 was better for the pilgrims. The remaining Pilgrims decided to celebrate with a feast. They included 91 Indians who helped the Pilgrims survive their first year. It is believed that the Pilgrims wouldn’t of have survived if it wasn’t for the help of the natives. Their feast lasted three days. They no doubt had a lot of duck and geese to eat. It is unlikely they had real turkey, even though the records state that they did. To the Pilgrims, the word “Turkey” meant any wild bird. Thanksgiving was not repeated the year following. It wasn’t until June of 1676 that another day of Thanksgiving was proclaimed. October of 1777 marked the first time that all 13 American Colonies held a Thanksgiving celebration. This day commemorated the American victory over the British at Saratoga during the Revolutionary War. This Thanksgiving celebration was a one-time affair. (Continued à)

George Washington proclaimed a National Day of Thanksgiving in 1789, although some were opposed to it. President Thomas Jefferson hated the idea of having a day of Thanksgiving. In 1836, President Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday in November as a national day of Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving has been celebrated by every president since then, although the date changed a couple of times. In 1947, Thanksgiving was declared a legal holiday by Congress, and was set on the Fourth Thursday in November.

The Insider November 15, 2006 Page 3

Turkey Trivia By Jimmy Dinh · Benjamin Franklin proposed the turkey as a national symbol. He said the turkey was a more respectable bird than the eagle. · Domesticated turkeys cannot fly. Wild turkeys can fly for short distances but can run up to 25 miles per hour. · Turkey eggs are tan with brown speckles. They are twice as large as chicken eggs. · That piece of flesh that hangs off a turkey’s forehead and dangles across its beak is called a snood. · The fleshy red growth at a turkey’s neck is called a wattle. · When a male turkey is feeling amorous, its wattle and snood are bright red. · Male turkeys are called “toms” and gobble. Female turkeys are called “hens” and make a clicking noise. · More than 50 million turkeys are cooked and eaten during Thanksgiving (Continued à)

· Approximately 300 million turkeys, or one for every man, woman and child in the United States, are raised in this country every year. · Nearly 3 billion pounds of turkey are processed in the United States each year. · Ninety percent of American homes eat turkey on Thanksgiving. Fifty percent eat turkey on Christmas. · North Carolina produces more turkeys than any other state. Minnesota and Arkansas are number two or three. · Worthington, Minnesota, and Cuero, Texas, each claim to be “The Turkey Capital of the World.” · A large group of turkeys is called flock · The first meal eaten on the moon by astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin contained foil food packets of roasted turkey and all the trimmings. · In Mexico, the turkey was considered a sacrificial bird. Emperor Montezuma received 365,000 turkeys per year as gifts from his subjects. Animations by Animationlibrary.com

The ALC Insider November 15, 2006 page 4

Winter is coming (and that makes me happy) By Tobby Rounoubon There are some people who enjoy winter and there are some who dislike it. I’m one of the people who enjoys winter because it’s a nice breeze when you go outside. It’s nice to look at the snow falling, and you have to get used to the weather if you want to go outside. Winter is my favorite time of the year because it comes too early and it stays too late. It hits us around October and doesn’t go away until March. That’s what I like about winter, because it’s always around. My favorite holiday is in winter to so that’s what makes it good. Christmas is the best holiday through out the year (at least that’s my opinion) and that’s when all the presents all come in. There’s also New Year’s Eve. That’s the time to go out and have fun. It’s also the time of the year when you can start over. In February there’s Valentines Day and that’s when all the love and romance come in. A lot of people I know don’t like February that much because they got something against it. But my birthday is on the month so I couldn’t say I hate February. (Continued à)

There are some very special holidays that occur in winter and these holidays are my favorites. Winter may be bad for some people just because they scared of the cold but I like when winter hits because you can’t get enough of it. Animations by Animationlibrary.com Poet’s Corner As the days go by And we get closer to graduation Some of us wonder what we will be. Others have it all planned out. Some of us worry about how much money we will make. Some of us may worry about our kids. Some of us may never have kids. Some of us may move far away. Some of us may stay here. Some of us may live our dreams, And some may settle for the next best thing. But what we must remember is we can do whatever we set our minds to do. --Anonymous ALC Student Art by David Miranda

The ALC Insider November 15, 2006 page 5

November 20^th Revolution Day in Mexico… By Amy Syhavong November 20 is known as la dia de la revolución in Mexico. It was on this date in the year 1910 that Francisco Madero began his revolution against Dictator Porfiro Diaz. Diaz had ruled Mexico with an iron fist for 35 years. Madero, with the help of such colorful characters as Pancho Villa and Emiliano Zapata, defeated the Mexican Army and drove Diaz out of the country. Madero was proclaimed the new president. But instead of disbanding the defeated Army, Madero left it intact, thinking he could control the generals. He was wrong. In 1913, General Victoriano Huerta ambushed President Madero’s automobile in Mexico City filling it full of machine gun bullets. Madero died in the ambush. It is generally believed that U.S. Ambassador Henry Lane Wilson conspired with Huerta to kill Madero. This set off the second phase of the Mexican Revolution. (Continued à)

Art by David Miranda Four more years of bloodshed followed. In the process, Huerta was driven from the country. Finally, a new Constitution was written in 1917, officially ending the Revolution. More than a million Mexicans are thought to have died during the fighting. The Mexican Revolution should not be confused with Mexico’s War of Independence. During the War of Independence, Mexicans drove the Spanish out of their country. During the Revolution, they got rid of a cruel dictator. Technically speaking, it was a civil war. Nevertheless, it is known as la revolución mexicana down in Mexico.

The ALC Insider November 15, 2006 page 6

Aries (March 21-April 19) Have you ever wondered why the mirror breaks every time you look in it?? Cuz you’re UGLY, UGLY, UGLY!

Taurus (April 20-May 20) Today probably wouldn’t be the day for you to go home. Do you wish to know why? Because they are going to make you clean your room!!

Gemini (May 21-June 20) Are you tired of everybody worrying about you and telling you what to do to make your life better? Well today is your lucky day. Nobody cares today. That’s right, nobody cares.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) People who are born in June and July, have NOTHING to do with Cancer.

Leo (July 23-Aug 22) Leo people are cool. You want to know why? Because I’m a Leo!!!

Virgo (Aug 23-Sept 22) Did you know….that people who don’t play basketball don’t play because they’re scared. That’s right, they’re scared!

Libra (Sep 23- Oct 22) Have you ever wondered why people don’t like you? It’s because they found out you like pick on little people. So knock it off!

Scorpio (Oct 23-Nov 21) Today is the day to act normal because you will make more friends. Nobody likes it when you act stupid.

Sagittarius (Nov 22- Dec 21) When people throw things at you in class, it’s because they’re confusing you with the trash can.

Capricorn (Dec 22-Jan 19) Anybody who is a Capricorn is lucky because they were Christmas-time babies.

Aquarius (Jan 20- Feb 18) When you wish upon a star, nothing ever becomes true. Why? Because you’re trippin’ – there is no wishing star.

Pisces (Feb 19-March 20) Pisces have big lips. Ask Lippy!!!

This Week’s Separated-at-Birth

Return to ALC Insider homepage