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 9 December 1, 2006
A whole family joins our ALC family By Teresa Lugo The ALC welcomes new students all the time. The ALC also has several brothers and sister who attend school together. But it’s not very often that three students arrive at the same time who are brother and sisters. The names of these new brother-sister students are Juan Luna, Victoria Luna, and Jacklynn Luna. Victoria is the oldest of them three, she is 19. Juan is 15 and Jacklynn is 17. They came from Weslaco, Texas. Weslaco is a medium size town down by the border. They used to live in Worthington, about six years ago. They came to Worthington the first time, because their mom was seeking a better job. They ended up staying here about a year. After that they went back to Texas because they were missing home. They lived in Weslaco, Texas, back then too. (Continued à)	Vicky, Jackie, and Juan Luna are among the newest students at the Worthington ALC Their mom came to Worthington again about three weeks ago. She was again looking for a better job. The Lunas also lived in Iowa about 13 years ago, so they are used to small-town life and cold winters. I asked Juan how it feels to be back in Worthington. Juan responded “I don’t know, excited I guess. My mom is happy with her job; she’s working at a bakery. My sister’s are happy because we got to see some of our cousins. We are not adapting really easy with the weather. ” WE WELCOME THEM TO THE ALC!

The ALC Insider December 1, 2006 page 2

December 1^st Rosa Parks Day By Samantha Loza On December 1, 1955 Rosa Parks was arrested in Montgomery, Alabama, for refusing to give up her seat to a white passenger. She knew that in Montgomery, black people had to sit in the back of the bus and whites sat in the front. Worse yet, when the “white” seats were all taken, black people were expected to give up their “colored” seats for the white people. Rosa Parks refused to follow these expectations. She was arrested, found guilty of disorderly conduct, and fined $10. Rosa Parks wasn’t the usual quiet, old woman of “legend.” She was the executive secretary of the Alabama NAACP (National Association got the Advancement of Colored People). Her intentions were actually to be arrested. Moreover, the NAACP wanted her to be found guilty, so they could then appeal her case to the Supreme Court. (Continued à) Rosa Parks being fingerprinted after her arrest

At this point, Rev. Martin Luther King stepped in and led a boycott of the Montgomery Bus service. The NAACP at first was annoyed that King was meddling with their plan. But they soon learned that he had a better idea. Seventy percent of the bus riders were black. King reasoned that if blacks stopped riding the buses, then the bus company would lose money. King’s idea worked. After the bus company lost a lot of money, they begged the city to abandon the law requiring “white seats” and “black seats.” The city had to agree. Eventually, the case of Rosa Parks made its way to the Supreme Court. The Court declared Montgomery’s bus segregation plans top be illegal. But the decision had no impact, because King had already convinced the city of the need to change some rules. Rosa Parks passed away last year on October 25, forty years after she made her courageous decision.

The Insider December 1, 2006 Page 3

December Dates By Jimmy Dinh December 1, 1955 – Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat to a white man in Montgomery, Alabama. December 5, 1901 – Walt Disney is born in Chicago, Illinois. December 7, 1941 – The Empire of Japan launches a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. December 14, 1927 – Garnet Carter builds the world’s first miniature golf course on Lookout Mountain, Tennessee. December 14, 1911 – The South Pole is discovered by Norwegian explorer Roald Aumundsen. December 15, 1877 – The phonograph is patented by Thomas Edison. December 16, 1773 – Members of the Sons of Liberty dump tons of tea into Boston Harbor in what has come to be known as the Boston Tea Party. December 17, 1903 – The first airplane flight is made in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, by the Wright Brothers. December 22, 1686 – The thermometer invented by Daniel Fahrenheit December 28, 1871 – A type of chewing gum known as Tutti Fruiti is patented by Thomas Adams.

You know it is winter in Minnesota if… …you walk outside and your boogers freeze. …you can play ice hockey in the street. …you need a hammer and chisel to clean your car windows. …you have gotten frozen out of your car. …you have gotten frozen in your car. …you look outside and there is snow. Duh! …you walk outside and fall on your butt. …the cops find you because they follow your snow prints. …you have ever gotten any part of you frozen to a pole. …parking lots are full of empty running cars. …your Halloween costume involved a parka. …one foot is a “a little snow.” …below freezing is sweatshirt weather. …you can drive across a lake…in a car. …a snowmobile is a viable alternative to your car. …you move to your winter home…a fish house. …your hair freezes every morning on the way to school.

The ALC Insider December 1, 2006 page 4

December 7, 1941 Pearl Harbor Day By Ricardo Salinas December 7 is Pearl Harbor Day – the day when Japan ambushed us on are own soil in the Hawaiian Islands. After the World Trade Center was attacked in 2001, people were saying that 9-11 was our generation’s Pearl Harbor. I will explain how they are similar to each other, but also how they are different. They were both surprise attacks – attacks that occurred without warning. Both attacks took about 3000 American lives. Civilians were killed in both cases. Both the 9-11 terrorists and the Japanese thought we were too soft to go back and fight them. In both cases we hit them harder, and surprised them. We stood our ground. (Continued à) New York skyline on September 11, 2001

The USS Arizona explodes and sinks on December 7, 1941 They are many similarities, but also many differences. When Japan attacked us, we declared war, and everyone in the U.S. supported that war. Within four years the Japanese were totally defeated, and they accepted their defeat. After 9-11 happened, we got involved in a war in Iraq, and many people are now questioning that war. It’s been five years and we still haven’t caught Osama Bin Laden, and resistance in Iraq and Afghanistan is growing. When comparing Pearl Harbor with 9-11, there are probably more differences than similarities. But as Americans we will always defend our soil and what we’ve built. Pearl Harbor in flames on December 7, 1941

The ALC Insider December 1, 2006 page 5

December Trivia By Manuel Garcia Well for starters, December is the 12^th month of the year. If you’re an illiterate mook, you probably didn’t know that. It is also the month in which we celebrate Christmas – you know stockings, trees, snow, a big guy in a red suit, and of course presents. December is also one of the months of the year that contains 31 days. December was derived from the Latin word Decem, meaning ten. This is because the Roman year started with the month of March, so December was the tenth month of the Roman year. December’s flower is narcissus or holly, and the birthstones are topaz, turquoise, or tanzanite, A.K.A. blue. In the northern hemisphere, December is equivalent to the month of June in the southern hemisphere and same the other way around.

Movie Review Saw 3 By Kayla Vega If you are the type of person who likes to watch nasty, bloody, sick movies, then I guess you will like Saw 3. Saw 3 is the third part of the regular Saw series, and guess what? He’s back!! Jigsaw has come back to play more games. Shawnee Smith  plays as Amanda who also played in Saw 2. She is kinda like Jigsaw’s little helper at first and she makes sure that all his victims make it from the game alive, or that’s what she think. But she finds out in the end of the movie that she is actually being tested as well as the others. Jigsaw thought that after all that she went through in the other movie that she would learn something. But instead, she sees all the people die and becomes selfish, greedy and goes kinda, um, mad. And guess what, Amanda dies in the end of the movie. Ooops, I don’t think I was supposed to say that, huh? Oh well, since I ruined the end for you, you don’t need to go see it. If nothing else, wait till it comes out on DVD and save your self a few bucks. Like I said, it’s a sick bloody movie

The ALC Insider December 1, 2006 page 6

By Jackie Grave

Aries (March 21-April 19)

You’ll feel like you could conquer the world, but don’t bother trying it won’t work. Keep friends and family close today.

Taurus (April 20-May 20)

Business opportunity advancement is coming your way. That means a job, don’t mess it up, dear Taurus. You will benefit from it.

Gemini (May 21-June 20)

Hard work and good business sense may finally be paying off. You are likely to be feeling energetic today.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

Your past is going to come back to haunt you today. Every mean thing you ever did is going to backfire so choose your words wisely.

Leo (July 23-Aug 22)

Your house might need some work today, like cleaning it for a change. It will make you feel better.

Virgo (Aug 23-Sept 22)

It’s going to be a bad day

Libra (Sep 23- Oct 22)

Expect a lot of phone calls and letter today, mostly from money collectors and telemarketers. So pay your bills and don’t answer the phone.

Scorpio (Oct 23-Nov 21)

Its time to grow up, move out of your parent’s house, and get a job dear Scorpio. There is no time like the present, so take it or leave it.

Sagittarius (Nov 22- Dec 21)

If you have a job you will more than likely either be fired or get a raise today, you choose your destiny today, dear Sagittarius. Be friendly to your fellow coworkers and strangers, they could be your boss some good.

Capricorn (Dec 22-Jan 19)

It will be a good day today. The sun will shine on you, dear Capricorn. Don’t expect it to last long; you’re more than likely about to meet your maker.

Aquarius (Jan 20- Feb 18)

Water will be your friend today. Go swimming or fishing you’ll benefit from it in some way. The less people you talk to today the better, you are likely to annoy most people you come in contact with.

Pisces (Feb 19-March 20)

Go fishing or something…

This Week’s Separated-at-Birth

Return to ALC Insider homepage