“…We have seen a force that would shatter our nation rather than share it, Would destroy our country if it meant delaying democracy. And this effort very nearly succeeded…” (Amanda Gorman, The Hill We Climb, Inaugural poem, January 20, 2021) Our nation’s first ever youth poet laureate, Amanda Gorman, was referring to the attack on the US Capitol that nearly overturned the results of our election. Like millions of people around the world, my family and I watched in horror on January 6 as a mob of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol with weapons, broke windows, and violated the space. My parents tried to explain what was going on to me and my 5-year old sister as best as they could, but I had so many questions. Why would people want to believe in lies about fraud elections? Why would people ever elect such a President who would support the riots at the Capitol? Why would people ever want to threaten our democracy, of which we are so proud? The very next day, when I logged on to school, I noticed that the event was all but ignored by the school, beyond some meaningless statements about school being a safe place for everyone and the availability of the school counselor for students who may need support. Life went on as if nothing ever happened. I think that my school did not mention these events because they think that students should only learn what is in the curriculum and not what is happening right now. I find this disconnect between what is happening in our world and what we are learning very upsetting. School is not only for learning about the past, but also about the present. We need to learn how what we are learning is linked with what is happening around us. I feel that when schools ignore events like these, we, the future generation, will be uninformed and ignorant. We will only learn to not care and ignore these events ourselves. The role of our schools should be to encourage democracy. We should learn about what caused the events at the US Capitol. We need to understand how it was possible for some people to attack the US Capitol. Are there laws that can ensure that this does not happen again? How can we learn what information is true and what is false? What can we do so that we do not have false information in the first place? If we learned about what was happening in the world, we would want change things. We are often told “children are the future; they are our hope.” Unless we teach students how to use their power for just causes, teach them they have power too, show them that they are part of the community and connected to it, how can we be prepared to change the world? Schools should encourage students to protest or boycott things in a peaceful way. This would encourage students to stand up for their principles and values. It is time for schools to empower the children of the United States.
Stone Soup Magazine for young readers, writers, and artists
KD 13: Nike’s Best Yet?
Basketball continues to be one of the most popular sports across the world, and all you need to play it is a hoop and a ball. But everyone who plays the sport knows that a good pair of basketball shoes is also necessary. That’s where the KD 13 comes in, the best all-around performing shoe made by Nike when it comes to basketball. Kevin Durant’s 13th signature shoe to the lineup contains a full-length unit of zoom as well as an extra layer in the forefoot. But what exactly does this mean to those who aren’t familiar with sneaker terms? This shoe is crazy comfortable, and comparable to walking on a cloud when in reality it’s the hardwood floor of a basketball court. “PureKicks,” a YouTube channel with nearly fifteen thousand subscribers, stated in their review of the Nike KD 13: “We’ll say it again… arguably the greatest cushioning setup we’ve tested at PureKicks!” (Pure Kicks “KD 13 REVIEW”) So in case it wasn’t clear enough already, this shoe’s cushion provides incredible comfort the moment you slide your feet into them. If the comfortability of the Nike KD 13 wasn’t the number one selling point of the shoe, then it’d be the bottom traction pattern. When you’re playing the sport of basketball you want to make sure that your feet aren’t sliding all over the place, and that’s why the traction pattern of a basketball shoe is so important. And the KD 13’s nail it, with one of the best grips ever seen on any court whether that be indoor or outdoor, clean or dirty. This aspect of the shoe is especially lauded by other popular reviewers like “The Hoops Geek” and “Weartesters” (The Hoops Geek “Nike KD 13 Review”, NightWing2303 “Nike KD 13 Performance Review”). So when you combine the superb cushioning with this top-tier traction, you’re in for a very luxurious playing experience. But are the two standout features of this particular pair of basketball shoes enough to justify the steep retail price of $150? Well the answer to that would be no, and yes. The idea of paying $150 for a pair of shoes that will likely not last for more than two years seems quite unreasonable to me. However, when you compare the KD 13 to its closest competitors from Nike like the Lebron 18 and Air Jordan 35 that retail for $200 and $180 respectively, $150 seems like a much better deal for the performance you’re getting. And to top it off, it’s very easy to find a pair of the KD 13 in its dozens of different colorways for as low as $70. So, the next time you plan on purchasing a pair of quality basketball shoes, consider buying the Nike KD 13. Works Cited “Nike KD 13 Review.” The Hoops Geek, 2020, https://www.thehoopsgeek.com/shoe-reviews/nike-kd-13/ PureKicks. “NIKE KD13 PERFORMANCE REVIEW (WE’RE BACK!)” YouTube, 8 Aug. 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Z-VJi1kdDw. Weartesters. “Nike KD 13 Performance Review.” YouTube, commentary by NightWing2303, 20 Jul. 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmXMo6Uvj00.
Poached, Reviewed by Aditi, 12
Have you ever been accused of something awful that you did not commit? Was the evidence leading up to your conviction? Well, Teddy Fitzroy, the protagonist in Poached by Stuart Gibbs, succumbed to this unfortunate fate! Teddy is twelve years old and lives in a trailer right outside of the world’s largest zoo, Funjungle. After an encounter with the school’s bully, Vance, Teddy’s life gets turned around. The one and only prized koala, Kazoo, goes missing, and the entire zoo suspects Teddy for stealing the koala! Poached is an adventure-packed mystery book delicately garnished with sprinkles of humor. Gibbs engages the reader with several twists and cliff-hangers, beautifully weaving in the concept of perseverance! After being filmed entering and exiting the koala exhibit—with a full backpack— Teddy is convicted of stealing Kazoo. No one believes Teddy, and the police find koala droppings and fur in his room. The entire zoo suspects Teddy and won’t let go of their suspicions. With all of the evidence leading up to his conviction, Teddy is determined to prove his innocence and find the real thief. Even if Teddy’s innocence seemed impossible to prove, his loving parents stayed by his side the whole time. Since Teddy’s parents work at the zoo, they tried their best to find the real thief: from searching security cameras to locating possible suspects. Even if Teddy’s parents want him to stay out of the crime scene, Teddy insisted on helping out. One person who is entirely against Teddy and accuses him of committing the crime is Large Marge. She is the head guard and will believe any evidence she gets, even if it is false! Teddy’s determination to find the real thief made him successful! He would dress up as Funjungle mascots to stay undercover and walk around to find anything suspicious. Being ever so determined, he constantly begged his parents to show him the security feed. After watching the recordings repeatedly, Teddy and his parents figured out that Kazoo was stolen four days before Teddy’s accusation. To replace the stolen koala, the thief placed a realistic-looking stuffed animal instead! I stumbled upon Poached during an impromptu trip to the bookstore. As I scanned through the store shelves, the picture of a sad koala caught my attention. I love koalas, and the cover instantly piqued my interest. Koalas are threatened and harmed. The book sheds light on the fact that the koala population is dwindling. Gibbs chose this precious animal to show that their species need protection from habitat destructors and koala-nappers. “While I was thrilled to see Marge get dressed down and hugely relieved to be proved innocent, I was still worried about Kazoo.” reflects Teddy’s concern for the kidnapped koala, even though he was successful in proving his innocence. Packed with a valuable message of grit and perseverance, Poached is the epitome of the dire need to protect and preserve the animal population. If you like mystery books with the perfect blend of humor, Poached is the right book for you! I would recommend this book to anyone who loves animals and detective work. Poaching and habitat destruction require some thought– we need to prevent it at any cost! If we can all live in harmony with these precious animals and leave behind our selfish interests, our world will be a much better place. Poached by Stuart Gibbs. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2015. Buy the book here and support Stone Soup in the process!
