Go Dolphins!

All around the world, people from different places have different ways to spend their time. Whether it’s reading, writing, dancing, singing, or sometimes even yodeling!

One of the most popular pastimes of the world is sports. They are played all around the world, in almost every country. When most people think of sports, they usually think of football, basketball, baseball and soccer; the four core sports. But what some people don’t think of are the people who give the teams their pride, joy and motivation; the cheerleaders.

Gulf Shores Middle School has chosen next year’s team to do just that.

As most students at GSMS know, the past few weeks of school have been filled with talk about next year’s cheerleaders. The reason for all of this talk about cheerleading is probably because cheerleading tryouts were held on Mach 7 for the 2009-10 school year.

Each girl was required to memorize one dance and perform it at the tryouts, perform one cheer, one chant, and they were also required to perform a toe-touch jump, and another optional jump of their choice.

Behind our GSMS cheerleading squad, is Rebecca Hunt, a math teacher at Gulf Shores High School.

Hunt taught at Foley High School for a year, Daphne High School for two years, and has been at GSHS since 2007.

Next year, the cheerleading squad will have two captains and two co-captains, all four of which have cheered this past year.

GSMS cheerleading team consists of Capt. Dakota Jones, Capt. Caroline White, Co-Capt. Rhiannon Mims, Co-Capt. Vegas Contorno, Chelsea Lee, Emily Taylor, Kelsey Clemons, Lauren Bowden, Molly Peninger, Caitlin Finch, Morgan Lindsey, Kylee Koch, Lauren McDonald, Anna Grace Johnson and Hannah Millson as Splash, the school’s mascot.

By: Julie Shattuck & Olivia Helms; 7th

Down and Dirty

On March 7 Roger Reetz, GSMS seventh grade math teacher, rode with many of his students on his annual Bike-A-Thon.

It is an annual event that Reetz started about eight years ago to help fund the purchase of supplies and technology for his classes. About 20 students participated in the event this year.

The students met at the Middle School at 9:30 a.m. and returned at 2:30 p.m. The students spent about five hours bike riding. Several parents and snowbirds helped out with the event and Kevin Lanford, a Battalion Chief with the Orange Beach Fire Department and Officer Lee Limbaughm from the Orange Beach Police Department, helped guide the students through the trails.

Each student had to gain a minimum of eight pledges to take part in the Bike-A-Thon.

Reetz gave away prizes to the students based on how much money they raised.

The grand prize was a Specialized Mountain Bike, which was given to first place winner, Logan Whitehead.

The PTSO provided lunch for the students, which was hosted at Orange Beach Police Department.

They enjoyed a lunch of grilled hot dogs, chips and sports drinks, and Robin Nelson baked brownies. Other parents helped out as well.

This year’s Bike-A-Thon was a great success and was a wonderful way to spend a Saturday.

By: Sarahbeth Loper; 7th

Students to

the rescue!

For the past few weeks, Tim Akins, eighth grade science teacher, has had chemistry students from GSHS come to the middle school and work with students in his science classes.

The high school students come every Tuesday and Thursday during class to help students with their work.

They are there to  aid Akins when students are struggling with a lesson, have a question about science, or even help when he is teaching.

Currently, only two teachers are participating in this program: Amanda Jennings and Patricia Gamble.

Akins is planning to keep this program until standardized testing begins on March 30.

He is also planning to begin this program at the beginning of the next school year.

By: Sydnee Lee; 7th & Sarah Jarrett; 7th

Soccer Talk

The 2009 soccer season has started off well for the GSMS dolphins.

So far, the teams have played in eight games, their most recent being against Daphne.

Right now the girls’ record is 6-1 and the guys’ is 4-3.

Amanda Woerner, a GSMS eighth grade math teacher, is coaching the girls through their victorious season, and Stephen Barnett, also an eighth grade math teacher, is coaching the guys.

“The boys are doing better than I expected,” coach Barnett said. “They are working hard and if they play as a team, we will win many more matches.”

This weekend the teams will be participating in a tournament with other teams throughout the county.

The girls team will start playing at 1 p.m. on Saturday against Central Baldwin.

The guys will follow with their game at 2 p.m. The tournament games do affect the teams’ seat in the county tournament, which takes place, March 23-26. The location is to be announced.

On March 21, both teams will be taking part in the “Sweet Treat Benefit”.

The benefit is to raise money for the new jerseys that the team purchased this season. The benefit will be at the Gulf Shores Walmart and the players will be there starting at 8 a.m. on Saturday and at ending 4 p.m.

By; Ashton Ray and Shelby Simpson; 8th