We all know that this school is named after Saint Leo the Great, but just who is the person behind the name of the school?

The obvious answers are: he was a saint, he was great, and his name was Leo,

But what do we really know about him?

Saint Leo was born in Tuscany, Italy. He was made a deacon in the year 1431 and nine years later became pope. In 1452, Atilla the Hun began invading Italy.

Atilla the Hun were a group who terrorized people and took over their land. They were taking over the cities of Italy and were quickly approaching Rome. No one knows how, but Saint Leo spoke to them and got them to agree to not take over the city of Rome.

He is most popular for keeping away Atilla the Hun. Saint Leo died pope, in 1661.

Saint Leo the Great is also known for being such a great writer. After his death many of his writings were found. Many priests still read them today.

He was also the first man to ever be given the title “the great.”

Saint Leo was a very peaceful man and is an important person in the Catholic church. There are have been over ten popes who have named themselves after him and there are many schools named after him too…

…including this school here in Oakland, California.

(Source: “Catholic Online – Saints & Angels: St. Leo the Great“)

by: Saba Kinfe, 8th grade
Editor-in-Chief
THE LION LEDGER

You should always remember the veterans who fought for our country. Some are fighting for our country right now, like the soldiers that are in the Middle East because they are trying to stop the terrorists from attacking the U.S.

There were also wars in the past like World War II and the Vietnam War. The veterans who fought for our country might even be members of your own family.

Merelinn Johnson is a Vietnam War veteran. He was a chief in the Navy during the war. (That’s two ranks below the highest rank!). Merelinn said he volunteered to sign up to serve in the military.

“I was 14 when I signed up. There was no war when I signed up. I wanted to see the world,” Merelinn said.

None of his friends wanted to sign up. He said his son refused to sign up when he was old enough to do so.

What does he think of the wars that the U.S. are in today?

“Current wars are necessary. Terrorists are making a safe haven. We need to clear them out.”

by: Akil Riley, 5th grade
Reporter
THE LION LEDGER

Even students who do well in school ask for help. What you need to learn is who you should ask, and how and when to ask.

Last month, a graduate of Saint Leo the Great school came to talk to the middle school and mentioned how it is important to have a mentor or someone who can guide you through your studies and your academic life.

A mentor should be someone you trust or someone that you respect and look up to. A mentor can be anyone from a coach to a counselor. Sometimes a mentor can be someone like an older brother or sister.

Or, you can simply ask help from a teacher or an administrator at school.

Some teachers may be busy, but it  doesn’t mean that they don’t want to help you. If you need more help,then try to set up a time with your teacher for tutoring after school.

Also? It is never wrong to ask a friend for help. If you have a friend who is doing well and they are willing to help, then they are a good source. If you ask a friend for help, then it is more likely for you to get the best help and a different point of view.

If you know that you and your friends are struggling and you know someone who you can ask for help, you and that friend, or friends, can go together. This way, you will be more comfortable.

When to ask is one thing most students have trouble with. If you do not feel comfortable sharing this with anyone other than a specific person, then make sure after class, you set up a time for you to ask.

For those who are shy you can always have a private talk with a person for help.

One thing that I would recommend is that, if you are a leader in your class, try to be the one to ask questions. When people see that people they look up to are confident, they will be able to get help too.

One more thing that is important is to always try before asking for help. You may find out that you don’t need the help at all. Just try your best, and if it doesn’t work, then go to help.

“Do your best, and let God do the rest.”

Getting help when you need it shouldn’t be something you’re afraid to do. It helps you to understand better and it will always help you be successful in the future. Don’t give up! Just try and get your questions answered or the advice that you need.

by: Alinda Amuiri, 7th grade
Senior Editor
THE LION LEDGER

The speaker’s name was Brittany Harris and she graduated from St. Leo the Great in 2000.

When she finished here, she went to St. Mary’s College high school where she had the honor of being the first African-American female valedictorian. After that, she went on to Brown University in Rhode Island for her bachelor’s degree and is now in graduate school at Harvard.

Harris took time out of her busy schedule to come and talk to the students in 6th, 7th, and 8th grades about preparing for high school, college, and life. And how it is important to focus on their school work and to get good grades.

“Because what you learn in 6th grade you’re going to build upon it in 7th grade. When you get into 8th grade you don’t want to be falling behind,” she said. “It’s really all about making sure you have this well-rounded package of grades in addition to your conduct in class and your test scores.”

The middle schoolers got a chance to ask her questions about her background and what she had to do to get as far as she has. Harris made it really clear for most of the 6th, 7th, and 8th graders that you have to work hard to accomplish some goals in life.

Some of the middle schoolers asked really good questions. Like,”Did you get into every school you applied to?” or “Did you ever struggle in any of your classes?” and ” Is college hard?” It was really helpful to hear her speak and because she is a graduate, if you follow her advice, you may end up being just as successful as she has been.

Harris inspired a lot of the middle schoolers who introduced themselves to her at the end. She was very motivational and a good influence on all the students.

by: Morgan Hill, 7th grade
Senior Reporter
THE LION LEDGER

Leaving us in June were 5th grade teaeher Mrs. Robb, 7th grade teacher Ms. Santos, and long-time music teacher Mrs. Reid.

Joining us this school are the following new teachers / staff:

      • Mrs. Weimer, Kindergarten teacher
      • Ms. Lunde, 2nd grade teacher
      • Ms. Bergez, 7th grade teacher
      • Mr. Peabody, Music teacher
      • Mrs. Massi, Technology Specialist
      • Ms. Bailey, Pre-K aide
      • Ms. Guerra, Kindergarten aide

Starting in November, and each month after that, “The Lion Ledger” staff will interview each new teacher / staff member and feature their story right here. So stay tuned to learn more about your teacher in the coming months.

from Staff Reports
News Team
THE LION LEDGER

Sixth graders Jordan Coleman-Stithz and Morgan Hill joined the team while the newspaper was offline during the yearbook staff’s work on the yearbook (both staffs share some of the same people between the teams).

Operations on the newspaper resumed after the Easter Break and the two sixth graders have been working alongside the current staff since then, excited to be a part of the team.

Be sure to check out their stories!

from Staff Reports
News Team / THE LION LEDGER

Facebook is a social network where teens or adults can talk to friends or family. You can post your status on your page that you have personalized. It was started by Mark Zuckerberg back in 2004 and it has become one of the most booming networks on the internet.

Social networks are a great way to connect with friends you have not seen in a long time, but do kids need it and are they getting Facebook accounts at an early age?

We wanted to find out how many students in grades 5-8 have a Facebook. Of the 92 students total, only 28% of the people we asked said they have one. Most of them are either in 7th or 8th grade. Only five sixth graders have one and none of the fifth graders said they do.

Most parents don’t want their child to have a Facebook too early. Most kids use a fake birthday to get in and they lie about their age which is wrong but just want to go along with the crowd— which is understandable because peer pressure happens a lot.

A way of preventing kids from getting a Facebook at an early age is maybe to have the person creating an account prove their age by making them give a credit card number, for example.

Facebook can also become addicting at times because it has games (like “Farmville” or “Data Worm”) and you can have conversations with friends. It can make kids distracted instead of doing their homework or just spend too much time online than they should be or are allowed to.

Some parents might also be worried about safety. The good thing about Facebook is that you can block people that you don’t know. You get privacy by blocking your page from others that you don’t know. That’s what makes it safe but there are a few loopholes that don’t make it safe if you’re not careful.

Having a Facebook isn’t bad. It helps you to stay connected to your friends outside of school. You can also upload music onto Facebook to let your friends hear / share. Plus, it can also be a great resource for the latest news— not gossip from your friends, but real news!

(And we have to admit… “The Lion Ledger” has a Facebook page too. Just don’t use us as an excuse to get a Facebook account, okay?).

by: Giauna Nu’Man, 7th Grade
Reporter / THE LION LEDGER

MCT is a joint venture of McClatchy and the Tribune Co.

The current church on Ridgeway and Piedmont Avenue was built in 1924 and finished in 1926. The church where it is today isn’t even the original building!

The first church was built in 1912 on Howe Street and is now the school auditorium, which you might know better as the “multi-purpose room.”

Our church has been through a lot, like the Great Depression and a fire. The fact that the church is still standing, is something that should definitely be celebrated.

A special mass was celebrated on New Year’s Day where Fr. Timothy Johnson, our pastor, read a special blessing for the church from the Pope himself! The day after that, during Sunday mass, former parish staff members and parishioners came to celebrate the anniversary too. (Source: “Oakland Parish Celebrates Centennial“).

Here’s a fun fact for you. Did you know that one time, before the first church was built, mass was held at a grocery store on Piedmont Avenue and 41st Street?

Speaking of fun facts, what else is 100 years old, which is a very long time? How about your grandmother? Just kidding! But do you know who would be 100 years old if he were still alive? Ronald Reagan, the 40th President of the United States.

Reagan is an important person in history because he helped end Communism in Russia, which used to be called the Soviet Union. (Source: “Reagan’s Legacy: End of Communism“).

Something else that has been around for 100 years is the San Francisco Symphony which was formed in 1911. They’re still going strong, performing about 220 concerts each year. According to their website, the symphony “acts as a cultural ambassador for the Bay Area through its nearly 45 national and international concert tours.”

Does your family own a car from Chevrolet, like a Suburban SUV? The company has been making automobiles for 100 years and has sold 200,000,000 cars since then. Did you know that one Chevy is sold every eight seconds around the world? (Source: “100th Year of Chevrolet Begins“).

For more about the history of our church, go to: http://churchofstleothegreat.org/about

by: Saba Kinfe, 7th grade
Editor / THE LION LEDGER

This year the school is doing something new in fundraising. By drinking a Capri Sun and recycling it here at St. Leo, the school earns two cents for each drink pouch turned in.

Mrs. Debra Altheimer is the supervisor of this fundraiser and she is very excited about it. “This is great for our school!” she said. Mrs. Altheimer is also the director of extended care. The students that stay after school help collect the pouches for recycling. So far, they have collected over 200 drink pouches since the program started.

“I think it’s good because we’re going to make money for our school,” said Anthony Gilder in 2nd grade.

This fundraiser is sponsored by Kraft, the company that makes Capri Sun juice drinks (and other foods like Kraft Macaroni and Cheese). They have found a great way to get people into recycling and made it fun too!

These recycled pouches go to an organization called TerraCycle to be transformed into something new. They are used for things like making backpacks or pencil cases. You might even have seen students at St. Leo using these recycled products at school!

“I think that it’s very good that we are helping the environment,” said Naomi Tesfaiohannes in 7th grade.

This fundraiser will be held all year, so make sure to recycle your Capri Sun juice drink pouches instead of throwing them away. Try to help out because you can benefit from it too. It’s easy, good for the environment, and good for our school.

by Courtney Johnson, 7th grade
Reporter / THE LION LEDGER

1/11/11—

Happy New Year everyone! I hope that your time off was wonderful, whether it was spent with friends, family, or loved ones.

For this new year the school has a lot going on. Yes sir, we haven’t even got to February and already we have a bunch of things going on. I guess that’s how it is done at St. Leo’s— perform first, ask questions later.

keep a look out for the “SLE” teams doing more skits for our behavior standards for the perfect lion. The eighth grade is of course graduating (go class of 2011!). Also fundraisers are about to start yet again, be sure to support all of those.

You can read about a new fundraiser we are doing this year in the Features section. It’s easy to help and you don’t have to make much effort other than eat your lunch!

So, what did you get for Christmas? Me, I got an iPod touch. It’s so awesome! That’s what gave me the idea for my story in the newspaper this month. I was asking Mr. Leo what apps are the best to get and he suggested that I write a story on it so that I could find out.

Make sure you read it. And everything else in this month’s issue.

by: Zyhir Brown, 8th grade
Editor-in-Chief / THE LION LEDGER

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ADVISOR’S NOTE: Zyhir begins his third year on the newspaper. He started in 6th grade as a reporter during The Lion Ledger’s inaugural year, became its editor-in-chief the next year, and continues his duties into 8th grade as the leader of this online publication. Zyhir can be found after school on Tuesdays, always hard at work in the computer lab.