Pizza, the cheesy food that people all over love to eat, could possibly be called a vegetable now.

That’s very interesting to know because lots of people, kids and adults, would not expect for pizza ever to be characterized as a vegetable. But the Congress wants to get it onto kids’ school lunches falling under the category of a “vegetable.”

Why? Congress has a good reason for all of this.

Because a lot of families with kids that go to school are struggling to pay the cost of lunches, they provide money to public schools that serve specific items on their menu— like vegetables. But since most schools don’t serve the required amount of vegetables to get the money, Congress is helping out by letting schools consider pizza as a vegetable since it has vegetable ingredients in it.

Who knows of a school lunch program that doesn’t serve pizza?

Pizza is not really becoming a vegetable but because it has some nutritional balance, that is part of the reason for the decision. It’s made of tomatoes / tomato sauce (vegetables), cheese (dairy), and dough (grain) with some kind of topping (meat).

This is a very good idea which will help struggling families in public schools. But this isn’t going to replace actual vegetables being served in school lunches.

Plus, a lot of parents want their kids to eat vegetables, so when they are eating pizza they don’t have to worry, right? It’s an easy way for parents to know that their kids are eating their vegetables!

But, this news shouldn’t replace vegetables in your lunch either now that you’ve heard about what Congress is doing for public schools.

If parents want, they can give their child veggie sticks like carrots or celery as snacks for recess time. This way, kids and parents are happy and don’t have to worry about their kids not  eating vegetables.

And they can know that even if they are eating pizza, by having actual vegetables on the side, it’s healthy and balanced.

by: Giauna Nu’man, 8th grade
Senior Reporter
THE LION LEDGER

Jobs was a man that came up with the famous company called Apple. Apple is a name brand that is known all over the world. You literally can’t go anywhere now where you don’t hear about Apple.

He was the one that came up with most of the ideas and put them into action. Which basically means he made it happen.

He made many different kinds of Apple products. He came up with Apple computers like the iMac or laptops like the MacBook Air, music players called iPods, a tablet computer called the iPad, and the most famous, I think, is the iPhone.

Lots of kids use these Apple products. To my amazement, I found out they are using things like the iPad before they can even talk or walk!

Jobs has not just come up with all these things but way more than I know about. Now that he has left us with all this technology there are more people out there that can follow in his footsteps and make even more new things to help us wherever we are in life.

Without technology, I really don’t have a clue what the world would be like. I’m used to things around me just being techie and without it, I think everyone would either read or just watch TV.

Jobs was a very powerful and rich man that gave back to the community a lot of times. That just goes to show there are nice people out there that aren’t greedy and money doesn’t mean everything to them.

He was a very nice man and when I found out he had pancreatic cancer, I was astounded. I prayed for him to get better. He was an honest man and had a good heart.

He just wanted to change the world one day at a time.

Steve Jobs will truly be missed but I am thankful for him. He has influenced me to follow my dreams. And without him? technology would not be the way it is today.

by: Giauna Nu’man, 8th grade
Senior Reporter
THE LION LEDGER

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

Last month, in a public school in Seattle, Washington, a 16-year old girl was volunteering at the school for like service hours. She wanted to bring in Easter eggs as treats for a third grade class, but when asking for permission from the teacher, she received a strange answer.

The teacher replied, she may only bring them in, if she called the eggs “Spring spheres.” The teacher insisted on this because of the reference to religion in the word Easter.

• SOURCE— Parent Dish: “Easter Eggs? Call Them ‘Spring Spheres’“

Easter Sunday is the day Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. However it is no longer, just, a religious holiday. People of other religions (or no religion) use this day to celebrate the beginning of Spring and to just have fun. Many people who are not Christians have been celebrating Easter happily for years, not paying any attention to the religious meaning of the day.

It’s kind of like Christmas. For Christians, it is celebrating the birth of Jesus. If you are not Christian, Christmas still means getting presents but it doesn’t have to be religious. There’s Santa Claus, reindeer, etc.

And at the end of a fun day of going Easter egg hunting would you honestly care if those round objects you were holding in your hands or carrying in your basket, were eggs or spheres?

I know I wouldn’t. Hope you had a nice Easter Vacation.

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

One of their biggest wins happened on November 10th against the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs were undefeated until they played the Raiders. They are tied for first in the AFC.

Honestly, I think the Raiders are an overrated team. There are still eight games left– anything could happen! They have a tough schedule up ahead. If they make it to the playoffs they will probably lose. They have just been lucky.

If the Raiders are going to get that Super Bowl ring, they are going to have to play like they did over the past few weeks.

by Donnie Carey, 8th grade
Reporter / THE LION LEDGER

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

Kids should vote because they should have the same rights as adults. They should also vote because they are citizens too.

Some reasons why kids shouldn’t vote are that some kids don’t know much about politics. Adults make better educated decisions.

I think that kids 14 and over should be able to vote. That is the age you are more mature.

by Aleks Bialek, 5th grade
Reporter / THE LION LEDGER

Most children want cell phones or skinny jeans. Not iPods anymore, because “everyone” has one. They really should upgrade, or add something new.

They have just made a new iPod nano that has a video camera and picture access, but it hasn’t made a huge wave. Even though the commercial was cool and catchy.

When they made it less expensive no one bought it because, most people like to buy expensive stuff so they could show off. I think Apple should come up with a new device, something that will make kids want to go to the store and buy it.

Most kids don’t even touch their iPods after they get it. I happen to own one and I don’t really use it anymore. In fact, I haven’t even bothered to charge mine!

iPods used to be the coolest thing but that is no longer true.

by Alinda A., 5th Grade
Editorial Assistant / THE LION LEDGER

Senator Hillary Clinton started out as a candidate running for president. She lost to Senator Barack Obama who is now the President-elect. Now where is she? After she lost to Obama she helped him with running against Senator John McCain.

I think Clinton lost because she and Obama both had the same ideas of what they would do if they were chosen to be president, and by working hard Obama won. I was very inspired by Hillary Clinton because she would be the first woman to be president.

If President-elect Barack Obama chooses Clinton for secretary of state, she will work in the White House, but not as president. I think she should try again. This time she might actually win. I think Obama should have picked Clinton for vice president because she was a good candidate and is fit for that job.

I think Clinton needed a little more work before she could enter the White House as president. I still think she could be president. She has been the First Lady, she also knows what it takes to be a president since her husband was a president. I think she is an amazing woman.

by Ida S., 5th grade
Writer / CONTRIBUTOR

If I was President I would change a lot of things. I would have a list five things I’d want to take care of right away.

First, I would take all the soldiers in the Iraq war and give them five years of free things for fighting so hard for our country.

Second I would lower the gas prices 70 percent so people would not have to pay so much.

Third, I would not allow discrimination around the world.

Fourth I would let kids take a test and if they pass 60 percent they get to vote.

Fifth I would get better books and labs for public schools.

After my list of five things, I would feed the homeless and put them in a shelter. I would also provide more money to public schools so they can go on field trips. I would also provide money to private schools for better uniforms.

Then I would have a clothes drive for people who have no clothes. Also I would start programs how to keep kids and teens off the street, selling drugs.

I will lower taxes 25 percent. I would also start a convention that can help kids stay away from fast foods and get closer to vegetables.

Last but not least, I will not let you down. As President I would make you, the people, proud.

by Devohn Moore, 6th grade
Writer / CONTRIBUTOR

In the first presidential debate, Senator Barack Obama said, “We are in a very defining moment in our nation’s history. We are in two wars and in one of the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression…”

“And you’re wondering, ‘How’s this going to affect me? How’s it going to affect my job? How’s it going to affect my house? How’s it going to affect my retirement plan? And how’s it going to affect my sending my children to college?”

The economy affects a lot of things. But how does it affect students?

One way the economy affects a student or child is the amount of their allowance. Number one, he or she gets cut on it. Or number two, he or she might not get it at all anymore. Another way it affects them is their college fund.

There are other ways to be affected in this drowning economy. At the top are adults. Their stocks aren’t worth much anymore. They may be losing their homes. Or worse, they may have lost a lot of money because the banks have closed down.

So what are the presidential candidates’ views on the economy?

Republican candidate Senator John McCain’s position is he’ll hold people accountable for their actions and reward people who succeed. And about how he warned about corporate greed.

I think that Senator McCain’s position is unclear to me. Maybe some other people think that too. And if I can’t understand his answer to the question, I most likely wouldn’t for him.

Democratic candidate Senator Obama’s position seems he wants to help the vulnerable people in this economy today. Like homeowners, people who are retiring, and families without a college fund for their children.

Senator Obama’s position is a little more clear, so I think I can understand what he means. Like a good Samaritan, Obama always wants to help the people who are in trouble. But he does not explain how he’ll do what he says.

I think both candidates need to explain what they are going to do to solve the problem with the economy. That would help people make a better decision when they vote.

If I could vote, I’d vote for Obama.

by Naomi Ashford, 6th grade
Staff Writer / THE LION LEDGER