Issue 8, Volume 11

Students, staff celebrate end of year with pep rally

Story by Oliva Fray and Spencer Pickering, Photos by Olivia Fray, Spencer Pickering, Mara Perez, Gabby Hakes, Caroline Frawley

The students in the stands cheer for their fellow classmates as they shuffle down the football field for their relay team, hoping they can pull out a win. Students not only get to watch their fellow classmates, they also get to watch their teachers on a separate relay team.

This year is the 2nd Annual Clay Pep Session. The pep session is Principal Mr. Todd Crosby’s brain child.

“When he came to Clay three years ago , he wanted to have a place for all of the student body to get together and celebrate,” Ms. Katz, Clay Assistant Principal, said. 

This pep session was in the works since February with the Connections Team of teachers at Clay. 

“The goal of this years pep session is to first of all, have fun together as a Clay Nation, and for everyone to celebrate an amazing year. We also want to recognize those who have accomplished amazing things this year publicly,” Katz said.

The pep session will take place this Friday, May 15th, which is also the day of Clay Dance Marathon and the eighth grade dance. The pep session will be around an hour.

Last year’s pep session was a success. “We can only do it because we have such amazing students here at Clay, who can behave appropriately in the stands.” Katz stated.

All of the students should wear their Clay Challenge shirts from earlier in the year. The sixth graders are gray, seventh graders are black, and the eighth graders are red.

There will  be three relays with twenty students per grade level for every relay. Some of the relays include a sack race, a dress up rally and a waiter relay.

During the Pep Rally, there will not only be relays with students and teachers, there will also be a time to recognize all sports teams and any clubs that have a sponsor by a teacher. They will also recognize any performing arts students.

The Pep Rally was completely organized by teachers.

Mr. Sean McVey, seventh grade science teacher, is also largely a part of the Pep Rally.

“I am mainly helping out with relays and getting all of the stuff set up. I will also help supervise any students while their teacher is doing one of the relays,” he said.

Students were chosen by their teachers to participate in the events. The students who were chosen have followed the “Clay Way” all year long.

Last year was Clay Middle School's first ever Pep Session. It involved only a few students and were mainly made up of “Minute to Win It” games.

“We talked to students to see what they thought about the Pep Session. The feedback helped us organized this year’s Pep Session. Almost all of the feedback we got said that we should have more students get involved in the games and relays. We have taken this and tried to incorporate this into this year’s pep session,” Katz said.

Megan Prince, seventh grader, is participating in this year’s sack race. “I’m excited for the pep rally because it will give me a chance to represent Clay and participate in their activities,” Prince said.

Prince also participated in last year’s pep session, but she says this year was a total surprise. “I was excited when I found out I was able to participate in it because it will give me a chance to do something fun,” Prince also said.

Seventh grade students complete weather observations

By Lauryn Hedges

A group of students gazed up at the sky, jotting down observations about the weather around them in their science notebooks.

Seventh grade science students have been learning about weather and the water cycle. As a way to get them involved with what they are learning, the students have been going outside to take observations of the weather.

Caroline Ramsey, seventh grade, has taken observations and learned about weather before. “They were observations in third grade about the weather and the cycles of the moon,” Ramsey said. This year, seventh graders are learning about the steps in the water cycle and how to read weather maps.

“Since we’re studying weather, it’s important that you understand how to make your own observations and it ties into the other topics we’re talking about in class,” Mrs. Tracy Krause, seventh grade science teacher, said.

Krause said that students have been keeping a log in their science notebooks, as well as talking about using their observation skills during class.

The students have also learned how to find relative humidity.

“You take this meter and you dip the end that has a bulb in it in water. Then you spin it in the air for about thirty seconds and you check what temperature it’s at. You do the same thing again and subtract the temperatures and use the chart to find the relative humidity,” Sage Parikshak, seventh grade, said.

Overall, both Ramsey and Parikshak said that their favorite part of completing weather observations was going outside, and Parikshak also enjoyed using different science tools.

Krause said that learning about weather is important because everyone has to deal with it. “Weather affects everybody, everyday, everywhere, anywhere,” Krause said.

Eighth graders give speeches for high school senate elections

Eighth grade students spoke to their entire class during first period for the Carmel High School Senate Elections. Photos by Claire Abdellah and Jackson Adams

Issue 7, Volume 11

Track students celebrate Cinco de Mayo with piñata

Photos by Amanda King

Eighth graders study chemistry, perform flame lab

Seventh graders learn about cells, use microscopes

Sixth graders study space, use telescope

YHBA winners take behind-the-scenes tour of Clay

Clay almost places first in Academic Bowl

By Michael Rooney

It’s 6:00 p.m. The Gymnasium goes quiet as the last murmurs die away. A woman steps up to the podium, “Are you ready?”

On Tuesday, March 24, the team went to the Hamilton County Tournament.

“At first, we were kind of nervous,” Christopher Zou, seventh grade team member, said, “but we were well prepared and ready.”

The Academic Bowl Team was led by Ms. Gretchen Smiley, sixth and eighth grade science teacher. The team met on Tuesdays and Thursdays for practice.

The tournament took place at Westfield Middle School. Zou explained how the contest worked:

“There were five rounds consisting of twelve questions each. Since we had a team of twenty, a team of four people would go for each round. They would put the question on the screen at the front of the room. Then the moderator would read the question once. You were allowed to non-verbally communicate for the first time. Then she read it again. After she read it a second time you were now allowed to talk. Then the bell would ring and the proctor sitting at your table would check the written answer,” he said.

The contest lasted for about an hour and 45 minutes. Questions varied in topics from the Hunger Games to complex mathematical problems. For the majority, Clay was tied in either third or second. Toward the final round, the team caught up with Creekside, but in the end, Clay won second at 37 points (Creekside at 38).

“I enjoyed the competition,” Zou said. “It was a lot of fun to do, and it was funny when people got the answer wrong to a really easy question.”

Clay almost came home in first place, however. “It was really funny,” said Chris, “at the medal ceremony, they actually gave us the first place medals. We had to switch them out though when we realized we had the wrong ones. If only we had run...”

Issue 6, Volume 11

Wind Ensemble travels to Music For All

Decorations lined the performing arts hallway to celebrate the Wind Ensemble. Photos by Sage Dooley 

March Madness spurs door decorating competition

For March Madness, each classroom was assigned a team that will hopefully make it to the tournament. Students decorated their seventh period classroom doors. During the tournament, losing teams will get their doors tore down by the winning teams. 

Students, staff have traveled around the world

Issue 5, Volume 11

Seventh grade boys basketball participate in Clay Invitational

Story by Griffin Hall

On January 31, the seventh grade Clay boys basketball team will be taking part and hosting the Clay Invitational. They boys will be playing against three other contending teams: Carmel, Creekside, and Fishers.

The players are looking forward to playing all three teams again after their previous losses. 

“I believe,” Zach Gish, seventh grade, said, “I will perform to the best of my abilities since we have been preparing for this tourney since we lost to these three teams.”

One way the boys are preparing for the tournament is by running sprints to get in shape, Max Engelking, seventh grade, said.

“I believe Max Engelking will be a key player,” Gish said, “because he can hit those long-range jumpers, and that's what we need.” 

This will give them points and hopefully put them in the lead of the games.

Engelking believes the boys will stand out in the invitational because they play good defense. He believes this will give them a big advantage against the other teams.

Gish and Engelking both agree that their team goal is too win it all after losing to these teams already. They believe that their team is both physically and mentally prepared for this tournament.

Games are at 9 and 11 a.m. The price of admission is $5, and the concession stands will be open.

Clay takes on Carmel and Creekside for Pennies for Patients charity basketball game

Clay played against Creekside and Carmel Middle Schools for the annual charity game. This year, Clay hosted the event.

Charity basketball game tonight, money goes toward Leukemia and Lymphoma Society

Story by Cade Conlon

Pennies for Patients is an annual fundraiser that the students and staff of Clay Middle School participate in. The funds raised go to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

The Clay Trojans have been participating with this fundraiser for the past 10 years with the annual goal of $10,000. 

This year, one of the major events for Pennies for Patients fundraiser will be the annual Charity Basketball game.

Clay staff will play against Carmel Middle School staff, Creekside Middle School staff, the Carmel Fire Department and police department.

At the game, the Clay pep band will be there, as well as the Carmel High school radio station, and during halftime there will also be a three-point contest. 

Some of the Clay staff will be taking part in the game. 

Mr. Dan Patane, seventh grade social studies teacher, said one of his favorite parts about the game is “seeing the kids respond in the crowd and how much money we can raise.”

The games start at 6 p.m. at Clay Middle School and costs $5 for entry.