HOMECOMING WEEK

GSMS celebrated Homecoming Week September 6th through 9th with dress up days, a pep rally, a volleyball game, a football game, and a dance! It was an exciting week full of school spirit and camaraderie!



TUESDAY
GSMS kicked off Homecoming Week with Superhero Day! Students and teachers wore Superhero costumes and t-shirts. It was a fun way to start Homecoming Week and show our strength as we prepared for Thursday's games.

WEDNESDAY By Vivian Mendez
Dress up as a Celebrity! Wednesday was Celebrity Day for GSMS. Students dressed up as someone famous they liked. Everybody was very happy and excited to see everybody’s theme, and they were very glamorous in their get up.  We saw many amazing outfits like Taylor Swift, Donald Trump, and more - even the teachers dressed up!  Everyone had a great time seeing everyone as a celebrity and everyone looked amazing. It was lots of fun for everyone even if they didn't dress up.

THURSDAY by Courtney Florczyk
On Thursday GSMS students wore their Homecoming t-shirts with uniform pants. GSMS Advanced Art students help a competition to design the Homecoming t-shirt. Olivia Callahan won the 2016 Homecoming t-shirt design contest. She got her inspiration from the football game we would be playing against the pirates. She was very ecstatic when she won and was excited to see everyone wearing her design. By doing this project, Gulf Shores Middle School is involving the students academically, creatively, and providing more enthusiasm for the student’s participation.

FRIDAY by Ava Tobiassen
On Friday, September 9, Gulf Shores Middle School students dressed up as a tacky tourists/islaners to show off their school spirit. The students that dressed up still had abide by the school dress code. Students were very excited about dressing up. Some students wore a floral hawaiian shirt with khaki shorts, socks with sandals, and a hawaiian bucket hat. I asked Desiree Polk “What inspired you to wear this?” and she said “I looked in my closet and found a outfit that I thought was island tacky.” I also asked Alexis Helton “Where they would want to be a tourist?” she said” I want to be a tourist in Hawaii.” Shannon Todd was also interviewed “Since we live in a city with a bunch of tourists, what do you think of them?” She responded with “I think they are annoying and don’t know how to drive.” Tacky tourist day at Gulf Shores Middle School was a fun day because everyone gets to see what everyone wears, and celebrate Homecoming.

BUMP - SET - DOMINATE BY SAM DERSCH

On Thursday, September 8, 2016, the Gulf Shores Middle 7th Grade Volleyball team dominate on the court as they beat the Spanish Fort Toros. The score for the game was 22-25, 25-22, and 15-12. The team played great against a rival team. This win was extra special as the 7th grade Toros had a one hundred game winning streak, and the Lady Dolphins showed their strength and hard work on the court for a glorious victory! 

I caught up with Coach Simpson after the game. Coach Simpson grew up playing volleyball and basketball and helped coach both teams last year. She believes younger and newer players need to work on developing basic skills that they can improve on as their sports career moves forward. She likes to find a good balance between letting everyone get a chance to shine and hopefully they will succeed. Her goal in coaching is to teach players how to become not only better at the sport, but better people in general, and to teach them the value of hard work and dedication to something they are interested in. The 7th grade team worked extremely hard over the summer and so far this school year and are doing great. The next game for the Lady Dolphins is September 12th at Central Baldwin from 5:00-6:00 and September 15 versus Bay Minette at the Gulf Shores Middle Gym.

DOLPHINS FALL TO PIRATES BY RILEIGH GRANT

The Gulf Shores Middle School football team faced off with the Fairhope Pirates on a hot evening for their annual Homecoming game this past Thursday September 6, 2016 at the Gulf Shores Sportsplex. 

The Pirates jumped out to an early lead and never looked back. The Pirates went into halftime with a comfortable 38-0 lead. Halftime was highlighted by both cheerleading squads as they kept fans entertained with outstanding performances. After halftime the Dolphins defense was able to hold the Pirates only allowing them to score six points.

After a hard fought Homecoming game against Fairhope, the Dolphins may not have come out on top, but they played hard and left it all out on the field.

The Dolphins defense had a big interception in the second half showing that they were able to regroup and make adjustments after halftime. The cheerleaders along with the band and our mascot, Splash, were able to keep the crowd pumped while cheering on the Dolphins. 

Regardless of the heat, fans came out to support the team while fueling up on food and drinks from the concession stand. They cheered on the Dolphins until the last second of the game with hopes of a Dolphin win.

Although the Dolphins fell short to the Pirates, they are ready to bounce back and bring home a win for their upcoming game.

GET THE TRASH OUT OF THE SPLASH BY: BRIANNA LACOSTE

Join the 29th annual Coastal Cleanup which will be held Saturday, September 17th, 2016 from 8:00 a.m until noon. This event is the world’s largest effort to protect our cherished beaches. In the past,  over 83,000 volunteers have removed more than 1.5 million pounds of trash. Volunteering to clean our beach keeps the ocean healthy for everyone - humans, sea turtles, fish, sharks, whales, and last but not least dolphins. Coastal and water pollution doesn’t just affect animals it affects the livlilihood of people.

Please take some time on the 17th and volunteer your time to take care of our community. Volunteers receive a free t-shirt, and Mr. McCartney has approved for anyone who volunteers at Coastal Cleanup to wear their Coastal Cleanup t-shirt with jeans on Monday, September 19th.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind while you are helping get the trash out of the splash:

• Be careful near sand dunes and other fragile ecosystems. You do not want to disturb the wildlife.
• DO NOT attempt to move any heavy or dangerous items yourself. Mark the location and report back to the zone caption or a park ranger.
• DO NOT forget to drink plenty of water.
• Your efforts ensure that we use the best solutions to tackle the largest ocean challenges.

There are several Cleanup Zones in the Gulf Shores and Orange Beach area:

• Flora-Bama
• Fort Morgan Peninsula with check-in at Fire Station #1
• Gulf Shores Public Beach (near the Hangout)
• Gulf State Park with check-in at the Beach Pavilion
• Little Lagoon with check-in at Mo's Landing
• Ono Island with check-in at Ono Boat Ramp
• Orange Beach with check-in at Cotton Bayou Public Beach

SWEET, SWEET POTATO BY SIYA PATEL

On Tuesday, September 13th, Gulf Shores Middle School is hosting a Sweet Potato Cook-Off. This exciting event is open for both 7th and 8th graders to enter. If you would like to enter, Ms. Carpenter has additional details in her room. There will be a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winner. 

The winning dish on the local level will be qualified to enter their dish in the County Sweet Potato Cook-Off at the County Fair in Robertsdale on Wednesday, September 21, 2016. 

Every student that enters the cook-off must prepare and complete their dish by themselves - you can not get help from anyone while you make your dish. The sweet potato dish must include at least one cup of sweet potato. Make sure you follow the food safety rules. Do not put your name in your recipe or dish. 

You will need to bring two copies of your recipe when you submit your dish for entry on Tuesday. Your sweet potato dish will be judged during first period. For more information, you can go to the Gulf Shores Middle School Website. 

Good luck to all students!

CHRISTIAN CLUB “KICK OFF PARTY” BY ANNE WATTS

FOOD, MUSIC, AND A DEVOTIONAL! You heard me right - this past Thursday the GSMS Christian Club hosted their beginning of the year “Kick off Party”. Everyone is welcome to join the fun every Thursday in the library at 7:25am. 

Our devotional was spoken by 8th grader Tony Papadelias. He talked about how Jesus lives, seeing Jesus in your life, and what the future will bring. The bible verses that he used were Jeremiah 29:11, 1 Peter 5:8, Deuteronomy 29:29, and Isaiah 55:2. Those verses relate to how Jesus has a plan for you and that he is in your future. 

After they discussed a personal relationship with Jesus and detracting Jesus from our lives, the members had a prayer, ate wonderful snacks, and introduced ourselves to people that we haven’t met. 

Be sure to join next week for more fellowship!

PRAYERS IN MCDONALDS BY MICHAEL TAYLOR

Every Thursday at 7am, Christians from all around Gulf Shores and Orange Beach come to McDonalds in Gulf Shores for prayer, devotionals, and breakfast. It’s called The Breakfast Club, and everyone, even if you’re not christian, is welcome to attend. Kelly Kindle and her parents founded the Breakfast Club, and she continues to lead the group.

Students of all ages eat and social then enjoy a time for devotional and prayer. After Breakfast Club, you can ride on a bus/van or with another student to school. 

The Breakfast Club takes part in other activities together as well. They have parties and gatherings to enjoy one another's company. Please join us next time for fellowship and prayer!