As the world turns at Peacock Middle School
By Bryan C.

Throughout the years, Peacock has undergone many changes. First of all, let's start with the name. This school was originally called Itasca Grade School. It was then changed to North School.

North School used to teach about one hundred and twenty students, from kindergarten through eighth grade.

Because of Itasca's growth during the 1960's, the school board changed the grade composition of the public school to a junior high, teaching grades six through eight. North School was then renamed Itasca Jr. High School.

In 1975, the name was changed once again to F.E. Peacock Jr. High School to honor Mr. Peacock for serving as president of the school board for seventeen years, and for being a member for over twenty-one years.

Today our school's name is F.E. Peacock Middle School.

The name of our school is not the only thing that has changed throughout the years. During my first year at Peacock, I didn't know what to expect. Peacock seemed to be just like any other school. Little did I know, I would have to eat my words.

In the following year, besides the departure of Mr. Tison and Mr. Martin, almost every teacher received a laptop computer.

Then, there were also the changes in the gym. The floors were painted differently, and the score board now had a list of the names of the students who made the sports teams.

To be truthful, the scoreboard idea was just a waste of money. One of the best changes in the gym, however, was the Gatorade machine, which turned out to be pretty popular and still is today.

To finish off my seventh grade year, Dr. Nickisch surprised us with the announcement that our school, along with a couple of others, had been chosen to recieve the blue ribbon award.

Many teachers also told us that the following year, every classroom would have a T.V. and we would be able to watch and do morning announcements using the cameras up in the library.

Well, the following year is half way over, and we still do morning announcements on the P.A. system. Oh, and not every classroom has a T.V.

The new room in the library is still being set up and will probably run the year after I graduate.

Maybe someday, the lockers will be trashed and new, bigger ones will replace them. Yeah right!

Well, who knows what new changes will occur for many years to come? Only time will tell.

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Depression
The causes and the solutions for it
By Carly L.

Depression is common among middle school students. Some have it worse than others do, but it is still seen among many young teens.

The most common reasons for depression are a divorce in the family, failing in some classes, the death of a loved one, or in a lot of cases, a break up with a boyfriend or girlfriend.

Some people have experienced one or two of these and have gone into small states of depression, but most of the time they bounce back and become their normal selves.

According to Dr. West, talking to a school counselor may be the best and easiest way to get back to your normal life.

However, as with most things, there is a more serious side. Medication can be prescribed for depression after a medical evaluation. The medication affects the chemicals in your brain that cause depression. Therapy can also be part of this process.

Girls are more likely than boys to get depressed because they are more social and therefore more vulnerable to being hurt emotionally.

"Many people get depressed around the holidays because they don't get that ideal Christmas you see on TV," explained Dr. West.

Things to look for in a depressed person are being unhappy, getting too much or too little sleep, moodiness, and failing grades.

"Peacock offers support groups for kids with depression or any other problem with family, friends, or control," Dr. West recommended.

People with depression don't just get sad, they also have higher risks of dropping out, doing drugs, or committing suicide.

The reason suicide has grown in recent years is because it is easier to get tools for suicide, such as guns. Also, peer pressure has gone up, and more violence is in our everyday lives.

There are many signs of someone thinking of suicide. Some of the signs could be the following:

*Does he or she seem bored?

*Is that person acting like a rebel?

*Has that person run away from home in the past?

*Is that person complaining of head and stomach pains that could be fake or not?

*Is that person giving away their dearest possessions?

*Is he or she writing poems or notes on the subject of death?

*If you know someone who you think is going to kill himself or herself tell an adult immediately, before it is too late.

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