The international space station
It's the first step on the way to Mars
By Steve G.

The International Space Station currently includes several modules. The Zvezda service module includes a kitchen and exercise equipment.

Each astronaut has his/her own "closet" where he/she sleeps. Otherwise they would drive each other nuts.

The Zarya module is currently their power plant, but as the station grows it will be used for fuel storage.

The Unity module is where astronauts get ready for space walks. Astronauts spend up to eight hours out there in space.

Then there is the laboratory module. This is where they perform experiments.

Between now and 2005 there will be twenty-eight separate missions to the Space Station. With baggage costing $10,000 a pound, the space station will need ways of growing its own food.

Some people think that this space station is the best thing since sliced bread. The astronauts are performing experiments that look for a potential cure for tumors. Crystals grow bigger in space, so they can potentially make capsules perfect enough to clog blood flow to a tumor.

Sixth grader, Jacek Muka, said, "I think this is a great step in technology."

His classmate, Eddie Krause, said, "It's very high tech, and I'd like to work on it someday."

"I think we're in way over our heads, and should just destroy it," said sixth grader T.J. Hoff.

Some people think it is a waste of money to send people in space, while others think it could be a base for missions to Mars to start settlements. Spacecraft wouldn't have to use fuel to break away from Earth's pull. What do you think?

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Did Governor Ryan bring back history?
By Kyle A.

In November, when Governor George Ryan visited Itasca, he unknowingly brought back history. You are probably thinking, "How can he bring back Itasca's history?"

Itasca's history began over one hundred years ago and can be found by reading, The History of Itasca, Centennial Edition, edited by John Fridlund, Ph.D.

When the Governor visited Itasca, he called the town, "Ithica." But in a way, he was right.

Itasca has had a few names. For quite some time, Itasca was called Sagone. It got its name from the general store on Arlington Heights Road owned by the founder of the town, Dr. Elijah Smith.

In November of 1873, Sagone changed its name to Ithica, and one month later it was changed to Itasca. The name was changed because Dr. Smith's wife went on vacation to Lake Itasca, Minnesota. She enjoyed it so much she begged to have the town name changed.

Itasca comes from two Latin words, "veritas caput." If you translate it into English, it means "true head." This is a source of water for a river.

For more information, call Mrs. Stinton at the Itasca Depot Museum or call (630)-773-3363

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Itasca Museum plans renovations
Peacock students volunteer
By Kyle A.

It may seem boring, but it's not. Students from Itasca volunteer at the Itasca Depot Museum. During the school year Lara Putzell, Kali Aevermann, and I help at the museum. During the summer, Britta and Aubrie Hatzold also volunteer.

Former Peacocks students, Scott Presslak, Jeff Reardon and Darcy Hatzold, also volunteer as tour guides. It is a lot of fun.

Lara has given the longest tour so far, lasting forty-five minutes, though they usually last about ten to fifteen minutes.

During the summer, we rent the community van and visit other museums in the Chicagoland area to see how we can improve our museum.

Last summer, we wrote a play to show how Itasca men decided whether or not to establish Itasca as a town. That exhibit is now at the museum.

Both the General Store and Freight Room, which have been part of the musuem for five years, are about to be renovated and restored with the help of summer volunteers, explained Mrs. Joan Stinton, the museum curator.

The museum is open on the second and fourth Sunday of each month. Visit and let one of your classmates teach you about where you live today.

You can call the museum at 773-3363.

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Is that a Cybiko hand held in your pocket?
By Ryan B.

There are a lot of hand held computers out there, from Visors to Palm Pilots, but those are aimed at adults and college students who need to keep track of appointments, phone numbers, etc.

No hand held was really aimed at teens, and the Game Boy doesn't count, no OS, no memory, etc.

Back in the good old twentieth century, a bunch of people got together and said that they wanted something like the Game Boy, but ten times better.

On the first day, they came up with the idea of the Cybiko.

On the second day, they finished the design.

On the third day, they added an antenna so Cybikos could communicate with each other.

On the fourth day, they developed a few games.

On the fifth day, they developed some applications.

On the sixth day, they began mass-producing Cybikos.

On the seventh day, they rested.

Oh, and did I mention that at Cybiko.com, a new game or application comes out each dayand they're all free! Yes, free!

If you have a Cybiko, you know it is an ultra-fast, super-sweet, mega-cool hand held for teens. But do you know the specs?

Processor: 32 bit, 11 megahertz Hitachi H8S/2246 (Hitachi is a chip maker, like Intel or AMD)

Memory: 512 kilobytes, extendible to 1 megabyte

Display: 5 in. 160 by 100 dots (how sharp it looks) with 4 shades of gray

PC connection socket: standard COM port

Size: 5.7 in. by 2.8 in. by .86 in.

Weight: 4.3 oz

Operating System: CyOS v.1.3

Computer System Requirements

Computer: IBM-compatible 90 megahertz PC or higher (Mac compatible but requirements not listed at Cybiko.com)

Operating System: Windows 98/NT 4.0 or higher

RAM: 32 Megabytes or more

Mouse: Needed

Internet Explorer: Microsoft Explorer 4.0 or Netscape Navigator 4.0 or later

COM port: At least one available

Internet: Dial-Up or LAN Internet connection (for game and app downloads)

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Mr. Raschk keeps Peacock running
By Jackie S.

Peacock's head custodian, Mr. Raschk, known as Mr. Dan to Peacock students and staff, has been working for District 10 for fourteen years.

Mr. Dan gets to Peacock Middle School at 4:30 a.m. and leaves at around 2:00 p.m. He makes sure everything is working just right.

In the winter, he makes sure the boilers are running so we don't get cold, and in the summer, he makes sure the air conditioning is working right so we don't get too hot.

He always has to clean up the bleachers, locker rooms, and bathrooms. He also gets paged to clean up spills or fix jammed lockers.

Just recently, there was a bad leak in the library and Mr. Dan had to fix it.

Sometimes, he has to get up in the night to do miscellaneous work. If a fire alarm goes off, for example, he must come to school and make sure everything is all right.

To Mr. Dan, Peacock is just like a second home. Mr. Tony Swingler and Mr. Glen Acksel make up the rest of Peacock's custodial staff.

Mr. Dan must like his job, because he always looks like he enjoys helping us.

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Crayonville: a colorful short story
By Kelly M. and Alicia N.

It was a bright sunny day in Crayonville, but most days were. Nobody knew that this was a day that would change their lives forever.

The two most important citizens were debating about where the new city hall should be built. Rich Red was for Fire Mountain.

Bill Blue favored Frost Lake.

Governor Grey didn't care. He just wanted to go home to his kids, Whitney White and Brian Black.

They finally decided to take a break and go home.

Rocky Red was just about to sneak into the Blues' house when a car pulled up!

"Who's there?" Blue asked protectively.

Rocky ran away as fast as he could. He ran away so fast that he left a red streak on the doorstep. Bill Blue was furious! He went to the Reds' house right away.

Bill yelled at Rich, "I knew you wanted the City Hall at Fire Mountain, but breaking into my house isn't going to help!"

Rocky knew he was going to get in trouble.

Later that night, Rocky called Violet Blue, Bill Blue's daughter. He explained to her why he hadn't visited her as he had promised.

Violet was upset but understood that if her father knew about them, they would be in big trouble.

Rocky also told her that her father broke into his house. "What?!" cried Violet

The next day, the crayons voted to decide where City Hall would be built. The vote was a tie. Therefore, City Hall would be built wherever Governor Grey wanted.

In response, the cool colors color kidnapped Whitney White. The warm colors abducted Brian Black.

Governor Grey went on the radio and announced that he would give $10,000 to any crayon if he or she provided information about the crayon-nappers.

Bill and Rich both rushed over to the radio station and accused each other. Grey couldn't decide who was lying so he sent them both to jail!

A week later, Violet married Rocky at Rainbow Valley. Soon afterwards, the Crayons decided to build the City Hall there

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Wishes
By Veronica S.

I wish I could write a poem,

About having a happy home.

I wish I could have a friend,

Where our friendship would never end.

I wish I could walk down the hallway,

Without people whispering and pointing at me.

I wish I could be forgiven,

So I could go on living.

But the people here are deaf,

More so than I.

The people here are blind,

And cannot see the pain.

They cannot see that I am sorry,

For the things I said in a fury.

The deafening silences and harsh stares,

Hurt more than any words ever uttered.

I do not cry because of harsh words,

I cry from the frustration,

Of trying to make them see.

That all I want is forgiveness please,

From all those I hurt.

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Poster Contest offers big prizes on Memorial Day
By Michele B., Copy Editor

The Itasca Police Department is sponsoring a poster contest this year in hopes of uniting the community under the Character Counts program.

Officer Kauther is leading this effort by putting up posters around town promoting entry to the contest.

"I hope (by this contest) we can make the community a better place. We all set examples for everyone else." Officer Kauther hopes that the more people who participate, the better our town will be characterwise.

This contest isn't only for kids, character is something for everyone to know and use. The whole community will be involved, even businesses have agreed to show such colorful fliers in their windows.

Everyone who enters will have their name submitted to a drawing on Memorial Day (May 28). The grand prize is a new bicycle. First and second places will receive a Sony Play Station. Three seventy-five dollar savings bonds and four fifty dollar savings bonds will be awarded also.

Entries must be submitted between March 12 and May 14, 2001.

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