![Picture](/uploads/5/0/7/1/50717593/9662300.png?326)
Fountain of
Education
Review by J.T.
It’s that time of the year again. You’re starting sixth, seventh, or eighth grade. What school do you think you can go to? Off-base schools normally have Japanese speakers, and there’s a small (most likely, big) chance that you might not understand them. International schools probably do have English teachers, but they are often incredibly expensive. It’s not really the smartest idea to spend thousands of dollars (or yen) on education that you can get for free. You would probably have a better chance at finding a school on base, but let’s say you .don’t live on base. Maybe there’s no middle school around. You can’t just drive up to a far-off place when you’re stationed somewhere else. No one wants to wake up at four or five in the morning just to get enough time to drive two hours to your school. A school that you can attend with an easy means of transportation would be… Yokosuka Middle School.
YMS is an amazing school, and I’m not just saying this because I’m a student here. I thought that I should probably cover this place because lots of kids think that middle school is awful or that it’s not important. Honestly, I feel the same way about it sometimes. Sure, middle school isn’t all sunshine and rainbows, but it isn’t the death pit either! Enough about middle school opinions. Yokosuka Middle School is a great school with fun classes, continuous spirit day contests, and occasional dances. One fun day in YMS would be Dragon Day, which is similar to a field day at the end of the year. It’s fun to compete with other kids that are your age and see who’s better. YMS has welcomed children into it’s doors since 2003, so it isn’t that old. The school teaches around 600-650 students, ranging from sixth grade to eighth grade. There are always new students coming in, so you won’t be the only new student here. Due to the constantly growing student population, each grade has two teams. Each of the teams are named after ships that are harbored on base.
On the outside, Yokosuka Middle School looks like an absolutely normal middle school. It has a basketball court, a field, a long row of bleachers, and an old, rundown pavilion outside. The building is fairly large, and it is able to hold many different classrooms. Overall, YMS doesn’t have many attractions to see. It’s a school, not a tourist trap! If you want to take a tour around the school, you can probably see a decent sample of all of the classes in a school day. It’s free to get into the school, but you would need a visitor’s pass from the front office if you’re a visitor.
There are many exciting and fun classes that you can take in YMS. Some of the classes you can take in middle school could affect what classes you would want to take in high school. If you’re interested in taking a musical course, you can always tryout for singing in the choir or playing an instrument in the band or strings group. You can still take those classes in high school, so that would be a good sign. If you are more of an artist, there are art classes that you can choose. Surely, there will be many different art classes in high school. If you want to take part in an after-school activity, you can try out for track or art club. There are an abundance of courses and clubs you can choose from.
When you start going to school, you’re going to need your supplies, of course. A backpack is definitely one of your best friends. You’re going to be carrying around your textbooks, notebooks, reading books, and binder around. Unless you’re really strong, bring that backpack and save your back! As a school-wide policy, all students are required to bring one binder that is big enough to hold seven classes’ worth of paper. It seems like a lot, but it really isn’t. I recommend getting one of those two-inch or three-inch binders. Most students are required to have science, math, language arts, and social studies. Oftenou need a notebook for each of your classes, so you might want to plan ahead for that. Pens, pencils, and highlighters are also needed, according to the school supply list. This list isn’t really a set list, it’s more of a general guideline to what you might want to buy. You will have to ask your teachers about school supplies. Always come to school prepared with your supplies because you can get points taken off for not being prepared for class. No one wants an easy grade taken away from them.
Many students attending Yokosuka Middle School live on base, but there’s a chance that you might have to live off-base or in one of the outlying housing areas. Most of the time there is a bus that will get you to school, but say you don’t have a bus nearby or you missed your bus (shame on you, really). I recommend driving over to the main gate. At the main gate, the security will check your ID, and then they will let you on base. Drive straight, and turn right on the curve. Turn left when you reach another turn. You will have driven past the Fleet Theater. Keep going until you reach a stoplight. You will turn to the left, going through two tunnels before reaching 4th Avenue. Turn right, and turn left when you reach the intersection on Gridley. Keep going straight until you reach the end of the road. Turn left, and you will see the school on your left.
You’ve probably heard a little bit of information about this school. I’m hoping you actually are going to middle school, you should really come here. If you aren’t, then you are probably reading this for no reason. Either that or you’re preparing for middle school. There are many things you can do here. Hopefully, you can have a wonderful time and that YMS is a good school for you!
Review by J.T.
It’s that time of the year again. You’re starting sixth, seventh, or eighth grade. What school do you think you can go to? Off-base schools normally have Japanese speakers, and there’s a small (most likely, big) chance that you might not understand them. International schools probably do have English teachers, but they are often incredibly expensive. It’s not really the smartest idea to spend thousands of dollars (or yen) on education that you can get for free. You would probably have a better chance at finding a school on base, but let’s say you .don’t live on base. Maybe there’s no middle school around. You can’t just drive up to a far-off place when you’re stationed somewhere else. No one wants to wake up at four or five in the morning just to get enough time to drive two hours to your school. A school that you can attend with an easy means of transportation would be… Yokosuka Middle School.
YMS is an amazing school, and I’m not just saying this because I’m a student here. I thought that I should probably cover this place because lots of kids think that middle school is awful or that it’s not important. Honestly, I feel the same way about it sometimes. Sure, middle school isn’t all sunshine and rainbows, but it isn’t the death pit either! Enough about middle school opinions. Yokosuka Middle School is a great school with fun classes, continuous spirit day contests, and occasional dances. One fun day in YMS would be Dragon Day, which is similar to a field day at the end of the year. It’s fun to compete with other kids that are your age and see who’s better. YMS has welcomed children into it’s doors since 2003, so it isn’t that old. The school teaches around 600-650 students, ranging from sixth grade to eighth grade. There are always new students coming in, so you won’t be the only new student here. Due to the constantly growing student population, each grade has two teams. Each of the teams are named after ships that are harbored on base.
On the outside, Yokosuka Middle School looks like an absolutely normal middle school. It has a basketball court, a field, a long row of bleachers, and an old, rundown pavilion outside. The building is fairly large, and it is able to hold many different classrooms. Overall, YMS doesn’t have many attractions to see. It’s a school, not a tourist trap! If you want to take a tour around the school, you can probably see a decent sample of all of the classes in a school day. It’s free to get into the school, but you would need a visitor’s pass from the front office if you’re a visitor.
There are many exciting and fun classes that you can take in YMS. Some of the classes you can take in middle school could affect what classes you would want to take in high school. If you’re interested in taking a musical course, you can always tryout for singing in the choir or playing an instrument in the band or strings group. You can still take those classes in high school, so that would be a good sign. If you are more of an artist, there are art classes that you can choose. Surely, there will be many different art classes in high school. If you want to take part in an after-school activity, you can try out for track or art club. There are an abundance of courses and clubs you can choose from.
When you start going to school, you’re going to need your supplies, of course. A backpack is definitely one of your best friends. You’re going to be carrying around your textbooks, notebooks, reading books, and binder around. Unless you’re really strong, bring that backpack and save your back! As a school-wide policy, all students are required to bring one binder that is big enough to hold seven classes’ worth of paper. It seems like a lot, but it really isn’t. I recommend getting one of those two-inch or three-inch binders. Most students are required to have science, math, language arts, and social studies. Oftenou need a notebook for each of your classes, so you might want to plan ahead for that. Pens, pencils, and highlighters are also needed, according to the school supply list. This list isn’t really a set list, it’s more of a general guideline to what you might want to buy. You will have to ask your teachers about school supplies. Always come to school prepared with your supplies because you can get points taken off for not being prepared for class. No one wants an easy grade taken away from them.
Many students attending Yokosuka Middle School live on base, but there’s a chance that you might have to live off-base or in one of the outlying housing areas. Most of the time there is a bus that will get you to school, but say you don’t have a bus nearby or you missed your bus (shame on you, really). I recommend driving over to the main gate. At the main gate, the security will check your ID, and then they will let you on base. Drive straight, and turn right on the curve. Turn left when you reach another turn. You will have driven past the Fleet Theater. Keep going until you reach a stoplight. You will turn to the left, going through two tunnels before reaching 4th Avenue. Turn right, and turn left when you reach the intersection on Gridley. Keep going straight until you reach the end of the road. Turn left, and you will see the school on your left.
You’ve probably heard a little bit of information about this school. I’m hoping you actually are going to middle school, you should really come here. If you aren’t, then you are probably reading this for no reason. Either that or you’re preparing for middle school. There are many things you can do here. Hopefully, you can have a wonderful time and that YMS is a good school for you!
![Picture](/uploads/5/0/7/1/50717593/462395.jpg?524)
Benny Decker Theater
Review By D.C.
Do you enjoy a good movie and buttery popcorn? If the answer is yes then, the Benny Decker Movie Theater is the place to go. This theater is the only place to see a movie with your family and friends on Yokosuka Naval base.
The Benny Decker Theater, built in 1981 and named after the late Rear Adm. Benny Decker, is one of two theaters located aboard Yokosuka Naval Base, and it’s mainly for families by showing movies with PG-13 and below ratings, meaning it is okay for little kids. The theater shows two movies per day on weekdays and three per day on weekends. Benny Decker sometimes repeat the same movie just in case you miss it. This theater is the oldest on base but everyone still goes there. The best part of the movie theater are the hot dogs and candy. These snacks are best of all the other goodies at the theater.
Inside the movie theater, it has a ticket selling booth, where you can buy your ticket. The prices are very cheap compare to theaters in America. There is a snack bar where you can buy popcorn and snacks. It even has a popcorn topping area, where you can put your own butter and salt on it. Inside the theater, there is dark red carpet and rows of seats so don’t worry about not finding a seat. The screen is wide and so large that even if you sit in the last row, you will see the movie. If you wanted to get more snack after the movie started, don't worry about missing a part because there is a TV that is near the snack bar that plays the movie so you don't miss anything!! There is no Japanese subtitles in Benny Decker because it plays American movies. Before you go to the movies, here are some tips; first bring a jacket because it gets very cold, second turn off the cellphone, and last but not least bring a wallet to buy a ticket and snacks.
My favorite is watching a movie and eating salted popcorn and candy. It’s hard for me to go to the bathroom when there’s a funny part or important scene. If you can, try to buy a ticket early before the movie starts or buy it on the Internet. If you don’t bought a ticket you will wait in a long line and you will miss a chance to watch a movie. Make sure you have some money to buy snacks, but if you do not have any money you might get hungry or thirsty.
The Benny Decker is located on Yokosuka Base, and it is a little far from where I live. I live in Ikego and there are a few ways to get to the movie theater. The first way is drive to Yokosuka base and follow the signs to the movie theater. Benny Decker is next to the food court and high school. Second way is take a train to Yokosuka. The train station Shiroi is the closest and shortest walk to the base. After you enter the base, you can walk, take a bus or cab to the movie theater. My favorite way is I would take a car because it’s way faster than train and walking. I hope you get a chance to visit this theater and enjoy a movie.
Review By D.C.
Do you enjoy a good movie and buttery popcorn? If the answer is yes then, the Benny Decker Movie Theater is the place to go. This theater is the only place to see a movie with your family and friends on Yokosuka Naval base.
The Benny Decker Theater, built in 1981 and named after the late Rear Adm. Benny Decker, is one of two theaters located aboard Yokosuka Naval Base, and it’s mainly for families by showing movies with PG-13 and below ratings, meaning it is okay for little kids. The theater shows two movies per day on weekdays and three per day on weekends. Benny Decker sometimes repeat the same movie just in case you miss it. This theater is the oldest on base but everyone still goes there. The best part of the movie theater are the hot dogs and candy. These snacks are best of all the other goodies at the theater.
Inside the movie theater, it has a ticket selling booth, where you can buy your ticket. The prices are very cheap compare to theaters in America. There is a snack bar where you can buy popcorn and snacks. It even has a popcorn topping area, where you can put your own butter and salt on it. Inside the theater, there is dark red carpet and rows of seats so don’t worry about not finding a seat. The screen is wide and so large that even if you sit in the last row, you will see the movie. If you wanted to get more snack after the movie started, don't worry about missing a part because there is a TV that is near the snack bar that plays the movie so you don't miss anything!! There is no Japanese subtitles in Benny Decker because it plays American movies. Before you go to the movies, here are some tips; first bring a jacket because it gets very cold, second turn off the cellphone, and last but not least bring a wallet to buy a ticket and snacks.
My favorite is watching a movie and eating salted popcorn and candy. It’s hard for me to go to the bathroom when there’s a funny part or important scene. If you can, try to buy a ticket early before the movie starts or buy it on the Internet. If you don’t bought a ticket you will wait in a long line and you will miss a chance to watch a movie. Make sure you have some money to buy snacks, but if you do not have any money you might get hungry or thirsty.
The Benny Decker is located on Yokosuka Base, and it is a little far from where I live. I live in Ikego and there are a few ways to get to the movie theater. The first way is drive to Yokosuka base and follow the signs to the movie theater. Benny Decker is next to the food court and high school. Second way is take a train to Yokosuka. The train station Shiroi is the closest and shortest walk to the base. After you enter the base, you can walk, take a bus or cab to the movie theater. My favorite way is I would take a car because it’s way faster than train and walking. I hope you get a chance to visit this theater and enjoy a movie.
![Picture](/uploads/5/0/7/1/50717593/8467081_orig.jpg)
The Home of the Dragons
Review By M.C.
Welcome to Yokosuka! There are a variety of places and events here, everybody is bound to find a perfect location! Out of all those different sites to see, I chose Yokosuka Middle School. It is interesting to hear about different tourist attractions like Joypolis, Soleil, Kidzania, and Sea Paradise, but I think a lot of you might want to get to know where you’re going to learn. Yokosuka Middle School educates kids from grades six to eight. There is a diverse set of students here, but don’t worry, you’ll find the perfect friends who will always be there to stuff all your clothes in the freezer. Whoever you are, and wherever you are, we’ll all be waiting for your arrival. When you go to YMS for the first time, you’ll meet your Dragon Core guide. He or she will help you along the first few days of school. While you’ll get a first-class tour with your guide when you reach Yokosuka base, I’m sure some of you want a head-start.
YMS isn’t just an ordinary school, it’s OUR school, and unless you are sick, we’ll go to school every week day that is not a holiday. Though school is fun, it is a responsibility. We take education at school to prepare for college. YMS school hours are 7:35 am to 2:20 pm. Aside from responsibility, Yokosuka Middle School is an enjoyable place. If you are curious, the electives YMS has are: Spanish, Japanese, Chinese, Art, Applied Tech, Avid, Creative Writing, Government (7th grade), Choir (7th grade), Strings, Band, Humanities, Home Economics, ESL, Career Pathways, and Physical Education. Speaking of school, I should tell you about our school mascot. Yokosuka Middle School’s mascot is a dragon, and our school colors are green and yellow. Every year, we have something called spirit week, and we show our school spirit. In my opinion, I enjoy this part of the year, seeing everyone participating in silly themes, like Throwback Thursday, where we dress in clothes from different times in the past.
Yokosuka Middle School may seem like a big maze at first, but after the first week, you’ll know the school like the back of your hand. Unfortunately, Yokosuka base isn’t as easy as YMS. To get to YMS with a car, you first enter Womble gate. I remember when I first got here, I would start smiling like a mad man whenever we approached Womble Gate. Have your ID with you (duh) because the gate sentry will check for your ID. After that, proceed on until you see a little triangle patch of grass in the middle of the road. Turn left there, and keep going until you reach the Benny Decker Theater. The building is pretty big, so I doubt you’ll miss it. If you have time, you should drop in and grab a movie schedule, if you feel like going for a movie. From there, go left to the library. From there, to the elementary school, and drive toward the Youth Center, and pass it. The Youth Center is sort of hidden next to the Sullivans playground, and it’s only one story high, so you might miss it. Turn right after passing it and proceed until you reach the end. If you turn left and drive on just a little bit more, you have arrived at your destination. I usually go this route, but there are many more. Now, the second order of business once you get to Yokosuka is registration. You won’t have to pay money, because we’re on base. To attend, just a few things you would need to get by at YMS are: a backpack, lunch/lunch money, a binder, a planner, an eraser, at least two #2 pencils, two pens, a stack of paper, sanitary items, water, your electronic pass if you have an electronic, and finished (hopefully) homework. As you rush on to your next class, you may bump into some Japanese staff that work at YMS. Maybe a polite hello or thank you can be exchanged. To speak in Japanese a little more fluently, speak each syllable as if it were by itself. Hello, otherwise know as, konnichiwa should sound like “kon, ni, chi, wa,” all together fluently. The same goes for thank you. Arigatou, or thank you, should be pronounced “ah, lee, ga, to, oo.” Make these syllables short and stiff. Another word you might need if you were communicating with Japanese staff is, “this”. In Japanese, it is pronounced, “Ko, le”. Like the other words I introduced, you should say the syllables short and stiff. After you practice each syllable for all words, put it together, still slightly separated, and say them smoothly.
Review By M.C.
Welcome to Yokosuka! There are a variety of places and events here, everybody is bound to find a perfect location! Out of all those different sites to see, I chose Yokosuka Middle School. It is interesting to hear about different tourist attractions like Joypolis, Soleil, Kidzania, and Sea Paradise, but I think a lot of you might want to get to know where you’re going to learn. Yokosuka Middle School educates kids from grades six to eight. There is a diverse set of students here, but don’t worry, you’ll find the perfect friends who will always be there to stuff all your clothes in the freezer. Whoever you are, and wherever you are, we’ll all be waiting for your arrival. When you go to YMS for the first time, you’ll meet your Dragon Core guide. He or she will help you along the first few days of school. While you’ll get a first-class tour with your guide when you reach Yokosuka base, I’m sure some of you want a head-start.
YMS isn’t just an ordinary school, it’s OUR school, and unless you are sick, we’ll go to school every week day that is not a holiday. Though school is fun, it is a responsibility. We take education at school to prepare for college. YMS school hours are 7:35 am to 2:20 pm. Aside from responsibility, Yokosuka Middle School is an enjoyable place. If you are curious, the electives YMS has are: Spanish, Japanese, Chinese, Art, Applied Tech, Avid, Creative Writing, Government (7th grade), Choir (7th grade), Strings, Band, Humanities, Home Economics, ESL, Career Pathways, and Physical Education. Speaking of school, I should tell you about our school mascot. Yokosuka Middle School’s mascot is a dragon, and our school colors are green and yellow. Every year, we have something called spirit week, and we show our school spirit. In my opinion, I enjoy this part of the year, seeing everyone participating in silly themes, like Throwback Thursday, where we dress in clothes from different times in the past.
Yokosuka Middle School may seem like a big maze at first, but after the first week, you’ll know the school like the back of your hand. Unfortunately, Yokosuka base isn’t as easy as YMS. To get to YMS with a car, you first enter Womble gate. I remember when I first got here, I would start smiling like a mad man whenever we approached Womble Gate. Have your ID with you (duh) because the gate sentry will check for your ID. After that, proceed on until you see a little triangle patch of grass in the middle of the road. Turn left there, and keep going until you reach the Benny Decker Theater. The building is pretty big, so I doubt you’ll miss it. If you have time, you should drop in and grab a movie schedule, if you feel like going for a movie. From there, go left to the library. From there, to the elementary school, and drive toward the Youth Center, and pass it. The Youth Center is sort of hidden next to the Sullivans playground, and it’s only one story high, so you might miss it. Turn right after passing it and proceed until you reach the end. If you turn left and drive on just a little bit more, you have arrived at your destination. I usually go this route, but there are many more. Now, the second order of business once you get to Yokosuka is registration. You won’t have to pay money, because we’re on base. To attend, just a few things you would need to get by at YMS are: a backpack, lunch/lunch money, a binder, a planner, an eraser, at least two #2 pencils, two pens, a stack of paper, sanitary items, water, your electronic pass if you have an electronic, and finished (hopefully) homework. As you rush on to your next class, you may bump into some Japanese staff that work at YMS. Maybe a polite hello or thank you can be exchanged. To speak in Japanese a little more fluently, speak each syllable as if it were by itself. Hello, otherwise know as, konnichiwa should sound like “kon, ni, chi, wa,” all together fluently. The same goes for thank you. Arigatou, or thank you, should be pronounced “ah, lee, ga, to, oo.” Make these syllables short and stiff. Another word you might need if you were communicating with Japanese staff is, “this”. In Japanese, it is pronounced, “Ko, le”. Like the other words I introduced, you should say the syllables short and stiff. After you practice each syllable for all words, put it together, still slightly separated, and say them smoothly.