Requested By: Mr. Bronson, 7th Grade Counselor

If you or a friend you have is in 7th grade, then you might know of the new trend the 7th graders have created, clapping for no reason. The 12 and 13 year olds have gotten interested in clapping during lunch, some have questioned the purpose of it. Is it to celebrate something? Is it to show respect if someone important comes? (Although, what genuinely important person is coming to a random school in Minnesota?) We have asked a few people what their thoughts are on it and if they know how it started.

So Eagle’s Call staff Sanna and Seraphina went around Valley Middle School to five of the many 7th Grade advisors and asked to interview two students from each advisory class. We asked them two questions, one: what is your opinion on the clapping and two: do you know the general area of where it’s coming from. Also, some people did want to stay Anonymous so we are not going to say their names.

First off we have Anonymous and Zak from Mrs. Largent’s Advisory. When we asked them the first question, Zak said that “I like it.” Anonymous said that they find it “obnoxious and annoying.” Then we asked our second question, do you know the general area of where it is coming from? Zak said in the back by the stage and Anonymous said around the edge by the lunch line. We then asked them for a random 7th Grade Advisory Teacher, they couldn’t think of one so we thought of a random teacher. We ended up going to Dr. Curry Bradach’s Advisory class. From there we interviewed Olivia and Axel. Olivia said that they found it triggering because it was loud and hurt her ears. Axel said “it is just stupid”. When we asked the next question Olivia said that it was in the middle of the cafeteria by the lunch line and Axel had no comment. This was all of day one.

On our second day of interviewing we got four more interviews done. We went to a classroom with an anonymous teacher and we interviewed Mariah and Jaylee. Mariah said that they don’t care for it, Jaylee said “it’s alright”. When we asked the second question they both had no comment. After that, we went to the last class, Mr. Hutcheson. From there we interviewed Anonymous and Maia. Anonymous said it’s too loud but doesn’t hate it. Maia said that they don’t like the clapping and it that it has no reason. When we asked the next question Anonymous had no comment and Maia said “it’s near the garbage cans”. She also added, “please stop the people who are doing this”.

The result of this was that we have now found the true cause of the clapping sensation that swept through seventh grade. But now we’d like to hear from you. What do you think of this strange obsession? Is it fun and goofy- or just another nuisance?