EAGLE EYE NEWSPAPER Final Edition June 2017

1

Eagle Eye Staff

Ms. Michaels- Advisor

Milan Bhatia-Guerin- writer Nika Midgette- writer /photographer ​ ​ ​ Aliza Cotton- writer Cassidy O’Brien- writer ​ ​ ​ Megan Dellenbaugh- entertainment / writer Holden Prescott- comics ​ ​ ​ Anthony Dennison- writer Alyssa Rebhun- art ​ ​ ​ Orion Dennin- entertainment editor / writer Shay Roberts- writer ​ ​ ​ Anish Deshpande- entertainment / writer Peyton Roach- writer / art ​ ​ ​ Kira Doherty- writer Christine Schrempf- writer ​ ​ ​ ​ Aslinn Edmonds- writer Becca Sheingold- writer ​ ​ ​ Emma Henn- photographer Sarah Singh- copy editor / writer ​ ​ ​ Eric Jestel- writer Ryan Teplizky- writer ​ ​ ​ Brayden Karn- writer Mya Thibult- writer ​ ​ ​ Stacey Lee- copy editor / writer Grace Truchard- entertainment/ writer ​ ​ ​ ​ Isabella Maritato- writer Emma VanLuven- writer ​ ​ ​ Kevin Martone- writer Donovan Wray- writer ​ ​ ​ Ryan McMillen- comics And numerous guest authors & artists ​ ​

A Message From the Staff As the year comes to an end, we must give a huge thanks to all of our wonderful school staff and faculty; they have encouraged and helped us through it all. As summer nears, we are finishing one chapter of our lives, while also moving on to the next. For some of us, the next chapter lies in high school. And for others, it may be 8th or 7th grade. No matter what the next chapter is for you, always remember to continue your hard work, and be the best person you can possibly be, even if it may be difficult at times. This school year has been a whirlwind of memories and hard work, from hanging out with friends, to taking finals. Nevertheless, we at BCMS will always have the memories and knowledge with us as we move onto the next chapter of our lives. Despite all of our differences, we will always be one big Eagle family. Have a great summer! -Stacey Lee

2

Finding the Extraordinary in the Ordinary Submitted by: Ms. Michaels, Eagle Eye Advisor Winter / Spring 2017

Remember when the slogan, “Practice Random Acts of Kindness and Senseless Acts of Beauty” first appeared? It seemed to be everywhere, calling to each one of us from billboards, bumper stickers, coffee mugs, t-shirts, and even refrigerator magnets. Testimonies were collected and made public about those who were recipients of such acts and others who dared to extend themselves by spreading some goodwill and cheer. These stories served to illuminate extraordinary moments in the ordinary spaces of our lives. Remember when? Finding the “Extraordinary in the Ordinary”….what exactly does that mean? The thing of it is each one of us has the potential, at any moment and time, to make a difference in someone else’s life….to have a positive and lasting impact that might brighten another’s outlook and inspire them to be the best possible version of themselves. I’m quite confident that if you all took some time to reach back into the archives of your memories, you’d each have a story to share….a time when you might have reached out to someone. Maybe it was your friend, family, colleague or neighbor. Maybe it was a person unknown to you….one who looked as if they were in need of a kind word or assistance. Perhaps you were the recipient of one such thoughtful act. Nevertheless, whether we are cognisant of it or not, our genuine actions, words, and efforts do indeed make a difference in the lives of those we encounter. ​ ​ Several years ago, while I was on retreat in Greenville, New York, I met a very precocious 3-year old girl named Noel. Noel’s parents, Len and Jyl, were the proprietors of Balsam Shade, a resort nestled amidst a beautiful backdrop in the Catskill Mountains. The Digiovanni's where a family of 5, each assigned a role that ensured their guests would experience nothing but comfort and relaxation. What first drew me to Noel was her sense of awe and wonder about the world...an urgency and thirst to learn about EVERYTHING! When Noel smiled, so did everyone in the room. When she giggled, it started in her toes, and moved up to her belly, until her whole body was involved. This little one had a contagious personality that everyone couldn’t help but love! Noel and me….well, we quickly became buddies, reading pals. In fact, in between conferences and talks, she’d be waiting for me over near the staircase, armed with a bag of books she was eager to explore. Without even a minutes notice, I would feel the tug of her tiny hand in mine, pulling me toward the nearest sofa. We read, laughed, and imagined that weekend, as I enjoyed Noel’s passion and enthusiasm for stories, while

3

she soaked up every bit of my undivided attention. Needless to say, come Sunday, when the retreat came to a close, having to say “goodbye” was a sad time for both of us. Ten years passed before I would return to Balsam Shade once again….but this time as part of the retreat staff. At this point in my life, I was working as a loan officer in a highly stress-filled credit union. I arrived that afternoon feeling tired and beat up, ultimately needing to curl up in a fetal position and have a good cry. As I approached the check-in desk Jyl welcomed me, as always, with a big hug and warm smile. And, eager to inform me of the latest news, she announced that Noel, now 13 years old, had something she couldn’t wait to share with me. More specifically, Jyl went on to explain... “Noel was asked to write about a person that made a difference in her life.” I truly wanted to hear more about this, but what I needed the most was to take some time and space to regroup. Tears had started to escape the sides of my eyelids and I wasn’t sure how much longer I could keep it all together. Just as the keys safely reached my extended hand, Jyl continued….”You know, the essay was about you. Noel wrote about the time that you spent reading together and how much that meant to her.” For me, there is nothing more rewarding or gives me greater pleasure than to read and share my favorite books with others. In my mind, this is just an ordinary activity that I engage in almost daily. For Noel, however, this activity was extraordinary….the moments an adult took to bring the magic and wonder of a story to life in her own living room….something that she still cherished 10 years after that experience. Recognizing the “Extraordinary in the Ordinary” each day is a gift, something that I have been a recipient of and witnessed in abundance over the past 5 months as a guest teacher, colleague, and the Eagle Eye Newspaper Club advisor at BCMS. The collection of writing and artistry that has been submitted for this last edition of the Eagle Eye represents just a sliver of the EXTRAORDINARY that exists within our learning community. William Wordsworth encouraged writers to “fill your paper with the breathings of your heart.” I believe that our students have by far exceeded in their endeavors to do so, having bravely shared what is most important to them as individuals and as members of a greater community. And so, I invite you to read and savor the messages these young, yet insightful, creative, and humorous authors and artists have crafted…..allow their voices, images, and stories to inspire and challenge YOU to become the best possible version of yourself. For these are indeed the extraordinary moments in the ordinary spaces of our lives.

Ms. Michaels

4

20 Things About Mr.Nichols You A: Andy Caponi Never Thought of Asking Him Q: Do you have a hobby? By Anish Deshpande A: Riding motorcycles on twisty mountain roads with my friends Q: What’s your passion? Mr.Nichols is a teacher at BCMS. A: Writing songs, playing guitar, and Before I came to BCMS I thought I reading books would not be able to adjust very well. Q: What is your favorite subject? However, Mr.Nichols helped me to be A: Social studies and science are the comfortable in the school. He is a great best! teacher because he finds ways to make Q: Which subject do you think is the students happy while studying. For easiest? example, he uses games that help us A: Math- you just have to stay in learn new vocabulary and grammar. practice and treat it like solving puzzles. I give him credit for my great Q: What was your dream when you were test grades as well as my Aspen grades. a kid? He is my favorite teacher ever. I am A: To be a superhero! going to miss him after I graduate and Q: What elementary school did you go to high school. I will never forget him attend? for the rest of my life. A: Five different schools in Tennessee Q: What is your father’s name? and north Georgia A: Richard Phillips Q: Where did you attend middle and Q: What is your mother’s name? high school A: Diana Phillips A: East Ridge Junior High and Notre Q: Do you have any siblings? Dame High School A: No Q: What college did you go to? Q: What is your wife’s name? A: University of Tennessee at A: Kathy Calista Chattanooga & SUNY Albany Q:Do you have any children? If yes, how Q: What was your first job? old are they? A: Delivering pizzas A: Yes, I have two children- Henry (8) Q: Why did you come to this city? and Stella (5). A: I moved up to Albany to accept a job Q: In what city were you born and as a motorcycle mechanic brought up? Q: Why did you become a teacher? A: I was born at Fort Dix,New Jersey A: I had the opportunity to teach for a when my father was drafted to Vietnam ​ ​ year in Baltimore when I was 25, even and grew up in Chattanooga,Tennessee. though I wasn’t certified to teach. Q:Who is your best friend?

5

After that experience, I thought about becoming a teacher when I became dissatisfied with other jobs. I was

​Community Garden Are you looking for an opportunity to make a difference in your community this summer? Do you have an interest in gardening? All hands and levels of working at a motorcycle shop and the experience are welcome to gather in the owner asked me to teach some classes to BCMS Community Garden Tuesday the customers. I had such a good time evenings from 6:00-8:00 pm. This is an with this project, I decided to go back incredibly vital mission serving our to school and become a teacher. Delmar and neighboring residents, as all Q: How many years have you been a of the produce harvested is donated to teacher? the Bethlehem Food Pantry. Please ​ ​ A: This is my 10th year. consider dropping in and giving it a try! Q: What suggestions would you offer teens about the world? A: Volunteer, travel, and see as much of the world as you can while you’re young.

“Every blade of grass

has an angel that bends

over it and whispers, "Grow! Grow!"

Talmud

6

The Battle Between the U.S. and North Korea By: Stacey Lee Politics. One of the most complicated and controversial topics to discuss. Before I say anything more, I must say that I am not a member of the Democratic, Republican, Vermont Progressive, Libertarian, Working Families, or any other political party. Now that it’s settled, let’s delve into the whole mumble-jumble that is politics. First and foremost, tensions between North Korea and the U.S. are rising each day. North Korea is using their nuclear weapons for one simple reason. They want to demonstrate their nuclear power. Why are we encouraging them? Many are growing impatient at the dangerous game the two countries are currently playing. And by many, I mean me. Why must we get ourselves involved in foreign affairs? George Washington once said “It is our policy to steer clear of permanent alliances with any portion of the foreign world.” And yet here we are. Making the same mistake we have made many times before. I realize I might be coming off a bit strong, but I am just stating the facts that I believe passionately. We are letting North Korea get the attention that they want. It is simply distracting the public from the other key issues going on in the world. What about the impending issue of health care? Or the fact that 1 in 4 children in Arab countries live in poverty?

YUMMY DESSERTS

Quick and Easy Rocky Road Parfait Makes 4 servings Prep: 15 mins Stand: 5 mins Kira’s Doherty’s Kitchen Favorites Ingredients: ● 1 four serving size pudding mix or package. ● 2 cups of MILK ● ½ cup of frozen whipped dessert, thawed ● ¼ cup salted peanuts, coarsely chopped ● ¼ cup tiny marshmallows

Directions

1. Prepare pudding mix according to package directions using the milk. Remove 3/4 cup of the pudding and place in a small bowl; fold in whipped topping until combined.

7

2. Divide remaining plain chocolate pudding among four 6-ounce glasses or dessert dishes. Top with dessert topping mixture. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes or until set. 3. Sprinkle with peanuts and marshmallows. If desired, garnish with chocolate curls.

Chewy Chocolate Caramel Bars Makes: 48 servings Prep: 25 minutes Bake 25 minutes http://www.midwestliving.com/

Ingredients

● 1 package 2-layer-size German chocolate cake mix ​ ● 3/4 cup butter, melted ​ ● 1 5 - ounce can (2/3 cup) evaporated milk ​ ● 1 14 - ounce package vanilla caramels, unwrapped ​ ● 1 cup chopped walnuts ​ ● 1 cup semisweet chocolate pieces ​

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 13x9x2-inch baking pan; set aside. 2. In large bowl, combine cake mix, melted butter and 1/3 cup of the evaporated milk. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Spread half the dough in prepared baking pan; set aside remaining dough. In a heavy large saucepan combine caramels and remaining 1/3 cup evaporated milk. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until melted and smooth. Pour evenly over dough layer in pan. Sprinkle with nuts and chocolate pieces. Crumble remaining dough evenly over nuts and chocolate pieces. 3. Bake for 25 minutes. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Cut into bars. Makes 48 bars.

Storage

● Layer cookies between waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

8

Horoscopes some mesh made of sponge cake will break your By Orion Dennin (a Leo) fall. DO NOT EAT IT. That will be your dream Aries (3/20-4/20): Take a look at Mars. tonight ​ Libra (9/23-10/23): Take another look There will be a red dot, and it will look like ​ there are three moons. This means do not at Venus. That missing cloud is back. This steal. Especially pretzels, because it is means that you will play Hide-and-Go Seek, but annoying. nobody can find you. You will wish that there Taurus (4/21-5/21): Take a look at was a Hide-and-Seek TV show. Then you have ​ Venus. There will be one less cloud of sulfuric the idea to go and make one. You go on Shark ​ acid! This means that by the time you have Tank to try and get them to help you, but they ​ finished reading this, you will have learned the will turn you down since they don’t do TV phrase “Show me the money!”. However, do not shows. Scorpio (10/23-11/21): Take a look at say it because it’s it is annoying. Just like ​ Pluto. No, that’s Charon. No, that’s Ceres. No, stealing pretzels. ​ ​ Gemini (5/21-6/21): Take a look at that’s Jupiter-How do you mix up pluto and ​ Mercury. You will not be able to see it. Because Jupiter? Ah-forget it. Go back to bed. I notice the sun turned into a blackhole because of that Pluto is no longer a planet. This means ​ FREAKING GLOBAL WARMING AND that you will read a book, lean back in your SWALLOWED THE PLANET! This means that chair, and fall on the floor. ​ Sagittarius (11/21-12/21): Take a look you will grow a second head because of global ​ warming, and sort of live up to your horoscope. at Jupiter. It will be big, orange, and gassy. Cancer (6/21-7/23): Take a look at the Like it always is. Jupiter can be boring at ​ Moon. If you look closely at a crater, you will times. This means you will have an average day, see a block of cheese. This means that you love and a fidget spinner will get caught in your ​ ​ dairy, but there is a slight chance you have an hair. Capricorn (12/22-1/19): Take a look at intolerance to it. ​ Leo (7/23-8/23): Leo is ruled by the Saturn. As you may be able to see, it has a ​ sun (because we’re hot). However I am not ring. Saturn, I congratulate you on your going to interpret the sun because it will burn upcoming nuptials. This means that you will your eyes out. So I’m just gonna make this up. either start dating, or whoever you are dating You are SUCH a good looking person! And you will dump you. Aquarius (1/20-2/18): Take a look at are SO Smart! You get a modeling contract, ​ with free alfajores for life! And you get a Uranus. Heh heh heh, I still think that name is scholarship to Harvard, Yale, Oxford, funny. Anyway-what are you doing? Never Stanford, Columbia AND MIT. FREAKING mind. Anyway...It’s blue, it’s big, MIT! yada,yada,yada… Anyway this means that you Virgo (8/23-9/23): Take a look at will set the table tonight, and everybody wants ​ Mercury again. Still can’t see it? This will mean water. You will fully live up to your sign. Pisces (2/19-3/20): Finally take a look that you will ride a unicorn on a rainbow, but it ​ will break because the unicorn is fat. However, at Neptune. It is now… GREEN!This means that you should get a leaf.

9

Unpublished But Not Unspoken of one half of a page. These stories are By Becca Sheingold not very good, nor are they completely legible. But hadn’t I written them, I Picture this: you are a writer. A wouldn’t be able to truthfully declare creative mind that sees life very myself an aspiring author. Had I quit, different than the rest. Every step you none of my characters would exist. All take has its own words that define it. of their worlds would merely be images Every friend you have is a character inside my brain, not to be seen by that shapes you, the protagonist, with another person. I prevailed, as should every lunchtime conversation. And music. you. It’s not the just instrumentals that It all starts with an idea. For me, make your heart skip a beat, but more so it’s usually a person. They have the name the lyrics. Every line of your favorite that you always wanted, and the physical song has its own shapes and colors that appearance that you dream of. They live force out a smile. You can remember in a world with numerous problems and most every dream you have had, and can must solve them, detesting what society picture each and every person in each says. You shape this world and the and every situation. Every instance stories that take place within. You are in paints itself for you, in a sea of control. glistening words that you feel only you Having written many stories, I can can enjoy. You have words. Words and say that it’s not easy. Don’t think it vain punctuation and grammar that help of me to say that it is, in fact, quite shape a perfect paragraph of immense difficult. Not every story will become a beauty. Now consider this: you feel that novel. I’m a student here, I have you are not good enough to express all homework everyday, quizzes and tests of this. every week. I face all of the same It never ceases to amaze me how problems that the average student does. simply my configuration of words can I know how hard it can be to deal with mean something different to everyone everything given to you and dealing with upon reading it. The words that spill all the things that you want to do as onto the pages can sway you to laugh, soon as you get home from school. I’m no grin, be on the very edge of your seat stranger to stress. That’s why I write. and shed tears. All I did was type. To me, nothing is more amazing than to I started writing from the see your ideas that you spent hours upon second I became literate, feeling a hours on, coming together to form a sense of pride as I completed my story gratifying plot. Nothing relieves more

10

stress and anxiety than to continue to the overarching story of my life. As a writing that one chapter that fills you writer, you know how to read the world with seemingly eternal joy. around you, the people, places and I am constantly pondering how instances. I spend time comprehending writing affects my everyday life. For most everything. Every problem that one, it fills me with a burning passion to does not have a clear answer, every correct my friends on their grammar, person that compresses their emotions, which drives them a bit insane. It also every situation that presents itself out causes me to see everything as a novel. I of the blue, and every book that moves ponder over the little details of your thoughts to unknown places. everything because they mean so much Because comprehending is almost as enjoyable as writing. First Days By Aislinn Edmonds There are times in people's lives when they say it’s the first day of the rest of their lives. In reality that day is not just one day, it’s a series of days and events throughout someone's life that changes the way they see the world and how they choose to live differently because of it. I've had several first days, and I know I have a lot more that will present themselves in my lifetime. Believe it or not, first days are a lot scarier and a lot harder than they seem. This is due to the fact that we get too comfortable with our regular everyday lives that a “first day”, a day that changes everything about how you decide to live your life, is scary. We as humans don't like change, but your desire of being your greatest self must overpower the fear of change. That is the only way you can prevail. A first day can happen at any time and throw your whole world upside down. It could be today, it could be tomorrow, next week, yesterday, or next year. It doesn’t matter when it’s coming or what it’s doing here or why it presented itself now. All that matters is how you react and what you do past this point. Change can knock you off balance and send you falling with most of your surroundings coming down with you and you will never live the same. Or you can take that change and use it as a stepping stool to something better and you will never live the same. Teenagers are a very impressionable species and the more authoritative people in your life can be intimidating and will sometimes try to influence your thinking because they think it’s best for you. Just remember to do what you believe in and live the life you want because every single decision, action, reaction, and a countless number of other things are what makes you who you are and who you grow up to be. It can be scary, but only if you let it. Go on, do what you please, because today is just another day of the rest of your life.

11

Women Who Changed the Course of History

By Emma VanLuven There are so many women who changed the course of history. Many women helped from behind the scenes. Others chose to make a stand. Elizabeth Cady Stanton is one of the women who chose to make a stand. In 1848 Elizabeth helped organize the first ever women’s rights convention along with Susan B. Anthony. This was happening while the North was starting to revolt against slavery. These women had no rights. Some women were widows and had land and a good amount of money when they were married the man would get all the money and property the lady had gained. If the couple divorced, the man got the children and everything else. Women couldn’t be trusted to vote and if they got an education there subjects that only boys were taught (like math) and subjects that were only taught to girls (sewing). After going to Emma Willard’s Academy in Troy, Elizabeth spent her days at her abolitionist, cousin Gerrit Smith’s house doing social activities. In those time she met and fell in love with another abolitionist by the name of Henry B. Stanton. Elizabeth Cady and Henry B. Stanton were married in 1840. The two went to London for their honeymoon. There, they attended the World’s Antislavery Convention. That is where Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Cady Stanton met. In 1848 she and Mott organized the first women’s rights convention and fought for the right of women’s suffrage (right to vote) . After the Convention, “Cady Stanton threw ​ herself into the political drama of the Civil War and with Anthony formed the National Women’s Loyal League on behalf of the constitutional abolition of slavery.” Elizabeth Cady did a lot to secure women’s rights. She died on October 26, 1902.

History.com Staff. "Elizabeth Cady Stanton."History.com A&E Television Networks, 2009. Web. 16 May 2017. Http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Elizabeth+Cady+Stanton

12

FIND OUT WHAT YOUR SUPERHERO NAME IS! By: Megan Dellenbaugh

What is the first letter of your first name?

A - Loony B - Zapper C - Blaster D - The Awesomest E - Alpha ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

F - Beta G - Meat H - Commander I - Venom J - Ima K - Taco ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

L - Shadow M - Queen N - Mustache O - Guy of P - Storm ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

Q - Silly R - Hyper S - Cat T - Fire U - Super V - Superiffic ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

W - Secret X - Freaky Y - Professor Z - Diamond ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Pick that letter and write the word down next to it What is the first letter of your last name?

A - Lioness B - Zinger C - Lightning D - Ivystorm E - Moon ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

F - Banana G - Holly H - Fairy I - Venom J - Cool ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

K - Wing L - Shadow M - Lollipop N - Mustache O - Advice ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

P - Storm Q - Duke R - Hyper S - Cat T - Fire U - Marble ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

V - Creature W - Ruby X - Wing Y - Column Z - Diamond ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Pick that letter and write the word down next to it.

There you go! Now, go amaze the world with your powers!!

13

Two Countries Divided By A Common Language By Grace Truchard Although the United Kingdom and the United States might share the same language, some words create confusion. Different parts of the world develop differently and that includes what we say. Like when you are ordering food in America and you are from England, you ask for chips and you get crisps! How dare they! But, it is quite common and here is a list to help you through those tough times.

British American

Crisps Chips

Chips Fries

Jam Jelly

Football Soccer

Torch Flashlight

Swimming Costume/Cozzie Swim Suit

Lift Elevator

Loo Bathroom

Trainers Sneakers

Pants/Knickers Underwear

Trousers Pants

Holiday Vacation

Elastoplast Band Aid

Bird Lady

Underground/Tube Subway

Full Stop Period

Rubbish Trash

14

Queue Line

Biscuit Cookie

Coach Bus

Pudding Dessert

Garden Yard

Bin Trash Can

Pitch Field

Submitted by Alyssa Rebhun: An 8th Grade Health & Anti-Bullying Advocacy Project

15

TIMELESS ARTISTS- Part 2 By Donovan Wray

I’m back. It’s that kid who cares way too much about old people music again, yep that’s me! Anyway, it’s no secret that when bands stay together long enough they begin to seriously hate each other like The Beatles, Guns n’ Roses, Pink Floyd, Oasis, Metallica, The Beach Boys, Blink 182 and the list goes on. Right now, I want to focus on one band in particular that you’ve probably heard of, The Rolling Stones. To put into perspective how much these guys liked each other here's a quick story. One night, while The Stones were on tour, Keith Richards (Rhythm guitar) and Mick Jagger (Lead singer) were in a hotel room. Mick Jagger called up Charlie watts (Drummer) on the hotel phone, who was in the same building at the time in a different room, and said something along the lines of “I want my drummer up here now!”. Charlie Watts did in fact come up to Jagger’s room that night but he might have regretted calling when Charlie's first met Jagger’s face. Not to mention that Keith Richards and Mick Jagger didn’t talk for years out of hatred. Although they weren’t so fond of each other they were very fond of music and made some really amazing songs that you’ve probably heard of like, Satisfaction. Satisfaction is one of their most famous songs that their guitarist keith richards quite literally dreamt up. In a Florida Hotel, Keith Richards awoke in the middle of the night with the famous riff already in his head. Before Keith could forget about it, he quickly began to record it. According to Keith, he listened to the tape he had recorded hours prior when he woke up, he said “it was two minutes of ‘Satisfaction’ and 40 minutes of me snoring.” Although Satisfaction is an amazing song that gets stuck in your head, and I can’t say enough good things about it, there’s just one other song I want to cover, Gimme Shelter. No, I don’t mean their movie, but their song is just a jewel. Although it is a more adult song, which might be a little too much for most people, when it was released The Rolling Stone magazine said that “The Stones have never done anything better,” and no, The Rolling Stone magazine has nothing to do with the band. This song was mainly written about the Vietnam war, which was going on at the time, and struck a lot of people deeply. This was the first war that was televised and unlike any other war it was a disgusting war and people didn’t know how to feel about it. Most people were angry about the things that were going on in Vietnam so I think that the lyrics are so adult because The Rolling Stones made this song as sort of a protest towards the Vietnam war.

16

Even though they all hated each other at one time or another they still made great music and worked together to make one of my favorite songs and some of the world's greatest hits. The emotion and passion they pour into the melody and lyrics of their pieces truly make these songs some of the greatest ever and their pieces and stories will definitely go down in history.

MUSIC Moves Me By Peyton Roach

MUSIC moves me in the air MUSIC can be found almost everywhere MUSIC carries through plants and trees Now where is it taking me? Through the many halls of school Through the chlorine of the pool Now we’re floating near concert halls “Shouldn’t we be there?” I said, As I pointed back to it all I couldn’t see the trees anymore Because it carried me to the ocean shore! I closed my eyes for just one second, when I realized that I was in space! I asked it, “Would you stop carrying me? Just get me back to the human Race!” I blinked and I was back at home, when I noticed something strange I tried to talk but no sound came out I think I scared it away!

17

What Electronic Milan M​u​s​i​c Bhatia-Guerin Really​ is

Most people think of Electronic music as intense, loud, dubstep. And their right! Kind of… Actually, they’re more like 2% right. Most pop that you hear on the radio is electronic music. Even some classic rock songs have electronic instruments. No, not electric. Those are different things. MIDI has been around for a long time. For those of you who aren’t electronic music geeks, MIDI means Musical Instrument Digital Interface. MIDI is the base of all electronic music. It was first used in old synthesizers (electric keyboards). Now, we use MIDI is so many different things. Your phone ringtone: MIDI. Your Favorite pop song: MIDI. That beep before the school announcements: MIDI. I could go on forever. The point is, MIDI is everywhere. Basically, if a song is made mostly from electronic components, its Electronic Music. If a piece is 50.0000000001% electronic, it’s electronic music. But even with this explanation, most electronic music is EDM (Electronic Dance Music), which is much more than 50.00000000001% electronic. Most of the time, it’s 100%! So are people mostly right about their assumptions? Well… no. Dubstep makes up less than 20% of EDM. There are countless other genres. Trap, Drumstep, DnB, Future Bass, House, Progressive House, Techno, Glitch Hop, Moombahton, Reggaeton, Electro, Nu Disco, Indie Dance, Synthwave, Tech House, Electro House, Chillout, ………

But aaaaaaaaaanyways… Hardcore, intense dubstep is only one of the ​hundreds of genres. Keep that in mind next time you think ​“Electronic music”​.

18

Shri Chhatrapati Shivaji- My Hero By Anish Deshpande

Hi guys remember me! I am Anish Deshpande. In the last edition my contributions were about my Europe tour experience and a sudoku. Now this time I came up with another topic about my home land India. While I was studying in India my favorite subject was history, as India had produced a lot of sung and unsung heros. I am going to write about my favorite idol of all the country Shri Chhatrapati Shivaji. Shivaji is his name and Shri Chhatrapati (The Legend) is an honor and respect he got from the country.

This is about an age when Muslims were ruling over India and all of the people that were not Muslims were treated as slaves by Muslims. Actually Muslims were not really native Indians. Muslims first came from the Mughal Empire which was formed in 1526 and then later from other foreign powers. In 1630 India was ruled by foreign powers. The south was controlled by the Adil Shahi Empire, the Nizam Shahi Empire, and the Qutb Shahi Empire. The north was controlled by the Mughal Empire which was trying to rule the whole country. Every Empire had a cruel emperor. All of these foreign powers took a lot of taxes from Indian people and used that money for themselves, forced them to follow Islam/Muslim religion, and if Indian people didn’t give them any taxes or didn’t follow Islam/Muslim religion they would kill people and burn their houses. They used to destroy temples and kill people who were worshiping the Hindu god. They tortured a lot of people. India suffered through all this. But nature had a plan to stop the stuff going on in the country.

The Birth of a Legend At that time there were many Indian people and kings who were forced to work under foreign powers. There were also some Indian people and kings who worked because they were greedy. A man named Shahaji Bhosle used to work as a city mayor under the Adil Shahi Empire. Shahaji Bhosle and his wife Jijabai had a son named Shivaji. Shivaji was born in Fort of Shivneri, Maharashtra on February 19th 1630. Shivaji’s mother Jijabai told him the stories about many brave warriors and wars. She also taught him how to use a sword, bow and arrow, and a spear to make him a good warrior.

Starting a Dream of Freedom As Shivaji grew from boy to a teen he felt like he should achieve freedom because he hated to see people suffering. People in his city respected Shivaji so when he asked them to fight for freedom with him many people agreed to go with him to fight. Most people accepted Shivaji as their leader. Shivaji was a good example of leadership. In 1645 Shivaji captured the fort of Torna and then took an oath of ( )- swaraj/freedom in a temple in Raireshwar town. After ​ वराज that he started to capture forts like Kondana, Raigad, Shivneri, Vijaydurg, Sindhudurg, Rajgad, and Pratapgad which were owned by foreign powers. All the forts had more troops than Shivaji did because most of the Indian people were working for the foreign powers.

19

Obstacles Before Being a King Shivaji faced many obstacles before his country accepted him as a king. His first obstacle was Afzal Khan. Afzal Khan used to work for the Adilshahi Empire as a mayor of Wai and he had about 50000 soldiers. Shivaji only had 3000 soldiers. Shivaji invited Afzal Khan to meet so that Shivaji would surrender but this was a trick. Shivaji’s plan was to kill Afzal Khan and his army and which was successful. Most of the Shivaji’s army was ready to sacrifice their life for him and they did.

A Spectacularly Great Chhatrapati Shivaji captured 360 forts which were owned by the foreign powers to secure the nation. After that some of the people who worked with Shivaji and some of the common people requested him to be a king. Shivaji accepted the request to be a king. His coronation took place in Rajgad fort, Maharashtra which was a geographically well planned by nature strategy wise on June, 6 1674. The Shivaji’s Empire was known as Maratha Empire. He was the founder of the Maratha Empire..

First to second Chhatrapati Shivaji was a great king. He used to take care of the citizens in his empire. He served as a king for six years from 1674 - 1680. He died in Raigad Fort, Maharashtra on April, 3 1680. After he died Shivaji’s son Sambhaji was the king of Maratha Empire. Maratha Empire lost a big part of his empire after death of Sambhaji through a lot of torture by Mughal Empire and Mughal Empire captured all the foreign power so there was just one foreign power in India . But the Empire became much stronger later. Maratha Empire later captured more than half of the country and made Mughal Empire power less. Shivaji died but he captured many places which gave Indian people a spirit which lead Maratha Empire to capture more than half of the country.

What Shivaji did was spectacularly wonderful. His deeds helped India a lot to gain independence from the Muslims. The position where India is right now is because of Shivaji. He gets pretty much all of the credit for the independence of India. He played a very important role in India’s history. https://www.britannica.com and answers.yahoo.com. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

20

Dreams Deciphered By Cassidy O’Brien

Dreams. We all have them, some more than others, but regardless most of us do. From running peacefully through a field, to hiding from a dragon terrorizing your town, we all have dreams. Even some we don’t remember. But usually dreams symbolize something from your subconscious mind, and many times, the meaning is totally unrelated. What strange dreams have you had, and what is hiding in your psyche?

What if you dream you have a baby? Many times, people will dream about having or holding a baby. It is very common. But what does it dictate? Most times a baby in a dream symbolizes innocence, competition, and new beginnings. Maybe you are going to a new school, maybe you’re moving, maybe you’re just starting a new diet. Any sort of big or small change in your life can be brought to your dreams through a baby. They also can mean that there is something inside you that is pure, uncorrupted, and vulnerable. And extra points to you if the baby is smiling up at you. It symbolizes joy and pure bliss. But this is just to see a baby, not necessarily yours or someone you know.

What does it mean if you’re flying? Dreaming about flying can symbolize lots of things. It really depends on the context of the dream. Very often however, flying dreams represent the feeling of freedom. It can act as a metaphor for being released from the pressures and stress of life. Like the ground is symbolizing the struggles and you are able to flee them by flying away.

What if you dream that you’re floating? Floating dreams can mean lots of different things, like with all other dreams, it depends on the context. Most often, floating dreams symbolize independence, freedom, acceptance, happiness, satisfaction, and ​ success.

What if you dream about falling? Dreams are not as positive of most of the other dreams listed so far. Dreams of falling are big red flags for what’s going on in your life. It means that whatever direction you are going in is the WRONG ​ DIRECTION. Relationships, work, or any life choice is wrong or bad to your subconscious, and it’s telling you to ​ change something.

What if you dream about falling off a building? Dreams about falling off building just as bad as regular falling. They symbolize insecurities, instabilities, and anxieties. It means that you are overwhelmed, and are out of control in something in your life. This can be in any part of your life, but it just symbolizes loss of control.

21

What if you dream you are being chased?

Dreaming about being chased most commonly means that you are avoiding something that your subconscious mind wants you to face. Maybe there's something that you’ve been procrastinating on, or anything you’ve put off. It also could be someone you’ve been avoiding. What really matters is who is chasing you.

What does it mean if you dream about animals or fighting with them? Animals in dreams often symbolize uncontrolled or unmaintained parts of yourself. If you dream about fighting an animal it means that you are trying to hide or push away a part of yourself from your subconscious.

What if you dream about clothes? Clothes in your dreams represent how we want people to perceive us. If you dream about old, shabby clothes, it can mean that your subconscious thinks people see you as unattractive, or that you are worn out like your clothes. If you dream about changing your clothes is symbolizes a new beginning for your personality.

What if you dream about a test or exam? If you dream about an exam it can symbolize your self-evaluation. If you do poorly, you feel poorly about yourself, and vice-versa.

What if you dream about food? Food represents knowledge, because it acts similar to nourishment to the brain, as food is nourishment to the body. Or maybe you’re just hungry.

What if you dream about hands? If you dream about washing your hands, it represents the feeling of guilt. Like you’re trying to wash away your bad doings that you regret. Seeing your hands tied up can symbolize you feeling helpless. And if you focus on your hands in a dream, you may be able to lucid dream, which is when you realize you’re in a dream and can control what happens.

What if you dream about a house? Dreams of houses can have many different meanings, but most often the house represents your mentality or personality. Each room represents a different room, memory, or personality trait.

What if you dream about marriage?

22

Dreaming about marriage can symbolize ones want to wed, or someones want to merge together their femininity and masculinity of your subconscious.

What if you dream about missing a flight or other form of travel? Missing a flight or other form of travel symbolizes the feeling of frustration over missed opportunities in life. This is most common in people who are struggling to make a big life decision.

What if you dream about money, or giving it away? Dreams of money can symbolize a person's feeling of self worth. If you dream about giving away money or exchanging it with another, it represents that a person's subconscious is expecting big changes in their life soon.

What does it mean if you dream about losing teeth? A dream about losing teeth can represent someone's fear of aging, specifically looking old, and fearing that people don’t or no longer find you attractive. If one dreams about pulling out teeth, or their teeth being pulled out rather than falling out, it can be caused by hardship in one's life due to a hard transition.

What if you dream about being trapped? A dream of being trapped or restrained represent a person's feeling of being trapped in a bad situation. It can also mean they feel like they are unable to make the right, or best choice in their conscious mind.

What if you dream about water? Water in dreams represents a person's inner self or their psyche. The status of the water is what displays the dreams meaning. If it is a calm pool of water, that is similar to how you feel. Calm and relaxed. However, a rough, stormy ocean can indicate the opposite. If you have this dream and don’t understand what it means, compare the status of the water to your real life. Choppy ocean? Have you been stressed lately, or been going through a big change? It all depends on the body of water you are in or seeing.

23

Characters Matter In my book, the character, named Aragorn, is brave and persistent. Over the years I hope to develop these qualities. A lot of the time, when I am scared, I don’t face my fears. I wish I was braver so I could do adventurous things such as rock climbing and ziplining. Also, I wish I was more persistent. Many of the things I start, I never finish. Especially when the task at hand is difficult. Aragorn shows his bravery and persistence many times in the book. When his friends Merry and Pippin are taken, he goes on a dangerous quest to find them. He must go through an extremely terrifying and dangerous forest. Even though he has been told many times not to go into the Forest of Fangorn, he does it anyways. This shows Aragorn's bravery. When all hope was lost and he wanted to give up looking for his friends that were most likely dead, he doesn't turn back and go home. He is persistent and keeps going. I hope one day I will be as brave and persistent as Aragorn. Submitted by: Isabella Maritato ​

The main character, Mare, shows that she should give empathy to everybody even if they aren't on ‘your side’. This is a great characteristic to peruse in my life. In some instances I have found myself in a position where I can be careless about another's well being. Mare shows how aware she is of others well being when she questions Maven about the dangers of his plan. She starts to second guess Maven and the attackers and doesn't want to be an accomplice anymore. She doesn't want them to take a mother or father away from an innocent child. Unexpectedly, a bomb goes off, Mare didn't know about a bomb. As screams filled the enormous room, Mare tries to stall by flickering the lights so that her friends and others can attempt to escape. Mare knew that the attack was wrong and tried to convince Maven to stop it. She had the interest of the innocent bystanders in mind who were about to become collateral damage. She knows that you should always look out for others even if you disagree with them entirely.

Submitted by: Mya Thibault

24

A quality that Thomas (the main character in my book) has, that I think would be good to develope over the next couple of years, is being able to make quick decisions. I think this would be a good quality or characteristic to have because you always have to make decisions in life and that is how you move forward in life. Right now I do not have this quality, I can never decide things (even when they are simple), such as do I want water or orange juice. I think this would be a good quality to have now and especially in the future, when I am choosing what college I go to and what I want my career to be when I am older. Thomas demonstrates this quality throughout the book. One example of him making a (quick) decision from the book is “Five feet. Four feet. Three. Two. Thomas knew he had no choice. He moved. Forward. He squeezed past the ​ ​ connecting rods at the last second and stepped into the Maze.” In this scene of the book Thomas decided to help his friends even though he was risking his life to do so. This quality, being able to make quick decisions helped Thomas in this situation because if he had not decided to help his friends quickly the closing gate would have made the decision for him and then his friends probably would have died. I hope that I can develop this characteristic like Thomas has so I can move forward in life. Submitted by: Christine Schrempf

I found that one of the main characters, named Leo Valdez, has a very good sense of humor. For example, he is always making jokes and is always very optimistic. In a scene where they are being attacked by these monsters made of rock, Leo makes jokes about the monsters being hard-headed. I also think that this can be a bad thing if you are always distracting yourself and others. Sometimes this happens to Leo; at one point he distracted others from danger and this did not end up well at all. I feel humor is a very important trait to develop in yourself because without it everything would always be so serious and not nearly as fun. Even though there are some downsides to always joking around, in my opinion the pros outweigh the cons. I mean, could you imagine living in a world without jokes? Submitted by: Kevin Martone ​ ​ ​continued on pg. 36

25

Live Action Role-Playing: A Healthy Diversion By Brayden Karn

Have you ever wanted to escape reality and just relieve yourself of all of the real world’s problems? If you enjoy gaming, then live action role playing, or LARPing may be the answer. LARPing brings you into a whole new alternate world. You are forced to make tough decisions, take risks, and try to “survive” with others. The best part is, it’s all just for fun! Some people say that participating in live action roleplaying is dangerous, however whether you get caught while running away from zombies, monsters, or other people, it doesn’t actually harm you in any way. So rather than being perilous, LARPing creates a diversion. It may even be considered helpful to you. In many ways, LARPing can benefit you physically, socially, and can teach you new skills that will help you emotionally. Believe it or not, LARPing can actually benefit you physically. While you are playing, you’re exercising. For example, when you are running away from zombies, people or other make-believe threats, you are getting good exercise. It is a great way to lose weight and get in shape. Not only are you getting fit, but you are also having fun! A lot of people are spending money on going to the gym, but most times, they don’t actually enjoy going to the gym. Why wouldn’t you want to work out while having a good time? Also, LARPing encourages people to exercise is other ways, too. For example, when you are waiting for the weekend so you can LARP again, you will think to yourself, “I really want to be in my best shape for this weekend.” So you may end up working out to prepare for that coming up weekend’s competition. If you think about it, LARP is pretty much the same concept of sports, but in a different way. With sports you go to your game or practice, and while you are there you have fun, but you are also staying fit. But, if you don’t really like traditional sports, then you play the live action games and it is the same concept. Furthermore, LARPing can benefit you socially. When people play these games, they meet new acquaintances, who can become friends for life. This can help those who are not very good at making friends, and it can help them be more social. Next, it teaches problem-solving. When you spend time with other people playing the game, you learn new tactics for solving problems. You see contrasting points of view, and you can benefit from them. The players are forced to solve problems and are presented with situations that they have never experienced before. This will help them in the future when they are in a workplace and there is a problem. They will be able to solve it quickly and efficiently. Also, it teaches teamwork. When you are working together with others, and you are helping your peers along the way, you are learning new skills of teamwork.

26

LARPing helps you accept the differences between people. There are many disabled and handicapped players. There are socially awkward and socially adept people. There are minorities, skinny players, overweight players, and a population of many different professions. While you are working together with these people, you learn to see past the physical differences and help others no matter who they are. Lastly, if you have a new or old business, you can meet new possible customers and sponsors and get word of your business out there, and if you win a LARP game, you get more attention, so even more people will acknowledge your business/idea. LARPing can also benefit you emotionally and mentally. Participating in a live action experience forces you to think outside of the box and helps you think more creatively. And the good thing is, when you make a risky decision, you can’t actually get hurt. The worst consequence is that you get out of the game, but this just gives you additional time to think of alternate solutions to succeed next time. These games require an active imagination and ability to think on the fly. Also, it is a great way to learn etiquette. You learn to listen when others are speaking, take turns, help new players that are learning the game, and many other skills. Some of the other skills that you can learn while LARPing include leadership, organizational skills, project management, decision making, situation analysis, storytelling and writing skills, too. The important part is that you can use these skills in the future to get a job. When your friends “die” in the games, you learn what it is like to lose people. This may sound strange, but in real life when you lose someone you care about, it will, if truth be told, actually help you cope with the loss. The live action games help you escape reality and forget about the problems you are having outside of the games and they can help you feel less stressed. In conclusion, LARPing may be considered perilous by some people, but in reality, it is not dangerous. Live action roleplaying only creates a diversion and is more beneficial to you than not. The games teach you new skills that will help you throughout life. In addition, participating in them can help you physically, socially, and emotionally. Moreover, if you believe that LARPing is dangerous because it teaches you that assaulting or deliberately going after others is acceptable, then let’s also work to get rid of football. America’s number one sport, similar to LARPing, teaches you to tackle or crush anyone in your way. The only difference is that in football, people actually get hurt. That doesn’t keep millions of Americans from watching it on television or letting their children play during football season. So ask yourself one more time… is LARPing really dangerous? http://www.gnomestew.com/game-mastering/gming-advice/10-reasons-why-roleplaying-games-are-a- positive-force-for-kids-and-adults-alike/ http://keepontheheathlands.com/2017/05/01/five-hidden-benefits-larp-health/

27

Is a Live Action Role Play Game Really What it Claims to Be? By: Stacey Lee How would you feel about participating in a live action role play game where you can win money, hang out with friends, and use cool weapons to shoot people? Sounds exciting right? Ok but what if you were told that you would be running for dear life, trying to get away from a crowd of people who want nothing but to destroy you? Doesn’t sound so fun now does it? Live action role play games otherwise known as LARP, glorify and promote violence, may cause participants to be fixated on winning, and demand a lot from players. Live action role play games glorify and promote violence in multiple ways. At St. Ann’s students play Killer, a last man standing game that lasts two and a half ​ ​ weeks; which involves water pistol attacks. In an interview by The New Yorker, the judge from St. Ann’s LARP game commented “I’m looking for some good massacres early.” The judge was very eager to see kills and violence in LARP. Games are about killing, and defeating opponents to gain riches, belongings, and power. Because of these enchanting prizes, players yearn to make their characters more powerful, in order to defeat their opponents more violently and easily. Many players go as far as picking a fight with others without reason, just so they can gain wealth. The game itself doles out rewards and applauds those who are the best at eliminating their rivals. Because of the dangerous survival situations players are put in, many become fixated on winning. For example in an article written by Guy Martin, a writer at the New Yorker who interviewed LARPers, he talks about students sleeping on futons in vans to avoid being ambushed by other players. LARP causes players to go to great lengths just to defeat their enemies. Another example is when a student named Willis Cohen, a player in the LARP game Killer, was doing ​ ​ his normal routine of jumping over a neighbor's fence and exiting through another house. He was riding a livery to attend school just as he usually does. Except when Willis asked the driver to roll up the windows, the driver refused, and he was then shot in the chest by another player through the window. This is just another example to show how players are vicious when it comes to winning. Events and brutality from LARP demand a lot from players. While some may argue that LARP is a stress reliever, many players’ reactions would beg to differ. After a macabre situation, it may affect many participants’ health. For instance,

28

a LARPer interviewed by Inverse, a gaming and entertainment website, said ​ ​ “About 40 minutes after a LARP once, I had to sit out...to get my head back in the game and keep myself calm.” LARP affected a player’s well being seriously and caused a player to sit out because of it. It took a toll on the player's physical and mental health. Another participant interviewed by Inverse agrees with the ​ ​ fact that LARP is emotionally damaging. The player told Inverse “In one scene ​ ​ during the game, a character’s sickness got too bad and that character died in the middle of the game. It was a big emotional mess for everyone involved.” This proves further that LARP affects players’ emotions strongly. Participating in a live action role play game may sound fun at first, but the cons outweigh the pros. While it may sound exciting to win money, hang out with friends, and use cool weapons to shoot people with, we must be aware of the dangers. LARP glorifies and promotes violence, may cause participants to be fixated on winning, and demands a lot from players. Hopefully many people will think about the dangers of LARP before they decide to participate in it. But it’s up to the person to decide. So what do you say? Do you still want to play? https://www.wayoflife.org/database/escaping_reality_role_playing.html https://www.inverse.com/article/25315-larping-culture-alternate-realities-vr-sex-and-violence- bleed

​Reading is My Super Power!

29

Home By: Nika Midgette

They say home is where the heart is, But where could that be? The freedom of expression, Kindness, And love, But sometimes, Many forget that that is enough. Alone again, Like a stray dog lost, Stay the hearts of many, Who have not yet found their home.

Some say a home is where you live, Or the physical space that you can be in, When in reality, Home is not a place, It is a feeling. Home is when you are no longer struck by fear, Sorrow, Or the worries of life. Home is a place that you are loved, Acknowledged, Cherished, And you cherish others. Home is something that can never be demolished, And it stays with you Until the end of time, While the days tick by on the everlasting clock of existence.

30

Home will never change, For it is the epitome of all of love, And that never goes away, Despite the horrors of life. Safety can be found here, A layer of protection, Like an angel's wing Brushing across one’s shoulder.

Home lies in the place where you feel these emotions, The ones that send a certain warmth into your soul, Like a warm summer’s day And sometimes, Home grows, Along with those you love, And those you know. Home may change, But the feeling never does. Because there is only one place on earth where you can find love: Home.

31

To Access & Solve This Puzzle Click On This Link http://www.armoredpenguin.com/crossword/Data/2017.05/1816/18164333.829.html

32

Photo submitted by: Nika Midgette

33

34

35

BCMS Student Book

Recommendations

I would rate this book five out of five. The authors strengths were his research and the number of statistics he had. The author used multiple primary sources that flowed in chronological order. The plot was pretty basic for a biography. He talks about Casey’s life and sprinkles a,tiny bit in about his family's lives. Another one of the author’s strengths is the use of direct quotes by sports analysts, writers, Caseys teammates, and Casey himself develops a theme for that chapter which teaches a life lesson. I would recommend this book to people who enjoy baseball in general, especially Yankee fans. This book isn't for everyone because it may get very boring if you're not a numbers kind of person. Also the fact that it's nonfiction and not really a story, the ending isn't like ‘happily ever after.’ The book could be useful for people that are a fan of Casey Stengel. Submitted by: Ryan Teplitzky

I would give this book 9.5 stars out of 10 because it was an extremely well thought out book with an engaging plot and fascinating characters. The author was very good at creating characters and giving them personalities, however he made them almost too polarized. No one can change personalities that quickly. It’s unrealistic how insane Jaggery becomes after Charlotte betrays him, and it takes startlingly little to persuade the supposedly mistrusting sailors to trust Charlotte. I also really like the ending and how Charlotte’s entire view on life has changed. I did like the ending. It left the reader wanting more of Charlotte, but still gave some closure. I especially liked how she realized where her true place in the world was. Because I simply couldn’t stomach Doyle’s personality in the beginning. I also like how the change in her character was shown in the change in her hands from soft to calloused. I would recommend this book to any feminist, sea-lover, or anyone who likes conspiracies. It is a charming book with a good message of independence that shows that even when a girl seems like a meek example of propriety in the 1800s, if she is given the choice (as she should be allowed to, always) she is completely capable of thinking for herself and doing quite well. Submitted by: Sarah Singh

36

I have been planning to read this for a while and finally did. It takes place in Hamburg, Germany during WWII. This book showed me that not every German citizen was for the war even though it allowed more jobs, they had a better economy. Some people did not know what was going on because of all the laws restricting outside information. This story is told from a third person perspective about a boy named Helmuth. The author made Helmuth seem like a real person to me. Bartoletti based her story off of his life. She made all his ​ family members, his religion, and his time in jail as authentic as possible. The tone of this book was somber, and there were no chapters. The more Helmuth learns about the war, the more anger he feels, and the more his anger builds. I loved this book and the way it was told. Submitted by Anthony Denison

This was probably the 8th time I’ve read this book! If you can’t tell that means I absolutely love it. When I first read this book I learned so many things about people with disabilities and how they’re just like everyone else. Books like this helped teach me how important it is to help and love people with disabilities. I’m in Best Buddies and I love those kids with all my heart. Rules was one of the first books to ​ ​ really make me understand how to be their friend and that I can act normally around them because they aren’t any different than anyone else. I would rate this book 10/10 for all of the jokes, love, inspiration, and happiness it provided me with at a young age. I find that books like these really help you grow and become a better person. The main character, Catherine, has a brother named David who has Autism and she has to help him with everything. She’s an amazing sister who has so much tolerance and patience for a young girl. The way Lord wrote this book really puts you into Catherine’s shoes and makes you realize how hard things like this must be for people. Cynthia Lord is such an amazing writer. She really puts you into Catherine’s mind. She writes from a unique perspective by adding some jokes, some sappy moments, and everything in between to create a beautiful piece of literature. Her character development is incredible because she studied how people with Autism act and how the boy in the wheelchair, Jason, has to communicate with cards. She used facts and made sure everything was as realistic as possible. I also love how Lord showed Catherine’s

37

growth throughout the book. She writes a roller coaster for Catherine and in the end you realize what a strong character she really is. You see her connecting with new people she never used to talk to before and doing things she never thought she’d do. For example, befriending Jason, the boy in the wheelchair who can’t talk. She became his best friend which in the beginning of the book you would of never seen coming. I would recommend this book to everyone. I think every single person of all ages and book preferences could really benefit from reading this. Every time I read it again I found something about the book I didn’t know and I learned a new lesson. I make sure to read it almost every year so I don’t forget these lessons I’ve learned. I think everyone should read a book similar to this with such a heart wrenching plot. Submitted by: Shay Roberts

Sudoku

Submitted by: Anish Deshpande

1 2 3 8

7 3

7 1 3 4 5

3 4 6 9 1

5 8 9 2 4

9 4 6

1 5 8

6 1 5

7 6 1 5

38

(Characters Matter- continued from pg. 23) ​ ​ ​ ​ One of Jack’s (the main character) qualities that strikes me as a good characteristic to develop within myself over the years is persistence. Unlike his siblings, Jack is not a genius. He is always being put down by his brother and sister for not knowing a hard fact that is easy to them. For example “‘You’re the smart kids?’ ‘I’m one of the smart kids,’ Ava replied, ‘he’s just Jack.’ No matter how many times she used that joke, it still stung.” (Nye, pg. 84). It might be a joke, but jokes still hurt, even if they are amusing to a few. But, he just keeps going. Yeah, it still hurts when Matt and Ava (his siblings) make fun of him or think he is dumb, it certainly would, but he ignores them and keeps on improving on himself. In the book, I saw that Jack misinterpreted what Matt said and thought bunnies lived in the building. Jack was given a sarcastic comment back and told “no” in a very slow voice so. Jack. Could. Un-der-stand. (By the way, that is sooo annoying.) But, Jack kept imagining bunnies in tuxedos and eating posh carrots ignoring what his brother had said. He accepts who he is, and although he wishes to be better and smarter than Matt and Ava sometimes (what siblings don’t want that sometimes?), he knows he is Jack and that is what counts. Persist even means ‘to remain unchanged or fixed in a specified character, condition, or ​ position.’ Merriam-Webster. Jack doesn’t change himself or act a different way to look ​ smarter, he stays as he is. I would like to be that way. I was bullied a bit and I wish it could have been easier for me to ignore them and stay as I was. Not change because some unimportant kid bullied me. That kid was like a fly that kept buzzing around my head and I made them into a lion I was running from, when all I had to do was to squish them with a fly swatter. I would like to be more like Jack. Be myself and not let anyone tell me otherwise. Getting hit with roadblocks is hard sometimes and can hit really hard, but life would be a lot easier just to ignore them and tell them that “I am perfect just the way I am and you must be silly not to see that,” and just go on in life. Plus, in the end, with Jack staying as he is and not changing himself to look smarter came in handy. He solved the case because he didn’t change his mind or anything about him. What he did change though, was the eyes of how other people saw him. For example, when Jack figured out the culprit, Hank (the genius that hired Jack, Ava and Matt) said, “‘Jack here figured it all out,’ Hank said. And maybe it was just the wind messing with his voice, but I swear I heard a hint of pride in his tone.” (Nye, pg. 193). For we are all quite clever in our own way. We might not be excellent at complicated maths, engineering or science, but that is probably because it doesn’t interest us and therefore we don’t need to be experts. Submitted by: Grace Truchard

39

(BCMS Student Book Recommendations- continued from p. 35)

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas was an excellent ​ book. I would definitely give this book a five star rating. One of the author’s main strengths that made this book so good was character development. In the main and secondary characters, Starr, Maverick, Lisa, DeVante, Seven, Sekani, Kenya, Chris and Maya, Thomas made you feel for each character. Take Chris, Starr’s unlikely white boyfriend. On page 82, when Starr is upset, Chris dances for her in the hallway and sings the Fresh Prince of Belair theme song. Then, later in the book, after the verdict comes out that the grand jury decided not to try Officer Cruise for the murder of Khalil, Starr gets upset, but this time not at Chris. Starr decides that she wants take to the streets. “‘I’m staying.’ Chris nods, as if he’s settling with himself. ‘Yeah, I’m staying.’ ‘You sure you ready for this?’ DeVante asks. ‘It’s gon’ get wild out here.’ ‘I’m sure.’ He eyes me. ‘I want everyone to know that decision is bulls***.’” He understands Starr and backs her, even if it means doing something out of his comfort zone. (Side note-- I am not promoting rioting and soon after the characters realize how bad rioting is). The author also developed a good plot. She set up the main conflict for the book very soon after Khalil’s death. This put the focus of the internal conflict and external conflicts on Starr. Then, other conflicts start to branch off of the main conflict. Starr’s friend starts acting racist and being offensive which climaxes to a big fight in the hallway. Starr does a TV interview about Khalil and “dry snitches” about one of the biggest gang leaders and drug dealers in her neighborhood, King, which causes him to get mad and threaten her and her family. Starr’s dad, Maverick is upset with himself for not protecting Khalil more, and so when a boy named DeVante comes into his store and confesses he needs help hiding from King, Maverick risks his life and his shop to help him. I highly recommend this book to all mature kids in middle school or older. This book was really powerful for me in learning about social injustices and violence, and realizing just how much these things affect people. While definitely heavy, it was not all sad, and you will love all of the characters (the ones you are supposed to love). This book does have violence and other YA to adult content, so that’s why I would only recommend this to mature middle schoolers and older. Submitted by; Aliza Cotton

40

Shower Thoughts ​ Submitted by Milan Bhatia-Guerin ​ ​ ​

Dora is called an explorer, yet she only travels through mapped territories.

If I collected all of the lint from drying my clothes, I could knit a sweater with the average color of my entire wardrobe.

If humans could fly, they would consider it exercise and never do it.

Nothing is on fire. Fire is on things.

Your stomach thinks all potato is mashed.

If I punch myself in the face, am I weak or strong?

Why do people say “Tuna Fish” and not “Eagle Bird” or “Pork Mammal”?

The Japanese flag could actually be a pie chart of how much Japan is Japan.

A ton of people is 12 to 15 people.

History classes are only going to get longer and harder as time goes on.

What if every country has ninjas, but we only know about Japan’s because they’re bad at staying in secrecy.

Why is randomly hearing your favorite song on the radio is much more satisfying than playing it by choice from your device?

Brushing your teeth is the only time you clean your skeleton.

“Do not touch” must be the scariest thing to read in Braille.

Apple has “Air” Amazon has “Fire” Google has “Earth”. Microsoft should make something called “Water”.

If two people on opposite sides of the world drop a piece of bread at the same time, Earth briefly becomes a sandwich.

41

Submitted by: Ben Goldberg, Nam Facchetti, Casey Benzing & Jack Weinert An 8th Grade Health & Anti-Bullying Advocacy Project

42

Ask Oreo

Submitted by: Oreo Dennin

Ask your Resident Oreo Specialist any question about America's Favorite Chocolate and Creme Cookie!

Dear Oreo, I’m torn between which is better: Creme or Cookie. Could a strong, smart, handsome Oreo Expert like you tell me which is better? Torn in Topeka

Dear Torn, Let me just start off by stating that this is a question I get FREAKING ALL THE TIME! READ MY ARTICLE PEOPLE! But, since you praised me so much, I will answer it. It really depends on opinion. Vanilla or chocolate? Soft or crunchy? But the creme has less calories than the cookie, so if you're eating an Oreo for a snack, the creme is probably healthier. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t eat the cookie. They’re both delicious. That’s really what Oreos are about. Oreo

Dear Oreo, Your column is stupid! I don’t even like Oreos! Why is your name even “Oreo” anyway? Whoever you are, you are an idiot! Disgusted in Dover

Dear Disgusted So many people hate my column. I’m moving on to Chips Ahoy. Oreo

43

Competitive Sports: More Hype than Help Submitted by: Aliza Cotton

When it comes to sports, where do you draw the line? When does friendly competition get too competitive? Maybe it happens when kids start showing bad character. Maybe it happens when kids are living their parents dream. And perhaps it even happens when kids start to get seriously hurt, with life threatening concussions and other injuries. Some may go on about what a great opportunity competitive sports are, but people deserve to know not only the positives but the negative effects of competitive sports. Sports are well known for building good character; helping kids develop skills and values like integrity, manners, and self confidence. However, this is not always true. In fact, competitive sports can sometimes be counterproductive in trying to develop these skills and values. One of the major flaws in competitive sports is what many refer to as the “win at all costs” mentality. The high level of competitiveness adds a lot of stress onto kids that might not be ready for it. In addition, with stress comes bad decisions. Kids might feel like the only way to relieve pressure is to win, no matter how. This mentality leads to devaluation of honesty and fair play. Kids start focusing solely on the outcome of a game or meet, not the process, and judging themselves and others based on it. Their empathy lowers. And all the while, these kids rarely get intervention from coaches, officials and teammates. And so the downward spiral begins, getting worse and worse, until they turn to things like performance drugs. The kids start wanting more, more sports, more wins, any way possible. High contact, physical sports have been shown to create kids more prone to violence off of the field. In these sports, like wrestling and football, kids are rewarded onfield for being aggressive, and feel motivated to show these same behaviors off the field. That is where we start seeing NFL players abusing their wives and family members, players some of our youth look up to as role models. While you may think competitive sports build character, sometimes it is the contrary. Parents are some of the worst instigators of the evils in competitive sports. Many doctors get recurring visits where the child is hurt, but the parent insists that they are not. One orthopedic surgeon, Scott Maughon recalls a time when a ten year old tennis player was brought into his office with an aching shoulder. The mother anxiously explained how her daughter was climbing the Georgia State junior tennis rankings, and that in order for her to meet the family’s goal for her, she had to be number 5 in two weeks. When Dr. Maughon diagnosed a potentially serious stress fracture that could affect the normal growth of the girl’s shoulder, and recommended an extended break from tennis for six months, the mother was not happy. She was in a “yelling, screaming, stomping rage” insisting her daughter needed no time off and could be treated just as well with physical therapy. Dr. Maughon says “It was one of those cases where a parent absolutely, totally refuses to deal with reality. … The fact

44

of the matter is your child needs rest.” This might seem like an extreme case of the Momzilla, but it happens more than you might think. Another doctor, Dr. Michael Kelly, chairman of the department of orthopaedic surgery at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey says “‘I make it clear to parents that they can keep the next six months in mind, but they need to focus on the next 70 years,’" Why would parents do this to their children? Surely they aren’t consciously putting their child’s health and safety at risk. The root of the issue is this, parents are living out their unfulfilled sports career through their children.

One of the main problems with competitive sports is the injuries. According to the John’s Hopkins health library, about 3.5 million teens and kids suffer competitive sports injuries each year. 4 in 10 overall emergency room visits for kids age 5 to 14 are sports related. Most injuries are overuse injuries. These occur when kids choose to play one sport all of the time, or several sports at once. Parents and coaches are not giving their little stars time to rest, Another common injury is a damaged growth plate. Growth plates are areas of growing tissue at the ends of long bones in children and teens. If these become injured, it can interfere with the normal growth of the child. Finally, the biggest and baddest injury is the concussion. The leading cause of death from sports is brain injuries, namely, a concussion. 3.8 million concussions were reported in 2012, double the amount reported in 2002. Teenagers have died from concussions. Some might say that there is so much information out there about concussions and that you can find information readily. But having information is not going to magically make permanent brain damage go away. And how many parents know about concussions, but let their concussed child continue to play sports just a few days after the injury? Also, not all coaches know what to do in case of a concussion. In the case of Adam Buckley Cohen, his son Will could have died. Will took a hard hit to the head, and went to the sideline to lay down, but couldn’t remember anything else because he fell asleep. If you fall asleep immediately after a concussion, you could slip into a coma. I mean, that’s Concussions 101, yet a PeeWee coach intrusted with protecting children's’ lives didn’t know how to handle that. Injuries are a huge problem putting the rest of a kid’s life at risk, and ending a child’s sports career while trying to begin it. Competitive sports aren’t all they are made out to be. They can lead to bad morals, can be a means for parents to live vicariously through their children, and can cause life threatening injuries. While the intention of competitive sports may be good, the follow through can have consequences. Competitive sports may seem perfect at first glance, but they have serious flaws on the inside, flaws that we are unleashing on our futures. http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Healthday/story?id=4508484&page=1 https://www.si.com/more-sports/2009/04/07/youthsports-untilithurts#

45

The Transgender Bathroom Debate Submitted by: Megan Dellenbaugh Ever since before President Trump canceled Obama’s law that transgender students could use the bathroom of their identifying gender, there has been a large debate. Should ​ trans students be able to use the restroom of their choice? I think that the should. It promotes equality, it is constitutional, and it is a part of the world we live in.

First of all, it’s a part of the world we live in. The reason that transgender people think differently is that their brain is actually different. In the womb (the place where a baby forms, ​ a.k.a. the uterus), the first thing that forms is your brain, nerves, blood vessels, etcetera. The male brain is actually larger than the female brain, so if a female brain is in a male body, the man thinks like a woman, but has the reproductive organs of a man. On the other hand, there can also be something called gender dysphoria, a condition where a person experiences ​ ​ discomfort because there's a difference between their sex and gender. How, you may ask, are gender and sex different? According to www.wordcentral.com, the definition of gender is ​ ​ “the behavioral, cultural, or emotional traits typically associated with one sex.” However, the definition of sex was “either of two groups into which many living things are divided according to their roles in reproduction and which consist of males or females.” Therefore, gender and ​ sex are two different things: gender is the identification through behavior, and sex is the identification from reproductive organs. To add on, it would prevent health problems. If transgender kids don't feel comfortable using the bathrooms at school, they will probably do one of two things. First, they might not drink enough water so they won’t have to go at school. This would lead to dehydration. Secondly, they might not use the bathroom in school when they need it, leading to bladder infections and UTIs (Urinary Tract Infections), an infection ​ ​ in the Urinary system that causes pain behind the hips, lower abdomen, and bladder. In addition to these other reasons, it helps students become more comfortable with the idea of someone being trans. This can lead to less bullying. Skeptics might think, however, that it could increase bullying. Students who do not understand people who are trans could feel ​ threatened and bully someone or commit a hate crime. However, with more strict no-bullying precautions, there would be less bullying.

Another reason why transgender students should be able to use the bathroom of their choice is that it is protected under law. Schools protect all of their students. That includes ​ trans students. However, as critics argue, that also includes other students. If those other students don’t feel comfortable with transgender students using their bathroom, then, critics say, those students have rights too. Then again, it’s not like transgender kids are no longer

46

alive! They still have feelings! In fact, if schools do not protect all of their students -- and that ​ includes transgender kids -- itś a violation of Title IX of the Education Amendments Act! The amendment states that “[n]o person… shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.” That means that if a school is supported by the Federal government, that school cannot, under penalty of law, be discriminated, or make an unjust distinction in the treatment of different categories of people ​ ​ (Oxford Dictionary). Lastly, it’s a violation of the Constitution! Section I of the Fourteenth ​ amendment to be exact. It says that, “No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.” That means that under penalty of law, the states cannot discriminate against anybody. Including trans students.

The last reason that transgender students should be able to use the bathroom of their choice is that it promotes equality. On the island of Samoa, there is a group of people who are basically transgender men and boys. They are called the fa’afafine, and they are treated ​ like a third gender. Think about how much better people would feel if they could be themselves freely! Also, which bathroom they use? Nobody flipping cares! To add on, it ​ would be a learning experience for the other non-transgender students. That would make less risk of bullying. Skeptics might think, however, that it could increase bullying. Students ​ ​ who do not understand people who are trans could feel threatened and bully someone or commit a hate crime. However, with more strict no-bullying precautions, there would be less bullying. Also, it would make a huge difference to even the small minority that is transgender students. Then again, kids might pretend to be trans and sneak into the other gender’s locker room to take pictures. That could be really bad and embarrassing, and we don’t want that. On the other hand, though, why would someone do that in today’s society?

Overall, transgender students have the same rights as non-gender-dysphoric kids, so they should be able to use the bathroom of their choice. It’s part of the world we live in, so we should all be able to accept it. Second, it’s constitutional, and nobody can disobey the Constitution! Third, it promotes equality, and nobody should go against that. So think. Do you want to make students uncomfortable, unhealthy, and unsafe? Or do you want to promote safe, happy environments? http://www.cnn.com/2017/03/07/health/transgender-bathroom-law-facts-myths/index.html http://www.newsweek.com/transgender-bathrooms-schools-laws-research-583210

47

Photos submitted by Emma Henn

48

What's Your Spin On It?

Submitted by Eric Jestel

Have you seen any of these around school lately? You know, fidget spinners, a piece of plastic around a spinning device. They have weights on the outside which cause it to spin for up to 3 minutes. On Amazon they are extremely popular and some spinners are advertised as “great for fidgeting hands”, assists with focusing, and a must for those with autism, ADD & ADHD.

They also serve as a way to “relieve stress and anxiety.”

While these “toys” have a large number of benefits, many news articles quote teachers who think that these gizmos are simply a distraction. According to multiple BCMS teachers, fidget spinners are not welcome in classrooms.

However the BCMS Advanced Engineering class has been using a 3D printer to produce fidget spinners and I see them in the hallways every day.

The inventor of this popular item has been highly disputed. It is known that a woman, named Catherine Hettinger, once had a patent for a spinning toy, but it expired in 2005. However, the Milwaukee Wisconsin Journal Sentinel recently confirmed her status as the inventor. Hettinger’s design has a different spinning mechanism then the ones that are so popular today. Since her patent has expired, anyone can make and sell fidget spinners.

49

The question some of you might have spinning around your skull at this point is: Do these spinners actually help? Occupational therapist Stephen Poss told U.S. News Today, that all fidget spinners are really just toys. He believes that they are not useful because of how interactive and visual they are. In other words, they are a distraction rather than a stress reliever, as you have to constantly focus on keeping them spinning. Although, there are several other news articles that report these spinners do indeed provide a form of stress relief for people with disabilities and PTSD, post traumatic stress disorder.

When interviewed, BCMS teachers revealed some interesting things about our local fidget spinner situation. First off, they acknowledged that there are a good number of kids who carry fidget spinners on them. Second, the teachers I asked all agree that the spinners can be helpful, but only for a handful of students. Overall, they felt these gadgets are more distracting to the rest of the students in their classes. One teacher noted that the spinners were designed with good intentions, however students tend to watch their peers gadgets spin, rather than observe, listen, and focus on their studies. So, I ask you, what’s your spin on it? http://time.com/money/4762207/fidget-spinner-inventor-catherine-hettinger http://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/palestinians/1.789013’ ​ Fidget Spinners Are The Must-Have Office Toy For 2017 - Forbes http://health.usnews.com/wellness/health-buzz/articles/2017-04-25/are-fidget-spinner s-helpful-for-kids-with-adhd-autism-and-anxiety

50

It’s the End By: Nika Midgette

It’s the end. End of the school year! Not quite the gloomiest of all events, in the public’s eyes. Despite the beauty of a long break, such as summer vacation, many take for granted the things we feel are natural throughout the school day. In fact, many will miss school, because it is a place of safety and socialization. Of course, school is not perfect. There will always be rude or aggressive people, who are in my eyes thought to be the epitome of all evil, but that is besides the point. But of course, there are also huge benefits to school, such as feeding those who are in need, giving us an education, and allowing us to spend time with friends.

Although, we are from a good town where the majority of people are well fed, there are people in need in the area. You know those commercials about kids getting out of school and no longer having free meals? Well that isn’t that far from reality. I personally do not know if anyone here uses these programs, but they were created for a reason, and they very much exist. According to the USDA, in all schools you can fill out an application for free or reduced price lunches, and you can also bring lunches to your home. Of course once the school year ends, there is not much that the school can do for you.

Now, this one may seem quite obvious, but school is what gives us an education. This seems like a given, doesn’t it? Not to everyone. If you have read Malala Yousafzai's book or story, you would know that in the country she was born in, Pakistan, the Taliban would not allow females to go to school, and she had to fight for an education, and took a bullet in the head for it. She is a true figure in our society, for she did the unbelievable to stand up for women’s rights. And that’s not the only place that education is not a given. In Cambodia, Nepal, Afghanistan, Chad, Guatemala, Haiti, Turkey, Morocco, and Ethiopia. In fact, 80% of women in Ethiopia are illiterate. So even if our school isn’t perfect and does have problems, at least we get some sort of opportunity to learn.

51

And last, but not least, it is a good way to socialize. In fact, without school, I wouldn’t have most of my friends. School is a great way to learn to talk to and get along with others, which is a crucial skill to have in a society like today, where communication and first impressions are key. And some people are extremely introverted, which is understandable, coming from an introvert. But despite your personality, learning to socialize and make strong connections with others makes you who you are. It molds you into a person that can understand the rest of society. Of course, focusing on purely yourself is important as well, but a mixture of both is what can help you get through life the best.

In the end, school isn’t all that bad. At least we get to go to school! Not to mention we have plenty of wonderful people working all day and all night for our education, which is really what pushes us to work our hardest. Especially for the eighth graders, leaving school is a big deal, because you're moving on to a new, unknown place. Everything that you have learned for the past three years is left behind, all at once in the small box of your past. But the things left in that box are extremely important, and shall not be forgotten. Everyone in this school has done so much for you, so before leaving school this summer, give everyone a proper thank you and goodbye. When you come back next year, or don’t come back, nothing will be the same. You’re in a grade with new teachers, new classes, and new classmates. So just don’t forget about the importance of your year, and the importance of our school.These are years of your life that you will never get back or change, so you might as well appreciate them, and most importantly, the things and people in them.

Sources: ​ 1. http://www.sociologydiscussion.com/socialization/the-importance-of-socialization -in-society/2200 2. https://www.fns.usda.gov/school-meals/applying-free-and-reduced-price-school- meals

52

​Fun Summer Treats Submitted by Tory Barbato Hi, my name is Tory. I love to cook and bake for my family and friends! It is my passion and I have done it basically since I could walk. I obviously didn’t do a lot at first, but I helped put the cake mix in the bowl or mixed the batter. But now, I can do it all on my own and I hope to open my own café. My grandma is my big inspiration. We spent a lot of time in the kitchen together creating delicious treats. Grandma has taught me so many little tips and tricks for baking and cooking! Here are a few of my favorite recipes that I make quite often. I hope you will enjoy them.

The first recipe is called Jello Poke Cake! I love ​ ​ this dessert so much it’s one of my favorites. I recommend you make it for fourth of July or Memorial Day. However you can make it whenever you want.

Ingredients: ● 1 package of white cake mix ● 1 cup of boiling water ● 1 package (4 serving size) Jello, any flavor ● ¼ cup cold water ● 1 tub (8 oz) Cool Whip, thawed

Directions:

-Prepare and bake cake in 13X9- inch pan as directed on package. Cool cake in pan for 15 minutes. Poke holes in cake with the handle of wooden spoon at ½ inch intervals.

53

-Stir boiling water into dry Jello mix in small bowl at least 2 minutes until completely dissolved. Stir in cold water, carefully pour over cake. Refrigerate 3 hours.

-Frost with Cool Whip. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or until ready to serve.

This recipe makes for a very tasty dinner, especially for the nice weather! My family is obsessed with these burgers. I hope you like them as much as I do!

Grilled Two-Cheese Burgers with Garlic Dressing

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/melissa-darabian/grilled-two-cheese-burgers-with-garlic-dressing-recipe-2269073 Ingredients: For the sauce ● ½ cup mayonnaise ● 3 tablespoons sour cream ● 3 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh basil (or chives, parsley, or mint) ● 1 scallion (white and green parts, trimmed and roughly chopped) ● 1 garlic clove, quartered ● ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce ● ¼ teaspoon salt ● ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

For the Burgers: ● 1 ¼ pounds 80% lean ground beef ● 1 tablespoon vegetable oil ● ¾ teaspoon salt ● ½ teaspoon ground black pepper ● ¼ cup mozzarella cheese

54

● 1 tomato, cored, thinly sliced, and lightly salted (optional but if you want some extra flavor I highly recommend it) ● 2 tablespoons grated parmesan ● Hamburger Buns Directions: -To make the sauce: Place the mayonnaise, sour cream, basil, scallion, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper in the bowl of a food processor and purée until creamy and pale green. Transfer to a small bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until you are ready to use.

- To make the burgers: Heat charcoal or gas grill to medium- high. Divide the ground beef into equal pieces (recipe says 4, but you can just make them smaller) and gently form patties. Use your thumb to make a small indentation in the middle of each burger (this is so the burger flat and doesn’t contract and and puff up on the grill). Brush both sides of the burgers with the oil then season with salt and pepper.

-Place the burgers on the grill and cook until they have grill marks, about 4 minutes. Flip the burgers, cook 2 minutes longer, then top each with about 1 tablespoon of the mozzarella (again just a recommendation you can put as much cheese on the burgers). Cook the burgers 2 more minutes for medium rare doneness and remove from the grill. Place the buns on the grill (optional) cut side down and lightly toast, 30 seconds to one minute.

- Set burger on bottom half of bun. Top with a salted tomato slice and spread dressing on top half of bun. Sprinkle with parmesan cover the burger and serve more sauce on the side.

Enjoy!

Thank you for reading! If you make these dishes I hope you enjoy them! Have a great summer!! - Tory ʹ

55

Submitted by: Erich Fischer, Michael Kurd, Tyler Richards & Cameron Doyle An 8th Grade Health & Anti-Bullying Advocacy Project

56

Montreal Montage

During the month of May of 2017, BCMS 7th grade French classes took a day trip to Montreal. As expected, we saw some amazing and beautiful places, such as the Biodome, a Cathedral~ Notre Dame, a Farmers Market, and ate a lovely dinner at L’Acedemie. The sights we toured were super special and so we wanted to share just a few of these treasured memories with you, our valued readers.

Submitted by Nika Midgette & Ms. Michaels

57

58

59

Where Harry Potter Spells Come From Submitted by Orion Dennin

1. Lumos: This might come from the word lumo, which is ​ ​ esperanto for light. 2. Expecto Patronum: This literally means “I await a ​ guardian” in Latin 3. Obliviate: This word is derived from english, probably ​ from “oblivious” 4. Crucio: This might come from “Cruci”, the romanian word for “cross”. ​ This is probably because of crucifixion. 5. Avada Kedavra: Roughly translated into “I destroy as I speak”. ​ 6. Accio: Latin for “I summon” ​ 7. Imperio: Spanish for “Empire”, might be a reference for complete control, ​ although almost all empires don’t have this. 8. Alohomora: From West African Sideki, an obscure language. It means ​ “Friendly to thieves”.

Source of information via Google Translate

BCMS Local Weather Channel Stay Informed

http://www.weatherlink.com/user/bcmsscience ​

60