Grease Is the Word by Lucinda Tyler Theatre Has Been Around for Centuries

Your #1 AJHS news source! Second Quarter 2019

Grease is the Word by Lucinda Tyler Theatre has been around for centuries. Several have found it as a hobby in which you can express yourself. The AJHS is lucky enough to have their own program, stage, cast, and crew to be able express the love. This year I am happy to be a part of Abington Junior High’s Production of Grease Jr. As part of this year’s amazing cast, I have attended several rehearsals. But, what goes into a rehearsal? Rehearsals vary from 1 to 2 hours in length on average. When nearing showtime, they can run for what seems like a century (or just from 3-8). From full company dance rehearsals, to speaking roles: Act one, we run through it all in time for the show. To break it down even further, a common dance rehearsal as a chorus member would consist of learning the dance to a full company production number. A production number featured in Grease is Shakin’ at the High School Hop and Born to Hand Jive, both of which can be seen at the Rydell Prom. Another type of rehearsal I have been to is an “All Speaking Roles- Act One” practice. This means that anyone with a speaking role must come to rehearse lines for Act One of the show. We don’t necessarily do it in any particular order. Mrs. Walker will tend to pick out different scenes from that act to be rehearsed. Continued on p. 2

Continued from Grease p. 1 Abington’s most passionate students Wimberly, who taught us not The process you go through and directed by the Jr. High’s only how to get better at from start to finish as a cast esteemed Mrs. Walker, it will open on cheering, but how to work as member is a long one. The the 7th of March and run until the part of a team and to prepare us audition process is the start of 9th. On the 7th and 8th, the Ghost for future cheering. To all the it all. After signing up to Cast will be performing and then on players and students who came audition (i.e. personal the 9th, the Maroon and White Cast out to the games, thank you for information, musical will have a matinee and an evening your support and background, preferred part, performance. I hope you found this encouragement. It has been an etc.), you go on your selected inside scoop on the musical amazing season! day to audition. There you informative and I hope you enjoy the learn a simple dance routine, show! Art Club, a Place of perform a song you have Creativity Lives Beyond prepared, and finally perform by Tiffany Le a short scene. After one long Some students thought that day of auditioning and several the art club was not including long days of waiting, the cast any more members. That is list goes up telling you your actually false because the art part and when the first club leaders didn’t discourage rehearsal is. The joy that students from joining. Art Club follows the release of the meets after school on posting of the cast list is Wednesdays and is a place where overwhelming as you delight The cast and crew of Grease view we, as artists, can showcase our over you and your friends’ performances, socialize, and complete their talents of art. Students are parts. Although, that homework during rehearsals. attending meetings to improve excitement inevitably turns to their art skills in C59 so C57 anxiety as the show rounds Junior High Cheerleading which has a small number of the corner. The expected day by Bryanna Balkin ceramics students attending My of performance comes faster Cheerleading! What is this sport first time being there was very than anyone would like, but about? Abington Jr. High’s cheer amusing, I drew something that nevertheless, through all the squad is comprised of 16 girls in I never drew before. I liked draining hours of practice, grades 7-9. The cheerleaders purpose seeing more realistic drawings everyone is ready to perform. is to promote school spirit and more Marvel-type themes It can be hard starting a show throughout the school day, at school (like Deadpool and Captain where you don’t know many activities and during sporting events. America) from other students, people. Although, no one can Throughout the winter season, the which was pretty impressive. deny the friendly, charismatic cheer squad supported the 9th grade Even if you don’t have a talent personality theatre kids have. girls and boys basketball teams. To for art, it's okay because we all As you know, theatre is the art prepare for the games, we held need a break from looking at of expression. Kids who find several practices a week where we social media or working on themselves attracted to worked on routines, stunting and classwork. Ms.Custer, Mr. Tulli, theatre have a way with learned cheers. On game day, we and Ms. Steinlage run the Art expressing themselves. You wore our uniforms to encourage the Club. Art Club allows students to are sure to find your crowd student body to attend the games. work with new friends that they amidst the outgoing theatre During the games, we cheered on the never met before. Students can lovers that the drama club is. players, motivated the crowd and go to different tables and discuss Grease is a musical that performed during half time. awesome topics. Art Club is highlights some of the The AJH cheer squad had an amazing different than other clubs. If misconceptions of being a season. We would like to thank our your mind has millions and teen amidst the world of peer coaches, Mrs. Gates and Mrs. millions of ideas, draw it out! It pressure. Portrayed by is a place for a creative mind.

Bullying by Xiani Coubarous- Carter Is bullying a problem at school? If so, what is being done to remedy this problem? Bullying comes in many different forms, from cyberbullying to physical bullying. Those who are constantly bullied can be pushed to their limit. The victim can end up hurting themselves or others. Bullying regularly occurs at schools on a daily basis. Bullying usually starts with a person or a group of people. Bullying has progressed so much, that the children being bullied and the children witnessing it, have been too scared to report it. This is an important issue that will not be solved, until parents and teachers address the reasons why children humiliate and intimidate others in the first place. According to Mr. Kovaleski, “ The school has lower incidences of bullying than the state’s average.” According to Mr. Kovaleski,“The best way to resolve bullying problems at school is to, always address the person that is being bullied and talk to the parent or guardian of the child.” The following punishment for the child should be either the bully apologizing to the student, or suspension, depending on the situation. The reason that students bully others is power. It is a theory by some,that bullying has caused depression. The bully crunches the person's self esteem and makes that person feel bad about themselves. But sometimes this is not always the case. When it comes to cyberbullying in school, it can be even harder to deal with because it could happen at any time of the day, and even after school. When the school administration is involved, it would be easier to investigate and prove. When bullies are physically bullying someone, the best way to stop it, is if it is either in school or on a bus, might be to either change seats, classes or routes.

Caroline Hughes, the Queen of the Field By Felicia Morina

You walk onto the large, Schwarzman Stadium field from the locker room, the bright lights glaring down at you, the crowd roars, and you get in your position. The pressure is on! The clock screams, and it is game time. The ball gets booted down the field and the other team’s player is getting closer and closer. Panic consumes your body, but as they approach, you stick your foot out and hold possession over the ball. Your quickly launch the ball to the

opposite side and the whole stadium rattles. For freshman student, Caroline

Hughes, scenarios such as this, were a reality every week! Caroline Hughes was the only freshman student who made the girls’ varsity soccer team during the 2018-19 school year. Caroline Hughes has been playing soccer for four-teen years, nearly her whole life! She has played for Hunter Soccer Club, seventh and eighth grade soccer, and now high-school soccer. Earlier this year, soccer tryouts for this upcoming season took place here at Abington but, little did Caroline know

she would be playing on the varsity team, “...I was just hoping to make the

junior varsity team and be with my friends.” When Caroline found out she made the varsity team, she did not know what to think, but she was over the moon excited! “I was shocked...but during tryouts the coach had me play a little bit with varsity girls, so I kind of knew what was happening towards the end of tryouts.” Being the youngest player on the team, Caroline faced some difficulties, but her skill level proved she was capable of the work, and she proved herself worthy! Throughout the season, Caroline had good days, but some bad days as well, “. ..there’s a lot of stress because I felt like I had to perform well all the time especially in the beginning. Towards the end, the girls made me feel more confident in my position…” Caroline states. When playing with older, more advanced girls around you, one tends to learn how to play on the others skill level which is what Caroline did. She learned better ball control, improved her stamina, and her reaction time. With Caroline being the youngest player on the team, the coaches made sure to give her extra instructive criticism, and helped her stay up to pace with the other experienced girls. Spending so much time with a team automatically means you will be sharing lots of fun and happy memories with one another. Caroline favorite memory from this past season was, “...Senior Night because before the game we all got hype in the locker room and we had a lot of fun together.” Caroline will continue to play soccer all throughout her high school years here at Abington, and can not wait for the next upcoming season!

The AJHS Library by Brianna Schniepp All throughout media and literature you see librarians depicted as mean, old woman who sit around and read books. However, with all of these negative stereotypes most librarians seem to be given a bad reputation. Ms. Perch is one of the two main librarians that works at the Junior High School library. She has worked at the school as a librarian for 29 years, but has worked many other different jobs before this. As a librarian she works closely with a lot of different and interesting information each day, but one her favorite parts of working there is being able to offer help and recommendations to the people around the school. Despite Ms. Perch’s ability to keep and enjoy her job after working in our school for so long, she did not always know what she wanted to pursue as a job. Fortunately, after high school Ms. Perch knew that wanted a job that involved working with people and reading. She says, “At a young age I was surrounded by reading.” This one interest lead her to decide to major in liberal arts in college, with language as her strength. Additionally, it shows how something as normal as an interest in reading can lead you to a job you may enjoy doing your whole life. Ms. Perch elaborated on her job decisions explaining, “...there were not a lot of librarian positions available.” As a result of the lack of positions during that time, Mrs. Perch was forced into other jobs, such as a bank teller, that were not related to what she had hoped to be doing. It is very common that people do not get their desired job directly after college, because they can not find available positions or they do not have the same experience as other people who may be applying. To conclude, all of the information Ms. Perch shared can ultimately between related back to how and why she was able to enjoy her job.

Photo: anonymous. Ms. Loston, Ms. Perch, Ms. Snead, and Ms. Ellie.

A Job of Humility, Modesty, and Compassion by Melody Russell

The life of a CPR instructor includes more than meets the eye. Many people don't know all of the work that goes into CPR training, even how busy a CPR instructors life is. CPR instructors usually start off their day by reviewing their itinerary , answering phone calls, contacting clients, and of course providing trainings. “Seeing that people are understanding what I am teaching, brings me joy when a person expresses that they understand what was thus taught.” remarks Joseph Russell, a CPR instructor in both Florida and Pennsylvania . Instructors who live in two states like Joseph get to reach a wider audience of clients and help more people. It's also very exciting and makes it so there's never a boring day. Even though the days of an instructor are filled with orderly chaos and non-stop activity, every individual CPR instructor has their own unique least favorite part of the day. According to Joe Russell, “My least favorite part of the job is pulling a cart of practice dummies in the rain.” Even though the job of a CPR instructor requires humility and a passion for helping and teaching people, there are glamorous perks. Joseph Russell states, “I have trained the Philadelphia Phillies and Michelle Obama’s private pilot.” From football players to supermodels, many of the celebrities we know and love today are certified in CPR. Since a CPR instructor day to day can be so hectic it's usually hard to focus on long term and short term goals. Nevertheless Joseph Russell strives toward both, “My short term goal is to work with more schools and provide trainings for them. My long term goal is to provide ongoing CPR workshops to youth.” Goals like these benefit the community by showing youth that they can make a difference in a person's life, they have the power to save someone's life. “ There’s been eight documented lives saved by people I have trained , I feel like this number is greater though. because there’s probably a great number of people who didn’t reach out to me after saving someone’s life.” Even though people trained in CPR often save others lives using skills taught in a CPR class, there is controversy over what a person trained in CPR is supposed to do when someone goes into cardiac arrest. Should they start chest compressions and risk cracking a rib, or should they do all they can do to save a life? However, the government has recently made strides in protecting people who do try to save others. “Good Samaritan laws offer legal protection to people who give reasonable assistance to those who are, or who they believe to be, injured, ill, in peril, or otherwise incapacitated” according to the US Legal Definitions. Many CPR instructors agree with this and believe that people trained and CPR have the duty of saving others when in danger. One retired paramedic even said,“You are expected to save their life, call 9-11 and take the proper steps to save their life.” CPR instructors have one simple message “Anyone can save a life”.

The Government Shutdown by Juliette Kousombos MOCA, the Magazine of Contemporary Arts by Tiffany Le

Oh man, there’s Art Club, TADA, Builders Club, etc… and MOCA? You might be wondering what MOCA does or where they go for a typical meeting. MOCA has a small number of members In the United States of America, the government shuts down that attend the meeting. MOCA is a club when Congress fails to pass adequate appropriation bills, which shares free-verse poetry and has a continuing resolutions or when the President refuses to sign Poetry Slam at Barnes & Noble. I love to bills or resolutions into law. Recently the federal government draw, but I struggle at poems. This club was shutdown from December 22, 2018 to January 25, 2019, can be completely really chill and we use which is a total of thirty-five days. The shutdown originated Google Classroom for poems we submit from President Trump’s demand for $5.7 billion in federal to Mr. Suanlarm. funds for a United States-Mexico border wall. In December MOCA goes to the Museum of Art in 2018, the Republican-controlled Senate passed an Philadelphia to create poems about appropriations bill; however, it excluded wall funding, and was famous artists. Being a part of MOCA is a expected to be approved by the Republican-controlled House of great way to talk to new people. Sure, Representatives and President Trump. Then President Trump History Club boasts about field trips, but announced that he would not sign any appropriation bills, MOCA is a place to write incredible poems unless they included funding for the border wall. and see unique art. MOCA hopes many Correspondingly the house passed a stopgap bill with funding students will try to submit their unique for the wall, however it lacked support in the Senate. poems and short stories to our magazine. In January 2019, the now Democratic-controlled House of MOCA club is full of fun and hangs along Representatives voted to approve the appropriations bill that with your pals. C’mon, join the poetry had passed the Senate unanimously in December 2018. fun! President Trump has continued to state that he will veto any bill Meetings: that does not fund the entire border wall. Republican Senate March 25 Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has blocked the Senate from April 8 contemplating bills that President Trump would not support. April 29 On January 25, 2019 President Trump agreed to approve a May 13 stopgap bill to reopen the federal government for three weeks,

in order to permit negotiations to take place and to approve a Time to be a learner, bipartisan appropriations bill. However, President Trump stated Time to be you, that if Congress fails to conclude to a deal by February 15, he will Time to be awesome... shut down the government again or use military funding to fund the wall. -Tiffany Le

Fun and Historical Facts of Spring by Brendan Turner

Who doesn’t love spring. Spring and "springtime" refer to the season, and also to ideas of rebirth, rejuvenation, renewal, resurrection and regrowth. Spring is one of the four seasons and that follows winter and precedes summer. Officially, spring starts on March 20 and ends June 21. The first day of spring is called the vernal equinox, and days and nights last for twelve hours each. From there, each day grows longer and each night grows shorter. In short, it means we lose an hour of sleep! To me though, spring is a time when it’s starts to get warm, Rita’s water ice opens and springs sports come around, like baseball, field and track, and soccer. But most importantly is the fact that spring means the end of school is just around the corner! Did you know there are many national food days during Spring? A national food day is a day that honors one or more foods. On the first day of spring, March 20th, it is National Ravioli day. Also in March, there is National Water Day on the 22nd, and International Waffle Day on the 25th. In April, there is a PB &J Day that is on April 2nd, April 7th is National Coffee Cake Day, and April 22nd is National Jelly Bean Day. In May, there is National Chocolate Truffle day on May 2nd, National Cherry Cobbler Day on May 17th, and I Love Reese’s Day, on May 18th. In June, there is National Donut Day, on June 7th, which honors the Salvation Army creating these in 1938 to remember people who served doughnuts in ww1. On June 20th, it is National Vanilla Milkshake Day, and on the last day of spring, June 21st, it is National Peaches and Cream Day.

There are many historic facts and events that took place in spring also. On April 1st 1945, U.S. troops invade the island of Okinawa in the Pacific. This island was a key strategic point if America decided to invade mainland Japan . The battle lasted till June 22, with 12500 U.S. Marines and Army soldiers losing their lives and about 110000 Japanese troops losing their lives. Napoleon Bonaparte was a French statesman and military leader who became the emperor of France on May 18,1804. Napoleon was well known for his military leadership and him conquering most of Europe. “Spring cleaning” is the term used for the practice of thoroughly cleaning a house in the springtime. It’s earliest known use was in the year 1857. Not much information is known on who said it first though. Some researchers trace the origin of spring cleaning to the Iranian Nowruz, the Persian new year, which falls on the first day of spring. Another possibility has been suggested that the origins of spring cleaning date back to the ancient Jewish practice of thoroughly cleansing the home in anticipation of the springtime festival of Passover. Or another is traditionally, the Catholic church thoroughly cleans the church altar and everything associated with it on Maundy Thursday, the day before Good Friday, in the Spring. All I know is every spring my mom tears the house apart and cleans everything that is not moving!

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Continued from “Facts of Spring” p. 8 Some additional facts about Spring you might find interesting are the following:

● We’ve used the word “spring” for the season since the 16th century. ● The first spring flowers are usually daffodils, dandelions, lilies, tulips, iris and lilacs. ● Spring fever isn’t just a saying – experts say the body’s makeup changes due to different diets, hormone production and temperature. ● There’s more daylight during spring because the earth’s axis tilts toward the sun at this time of the year. ● Hurricane season begins in late spring. ● If you stand at the equator on the first day of spring, you’ll see the sun pass directly over-head. This happens only twice a year – the first day of spring and the first day of autumn. ● For the Japanese, the opening of the cherry blossom, Japan’s national flower, in March or April signals the start of spring. ● Many early peoples celebrated spring for the basic reason that their food supplies would soon be restored. ● Holidays that occur in spring include Easter, Passover, April Fool’s Day, Earth Day, Arbor Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Cinco De Mayo, and Holi (festival of colors in India). ● The Last Day of School Is June 17th!

Springtime offers a chance to get outdoors after a cold and dreary winter and experience all that the season has to offer no matter what sport or activities you like to do. I hope your spring is filled with fun and excitement and just remember Summer is just around the corner.

Living in the Shoes of a Moroccan by Jessica Young

The Abington school district is more diverse than one would think. Abington Junior High School is made up of a wide variety of unique people and cultures. One of the the many cultures is the Moroccan culture. AJHS student, Loubna Ftouh shares her American lifestyle with her Moroccan way of life. Her culture affects her everyday life through the differences in clothing, food, language, dance, music, and so forth. First and foremost, what makes the Moroccan culture so unique? Loubna Ftouh believes it is the clothes, food, and holidays that sets the bar high for this culture. She states, “My culture is unique in a lot of ways. It is unique in the choice of clothing and food. For instance, we aren’t allowed to eat pork due to our religion. There are also a lot of different holidays not celebrated in America that we take part in.” The student also takes pride in the Moroccan hospitality and unity. Furthermore, culture is often associated with its own language which is developed in its country. In this case, Loubna Ftouh speaks Arabic and Berber which are well known languages spoken in the country of Morocco. The country of Morocco is said to be, “...very mountainous and containing many plains. There isn’t a lot of trees though, and it’s very hot because the equator runs right through Morocco. Morocco is right by the Sahara and close to a coast.” Loubna has been to the country and she much enjoys the view and the environment. In addition to landscape is the food that comes with it. Often food is determined by the location and the resources. In Morocco they serve many dishes including the tagine, bastilla, and the traditional couscous. Ftouh describes the tagines as a dish of mostly potatoes and meats along with a mix of vegetables, the bastilla is a dish of fish or chicken, and finally the couscous is the traditional tiny grain rice with semoline. Another aspect of Moroccan culture can be found in their articles of clothing. Hough many moroccan today dress in a more westernized style, many of Morocco’s women still wear the traditional djeleba, a long sleeved dress with a hood, while men of this generation wear more westernized clothing. Holidays is another big aspect of the Moroccan culture. Some of the biggest holidays celebrated around the world by moroccans are Ramadan and Eid-al-fitar. These holidays are based on the belief in Allah, god of Islam followers. The holiday of Ramadan is describe as “...a time of fasting from dawn to sunset, praying a lot, and read the Quran. Ramadan is often spent with families. Then at sunset there is a feast. Moroccans celebrate it as the day our prophet Muhammad received the Quran from our god Allah.” While Eid-al-fitar, which is a holiday that ends Ramadan, “is a big feast where we spend time with our families. It is just the end of Ramadan.” Then, what better way to celebrate the holidays than with dance and music? Moroccan music is often upbeat with a lot of pop aspects with drums and stringed instruments. This type of music is called shabbi. Then, along with music is dance. Moroccan dance is very active and fast, often involving the hips. In conclusion, Abington’s students come from many backgrounds and cultures. The Moroccan culture is different from the American way of life in aspects of clothing, food, language, dance, music, and so much more.

Valentine's Day Traditions: What makes this day of celebrating love so special for you?

by Mabel Cannady Every year, people seem to overlook how powerful Valentine's day is. It is the day when everyone is to celebrate the love they feel and try to spread the warm feeling of happiness in the air. So why is this special day not paid much attention to? It could be because this holiday is not one of the most drastically celebrated holidays, like Christmas, Hanukkah, or Halloween. I personally think that this day in February should be paid more attention. It should be celebrated, not forgotten. It is the traditions that make this time of year special. Many people just like you don’t know what to think about Valentine’s Day. In Elementary School, we had parties and gave candies to everyone (even the people who we didn’t particularly like). It is not that hard to show people you enjoy their company or that you are glad to have them as your friend. Just give a kiss to your mom or make your sisters bed. Make a cake or your grandma and a card for your uncle. It really isn’t hard to make people feel loved in this world. Even kids around our school are doing things on Valentine’s Day to show their loved ones how much they love them. They all have certain traditions that they like to do to make people happy. Let’s take a look, shall we? Kids around our school that I have interviewed have traditions from cards to parties. Everyone had a different idea of what Valentine's Day is about and therefore all had different traditions. Some like to lay low like a girl I interviewed in one of my classes. She celebrates this day by hanging out with the ones she loves most: her family. She spends her Valentine’s Day at Olive Garden laughing with stomach full of pasta and bed and tops the night off with watching the classic puppy love story: Lady and the Tramp. This seems like the perfect low-key Valentine’s Day to me. Many people in Abington Junior High celebrate the day of love a little more in depth. Some people like Kylie Oswald and Summer Henderson even go as far as buying a special gift for a family member. Kylie specifically buys a teddy bear for her little sister and Summer likes to get special flowers for her parents. Many other kids in our school like to make cards and give hugs. It really is not that hard to share the love! Don’t just let this important day pass on by. Celebrate it with family and friends. So this year on Valentines Day, make sure that you give a card or a hug, just like all of these kids in our school. Do your part to make the world more filled with love!

Chinese New Year by Loubna Ftouh

“I think this holiday really brings families together. It’s a time where we all gather and just have fun, I think that is it’s magic,” says Jessica Young. She celebrates Chinese New Year which is not celebrated in the American culture. It marks a New year for the Chinese culture and families gather together to celebrate. It is also time to pay forward your respect to the deceased. Whether this be your parents, grandparent, or anyone in general. It is a time to ask God for good luck in the new year to come. It is celebrated with food and time praying, usually at the shrine located in most Chinese homes. Another aspect of the Chinese culture is the color red. Red symbolises good luck, on this holiday there is a lot of red coloring present. This can be seen in the red envelopes of money given to friends and family. The holiday changes each year based on the movement of the moon. This is called the lunar calendar, as Jessica informs us. It is celebrated at a family member’s house. There are many traditions done by various families. Jessica Young, eldest child of the Young family, says, “it is a tradition of ours to sit on mats instead of at a table. There we sit together in a circle, the food being in the middle, we feast and have fun. Then we exchange gifts; the red envelopes of money. The rest of the day is mostly praying and offering wealth to the deceased and to god.” Jessica mentioned the Chinese New Year is known for the big feast. It consists of the traditional roast pork and duck along with a lot of steamed vegetables and many side dishes. In Chinese astrology, each year is related to a Chinese zodiac animal according to the 12-year cycle. 2018 was the year of the dog and 2019 will be the year of the pig, as reported by history.com’s Chinese New Year article. “It is expected that you wear the tradition red, pink, or gold qipao. But that is not expected in the later years. Many families can just wear westernized clothes” Young states. A few days before the Chinese New Year, people will do a complete cleaning of the house and housewares ,which signifies to remove the old and welcome the new, and decorate. The most popular New Year decorations are upside down fu, dui lian, lanterns, year paint, paper cutting, door gods, etc. “I would say, the offerings are my favorite part. We create a fire and throw in paper which represents money, clothes, food, and wealth. The ashes are picked up by the wind. It’s a fun process.” Jessica talks about her favorite part of the holiday. There are many traditions included in Chinese New Year. There are groups of dancers that dress up as a dragon and dance. There is a special ceremony where they hang up red lanterns. The Chinese New Year is a very special holiday for those who celebrate it.

Teaching vs. Tank by Sarah Lewis

Mr.Borka is a travelling man, even though he has only worked at Abington. From substitute, to long term substitute, to full time teacher, from Junior High to Senior High, Mr. Borka has become familiar with many aspects of our school. Since graduating from Temple University with a bachelor's degree, Mr. B’s only teaching job has been here. Why, you ask? Maybe it is because he enjoys the goofy students, the diversity, and at this point, has become comfortable here. Because of Mr. B’s travels from the Junior to Senior High, it more difficult for him to stay organized, especially without a desk of his own. Considering the fact that he drives from building to building in between classes, he must remember not to leave any papers in his car. These are daily obstacles that not all

teachers have to deal with. Mr.Borka still considers his daily stress level low! Young Mr.Borka, just like any child, had a dream. Since his father served our country, Mr. Borka wished to drive tanks in the army. His father suggested that he not drive tanks because it would be hard for him to get a good job afterwards. Getting hired can be difficult, one reason being stereotypes such as “problems with anger management or post- traumatic stress” according to the article, “5 Reasons Why Employers are Not Hiring Vets”. Instead Mr. Borka became an educator. According to Mr.Borka, the very best part of being a teacher is summer, and his least favorite part is grading.

Grease: Behind the Scenes by Abigail Adams

The school musical Grease is far on its way! As you probably know, the cast for the AJHS version of Grease has been working hard many days after school to learn lines, dance numbers, and songs in order to put on a show that will satisfy all audience members. People have the opportunity to see the finished product of the cast members’ hard work while they perform on stage, but what many people don’t think about is what goes on off-stage. There are many groups that help the cast members and show along. One of these is costume crew. The costume crew meets on some Tuesdays after school and gathers/makes some of the characters’ costumes for the show. Recently the costume crew had a tech day on Saturday, February 2. This tech day was held in Commons B from 9 am to 1 pm. Members worked on various costume pieces such as shirts, sweaters, skirts, and other important accessories. Some costume crew members worked on customizing plain white sweaters into Rydell High (the school from Grease) sweaters by adding different colored “R”s and different sewn-in touches to the outfits. Others made 50’s style skirts or other garments to match the style of the musical. The biggest project to be done was the construction of many hair curler hats to be worn in the “Beauty School Dropout” scene. In meetings before the tech day, the members spent a long time cutting, rolling, and covering paper to make tin foil rolls to look like the shiny hair curlers worn by the dancers in one of the scenes. This took many hours of hard work by the costume crew, but got almost completely finished during the tech day. There is definitely some hard work being put into this show by the cast members and all of the behind-the-scenes workers. Don’t pass up the opportunity to see the show on March 7, 8, or 9!

Welcome to Bulgaria! by Alexandra Georgiev Traveling is one of the best ways to learn about history, cultures, and customs of different countries.We all know about famous landmarks in France, China, or Italy, but sometimes the small countries can offer you more than you can imagine, thanks to their rich history and geography. Bulgaria is a very beautiful country in Eastern Europe. The food is delicious and Bulgarians are warm hearted and very welcoming. There are many mountains like the Balkans, Rhodopes, Pirin and Rila that are majestic and beautiful all year long. You can enjoy the slopes in the wintertime or take a hike and appreciate the beautiful nature. You can visit the Pirin National Park. When you climb Rila mountains, admire the Seven Rila Lakes. You can also see the Rila Monastery which is one of Bulgaria's architectural jewels and it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Devil's Throat Cave is a spectacular cave in Rhodopes Mountains resembling a devil's head with a waterfall rushing down its throat.

Seven Rila Lakes Rila Monastery

The Eyes of God, Prohodna Cave Krushunski Falls

Roman Theater, Plovdiv Tsarevets Fortress, V. Tarnovo

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Continued from “Welcome to Bulgaria” on. P. 15 Near Lovech you can explore T he Eyes of God, Prohodna cave. The ceiling of the cave allows you to look at the sky through two eye-shaped holes. The Krushunski Falls are near by as well. The Black Sea borders Bulgaria from the East. There are a lot of beautiful beaches with fine golden sand. You can stay at modern resorts or small, picturesque villages near the shoreline. The Rose Valley in Kazanlak is like a sea of roses. The smell is divine and the view is magnificent. The famous Bulgarian rose oil is accepted as a world standard of quality. The country is the main producer of rose oil in the world (over 75%!). It is widely used in perfumery, cosmetics, and medicine. Sofia is the capital of Bulgaria. The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral is a striking symbol of the city. It is one of the largest Eastern Orthodox churches in the world. The exterior gold-plated dome stands out in the city skyline. Plovdiv, “‘The City of the Seven Hills”’, is one of the oldest cities of Bulgaria. You can enjoy sightseeing in the Old Town with its museums, historical monuments, and ancient Roman Theater. Plovdiv was chosen as the cultural capital of Europe for 2019. Veliko Tarnovo was the capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire. The city has a rich 7,000-year history and many churches. The Tsarevets Fortress is one of the most famous medieval monuments in Bulgaria. It is surrounded by some 3,000 feet of stone walls, some of which are 11 feet thick. On top of the hill there is a stage under under the stars. You can enjoy live performances such as operas, ballets, and concerts. The images you captured with your camera will stay in your heart.

Tasteful Traveling by Lucinda Tyler If you have the opportunity to get on a plane and see the world I would 100% recommend it. The beauty of the world and all the different cultures within it is more spectacular than you'd imagine. Throughout my life, I have had the pleasure to travel the world. My family always made time to travel as it was a top priority and an overall delight. Mark Twain once said, “Travel broadens the mind.” I think that quote embodies all that travel can offer you: the world. Close mindedness is defined as having or showing rigid opinions or a narrow outlook. Travel exposes you to different ways of life and shows you all the differences among our common human species. Imagining yourself living a completely different one can be eye opening. Exposing yourself to different cultures and diverse people can make you more aware of the vast range of people that live on our planet. The world was made to be lived in, so make good use of it and explore. Not only does travel cure the close mindedness, but it can also teach compassion and give you a better understanding of the circumstances in which others live, . There are millions of places around the globe that experience poverty or just might not have it as good as we do here in Abington. Traveling to those countries that may be less fortunate than us would not only make you realize how lucky you are but also give you the opportunity to help them and brighten their lives. Although, getting on an airplane and flyinging to Nepal is not something one can just do. The cost of airfare nowadays can be expensive One of the main reasons people can’t travel as much as they would like is because the costs can be just too much. If you are craving to get a taste of the world around you you might want to consider cutting back on unnecessary expenses (like trips to the beach, Starbucks, theme parks, etc.) in order to save up to travel. Another tactic you might find reasonable is only going on vacation every other year. If you want to travel to either help the less fortunate or to just see new places there are some organisations at Abington Senior High School that can help you do that. If you take a language class, you can apply to be part of the exchange program. Both the German and the French department have great student exchange programs that can offer you the opportunity to travel or to even host a student from France or Germany. Although, if you are looking more to help others, you might consider joining BuildOn when you get to the high school. BuildOn is an organization that lets students go to less fortunate countries and build schools There is a club at the Senior High that would love to have you.

Night of One Act Plays by Jessie Schneider

Scripts, props, lighting, and more come together to create a sensational show. From casting to opening day, so much goes into allowing theatre dreams to become possibilities. So many talented people make these plays happen, and so many viewers love the results. The ninth grade theater elective gets to witness that first hand. No, not witness it happen, make it happen. Mrs. Marquette, the teacher of the theatre elective, incorporates fun and engaging activities into every class, and she recently presented her classes with an exciting challenge: the students would be making their own one-act plays. This includes script writing, props, acting, and more. Each of the classes were split into groups, and the people in each group will be collaborating until May, when the shows will be presented. Until this time, the groups will be focusing on every aspect of making a play happen. With Mrs. Marquette’s guidance, the young actors will work on turning ideas into a reality. The process starts with script writing. Right now, the groups are in the process of channeling their ideas into a script. Groups are developing their characters and plot through this process. Of course, there is no play without a script, so this is a vital part of the process. This is also the first test of collaboration between the group members, so it is the chance to figure out each person’s place in their play. The plays are coming along, but there is still much work to be done. Once the script is complete, each group must work on the logistics of its play, such as props, costumes, and even lighting cues. Hopefully, at the end of the process, everyone will feel satisfied and pleased with the outcomes of their hard work. For now, the students will focus on enjoying the process of using creativity to bring a show to life. “A Night of One Act Plays” will take place on May 8th.

AirPods: Are They Worth It? By Mara Ginsberg If you have been paying attention to students in the hallways, students in the classrooms, social medias, or the news in the past few months, you definitely know what AirPods are. AirPods were first released by Apple at the end of 2016, but the wireless earbuds have recently gained immense popularity. With the release of the iPhone X, the use of AirPods has increased. Despite the large price tag, these earbuds were a popular gift during the holiday season. But, why are AirPods so popular anyway? The innovative look of earbuds without a wire is a new concept which can be difficult to get used to, but the price of AirPods also have given the earbuds traction. There are some pros and cons to AirPods, such as one pro: they are very portable. The small earbuds fit into a pocket-sized portable charging case, but be careful not to mistake them for your dental floss. While portability can be a useful thing, it leads to many problems. I have heard, on numerous occasions, of people losing their AirPods or having them stolen. This is a constant and serious issue due to the loss of being able to listen to music, but arguably more importantly, the $159 price. So, are AirPods worth it? After interviewing an AirPod user, she said, “Kind of, but also not really. They’re really nice and work great, and it’s nice to not have to untangle them or have them get pulled from your ears. They shouldn’t be so pricey when they’re just earbuds, but they are very nice.” Basically, it’s up to you. AirPods are definitely an investment, but they are practical, portable, and useful. Not a must-have, but AirPods are a cool new way to listen to your favorite music.

Pros and Cons about Owning a Golden Retriever by Victor Aires

Golden Retrievers are cute, intelligent and loving dogs, but they can also be very hard to take care of. You need to buy the right food, walk with them and know that they shed a lot. But there are also good things about them. They are easy to train because they are smart, they are one of the nicest dog breeds and are nice to other pets. In this article I will guide you through the pros and cons of owning a golden retriever.

PROS ● Golden retrievers are very smart, that means they are easy to train. So, if you want to train him to do tricks like sit, roll over or shake hands you won't have a hard time. Golden retrievers are so smart that they are used as service dogs, people with disabilities, e specially blind people buy golden retrievers to help them. ● Golden retrievers are also very nice;, they won´t bite you unless you´re doing something bad to them. That's why golden retrievers are family dogs because they won't be aggressive to anyone. ● If you have a golden retriever and you are thinking about getting another pet like a bird or a cat, you don't have tworryo be worried because golden retrievers will never be mean. They are a one of the only breeds that loves cats., I have a golden retriever and she loves cats. I´ve never seen anything something like it.

CONS ● One thing I know about Golden Retrievers is that they are picky eaters, you will have to buy many kinds of dog food until your dog likes one (probably the most expensive one).Golden Retrievers are also very hungry dogs so if you’re feeding him, he may want more.But you still have to control him or he may get fat. ● Many people who own golden retrievers say they shed a lot and that is true.This breed sheds the whole year, but they definitely shed more during the spring and fall. If you’re allergic this is probably not the best breed to get. ● Golden retrievers need time to exercise.They mostly need about an hour a day to exercise. If not, they can become stressed,ill,overweight,or depressed.So if you don’t have time to do that this is probably not the dog for you. S o do you want to own a golden retriever?

Multimedia Animations: Bringing Powerpoint to Life

by Nathan Schneider

Have you ever dreamed of creating movies like George Lucas or Steven Spielberg? In the seventh and eighth grade Multimedia Tech elective with Mr. Tulli, we are making animations, or short movies, on Microsoft Powerpoint. The students are embracing their creativity by producing a film of their choice. My project is about an alien traveling to Earth, but if that is not your cup of tea, there are projects about a plethora of other topics. Once they are all completed and perfected, we will present them to the class. When asked if he’d like to say anything about the animations we are doing, Mr. Tulli said, “I’m glad the kids had fun doing it.” If making your own animation on PowerPoint interests you, you can learn how to do it with these instructions:

How to Make an Animation on Powerpoint Step I: Start a blank Powerpoint and change the layout to the “blank” setting. This can be done by right clicking the mini slide on the left, selecting “layout,” and clicking on “blank.”

(Example picture for step 1)

Step II: This step is crucial! Select the mini slide on the left and type ctrl+a. Then, select “transitions”, go onto “advance slide” (on the right), unselect “On Mouse Click,” and check “After.” (Look in the top left corner of the picture).

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Step III: Insert a shape or a LOW RESOLUTION image into your presentation. If adding a shape, click “insert”, “shapes”, and select one of your choice. Then, spread out your cursor to create the shape. You may edit its color. I recommend Google for Images.

Step IV: Duplicate the slide and move the shape/image. Slides can be duplicated by right clicking the mini picture of your slide and selecting “duplicate.” This will create a replica of your previous slide. Then move the shape/image a little bit on the new slide. Keep repeating the process. If you do a ball bouncing like my example, you should start off with slow changes and have it pick up speed (due to gravity). My example shows the placement of the shape in slide one (red) and the way I moved it (blue) for demo purposes. Your movie should only have the blue one in slide two.

Step V: Be creative! Have airplanes fly and clouds move at the same time! There are limitless possibilities!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Robotic Arm by Juliette Kousombos

The Science Club is crafting a Robotic Arm, which is built to understand how the system of a Robotic Arm works in and out of water. Jimmy McLaughlin, a member of the club stated that the arm is “built to understand how fluids work.” The Robotic Arm is crafted out of cardboard. However, since this is the Science Club’s first year constructing the Robotic Arm, they intend on expanding the materials they use in the years ahead and potentially use balsa wood, plastic and steel in the coming years, and they hope to eventually create a pivotal arm. The inspiration for the Robotic Arm was not being able to succeed at creating an underwater pivotal arm, with a claw that could open. Ms. Wimberly, a moderator of the Science Club, said “when the robot was in the pool doing it’s different maneuvers you could pull the strings to open the claw and close the claw, and we were never able to get that right. So I said okay we are starting on land.” The Science Club has decided to double the amount of cardboard used to provide extra strength. Best of luck to the Science Club!