Snow Awakens, an Early Dismissal Follows by Leslie Lim, Brianna Schniepp, Jozshua Butcher, & Sarah Lewis

First Quarter 2018 Snow Awakens, an Early Dismissal Follows by Leslie Lim, Brianna Schniepp, Jozshua Butcher, & Sarah Lewis

Glistening crystals descended from the empty gray sky and turned all students’ heads towards the window. At the end of first period, and the beginning of second, the view of students’ jolly smiles was just so pleasant to look at. Then the announcements rang in: early dismissal it is. Praising the Gods, they all got excited over the tiny frozen molecules of water, dashing towards the ground. On November 15th, Abington expected a light snow storm with one and a half inches of snow. Expecting the snow to stick, the students were anticipating dismissal. During second period, the announcement shared the wonderful news of early dismissal at 12pm. Starting from second period, every period was shortened, with eighth period cancelled. The schedule went from first, second, third, seventh, fourth, fifth, and sixth. Having limited time, teachers only gave out few or no classwork assignments. A few classes watched a movie or had a study hall period. The snow on the road did cause some difficulty because of the traction of the snow on the tires of many vehicles. The time it took to get home on the school bus doubled for many people, and some may have tripled. Cars had to take it slow to avoid sliding or getting stuck in the slick snow. Unfortunately, some students’ only option was to walk home because their parents had work. The next day, the school announced the 2 hour delay, bringing many students to joy and allowing them a chance to sleep in. School started at 10:10 am, and all periods were shortened for the day. Many people were delighted to have two half days in a row. Periods were shortened on the next day, causing students to feel delighted once again. Students are looking forward to a long winter!

Goodbye Jitters have someone to share all of your student’s favorite or least by Alexandra Georgiev problems with, is a great feeling. favorite subject. Some students We can always rely on them to learn better with hands on You can still feel the sun on make us smile. We have probably projects to see how the concept your face, and the salty breeze made friends in our elementary actually plays out. Other of the ocean. But the tan has schools. That’s great. We can make students learn by someone faded and you have to say new ones! A new school is full of saying the actual words to them goodbye to summer. It’s time to new and old faces. Sometimes it or by writing the words down. dust off your school bag and can be scary to make new friends, This all depends on what makes jump into an educational pool. but it’s worth it. Friends definitely the information stay in their It’s the first day of school. make your day a lot brighter. It will heads. You’re probably nervous and help you relax a little more. Soon Some students tend to learn excited at the same time. The enough you’ll have a group of better when listening to music. pressure is higher, especially if people who you know you can trust Music has been shown to help you go to a new school. Well, it’s and rely on. students relax while learning or normal. With nerves come the studying which lowers the jitters. There are ways to get rid frustration level. When students of them though. The school has feel more relaxed and ready to many club opportunities for you. learn, they are more likely to There are some other things you open their minds to new could do too, like meeting new information. These types of friends. And believe it or not, students can also focus better even studying helps with the when there is something already jitters. known in going through their AJHS has a wide variety of clubs What’s Your Style? head. waiting for you to join. You can by Abby MacAdams Although some students learn mix all of your emotions with better using music, in some paint and join the Art Club. Here at the Abington Junior High cases, musics acts as more of a Relieve your stress on the field. School, students experience many distraction. When learning, some Go try out for a sports team! different ways to learn material. In people become too involved in Pour your heart out on paper and science class, students frequently the music to pay attention to the join the Creative Writing Club. Or learn by hands on projects known schoolwork. Occasionally, if you just want to hang out with as labs. In other classes, such as students believe that they are your friends, join TADA. You can social studies, students usually learning the material but instead express yourself by singing and learn by the teacher talking about are paying closer attention to dancing in the school musical. certain topics or working on their music than their studies. There are so many clubs, at least worksheets. In English, students one will be able to spark your frequently learn by reading about interest. their lessons in books, plays, Friends are an important part poems, etc. Math is typically of our lives. We talk to them, we learned by worksheets and share our secrets, tears and teacher’s help. Often, though, a laughs. Knowing that you can subject can be taught using more than one of these styles. Each student has a different way of learning and picking up information. This can sometimes Some students say that they lead to a subject becoming a work better when listening to music.

N JHS Introduces New Project by Valerie Schaible

Are you a member of NJHS? Are you looking for a way to be more involved? Here is your chance! NJHS has recently introduced a new project called Cranes for Cancer, an exciting new opportunity to bring light to the community. Samantha Thomas, Treasurer of the NJHS board, says, “The idea is to bring some light into the lives of cancer patients, by surprising them with paper cranes in their room. The paper cranes will have inspiring messengers on them to uplift and

encourage the patients.” This project has never been done before; Simeon Peak, another board member, came up with the idea this year. “We plan to do this at a children’s hospital, possibly CHOP,” says Samantha, “I’m excited to go the hospital and interact with the children.” Visiting the children in the hospital and bringing them gifts is a kind gesture that will brighten up their day. “NJHS members can help by coming to meeting to make the cranes and add inspiring messages to them,” says Samantha, “We will also need volunteers to make the trip to the hospital.” The NJHS board will need a lot of volunteers to make this idea a reality. According to Samantha, the date for the meeting has not yet been decided, but members should keep an eye on their Skyward messages and emails. By taking an hour of out your day, you could have a big impact on the lives of children who are struggling with cancer. Simply making a paper crane and adding an inspiring message could affect someone’s life in a way that you can’t even imagine.

Day/Month of History by Anna-Liza Medynska

In a day one might experience happiness from that 100 they received on the test, or sorrow because they forgot to do their homework. Nowadays, we get too caught up in our daily life that we forget that a whole world exists past the four walls of our school and homes. The past 31 days of October have made history. First of all, October is the month of many foods, for example: American Cheese Month, National Pickled Peppers Month, National Pizza Month, National Popcorn Month, National Pork Month, National Pretzel Month, and National Apple Month. One of the biggest arguments in AJHS are, “Is water wet?” and “does pineapple belong on pizza?” For all of those who strongly have an opinion about if pineapple belongs on pizza, October would be the best month to argue your point because October is also National Pineapple Month. Additionally, for everyone who went to the Pink Out game (go ghosts) on October 26, 2018, it probably wasn't an accident that you were covered in pink from head to toe. You obviously were cheering the Abington football on, but you also wore pink which stood for Breast Cancer Awareness because that is also one of October’s key events. In the midst of the Down Syndrome Awareness to Tackling Hunger you forget about changes worldwide occurring this second. On Friday October 6, in Oslo the Nobel Peace Prize winner was announced. This year the winners are D enis Mukwege and Nadia Murad for their efforts to end the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war and armed conflict. Also, on October 7th, it was election day for both Brazil and Cameroon. Even though October is gone it is never too late to start paying attention to November. November is pretty eventful too, it includes: Epilepsy Awareness, International Percussion Month, Lung Cancer Awareness, National Adoption Month, National Alzheimer's Disease Month, National Diabetes Month, National Gratitude Month, National Long-term Care Awareness Month, National Native American Heritage Month, National Pepper Month, National Roasting Month, Vegan Month, Worldwide Bereaved Siblings Month, National Pet Cancer Awareness Month, and so much more. In conclusion, having more knowledge about the outside world lets you be on top of current events.

Pink Out Game by Brianna Hartzell The Pink Out game was against Central Bucks West and Abington Senior High varsity football teams. It’s called the Pink Out because this is a time where students wear pink or one of the shirts that could be purchased at school to raise awareness for breast cancer. October is named Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and during this time many people donate money for research on prevention of breast cancer. Breast cancer happens to one in every eight women, and our school decided to raise awareness for the cause. In this game, Abington lost 20-13. From a student’s perspective, the only time anyone would look up was when they heard other people cheering, and many would join along. At half time, the band had a performance with song and dance as the team prepared for the next two quarters. Not many students paid attention to the game, they were either taking pictures or socializing, but the ones who did know that in the third quarter of the game, a player on our home team got hurt. For a brief moment, there was silence from both teams, as Abington’s football team took a knee. The cheer team, made of all ages, continued to keep the crowd’s mood positive and energetic. Abington’s spirit was never lost even though we lost, and no one in the stadium could say they regretted being there, because it was for a good purpose.

Abington played Central Bucks West on October 27, 2018. Abington School District sold over 2, 000 shirts for the fundraiser.

5 Cool October Facts! b y Brendan Turner

When we think of the month of October, we automatically think of Halloween and Trick-or- Treating, but did you know that October holds some very interesting facts besides goblins and ghouls.?

1.William Penn was born on October 14, 1644 in

London, England. As the founding father of our

state Pennsylvania, William Penn allowed people of all religions to come to his 50,000 square mile province. He came up with a democratic form of government to rule this land. However, British, Dutch, and Swedish settlers in modern day Delaware did not like this form of government. 4. On October 1, 1908, Henry Ford released the Model They ridiculed this form and proceeded to petition T, a universal car at that time. It was an affordable their own one. They achieved this from the splitting car to anybody in the working class, and it allowed of three southern states of Pennsylvania split. They travelers to go different places. This car became part of what back then was Lower revolutionized how cars were built in the future. In Delaware, and the city of New Castle became its 1999, the Model T won the 20th century car of the capital. William Penn was one of the people that century competition. Henry Ford continued to make sparked the revolution, even though he died 30 cars just like his company still does today. years before it happened. His democratic principles in the Frame of Government of Pennsylvania 5. Brett Favre was born on October 16, 1969. Known helped come up with the idea of the constitution. today as one of the best quarterbacks for the packers, or ever, he played over 15 years in the NFL. Most of his 2. Reginald Martinez Jackson (born May 18, 1946) is time was with the Packers. He won a super bowl with an American former professional baseball right them and won consecutive MVP awards. His career fielder who played 21 seasons for the Kansas City / ended with the rival Vikings, which he didn’t do to Oakland Athletics, Baltimore Orioles, New York well with. He was later inducted into the NFL hall of Yankees, and California Angels of Major League fame in 2016. Baseball (MLB). Jackson was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1993.Jackson was nicknamed "Mr. October" for his clutch hitting in the postseason with the Athletics and the Yankees.

3. October 1 is known as National Homemade Cookie Day. This day gives you an excuse to make cookies at home and eat them. You can make whatever one you want! Sadly, there isn’t any more information about this holiday.

Girl’s 7th Grade Soccer The Soapbox by Mabel Cannady by Mara Ginsberg Soapbox. The girl’s seventh grade soccer season was a great If that simple word sent anxiety-ridden chills down success! When the season ended on October 24th, your spine, you may be familiar with the dreaded 5-7 The girls had a total of two wins, two ties, and two minute speech/essay about a controversial current losses. They played a total of six games due to the event. If you are completely clueless as to what I’m rain,but they played incredibly in the little playing talking about, you will understand soon enough. For time that they had. There were amazing passes, those of you who are deprived of knowledge about the shots, and goals made by many of the players. soapbox, allow me to explain. In ninth grade, many Maddie Eagan shot the ball from the right corner of students will have the opportunity (a mandatory the field and the ball went straight into the left top opportunity), to write a six paragraph essay about a corner of the net. This was one of the highlights of controversial current event of the season and this goal lead the team to another their choice. The process of victory of 2-0. writing, memorizing, and Coach Robinson and Coach Blumberg taught these presenting the soapbox goes like girls to play very well with lots of practice. These this: First, you choose a topic. In girls were so dedicated that they were willing to my opinion, this is one of the practice every day from three to five in cold or hardest parts of the project. You warm weather. This really shows you how much need a topic that is current, each and every one of them love this sport! Practice controversial, has enough was very serious (although jokes were cracked evidence, and is approved by your teacher. You also regularly) and everyday was filled with new drills must decide your stance on the topic. For example, if and activities, thanks to the coaches. your topic is assisted suicide, you must decide if you The girls on the team seemed to have a great time agree or disagree with it. The second step is to as well. They had a nice time goofing around, research your topic. It is crucial to find beneficial playing the sport they love together, and building evidence to support your topic. The third step is to on new-found friendships. write the essay. This is basically one of the thousands A special thanks to the coaches and all of the girls of five paragraph essays you have done and will do in who made this season so great! Good luck and have your lifetime, but with one added paragraph: the a great season next year! counter argument. Lastly, memorizing and presenting the essay. Presentations come with a lot of anxiety, especially if you have to memorize a speech. However, as my teacher assured us, all your classmates are going through the same thing, so they understand. Now, I may have exaggerated about all the anxiety. The soapbox sounds a lot worse than it actually is. While it is true that you must write a six paragraph essay, memorize it, and present it in front of your class, the work is not too overwhelming if you distribute your time evenly. Procrastination is most likely very familiar to you, but I assure you that it is not a valid option for the soapbox. Plenty of time is alloted to you, so my advice is to use it wisely. Once you’re done, you will feel extremely relieved, and realize that it wasn’t as bad as you thought.

W hy You Should Get A Bunny As Your House Pet by Gretchen Varona Canovas

Many people think that getting a house pet is a lot of responsibility, work, and most importantly money. I agree that pets can be expensive, but maybe getting a bunny as a pet isn’t the worst idea. There are many pets to choose from, and each has their own charming features and horrible flaws. That’s why I’m proposing the great idea of getting the perfect pet: a bunny rabbit. It’s smart and can be potty trained like a cat! It is loveable and fluffy, but at the same time, no pet is perfect. If you're going to get a pet bunny, there are some things you are going to have to clear up with your family, whether you're the adult in the house or the child. First, you must discuss who will be the one cleaning its cage; this generally turns out to be the kids' work because they were the ones begging for the pet. Some parents might not like the idea of their children touching the hay on the cage, that has animal feces and urine on it, but frankly, bunnies poop in very small, pellet-shaped spheres, which makes for easy cleanup. Secondly, you and your family must discuss where the rabbit will stay, it needs to be in a place where he seems fairly comfortable staying, and there is at least some light entering the room. Now, here comes the biggest issue, the hay that is used as a floor in the bunny’s cage. This is normally a slight problem because many stores sell small amounts of hay in one package, which means you might end up going out to the store a few times a month, just buying flooring for your bun. But besides that, there’s nothing much more to it! Really! There’s not much to maintain, other than that (and it’s love for food!) Bunnies are adorable, sweet, little furballs, that are the perfect pets. I truly believe this because if you want to teach a child about being responsible, most parents would buy them a fish. An easy pet to take care of. But the bunny is a much stronger and better way to have your kids learn. They can appreciate their little-buck toothed buddy while learning valuable lessons about many things with them. Plus, cats are grumpy, dogs are clingy, birds are too loud, fish are too quiet, hamsters are too self-centered, and snakes can be a bit too dangerous at times. A bunny is just what you need! It is super affordable, trainable, loving, caring, silly, and a great companion! Just don’t forget the carrots! Bunnies are very good pets, but you do have to be careful with how you treat your pet bunny, they are vegetarians, which means they can’t have meat, but they do love lettuce. They need to be brushed daily and have their nail trimmed every month. You also might have not have known this, but bunnies are super intelligent, and they can be taught many things, they just need a good teacher. You can teach them how to open cupboards and cabinets, with simple brain-teasing toys, and how to jump over small stacks of items. In conclusion, bunnies are definitely the best, most affordable, downright cutest, fluffiest, most trainable, starter pet you will ever need!

Happy Doggy-days! by Jessie Schneider

2018 is coming to an end, and that means one thing: the holiday season is about to leap onto our laps. To celebrate, dog owners may want to pamper their loyal friends. Luckily, playful pups can get spoiled on Halloween and the winter holidays. If any worry arises over coming up with a gift for a dog, that anxiety is for nothing. There are plenty of solutions to any dog-related holiday woes. For Halloween, a great number of costumes are perfect for dogs. Movie and television characters can always become adorable clothing themes. An example of this is an ewok costume. Another route to be traveled is a classic costume such as a hot dog. Both of these types of outfits will spice up the spooky night. Once Halloween has come and gone, the winter festivities roll right in to take its place. Due to this change in occasion, gifts for dogs will be in order. Some suggestions for presents may fall into two categories: fun and functional. Some fun gifts include a new blanket or ball, while gifts such as a better food bowl and a water bottle-bowl combination (yes, that is real) are more functional. Both types of canine goodies are great for the cheerful season. Now, preparation for the upcoming occasions must begin. At the end of the day, having fun with pets is what is important. With the end of the year comes a new beginning for everyone as well as their dogs, so making the most of every moment is a great way to end off 2018. If there is one thing to say, it is “Happy doggy-days!”

2018 Midterm Elections by Juliette Kousombos

You maybe wondering why Abington School District has off on Tuesday November 6th. Tuesday November 6th is election day, specifically the Midterm Elections. The Midterm Elections, also known as the Midterms, occur near the halfway point of a president’s four-year term in office. All 435 members of the United States House of Representatives are up for election, thirty-three Senate seats are up for election, and thirty-four of fifty U.S. States elect their governors. In addition many special elections are held in conjunction with the Midterms. For example in the Seventh Congressional District of Pennsylvania. Pearl Kim (R-PA) is running against Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA), in a special election. First there is a state-wide gubernatorial election, Republican Scott Wagner and former state senator is challenging incumbent Governor Tom Wolf. Scott Wagner’s running mate is Jeff Bartos, while Governor Wolf’s running mate is mayor of Braddock, Pennsylvania John Fetterman. Wagner is an avid supporter of the Second Amendment, and has received an endorsement from Firearms Owners Against Crime. On the other hand, Tom Wolf has received over $500,000 from Everytown for Gun Safety. Governor Wolf campaigned on property tax reform, also known as elimination. However he has not voiced his opinion in regards to property taxes during this election cycle. Scott Wagner is advocating for property tax elimination. Furthermore there is a state-wide senate election between Republican Congressman Lou Barletta and incumbent Senator Bob Casey. Congressman Barletta opposes all restrictions on guns, and is a gun owner, recreational shooter and a member of the National Rifle Association. Contrary Senator Casey cosponsored the Assault Weapons Ban, that bans assault weapons with detachable ammunition and magazines that hold more than ten rounds of ammunition. Senator Casey is against the tax plan set forth by the Republican Party. However Senator Casey called the Republican Party’s tax plan a “gut punch to the middle class.” Lastly Republican Dan David is challenging State Representative Madeleine Dean for Congress in the Fourth Congressional District of Pennsylvania. Dan David supports the Second Amendment however believes that we need more through background checks to ensure that a firearm does not get into the hands of the wrong person. Representative Dean founded the PA Safe Caucus after the Sandy Hook shooting, advocating for a ban on “bump stocks,” and universal background checks. Representative Dean is against the Republican tax plan and calls it “irresponsible.” Dan David supports the Republican tax cuts. Regardless of who you support, voting in the Midterm Elections is very significant. Pennsylvania offers absentee ballots. Therefore if you cannot make it to the polls you can request one and mail it on or before November 2nd. The polls open at 7 A.M. and close at 8 P.M. If eligible please get out and vote and encourage everyone you know to do so.

What Is Service Learning? by Kristi Baholli & Christelle Belly

Service Learning is a pathway that connects students with their community. It allows students to spend their free time helping others while acquiring life skills and knowledge. Seventh and eighth grade students aren’t required to do service hours, but in 9th grade students must complete at least fifteen hours of service. Abington JHS provides countless opportunities for students to participate in such as the following:

➢ Builders Club

Builders club offers opportunities for students to help and build a relationship communities around the world. Members of the club participate in a activities such as chaperoning trips for the local daycare, raising money for organizations such as Unicef, and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, and creating care packages for nursing homes and children’s hospitals. Just attending the meetings gives you around 10 hours of service. The Builders’ Club allows students to give back to the community while promoting leadership, teamwork, and pride.

➢ Pegasus Therapeutic Riding Academy

Pegasus Therapeutic Riding Academy is looking for volunteers to assist with therapeutic riding lessons (no previous experience is necessary). All of our volunteers get to have fun working with both the horses and the riders. Participants are expected to help groom and tack the horses before the lessons start. After lessons, you might also help out feeding the horses and settling them in for the night. You must be 14 years or older in order to volunteer at Pegasus. In addition, all volunteers are required to go through an orientation and training session. Volunteers must have medical insurance as well. Lessons are currently ongoing weekdays from 5:00-8:30 pm, Saturdays from 8:30-1:30 pm, and Sundays from 1:00- 4:00 pm. Please visit the Pegasus Therapeutic Riding Academy website for additional information and to obtain the registration forms. http://www.pegasusridingacademy.com/volunteer-with-us/

➢ Friends of Cheltenham Community Tennis (no tennis experience required!)

Volunteers are needed to assist with the Phys. Ed tennis program for students at the elementary schools in Cheltenham. There are 4 different locations :Elkins Park School, Cheltenham Elementary, Glenside Elementary, and Wyncote Elementary. Volunteers will help with fun drills/games, interact with students, and help them follow instruction of our head tennis instructor. The program runs from 3:45-5:15 pm with many dates and options available. If you are interested please contact Ms. Siegal at [email protected] for specifics. You will need to wear sneakers and you will need to be there on time to help set up. Students should bring their log sheets for signatures.

(Continued on p. 12)

(from What is Service Learning p. 11)

➢ Grace Presbyterian Church Weekly Sunday School

Weekly Sunday school volunteers are needed to escort students from the sanctuary to their classes and help the lead teacher with the lessons and activities. This opportunity takes place on Sundays from September-May at 10:30-11:45 AM each week. Volunteers needed for Figs (2&3 yr olds), Apples (4&5 yr olds), Upper ELEM, and Lower ELEM classes. Students participating should report to Front 2 pews, Sanctuary, find the symbol you signed up for (Fig/Apple/Upper ELEM./Lower ELEM.) They will need to find their “Shepherd” for the age group they signed up for and introduce themselves. Make sure to come dressed appropriately for church. Please contact Ms. Hudson at [email protected] with any questions.

➢ Willow Hill Study Buddies Willow Hill Elementary school is looking for 8-10 student volunteers to work with students after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays starting January through April (at 3:35-4:30 pm). This is an opportunity to help mentor younger students and to help them build their confidence in reading, math and science. You can sign up for either days through the school google account.

➢ Sjogren’s Syndrome Foundation: Philadelphia Walk for Sjogren’s

The Philadelphia Walk for Sjogren’s is the Sjogren’s Syndrome Foundation’s largest fundraising and awareness event. The event focuses on increasing awareness for Sjögren’s in the local community while also raising money to support efforts to increase research and education. Volunteers will be asked to help with arts & crafts, greeters in the event tent, and being route guides. The event will take place on Saturday, May 4th 2019 ( 7:30am - 11:30am). Students are able to access to sign-up link through the Abington website. For more information visit : http://events.sjogrens.org/PhillyWalk or contact Ms. James at [email protected] with any questions.

All volunteers should report to: Philadelphia Zoo – 3400 W Girard Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19104 – Service Gate.

➢ School the World Guatemala Service Learning Program

School the World is an international education non-profit organization focused on bringing quality education to the developing world. The organization partners with local government to build schools and communities in rural Central America. With this opportunity, students commit to raising the funds necessary to build a primary school in Guatemala and learn about the Mayan culture. Participants travel to Guatemala during March or July 2019 to complete their week of service by building the school. Applications can be downloaded from the Abington website. For more information about the mission and programming, please contact [email protected] or visit http://schooltheworld.org/program/student-service-learning.php.

Please be aware that these are only some of the activities offered, to find more visit the AJHS website.

Joining TADA? by Michelle Kim One of the clubs that you can join is TADA. TADA is a club for Abington Junior High 7th, 8th, and 9th graders. This club is about helping teenagers to avoid drugs and alcohol ,and provides fun activities. Throughout the school year TADA members can attend the 76ers games, Beat Street Dance Club, a Haunted Hayride, a Karaoke Dance , and etc.

There is only ONE PROMISE that TADA members have to keep. They MUST NOT TAKE ILLEGAL DRUGS AND ALCOHOL. If you have any questions please go to the TADA website (The link is below) https://www.abington.k12.pa.us/ajtada/. Just in case your questions are not in the FAQ page you are welcomed to go to Room 357 (Mr.Sandler) or Room 319 (Mr.Durand). Mr. Sandler and Mr.Durand are the club leaders for TADA. If you don’t sign the packet in late September, you won’t be able to join TADA. If you are caught taking drugs and alcohol you will no longer be a member in TADA. If you join TADA it will give you 1 or 2 points for the National Junior Honors Society. If you attend 3 or 4 events you will get 1 point ,but if you attend 5 or more activities you will get 2 points. If you don’t know the following events by TADA you may go to Room 357 or 319. Let’s say that you don’t have enough time to go to the rooms ,well you can check skyward or look at the board in the second floor. Right when you come out from the center stairwell you will see the board.

THESE ARE THE TADA EVENTS THAT YOU CAN ATTEND:

Karaoke Dance Friday, December 14, 2018 Bring It On! Friday, January 11, 2019

Unique Board Game Friday, January 25, 2019

TADA Movie Night Friday, February 8, 2019

Beat Street Friday, February 22, 2019

TADA Fundraiser* To Be Announced ( Early 2019) 76ers Game ( 9th Grade) Friday, March 15, 2019

Beat Street Friday, March 29, 2019

Extravaganza! Friday, April 12, 2019

9th Grade Trip Saturday, May 18, 2019 TADA Games Meeting** Wednesday, May 29, 2019 Monday, June 3, 2019 through Friday, June 14, 2019 TADA GAMES* ** (Every day EXCEPT for Friday, June 7th and the date of Abington Senior High School Graduation) TADA Games FINALE**** Friday, June 14, 2019 (3:00 PM – 10:30 PM)

TADA Games Awards Monday, June 17, 2019 (Per. 7)

Welcome, Ms. Knight! by Hannah Gillespie

What is it like being the assistant to the head principal of AJHS? Do they get special privileges? We have a first hand account from Mr. File’s new administrative assistant, Ms. Knight. Ms. Knight started out working at Copper Beech as a secretary. Since her previous job was in the district, she knows a lot of the former Copper Beech students and loves seeing familiar faces around school during her day. “My experience at the elementary schools helped me here, she says, “because I already knew the layout of the district and how the system worked.” You may ask, well, why move if you already like it at Copper Beech? “It was different here than in the elementary school and the pay is full year round.” People assume that nobody grows up dreaming of becoming an administrative assistant. That wasn’t exactly the case for Ms. Knight. Although she didn’t dream as a kid of becoming an assistant, she always knew her strengths. She has good communication skills and likes to stay organized. Both of these qualities help her to succeed everyday. Ms Knight also thought this would be a good job for her because, “I’ve always loved learning new things and how things work.” In terms of her workload, she doesn’t feel like there is an overwhelming amount, but she is kept busy everyday. The hardest part of her job in her opinion, “to stay on top of everything and make sure things are done efficiently and in a timely manner.” These “things” include making sure the teachers and Mr. File are connected, making sure classes have coverage, and, her favorite part, helping with PRIDE lunches.

Social Media by Lucinda Tyler

My ears perk up at the sound of the pink Bubblegum Love Cake gloss slime. I stare in awe at my screen as the hands of a fellow slimer pop the bubbles. My finger spryly double taps on the screen. My eyes are glued to my phone as I scroll down my Discover page. Ah yes. The next video was one of my favorites: baby parakeets whistle Firework by Katy Perry. Double Tap. Next. I chuckle at the Vine of the little boy at the skate park. Legitness. But, despite my daily enjoyment of staring at my phone, do I realize the time I’ve wasted scrolling and scrolling? Posting, liking, and typing can be more time consuming than users realize. Kids aged 8-18 on average devote more than seven hours a day to electronic devices, according to The New York Times. Through many studies, participants have said that social media is just a waste of time. Screens are beginning to dominate our lifestyle. Given what most of us find ourselves looking at, the time spent on social media can almost always be spent doing something more worthwhile. Have you ever been scrolling through your feed and a picture of the prettiest person in your grade pops up? Their post blows up: 200 likes in half an hour, the comments multiply by the minute. How does that make you feel? You only have a couple hundred followers, while they seem to be thriving off of thousands of people liking their every move. A study done at Penn State University shows that scrolling through others’ selfies tends to lower self-esteem: people look at the selfies and compare them to their own appearance. More data backs up the point that women negatively compare themselves to other users’ selfies. Social media has also been shown to decrease happiness and confidence. Social media can promote lower self esteem, but with doubting yourself comes the more serious side of things: Depression. The Center for Disease Control & Prevention showed that since 1999, around the development of smartphones and the internet, the suicide rate has gone up by 25%- a drastically large number. Also, it seems that the main cause for social media depression is envy amongst the users of certain social platforms. People tend to compare their lives with others’ accounts which would cause a dramatic decrease in anyone's self-confidence. You see only the internet community’s positive side, what the poster wants you to see. No one knows whether or not they had a bad day, because all they post are the fun, “instagram worthy” moments. Who wants their followers to know that they don’t have the perfect life they attempt to convey through a screen? Despite social media being good for connecting with old friends, or being able to express yourself through your profile, for many of us, the time consuming depression users feel on a daily basis trumps those positive qualities. In this day and age, almost everyone is on some sort of social media platform. Maybe it’s time to start dialing it back. Considering how reliant especially young adults are on their devices and social media, dialing back can seem incredibly hard. But if deleting social media off of our devices means we have a chance to be healthier and happier people, isn’t it worth at least trying? Sources: BBC-http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20180104-is-social-media-bad-for-you-the-evidence-and-the-unknow ns THE WEEK -http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20180104-is-social-media-bad-for-you-the-evidence-and-the-unknowns We Have Kids-https://wehavekids.com/parenting/social-network-to-teens US suicide rates increased more than 25% since 1999, CDC says https://www.cnn.com/2018/06/07/health/suicide-report-cdc/index.html

Being a Library Aide by Victor Aires

Abington Junior High School offers many interesting activities you may like. One of the many that I like is being a library aide. When I heard that I could be a library aide through the announcements, I went to the library to get an application right away. After some days I walked into my workshop and on my desk there was a paper telling me that I was assigned to work at the library every Tuesday on period 4B. I was really,really,really happy! I couldn't wait until my first day. On Tuesday, October 9th it was my first day working as a library aide. I loved working there;it was really fun. Period 4 is usually a very busy period in the library which is a lot of pressure, but it's really fun once you get the hang of it. The library staff was really helpful,which helped me a lot because sometimes I had no idea of what I was supposed to do. Also, I was really nervous because I didn't want to make any mistakes, but I learned a lot such as checking books out and in,putting library passes alphabetical order, stacking books in the right place, and so much more. You should try out next year to be a library aide. I loved my first day and I look forward to doing this for my next 3 years here in Abington Junior High School.

Hard Times: Disconnected By Nathan Schneider Think of something that you constantly rely on and can’t live without (besides your parents). If you thought of your smartphone, you are certainly not alone. I do so much on my phone, so I decided to try living without it for two days. The purpose of this experiment was to see how reliant I am on it. My parents lived without a smartphone as kids, so I hope I can too. What I use it for I use my phone to complete a variety of tasks. Obviously, I stay in touch with my friends and family by making phone calls. I also text, email, and video call them. A couple of times a day, I check the news using the Google News app. Being the lazy boy that I am, I use the Google Assistant to answer all of my questions, and I hate walking all the way to my family computer to search Google. I even use my phone to wake me up in the morning by setting alarms. But the app I use the most is YouTube. I hate to admit this, but when I open YouTube, it isn’t easy for me to close it. Almost as frequently as I watch YouTube, I play games. Lately I have been playing the game Helix Jump on my phone, and I’ve been addicted. My phone is like my best friend. We do everything together. I will miss you friend. Hypothesis I predict that I will be able to go without a phone for two days, but it will be an extreme pain. It is time for me to put my phone away. It will be turned off on a Friday and a Saturday. Let’s see how I do... Day 1 Finally! It’s been one day. My first day without my phone wasn’t all that bad. It hasn’t been a pain, just a little annoying. My friend Christian made a “Kahoot” game for me that I wanted to play on the bus. Then I realized that I couldn’t without my phone. Also, my ELA teacher graded a test, and she said it would be on Skyward. My plan would have been to check my grade during lunch, but I had to wait until I got home to check on the computer. (F.Y.I: I did not do well on it.) Other than that, I’d say that I am confident I can go another day without my phone. Day 2 My second day of being phoneless was not bad at all. I cannot recall any problems or challenges that I had. Instead of using my phone, I watched TV and exercised. My neighbors also came over to my house that day, and I was able to socialize with them without using it. I felt very confident that I could go another day. I thought to myself, I should do this for a month, but that thought only lasted for an instant, and I was happy to use my phone again. (Continued on p. 18)

(Continued from “Hard Times: Disconnected” p. 17)

Conclusion It has been a few days since I triumphed over phonelessness. You may be wondering how the experience affected me. In all honesty, it didn’t. I still spend a fair amount of time on my phone, and most of my time is spent watching YouTube videos like before. I am still glad that I did this experiment, and I may even want to do it again sometime. Your turn Are you up for the challenge? If you think you spend too much time on your mobile device, I recommend you try what I did. If you need to stay in contact with your parents or guardians, you could instead create a plan to limit your usage. I, Nathan Schneider, challenge you to turn off your phone for a couple of days, and experience the real world.

Three Strikes, and You’re Out by Cheyenne Niehoff

Are Abington athletics taking away too much time for students in AJHS? At Abington Junior High School, in fall of 2018, 3 athletes and a teacher were asked about prioritizing their time. Prioritizing your time, especially playing a sport, can help get the academics, and allow you to keep playing. According to a study by The United States Department of Labor, 69.7% of students enroll, or attend, a college. About 21% of those students attend college with an athletic scholarship to play. Furthermore, prioritizing your time can allow students to focus on school coming first, than the sport the athlete plays. Academics are always expected to come first, meaning athletics come second. Using workshops, or study halls, will benefit students in every way. Homework, missing assignments, or, even extra work, can all be done in a workshop, or study halls.

(Continued on p. 19)

(Continued from p. 18) Academics are the most significant when it comes to the future. Not getting the correct grades can affect, not just the future, but the way people will perform in certain situations. On the other hand, telling your teachers about missing class due to your athletic activities, is extremely important. Do not allow your classmates to mention the game. Doing it yourself would not only gain the respect of the teacher, but can also allow you to get any classwork you would be missing that day. Prioritizing your time means keeping up with your grades, using workshops/studyhalls, and even talking to teachers about your schedule. Most schools don’t allow students to even participate in the athletic program, if you don’t have the grades. Prioritizing one’s time will allow the student to not stress about any of their grades slipping and not being able to participate in their sports. “You can never expect to succeed if you only put in work on the days you feel like it.” - Unknown. Attendance is a highly important tool in this situation. As long as students show up to school, their academics will not slip, meaning you would be allowed to play your sport. Athletics are pretty major, but academics are always key towards the future. Prioritizing your time will help you by keeping up with all your schoolwork, and allow you to play the athletic of your choice.

Balancing School and Sports By Loubna Ftouh “Even though sports are important I put school first. I make sure I have time to do my schoolwork before I worry about going to practice,” says Valerie Schaible, a 9th-grade field hockey and softball player at AJHS. Many Abington Junior High students enjoy doing sports and aim to do well in school. However, they are not sure how. Don’t you worry, this article will guide you on exactly that, and since Photo credit unknown.Abington Ghosts vs Council Rock North. most sports practice lasts for about 2 hours each and

their games are an hour or less, you should learn to Schaible stated, “I still recommend that seventh schedule around it. According to Valerie Schaible, graders participate in a sport because it can provide you should take advantage of study halls, them with close friends and a sense of belonging. Doing tutorials/workshops, and any free time you have to a sport gives you something to take pride in other than spare. grades and schoolwork. You should carve out at least an In addition, Schaible noted additional things you hour every night for homework, projects, studying, can do to help keep your grades up; while doing a etc.” sport you should check with any teachers whose In conclusion, having the responsibilities of a sport classes you will miss on game days. It is very and schoolwork may not be the easiest to handle. But important to stay on top of any missing work to with a good schedule and approach, you should be able prevent it from piling up and stressing you out. to manage. Small helpful tips like trying to use any One big thing to always remember is to get full use school resources, getting a tutor, or just talking it out out of study halls. You should try your best to with a teacher can bring you a long way. It is important schedule your time better, use the agenda book. not to forget that school academics and athletics go Schedule out your day, when you are going to do hand in hand, management is important and with the things, and when they are due; that way you don’t right management you’ll succeed both as a student and have to remember it off the top of your head. Most an athlete. If you don’t understand something, do not importantly, do not procrastinate. just think if you do well in sports, you do not need to do “It can be stressing, for instance, if I have a big well in school. They go hand in hand, if you do not do game coming up that I need to practice for and an well in school, even if you are MVP, you won’t be upcoming test it can be stressful to decide which one allowed to do sports. Make sure to use your time wisely; to prioritize,” says Schaible. Though this is true for time does not wait for anyone. many students, it is not meant to steer you away from playing sports. Make sure to use your time wisely; time does not wait for anyone.

How to Join a School Club By Valerie Schaible Are you looking to participate in some extracurricular activities here at AJHS? If so, you might be interested in what students here at AJHS have to say about the school clubs at our school. The junior high offers a wide variety of clubs, ranging from the Alternative Sports Club to Science Club, or even the Lego Club. With so many choices the prospect of actually choosing what to get involved in may seem daunting. However, ninth graders who have been going here for three years and are well accustomed have come forward to talk about their experiences with AJHS school clubs. “I found out about Makeup Crew from my French teacher Ms. Mishel,” explained ninth grader Loubna Ftouh, “It turned out to be a lot of fun, but my favorite part was hanging out in the makeup room during the show.” Discovering what clubs are available for students to participate is the most important part of finding a club to join, but it can also be the most difficult part. Former AJHS student Allison Schaible said, “ I participated in a couple different clubs while at AJHS, but I feel like I would have participated in more if I had known about them.” While the school does host the morning Activities Fair in the science wing, not all students can make it to this. Loubna advised, “ I would listen on the announcements or look for posters in the hallways to learn about available clubs at school.” Another factor to think about when considering joining school clubs is why you want to join them. Are you interested in learning more about the topic of the club? Are you looking to make friends? These are important things to consider when making your decision. According to Loubna, she joined Makeup Club because “I wanted to be a part of something bigger than myself.” Before joining you should make sure that it is something you will be interested in. You will most likely not have fun if the club does not interest you. And finally, if you decide to join a club you should be an avid participant. It may seem like a lot, but the payoff is rewarding. “The show was really hectic. You had to get everyone’s makeup done on time; it was chaos,” says Loubna, “but watching the actors/actresses perform on stage made me proud.” Finding an club to join may seem a bit difficult, and it may feel like a big commitment, but in the end you won’t regret it. Joining a club gives you something to belong to,and friends that you have something in common with. If you only do one thing at AJHS, make it a school club.

Photo credit unknown. History Club Fall Field Trip