The Liberty Ledger FEBRUARY 2019 I S S U E 1 4

Cold Urticaria By: Samantha Brooks The winter is a hard time for everyone. The wind is constantly blowing, it snows, the roads are icy and it is bitter cold. How- ever, although everyone makes it clear that they don’t like the cold, there are a few people who can actually die from the cold. This is because of an allergy called cold urticaria. Cold urticaria is a very rare allergy, so not a lot of people believe it is a real thing. Unfortunately for me, I am one of the few people in the whole world affected by this allergy. foods and going in the pool. Before go- ing in the water, I need to ease my body From my own experiences, when it is cold in slowly. It takes about 20 minutes be- outside, I tell people that I can’t go outside fore I can dunk my head and enjoy my- because I have a cold allergy, but nobody self. I can’t be splashed or jump into the believes me. Instead, they just laugh and water because my body won’t be used say it’s not a real thing. They let me stay to the temperature. Also, whenever I eat inside anyway, but I still feel hurt that peo- frozen foods like ice pops, my lips begin ple won’t believe me. to swell and double in size.

Basically, cold urticaria is the medical way Doctors all over the world are currently of saying “cold hives,” which is literally working to find a cure for cold urticaria. what the allergy is. Whenever I am out in Once they do, it will be a dream come the cold, I start getting red itchy hives true for me and all the other people out about two inches big. I get them all over there suffering from this allergy. Once my body and they are itchy and hot. The they find a cure, I will be able to play in reason why people like me can die from the snow, do this allergy is because when my body gets cannonballs in covered in hives, my throat can become the pool and eat swollen and I could have trouble breath- ice cream with- ing. out worrying about my lips Not only are people affected by the snow, getting swollen but I also get allergic reactions from cold ever again. The Liberty Ledger The Climate Negotiation Conference By: Zoe Gilson, Daphne Kam, Brooke Schenk & Trinity Mfocfa MCarthy Pictures by: Mr. DeJesus

passing a On December 17th, Liberty held its fourth annual cli- law. mate negotiation conference. The goal was a temper- ature increase of only 2 degrees Celsius by 2100, and While partici- 100 billion in the global fund. pating in the conference, “It is a great and interesting way for students to apply students see what they learned about climate change, and see how how solutions they can make a difference, “ said Mr. DeJesus one are made on of the 8th grade science teachers. global levels, and how compromises need to be made in order The conference began with the participants going to for action to be made. other tables to negotiate with each other. When they would head back to their tables, they each had docu- “It takes a lot of time and preparation in order to ments opened stating what they still needed to do, make agreements, and that sometimes you have to and predictions of what the changes would make. We compromise what you want for the good of the rest interviewed Nicholas, who told us about the negotia- of the world,” said one of the participants. tion process. Throughout the negotiations, many had to switch “In the opening alliances and rethink deals in order to avoid a war statements, we with certain countries. It seemed as though be- learned each cause of India's unwillingness to negotiate, many other's goals. countries have decided to neglect allegiance, and We tell them declare war. what we want, and they ac- But even that isn't so simple. After war was de- cept or deny clared, other developing nations and the European our claim Union asked for support in the war, but they denied based on what because they still needed India for afforestation their country support. needs.” “I like this experience because it gives an inside After they had made deals, people in charge of the C- experience on what goes on in climate negotiations Roads Software such as Jackson P. would put all the between our nation and others around the world. It numbers and compromises into a graph showing how also gives us a chance to experience making deals the changes in things such as temperature and car- with other people and companies, “ says Taylor bon dioxide would decrease based on the deals. Fredric.

“For example,” he said, “if I were to put in how much To make the scenario more real, there were also we would decrease the carbon dioxide each year, we parents posing as lobbyists, using candy to bribe would see how much the graph would go .” the countries for money. The US and India did not take the bribes, while China, and Other Developing Like Mr DeJesus previously said, this conference Nations did. teaches the students about climate change but also how the world deals with it, and how it can be solved. Mr. DeJesus and Ms. Sylvester announced for the “ It taught me how the diplomatic process on how delegates to begin negotiating. One by one, the hard it is to pass things to stop climate change, and delegates came up and presented their final deci- how it’s been so hard for the world to come up with a sions. America delayed the process until 2040, The solution,” says Tyler. European Union said that they would have an in- crease in temperature by four degrees Celsius. This conference is teaching students how real-world Other Developed Nations gave 10 million dollars impacts are made, and that it is not as simple as just per year in the global development fund, causing a The Liberty Ledger

Continue... The Climate Negotiation Conference By: Zoe Gilson, Daphne Kam, Brooke Schenk & Trinity Mfocfa MCarthy

murmur closed with the US forgiving them 5 billion and add- amongst the ing 10 billion in the global fund, and afforestation up crowd. China to 30%. In return, India is adding 15 billion to the had an increase global fund. in 3.4 degrees Celsius by 2010, Other Developing Nations and India became allies. while India re- Anna Deer from the European Union commented on fused to contrib- their alliance. ute anything to the global fund. Lastly, Other Developing Nations had “For a few years, it will be successful, but eventually a temperature decrease of 2.3 degrees Celsius. they will lose money, so I don't think it's a long-term solution,” she said. This round ended with 30.3 billion dollars in the global fund with the goal of 100 billion dollars, and a global The European Union also says they will not go higher temperature increase of 2.3 degrees Celsius by 2100, than 2.2 degrees Celsius. 0.3 more than the goal. India has compromised to donate $25 billion to the There was a short lunch global fund. break and review of the first round before round China needs another energy efficient factory from the two started. But, before it UN. The US refused to do any more reduction rates started, it was an- with other developing nations. nounced that Other De- veloping Nations had European Union will give the found 20 billion dollars taken one of their bribes annually, while requesting one thousand dollars a from the lobbyist, as well year. as a bribe from India. “We’re contributing 26 dollars to the global fund,” Other developing nations joked Kyle Bullard from Other Developing Nations. approached India, telling them that they needed them The crowd laughed, and he corrected himself. to do more to contribute. They settled on collectively giving India giving 2.2% for $10 billion from the Euro- In the end, they exceeded the temperature increase pean Nation, and from the US, $25 billion. by 0.1 percent Celsius, and 89.6 billion dollars to the fund. They played around with the simulator trying to The US made a deal with the European Union, and change different categories to change the tempera- China stating that they would all prevent deforestation ture increase, but they saw how hard it really was. by 20%. Mr. DeJesus reviewed the goals, as well as real-life ways to stop climate change. Other Developing Nations called over their president because India proposed an alliance, but their presi- Many people think that climate change can be solved dent called the deal off. by simply one person recycling. And, while this does have a major impact, it takes many to sacrifice and European Union made a deal with China for 5 acres come to an agreement to come up with a solution. of land to promote afforestation, in exchange for half Otherwise, like what happened with India, war will be a billion dollars annually for 10 years. declared.

The US attempted a deal with China, using a tech- nique many others did by plugging into the data into the C- Roads software, seeing which changes would affect the numbers they needed decreased.

The US attempted a deal with India, first taking time to see their updated graphs. The US first wanted the annual reduction rate down from 4 to 2.5. The deal swayed for 200 acres, for 25 billion, to 10 million for India to give 15 million to the fund. They also can- celed a deal with Other Developing Nations. They The Liberty Ledger

Getting to Know Mr. Dowd

By: Carmina Rojas, Daphne Kam & Faarah Peters

Where did you graduate and what was your major? I graduated from Monmouth Universi- ty. I majored in History and Education. I got a master’s degree from Wagner College.

What is your favorite part about your job? Working with the students and seeing them improve.

What is your least favorite part of your job? My least favorite part of the job is probably the commute cause I live kind of far.

If you had to pick another profession, other than teaching, what would it be? I always thought I was going to be a police officer because that’s what my dad was.

What do you like to do outside of school? I like to spend time with my family and I like to do like outdoor activities.

Do you have a hobby? Running. I pretty ing up early. much run every day. What did you like the most about school Do you speak another language? I do not. I when you were a student? Friends. wish I did. What was your favorite subject when you What is your favorite book? 1984 by George were a student? My favorite subject was sci- Orwell. ence but I did like math.

What is your favorite T.V. show? The Office. Who is your favorite musical artist? Bruce Bernstein (rock start) or Eric Church (country Who is your favorite character in The Office? star). Michael is so cringy like I want to slap him in the face. I also like Jim. What advice would you give to students? Be yourself and don’t let any people make What is your favorite food? My favorite foods your decisions for you. That’s probably a ge- are pizza and cheeseburgers. It’s real neric phrase but I don’t want it to be gener- healthy. ic. Another thing is to participate in different activities. If you don’t participate in different What did you dislike most about school activities, then you don’t know what you’re when you were a student? I didn’t like wak- good at.” The Liberty Ledger

MOVIE REVIEW

By: Zoe Noelle Gilson BIRD BOX

Bird Box, directed by Susanne Bier is the newest buzz. It is the story of demons inhabiting the Earth, possessing people and forcing them to kill themselves and sometimes others. The story follows Mallory, a pregnant woman who doesn't pay attention to the spreading epidemic at first, until it comes to her doorstep, possessing her sister, and leaving her at a safe house with other peo- ple fleeing the demons.

The movies cast was very diverse, with characters from each race and background in life. Also, each character had unique personalities, showing different approaches to disaster. There is Charlie the panicker, Olympia the optimist, and of course Felix, played by Machine Gun Kelly, who predict- ed the worst, and occasionally shared his sarcastic in- puts. The only thing I would change about the movie are the characters deaths. For example, Charlie’s character at first seemed to have a big part in the movie, because of his extreme knowledge of the demons, but he is sud- denly killed, and every contribution he disappears when he dies. Also, towards the end of the movie, it seemed as though they just needed to eliminate extra charac- ters, because there is a massive death scene where about 4 or 5 characters were just killed off.

I wouldn't recommend this movie for anyone who is sen- sitive to gore, or deaths. But I think that it is a good mov- ie to watch not only because of its popularity, but be- cause of the deeper message. This movie shows the demons in the world, and how they cause people to not only destroy themselves, but part of the world. It shows how difficult it is to block them out sometimes, especially when there might be so much pressure to go along with the evil. Lastly, it shows how strong you have to be in order to not give into everything around you.

By: Maura Baker Student Council Corner

February is often a very busy month for the student council, with many spirit days and Liberty’s tal- ent show. The talent show is a great event and showcase of talents that students possess. Tickets are on sale for $3 in room 210 or from your advisory rep. Limited lates are available so buy your ticket early. If you buy a ticket, you will not be sorry! The Student Council also starts to plan the spring event calendar in February. We love getting feedback from students in order to make our events better. If you have any ideas or ways we could improve, please feel free to say so on the stu- dent council Google classroom. Have a great month! The Liberty Ledger The History of Zodiacs

By: Vanisha Janaki You might see a lot of things on the internet or Gemini social media, about zodiac signs. They can be May 21st - June 20th very interesting, but do you really know the histo- ry behind them?

Zodiac astrology has been used since Ancient times and is based on where the Earth was, in its orbit around the sun, although the timings have been refined to a time period of dates. According to the birthday of someone, they could be any of Cancer the twelve zodiac signs listed below: June 21st - July 22nd

Aquarius January 20th - February 18th

Leo July 23rd - August 22nd

Pisces February 19th - March 20th

Virgo August 23rd - September 22nd Aries March 21st - April 19th

Libra Taurus September 23rd - October 22nd April 20th - May 20th

The Liberty Ledger

The History of Zodiacs...Continued By: Vanisha Janaki Scorpio ons, and Cancer is a crab. October 23rd - November 21st The Four Groups

Sagittarius November 22nd - December 21st

Capricorn December 22nd - January 19th

History

Zodiacs were derived from pre-Greek traditions and created a map of the sky with the 48 Greek constellations. During the 1960’s - 70’s, astrology started becoming popular again as an online trend. At first, there were only a few people who could translate horoscopes, but as the years passed, many others started to learn about Zodi- ac signs and horoscopes and it was forwarded around Social Media, like Youtube, Facebook, and more. In present day, most horoscopes aren’t valid, because of the shifts of the planets over the course of many years.

Another interesting thing about zodiacs are that they can be separated into four groups. These sections are based on what the element of the Zodiac Horoscopes might just be a belief, but image that they form is. For example, the water they have become a new trend for many peo- signs are Pisces, Scorpio, and Cancer. Their ple that pose as entertainment and something constellations form certain images that fit into the to believe in. water category. Pisces is fish, Scorpio, is scorpi- The Liberty Ledger Basics of Zodiac Signs

By: Lauren Bulanhagui reveal a person’s personality and compatibility with What are zodiac signs? According to Dictionary.com, other signs. zodiac signs are “an imaginary belt of the heavens, extending about 8° on each side of the ecliptic, within Even though these are the twelve zodiac which are the apparent paths of the sun, moon, and signs, there have been suggestions that there is a principal planets. It contains twelve constellations and thirteenth sign. This sign is called Ophiuchus which hence twelve divisions called signs of the zodiac. is a sign that is in between November 30 to Decem- Each division, however, because of the precession of ber 17. When this sign was discovered, people were the equinoxes, now contains the constellation west of flustered about the fact that the discovery of Ophiu- the one from which it took its name.” The zodiac signs chus could change everything known about the Zo- are based on the parts of astrology. diac. According to some sources, this “new” sign, Ophiuchus, claims that it does not affect the way These signs, depending on which one it is, can reveal the other twelve signs are. It’s also hard to conclude a lot about someone. For starters, what determines the this kind of research due to the complexity of as- sign of a person is their date of birth. Also, signs can trology. The Liberty Ledger LIII Patriots vs. Rams By: Aidan Medina February 3rd. Super Bowl LIII, New England Pa- had been aging and the team triots vs . Whether you decide wasn’t as great as it had been previously. But to watch the Super Bowl for the memorable com- here, Tom mercials, the halftime show, or the game in gen- Brady was eral the Super Bowl is always an incredible event able to to witness. It is watched by millions, and has prove him- many memorable moments in its history, such as self worthy the “One Yard Short” game in Super Bowl XXXIV, of a sixth where the faced the St. Louis Super Bowl Rams in the Super Bowl, and lost it after a last ring. He took minute drive - that ended one yard short of a win. on second- Or the game that ended in the now famous “Wide year quarter- Right” , which gave the back Patrick Mahomes II, in what was con- a victory over the after Scott Nor- tested to be an incredible matchup of the wood missed a last-second field goal that . And, it had been. After an une- would’ve won them the game. Moments such as ventful 0-14 first half, the second half set up a these are the reason why the Super Bowl is al- thriller: back and forth scores from both sides ways so memorable and seen by sports fanatics of the game, Mahomes and Brady continuing everywhere. In the latest game coming up, the to go at it on each possession. But in the end, Patriots and Rams will be going head-to-head in a things were tied 31-31. Overtime. After wit- fantastic game. Two teams with history in the Su- nessing the events of the game, the winner per Bowl, who have already played each other would be clear: whoever got the ball first. And once, in which the Patriots barely won in a last as fate would have it, the Patriots had ac- second field goal throughout Super Bowl XXXVI. quired the ball on offense first, and a strug- But here we are again, and people across the na- gling Chiefs defense wasn’t able to stop Rob tion are all excited to see this clash in the big Gronkowski, Edelman, Brady, and more. As a game. Here, coverage based on the game will be result, the AFC Championship ended 31-37, seen, depicting each quarter and the different with the moving on the events, along with predictions and about how the Super Bowl. these two teams won their conference to get to the big game. NFC Championship Game: After beating the 30-22 in the AFC Championship Game Divisional Round, the Rams would move on to travel to to face the Saints at the Superdome. Here, the game was also set up to be a great one. Both teams had been domi- nating the NFC, and had continued to win multiple games in a row. And despite both teams having a great ground game, this game was focused more on passing, and how each would be able to get the ball to In an epic thriller of a matchup, the Kansas City their receiv- Chiefs hosted the visiting New England Patriots, ers. As and an insecure Patriots team. Throughout the Brandin season, there had (as usual) been discussion Cooks was about how the “Patriot dynasty was over” and how able to rack The Liberty Ledger

Super Bowl LIII New England Patriots vs. Los Angeles Rams...Continued By: Aidan Medina

up 107 re- As far as the Rams will go on offense, they ceiving will try to use Brandin Cooks as a strong of- yards, run- fensive Wide Receiver, but will try to maintain ning back a focus on the running game, using C.J An- Alvin Kamara derson and Todd Gurley II to their ad- would be the vantage while attacking. And because of this, one getting Jared Goff may also do well on offense, get- most yard- ting good yardage on sneaks and long pass- age in the es. Finally, on the defensive side of the ball, game, with 11 receptions for 96 yards. But in the each team will receive at least one intercep- end, despite New Orleans being up 13-0 in the tion against the opposing quarterback, and first quarter, the Rams rallied back and the game Rams’ will be able to break continued to overtime. But previously, the game through the offensive line to tackle or sack suffered with a VERY controversial call on the Patriots QB Tom Brady. And in the end, the field by the referees, where there had clearly been game will be a good one to watch, as two of- pass interference against the Rams, and the fensive powerhouses go head-to-head at Su- Saints deserved extra yardage. But instead, the per Bowl LIII. NFL referees called no foul against the Rams, and the game further continued. Here, New Orle- One Hour From Super Bowl LIII ans was able to get the ball back, and it had seemed as if they would be going back to the Su- per Bowl after all. But instead, they weren’t able to find the endzone, and ended up giving the ball back to Los Angeles, who got into field goal range and kicked one that would send them to the big game.

Predictions

After conducting a The stage is set. All of the players have al- further analysis of ready arrived and are ready for the tough both of the AFC match ahead of them. The experienced Tom and NFC Champi- Brady matching up against Jared Goff, among onship Games, my others. But nevertheless, it seems as if these overall prediction of two teams are well matched up against one the game has the another, and will each be trying to break New England Patri- through each others defense to score. ots getting the up- per advantage over Super Bowl LIII the Los Angeles Rams, despite my support of the Q1: The game has started, and it has certain- Rams. I personally believe this will become an of- ly gotten off to a very interesting start, to say fensive game, and will go back and forth in be- the least. This match has been very different tween both games in an incredible fashion. But in than what I had previously predicted, as it has the end, the Patriots will win 32-24 over the been a defensive game from both sides, and Rams. And on the New England side, one of two the score has stayed at a surprising 0-0. The players will break out on offense: Rob Gronkow- Patriots’ first quarter curse to not score has ski (TE) or (WR). One of the two continued, as Stephen Gostkowski missed a will play a great game, beating out the Rams’ de- 46 yard field goal which would’ve given the fense and gaining the upper hand. This may fur- Patriots an advantage. But, as predicted pre- ther indicate that the Patriots may not focus too viously, Tom Brady threw an interception on much on the running game, limiting the usage of his first play on offense, and yet, the Rams Sony Miche, James White, and . didn’t do anything with it. Although it may The Liberty Ledger

Super Bowl LIII New England Patriots vs. Los Angeles Rams...Continued By: Aidan Medina have seemed uneventful, there is still more of the ing at the show. For all of those who had game to be played, and more to occur. wanted to see this, it had been a complete disaster for them, as the and had gotten their Q2: As the first half finally concluded, it has be- hopes up for no good reason by showing come evident that this defensive theme may be what they’d been promised, only to be treated part of the entire game, due to how both sides to something completely different. But, there were only able to put up a measly 3 points to have had been a good performance by the other the Patriots winning 3-0. Gostkowski made a field artists, and the end had been somewhat de- goal to give three extra points towards New Eng- cent for these people to watch, including art- land’s score, but the Rams have stayed at nil. Jul- ists such as American rapper “Big Boi” per- ian Edelman seems to be showing up slowly but forming there, causing it not to be a complete surely, and it seem as if both teams are anxious disaster. But in the end, hopefully the game to put up points. As for Jared Goff’s offense, can intensify in order to have a high scoring though, they’ve had to punt their first SIX drives, game. meaning that they haven’t done much on offense. But, Tom Brady had seemingly been laying nerv- Q3: And it’s tied! Despite the low score still ously or cautiously throughout the beginning, as staying at three, the Rams kicked a field goal he continued to be attacked by the defense. And and tied it all up to make it 3-3. As stated pre- in other news, the NFL 100 commercial was a viously, Edelman seems to be breaking out of great one, featuring many different historical play- coverage multiple times, and is able to make ers and one of the greatest commercials of this big plays for the Patriots when needed. The game, filled with history and humor. Rams may be gaining more momentum, but it must be seen in the fourth quarter. Further- more, this is set to be the lowest scoring Su- Halftime Show (Prior to Performance): And per Bowl in NFL history, and is already the now, the halftime show is first to not have a touchdown in the first three about to air, and it has the quarters of the game! Along with Johnny Hek- potential to go well, or ker and his 65 yard punt, which broke the backfire completely. You longest punt record in Super Bowl history, see, after Stephen Hillen- there have been many different records set burg, the creator of fa- tonight, but not ones that fans may have mous Nickelodeon show wanted. “Spongebob Squarepants” passed away recently, many fans got together to Q4: And that’s the game! The Patriots FINAL- sign a petition based on having one of the greater LY managed to score a touchdown in the songs in the show “Sweet Victory” played fourth quarter in order to make it a 10-3 throughout the halftime show. And, although it game. But, when Jared Goff got the ball back, started small, it has recently gotten over a million he was able to drive down the field, and get signings, and performers Maroon 5 seem to have near the end zone - only to be picked off by payed attention to this demand, and may be play- the Patriots. And just like that, the Patriots ran ing it at the show. If done so correctly, it may be out the clock, and continued to score three an incredible and fantastic show, with a great me- more in order to make it a 13-3 game. But, morial for somebody who created such an influ- the Rams ence by creating his show. got a last gasp oppor- Halftime Show (After Performance): What. A. tunity, only Disaster. This Halftime Show had been very dis- for it to be appointing to many; including myself. Many peo- blown by a ple had all wanted to see this memorial to Ste- missed field phen Hillenburg, but all fans had gotten was a ten goal that -second clip of Spongebob, being used as an in- may have troduction to another artist who had been perform- The Liberty Ledger

Super Bowl LIII New England Patriots vs. Los Angeles Rams...Continued By: Aidan Medina

still given them hope if both of which were barely defended well. But, it had been made. I did also end up getting something right, as But, it missed, and it Julian Edelman had eventually won Super allowed Brady to do a Bowl MVP for the Patriots, despite the efforts QB Kneel and end the from other players But, despite the lackluster game at a record-low score of 13-3, and the abysmal halftime show, 13-3 Super Bowl LIII. the Super Bowl is still one of the most widely seen events on television, and hopefully the Afterthoughts: In the next game will have a much better game that end, the New England has more events occurring, offensive plays, Patriots were able to and scoring. But despite its flaws, Super Bowl come out with a 13-3 LIII was still a somewhat good game, that had victory over the Los just focused on defense. Thus, Super Bowl Angeles Rams, and LIII may not have been a high scoring game, Tom Brady was able to gain the sixth ring of his but it had certainly been one to remember for career. Now, despite the low-scoring game, the fans of the sport everywhere across the na- Rams had two chances to score a touchdown, tion.

RESTAURANT REVIEW February Dining Recommendation

By: Maura Baker

Dining Guide: Prices (most dishes) Star Rating System

B- Lunch Under $15 BR– Brunch $15-$25 1 star: Horrible 2 stars: Bad 3 stars: Not Bad L- Lunch $12-$20 D- Dinner $15-$25 4 stars: Really Good 5 stars: THE BEST Chit Chat Diner Address: 410 Eagle Rock Ave, West Orange, NJ 07052 Hours: Sunday ⇾ Thursday: 6am-10pm Friday ⇾ Saturday: 6am-11pm Cuisine: American Pricing: $$

Review: I love the Chit Chat Diner! When it first opened, I went there with my family, and we all were amazed by the quality of the food! The building itself is really cool too, it looks like a medieval castle on the outside, and a quaint diner on the in- side.

Item Recommendation: Gyro, which is a Beef and Lamb Gyro with lettuce, tomato, and red onions, covered in tzatziki sauce and wrapped in pita bread, and served a Greek salad and French Fries.

Most Unusual Item on the Menu: The Triplep, a provolone, pro- sciutto, and potato chip stuffed omelet served with a mixed green salad.

Rating: 5 stars! The Liberty Ledger ARTWORK By: Mateo Mendez

By: Olivia Solomon

By: Damien Delisca

By: Justice CilloSmith By: Ezra Simon The Liberty Ledger By: Amaya Field COMIC The Liberty Ledger

Getting to Know Mr. Krayton

By: Carmina Rojas, Daphne Kam & Faarah Peters

What college did you go to? I went to Rider University in Central Jersey in a town next to Trenton in Princeton. I graduated in two ma- jors in history and education. I also graduat- ed with some minors.

Why are you the better cousin (referring to Mr. Dowd)? I’m funnier, more mature, and a better dictator.

What is your favorite part about your job? Being able to work with students at a very influential part of their lives to help them be ready for 21st century jobs.

What is your least favorite part of your job? Although, I work very long hours which can What is your favorite movie? Star Wars. More be seen as a negative, I am doing some- specifically, Return of the Jedi. thing I love. Therefore it’s worth it. What is your favorite TV show? For come- How many years have you been at Liberty dies, The Office and for action/ thriller, Middle School? This is my fourth year at Liber- Stranger Things. ty Middle School. Who is your favorite character on The Of- If you had to pick another profession, other fice? Dwight cracks me up the most. But than teaching, what would it be? I always every character adds so much to the show. wanted to be a general manager for a pro- fessional sports team because I have been What is your favorite food? Pizza. around sports my entire life including coach- ing baseball and I love the strategic nature What is your favorite genre of music? of the job and putting all the pieces togeth- Rock and rap but I like rock better. It’s close er to make a winning team. to being Bruce Springsteen. For rock I like Tom Petty. For rap, Jay Z. What do you like to do outside of school? I enjoy surfing in the summer but when it is What advice would you give to students? too cold I play basketball. Hard work pays off in the real world and dedicate yourself to something you love. Do you have a hobby? Coaching baseball. Find something you enjoy in life.

Can you speak any languages other than Which amendment is your favorite? English? I do not, but I wish I could. I am cur- The first amendment. rently learning Spanish. Who is your favorite Gorillaz member? What is your favorite book? The Outsiders. Noodle. The Liberty Ledger

By: Ogechi Udechukwu January had something special in store, a once-in-a-lifetime event. According to www.timeanddate.com, On January 20th, 2019, North and South America (and some parts of Africa, Europe, and Asia) experienced a crossover event so rare, it won’t happen for a long while. A, “Super Blood Wolf Moon” glowed red from 9:36 PM in New York to 2:48 am -- a total duration of 5 hours and 12 minutes.

First things first, most of you would want to know what a lunar eclipse is. According to www.space.com, lunar eclipses occur when the Sun, Earth, and Moon are perfectly aligned, in that order, and only perfectly aligned. The Earth’s shadow blocks the Sun’s light, which then reflects onto the Moon. There are three types: total, par- tial, and penumbral. The most dramatic is the total eclipse, in which Earth’s shadow completely covers the Moon. Throughout history, eclipses have been provokers of awe and fear, especially total lunar eclipses turning the moon blood-red, thinking it was some sort of message or sign from the god or gods that they worshiped at the time.

Recent news overlooked on the lunar eclipse found that the Moon was hit by a meteorite during the eclipse. According to www.newscientist.com, a bright, white-yellow flash grazed the Moon for a brief moment. Observers were pleased to watch the meteor impact Monday night. There has been photographic evidence of this happening, with a few videos posted online that recorded the impact.

To recap, January’s Super Blood Wolf Moon was a spectacular event that awed the Americas, and it’s a moon that you wouldn’t want to forget. Did you get to see it? If you did not get the chance, According to www.newsweek.com, January’s supermoon is actually part of a trio of two other supermoons, one on Febru- ary 19, and one on March 21. The supermoon in February will be the brightest of the three.

By: Tamyca Tunis & Camille Bugayong December & January Trips Liberty’s clubs went on many trips in December and January, here are a few of them.

Select Strings Trip - On December 18th, Liberty’s Select Strings club performed at Summit Ridge Center, which is a nursing home in West Orange and Whole Foods, also in West Orange. During these performances, the students played holiday music, such as “Dreidel”, “Jingle Bells”, “All I Want For Christmas Is You”, and several other holiday classics. The club had the audience interact by providing them with bells to play with the orchestra. The students then enjoyed their lunch at Whole Foods.

Helping Hands Trip - On December 19th, Liberty’s Helping Hands service club went to Washington Elementary School (in West Or- ange) to give the Kindergarteners presents for Christmas. Before receiving their gifts, the Liberty students sang Christmas songs with the Kindergarteners like “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer”. The presents were handed out by Santa (AKA, Mr. Dowd) and the children were very pleased with their dolls.

Student Council Trip - On January 9th, Liberty's award-winning student council went to The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) in Ewing Township for New Jersey’s Association of Student Councils’ (NJASC) Winter Conference. During this, students had the opportunity to attend sessions about school events and other topics. The students also participated in a Kahoot, listened to a guest speaker by the name of Kate Garnes, and had lunch in TNCJ’s dining hall. Liberty won awards for Top 10 Projects and second year as an Honor School. In addition, an election took place for the 2019-2020 executive board and among the elected was West Orange High School’s very own Rian DeVera for the position of Vice President.