My Best Day Contents by Ricky Caamano “Rick wake up, we need to go” my dad said, “today is a big day.” Best Day Ever Essays— As I slowly opened my eyes the clock said 3:00 AM. The pages 1-7 Jenkins were waiting in their car outside in the driveway. I finally realized that it was time to head down to Trenton for the NJ Wres- World Zombination Re- tling State Championships. I woke up and was in the car at 3:10 for view—Pages 7-9 the ride down. When I woke up again, it was 5 AM, and the car was outside a huge arena. I put my shoes on once we got inside the several thousand seat arena and warmed up. My first match was around 9:30. As I walked on the mat I looked up at everyone watching, and I knew I had to win the first match. I ended up winning 6-2. I had a huge break until my next match because it didn't start until 11:00. It was the quarterfinal bout. I was up 1-0 in the third period with about ten seconds left in the match. All I had to do was wrestle smart! Suddenly, the kid shot in and lifted me up and took me down. He earned a last minute win 2-1. I was furious, but I still had a chance to take third place. My first wrestleback was at 1:00 and I won it 1-0. Then, I wrestled again gaining a 3-0 win. My next match was at 5:00. This would determine if I would win third place. I wrestled so hard and earned an 11-0 victory! I was ecstatic. I then watched my friends’ matches and cheered them on. The day ended with me taking the podium to receive the third place medal. That was the day I earned the third place ranking for the state of New Jersey in my weight class. It meant a lot to me. I always wanted to be one of the best wrestlers in NJ. It has always been my goal to be ranked. This year, I pushed up a class and hopefully I will reach my goal to be ranked num- ber 1 in New Jersey.

My Best Day by Mellany Ciullo-Vega Sometimes, one does not appreciate the little things in life. All that is needed are parents, food and shelter, right? I have all of these things, except that I hardly saw my father growing up. Everyday, I would think to myself if I would ever see him again and if so, when? I was four when my parents broke up. Four years later I hadn’t seen my father since he had moved back to his home country, Chile. Yes, I missed him, but I did not really mind the absence or so I thought. In the middle of Second Grade at Jefferson School, my mother came to my siblings and me with a proposition. We were going to move to Chile for a couple of months to see if my parents could fix their relationship. So we did! I saw my father for the first time in four years. I have never felt so happy and appreciated. I had him back in my life again. That was until things did not work out between my parents. One and a half years later, I was back in the US. It was time to start Fourth Grade at Jefferson School. I am glad I was put through so much, and I am glad I was able to see my father again even though the story ended in heartbreak. It was this experience that has taught me that not all broken pieces are meant to be glued back together.

Never Really Apart by Mai Chiaet

It is true that the closest of friends can still have a relationship even when they are apart? Miabeth has been my friend since day one. We were born in the same hospital and did not have a week we were apart, until the move. We were around the age of 9, and her mother decided to move to Florida. We only had one month together until we could only hear each others voices on the phone. The last week she had lived in New Jersey, we were at the temple with all of our closest friends; we all hugged and looked at her for the last time. It had changed so much from then on. Of course she visited New Jersey in the summertime, but it was never the same. I had not realized what kind of person I had turned into without her. In the month of November of 2014, my friends Sam and Merlyn as well as their moms took me to Florida. It was my first time in the southern part of the country. My parents couldn’t go because plane tickets do not come cheap, but my friend’s parents took care of me. When we arrived in Florida it was 11:00 at night. We had not gone to sleep until

3 around one in the morning. Aside from the traveltime, I had finally seen my long lost friend. We had a blast because our other close friend, Shachar came with his mother too. Though most of us were all united for a weekend, it felt like it had been years. On our last day in Florida, Miabeth had her Bat Mitz- vah, then her party! I presented my speech about her, and that is one of my favorite memories. Being together with my best friends all at the same time has had such an impact on me. I felt like I did not need to stress on homework, school, or anything. I just had a fun time and I, for once, didn’t care about important things. This experience has taught me, that it is okay to have a good time with close friends. Hanging out with Miabeth and my friends is one of my favorite memories because it is such a simple experience, yet it counts the most with the ones I love. So to answer the question in the beginning, though we are not together when we see each other, it seems we have never been apart.

Thump by Mackenzie Courtright

My best day was when...The best day was...When I. That’s how most day essays start. For me, that’s too easy. I prefer strange starts like “meow” that perfectly start a story. My best day was several years ago, and started one morning two weeks before Christ- mas with a brown box and a thump. It was a weekend I believe, and Dad had left early in the morning to go to work, or so we thought. He returned around 8:00, which no one questioned either. What we, me and my siblings, questioned was the large brown box he was carrying. As he walked, we heard a thump come from the box. Then, Dad placed it down in front of us. A second later, a black furry streak landed on me and then hid under the couch. It was a cat, named Max! This day was special because it was entirely unplanned. I also chose it because a week later, Mia, Max’s sister, was living in our house as well. That day, the day we got Max, was special because it was the start of a long story with many good days and special memories. A long story that I like to think starts with “meow”.

My Best Day by Kylie LaBianca

Have you ever listened to a song played on the guitar and thought, “I want to learn how to play that”? I know I have. I have loved music in general for years, and the best day of my life was when I was given my acoustic guitar! The morning sky was a bright vivid blue, despite the brightness of the sun. Everyone was already awake at 8:00. Christmas Days are always special in so many ways, but this one was unique to me. The tree lights were shining, standing out. My family was gathering by the tree passing around presents. Thank-yous were said and hugs were given out. A day like this simply can’t be ruined. Of course, it can only last for so long. However, just as I thought it was over, my parents appeared holding a large triangular shaped box. I thought “What could be in a large triangular box?” My question was soon answered when I opened the box. “A guitar!” I exclaimed. It had smooth light wood with strings that played beautifully when I played them. I couldn’t wait to learn how to play! After that day, I have been learning hundreds of songs. Any song can sound nice when played on a guitar. Today, I am still learning how to play, but it is so much fun. Get- ting my acoustic guitar is an important step in my musical career and definitely was the best day I have had.

The Memorable Day by James Stevens

An old saying goes, “Time flies when you’re having fun.” With wind whipping in your face and snow falling gently in your goggles as you shred down a mountain, time soars. Skiing with my friends gave me an unforgettable experience sure to last a lifetime. When having enough energy in you as if you were an eco-friendly lightbulb, you are sure to enjoy yourself. Perhaps it was the cold, fresh air and remembrance of the excitement of skiing that drove me to Shawnee Mountain, Pennsylvania to meet with some friends. I started skiing at age three, dressed in multiple layers and skis that are now as big as my forearm. So, to be able to do one of my most enjoyed hobbies with my friends was priceless. After an unimagi- nable short wait, I was already speeding up on the chair lift. On the slopes, I sped down the mountain in a very clean form. We continued this for another five hours, stopping at 8:00 pm

5 to take a quick break. By the time I finally lay down in bed, it was 10:00 pm, wishing that I could do this all over again. The vivid memory of fooling around and doing tricks with my friends still makes me smile. Although it may not seem like it, it is still to this day my favorite memory. I mean, this gave me a new feeling that I never experienced when I skied with family. That feeling was thankfulness. This ski trip not only entertained me but taught me how lucky I am. Therefore, my memorable day is a true example of the saying, “Time flies when you’re having fun!

Best Day of My Life by Joe Jenkins

We all have days that go better than others. Some days go as planned, some go wrong. Some days you just wake up and know it’s going to be a day to remember. All people have a different definition of a good day. Some people prefer to sit around all day and relax. Others like going and doing something fun or active, but I personally enjoy doing what I love to do. As I looked around, I saw nothing that failed to amaze me. There had to be 10,000 people sitting in the seats looking down on me. I’m on one of at least ten wrestling mats in this huge gym. I’m listening to my music and getting ready for when I hear the announcer say that it’s time. As people start to file off the mats, it leaves only the wrestlers. I knew then it was time to do what I do best. As people start to wrestle, I begin to get nervous. I’ve been here before but not with such high stakes. My name is called over the loudspeaker, and I come out to wrestle. I won. Then, I hear my name again, not even ten minutes later. I lose but by a close margin. As time passes, people start to get eliminated. Through all the noise of the crowd and the good people I’m wrestling, all I can feel is my nervousness. I’m still in the running. At my last match of the day, I win and take sixth place. It may not seem like I did well, but truthfully, I just became the sixth best wrestler in New Jersey. To some that may mean nothing. To me, it meant the world. All the work and time I had put in to get myself where I wanted to be had paid off. I’m finally standing with a medal around my neck, next to the best eight wrestlers in the state. There are many people who wouldn’t take this as well as I did, but to me, I felt accomplished. I felt I succeeded the ex- pectation of the people who doubted me. I felt I lived up to the figure I had made for myself. I knew all the blood, sweat and tears I lost didn’t mean anything. Now, they mean something.

Best Day Ever by Izzy Caravela

Days come and go, but there are always those days that stick out to us in our lives. Those days could be when a relative dies, when one becomes depressed, or even when your whole family turns on you because of a misunderstood rumor. We all remember those bad days and those good days. Those may be the days when your boyfriend proposes to you, when you win a state championship, or when you and your bestfriend do something together. The best day of my 13 years of life so far was my aunt’s wedding day. It was one August day when I was with cousins. We were getting our hair and nails done for the big day. My aunt and her boyfriend John had been dating for ten years, and they decided to get married on this beautiful August day. My uncle owned an inn in Avon just an hour away from Sandy Hook where the reception was held. My whole family and the sea of my cousins were all getting ready, eating bagels and lunch. We took the bus to Sandy Hook where we took beautiful family photos by the water and watched two people become husband and wife. We counted down the sunset. I don’t think it was the party that made me happy but just that moment. That same weekend, I never felt closer to my family than I did right then and there. That weekend was the best weekend of my life because I was able to see my family clearly for the first time in years. I loved it. This moment has made such an impact on me because whenever I have a bad day or when my family is having problems, I look at the pictures from the wedding and look at how happy we were. Through everything my family has been through, we were finally able to be happy together, for just one weekend. I kind of wish it never would have ended.

Best Day Ever by Hank Morgan

Some days can be bothersome, while others are very enjoyable. There are days that are exciting and quick and days that are boring and slow. Every human being has had these kinds of days. I have had many off days, slow days, many fast days, many stressful days, and many more days. There is one that stands in the “best day” category for me. This day started out as a regular, slow morning and turned into one of the best and most enjoyable days I have had in my life. I woke up from a nightmare, shaken and surprised. Then I remembered that I had gone to my lake house for the weekend. It was Saturday, my favorite day, and I made my way downstairs, a glamorous living room awaiting. I go to my lake house, located in New Hampshire, once or twice a year. This means I have to take advantage and enjoy every

7 minute of my vacation. I started off the morning with fishing. It was perfect weather: driz- zling. I must have caught fifteen fish in half an hour! Afterwards, at around noon, I took a boat ride in my grandpa’s boat with my cousins across the lake. We went hiking on a small but steep island. We saw lizards, birds, turtles, and many more small animals. Later, we took the boat to Wolfeboro, across the lake to eat dinner. The food was marvelous. I had steak and a caesar salad, my favorite. At the end of the day, back at the lake house, the sun was setting. It was bright orange with scattered pink clouds dotting the sky. The famous local bald eagle flew by, and I knew that was the wave good-bye of the perfect day. If I had to pick a day out to name it “the best”, this would be it. This was a special day for me and I would put it at the top of my rankings. There are many days that can be bad, and good, and this one was perfect.

Gamer Review: World Zombination By Michael Massotto

Tower Defense is a video game genre recognized by many. You build up security, usually in the form of units or buildings and then fight hordes of oncoming attackers, who are often after a vulnerable target. An example of this kind of play style in a game would be like the popular app Clash of Clans, but I’m sure many of you have heard of or played Clash of Clans, whether you liked it or not. Today, I bring to you a similar free game to the table, and darn is it addictive!

World Zombination is a strategy game developed by Proletariat which plops you into a surprisingly vibrant world that is suffering from the average zombie apocalypse. At the start of the game, you are given the choice of whether you want to play as the last of the humans or the growing zombie horde. It is possible to play as both but that requires you to make a Proletariat Account. I personally wound up choosing the Humans, known as The Survivors in this game.

The game is fairly simple. You drag and place units on to different defensive squares where they will fight off zombie hordes that spawn from their own icons on the battlefield, without you directly controlling them. The objective is to kill all the zombies without

8 letting them destroy the various safe houses, factories, and hospitals in each top- down viewing level. Alternatively, as a zombie horde, your objective is to defeat the humans that are in your way and destroy aforementioned buildings.

Each level is geographically located and based on cities across the world, such as New Orleans, Lima, Cairo, Moscow, and others. The levels themselves are different enough from the last to make you think about where to place your units but it is still the same mechanics-wise, so you will never be completely lost when entering a new level. The only problem I encountered with the stages is that some spawn points won’t be visible unless you zoom out the in game camera angle, which has cost me a few battles. There is a campaign mode where you unlock these levels by completing the last, each city usually being a set of six to fifteen levels, with great prizes at the end of each set of stages and little treats in between. There are sixteen of these campaign levels. It is a healthy amount for a game like this, especially with all the multiplayer options. But, we’ll get to those later.

Throughout the game, you will obtain units that will aid you when fighting the zombie horde or when you fight the humans. Each unit has their own strengths, weaknesses, strate- gies, and obtainability. The first few units I encountered when playing as the Survivors were: the firefighter, who wields an axe at close range; the gunfighter, who wields dual pistol; the sniper, who has a high-damage rifle; and the paramedic, who heals your teammates. You can have multiples of the same unit on the field, and each unit has a cool down time before you can place a second of them down on the field. Finally, we have Captain Zeta, your first Hero Unit. She rides around in a truck that has been modified to be something that resembles a ro- bot. Unlike most units, when she is killed on the battlefield, you cannot place her back on the field for the duration of the battle. Speaking of Hero Units, each unit has an obtainability level. It ranges from Common to Legendary, the higher rank units are usually variations of units you’ve seen before. This is a nice layer of diversity, instead of constantly leveling up the same units, which costs precious supplies and food, not to mention time. The only downside of the characters is that they have a lack of diversity in quotes, so if I hear “Axe, and you shall receive” or “Lock and Load” one more time, I will punch a hole in my iPad Mini.

The final aspect of this deep free-to-play game is the multiplayer. This game basically lives off of multiplayer. The guild system lets you join a group or make your own of up to fifty members, where the guild, depending on its level, gives you perks in battle and, in return, you are expected to supply troops to other players and win XP for the guild. But, by far the best part of guilds is that you get an extra slot in battle that is taken up by a troop someone else owns. This unit is vital to your team because they are often stronger than your own units. There are also individual PVP events that occur across the globe for you to try out.

But, not everything is perfect with the game. Often times, I will encounter large lag spikes from too many zombies on the screen at once, usually resulting in my game crashing before I get rewards or the device soft-locking (powering down when being overwhelmed with information). Many of these things are just limitations of the device, but they are something to

9 note because when you use the multitasking feature on your average tablet or phone, it is prone to happen. The final aspect of this deep free-to-play game is the multiplayer. This game basically lives off of multiplayer. The guild system lets you join a group or make your own of up to fifty members, where the guild, depending on its level, gives you perks in battle and, in return, you are expected to supply troops to other players and win XP for the guild. But, by far the best part of guilds is that you get an extra slot in battle that is taken up by a troop someone else owns. This unit is vital to your team, because they are often stronger than your own units. There are also individual PVP events that occur across the globe for you to try out.

But, not everything is perfect with the game. Often times, I will encounter large lag spikes from too many zombies on the screen at once, usually resulting in my game crashing before I get rewards or the device soft-locking (powering down when being overwhelmed with information). Many of these things are just limitations of the device, but they are something to note because when you use the multitasking feature on your average tablet or phone, it is prone to happen.

Overall, World Zombination is a fun and rich free to play game that doesn’t poke and prod for money and has a nice community and addictive factor. Overall, I rate this game an 8.25 out of 10 for its good game quality, but it has mildly annoying quirks that give you a pleasant headache. World Zombination is available in the App Store now. This is Mike and I’ll A,B,C you later!

Mrs. Cook’s Cooks would like to thank the following stores for their generous contributions : Shop Rite of West Caldwell*****Jack’s Super Foodtown of Caldwell Whole Foods of West Orange ***** Corrado’s of Fairfield Costco of Wayne ***** Farmer’s Market of Verona Stop and Shop of West Caldwell*****Target of Fairfield

Staff and Contributors to This Issue Editors: Amelye Burki and Colette Pauta Writers: Mike Massotto, Hank Morgan, James Stevens, Anna Stairiker, Izzy Caravela, Joe Jenkins, Kylie LaBianca, Mackenzie Courtright, Mai Chiaet, Mellany Cuillo-Vega,

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