Spartan Times

Carrie Palmer Weber Middle School, Port Washington, New York www.portnet.k12.ny.us/weber/clubs/spartantimes 1st Place Winner of the Newsday In Education Journalism Award 2012

Vol. 14, Issue 1 Simply The Best! January 2017

Port Washington Stands United Regarding the Fields Against Bullying on by Lily L. Unity Day! This past October, Weber students were surprised to find that photos by Alyssa G. recess was to be held on the track, while their usual field went under con- struction. Since then, this area has been marked with pink flags and three The walk began quarters of it has been stripped down to dirt. Trucks have traversed the with a unified lap around grounds, causing the occasional commotion. Similar undertakings have the track during 9th period pervaded the entirety of Schreiber's playing fields, wreaking some havoc for Weber Middle School with recess, physical education and after-school sports proceedings of students. Students wore both educational facilities. Middles scholars have experienced walking orange glow bracelets and across Campus Drive to the only currently turfed field for gym classes, and teams have been bussed out to neighboring schools for practices or orange leis. In between, are making do with the limited available space. Drop off and pick up we had students singing, has so far not been affected by the improvements revolving around both teachers dancing, stories schools, though future fundraisers - such as the HEARTS fest - may be and quotes on bullying, a relocated to other areas even after completion. So what’s the story here? cross country 1 mile loop (Continued on page 4) and the most incredible “sea of orange” you can imagine. This was a true Unity Walk with one giant message of support, PRIDE IN PORT! kindness, acceptance and unity. (Continued on page 3) by Mikey C. Battle of the Buildings Weber made our presence known at the Pride in Port parade! by Noah L. Read more on page 5 On November 5th, 2016, a crowd of hundreds filled the packed Schreiber gym to watch their beloved teachers battle it out for bragging rights. The fans were given a great Schreiber welcome with fantastic music, awesome raffles, and epic knock-out competitions. But of course, the main event was the best part; a battle between Weber and Sch- reiber, and the elementary schools, was about to take place. (Continued on page 2) In This Issue...... Pages 1-6 Weber News Who’s got Spirit? page 8 Page 7 Random Things & Quirky Dings

Page 8 Spirit Week

Page 9 Entertainment Reviews

Page 10 Comics

Page 11-12 Spartan Sports

Page 1 WEBER NEWS Vol. 14, Issue 1 January 2017

Battle of the Buildings Red 8 is Research Ready by Noah L. by Noah L. and Frankie A.

(continued from page 1) Both teams had their share of stars, but As the eighth graders start their transition to high school, they Mr. Miglietta really lit up Team Weber/Schreiber with his basketball skills. will need to know the keen skill of writing-you guessed it-the dreaded Everyone’s fa- RESEARCH PAPER. Red 8 teachers, Mrs. Ariel and Mr. Holzer, spent vorite teach- quite some time teaching their students just that. As a wrap up to their ers came up to Civil Rights Unit, the students researched 3 important civil rights fig- support their ures: Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, or Cesar Chavez. school includ- Mr. Holzer explained that they chose the three particular leaders, ing Mr. Holzer, for they are some of the most influential, most famous, and had huge Ms. Ariel, Mr. impacts on not only our country but the world. To help them understand Dowling, Mr. this process, the students turned written sources, into note cards, and Spotteck, Ms. then put citations in the MLA format. According to Holzer, this lengthy Silverman, and project is, “A true necessity for the students, it will further their intel- many more! ligence, and give them the essential skill of paraphrasing, rather than The game plagiarizing.” started out with The research project was a huge success. A Red House student, a bang; Sousa’s Ben R., said that “This process, used by our teachers, crushed our vola- Mr. Dooley hit- tile urges to plagiarize, and definitely taught us how to write a paper that ting a deep 3 flowed like a story.” Thank you Mrs. Ariel and Mr. Holzer! pointer. However, Weber kept fighting back. With the help of some rowdy 8th grade fans, who had signs for the awesome Ms. Silverman, they as- sisted in cheering on Weber’s come back, to tie the game at 50-50 with Drama Club just a few minutes to left on the scoreboard. After the fans found out who by Iann F. won the raffles, the game was back and better than ever. However, there were a few unlucky free throws due to the craziness from the Elemen- This year as most of you SHOULD know, Drama Club is per- tary School section. Although we held the “L,” everyone played great, and forming the tony-award winning, musical, Pippin. You may not have the teachers showed us their ability to get out on the hardwood and ball. heard of this show before, but believe it or not ,this show just got off Broadway. In 2013, Pippin won the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical. It was nominated along with Annie and many more popular The NYC Marathon shows. Mrs. Friedman, who works together with Mrs. Portmore-Davies by Caroline W. says, “Pippin is a great show and has some of our favorite Broadway songs. My two favorite songs are “Magic to Do and “No Time at All.” The New York City Marathon is an annual marathon (26.219 mi) Mrs. Portmore-Davies studied and directed Pippin as her graduate thesis that courses through Brooklyn, Manhattan, Staten when she was getting her Masters degree in Directing.” As you can see Island, the Bronx and Queens. It is the largest mara- both directors of the Weber Drama Club are educated in directing and thon in the world, and can host up to 50,000 runners. music. The Drama Club shows always come out beautifully. Some lead The marathon was established in 1970 by the New parts are Pippin, Leading Player, Charles, Fastrada and Berthe. See the York Road Runners Club. There is a lot of training drama club website for more details. As you can see, this Tony-Award- required to complete this marathon. Many runners Winning Musical will turnout great with beautiful instruction from Mrs. train by running up steep hills. They do this because Friedman and Mrs. Portmore-Davies. a lot of the marathon includes jogging up large, long high ground that is physically and mentally draining. Red Ribbon Anti-Drug Campaign At the end of the race runners take there last couple miles until finally photo by Solomon G. finishing in Central Park. It is a huge relief for everyone. There have been many reports of people collapsing after the marathon, but honestly who Here at Weber Middle School, we took the pledge for the Red wouldn’t after such a draining workout? The NYC Marathon is a large event Ribbon Anti-Drug campaign. Red Ribbon Drug Awareness Week is that many people participate in year after year! Maybe you will be the next! October 23-31. The Red Ribbon campaign is the largest drug awareness program in the United States! This year’s theme is “YOLO. Be Drug- Spartan Times Staff 2016-2017 Free.” The theme was created by Kristopher “Jeremiah” Oakes and Staff: Logan Brehm, sixth graders at Claysburg-Kimmel Elementary School in Lily L., Noah L., Frankie A., Mikey C., Iann F., Claysburg, Pennsylvania. Both Gideon G., Solomon G., Camryn N., Chris W., Caroline W., students had the same idea for Alyssa G. Bryson S., Gavin S., John S., Darrin M., Liana M., the theme after hearing their Ben R., Thea S. 6th grade teacher Ms. Wool- Freelance Writers & Photographers: Mrs. DiToro, Mrs. ridge use the term “YOLO” Piriano, Ms. Silverman, Bethel E., Alyssa G., Spencer K. throughout the year to remind Advisor: her students that they only live Ms. Ariel once so they should make good Printer:Richner decisions. Please go to http:// redribbon.org/ to learn more.

Page 2 Vol. 14, Issue 1 WEBER NEWS January 2017

Port Washington Stands United Operation Gratitude Against Bullying on by Mrs. Piraino Unity Day! “Operation Gratitude

photos by Alyssa g. annually sends 150,000+ care packages filled with snacks, entertainment, hygiene and (continued from page 1) hand-made items, plus per- OnWednesday, sonal letters of appreciation, to October 19th, Weber New Recruits, Veterans, First Middle School kicked off Responders, Wounded Heroes, our bullying prevention Care Givers and to individually program, OLWEUS and named U.S. Service Members proudly walked in unison deployed overseas. around the track 9th pe- Our mission is to lift the riod. We at Weber, stand spirits and meet the evolving needs of our Active Duty and Veteran com- together against bullying. munities and provide volunteer opportunities for all Americans to express Thank you to students, their appreciation to members of our Military. Each package contains parents, teachers, admin- donated product valued at istrators, sports teams, BOE members, politicians, community leaders $75-100 and costs the or- and friends, who participated and made this event such as success. ganization $15 to assemble The walk culminated a day and ship. Since its inception of events at all the schools. All in 2003, Operation Gratitude had activities planned and the volunteers have shipped students and staff embraced more than One Million Care what Unity Day represents. Packages.” Please keep on spreading Last year we managed to the word that there is no place collect 125lbs of candy; for bullying. Together, we have however this year, we the power to end bullying! surpassed that amount with 168lbs of candy! The troops appreciate our students and staff for supporting this great cause every Should Children be Allowed to Vote? year. by Bethel E. Thank you Weber Family for making OPERATION GRATITUDE a huge success! Some may say NO for these particular reasons: Please go to www.operationgratitude.com to learn more.

*Children’s minds are not fully developed and adults could persuade ACTober Fest them to vote for a specific candidate. by Chris W.

*Someone very young may not know how to read, and they may end up One day I was scrolling down Instagram and I saw a picture that voting for a random candidate, rather than said “ALERT, ALERT! If you want to see these beautiful people perform vote for a true leader. from my skit, you should come to Actober festival.” I was so interested that Schreiber was having their own performance for students that have *Children could be persuaded by can- written plays and would love to perform them. I thought that it would be so didates by the use of bribes, such as ice fun to go. I decided to ask a series of people to come with me or just come cream parties. with their families! ACTober festi- Some may say YES for these particular val was a huge success! reasons: All the acts were amaz- ing with a great cast for *Children are equally a part of our country and should have the right to each. I felt like each act vote their opinion because they have a voice too. was Broadway! One really funny thing was *When a child votes, more of the population counts rather than just this group of teens that adults. were called The Im- provables. They would A possible solution: During the debate, students came to a solution. come every once in a Instead of EVERY child having the ability to vote, perhaps test kids on while and they would do their knowledge of the candidates and their maturity level to make a improve in a snap. They clear decision. No matter what your age is, it is always important to get would ask the crowd different ideas, which I thought was a great idea out there and vote! because they got the crowd involved and happy during their performance.

Page 3 WEBER NEWS Vol. 14, Issue 1 January 2017

No Shave November Regarding the Fields by Noah L. By Lily L.

By (continued from page 1) Monday October 10th marked the begin- the end of Novem- ning of the turfing process on Schreiber fields, which was a big decision ber, you may have prior to the initiation of the bond. It was ensured that turfed fields have noticed that some been verified as safe for school grounds, as there are no current studies Weber teachers showing the illness is directly associated with illness. Still, as an added had some unusu- precaution the synthetic grass will be rebuffed with encapsulated rub- ally long beards. ber, which means rubber particles that make up turf fields will receive No, they were not an extra coating, offering more protection. Both the upper and lower participating in the portions of Schreiber's grass terrain is to be turfed; the upper ground Hunger Games; receiving structural adjustments to the retaining wall on the western side, it was No Shave next to the Schreiber portables were softball and field hockey is to be November! All played. Baseball and softball diamonds will be added to the lower grass across the nation, area, as well as a multipurpose field for lacrosse and soccer, providing a people committed to growing out all their hair, for a great cause; cancer more inclusive environment for sports- especially for baseball games and research! practices. This will create more places available to play sports on school With the help of Mr. Barbara, Mr. Spoteck, Mr. Holzer, Mr. Mar- property, and less teams will require bus transportation to their playing tin, Mr. Cooke, and many more, almost $300.00 was raised, for cancer fields, and the more unified our schools will become. research. This year was special for our community because of our own However, the Weber field and property, is something quite sepa- students was affected by cancer. rate from the happenings at the High School. As the student body is well On November 30th, teachers wore “Chris Strong” shirts while aware of, our front field has been riddled with ruts and dry patches for shaving their beards down to mustaches because it was the last day of years, and before the restoration began, was very hard and uneven. Dis- November. I’m sure all of the teachers had some messy sinks on Decem- trict Director of Buildings and Grounds, Mr. Jim Ristano- who is now the ber 1st! ‘Project Manager’- notified the Buildings and Facilities Committee about such problems, who then “approved the project,” according to four-year Board member, Mrs. Christina Nadolne. This field will not be “turfed,” Find Your Soul but instead “‘resurfaced” to improve the quality of the grass, making it by Frankie A. smoother, greener, safer and wetter- as the project will also revamp in- undation. A mid-year assessment has been scheduled, which will be the If you’re looking for a good workout or somewhere where you deciding factor on whether the front field can be used for recess again. just want to go Aside from the Schreiber bond and the Weber resurfacing initiative, somewhere fun is the cooling unit being placed atop the newer section of the building with friends, then (where the red and yellow houses are located). Referred to as a chill- SoulCycle is the er, it is a system used to transfer a heated liquid or gas using an ongo- place to go. It ing cycle of compressions and refrigeration. In our case, the chiller will provides a sweaty be installed to replace an older model. Temperature control has always spinning workout been a prime concern amongst students, and this will contribute greatly. on bikes where The Board of Education Subcommittee of Budgets and Facilities you can control is responsible for all the great work going on at both the Middle and High your speed. You schools here in Port, and their dedication to the district is improving the are led into a quality of our education by the day. We owe a lot to them and their col- dark, hot room with about 50 bikes. An instructor who motivates you leagues for their involvement with our front field, especially Mrs. Chris- leads the 45 minute class, telling you to change your speed to the beat of tina Nadolne, whom I had the privilege of interviewing in order to find out the music. Don’t worry, they provide you with towels, gel seats, and dif- more about the Board of Ed’s involvement with school bond and the im- ferent weights. First, there is 6-7 songs before the arm workout and yoga. mediate action corresponding to the issues on our own field here at Weber. One amazing part about Soul is that you can usually choose the type of music I'll just check Edmodo: you work out to before you schedule The Teacher Perspective your class. There are different instruc- by Ms. Silverman tors that motivate you and most people pick their class based on the instruc- Are you one of those people who have heard mention of the tor. During the class, you are working strange word "Edmodo" but have no idea what it means? Edmodo is a physically and mentally. SoulCycle is web-based platform used by teachers and students to create connections somewhere that you can forget about all to empower learners both inside and outside of the classroom. your problems and also burn calories. Teachers can post homework, worksheets, links to important Soul is a great workout and I definitely websites, videos, pictures and much more to help encourage student recommend it to people who care about growth and facilitate a community within their classroom. Students can their health and people who like to communicate with other students, as well as the teacher, to help master have fun. And remember, if you want to content. Teachers manage and control the classroom. Assignments can sign up, do it Monday at also be turned in via Edmodo. Technology is changing the noon. future of our education system. Will you be on board? Page 4 WEBER NEWS Vol. 14, Issue 1 January 2017

HEART’s of Port Washington Rockefeller Christmas Tree by Lily L. by Iann F.

HEART’s. What do you see when you hear this name. I see many If you happened to be in New York City this holiday season, you hardworking people making PW an enriched art community. HEART’s might have to trek down to Rockefeller Center and take in the magnifi- grants many organizations, school run and non-school run, to do many cent tree erected over the Plaza’s brilliant ice skating rink. Standing 94 art programs. feet high, 56 feet wide, and weighing in at 30,000 pounds, this year’s HEART’s funds drama programs such as Curtains Up. They also Norway spruce was the widest and heaviest to date! fund dancing classes. They have many more programs. You can see the Trees are usually selected from around the tri-state area, upstate New full list at www.heartspw.org. Although they work behind the scenes, York, and sometimes Canada. What they’re looking for is an adequate their work should be most honored. ‘Christmas tree shape,’ load bearing ability, and sturdy quality. All this I was lucky to get in touch with Michele Posner, the President of is vital, because every tree must embark upon a journey through one of HEART’s who explained to me that HEART’s was founded by Sheri the five boroughs. And Manhattan is not for the faint hearted- or thin Suzzan, who is currently the Principal at Daly Elementary School, and coughed for that matter. Damon Gersh. While you might take a train or car into the city, it’s much more These dedicated founders take time out of their busy lives to raise of a challenge to transport a gigantic Christmas tree into midtown Man- money and distribute it to community programs. As for the fundraisers, hattan. By law, the tree cannot exceed a width of 125 feet in order to ”Our largest event is ‘PortFest’, a fabulous arts and music festival that safely maneuver down city streets, and it takes a ‘custom telescoping takes place each May in our district. We hold a fundraiser called ‘The trailer’ to provide the massive landmark with a safe and easy ride to the Red Party’ which is a February event around Valentine’s Day.” says Plaza. Over the years, trucks, barges and even planes, have been hired Posner. HEART’s does a lot of things in town but just may not be. Give to get the tree into NYC. Once it reaches the designated spot overlook- HEART’s the support they need! ing the famous ice rink, a huge metal spike is inserted through the trunk, situating it in a vertical fashion. For extra support, guy wires are strung The First Six Mix of 2016 down from the middle of the tree, resembling the ropes one uses when pitching a tent. by Camryn N. For those who are curious about the origin of this Christmas Photos by Gideon G. landmark, it began during the Great Depression, constructed by strug- gling families who decorated the normal-sized, unlit, trees in handmade On Friday, October 14, trimmings. During the Second World War, blackout regulations stripped 2016 the sixth graders experi- the tree of its festive lights, so the tree donned simple red, white & blue enced yet another middle school decorations to honor the soldiers fighting for world-wide liberation. milestone; they went to their first When the war was declared over, the tree threw a big hurrah with spot- dance! Now, please don’t imagine lights and reflective ornaments to celebrate a Christmas of peace after girls in fluffy dresses and boys in years of darkness. tuxedos, because this casual and By the time the 50’s rolled around, scaffolding allowed for big- fun dance was just about the oppo- ger and better trees, in-depth decor, and even televised tree lighting! In site of the formal dance you may the year of 1969, Valerie Clare bout’s twelve, wire constructed, herald be imagining. angels were put on display in the plaza. The first tree to be recycled was The Six Mix was led by a fantastic D.J. and his emcees who per- transformed from a 65 foot tree into 30 3-bushel bags of mulch which haps way over-estimated everyone’s level of talent! There were some was spread along upper-Manhattan’s lovely nature trails, in 1971. 1999 students who really took to the techno modifications of their favorite brought about The Tallest Tannenbaum, towering 100 feet above pedes- songs, and then there were students like me who made up dance routines trians! Ever since 2007, the tree’s lumber has been donated to Habitat for that embodied the essence of the middle school years- ugly, awkward and Humanity, an organization that builds affordable housing for homeless good comedy. families. Comedic dancing was not the only memorable aspect of this Thanks to its illustrious history, beautifully crafted decorations, and per- beautiful fall night. The transformation of our beloved little cafeteria fectly positioned stature, this year’s Rockefeller Christmas Tree was just into a junior nightclub will not soon be forgotten by anyone in atten- as lovely as trees past. Even if you did not celebrate it’s intended holi- dance. You could have spent the whole night staring at the light show day, this fantastic landmark was worthy of a visit. and been perfectly satisfied! The extremely loud music added to this nightclub feel, and the dim lighting almost made the sixth graders forget they were in their everyday lunchroom. To add to this festive and fan- PRIDE IN PORT tastic atmosphere, souvenir hats were tossed into the audience every five minutes, creating a frenzy by Mikey C. amongst the excited partygo- ers. At least everyone went (continued from page 1) Pride in Port is an experience worth watching! home with a souvenir sore All of the schools march from behind Carlo’s all the way to the Schreiber throat! High School field. Paul Schreiber High School, Carrie Palmer Weber Mid- Weber Class of 2019, con- dle School, John Philip Sousa Elementary School, Manorhaven Elemen- gratulations on accomplish- tary School, John J. Daly Elementary School, Guggenheim Elementary ing this first dance mile- School, and South Salem Elementary School participated. The sun was stone with lots of bouncing shining, our house colors blew in the wind, and our banner and hyper energy. This fun was held proudly as we walked to represent our Pride in Port! party set the tone for the best sixth grade year yet! Page 5 WEBER NEWS

Vol. 14, Issue 1 January 2017 Edible Cells? Caroline W’s Russian Tea Cakes by Iann F. by Caroline W.

For several years, there has been a fun project that encourages Ingredients: students to use their creativity in order to make a cell and all of its organ- elles. Mrs. Lieberman, a 7th grade science teacher who assigns students *1 cup butter or marga- the Edible Cell Project, and was nice enough to answer a few questions rine softened for us. *½ cup powdered sug- “I was researching different ideas for a cell project and I thought ar this would be most fun for students,” she said.” I have done it in the past, *1 teaspoon vanilla but then assigned other projects. The other projects I have done did not *2 ¼ cups all-purpose seem as enjoyable as this one. This year I had the greatest number of flour cakes being made with a greatest variation. They were creative as well *3/4 cup finely chopped as aesthetic,” she explained. The cakes are getting better and better every nuts year. ¼ teaspoon salt Pow- After I asked if there were any messes, she said, ”No comment. I dered sugar am still trying to get some frosting out of the ceiling. JK. After observing the excitement and pride from the students, I certainly look forward to I’m not going to lie, when I first heard my dad say he was going to doing this again.” As a student of Mrs. Lieberman, I enjoyed the edible make Russian Tea Cakes, I was not only confused, but also a bit surprised cell project so much, that I wanted to share this awesome learning experi- that my dad wasn’t making his usual sugar cookie with butter cream frost- ence. . ing. However, now that I have had them, I know that you will like them just as much as me. Meet Mr. VanKurin by Liana M. First, you have to pre-heat your oven to a high heat of 400 degrees. Then, Q. What school did you teach before coming here? you mix butter, 1/2 cup powdered sugar and the vanilla in large bowl. Stir A. I have taught at Sachem Middle School in flour, nuts and salt until dough holds together. Next, shape dough into Q. What college did you go to? 1-inch balls and then place them onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake A. I went to RIT (Rochester Institute of Technology), Sunny Oswego and 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from cookie sheet and roll warm cookies in CW Post where I was a master powdered sugar; cool off and then roll in powdered sugar again. I hope Q. On a scale from 1-10, how much do you like teaching here at Weber? you enjoy! A. 10, this is a great school. Everyone is so nice here. Q. What is your favorite part of technology? Pokémon: Go or No go? A. I love technology because I love to explore all fields of technology. by Alyssa G. Q. How long have you been teaching technology? A. I have been teaching technology since September of 2006. Many people know about the world record breaking game Q. Do you like tacos? known as Poké- A. Yes, of course I do. Everyone loves tacos. mon GO. Since Q. What’s your favorite movie? its release the A. I like the first Iron Man movie game has been Q. Do you have kids? downloaded A. I have one child named Amelia. She is a baby. over 50 million Q. What is your favorite thing to do? times and count- A. I love hiking. ing. But, many Anytime you want to live in the Tech World, visit Mr. Vankurin in room people argue that G9! the game is lethal and dangerous. Dark Chocolate: Healthy, or Not Healthy? For instance, two men in their by Bryson S. early 20’s were playing Pokémon GO and fell off a 50-90 foot cliff. I love Pokémon, but I have heard many things about dark chocolate. Some people won’t chase them off of a cliff! Unless it is a Pikachu! think it is good for you, and others think it’s bad for you. I think it’s good According to Psychological Today, “It’s an easy conversation for you. At least it’s better than Hershey. I’ll tell you why. Dark chocolate starter and eases social anxiety.” That is good in my book! But Netivist. includes many antioxidants. Antioxidants include Vitamin C, and Vitamin org states, “Many crimes related to Pokémon have been reported. People E. have been lured into locations then robbed.” Dark chocolate is also rich in fiber, magnesium, iron, copper, I don’t want people taking my Pokémon! Or are they taking manganese, and other minerals. One bad thing about dark chocolate is money? Hmm. Although Pokémon GO may seem addictive or like a bad the sugar. However, Hershey chocolate has much more sugar than dark thing now, it has had its benefits. According to CNN.com, it has helped chocolate has. Dark chocolate is also good for you because it is healthier children with both autism and Asperger’s syndrome. Pokémon GO has than blueberries, which is really astonishing. Overall, I think dark choco- encouraged children with autism and Asperger’s to go outside and inter- late is the healthier choice between all chocolates, and you act with others, which is a pretty great benefit. should definitely get it for your parents.

Page 6 Random Things & Quirky Dings

Vol. 14, Issue 1 Opinions stated here are those of the author, not of the P.W.U.F.S.D or Spartan Times Staff January 2017

Why Didn’t all Primates Evolve Let us predict your future! into Humans? This is an article written by famous fortune tellers “Misty Rious” by Bryson S. and “Anne Onymous” Read below and use your horoscope (whenever your birthday is) to It has come to my senses that many people are questioning why find out some primates have not evolved into humans. First, we did not evolve YOUR FUTURE! from apes, gorillas, and chimps. We just share a common ancestor, Oh yeah, and swaggy advice. the African ape. So why did some African apes evolve? I’ll explain. Mutation mostly depends on environmental factors. This in- Aries- March 21-April 19 cludes the food they ate, predators, climate, and social pressures. You will be very successful in Evolution is a matter of completing ecological and social nich- farming potatoes. es. African apes are still around because their environment has Taurus- April 20- May 20 kept their reproduction going and they have adapted easily. This You will find love where you is because they have a different genetic material then us humans. most expect it, happiness where Also, the timeline of the human evolution is long and controver- you least expect it, and the sial, with great gaps in between. So, you just have to remember that ani- meaning of life that is true to mals evolve at different times according to many environmental factors. you. Any of these may involve unicorns. Literally. Memes Gemini- May 21- June 20 by Iann F. You will read this and say “Geez! I could come up with The definition of Meme better fortunes than that!” is an element of a culture or Cancer- June 21-July 22 system of behavior that may be You will have a singing contest with friends. You will lose. You will be considered to be passed from on America’s got Talent. You will win. You will then proceed to eat some one individual to another by pie. nongenetic means, especially Leo-July 23-August 22 imitation. In simpler terms: It’s You will win the lottery!...in monopoly. a funny picture with words. In Virgo- August 23- September 22 English that is a funny picture. You probably don’t believe in fortunes, but you should play the lottery “Memes. The DNA of next week if you want to make one. the soul. ” says a meme mas- Libra-September 23-October 22 You’re the type of person who should really stop procrastinating- starting ter. Sad memes, happy memes, tomorrow. good memes, bad memes, dank Scorpio- October 23- November 21 memes, rank memes all the You will touch the hearts of many. On an unrelated note, you will be a meme’s communicate with your heart surgeon. inner emotions. Join the meme- Sagittarius- November 22- December 22 making world and start making You will find money where you least expect it. Growing on a tree! your memes. Some apps you Capricorn- December 23- January 19 can use are PicMeme, Mematic, Someone will break your heart. You will fill the void with donuts. Meme Design, and Meme Fac- Aquarius-January 20- February 18 tory. Marriage lets you annoy one special person for the rest of your life. Hmmmm… Who is that special person? Maybe it’s that person in homebase. Pisces- February 19- March 20 Today is your lucky day! Don’t take a risk. We may be lying. The Way of the Asu: A Short Story by Solomon G. TOP 10 SONGs & Artists by Annonymous As I was cutting through the Acimeranian Forest, I came across 1. Side to Side-Ariana Grande a peculiar tribe. They idolized a very dangerous animal, called the Rac. 2. Starboy-The Weekend They gave up so much for the Rac, their homes, their food, and their 3. 24k Magic- Bruno Mars lives. The Racs have to run down long roads constantly because if they 4. Don’t Wanna Know-Maroon 5 don’t, they will die. 5. I Don’t Wanna Live Forever- They were called, the Asu. They can’t own a rac until they turn Zayn & Taylor Swift 16 years old. The richer, a tribe member, is the more racs they can own. 6. Mercy-Shawn Mendes I saw thousands of casualties because of the Rac. Wait, they’re not the 7. Can’t Stop the Feeling-JT Asu tribe, they are…to be continued. 8. This Town-Niall Horan 9. Love Me Now-John Legend 10. Unsteady- X Ambassadors

Page 7 SPIRIT WEEK Photos by: Gideon G. & Solomon G. Vol. 14, Issue 1 January 2017 This last Spirit Week was awesome. During the week of October 26th, Weber Middle School took part in showing their school spirit. The week consisted of Pajama Day, MisMatch Day, Dress to Impress, Sports Day, House Color Day and Costume Day. Many people decided to show their school spirit. Thank you Peer Leadership!!!

Page 8 ENTERTAINMENT REVIEWS Vol. 14, Issue 1 January 2017 ROUGE ONE; A STAR WARS STORY Gilmore Girls by Lily L. By Camryn N. Star Wars fans are buzzing around this December about Lucas- Warning: Contains spoilers of “Gilmore Girls: A Year In The Life” Film’s latest and greatest; Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. The movie Hunker down with your mom, sister or powerful female role model aired December 16th, causing hundreds of rebels to flock for a galaxy because the hit dramedy, Gilmore Girls is back. The original show, which far far away- and for good a special reason. This specific movie stands aired from 2000- 2007, followed the lives of single-mom Lorelai (Lauren separate from the original series, as it is a prequel, dating back to A New Graham) and bookish daughter Rory (Alexis Bledel) throughout Rory’s Hope on the Star Wars timeline. It stands alone from the other movies, high school and college career. The Gilmore Girls were television’s best as it was created by Disney screenwriters and not by the famous George dynamic duo: they were quick-witted, highly caffeinated, and made more Lucas's hand. pop culture references in a minute than most people do in a year. This feature film includes a whole new cast of characters, who The original Gilmore Girls was a masterpiece. It made it cool for set out as part of the original rebel alliance to swipe the plans to the little girls like me to be best friends with their mom. So when a Netflix re- Death Star. Former criminal Jyn Erso takes the home front with a fully vival was announced, many fans like myself binge-watched Gilmore Girls equipped team of mutineers, determined to bring their fight to the Em- and hoped the reboot would be much better than Fuller House. pire’s doorstep. Just like Rey of The Force Awakens, Jyn exhibits mas- Many of you may be mad to hear this, but the Gilmore revival did sive ‘girl power,’ as her ship evades the Empire time and time again and not fully live up to the hype. While it was beyond phenomenal to be back her rebellion ship takes on a new name- Rogue One. All in all, the movie in Stars Hollow with every last member of the original cast, and some new is a definite blockbuster, and contains something for everyone. There’s a members, such as Kirk’s pig or Emily’s maid new drone, called K-2SO, and even the infamous Darth Vader makes an and her extreme extended family, the revival appearance! changed so much about Rory’s character that The feature film now doubles as remembrance for the dearly de- it was almost hard to recognize her. What parted Carrie Fisher, actress who has played the role of Princess Leia in happened to this quintessential Valedictori- every single Star Wars movie. an-caliber student and devoted daughter,who lost so much of her charm and integrity? In- The Simpsons Turn 600! stead of living up to her presumed potential, by Spencer K. the Rory of the revival had no steady work, a On October 16, 2016, the hit animated sitcom, “The Simpsons” forgettable boyfriend, and was even sneaking aired the show’s 600th episode, which was also the 27th Treehouse of Hor- around with her college love, Logan Hunt- ror, or Halloween special. The episode opens with the show resurrecting zberger, whose marriage proposal she de- Homer’s enemy, Frank Grimes as a ghost. After the audience sees a collage clined in the penultimate episode of the origi- of all 600 episodes, the Couch Gag; however, teamed up with Google card- nal series. Lorelai also was a little lost in the revival, but Rory’s extreme board to feature the first episode fall from her ivory tower was truly hard to watch. Here is a brief recap of to feature VR (virtual reality). each episode in this “Year in the Life.” Then the Halloween Winter: This first season was defined by two opposite emotions- episode’s three segments, Dry absolute joy to see the original Gilmore gang and their magical home, Hard, BFF RIP, and Moefinger Stars Hollow, and deep sadness at the loss of Richard Gilmore, family are showed. Dry Hard features patriarch. The viewer learns that Rory is floating and a little lost, and the Mr. Burns forcing all of the Lorelai and her mother Emily are feuding more than ever before. children of Springfield fight for Spring: Spring brought mother-daughter therapy sessions the death as a “Hunger Games” parody, BFF RIP features Lisa’s imagi- for Lorelai and Emily, lots of aimless traveling to London for Rory nary friend, Rachel messing with her real friends, and Moefinger features and confusion for Luke, who is satisfied with his place at the Diner. Bart teaming up with Moe’s spies to face off his mortal enemy, Homer. Summer: After Luke is nearly driven mad by Emily’s plan to make him When I watched the episodes, it felt like a real mile- become a franchise owner and chooses not to tell Lorelai, Lorelai takes stone for me and the show. Along with the episode, starting on off on a Wild-inspired adventure to find herself. Meanwhile, Emily gets a thanksgiving, FOX will do a 600 episode marathon and it will second shot at taking care of someone with her maid Berta’s entire fam- last 2 weeks, airing every Simpsons episode ever since 1989. ily. And Rory is trying to make it as a journalist but is failing miserably. Fall: Fall was my favorite episode. It included a heartwarming phone call from Lorelai to Emily that honored Richard and repaired the rift be- The Program by Suzanne Young tween mother and daughter. After a nine year wait, it also included Lorelai by Frankie A. and Luke’s impromptu midnight wedding in the beautifully decorated Stars Hollow gazebo. And for Rory, it was her last hurrah with the Life and Death The Program, by Suzanne Young, is a suspenseful, interesting, Brigade from college as she has her final night with Logan and finally real- and amazing book. It tells the story of a teenager named Sloane, who izes she needs to grow up. The best part had to be the bombshell final four goes through a difficult experience at The Program. The Program is a words. The jaw-dropping exchange between Rory and Lorelai goes like this: mental hospital that erases all of your memories from your brain. When Rory: “Mom?” people are released from it, they don’t remember anything from their life Lorelai: “Yeah?” before The Program. Sloane’s best friend killed himself, and her boy- Rory: “I’m pregnant.” friend was sent to The Program and does not remember her at all. This Considering that we never hear Lorelai’s reaction to Rory’s news, inspires Sloane to not forget her boyfriend at The Program. You’ll have fans all over America and beyond are hoping for a second season of to read this stupendous book to see what happens! This book is incred- Gilmore Girls: A Year In the Life. For now, we know that life has come ible and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who full circle in the land of the Gilmores. wanted a good book to read Page 9 Comics, Jokes & Puzzles Opinions stated here are those of the author, not of the P.W.U.F.S.D. or Spartan Times Staff Vol. 14, Issue 1 January 2017

WEBERMAN by Darrin M. and Gavin S.

Page 10 Spartan Sports

Vol. 14, Issue 1 January 2017 Congratulations to our athletes pictured on these two pages. Thanks to all students, par- ents, staff, and coaches who supported the athletes. To view these and other team photos from theWeber Athletic Department, visit the homepage at http://www.portnet.k12.ny.us//Domain/307

Football with Coaches Holzer, Trottier, Killoran, 8th Grade Girls Soccer with Coach Spotteck and Barbara

8th Grade Boys Soccer with Coach Enright 7th Grade Girls Soccer with Coach Dooley

7th Grade Boys Soccer with 8th Grade Girls Field Hockey with Coach Braddish Coach Hutchinson Page 11 Spartan Sports

Vol. 14, Issue 1 January 2017

7th Grade Girls Field Hockey with Coach Adams

Girls Cross Country with Coach Cooper

Girls Tennis with Coach Travis The Spartan Times Staff hopes everyone had a happy and safe break! Boys Cross Country with Coach O’Connor We wish everyonePhoto courtesy luck Google on Images their midterms!

Spartan Times

…is looking for photographers, writers, typists, cartoonists, and puzzle design- ers! No experience necessary!!! Port Washington Union Free School District BOARD OF EDUCATON 2016-2017 Karen Sloan, President The club meets every Friday morning Nora H. Johnson, Vice President in Room 202! Alan E. Baer, Lawrence Greenstein, Christine Nadolne, Elizabeth Weisburd, Emily Beys We publish 2 twelve page editions. Kathleen A. Mooney, Ed.D., Superintendent of Schools Mary M. Callahan, Asst. Supt. for Business Can’t come? Playing a sport? Dr. Wafa Westervelt,Asst. Supt. for Curric., BE A FREELANCE WRITER! Instruc. and Assessment Elaine Fenick, Human Resources Administrator Send your photos, articles, poems, reviews, or cartoons to the Newspaper Club*

Page 12