8th Grade Winter Formal Wreaths Across America: An Insider’s Look By Gianna Del Verde I had the honor of being a part of Wreaths Across America: By Kara Gallagher the Wreaths Across America Outside View and Information ceremony. My partner Emilia had The first annual 8th Grade Winter By: Emilia Koenigsmark a view of the outside portion of formal was a tremendous success! I was outside when it happened. the ceremony and I had a view of Thorne’s gym was transformed My partner Gianna was inside and the inside ceremony. Today, we into a winter wonderland for the had an inside view and I had the are going to tell you all of the formal, which took place on outside view. details, what happened, who was Friday, January 24th. The 8th Wreaths Across America was there, and how the organization Graders were whisked away to an one of the most amazing things works! icy world, with decorations we did here at Thorne Middle including an ice sculpture, winter School. The kids at Thorne trees, sparkly lights, and middle school went outside and snowflakes. The formal was run waved flags when the people by Mrs. Mess, Miss Morizzo, and from Wreaths Across America other student activity helpers. arrived. It was snowing when it They did a fabulous job happened, so everyone had so organizing this event. Over 165 much fun. The wreaths Across people attended, and everyone America people were in cars and To begin, as the outside was dancing the entire time. went through the Thorne Middle ceremony was happening, I was There was a DJ, multiple photo School parking lot and were inside a part of the band, waiting booths, an amazing food display filming everything. for everyone to come in. The from Applebees, Outback, and All the kids were yelling and people there included; parents, Texas Roadhouse, and many having fun. The day was so much veterans, vet families, b-naturals, other fun elements! Thank you to fun. All the kids missed first, the Medal Of Honor band, the all of the teachers who also second, and went to the third student government, and the play donated food and desserts for the block because that is when the participants. We had to sit and we party! Students sat at round ceremony was over. Everyone got to play on our phones, hang tables decorated with light blue then carried on with their day. out, and wait for our time to table cloths, place settings, and shine! centerpieces. Every guest Once people started coming in, received a favor too! All 8th the eighth graders filling the graders were able to purchase a bleachers, and people from ticket online in advance or at the MAST technical performed a flag door. Students attending were placement, and then the play required to wear formal attire The people from Wreaths began. We had former Thorne such as dresses, and shirts and Across America go all over the Middle School students Ava ties. The dance was a great way world during Christmas time and Giglia and Sam Cusson returning to hang out with your fellow put wreaths on the graves of to be the stars of the play. The classmates without having to do people who had died in the war. play opens with Ava and Sam any school work! All in all, Wreaths Across America started exploring their grandmother’s everyone had a great time and on December 13, 2008. Over 300 attic and finding old letters, enjoyed themselves immensely. locations held wreath-laying pictures, and artifacts from every ceremonies in every state, Puerto war. Rico and 24 overseas cemeteries. Throughout the play, lots of talents were displayed. There was dancing, singing, and even tap dancing by Ayden Pardue! Every The day Wreaths Across time Ava or Sam would find America came here to Thorne something from the boxes in the Middle School was December 11, attic, they would freeze and an act 1019. In the morning all kids reminiscent of the time would went there first block class then come on stage to perform. They there was an announcement that also had people performing as Jay all kids could go outside and Leno and Robin Williams inside to get ready for the arrival between segments as people of the Wreaths Across America behind the stage were changing Pictures by Mrs. Commander people. into their next costume. Overall, this play was very well performed They had a ceremony outside The Art of VSCO and very entertaining! ​ ​ with flags and someone was singing the Pledge allegiance. It GIRLS was very beautiful and everyone By Athena Tobia loved it. Everything you need to be The Blobfish by Jacyln Fealy considered a vsco girl. Okay, yeah, it’s pretty disgusting. 1. HydroFlask Usually, vsco girls own a hydro It’s been voted the ugliest animal flask. Hydro Flask is an on earth -of all time. Yeah, it’s expensive but efficient brand of not beautiful, but the blobfish is water bottles. It keeps your water rather interesting. The scientific name for it is the... Psychrolutes At the end of the play, Ava’s cold all day. Typically, a Hydro Flask costs about $35. marcidus. Don’t ask me how to dad came home from war. Once pronounce it, I’m as clueless as this happened, the band began to you. Anyways, it lives off the play our memorial song “To coast of Australia and Tasmania Absent Friends” featuring solos and at the bottom of the ocean, by Tessa Boehler, Ava Sigrist, Madeline Curcio, Adrianna Lisotto, and me! Our song was live-streamed on twitter so WHERE IT parents and friends could watch BELOOOONGSSSSS! Okay, us perform. After that, they 2.Scrunchies sorry, but have you seen the stuff played a compilation video of Vsco girls also own scrunchies. that hides down there? It’s NOT soldiers coming home to their While they are very useful for okay. They’ll eat basically families, and it was very tying hair, vsco girls tend to just anything they can get their little, emotional. I definitely cried! put it on their wrists for fashion, blobby hand things on: mollusks, or because when you keep a crabs, sea urchins, whatever. As scrunchie on your wrist, it far as I know, you can’t squeezes it less than a regular hair domesticate them, so that means a tie. A scrunchie costs about $2. ‘no’ for pets, sadly :’( They have very little muscle structure so it’s just a goo animal (I would love to touch one, btw). To be honest, the blobfish looks like a middle-aged melted bald dude. If After the video, names were 3. Shell Necklaces I had to guess, I would think it announced of veterans that were They also wear a shell necklace. would taste like a chewy, hard, in the crowd, wreaths were given It’s a string with small shells tasteless gross thing. That’s my to every veteran. Then, Mr. attached to the string that they article about the Blobfish, and I Canter won an award for being a hope you enjoyed. veteran teacher, and the band wear around their neck. They are Middletown Historic Essay went wild! Everyone was so around 7-8 dollars. That’s pretty By Katherine Pecora proud. Finally, once all of that much it for shell necklaces. This fall, Many students had was over, everyone left, and the the choice to enter an essay hardest part came. contest held by the Middletown Eighth graders went back to Township Historic Preservation their classes block 3! I went back Commission and the Middletown block 5 because we had to help Township Historical Society. clean up, and bring all of the band This was also assigned to others. equipment up to the stage for the 4. Crocs This contest was in honor of concert that was the next night. These are a popular brand of Middletown and how it was one To conclude, shoes that are also considered of the oldest European this service was vsco. They are wide and have settlements in New Jersey. Our beautiful and I round holes in the top. They hope that they typically cost around 20-30 come back to dollars. Thorne soon! records go back to the 1600s! The essays submitted had a set of guidelines and rules that it must follow. The Essays theme is 5. Oversized T-shirts “Middletown’s Impact on Deja Vu by Jessica Acker I think this one is pretty History.” Students are to then, Middle school ranges from certain ages self-explanatory, vsco girls wear (with the help of parents/teachers from when you are 11 or 12 in 6th grade oversized T-shirts, in the summer and when you are 15 or 14 in 8th grade. or by themselves) write a they wear shorts under it and it There is one thing in common with the often appears that they are ages that they have, Each one is over 10 years old. And I know ten years? Why is wearing no pants since the shirt is that important? Well within those 10 covering it. years is a decade about the ages of born for our grade is 2004-2008. So If you had everyone was alive during the 2010s year and that was at least everyone’s all or most childhood most people are almost or are of these two-page essay, double spaced, 13 and that’s when you become a items, teenager, so almost it’s like your about one occurrence in you’re childhood has passed.