RARITAN REVIEW Raritan High School’s Official Newspaper CHANGES, CHANGES, CHANGES! BLOCK SCHEDULE POLL BY: LAUREN CHRIST BY: LAUREN CHRIST Over the summer, Raritan High School has The Rocket Review wants to hear from you! made significant changes! This year we transitioned We will be making monthly polls to really under- into a block schedule which changed our usual 10 stand how you, our readers, feel about different periods a day to 4, and 45 minutes in each class to 85 events taking place. This month’s poll is about the minutes. The gym, locker rooms, cafeteria, and the new block scheduling. Copy the link to your brows- hallway near the band room all received air condi- er and give us your feedback! tioning. Last but not least, the locker rooms are new http://goo.gl/5VL35s and improved for a better gym experience. Many people ask why we switch to a block ACADEMIC ALLEY schedule. The block scheduling increases learning time and allows students to get used to a college-like BY: ERIN WOJCIK scenario. Another change is instead of the usual four 2014, Issue #8 Fall minutes in between each class, it’s six! Now you have enough time to go to the bathroom or to your locker. Going to the bathroom in between classes avoids leaving class and missing important material. Also, having a full six minutes lowers the chances of you being late for a class. During the hot and humid summer months everyone wishes for air conditioning in school to escape the heat. This year all our wishes have come This school year, Raritan is offering a new true! We now have air conditioning in the gym, lock- program called “The Principals Cup.” If a stu- ers, cafeteria and in the hallway near the band room. dent is involved with sports, Principal Smith will You have over an hour in the physical education class present the sports team with the highest average. and if the gym and locker rooms are hot it would be This helps individual students focus on their aca- brutal. Air conditioning was a must with the switch to demics as well as their sport. The best part of it all block scheduling. is that up to three teams can win! This opportunity Along with air conditioning, the team rooms will keep students on track with their classes. On and the boys’ and girls’ locker rooms were all re-done. the other hand, Raritan Rockets can keep up their Instead of the usual cages for the sports teams to motivation for school and passion for sports keep- change in there are now rooms so every sport has ing a great balance! Along with sports, here are privacy. The bathrooms and showers were spruced some tips to pepare for the SATs: up, too! New lockers were also ordered for maxi- - Practice! Take classes in order to prepare mum storage space and a safe place to keep your and expand your knowledge. belongings. Adding to all this remodeling, the hall- - Study the vocabulary. way near the band room has added a new space to - Don’t over think your answers or second sit and eat lunch. If a crowded lunch room isn’t for guess them. you, take a seat at a bench! - Make sure you get sleep the night before All the new changes and transitions are de- and eat a balanced breakfast the morning of signed to help you to enjoy your school experience the test. and get the most out of your years here at Raritan - Just relax! High School! RARITAN REVIEW Raritan High School’s Official Newspaper ENTERTAINMENT BY: SCOTT MAIORANA RETURNING SHOWS NEW SHOWS Fall is here and you know what that means. Fall 2014 is full of new shows. eagerly waiting New as well as your favorite returning shows are to draw you in. Here are some shows that are coming coming to your screen. But, let us first look back at to T.V. and just what they’re about: some of the shows that will not be returning: • The Flash(CW)- The adventures of scientist, Barry • Almost Human Allen as the speedy superhero, The Flash. • Believe • Black-ish(ABC)- A man tries to get his African- • The Crazy Ones American family to fit into a mostly white neigh- • Dads borhood. • How I Met Your Mother • Gotham(FOX)- The story of a young James Gor- • Raising Hope don in Gotham City before Bruce Wayne becomes 2014, Issue #8 Fall • Revolution the bat. • Super Fun Night • Red Band Society(FOX)- The lives of teenagers • Surviving Jack living in a hospital. • The X Factor • Stalker(CBS)- A pair of detectives investigate While these shows and more are gone, some of stalker cases in Los Angeles. your favorites are still on T.V. waiting to start their new • Madam Secretary(CBS)- A look at the profes- seasons: sional and personal life of the secretary of state. • The Amazing Race • NCIS:New Orleans(CBS)- Everything you love • American Dad about NCIS, is now moving down south to The Big • The Blacklist Easy. • The Big Bang Theory • Scorpion(CBS)-a genius assembles a group of • Brooklyn Nine-Nine some of the smartest people on the planet in • Chicago Fire order to stop acts of terror. • Chicago P.D. • CSI:Cyber(CBS)- The story of a cyber psychologist • Criminal Minds for the FBI. • CSI I am personally looking forward to Gotham. Being a • Elementary Batman fan, I think this is an interesting way to see • Family Guy how the city was before Batman. • The Following • Glee After this season, some shows will be ending. • The Good Wife One of these shows ending is non-other-than the • Grimm twelve year long sitcom, Two and a Half Men. The • Law and Order: SVU • Resurrection show premiered back in 2003 and along the way has • The Mentalist • The Simpsons said goodbye to Charlie Sheen, playing Charlie Harp- • The Millers • Sleepy Hollow er, and Angus T. Jones, playing Jake Harper. However, • Modern Family • Survivor the show has brought us the comedy of Ashton • NCIS • Two and a Half Men Kutcher as Walden Schmidt and Amber Tamblyn as • NCIS: Los Angeles • Undercover Boss Jenny Harper. The show has had a good run, but all • Person of Interest good things must come to an end. RARITAN REVIEW Raritan High School’s Official Newspaper Sweet Creations BRIDGET BAKES: BRIDGET BAKES: ICED PUMPKIN COOKIES CINNAMON BAKED APPLES What You’ll Need: Cookies: What You’ll Need: • 2 1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour • 1 Tsp Butter • 1 Tsp Baking Powder • 2 Tbsp Brown Sugar 2014, Issue #8 Fall • 1 Tsp Baking Soda • 3 Tsp Vanilla Sugar • 2 Tsp Ground Cinnamon • 3 Tsp Ground Cinnamon • 1/2 Tsp Ground Nutmeg • 1 Tsp Ground Nutmeg • 1/2 Tsp Ground Cloves • 6 Large Apples- peeled, cored, and sliced • 1/2 Tsp Salt • 3 1/2 Tbsp Water • 1/2 Cup Butter, Softened • 1 1/2 Cups White Sugar Directions: • 1 Cup Canned Pumpkin Puree 1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. • 1 Egg • 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract 2) Grease a large baking dish with the butter. Icing: • 2 Cups Confectioners’ Sugar 3) Mix brown sugar, vanilla sugar, cinnamon, and • 3 Tbsp Milk nutmeg in a small bowl. • 1 Tbsp Melted Butter • 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract 4) Layer about 1/3 of the apples in prepared bak- Directions: ing dish; sprinkle with 1/3 of the sugar mixture. Preheat oven to 3500F. Combine flour, baking Repeat layers twice more. powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, and salt; set aside. 5) Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. In a medium bowl, cream together the 1/2 cup of butter and white sugar. Add pumpkin, egg, and 6) Pour water over apples and continue baking 1 teaspoon vanilla to butter mixture, and beat until until tender, about 15 minutes more. creamy. Mix in dry ingredients. Drop on cookie sheet by tablespoonfuls; flatten slightly. Helpful Hint: Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated Gala or McIntosh Apples are the best to use for oven. Cool cookies, then drizzle glaze with fork. this particular recipe. Glaze: Combine confectioners’ sugar, milk, 1 tablespoon melted butter, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add milk as needed, to achieve drizzling consistency. RARITAN REVIEW Raritan High School’s Official Newspaper Savory Creations BRIDGET BAKES: BRIDGET BAKES: SWEET POTATO FRIES THE PERFECT PUMPKIN DIP What You’ll Need: What You’ll Need: 2014, Issue #8 Fall • 2 pounds sweet potatoes, about 3 large ones • 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, • 1/4 cup olive or other vegetable oil softened • 1-2 Tbsp sugar • 2 cups Confectioners’ Sugar • 1 Tbsp salt • 1 (15 ounce) can solid pack pumpkin • 1-2 Tbsp spice or spice combination of your • 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon choice: chipotle powder, smoked paprika, Chi • 1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice nese five-spice, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon & • 1 tsp frozen orange juice concentrate sugar, Cajun seasoning ,etc. Directions: Directions: 1) Preheat oven to 450°F. • 1) In a medium bowl, blend cream cheese 2) Peel the sweet potatoes and cut off the ends. Cut and confectioners’ sugar until smooth. the potatoes in half lengthwise. Then cut each piece into wedges. Alternately, you can slice the peeled • 2) Gradually mix in the pumpkin. sweet potato into disks as well. 3) Put the sweet potatoes into a large bowl and add • 3) Stir in the cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, the oil. Mix well to combine. Sprinkle with salt, sugar and orange juice until smooth and well blended. and spices. Use your hands to mix well.