In This Edition Donate to DECA, Save $ On Prom - pg. 2 What’s The “100 Happy Days” Challenge? - pg. 3 ‘Sesame Street’ Proudly Introduces First Muppet With Autism - pg. 4 Should Writing Be Considered A Lost Art? - pg. 5 Throwback Thursday: “Hotel California” By The Eagles - pg. 6 Style of the Week: Noah Neal and Alaina Cerro Strut Their Stuff Down BPHS Halls - pg. 7-8
Donate to DECA, Save $ on Prom By Bridget Heh The price of prom these days may empty your pockets; tickets alone are $170 for a couple not to mention the price of a dress, tuxedo, flowers, hair, and much more. What if you could pay for part of that with just $5? Well you can! During lunches (by the steps) and Periods 1-4 (at “the bean”), you can donate $5 to DECA and receive three tickets or $10 for ten tickets. Mrs. Smoller, Room 120, and Mrs. C, Room 409, will have tickets available too. For each ticket that you receive, you will get to choose one of the twelve prize options. Then on Tuesday, April 18 during homeroom, each prize will be awarded. Prizes include: 1.) Two Prom tickets -$170 value 2.) Tuxedo Junction rental – $150 value 3.) Men’s Warehouse Tux Renal – $190 value 4.) Men’s Warehouse Giftcard – $50 value 5.) Donati & Son Florist – $45 value 6.) Custom Sephora makeover -$50 value 7.) Stephen Hair Graphics Updo -$50 value 8.) European Wax Center, free brow wax (new customers only)- $35 value 9.) Shabby Chic Nail Boutique -$30 value 10.) Bethel Barber Shop, men’s haircut -$20 value 11.) Sunsational Tan, one month unlimited, level 4, body lotion, tanning butter -$99 value 12.) Deka Lash, Full Set of Lashes -$80 value
What’s the “100 Happy Days” Challenge? By Morgan McGrath “Can you be happy for 100 days in a row?” That’s the question that Dmitry Golubnichy, the man behind a recent movement called “100 Happy Days” is asking internet users across the globe. What exactly does this challenge entail, though? Additionally, how did Gobubnichy come up with the idea? The answers to these questions, and more, are as follows… First of all, what exactly is the “100 Happy Days?” According to the front page of www.100happydays.com, the answer is simple: “We live in times when super-busy schedules have become something to boast about. While the speed of life increases, there is less and less time to enjoy the moment that you are in.” More or less, because of our fast-moving lifestyles, it’s pretty rare that we actually get the chance to really relax and to simply be present in the moment we are in. With the “100 Happy Days” challenge, though, the goal is to find one thing that makes us happy every day and to post it online using the hashtag #1oohappydays. It’s all about finding a break in the clouds, if you will. It should be mentioned that this challenge can be attempted by non-internet users, too. For example, those who aren’t present on social media can still feel free to find what makes them happy and to write it down for 100 days straight. How exactly did creator Golubnichy think to start this challenge, though? What inspired him to share his meaningful message with thousands of people, both young and old, in all parts of the world? In an article written by Meena Hart Duerson of www.todaynews.com, these questions are answered. You see, Golubnichy “had a great job that let him travel the world, loving parents, and wonderful friends.” In the autumn months of 2013, though, “he found himself in a slump.” Golubnichy admitted to TODAY.com that “his friends pointed out to him that his life was actually pretty great,” and he started to realize that they were right. So he set himself a challenge, deciding: “I will be a happy person, and for 100 days, I will try to appreciate the life that I have and I will find at least one little thing each and every day that will make me feel happy and grateful.” Soon enough, after sharing his idea with those online, the challenge began to take flight, and the rest is history. The website previously mentioned (www.100happydays.com) also has a section called “Why would I do that?” Here’s some reasons why: “People successfully completing the challenge claimed to: start noticing what makes them happy every day, be in a better mood every day, become more optimistic,” etc. Therefore, if you’re up to it, why not try to complete the #100happydays challenge? After all, whether it be online or on your own, there’s nothing wrong with wearing a smile.
‘Sesame Street’ Proudly Introduces First Muppet With Autism By MorganMcGrath
Julia, a friendly muppet with orange hair, a kind smile, and big, green eyes, is going to make her debut on Sesame Street on April 10, 2017. She is a young girl with autism who isn’t afraid to take on new challenges and to be herself. Her introductory episode called “Meet Julia,” will introduce fans of the show to this lovable character whom some may already recognize from Sesame Street’s digital story entitled “Sesame Street and Autism: See the Amazing in All Children.” It can be viewed online and through e-books, short videos, and even an app. How exactly will Julia be introduced to the rest of the characters, though? Additionally, what do the writers of the show have in mind for her? The answers to these questions, and more, are as follows… How does Julia meet her new Sesame Street friends? You see, as she already knows Elmo and Abby from the technology-based storybook, she will first be seen with the two of them walking together when they stumble upon Big Bird. Yvonne Villarreal, a contact reporter for www.latimes.com, writes in an article that, “At first, Julia will be reluctant to shake the big yellow bird’s hand.” Eventually, though, she warms up to him, and the two become fast friends. In order to create this delightful new Muppet, though, Jeanette Betancourt recently stated that, “years of consultation with organizations, experts and families within the autism community” have been involved. Betancourt, it should be mentioned, is the senior V.P. for U.S. Social Impact, “a global development management firm” (www.socialimpact.com). Betancourt also said in an article written on www.columbian.com, “We wanted to promote a better understanding and reduce the stigma often found around these children. We’re modeling the way both children and adults can look at autism from a strength-based perspective: finding things that all children share.” One of the writers of Sesame Street, Christine Ferraro, plans for Julia to be a recurring character on the show. She is excited to see the results of this wonderful new addition, stating to the LA Times, in the article mentioned above, “I would love her to be not Julia, the kid on ‘Sesame Street’ who has autism. I would like her to be just Julia.”
Should writing be considered a lost art? By Lizzy Partsch
Hundreds of local newspapers are shutting down and closing their doors for good because people don’t want to read them, write them, or because online resources show no use for paper newspapers. Journalists, poets and even authors seem to be declining as the technology world seems to increase, so what’s happening, is writing a lost art? According to newrepublic.com, in one of the largest daily newspapers in New Jersey, The Star Ledger, 45% of their staff took buyouts after the company, Advance Publications, threatened to sell the paper if the cuts weren’t made. This is also happening in bigger newspapers such as The New York Times where cash reserves are falling and debt is downgraded. Although those are only a few examples of newspapers shutting down, the effect is massive. Think about what the world would be like if no one could even purchase a simple newspaper and find out the daily news. Creativity in thousands of people are being wasted because the job availability is downward spiraling. According to www.cjr.com, since 2005 to 2015, there has been a 26% decline of journalists in the US. Lots of jobs and talent are being wasted because of this massive decline in journalism. Now sure there are online newspapers, but how much time should we really be spending on technology? Phone usage is a big problem in the US, so why would we want to promote it by reading online newspapers instead of ones you could actually, physically hold? On the other hand, poets and authors are also becoming more scarce due to the excessive amount of people spending time watching TV or browsing social media. How will people have the creative juices to come up with these new ideas if they are brainwashed by technology? How would the people of America feel if the future President of United States couldn’t even write a simple speech? Is that what our future generations will look like? Hopefully, somewhere along the way, people will see the importance and significance writing puts on the table, but as for now I would certainly say writing is a lost art.
Throwback Thursday: “Hotel California” by The Eagles By Lizzy Partsch Without a doubt, the Eagles are one of the most recognizable rock bands of the ’70s, especially after the band’s most famous song “Hotel California,” was released in ’77. The song not only represents major conspiracy theories over its meaning, but contains one of the best guitar solos of all time, voted by rocklist.com. The song was mostly written by band members Don Henley and Glenn Frey, but altogether was a combination of the whole band’s creativity. In an interview with Cameron Crowe, Glenn Frey talked about how Henley and him wanted to make the song open like an episode from the Twilight Zone, a horror, science fiction TV show made in the late ’50s and ’60s by Rod Serling. “We take this guy and make him like a character in The Magus, where every time he walks through a door there’s a new version of reality. We wanted to write a song just like it was a movie,” Frey added. The song was actually based on The Beverly Hills Hotel because it resembled such a significant part in their lives at the time. The lyrics, “Her mind is Tiffany-twisted, she got the Mercedes bends” focuses on Don Henley’s breakup with his girlfriend. One of the most contravisory and debatable aspects of the song are its lyrics and moral. Theories range from “a journey from innocence to experience” or “socio political statement,” although Henley explains the songs is primarily, “more of a symbolic piece about America in general.” Lyrics like, “So I called up the Captain, / ‘Please bring me my wine’ / He said, ‘we haven’t had that spirit here since nineteen sixty-nine’” to “Last thing I remember, I was / Running for the door / I had to find the passage back to the place I was before,” show how the wealth and riches of America corrupt many people’s minds and overtime drive them crazy and make them feeling trapped. Overall, the song is definitely a classic and deserves a huge applause for the phenomenal guitar solos by Don Felder and Joe Walsh.
Style of the Week: Noah Neal and Alaina Cerro Strut Their Stuff Down BPHS Halls By Tessa Helfer This week’s Style of the Week features junior students Noah Neal and Alaina Cerro and their amazing style. Congrats, guys! Noah Neal is an avid participant in all music realms of BPHS. Being a part of Top 21, his style is known to the school as preppy and sophisticated. His salmon, button-down shirt is paired perfectly with his laced Nikes. Noah says, “I actually think this is a shirt that someone wears in a Passion Pit video.” With his favorite shop being Banana Republic, he tries to stay on top of all things fashion in order to look his best every day. In addition to Noah’s fashion style this week, Alaina Cerro was also nominated for her amazing attire! Alaina plays girls lacrosse and is a key member of the Student Government Association at BPHS. Alaina says she likes to shop everywhere, knowing that her style ranges from a day to day basis; however, she does not need to “dress to impress” as she says her inspiration is herself as she wears what she thinks is best. Both Noah and Alaina are more than worthy of taking this week’s Style of the Week home with a hit!
@notnoahneal
@alaina_cerro