The Rambler - Fall 2020

ISS 1, VOL 6

FALL 2020

THE RAMBLER HARVEY MIDDLE SCHOOL'S OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER

8th Grade Diversity Dialogues

By Meaghan Sullivan

On October 26 and 28, students from the 8th grade were given the opportunity to participate in Diversity Dialogues with Mrs. McCaine. They covered the topic of Civil DIscourse.

Students were able to express their views on certain topics from polls with a simple raise of a hand.

One of the topics was Converse vs. Vans. Student Xan Cohen was on the side of Vans, and Helen Katis was on the side of Converse. In the middle of the debate, other students joined in presenting facts and their opinions. Students thought it was fun being able to debate with other classmates in a civil way.

The other debate was about phones. Everyone was on the side that teenagers should have phones, but Ryan Byrne decided to argue that teenagers should not have phones because he knew he could bring a good argument for that.

Eva Veneable suggested that regular debates would help students learn to argue intelligently with each other.

Maker of Masks: Interview with Dani Woolwine

By Helen Katis Dani Woolwine, mother of 8th grader Helen Katis, made a number of masks for the Harvey community at the beginning of the year.

HK: When did you learn how to sew?

DW: I learned to sew with a sewing machine in high school, and I taught myself. I originally learned how to sew by hand when Helen was in kindergarten. My grandmother taught me how to sew by hand because she had gone blind and couldn't anymore.

HK: What did you sew before you made masks?

DW: I've always been sort of a craft sewer. I made a lot of clothes for Helen when she was a baby and a toddler. When she got to grade school, she was too cool for my clothes so I stopped making them. When Helen was little, I wanted to make an applique shirt for her, so I started making applique t-shirts and towels. I sold beach towels when Helen’s brother was on a swim team.

HK: When did you start making masks?

DW: I started making masks in March when I saw the press conferences where Governor Cuomo said that there was not enough PPE (personal protective equipment) for the nurses and doctors and there was a big shortage. He was actually begging people who knew how to sew to make masks. So I started figuring out how to make masks and found a machine embroidery pattern that allowed me to make masks quickly on my embroidery machine.

HK: How many masks do you make every week?

DW: I don't make any masks that much anymore because my embroidery business has picked up again, but when I was making masks at the height of mask-making I could make 100 to 200 masks a week. and overall I've made probably 6000 masks.

HK: What is the name of your Etsy store?

DW: sweethearsh HK: What are some of the different types of masks that you make?

DW: I make a pleated version and it comes in four different sizes from for different ages and big faces and little faces.

And then I made two other versions that are not pleated, that are more fitted over the bridge of the nose, and those also come in sizes anywhere from a toddler through extra large for some of the pretty big faces.

HK: How long does it take to make a mask?

DW: I never make them start to finish, I would imagine it takes me anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes to make a mask.

What I usually do is cut out 20-30 at a time and sew them in an assembly line- type situation.

Photo by Tarquin Katis

Fall Sports in 2020

By Christiana Greene

Photo By Dr. Metz.

Photo by Amani Carty

Sports are an important part of our life. It is a way we get exercise, socialize, and get competitive. In short, it is a way of life. Little did you know, but we exercise every day, even if you didn’t go to the tennis court in the morning, or play basketball with your friends. You play sports and get exercise by just walking up to the high school to get lunch, running to a class because you're late, or even just by typing on a keyboard.

I emailed the head of the middle school and high school to learn more about what they are doing this year for sports to follow the COVID-19 restrictions. In this segment, I’m going to be talking about what they’re going to do and what will be happening this fall and winter in Harvey sports.

In Middle School, Dr. Byrne told me that “we are doing some midday sports in the middle school such as tennis, martial arts, hiking and other activities. The upper school students are also able to use the tennis courts during the day for tennis, football, and frisbee. We are hoping to be able to have a more traditional sports program in the winter.”

In the Upper School, I asked Mr. Lazzaro what they will be doing. Here is what he said. “We are still waiting on guidelines for athletics to determine when we may be able to begin our seasons. We are offering 2-3 physical education moments daily in the Upper School for the time being.”

Sports are an important part of our day. We benefit from them in every way, from being healthy, to clearing our mind. It is important for us to exercise and play a sport everyday.

Grandparents' Day

By Amani Carty Grandparents' Day is a day to honor grandparents and give them an opportunity to show our love to all the grandmas and grandpas around the world. This holiday fell on the 12th of September and can help children of our generation to be aware of the strength, knowledge and guidance our grandparents can offer.

By Christiana Greene My grandpa and grandma live in Finland and their names are Seija and Yrjo. Sadly, my grandpa passed away, but my grandma is 74.

My grandpa worked as a forest engineer, and he got an award from the president of Finland! Another thing he did was that he was a veteran and worked in the Finnish army.

My grandma owns a small farm where she grows crops. She also took care of my mom and my uncle.

My family and I are very proud of them both.

My favorite memory from when I was younger was when we visited them, my grandparents and I would always get ice cream and we would take walks in the forest collecting blueberries and other types of berries.

Christiana Greene with her Grandparents

By Talya Langer My grandmotherĹ› name is Phyllis. She is a former nurse who was born in Brooklyn in 1935.

She was raised in Brooklyn mostly but moved around a lot. Her favorite childhood memory is going to the beach with her older sister and parents. She is going to be 85 this October 1st. Fun fact: She has the same birthday as Julie Andrews. She is really good at driving (which I can’t do) writing cursive, cooking and baking. She primarily lives in Florida but comes to visit in the summer. She loves collecting antiques and Swarovski crystals. She loves spending time with family and making memories.

By Maeve Lazzaro My grandparents' names are Ann Drum and Tom Feighery. They are so nice and funny! My favorite memory with my grandparents was when we hung out and watched a movie together. It was so fun and the movie was great! My grandma can make the best fish and chips and I will never be able to make them as good as her. My grandpa is very patient. He is a very good painter and that takes a lot of patience. I don't think I will ever be able to be that patient. My other grandparents are so nice too! My favorite memory with them was when we all played card games together as a family! It was so fun! One thing that my grandpa can do that I can't is that he is very dedicated. He does Duolingo every night and walks after dinner every night. It is hard work to be dedicated and not quit. My grandma is so good at baking and she never forgets any of the recipes!

Maeve Lazzaro with her Grandparents

By Riley Franck My grandma’s name is Elvira, and she is currently 90 years old. She has done so many incredible things in her life including surviving/escaping the Holocaust as a young Jewish girl. She trained with Russian ballet masters, danced all classical roles, and worked 3 years with Marcel Marceau's company as a mime. As a choreographer, she switched to musicals and choreographed 13 musical plays, 10 in Italy, 3 with her own company, and 3 in the US. She taught advanced ballet and masterclasses, character dance, mime and dancing for actors. She is an incredible cook and cooks Italian homemade pasta sauce and other treats. She was born in Budapest and now lives in New Jersey with my grandpa.

My grandma knows all of the family secrets and stories. She speaks French, Hungarian, English, Italian, and Japanese.

By Katya Stephens My grandma is Xenia Stephens. She is 80 years old and a Holocaust survivor. She was born in Milan, Italy in 1940. She was raised by her single mother, Nina. Xenia (or “Oni'' as my family and I like to call her) lives in Greenwich, Connecticut with her extensive collection of art and wooden horses.

She didn’t always have such a good life though. She was raised during WWII and the Holocaust.

Growing up she and her mom would sneak into the grape vineyard for food. Despite all the hardships she faced, she still manages to cook me pasta and Costco-sized meatballs. She loves to collect art from a variety of cultures. If there's one thing my grandmother can do that I can't, it’s to be a talented stocks investor. She never went to college but she's smart and wise.

By Katya Stephens Most people don't realize how important their relationships with their grandparents really is. An article by the Boston Globe showed several ways grandparents play important roles in their grandchildren's lives. Did you know that good relationships with your grandparents can reduce depressive symptoms on both sides? For grandparents, spending lots of time with their grandkids can expose them to new ideas and technology. And young people can maximize their grandparents’ experiences to their own.

Having a good connection with your grandparents can help the impact of being bullied, parent troubles, and breakups.

Sometimes you wish you could just live with your grandma or grandpa, but actually, children raised by grandparents can face many issues, like feeling you were abandoned by your parents and other emotional and behavioral problems.

Overall, having a relationship with your grandparents is one of the best things. They will teach you so many life sessions. So remember your grandparents play a more important role than you think.

What do you and your grandparents like to do together?

Poll by Sarah Fisher

8th Grade: Ryan: My grandfather and I like to play golf together.

Helen: I play Among Us with my grandmother.

7th Grade: Conrad: Taking walks together.

Maeve: Play card games.

Christiana: Go to the forest and pick berries.

6th Grade: Katya: Go to Marshalls and shop.

Lee: Go to the dollar store and get stuff.

Masks and Makeup

By Riley Franck

During quarantine, many people didn’t put on makeup due to the fact that they didn’t have to go to work and dress up or just weren’t in the mood. But as people started going back to their day jobs, the makeup process for many people changed along with a problem in the skincare realm called “maskne.” Today I’m going to talk about how wearing makeup during this pandemic has changed and how to help reduce maskne. While people are going back to work, many people don’t wear as much makeup due to the fact that a mask typically covers 60% of your face. This means that people don’t need to worry about lipstick, contour, and foundation because their mask hides it. This also means that many people’s makeup routines have been cut in half, and they don’t have to use as much product due to the fact that a majority of their face isn’t being shown. Popular makeup blogger Mikayala Nogueira has said, “Wearing a mask covers your mouth and stuff, but use your eyes to express yourself!” Wearing a bold eye look is always a great way to express yourself. From a simple cat eye to cut creases, the possibilities are endless. A great way to spice up your eyes is to have a palate (preferably neutral tones).. Take a color close to your skin tone and apply that all over your eye as a base. Take a slightly more neutral shade and start to put it on to the middle of your eye. Use a blank brush to blend it out to lighten the color. Take a slightly darker color (light brown) and start to buff it into the outer part of your eye. Take another blank brush and blend the two colors together. Take a shimmer shade (preferably an icy white, or yellow undertone shade) and use your pinky finger to pop it on to the inner corner of your eye. Slightly buff it out and you’re done--a simple way to make your eyes pop.Now that we know how to spice up our eye makeup while using a mask, let’s talk about maskne. The scientific term for maskne is “acne mechanica,” meaning the mechanical friction of the mask fabric rubbing against your skin is causing breakouts. There are multiple ways to help reduce mask acne. Washing your face daily is always important and even more important now than ever. If you have dry skin, use a moisturizer with ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and dimethicone (which can also create a barrier that helps reduce irritated skin).

Cartoon by Gillian Klares

Puzzle by Lee Birch

Photo by Christiana Greene

Photo by Dr Moser

Rambler Staff: Ladidi Abdul-Wahab Lee Birch Fall bucket list: Conrad Breede Watch Fall Movies James Carlton Carve A Pumpkin Amani Carty Jump In A Pile Of Leaves Natalie Delessio Have A Picnic with Friends Sarah Fisher Make Halloween Cookies Riley Franck Decorate Your House Bailey Gans Make Smores Christiana Greene Read a Halloween Book Helen Katis Eat A Lot Of Candy Gillian Klares Tell Spooky Stories Talya Langer Maeve Lazzaro Katya Stephens Eva Veneable Faculty advisor: Dr. Moser Cover photography: Sarah Fisher Editing and layout: James Carlton, Natalie Delessio, Christiana Greene, and Maeve Lazzaro

Thank you for reading!