Volume II
Advisors:
Presented By: Creative Arts and Writing Club
l Year o o h c S 8 1 7 201
Book review of Digging for Trouble from Devlin Quick mysteries By: Niyanth Ponnusamy-Grade 6
If you love fun-filled mysteries like I do, then the book Digging for Trouble is great for you. This mystery thriller from Linda Fairstein boggled my mind until the end. Devlin Quick is one of the best mystery solvers ever. She has a Police Commissioner as her mom and a super smart woman as her grandmother. During a Montana dig, her friend Katie dug up some bones, but the dig’s manager took the bones away and he said he would give them to her later. He did return the bones to her, but Katie and Devlin looked at them closely and found out that something was wrong. They were not the same bones that Katie dug up from the ground. They wanted to investigate and find out what had happened. On the last day of the dig, they had to go back to their home in New York. They decided that they would investigate from New York since Devlin’s mom was the Commissioner. They talked to the Sheriff of the town in Montana, and they found some clues. They continued investigating and found more clues until they had enough to solve the mystery. I don’t want to spoil the ending for you. If you want to know the ending, read the book Digging for Trouble by Linda Fairstein. Enjoy reading.
By: Khushi Mody Grade-6
Did you go to the 2018 Spring musical by the West Hollow Drama Club? I went, and it was my personal favorite. Guess what the show was? If you guessed Pippin, then you are absolutely correct! Here’s some background information on Pippin. Pippin is a 1972 musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and is based on a book by Roger O. Hirson. Bob Fosse was the person who directed the original Pippin show. Pippin is a young boy, who doesn’t understand his true meaning of life. The person in the West Hollow Drama Club who played Pippin was Shaun Phillips. He did a very nice job. The leading player for the show was Maia Penzer, an 8th grader, who was also the leading role in the winter show, Legally Blonde. She too, performed very well in the play. All of the people involved in the show worked so hard to get this show to be a success. The story was mostly about the fact that Pippin doesn’t like getting pushed around by his dad. Throughout the play, he learned that some lives have the opportunity to be extraordinary, while some don’t always have that chance. At the end, Maia Penzer (leading player) told Shaun Phillips (Pippin), to have an extraordinary death. He was too scared, but his son, Theo, agrees with the leading player and kills himself in the fire. I thought the show was awesome, and everyone worked so hard. Congratulations to all of the members of the West Hollow Drama Club who worked so hard to make the show Pippin such a success!
Test Anxiety By: Niyanth Ponnusamy-Grade 6
I know that everyone is anxious before a test. Anxiety is a feeling of having butterflies in your stomach. You might not know if you studied enough. Will it be easy or hard? Will the questions be different, or based on the same information as what you studied? It is normal to have anxiety before a test starts, so I am going to tell you ways that can help you to overcome it. The best way to overcome anxiety is not to try too hard to overcome it. Instead, just be relaxed, have a nice breakfast with a lot of colored fruits, and trust and be confident about yourself. If you are still anxious, then think of places where you had good times. One time in second grade I studied very hard for a test that was the next day. I was anxious from the moment I woke up from a good night of sleep, to the moment the bus came in front of my house to pick me up. When I got on the bus, I saw my friends. They were playing with each other. I joined in. Soon, I forgot about the test until my teacher handed it out. At first I was nervous, but then after seeing all of the questions, I knew I was prepared. I answered the questions easily. A couple of days later we got the test back. I got a one hundred. From that point, I knew that you must learn to remember good times in order to forget about anxiety. These memories can help to take your mind off of the stress, while relieving the anxiety. Also, the more tests that you take, the less anxious you will become over time.
Si Yue Jiang-Studio In Art 8
This year i entered into the huntington tulip festival art contest. we were required to draw a picture for the contest in studio in art. The contest was for grades k-8. The theme was “huntington in spring�, so I drew a picture of a girl walking down a path bordered with tulips. I managed to get best in grade with the drawing and got a certificate as well as a $50 gift card. All of the contestants’ drawings were displayed at the huntington tulip festival in the heckscher park museum.
Dan Welden, pioneer of alternative printmaking since 1970, has been in the forefront of ‘health and safety’. He developed Solarplate printmaking and water based monotypes and has educated artists of all levels. He has co-authored "Printmaking in the Sun" and directs Hampton Editions, Ltd. He has collaborated with many artists including Willem de Kooning, Eric Fischl and Dan Flavin, among many others. He received international residency grants for China, Belgium, Peru and New Zealand and has had over 83 solo exhibitions and professional visits in over 53 countries. In 2016 he received a ‘Lifetime Achievement Grant’ from A/E Foundation, and in 2017 was awarded Professor Emeritus at the Escuela de Beas Artes in Cusco, Peru. His recent solo show at the Cape Cod Museum of art, consisting of 94 works was paramount in his career. www.danwelden.com Q: Do you remember where/when you created your first piece of art? A: I remember quite vividly my first genuine efforts of attempting to create beauty. I was in my childhood home in the Bronx wishing to please my ill mother. One act dealt with the idea of planting a maple seed with hopes of it growing into a magnificent tree. The other was a simple ‘get well’ card for her with a bluebird sitting on a stone bath. I believe I was under the age of 4 and there was an obvious interest in science and art. Q: Did your family support you when you wanted to be an artist? The greatest support came from my blind grandmother who raised me after my mother passed. Although she never could see any works I did, her words of praise spurred me on to creating more. My younger sister, Anita, was also supportive through her positive encouragement. Q: What inspired you to take the path of an artist for your career? My 5th grade teacher, Augusta A. Hoffman, (whose birthday was Feb. 10th) was the first to recognize the gift. Her strong encouragement in relation to our study of “the age of explorers” helped me develop a strong interest in the subject of history. To this day, the drawings, facts and experiences linger with fond memories. A second person, Mr. Latarula, my 8th grade science teacher, had us do diagrams, which with my Prismacolor pencils, the works excelled and became meaningful. A: Q: Was it hard to become a successful and famous artist? Hard may not be a word I would choose, since it was natural to draw and paint. Feeling good about the work might probably be more accurate. It took a very long tine to feel confident about what I was trying to create, especially since there were always people in my eyes, who could do better than I. It took a long time to overcome the idea of accepting what I was and growing at my own rate, whatever that wold be. Becoming successful and famous are two other words which I would not include in describing myself. I rather have the recognition of always being a student, ‘learning, studying and experimenting’ and sometimes failing and being rejected...such is reality and life. A: Q: Where to you find the most inspiration for your art? Nature, without question is my major force of inspiration. First in Norway, the day after Elvis Presley died, high on a mountaintop above the timber lines, eating blueberries, sitting in torrential rain, looking at a meandering fiord. It was an image I felt compelled to create for 3 years.
By: Dathy Pham and Maven Martin- Grade 8
Later on at Canyon de Chelly, in Arizona I felt the warmth of the Anasazi cliffside on my bare cheek and chest, while listening to the Navajo goats and trying to take possession of the image of the rock fissures and recreate that sensibility in my paintings. Each time I had the experience of ‘inspiration’ I became aware of all the senses. A: Q: What is one of your favorite pieces of art you produced? Its always the current image that I’m working on. Now, is most important moment. Each and every older work is complete and out of my mind. I had an experience once during a residency in Central Connecticut State University where I transported six 30x40 canvases on top of my VW roof rack while driving on I-95. The gust from an 18 wheeler blew the canvases off my car and three finished paintings were instantly shredded under the wheels of the ginormous vehicle. Three virgin white canvases fell to the grassy side, unharmed. My immediate response was that the paintings were done, but I could paint again. A: Q: Were you always a Printmaker? Not really. I was a painter who felt somewhat lost, but when printmaking found its way to me, I became hooked. It started with a Bavarian Limestone and finding the most beautiful slice of nature to draw upon and make impressions from it. A: Q: When you became a professional artist, did you keep in touch with your professors? A: Yes, I stayed in touch with my professors, especially my printmaking mentor, Kurt Lohwasser. He became more than my mentor, he became my friend. Q: When you went to study art in Munich, were you homesick and if you were, what did you miss the most? A: I don’t think I was terribly homesick. Living and traveling in Europe became an adventure. My wife and I had a 12 room apartment, a brand new Volkswagen camper and cigarettes cost 19 cents a pack. I was busy making and selling art at the best pace in my life. I did stay in touch with my grandparents by mailing cassette tapes, and letting them know that I loved and missed them. Q: How long did it take you to design and build your studio/house? A: I had lived without a real house or home for 14 years, during which time I planned on my new home. After saving on, sd money (having lived without running water for that time) I started the building process. That took 6 years, since I did a lot of the work myself. Q: What advice do you have for aspiring young artists? A: Young or old artists need not be differentiated and we can all take advice from someone who has done more than we have. My advice as a more experienced artist is several fold. maintain the inspiration that you have or find another source . collect usable tools, to draw and make marks. be open for support and criticism Explore, experiment, travel enter competitions and listen to you teachers and your parents. They have more experience with life.
West Hollow’s Kindness Challenge By: Sydney Steinfeld and Avery Gould
In school, we have been participating in West Hollow’s “Kindness Challenge”. It focuses on spreading kindness around the school. Kindness can brighten anyone's day. Just a little act of kindness can make a big difference for someone. Every Monday, there is a new challenge. It is called a Mindful Mission. Mindfulness means paying attention to your life and surroundings. Mindfulness helps you to become more calm, kind, and it can help you to have less stress. Some “Mindful Missions” have been to simply breathe with awareness, and to respond rather than react when faced with an emotional situation. We also learned to notice and appreciate all of the ways that the Earth supports us and keeps us alive and healthy. Lastly, pay attention to the way you talk to yourself. If you participate in that week’s “Mindful Mission” challenge, you can be entered into a raffle to win a prize from The Hut. One week during our lunch periods, we had the opportunity to make a friendship bracelet with a kind message on it to give to a close friend or someone we don't even know at all. The idea was to help make someone's day much brighter. At West Hollow we take this very seriously because no one should feel down, upset, or badly about themselves. Everyone should be spreading kindness throughout West Hollow.
By: Shruthika Senthilkumar Grade 6 Hola amigo, Today I am going to tell you about my trip to Europe. In 2015 my family planned to take a trip to Europe. In Europe, I went to Paris, Switzerland, and Austria. First I went to Paris. Let me tell you about my experience. You could probably guess what I saw in Paris. Well, of course, it is the Eiffel Tower! Did you know that the Eiffel Tower has 1,710 steps? I stayed in Paris for about 3 days. The first day, we went to Musee du Louvre. In the museum, we saw the Mona Lisa. Did you know Leonardo da Vinci painted the famous Mona Lisa? As I mentioned before on the second day, we climbed the Eiffel Tower, and on the third day, we went on a cruise and saw the night view of the Eiffel Tower. During the night time, the Eiffel Tower’s lights get turned on so that you can see it in full splendor! My next stop was to Switzerland. In Switzerland, I stayed for two days. The first day was my favorite. On my first day in Switzerland, we went the Mount Jungfrau. Mount Jungfrau is 4,158m above ground. Mount Jungfrau was a skiing site for visitors. That’s where I first learned how to ski. It was so cold when we were skiing that my hand was as cold as ice. My second day in Switzerland, was not as much fun , so I am not going to talk about it as much. On my second day we went to the countryside and went to some vineyards and then we had fun apple picking. While this was not my favorite part of my trip, it was fun for my family. My last stop in Europe was Austria. I stayed in Austria for only one day. In Austria, we went to the Kunsthistorisches Museum. This museum's windows are made of pure glass. The floors of the museum were painted for about six months and took 2½ weeks to dry. In this museum, we met Egon Schiele. We got to paint with Egon and we got his autograph. Well, isn’t that cool? My trip has come to an end. I hope you enjoyed my adventure in Europe. Adios Amigo!!
My First Overnight By: Sophia Bellini Grade-6 Oh my gosh! I really couldn't believe it was July 28, 2017. It was drop off day for my first overnight; I was so electrified. When we arrived, I picked my bunk buddy which was my friend Sammii. I settled in my bunk and as soon as we were ready, we had our first soccer training on a beautiful field. I have never seen anything like it! We did some juggling, passing, and shooting drills and we even had a scrimmage. After all of our hard work, we went paddle boarding. It was so cool. At first I was so slow, but then I got the hang of it. After, we went on a blow up in the lake called a bloop. Someone sits on it and someone jumps, and the person sitting goes flying into the lake! Then it was July 29, 2017 which was leaving day. We had breakfast and went to soccer to do some drills: jailbreak, monkey in the middle, and even skill work. Then we went to the lake for our last time. For our final time in the lake, we went fishing. Unfortunately, I didn't catch any fish, but I did have a good time. Then it was 2:00 pm which meant that it was time to go. That was my first overnight to Berkshire Girls Soccer Academy.
Battle of the Books By: Leila Curtis Grade 8 Over the past few summers, I have participated in the library program “Battle of the Books”. Battle of the Books is a reading and jeopardy-style competition that the libraries throughout Suffolk County can participate in. It is for students entering grades 6-9, and takes place during the summer. There are three sessions that libraries would compete in: morning, afternoon, and evening. Each session would have 15 libraries that would compete against each other, and the library (or libraries if there is a tie), with the most points will move on to the finals. The rules are: You can only have 6 players per team, one Coach, and one Assistant Coach enrolled Only 3 players per team can be answering the questions in the round There are three teams competing against each other per round You may substitute a player, with permission from the Team Coach, when the team is not answering a question Every team will participate in 4 rounds Guests are welcome Every team will read a total of 8 books, and the competition will see which team knows the most details about the books read. The books they chose generally are one “bookish” book (such as Book Scavenger by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman), one sport book (such as QB 1 by Mike Lupica), two fantasy books (such as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling), one adventure book (such as Alex Rider: Stormbreaker by Alex Horowitz), and two realistic fiction books (such as Schooled by Gordon Korman). They try to pick books that people will enjoy and are school age appropriate. During the rounds, there are 20 questions asked to each team about two of the books read. You have 5 seconds to answer each question, and questions may be about any part of the book including the author, the plot, or characters. If a team answers a question when it isn’t their turn, they lose a point and the team receiving the question gets a new one. Teams causing distractions will lose a point, and any guests who cause distractions may be asked to leave the room. I did this for the first time at the end of my 6th grade year, and I enjoyed it so much that I participated in the program again this past summer. It was a lot of fun being part of the team and reading the books. Everyone had fun and there was a lot of competition between each other when we were practicing. The coach was really nice and we all had a lot of fun together. We would all help each other and encourage each other to try our hardest. When we made it to the finals, we were all excited and wanted to get a win for Half Hollow Hills. Even though we didn’t get 1st place, the experience was amazing. I recommend doing this program for anybody who likes reading and being a part of the team. Hopefully, new participants have as much fun as I did doing this.
Tips For New Dog Owners Maya Chen-Grade 6 If you’re a first time dog owner and you’re looking for some tips, you’ve come to the right place. Here’s some doggy basics, or what I like to call “Dogs 101”. Food: Food is a big treat for dogs. Another thing to know is that you should feed your dog at a certain time every day so that you can regulate when they need to go to the bathroom and to establish a routine. Outdoor Time: Don’t leave your dog outside for too long, especially in the summer because they will get overheated. Also, depending on the type of dog you have, you will need to make sure you have at least a 6 foot fence that covers your backyard so that your dog can play freely without you worrying that they’ll run away. Walks: In the beginning, it is important to keep your dog on a tight leash while walking. As you get to know your dog more, you can let them roam more freely. Always remember not to walk too closely to strangers and/or other dogs. Try to take them on as many walks as they need. Sleeping: Buy a dog bed and make sure your pup is near to someone he loves. Especially if your new dog is a puppy, I would advise that you put them in a crate at night until you really understand her/his behavior. Crates: Depending on the age and size of a dog, crates have different uses for dog owners and their pets. For my dog, who is a 3 year old Lab, his crate is only used when people who are afraid of him come over. People with a more restless and young dog may want to use a crate when there is no one in the house to supervise the dog. Also, as I said in my last tip, you should leave your dog in the crate at night until you know her/him better. Things your dog needs, or may really want: Wet food and dry food A toy A bag of soft edible bones ( not chicken bones or anything) Treats, Jerky or biscuits A crate A comfortable dog bed A retracting leash A water and food bowls Bags for waste Loving parents Have fun with your new dog! Best of Luck ~Maya Chen
6th Grade Survival Guide By: Allie Lerner 6th grade My year as a sixth grader is coming to an end, and I was thinking about all of the things I wish I had known before starting at West Hollow Middle School, and thought it would be helpful to give my advice to the next group of sixth graders. The first thing I just want to say, which might sound very cliche, but never give up! The reason I say this is because there were some nights that I would come home crying, thinking that I would never finish my homework, or get a poor grade on an assessment, or downright just never finish sixth grade because a subject was too hard. It might seem like the end of the world now, but I bet you that you will get a good grade on that test, and say “why was I so scared?” The next thing I want to talk about is friend breakups. I know this can be a very touchy subject and possibly the hardest thing about middle school, and I know because I went through a TERRIBLE one this year and it was hard to recover. This is bound to happen, and when it does just try not to feel sorry for yourself because you are probably better off without that person. Next, join clubs! You might be scared because you think you will be the only sixth grader, or that the teacher running it will be scary, but step out of your comfort zone! It’s fun to meet new people, and maybe you will find an older friend in seventh or eighth grade that can help mentor you! Lastly, don’t be afraid to ask questions in class. Some teachers might look intimidating, but trust me the teachers would rather have a student that asks questions if they don’t understand, than kids who just sit there confused and don’t ask for help. I hope these tips help you and make you excited for your sixth grade year! Have fun!
Alec’s Run by: Olivia Samuel-Grade 7 This year on April 28th, was the 14th annual charity event called Alec’s Run. This is a race that is held in our community to honor the life of Alec Nelson. It was started to raise awareness of the dangers that vehicles can pose to children. Before the four mile race, there is a race for children called the “Fun Run”. All kids receive a T-shirt and a medal for participating in this great event. The money raised during this event supports many important organizations such as Kids and Cars, Hospice Care Network, and the Helping Our Own fund in the Half Hollow Hills District. Over $37,000.00 has been donated to “Helping Our Own” so far. I have participated in this important charity run and it is a lot of fun. Hopefully if you haven’t been there yet, you can join next year and raise money while having fun. Alec’s Run is a great way to keep Alec’s life in our minds.
Jacob Leshnower-Grade 7
An Unexpected Camp Experience Spells Success When summer camp starts to resemble school, it can actually be fun. For the past two summers, I’ve had the opportunity to represent my camp in the Maine Summer Camps Spelling Bee. Having enrolled in my camp without knowing that a spelling bee was a possible activity, I was pleasantly surprised to learn about this when I finally arrived in the Pine Tree State. I signed up as quick as lightning on a hot summer’s night. I learned that in order to qualify for the Maine Summer Camps Spelling Bee, I first had to place among the top four or five spellers in my camp’s spelling bee. The camp’s spelling bee was actually divided into two bees: one for lower camp and one for upper camp. Both spelling bees were run by Andrew, one of the camp’s head counselors. “Please spell ‘mosquito,’” Andrew began. “Mosquito. M-o-s-q-u-i-t-o. Mosquito,” I replied. No sooner did I utter that word then it occurred to me how fitting it was. Not only had I been bitten by several mosquitos that very day, but Maine is so famous for mosquitos that you can find Tshirts with a picture of a mosquito that reads, “Maine State Bird.” “That is correct!” Andrew exclaimed, declaring me the winner of the lower camp spelling bee. Elated and relieved, I wrote a letter home to my parents, who were very excited to hear the great news. I also found out that Hila and Rebecca, who were lower campers, and Noah, an upper camper, would be representing my camp along with me. I looked forward very much to the event and began studying as soon as I could. Upon learning of my triumph, my dad sent me a packet with words from third through eighth grade. As the big day awaited, I got a good night’s sleep and felt simultaneously nervous and excited.
My alarm yelled at me to wake up at 7:30 a.m. and I met Hila, Rebecca, Noah, and Andrew (acting as chaperone) promptly at 7:45 a.m. We rode out of camp in a white van, and enjoyed a tasty breakfast at Dunkin’ Donuts. I had a bagel with cream cheese and chocolate milk. Hila and Rebecca got a doughnut with a hot chocolate milk shake, and Noah got an egg sandwich. It felt great to have something other than camp food after a while. After everyone finished their delicious breakfast, we returned to the van and continued on our trek to the spelling bee. Everyone exchanged words to spell as a way of last-minute studying, while Andrew helped motivate us for the grand event. We could not have been better prepared. We entered the large building where the spelling bee was taking place, then walked upstairs. A group of people led us to our seats, offering us snacks before the event began. It was then just a matter of sitting patiently and waiting until the bee began. The spelling bee announcer marched to the middle, and everyone grew silent. The spelling bee began, and we watched the other teams spell their words while attempting to spell them in our heads. Finally, our camp was announced: “Camp Encore/Coda, please come up!” The announcer’s booming voice projected to the moon and back. We shuffled out of our seats and walked up to the stand. “Jacob, please spell ‘referred.’” “Referred. R-e-f-e-r-r-e-d. Referred,” I responded. “That is correct!” Hila, Rebecca, and Noah were then given their words and round two began. “Jacob, please spell ‘rehearse.’” “Rehearse. R-e-h-e-a-r-s-e. Rehearse,” I replied. “That is correct!” Hila, Rebecca, and Noah took their turns, and then we began the next round. I got “straighten” for round three, “annoyance” for round four, and then “inevitable” for round five, spelling each word correctly. At the end of all five rounds, I heard my name called as one of the finalists! I jubilantly walked up to the stand along with eight other finalists. My words were “nonchalant” and “conscientious,” which I unfortunately did not spell correctly. However, I had nothing to be upset about because getting to the finals was way more than I expected. Andrew congratulated everyone, and we left the building and hopped into the car. We found out that we would be having lunch at Five Guys Burgers and Fries. While this might not normally seem so unusual, the fact it was on a trip from camp made it a treat! As we arrived, we felt as proud as peacocks, and we looked forward to returning to camp to great applause. Ravenous, I wolfed down a grilled cheese sandwich and a chocolate shake.
D-e-l-i-c-i-o-u-s!
My Day with George O’Connor By: Leila Curtis Grade-8 On Saturday April 28, 2018, I went to a library program called Authors Unlimited at St. Joseph’s College. I saw 8 authors, and spent the day helping graphic novel author and illustrator George O’Connor. He wrote the Olympians series about the Greek Gods and Goddesses, and illustrated several myths centered around a certain god. The other authors there were Sarah Beth Durst (author of the Queen of Blood series), Kara Thomas (author of Little Monsters), Jessie Janowitz (author of The Donut Fix), Eliot Schrefer (author of Endangered, The Lost Rainforest, Threatened, Rescued), Arvin Ahmadi (author of Down and Across), Patty Blount (author of Send and TMI), and Amy Giles (author of Now is Everything). I first came at 9 AM, and spent an hour or two in the lobby. I played different games and I bought some books. I also talked to some of the other volunteers. Then, all of the volunteers met their authors in the “home base”. Around 11 AM, all of the authors had a group panel where they answered some general questions such as “What inspires your dialogue?”. Then, the authors paired up and went into rooms for their individual panels. I was in a room with George O’Connor and Sarah Beth Durst. The first session they talked a little about their books (and George talked about his cats) and answered some questions. Then they had a break and after that a second session. Some of the other volunteers, George, and I drew some characters, and I drew some dialogue for his drawings of his cats. Then, I helped George O’Connor with autographing people’s books. I wrote people’s name on a post-it so it would be easier to autograph. Then, after everybody got their books signed, I got the books I purchased signed and I got a picture with the authors. Authors Unlimited was a really cool and fun experience. George O’Connor was such a fun and nice person, and I am really glad that I had a chance to meet him. I hope people go to Authors Unlimited next year so they could experience this as well.
KidOYO By: Haadi Khan Grade 7 KidOYO is a coding learning site which the district bought a membership to. With the intention of teaching kids how to code, all students use the website. Whether it be Hatch!, an altered version of Scratch, or Python Mini, a modified IDE of Python, KidOYO has quite a few features. KidOYO’s premise is to be an easy to learn platform for beginner coders. With a plethora of places to learn coding (one of which, Khan Academy, the district already made accounts for all) why choose KidOYO? First, teachers can directly see a student’s work. In KidOYO, a teacher will have a rank of Mentor. With said rank, teachers can give feedback to a certain challenge you are attempting to complete. Secondly, the challenge section. The district provides certain challenges inside of KidOYO along with KidOYO prebuilt challenges. The challenges must be one of my favorite things about this website. It kept me occupied figuring out each one. There are some quick five-minute challenges like the Python Draw a Square challenge and the Hatch! Controlled Movements. Then, there are some insane challenges like building a small world of The Legend of Zelda. Overall, there is a good mix of easy, moderate, hard challenges.
Olivia Samuel Grade 6
Kathleen Tehn-Addy Grade 7
ABT Summer Intensive By: Electra Scheiner Grade 6 ABT stands for the American Ballet Theatre. ABT travels all around the world performing various ballets. Every summer, ABT holds summer intensives for participants to come and train with them. There is a young dancer program with ages ranging from 9-12 years old, while the older intensive age range is from 12-22 years old. The young dancer program is two weeks long, and the older dancer intensive spans five weeks. When you go to the audition, they can send you all over the country for the summer. I got into the one in Manhattan, so I commuted in and out of the city for two weeks with my friends. When you are at the intensives you take the following classes: technique, pointe, modern, choreography, jazz, and character. You also get to take classes such as Dance History, Nutrition, Pointe Shoe Lecture, and Mime. On the first day you have a placement class to see what level you get into. Based on your level, you are then given a schedule each week with all of your classes. You have one main teacher, but you still have the opportunity to work with other teachers. One of the classes on your schedule is Choreography. Your main teacher will create a dance for your group, and you will perform it on the last day in front of your parents. My favorite class to take is Modern, because I don’t normally take it, and is a good challenge for me. This is such a fun and unique thing that I get to do over the summer.
Al Kalfus Long Island Math Fair By: Mark Shapiro Grade 7 The Al Kalfus Long Island Math Fair, or Long Island Math Fair, is an activity that anyone can choose to participate in at West Hollow. Everyone who participates must choose a topic to write about, write an essay about the topic, and then give a presentation to a group of judges at a competition at the end of the year. It is lots of fun and is not very competitive at the middle school level, although the outcome of the competition becomes much more important in higher grades. There are three main parts: the writing, the preliminary competition, and the finals. The writing is a fiveto eight-page (with pictures) summary of a topic in mathematics of your choice. In the preliminary round at Suffolk Community College, one makes a presentation for two or three judges in a room with two to four other students. The judges will then rank the students in the room and choose three to move on to the finals at Hofstra. In the final round, everyone presents again in another room and is given a ranking. Participating in the Long Island Math Fair is a great experience and is perfect for anyone wanting to practice their presentation skills or just wanting to learn something new. It is lots of fun and an amazing way to learn math and get experience giving presentations to people you don’t know. Sign up in the 2018-19 school year!
By: Daniel Sanwo Grade 6 What Is Ping Pong? "Ping-Pong is a trademark name for table tennis.” The name “PingPong” was invented by the English firm J. Jaques and Son at the end of the 1800s and later trademarked in the United States by Parker Brothers, the board game company." "The game quickly caught on, and as early as 1901, tournaments were being conducted with over 300 participants." "The Ping-Pong Association was formed, but was renamed The Table Tennis Association in 1922." Table tennis was strongly on the map, and on April 24, 1927, the English Table Tennis Association was born, under the chairmanship and direction of Ivor Montagu, son of Lord Swaythling. Currently, the ETTA had a membership of 19 leagues, but now has over 300, with around 75,000 registered players. "The first world championships were held in 1927 and were won by a Hungarian, Dr. Jacobi." The game turned upside down by the invention of the sponge or sandwich rubber, this new material for bats, which, up until now, had been a relatively simple affair with a universal thin covering of pimpled rubber. Today, the sport is world wide and is very well established, growing each year. "The culmination of this has been its recognition as an Olympic Games sport, being featured for the first time in the 1988 games in Seoul." The ping pong channel covering the men’s singles final attracted an incredible worldwide audience of 2 billion. How to play Ping-Pong is played on a flat table divided into two equal courts by a net fixed across its width at the middle. The object is to hit the ball so that it goes over the net and bounces on the opponent’s half of the table. "The lightweight hollow ball is propelled back and forth across the net by small rackets (bats, or paddles) held by the players." References: https://www.britannica.com/sports/table-tennis https://www.athleticscholarships.net/history-of-table-tennis.htmL
Holding their breath for a long time is part of the Bajau people's genes By: Daniel Sanwo Grade 6 The Bajau people in Southeast Asia are excellent divers! They can hold their breath for long periods of time while diving to hunt fish or having fun. Scientists have finally figured out how they do it. The explanation is evolution. Bajau people are able to dive up to 200 feet underwater with none of the usual diving tools except for weights and handmade wooden goggles. While the Bajau people's talents have been amazing, the reason for this skill was unclear. A majority of experts say that the reason is because of the Banju’s genes. “A gene is a section of DNA that tells a specific part of the body how to grow and work.” The skill could be the result of practice or the result of changes rooted in the Bajau people's DNA. “The Bajau people have large spleens, for example.” “The spleen can store oxygen-carrying red blood cells which helps people to hold their breath for longer.” The genes for a larger spleen must have passed from one Bajau parent to the next Bajau child several times over the years. “That's why they can hold their breath underwater for so long and why I always lose in, “underwater breathing” contests.” References: https://newsela.com/read/sea-nomads-diving-mystery-solved/ id/42625
By: Jash Mody Grade 6 Are you bored on a break? Then you should try to convince your parents to take you to these fun places. They are reasonably priced and very close to your house if you live in Melville, Dix Hills, Wyandanch, Wheatley Heights, or Farmingdale. Adventure Land Address- 2245 Broadhollow Rd, Farmingdale, NY 11735 Prices- Pop bracelet is $32.99, $1.50 for a ticket ( 3-5 per ride) There are rides for toddlers to teenagers! Farmingdale Lanes Address- 999 Conklin St, Farmingdale, NY 11735 Price- Mon- Fri $4.00 per game League Bowler $3.00 per game Senior Rate $2.25 Sat/ Sun Day $6.00 per game Fri pm/ Sat pm Cosmic $6.75 Weekday Fun Pack $45.00 Weekend Fun Pack $75.00 Shoe Rental $ 4.60 + Tax Come bowl here and have some fun! Lazerland Address- Vanderbilt Motor Pkwy, Commack, NY 11725 This shows how fun/ amazing Lazerland is5,500 sq. ft. multi-level Laser Tag facility Advanced Hi-Tech 40 player zone Laser Tag system Choose from different game scenarios Continuously changing game experience Strategic mirror placement and wall openings for sniping Top notch sound and visual effects Open Play Price- One Game - $9.00, Two games- $16.00, Three games$21.00
Saving the Earth One Bag at a Time By: Brielle Marcus Grade 6 During the year of 2003, a woman in Gambia named Isatou made a huge change in the plastic waste problem in her village that had been killing their livestock and just generally making their lives harder. When she first discovered the plastic bag, she thought that it was such a wonderful creation until it started to cause issues where she lived. Plastic bags started to pile up on the sides of the roads and made her beautiful home full of garbage. So many bags from the market eventually formed a huge mound of just plastic. Isatou came home one day and found her grandmother talking to the butcher. She found out that they only had one goat left, because they have been dying from eating the plastic bags found in the road. Isatou now knew too much too stay out of this growing problem. She went up to the mound and took some bags out. She and her friends washed the bags, and thought of what they could do with them to stop the pollution problem. Isatou saw her sister crocheting and asked her to teach her. Isatou thought of an idea, but she didn’t know if her friends would help her, because they might think that it is crazy or pointless. She shared her idea anyway, and they all thought it was great! She told them that they should crochet the bags into small purses, and sell them. The other villagers thought the idea was weird, but they continued working until the mound of plastic bags grew smaller, and smaller, and eventually turned into nothing. She wound up making enough money to buy more goats too! Because of Isatou and the recycling women of Gambia, the village is significantly cleaner, the livestock lives longer, and the women have developed a greater sense of entrepreneurship by giving them more independence and influencing people around the world to do the same.
By: Annabel Ganz-Grade 8
Sophia Bellini Maya Chen Leila Curtis Annabel Ganz Avery Gould Si Yue Jiang Haadi Khan Allie Lerner Jacob Leshnower Brielle Marcus Maven Martin Jash Mody Khushi Mody Alexa Nissenbaum Dathy Pham Niyanth Ponnusamy Daniel Sanwo Olivia Samuel Shruthika Senthilkumar Mark Shapiro Electra Scheiner Sydney Steinfeld Kathleen Lehn-Addy