Roar2016

Volume I

Advisors:

Presented By: Creative Arts and Writing Club

l Year o o h c S 7 1 6 201

Recycling

By Abby Kaplan-Grade 7 And Emma Sarner-Grade 7 What is recycling?

Recycling is when people take waste in the form of paper, plastic, or glass and make it into something new.

What does it do?

Recycling helps our planet. It reduces waste in our landfills, so that we don’t have piles of garbage everywhere. It also conserves (saves) our natural resources, and as a result, we won’t run out as quickly. Also, recycling saves energy and prevents pollution for a cleaner, happier Earth.

Some shocking news: Did you know most people will throw away 25,000 cans in a lifetime?! That Americans will throw away 2.5 million plastic bottles every hour?! Also as shocking; every year Americans throw away enough ribbon to tie a bow around the earth.

How can we help?

We can recycle; it’s as simple as that. You can help our Earth with just that one easy step. Here at West Hollow, you can recycle your water bottles in specially marked receptacles that Mr. Hauk set up for us.

Sources: National Geographic Google definitions Epa.gov recycleacrossamerica.org

Studio in Art Field Trip

By Jasmine Alicea-Grade 8

Have you ever met a “well-known” artist before? Well I got the chance to on a recent Studio in Art field trip and his name was Dan Welden. Mr. Welden introduced us to his “Solarplate” printmaking techniques. We were given pre-coated plates with ink and a stick. We then walked around the Elizabeth Morton Refuge drawing what we saw in nature without even looking down at our work nor lifting the stick off the plate.

As we finished, our teacher put some seeds into our hands and instructed us to hold them up. Soon, birds swooped down from the trees and into our hands! This was an experience I will never forget.

We then went to Mr. Welden’s studio and were instructed to leave our plates in the sun until they were ready to be rinsed.

While we waited, we all drew simple patterns on paper to become our backgrounds for the stamps. When the plates were out in the sun long enough, we took them inside to rinse them. We first took oil to rub off all the ink, then we took a brush and scrubbed around in circles until we saw the lines of our designs. After 5-10 minutes of scrubbing, we laid them back out in the sun until they were ready to stamp.

We ended the day with a brief tour of Mr. Welden’s “handbuilt” house which was truly unbelievable. I am grateful to have had such an amazing opportunity; this was an unforgettable school trip!

West Hollow Cheerleaders Raise Money for Breast Cancer

By Emily Singh-grade 6 Recently, the West Hollow cheerleading squad raised money to help people with breast cancer.

According to Jordan O’Neal, a 6th grade cheerleader, the group created and sold breast cancer awareness shirts. Jordan says that the money raised will be donated to scientists studying the disease so that they can afford more equipment and technology to find a cure for breast cancer.

THE WEST HOLLOW BOOK FAIR OF 2016!

By: Gursimer Anand and Amina Rizvon-Grade 7

The West Hollow Book Fair of 2016, sponsored by the PTA, was a success. Many students purchased books from the fair. We all know that books are very beneficial for kids. Our book fair lasted three days, each day getting more popular.

NASA Launch Succeeds

By Manav Patel-Grade 6

On a cold October afternoon NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) launched its CYGNUS Resupply Rocket. The launch was a success and it was brilliant as it flew across the sky. NASA recorded and broadcasted it live and told viewers stepby-step what was happening. It looked as though it was a glowing eraser because it was dark and you only could see the fire under this massive rocket. Soon after, the fuel tanks fell as it reached space and disappeared.

Two days later another spacecraft called Soyuz was launched. It was a Russian spacecraft carrying one American and two Russians to the ISS (International Space Station). This launch happened at 4:05 a.m. on Oct. 19. America and Russia were biting their lips as Soyuz soared across the sky.

And a few moments later its fuel tanks come off as hoped and it succeeded.

What it Was Like Being In the Heights

By Lila Goldstein-Grade 7

When you walk into that audition room, you’re not thinking about how to introduce yourself Or a way to make your audition more interesting. No. You’re thinking about the 600 million ways you could mess up. What if while I’m singing, I trip over myself and break my leg? What if I start singing the wrong song? What if I was so horribly bad, they expel me from school because they don’t want my awful talent rubbing off on other students?!

You relax, and you start to sing. You feel calm until you see them staring you down; all your nerves start to show, but you keep calm; you really want to give them a good impression. In the blink of an eye your audition is over. That night you wait for the callbacks list to be posted. You feel you have no shot but you tried your best and whatever happens, happens.

What? This must be a mistake. I got a callback! I must have not been awful! I was called back for the three parts I most desperately wanted: Abuela, Daniela and Camila. Good parts. HUGE PARTS! I needed to learn new excerpts from songs. Yikes! Callback were a blur. I had to sing in front of all of my peers -- crazy talented people that were called back for the same parts I was. So much competition, so many nerves, so many opportunities. They called me up to read a few scenes and poof! I was waiting nervously for the final cast list to be posted.

The advisors said it would be posted around 9:00 on the eboard.

But they also said it wouldn’t be easy because so much talent filled the room. (That made me feel really accomplished.) Ninethirty rolled around; nothing. Nine forty-five; still nothing. My sister, my mom and I were piled on the couch refreshing the eboard, filled with excitement, joy, curiosity, and of course, panic.

Ten o’clock; nothing. Ten-thirty; no-- wait -- something! The cast list was up. My name showed up. Lila Goldstein … Camila Rosario! I got a part! I was filled with confusion and happiness! (I started bawling). “This must be a mistake!”

The first rehearsal was amazing. We learned the opening number and I met so many wonderful and talented people. We spent the next few months together singing, dancing, acting, laughing, and crying...and finally, it was the show.

The first night was fantastic! We got a standing ovation and I felt such a thrill of excitement! Nothing can compare to taking a bow at the end of the performance. Saturday went exactly the same; in fact, it ran even smoother. All I can say is that playing Camila Rosario has given me a different outlook on life -- a different point of view, a different perspective.

Thank you to the entire cast and crew of In the Heights.

I can’t wait to see what will come next!

Recognizing Eid as an Official School Holiday

By Zeina Zahoori-Grade 8 At the October 24th Board of Education (BOE) meeting, many Muslims from our district gathered together to speak about why we deserve Eid, a religious holiday, off from school.

This year, especially, catching up on school work was very difficult for many students, since Eid ul Adha was during the first two weeks of school. Soon after Eid, many Muslim students began to wonder why friends had school off on their religious holidays but we did not. Petitions and emails were sent around the district, and at the end of the month, there were about 1,300 signatures in total supporting the recognition of Eid as an official school holiday.

The actual night of the meeting, about 12 district residents who are Muslim spoke about this issue. Students spoke to the board about how much this holiday means to us. I spoke about how Eid ul Adha is one of only two holidays that we celebrate, and about how it is customary to meet family and friends and exchange gifts. Others spoke about how having school affected their celebration of the holiday, because of the need to make up missed school work and assignments. Parents spoke about how they felt students weren’t getting enough sleep and how many of their children were stressed about missing school.

The Syosset School District recognized Eid as an official school holiday about a week before the October board meeting.

Those of us who spoke at the meeting are keeping our fingers crossed and hoping that the district’s 2017-2018 calendar will recognize Eid.

National Junior Honor Society

By Sydney Perry-Grade 8

Being in the National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) is a big commitment, but it is also a big honor. Members of the National Junior Honor Society here at West Hollow have achieved good grades and are committed to acts of community service.

If you want to be in NJHS, you have to devote time and effort. Membership requires hard work and determination, but it is all worth it. You must be responsible, mature, hardworking, and be able to follow instructions.

If you’re hoping to be invited to join NJHS here at West Hollow, here are a few tips for you: 1.

Work hard. NJHS members put time and focus into academics.

2.

Perform community service. Only certain things count as community service hours. Always be prepared with an extra hour or two just in case.

3.

Do well in class. By the spring of their 7th and/or 8th grade year, eligible students receive a letter in the mail inviting them to apply. Eligibility is based on grades, so if you want to be invited to apply, study hard and keep your grades up.

4.

Participate in clubs and activities inside and outside of school. The NJHS application requires students to detail their participation in clubs and activities both in school and out of school.

Don’t forget one of our school mottos: if you believe it, you CAN achieve it.

Why should you audition for the Long Island Children's Choir?

By Lila Goldstein-Grade 7 Why should you audition for the Long Island Children’s Choir (LICC)? Well, one great reason is you get to sing! (No surprise there). Another reason is that you get the opportunity to meet so many amazing people. I’ve personally met many new people from other school districts.

LICC members also visit many amazing places.

Last year, we got to perform at Citifield and at Carnegie Hall!

So what are you waiting for? Go to the Long Island Children's Choir website for more details: http://www.lichildrenschoir.org/ Hope you take it into consideration!

The Snow Goose

By Abigail Hallen-Grade 7 There once was a lost snow goose...He was lost in a magical land that is unknown to man (the only person who knows this land exists is me of course). I found him sitting on the dock looking at the water beside him. His eyes glistened as he watched the beautiful yellow, red, and turquoise colors reflecting from the sun hit the water. I never realized how beautiful they looked flowing back and forth between the bland gray rocks that sat next to the shore line. I admired as the sun hit his back showcasing the beautiful black, white, and silver feathers that coated his back. His white face was in perfect proportion to his small, soft, black eyes. His beak was magnificent; it was jet black, and it looked so powerful against the soft blue sky. He sat for a while staring into the sun and then he turned around. I could see the sadness in his eyes. And then it dawned on me; the poor bird has no friends in this magical land. I evaluated all the birds in the area and realized none of them would make a very good friend to snow goose.(May I remind you there aren’t many animals that are keen on newcomers). I wanted to find him a friend so badly!

But no matter how hard I looked, nothing would change the facts: the swans would simply pick on him, the other geese wanted no part, and the tiny birds were just too tiny. So I began to think, what other animal would accept Mr. Snow goose? Me. Now let me explain; he was no ordinary goose. The day I found him I had been riding my bike through the secret land looking for some magical butterflies, when I saw him. So, naturally after seeing the pain in his eyes I invited him to walk along with me to the secret garden to catch some butterflies.

Later when I was satisfied with my butterflies I sat down, for I was absolutely famished after all that running. When I sat down I finally paid enough attention to the goose to realize what made him so different from all the other animals here. He could not talk, For he was not magical yet‌ (to be continued)

My Journey in Studio in Art By: Diya Chaudhri-grade 8 The first time I did an art piece I fell in love with art. I was surprised by the way every aspect of life fit inside one piece. Since then I have always loved art and had a strong passion for it. The inspirations towards my art were my mom and my teacher who taught me art.

In seventh grade, one day my art teacher said that there is a program called ‘Studio in Art’, which is a 9th grade art class. I was excited because I love art and wanted to excel in it. At the end of the year, I had to draw a still life that was set in front of me and I had to draw a picture to show both drawings to high school art teachers and wait to see if I got into studio in art. After I drew the still life in class, at home for the other drawing I decided to draw a portrait. When I handed my drawing in, my teacher said that she really liked the portrait, so I gained more confidence in myself. By the end of the year my guidance counselor told me that I made it into studio in art and I was extremely happy and ready to progress further and keep drawing.

When I entered the studio in art room I was amazed at the beautiful drawings the previous year’s kids made. I wanted to learn the new techniques in art and explore them. My first art piece was a cardboard camera, which was displayed outside the cafeteria on back to school night with all the other amazing cardboard creations that kids made. As time went on I made more art pieces. I have made a picture for the PTA reflections contest, a picture for google for doodle, and I am working on a perspective city drawing. In studio in art, my journey so far has been really amazing and fun. Studio in art has been one of the classes that I enjoy the most because you get to create spectacular art pieces.

My teacher is very helpful and fun and helps us create unique art pieces using various techniques.

To get into studio in art you have to work hard and make sure you have fun. Studio in art is a fun and active way to challenge yourself in art. I would recommend trying out for studio in art and seeing where you progress from there. This class can make a change in your life and give you confidence. Studio in art has a bunch of talented students who taught me more about art and can teach you more, too. Making the decision to be in studio in art has been one of the best decisions I ever made.

Studio in art has for sure taught me to never give up and to keep on shooting for the stars. This class is one of the classes I will never forget being in because it has brought a huge amount of positive energy in my life.

The kids in my studio in art class are talented and have become good friends with each other. I am very happy and lucky to be a part of studio in art as it has been an amazing journey so far. You should try out for studio in art if you want a positive change in your life.

Women/STEM

By Jillian Martin, Grade 8 Historically, women have been largely underrepresented in fields of science, math, technology, and engineering.

Causes of the gender gap in STEM fields are shown to have roots as far back as eighth grade. studies show that Beginning in middle school, girls begin to lose intellectual self confidence. This is what keeps these fields primarily male. (For instance, males are more than twice as likely as females to aspire to be scientists or engineers). Because women are underrepresented in the fields, young girls have few role models to aspire to be and may feel outnumbered or vulnerable pursuing studies and professions in these fields. Men are often stereotyped to be better in performing in these fields but the truth is that women would have equal success if they had been encouraged the way boys are as children.

Even after women have been trained in a certain field of study, it becomes difficult for them to find work because of the belief that STEM jobs are jobs for men. Once they have been employed, the problem of extreme wage gaps remains. In some places, women are paid more than 30% less to work at the same job as their male counterparts.

It's possible that the gender gap is a result of lack of female interest, or the result of occupational segregation. Women may all cluster to similar fields of study because it is safe for them. Females form these clusters because of a lack of support in STEM fields where they are largely outnumbered by men.

Studies have shown that women tend to drop out of studies to pursue a STEM career at any stage because they feel they are under qualified for them. In schools, boys are given more opportunities to practice these math, science, and engineering skills. The lack of opportunities for girls to practice their skills leads to a loss of confidence in their abilities. This could prevent a significant portion of women from pursuing such fields as careers. Of course, all of this reluctance to be involved in STEM fields could be a result of gender discrimination in these fields, which turns women away.

Jasmine Alicea Gursimer Anand

Diya Chaudhri Lila Goldstein ABIGAIL HALLEN Abby Kaplan JILLIAN MARTIN ManaV Patel Sydney Perry Amina Rizvon Emma Sarner Emily Singh ZeInA Zahoori