The
Advisor
Trisha Strahl
Staff Writers
Robert Baldwin
Molly Calhoun
Miya Easley
Laura Beth McCabe
Maia Roscigno
Freelance Writers
Stella Carroll
Geoff Monaco
Overall, the Viewpoint believes Halloween is the best fallbased holiday because of the creativity behind Halloween and the spookiness. However, some people do still believe Thanksgiving is the better American holiday in the fall due to family bonding time.
Here’s how each staff member weighed in:
Laura Beth McCabe, senior - Thanksgiving is the best hol iday that takes place in fall because I get to spend time with my family.
Miya Easley, junior - I just think it’s great that we get to dress up and get free candy on Halloween. Plus, the whole ‘scare people’ concept is fun.
Molly Calhoun, sophomore - I just love the build up to Hal loween and all the scary things that come along with it.
Robert Baldwin, senior - On Halloween, you get to dress up as literally anyone and don’t have to worry about buying presents or making dinners or any of that stuff, so you can just have fun.
Maia Roscigno, junior - I think that Halloween is by far the best and most fun of all the holidays.
Check out fun fall pages for ideas on recipes, decor, and more.
The Viewpoint is a cross-sec tion of the news and opin ions of the student body at Mountain View High School. It is a forum of expression published by aPrintis. Let ters and art to the editorial board are welcomed and should be submitted to room 503.
Front Cover
Robert Baldwin
Laura Beth McCabe
2014-2019 International Quill and Scroll First Place Articles
2014-2016 VHSL State Cham pionship First Place Award
2013, 2014, 2015 Free LanceStar Best Over All Newspaper
2011 Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Medallist
Mountain View High School 2135 Mountain View Rd. Stafford, VA 22556
The All-District Orchestra will be held Thursday, November 10 from 2 p.m.- 7p.m. in the auditorium. In addition, the All-District Chorus Concert will be held in the auditorium on November 12. This is an all-day event. Songs will be sung by all of the chorale groups.
Jeanne Mills, the IB Coordinator, will be holding an IB Information meeting on November 15, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the auditorium. There will be information about enrollment, classes, and benefits. Middle School students who are decid ing what programs to do next year are welcome as well.
The WildActs will be holding an audition for their production of Les Miserables. They will be held in the auditorium after school beginning on November 28 and ending on December 2. There will also be a tech application for anyone who is interested in working as a technician. Contact Eric Hokanson or Joshua King for more information.
*Dates are subject to change
The Viewpoint (TV): How have you felt about the beginning of the school year? What has gone better than you thought it would, and what hasn’t fully met your expectations yet?
Stefanie Sullivan (SS): Wildcat Hour is new for all of SCPS. I don’t know what my expectations were. I was hopeful it would be this amazing hour where everybody gets the academic support, the social time, everything that kids want, teachers want, everything and above. So I’m happy with where it’s at now. I think there’s definitely room to grow because of it being so new. Where I see it going is more opportunities for students, whether that’s enrichment--yoga, different activities outside--or taking things like a required CPR class during that time. I don’t know if it’s better than I hoped or if we aren’t there yet, but I think it’s a little bit of both because there’s always room to grow. I’m excited to see how that goes.
TV: In any aspect or areas of the school, what is MVHS already excelling in that you want us to stay strong in?
SS: The programs we have. The JROTC program we have is top-notch. They’re amazing, and the cadets are leaders in this building. A lot of other programs, like CTE, culinary, and cosmetology. There are so many opportunities for students, and you see that when you walk in the hallways. Everyone works together, so everyone’s successful. Does our building have issues, things that go on that aren’t the best? Sure, but that’s real life. What I think we excel at the most in this county is that we work together, we put our best foot forward, we make mistakes but always learn from them. That’s the culture here.
TV: What do you think are the most valuable new perspectives and skills you bring to Mountain View as our principal?
SS: My background isn’t just high school, so I think I bring some perspective that comes from some of that. I was born and raised in Solon, Ohio (Cleveland area). When I did my student teaching, I was at an inner-city charter school, and that was probably the best experience for me to get a different feel for working with students from different demographics, socioeconomic backgrounds, things like that. You have to listen, understand, and be open to different backgrounds and ideas, and not think that you have all the right answers. I think that’s given me the perspective that I didn’t necessarily have just from going through college. I think a skillset that I have is that I value what other people say, I ask for feedback, and I hope that students realize and recognize that I do care what they think, and I do want to hear what they say. When I moved here I was a math teacher for five years, I was an assistant principal at Rodney Thompson, and I worked for their special education department.
TV: Outside of school, what are you most proud of and passionate about?
SS: I have two daughters and a husband who are the loves of my life. Josie (one of my daughters) is five and is just starting kindergarten this year. Savannah will be four in January. Besides my family, I love to cook. I have a cookie business which has slowed down a lot since I took this position because my focus needs to be here, but when I get stressed I go home and I bake. I’m passionate about photography. I try to take care of myself which is very hard to do. I think that’s very important for me in this position, but I tried to model it for staff and the students that you have to be of well mind and well health or you can’t take care of others. I try to do little things, and people here will help me out by making sure I’m taking care of myself.
TV: How long have you lived in Virginia, and what do you like about this area?
SS: I moved to Virginia in August of 2010. I graduated from Ohio University in 2009 going into 2010. I was looking for a job and found Stafford County at a job fair. I moved here, and I just fell in love with Virginia. For one, there are four seasons, and I get to enjoy the beautiful weather here. It’s definitely opened my eyes to different ways of life. It’s a little less hustle and bustle here, but if you want that there’s D.C. and Richmond near us. It’s also the people. If you walk around downtown Fredericksburg, everyone is friendly and smiles and waves at you. Not that Cleveland isn’t, but it’s definitely a different feeling.
TV: When you were in high school, what extracurriculars and classes were involved in and liked to do?
SS: Honestly, I was not a fantastic student in high school. I think that made me a better educator because I think the students that go above and beyond are amazing and I’m in awe of them every day--I was just not one of them. I really enjoyed the music classes I was in. I played violin in middle school and was very into music, but in high school I didn’t really do that many extracurriculars. I think that made me appreciate and advocate for students to join activities and clubs. I realize now that I missed out on a big part of high school. I was kind of so caught up in the social piece of it and things that were going on that I let a lot of important years slip by. That influences what I do today because I don’t want people to do that and I want them to have the best experiences as they can. My family was really big into community service, so we would do stuff like that outside of school, like helping at soup kitchens or the Ronald McDonald House.
TV: What are your expectations of us? SS: I expect a lot of people just because I know they can do it. There are some rules I have to follow just because they’re in the Code of Conduct. However, I also set high expectations because when you set the bar high, people rise to the occasion and then they’re their best selves. You have to set the bar high and you have to rise to the occasion. I feel like that’s what you do in life anyway. If you have high expectations, you will be your best self.
TV: When you came here, what did you see that had room for improvement?
SS: I’ve been here since 2019,as the assistant principal for Dr. Stemple. I’m still working on some of the things I was hopeful to work on as an assistant principal. The area for improvement for me is being able to support and figure out where everyone is in their learning process. I think we have room to grow in looking at instruction for students. Don’t get me wrong, we have fantastic teachers, and that’s not what I’m saying--but I think what we’re missing is when I go into classrooms and if I ask a student why they’re learning something and they say they don’t know. That’s an issue for me because if you’re in the classroom you should want to be there and want to be engaged and understand what you’re doing.
TV: What is the best piece of advice or wisdom you’d like to share with Mountain View students for success in all areas of our lives?
SS: Let people help you graduate. My best advice is to come into this building and know your people that can help you. Learn to advocate for yourself.
TV: What is your vision for the school? SS: The culture, the community, the love, I want that to stay the same. I want every student in this building to be the best version of themselves. For the most part we are, but there’s still that population that drops out or gets Fs in classes. If we can get everyone graduating, understanding how to learn, and being lifelong learners, I think that would be the ultimate goal.
Here at The View, there are plenty of classes you can take in order to prepare yourself for your future career. While some classes like Economics and Personal Finance, help you with the general gist of what the job-world might look like, it doesn’t truly help you develop in any given field of practice. If you want to enroll in a class that will better help prepare you for jobs, college, and person al interests, be sure to select it toward the end of the school year to secure it for the upcoming semester(s).
Courses such as Culinary Arts, Cosmetology, Teachers for Tomor row, and Masonry are prime examples of these classes. If at any time you’re not sure about what you might want to do after high school or even college, don’t hesitate to talk with your teachers and counselors about potential courses you could enroll in.
Many of these courses provide additional assets that any high school student would want to take a look at, such as college cred its, volunteer hours, and just all around amazing skills that could easily help you with ANY career or hobby you might be interested in.
Are you worried that your grades won’t be high enough to get you that barista gig at Panera Bread or even that high-paying spot at Target? According to Elana Lyn Gross, writer for magazines such as Forbes, Business Insider, and Teen Vogue, grades aren’t of the utmost importance… during high school that is. When it comes to jobs during and after the college level, your GPA does play an important role. However, looking at anything below that (such as high school grades) a good employer typically doesn’t care whether or not you have a B- in pre calc.
In most cases, lying about your grades and GPA are an easily fact-checkable thing for employers. This means not only should you avoid fabricating an A+ or a 4.0, but you might just be better off not including it at all. If it’s that bad of a thing that you have to exaggerate it, just leave your grades out of it. Most companies prefer experience over test scores anyways, so if you’re going to give them anything, talk about that volunteer work you did at the elementary school down the road or maybe mention those handy community service hours you put so much time into. Moral of the story - just tell the truth, man!
Rebecca Kowalski, Economics and Personal Finance teacher, shared some of her insights into the modern job market and what to look out for when finding your next place of employment. Kowalski shared that it’s not just good grades or volunteer work, whether you have and A+ in Earth Science or if you play QB for the football team, in fact, it’s a balance of the two: “if you are capable of playing a sport, being in high school, and having a few outside extracurriculars, that’s going to look better than if you do nothing but get straight A’s.” Kowalski says that it is the balance between both academics and extracurriculars that employers look at because it shows a balance that they are looking for, especially in younger potential workers.
How ironic is it that older residents in Stafford County did not want their county to urbanize, but now it’s doing the exact opposite by Geoff Monaco
As
the Greeks built Athens, Stafford is becoming more urbanized. Stafford County, a small town in Virginia, makes up the metropolitan area of Washington D.C. It was a quiet, quaint, little town, but now it has changed.
More and more businesses and citizens are moving in. Originally being recognized as George Washington’s boyhood home, it has a new sign on I-95 saying “Stafford County: A Business certified area.” When did Stafford change their sign? That was the question that led me down this path.
Back in the 80s, a former resident said that Stafford County had a sign saying “Don’t Fairfax County, Stafford.” It seems humorous at first, but you soon realize it is not. Over the past 40 years, Stafford has really urbanized like Fairfax County. This could be because of its location, being halfway between Washington D.C and Richmond according to Joanna Dugan, an English teacher at Mountain View High School.
Dugan stated, “I started seeing Stafford urbanizing with more businesses moving into the area… Around the years 2000-2005. It could be because of its location.”
In Stafford’s landscape in earlier photos around the same time you can see more woods, then you start seeing more
and more buildings being built. It’s almost like seeing New York City, before all buildings and skyscrapers were ever built.
We can’t forget the road systems. According to Leigh Mattingly, a sophomore, “Stafford is becoming more industrialized, because of I-95 and the HOV lanes.” But with the road systems, it can become a hassle. Regarding the potential of a new railroad station, she stated, “That would be great for commuter traffic for work and out of state travel.”
As we enter into this society from a rural like county into being more urbanized, what are going to be the positive and negative effects of this change?
Sarah Schuler, an AP Government teacher, said, “Stafford wants to make a distinction from NOVA, with having great schools, and education, but the crime rates would probably go up.”
In addition, some people are concerned about homeless rates increasing. However, Schuler said, “I don’t think the homeless rates would go up, but there’s a fine line.”
So, here we are. Stafford County is becoming more and more industrialized. We might not know what the future holds, but Stafford has a long road ahead of itself.
The ocean can be said to be one of the only things keeping the earth going. As of now it absorbs roughly 30-50 percent of the carbon dioxide made from fossil fuels. Some of the results of that much carbon dioxide include “air and water temperature warming, seasonal shifts in species, coral bleaching, sea level rise, coastal inundation, coastal erosion, harmful algal blooms, hypoxic (or dead) zones, new marine diseases, loss of marine mammals, changes in levels of precipitation, and fishery declines,” as stated on the Ocean Foundation website. The ocean has been affected by climate change, but there are some ways we can start together to help solve it.
To begin with, why is the health of the ocean going downhill? As there are many answers to that, it has been shown that humans can be blamed for starting all of it. Starting with carbon dioxide, it’s “formed during respiration, combustion, and organic decomposition,” as reported in a California State University document. According to the Ocean Service website, some of the major ways humans produce it include:
• Burning of fossil fuels
• Production of some industrial prod ucts
• Raising livestock
• Fertilizing crops
• Deforestation
Now, it’s not just carbon dioxide that is causing problems for the ocean. Due to climate change, storms have been growing in size due to the ocean now having more water evaporated. The larger storms majorly affect coral reefs and the ecosystems surrounding them but can affect the acidity of the water as well. “Personally, I believe it is due to the amount of gasses in the air caused by animals,” said Evelyn Shiner, sophomore.
Now, how is marine life in the ocean being affected? Starting with the effects of warming caused by carbon levels being out of control, it’s affecting the metabolism of marine species, as well as behavior and life cycle.“More than 80% of the earth’s marine life is migrating to different places and changing their breeding and feeding patterns due to warming waters,” as stated by the deepblu website. “Some marine species have migrated as much as 600 miles from where they were abundant just a few decades ago.” This helps show how big of a change the ocean is going through. The warming is affecting the metabolism of marine species, as well as behavior and life cycle.
Secondly, coral reefs make up one of the major ecosystems for life underwater. The National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration says that coral reefs allow over 7,000 species of underwater life to grow and thrive. As the sea level rises, it might lead to rises in sedi mentation near coral reefs which can then run off into the, causing the reef to be smothered. There have been changes in storm patterns which can lead to progressively larger storms that destroy coral. Finally, there are also modified currents that can change how the entire reef is, as well as the food supply for the reef. These few problems are only some of the things that have been endangering the coral reefs as well as the ocean in general.
Since all these issues may seem like the end of the world, what can we do to help take care of the ocean, and bring it back to life? Starting with having less food waste, the more unnecessary food we take, the more food that has to be grown and transported through out America. Next, you can look for other options other than grass for your yard. Accord ing to the Washington Post website,“...in 2020, Americans used roughly 3 billions gallons of gasoline to run lawn and garden equipment.” Another example is shopping sustainably and just buying less in general because most products you’re buying require things such as land, fossil fuels, and large-scale transport methods to produce and get to you. Finally, one of the easiest ways to start decreasing your carbon footprint is just to learn about it, and do research on it. As you do this it might very well just stick around in the back of your mind as you do things and help you think of better options for activities in your normal life. The ideas “Use less plastic” and “Don’t litter, especially in the ocean” were stated by Elizabeth Harvey and Yadira Medina, juniors.
As climate change progresses throughout the years, many changes have happened to the ocean, so learn about what has happened and some ways we can combat it by Molly Calhoun
Insert a witty deck here that explains your headline and story, and please make it sound nice. by First Last
Ashland Berry Farm Terror on the Farm Location- Beaverdam, VA
far from MV?- 53 minutes
Costs:
pass (all 4 haunts)-$40
($25)
Darkness ($15)
3D ($15)
Souls Inn ($15)
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Age Restrictions: Teens & Adults
of operation: 7:00 p.m.- 10:00 p.m.
Hippeard,
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Haunted Woods of Hoover Ridge Location:
Kerry reichhardt
Haunted
Faith Jones, senior
Here are all of the pumpkin carving tips that will help you create a carved pumpkin to seize every person’s interest for Halloween by Laura Beth McCabe
Whether you get your pumpkin from a pumpkin patch, grocery store, or your very own back yard there are some tips when picking out the best pumpkin to carve. As stated on The Garden Cook website, ¨The top trick for carving pumpkins is choosing out simply the right pumpkin. Any bruises, cuts or soft spots can mean the pumpkin's already started rotting which is a bad sign if you want it to last more than a few days.¨ Pumpkins can be all sorts of shapes, sizes and colors. Further, the stem of the pumpkin is a different color and texture, leading it to add variation, and can be used in many ways, one of which can be a hat. Though big pumpkins can be hard to carry, especially for young children, it plays a beneficial role in the pumpkin carving process. Another tip from The Garden Cook’s website is ¨ be sure the pumpkin has a sturdy stem,flat button, and is light-color ed. These pumpkins tend to be softer and more manageable to carve.Having a flat bottom also means that the pumpkin won’t roll around while you are carving it.The large pumpkins are less difficult to carve and if you are not an experienced pumpkin carver, you may discover that you’ll have higher success with more room on your layout¨.
Every person has a different way of approaching pumpkin carving. Some may start off drawing their design while others may dive right into it. As mentioned on the Country Living website, ¨When coming up with something, it’s always a decent plan to organize your style before starting, particularly when you are working with something like a pumpkin. This is prevalent because there is no going back once you have cut. Use a pencil, ballpoint pen, or tracing paper to draw the design on the pumpkin, and then get carving.¨ Another option stated by The Garden Cook website, ¨ Use a poker to make small holes all along the design of your pattern. Once you have done this, you can remove the pumpkin stencil and save it to look at for reference when you start to carve the pumpkin.¨ As you can see there are many ways to lay out your design. No one way is better over the other, so choose the one that works best for you.
How you begin carving your pumpkin lays the groundwork for how simple it'll be overall. After picking your selected pumpkin there is going to be dirt and grime on it. As Country Living website states,¨ Wiping down pumpkins keeps them from decay; therefore, before carving, wipe down the outside with a diluted bleach resolution.¨ In addition, the website also states, ¨you will want to leave the top on your jack-o-lantern. Doing this helps keep your pumpkin solid and allows the stem/vine to be intact. You will want to cut a hole on the back of the pumpkin,to get the seeds and initial gunk, and make sure to scrape the walls down using a spoon or ice cream scooper. This will stop mold from growing, and traveling through the pumpkin.¨ This process can be messy, and a bowl is recommended to collect the goop and seeds. This is also key if you want to keep the pumpkin seeds for roasting.
When carving a pumpkin, many tools can be used from a kit to power tools. If you are using a powertool, help from a parent is advised especially if you have no experience using them. The Gardening Cook website states, ¨A pumpkin carving kit with tools most commonly used for carving can be a great investment. It will help you get the professional results you are wanting¨. If you are feeling really inspired, the website also says, ¨ Don’t carve your pumpkin, shave it instead. Some of the most interesting designs are made without cutting all the way through the pumpkin. This is called scraping.¨
My Take on Carving Pumpkin carving is one of my favorite things to do during the fall season. Traditionally, every year my family and I go to Aldes where we pick out these large pumpkins for a fairly cheap price. After we have purchased our pumpkins, my family and I then pick names out of a hat determining our partner we will carve a pumpkin with . Through the years, I have carved many different designs, but the one that turned out the best for me was a carving consisting of triangle eyes, circle nose, and gagged teeth. To carve this design, I used a mixture of power tools and the tools in a kit. A bowl was very helpful when collecting the goop and seeds from inside the pumpkin. To further my design, I added leaves coming out of the stem and had threads of goop coming out of the gagged teeth.
Other students have their own thoughts on the tradition of pumpkin carving:
Lanesa Estes, a senior, says that she annually goes to a pumpkin patch with her family. This year she wants to carve something cute involving a moon, and says she prefers bigger pumpkins because they are easier to carve.
Shady Megalaa, a junior, is an exchange student from Egypt, and says that he has never carved a pumpkin before but is excited to try it this year and will use a medium pumpkin.
Pooria Iravani, a senior, states that he will get his pumpkins at a pumpkin patch and is planning to carve a smiley face using a knife, and a big spoon to take the insides of the pumpkin out. The size pumpkin he will be using is a medium sized pumpkin, because it is not too small but not too big.
In 2022, there were plenty of movies that came out that faced harsh criticism from viewers and critics alike
by Robert BaldwinI met with Mountain View’s leading expert in filmology, Eric Hokanson. Hokanson, having watched a plethora of movies and shows alike, provided some key insights on this year’s silver-screen hits.
First off, the film of prehistoric proportions. Hokanson said he sees the film as a cash grab, saying, “Those types of films continue to just be about their special effects and nothing more.” Hokanson reports how characters we have been familiar with for years and even decades begin making decisions not out of good story or plot. Instead,“They make decisions to make money,” Hokanson states. “All they want to do is play on your nostalgia.”
As well as discussing the Jurassic World series, Hokanson said, Disney’s She Hulk: Attorney at Law felt rushed. Hokanson said he shares a common belief among Marvel fans: Disney’s take on Jennifer Walters and her life feels disconnected from the Marvel Cinematic Universe as a whole. “I don’t feel like it’s heading in a direction,” he said. Hokanson used words like “isolated” and “underdeveloped” during our talk as well, demonstrating just how different from all the other shows and movies that Disney has released in the past couple of years.
2022 had some pretty anticipated features on the silver screen, from movies like Jurassic World: Dominion to Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. While the latter faced relatively neutral reviews by audiences and critics alike, the dinosaur-centered film didn’t receive such feedback. The final installment to the Jurassic World trilogy found itself facing harsh reviews from critics, acquiring a 29 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 5.7/10 on IMDB. In the eyes of the critics the film’s anticipation didn’t quite live up to the previous films. The common consensus from the audience beforehand was that we’d finally see a new take on the franchise, witnessing dinosaurs interact with the modern day world instead of a remote island miles off the shores of Costa Rica. Where did the majority of the film take place? A remote island miles off the shores of Costa Rica.
The anticipation for the long awaited sequel Top Gun: Maverick was arguably not the main focus of the big screen when its release was announced, after all it had to go up against the titans of the film industry with Doctor Strange’s also long awaited sequel releasing at a similar time. However, after the Tom Cruise blockbuster dropped in theaters, audiences reacted in exact contrast. While plenty of productions had a leg up in the competition, such as Disney’s Thor: Love and Thunder, Joseph Kosinski’s action-adventure takes the crown this year for most unexpected fan-favorite. For perspective, features that have been widely considered to be liked such as Moon Knight and The Sea Beast scored 90 percent and 84 percent respectively, while Top Gun: Maverick received a 99 percent from audiences and 96 percent from critics on Rotten Tomatoes.
“I think I liked the second one more than the first one - the story felt more complete and clear. There was an objective to it.”
“It was good but they need to stop making them. They’re dragging on the Jurassic Park series and they just reuse the same storyline.”
“Thor: Love and Thunder was an embarrassment to mankind.”
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INGREDIENTS:
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
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• Cut each piece of paper vertically into five 1.5” wide strips.
• Then cut each strip into one 7”, two 9”, and keep the remaining two at 11”. Important: Remember, you need two sets for one pumpkin. So each pumpkin is two pieces of paper – two 7”, four 9”, and four 11” strips.
• Fold each piece into accordion strips.
• Tape the TWO SETS at same lengths together with double sided tape and form a circle.
• You will end up with one circle from the 7” strips, two circles from the 9” strips, and two circles from the 11” strips.
• Create the 7” medallion by gluing with a hot glue gun. Just place a small dab in the center and hold a few seconds until it is dry.
• Glue each medallion together respectively starting with the 7” on top, then 9”, then 11”, then 11”, then 9” on the bottom.
• Hot glue a stick, paper leaves, and twine on the top of your pumpkin.
• The Materials list and Instructions were from the DIY Inspired website
¨ These little pumpkins are so much fun to make. It’s a fun fall craft you can do with your kids or a great adult craft to spruce up your mantel or table decor,” according to DIY Inspired’s website. The website also said, ¨Use them to decorate for Halloween or Thanksgiv ing. You can play around with the sizes, colors, and patterns.”
• 1 cup refined coconut oil
• 20 drops Pumpkin Pie fragrance
• orange gel food coloring
• 3 half pint jars with covers
• medium weight cardstock and printer (for labels)
• glue
INSTRUCTIONS:
• Make sure the brown sugar is not clumpy. Break it up with your hands or if you have a mesh colander put it through that.
• Mix the sugars and pumpkin pie spice, then add the coconut oil and fragrance. Mix well.
• Next add the gel food coloring, mix until the color is smooth and even with no deeply colored spots.
• Scoop into half pint jars and seal, then print and adhere labels
The Materials list and Instructions were from the Beauty Crafter website.
“This DIY body scrub is perfect for fall. The moisturizing & exfoliat ing scrub is scented with pumpkin spice,” as stated on the website Beauty Crafter.
“Pumpkin Spice Sugar Scrub would also be a great craft to make for fall,” according to Beauty Crafter website.
Mark Hughes, the art teacher, says, “I really don’t think of myself as a ‘crafty’ person. I do oil paintings and other artwork when I have free time.The humanities are what make us human. Art is all around us. Artists designed the furniture you sit on, the clothes that you wear, the things you watch on your computer and your television. Ancient cultures are remembered for their poetry, art, and writings. You develop your skills by practice, exploring new ideas, and challenging yourself.”
Angie Barrea, a senior, states that she only does DIY crafts when with a group of friends or it’s required. Additionally, she said,“ Art is important to society maybe because it can tell stories also showing different beliefs and perspectives that tie the diversity.”
• Place your candlewick in a teacup.
• To hold the candlewick in place, wrap the top around a pencil or chopstick.
• Place the stick over the teacup and let the bottom of it drop to the bottom. A weighted candlewick does this nicely and settles on its own.
• Begin by heating the soy wax flakes on low heat right on your stovetop. It is best to use a nonstick pot to help avoid burning and sticking.
• Continue to stir the soy candle flakes as they slowly melt. Be sure to keep the liquid moving so it does not stick or clump.
• Add the apple pie spice, nutmeg, and cinnamon; continue to stir well.
• Add half of the cloves; continue to stir well. Note: you can add all the cloves at once if you like. In this tutorial, half are held back for visual appeal.
• The color of the wax may darken, but that is fine and expected.
• Remove the mixture from the stove and slowly pour it into the teacup.
• Immediately re-center the candlewick if needed.
• Store your Homemade Autumn Spice Soy Candles in a room that is cool to allow them time to harden.
• After hour drop the rest of the cloves in at this time so they rest on the top of the candle.
• Return your candle to the cool room to finish setting. It may take 4 hours until your candle is completely set.
• Once the mixture has hardened you can snip the candlewick to shorten it.
• From Ann’s Entitled Life website
1- In a large bowl, combine the flour, cin namon, salt and baking soda. In another bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, pumpkin and oil. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in chocolate chips.
2-Pour into 2 greased 8x4-in. loaf pans. Bake at 350° for 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.
Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda 4 large eggs, room temperature 2 cups sugar
2 cups canned pumpkin
1-1/2 cups canola oil 1-1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened 2-3/4 cups sugar, divided 4 large eggs, room temperature 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 2 cups sour cream 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1-In a large bowl, cream butter and 2 cups sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add 1 egg at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine flour, baking soda and salt; add alternately with sour cream, beating just enough after each addition to keep batter smooth.
2-Spoon a third of batter into a greased 10-in. tube pan. Combine cinnamon, nuts and remain ing 3/4 cup sugar; sprinkle one-third of mixture over batter in pan. Repeat layers 2 more times. Bake at 350° until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 60-65 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before removing from the pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
1- Preheat the oven to 350° and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.
2- In a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat butter, sugar, pumpkin, egg, and vanilla until combined. Add dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
3- Scoop a tablespoon of cookie dough then roll in sugar. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and repeat with remaining dough, spacing cookies 2 inches apart.
4- Bake until cookies are lightly golden, about 10 minutes. Let cool completely. Meanwhile, make frosting: In a large bowl, beat all ingredients until smooth and creamy. Frost the top of each cookie with cream cheese frosting and sprinkle it with cinna mon.
Ingredients for the Cookies -2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour -1 tsp. baking soda -1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice -1/2 tsp. kosher salt -1 c. (2 sticks) butter, softened -1 1/4 c. granulated sugar, plus more for rolling -1/2 c. pumpkin puree -1 large egg -2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Frosting Ingredients: -1 (8-oz.) block cream cheese, softened -2 c. powdered sugar -1 tsp. pure vanilla extract -1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon, plus more for sprinkling -Pinch kosher salt
Here are some easy and fun to make fall dessert recipes by Maia Roscigno
Recipes for this fall
“I like pecan pie it reminds me of fall”
-Natalie Arce Sophomore
“My favorite fall dessert is definetly pumpkin pie”
-Emma Slagle Senior
“I like fall because I love the colors of the leaves”
-Hannah Cottrell Student Teacher
They love to be number one, so they dive into fun and exciting new challenges. Aries are known to be bold and a confident leader. Their lessons are often learnt the hard way, and they often have to watch out for their own selfish activities.
“In a perfect world, Taureans would spend all day bathing in a tub,” stated the Allure website. Taurus are recognized for knowing the value of a dollar as well as being great at proving a point. Violet Raftery, sophomore, has stated that she thinks the costume will fit her: “I’d like to be a queen.”
“People born under the sign of Leo are natural born leaders,” according to Zodiac Sign website. They are theatrical and have no problem with engaging themselves into nearby drama. Although Leo’s are very prideful about what the believe in and them selves, it can sometimes be their biggest problem.
As the social butterfly of the zodiacs, they are known for being playful and intellectually curious. Gemini are great pioneers for adventure and a lot of the time are constantly switching throughout different hobbies and interests.
This sign is known for being two-sided sometimes which may scare others away every now and then.
Prefectionists at heart, Virgos are very capable of improving their personal skills and can tend to overthink their goals from time to time. However, generally Virgos are very kind people and can be a great friend to anyone.
Known for being intuitive, highly conscious of their sur roundings, and very caring for others. At first cancers can seem cold and dark though once you get to know them most of the time they can be gentle by nature and a great person to be around.
Pisces tend to be known as the most emotionally sensitive ones and are actually most emotionally aware as well. They can be the most sympathetic and creative signs when you think about it. It’s a good idea to get to know them before judging them too harshly.
Scorpio is a water sign in disguise, as some would say. These calculating people can be known for their sly spirit and cunning yet charming nature. They aren’t afraid to enter something in the hopes of gain in the long-run.
“For one, Aquarius loves to spend time deep in thought, especially when it pertains to matters of society,” as stated by the Prep Scholar website. Aquarius are on the intelligent side and while they may be on rude side they can be a really good persona as well.
“What makes Sagittarius so unique is its dynamic blend of passion, curiosity, intensity, and adaptability,” stated on Allure’s website. With their keyphrase, “I understand,” they are honest and wise, as well as highly opinionated.
These fashion-seekers are great with fashion and appearance in general. Faith Girton, sophomore said, “It fits me because I like dresses.” Additionally, Kathryn Ceser, sophomore, said, “ I think the costume fits me well.”
The most ambitions of the zodiac signs, these folks are great realistic with things and keep ing persistent with their goals. Capricorns love money and games although they can tend to be rather sensitive from time to time.
Taylor Swift
Unholy by Sam Smith & Kim
I’m Good (Blue) by David Guetta & Bebe Rexha
Calm Down by Rema & Selena
It Was by
Styles
Global 200
by Sam Smith & Kim
I’m Good (Blue) by David Guetta & Bebe Rexha
Under The Influence by Chris Brown
As It Was by Harry Styles
I Ain’t Worried by OneRepublic Riley Bubacz, a junior, says that her favorite songs are Consume by Chase Atlantic, The Hills by The Weekend, and 505 by the Arctic Monkeys. In regards to the current most popular songs, she also says, “I feel like the most liked songs are from Harry Styles’ newest album; like Late Night Talking and As It Was. I don’t listen to the actual radio a lot, but I feel like Taylor Swift is a safe bet.”
by Sam Smith & Kim
Habit by Steve Lacy
It Was by Harry Styles
Breeze by
Baby
Like You (A Happier Song) by
Malone & Doja Cat
Nathan Brence, a junior student, brings light to his view of music trends saying, “I don’t have much of an idea on what the ‘most popular song’ would be at any given point. However, [...] these days, it seems like the main determinant of a song’s success is its ability to go viral on social media, primarily TikTok. There have been several number one singles that have suc ceeded solely based on their immense magnitude of presence on TikTok, such as First Class by Jack Har low and Toosie Slide by Drake. If the energy of the song can somehow be condensed into a short-form video format, it’ll sell like hotcakes.”
Sophia Garcia, junior
“A fun/slightly odd dream I had recently was of a fluffy golden retriever puppy. Apparently, even though my parents would not be okay with me getting a dog, I went against their wishes and adopted a puppy that I named Buttercup (a terrible name, I know). Buttercup and I then decided to go on many adventures most of which I don’t remember. One that I do have a recollection of involved Buttercup and I running from the police (which is definitely something I don’t plan on doing in my free time). It honestly looked like something from a heist scene in an action movie. Anyway, after that I woke up, but this dream is sure to stick with me for a bit.”
Braeden Black, senior
“I remember once having a dream that I was in the woods. It was dark and a little cold, after almost a full thirty minutes I heard a bone chilling “bazinga” behind. I turned around to see none other than Sheldon Cooper sprinting towards me at terrifying speeds. I woke up terrified in a cold sweat.”
Dreams are often a wild ride to experience and an even wilder one to explain. However, talking about dreams out loud can sometimes reveal things about yourself that you may not have known. Other ways to find out more about your unconscious mind could be through dream readings. Whether it’s a sign of goodluck or an omen of fu ture struggles, dream readings can bring some surprising new perspectives to an ordinary, or extraordinary, dream. According to Psychologist World’s website dreams of forests can represent loss, especially in deep, dark, forests. Feeling cold in a forest may mean you will have a long and unpleasant affair to deal with. Fear is also associated in dreams with uncertainty and change. On the other hand, according to a page on dreams by BestLife, being chased in dreams can be indicative of stress during the day that never got resolved. BestLife also indicates that dreams featur ing animal companions, especially dogs, can be a sign of lifelong friendships and good times ahead.