Summer 2016 - Ardsley Middle School

T HE C OUGAR
Summer 2016
Ardsley Middle School • Ardsley, NY 10502
Dear AMS,
So much has changed since my first
day at AMS. As I stepped into the
cafeteria on the first day of fifth grade,
I was greeted by paper airplanes, stylish backpacks stuffed with supplies
and one of my friends getting trampled by a giant kid (later called an “Eighth grader”). “Four years,” I
thought, “Four years will be a long time.”
And before I knew it, the end of my middle school career had arrived. From Ms. Silberfein’s CAP class to blanking out on Mr. Nappi’s extended response, I have so many memories of
AMS. Nevertheless, there are some things I wish I knew before
coming to middle school. Here are some of the lessons I have
learned:
Meet as many people as possible
One of the biggest transitions from Concord Road to the middle
school is the amount of people you see everyday. I never get
bored at AMS because I see at least half my grade every day, making for some interesting conversations. And there are not many
opportunities in a lifetime to become close with so many people
very quickly. In addition, I find myself relying on my friends more
as classes become harder. Whether it is help on homework or
emotional support, I know my friends will always be there.
Learn how you study
In order to do well in middle school, it is important to learn how to
study. Everyone learns differently: do you learn better visually or
by listening. Which is more helpful: flashcards or notes? Do you
do better studying in 20 minute sessions or a long 2 hour session?
In the end, studying is the process of remembering facts or a method of how to do something. The sooner you learn how to study, the
more successful you will be.
Don’t sweat the small stuff
Sometimes it may feel like the end of the world when you are in a
fight with your best friend or you get a bad grade. Before you start
to freak out, take a deep breath and ask the question, “Will this
matter a week from now? What about a month? A year?” So many
of the events that happen in our lives are insignificant. Just move
on from them.
(Continued on next page)
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T HE C OUGAR
From the Editor
Continued from page 1
First impressions matter
First impressions are lasting
impressions; they are never
forgotten and can tell a person a lot about you. If you
set a bad impression, teachers will be less flexible with
you, and can cause distress
later in the year. Be the person you want to be. It will go
much further than you think it
will.
But perhaps the most important thing I’ve learned is to
live in the present. If you
get caught up in the past or
worry about the future, time
will leave the station at light
speed without you noticing. That’s what happened to
me. My 8th grade graduation
has arrived. So enjoy your
time at AMS, cherishing every
minute of a once in a lifetime
experience: middle school.
Farewell,
Justin Lu
Message from the
Girl Scouts!
with our website,PAYITFORWARDTAG.C
OM where you can find ideas
for good deeds to do and a
comment link so you can tell
us what you did or pass along
your good deed ideas. We
hope to get people started on
spreading random acts of
kindness through our game of
tag so we hope you'll play
Be on the lookout! Junior girl along! This project will help us
scout troop 2580 wants you to earn our Bronze Award project so we hope lots of people
play Pay it Forward Tag!
will play!
Bracelets like the ones pictured have been hidden
around town and if you find
one - TAG, you’re it!
If you find a bracelet it should
have a treat attached. If
someone gives you a bracelet, they should do something
nice for you first. Instead of
paying the favor back we
hope that instead you will
“pay it forward" by doing a
Thanks! From troop 2580
good deed for someone and (Milena Cheung,Nina
giving them the bracelet. Now Gellman, Ellaina King, Molly
they will be “it” and they can
Lipka, Quincey Leonard, and
do a good deed for someone Emma Sudo)
too. The bracelets are printed
THE COUGAR
Ardsley Middle School
700 Ashford Avenue
Ardsley, New York 10502
(914) 295-5600
Dr. JoAnne Januzzi, Principal
Mr. Stuart Horlacher, Assistant Principal
Mrs. Sabrina Rich & Mr. Doug Weitz, Advisors
Writers: Zachary Arce, Octavia Basco, Matthew Carrera, Milena Chan,
Alicia Chang, Alexander N. Cruz, Deanna Demopoulos, Luke Faberman,
Emma Feldbaum, Alexander Fu, Lavanya Garg, Emma Greenspan, Preity
Gupta, Charlotte Koenig, Yu-Chen Lung, Olympia Nassis, Clea Ndocaj,
Nora Palkola, Rishi Raj, Sajal Ranjha, Liam Tannian and Zilu Wang
Editors: Milena Chan, Alexander N. Cruz, Olivia Edwards, Lily Faberman,
Emma Feldbaum,Quincey Leonard, Alex Malkin, Sajal Ranjha and Emma
Sudo
Editors in Chief: Elizabeth Chun and Justin Lu
Layout/Visual Team: Matthew Carrera and Rishi Raj
THE COUGAR IS THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF
THE ARDSLEY MIDDLE SCHOOL
String Bags: Good or Bad?
By Matthew Carrera, Rishi Raj and Elizabeth Chun
Have you ever tripped on a bag outside the cafeteria? Well, we’re sure
many of you have, because we have
interviewed Mrs. Winslow who
brought up the issue during the sixth
grade lunch period. We asked her a
series of questions about this topic
in order to get her opinion on this
possible hazard. So, read these
questions and start to think about
your safety when going to and from
lunch.
Q: What is your general opinion on
putting string bags outside the cafeteria at lunch?
A: I think the best place for storing
bags is in the cubbies located inside
the cafeteria. They’re there for a
reason, and they should be used!
Q: What would you say if kids could
not bring their books and string bags
to lunch?
A: I think it would be harder, because some kids like to do schoolwork during lunch. If their bags were
not with them, they wouldn’t have
the necessary materials to have an
effective study session.
Q: Do you think that kids leaving
their bags outside the cafeteria could
cause a safety hazard?
A: Yes. They definitely cause a
safety hazard. However, I understand that at the beginning of the
year, younger kids have to adjust to
their new schedule. They have a lot
on their minds and it’s hard for them
to focus on where they leave their
bags. Often, they’re really busy and
just toss their bags wherever. But as
time goes on, our students do a
great job adjusting. They should
work hard to get to class on time and
do their work, while still leaving their
bags where they belong.
Q: What do you think is the best way
for kids to carry their books throughout the school -- bags, or just holding them?
A: Either way is fine. Each individual
student has a system that works for
them. However, in my opinion, I
think that string bags are helpful for
kids, because they can carry their
materials hands-free, and also because they have all of their materials
in one place.
Q: Do you think kids run in the hallways too much? Do you think this
causes kids to trip more than they
would if they walked? Would fewer
kids get injured if everyone walked?
A: Yes, definitely! Although many
kids don’t want to be late for class,
teachers would much rather kids
walk and arrive a few seconds late,
rather than running to get to class on
time and then getting themselves -or someone else! -- seriously hurt.
Now tell us: do you think that when
you run to lunch to be first on the
lunch line that you are putting yourself and others in danger? Maybe by
running or dropping your bag in the
way of the door you are causing a
safety hazard.
However, this isn’t always the
case! We interviewed 20 AMS
students and of those 20, a majority of the kids claimed that they
walk to the cafeteria. While 9 said
they run to lunch, 11 said that
they walk. But, in order to ensure
that no one gets hurt, everyone
needs to be aware of the safety
precautions at all times -- not just
the 11/20 students that walk to
lunch.
Why? Because we surveyed the
same 20 people again, and 15 of
them put their bags in the commons. The other five people bring
their bags into the cafeteria with
them. 15/20 is 75%, which is a lot
more than 5/20, which is
25%. So, when those 9 people
from before come charging into
the cafeteria and all those bags
are in the commons, it creates a
safety hazard for people to trip
and fall.
And if you think that’s bad, then
imagine this: Say there’s a fire
drill, or even a real fire. Then,
what is everyone supposed to
do? All those bags would be
blocking the way of the students
and teachers. That would create
a really serious problem.
Okay, so maybe a fire is unlikely,
and maybe a kid that slips on a
bag and falls doesn’t normally get
seriously injured but just gets a
minor bruise. However, take all
the “what-ifs” into consideration,
and think about the consequences
that -- although they seem unlikely! -- may result if everyone continues to carelessly toss their bags
in a chaotic heap outside the cafeteria! So next time you go to
lunch and are looking for a place
to put your bag, carefully place it
on a bench in the commons. Or
better yet, put it in one of the organized cubbies inside the lunch
room! Wherever you put your
bag, make sure it’s safe and won’t
cause injuries for anyone at AMS.
I NSIDE
THIS ISSUE :
Overview of the Year
3—4
Mind Boggling Emoji Puzzles
4
Book Review, Land of the stories
5
Create Your Own Harry Potter
5
Pentatonix: The A Cappella Group
6
California
6
Eulogy to Mrs. Snegroff
7
The Final Test
7
Quotes from the Kids and Teachers 8
Regionally-Ranking Gymnasts at
9
Introducing...Miitomo
9
Why You Can’t Pause An Online
10
Why You Should Build Your Own
10
Summer Word Unscramble
10
Book Reviews and Poems
11
Midnight Canoe Ride
12
T HE C OUGAR
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Overview of the AMS
2015-16 School Year
By Elizabeth Chun
13th!) marked the end of the first marking
quarter. Congratulations -- we all made it
through the first quarter of the school year!
Summer is only days away! Everyone is
so eager to be able to stay up all night and
sleep all day. But, it seems as if it were
only last week that it was September and
everyone was still struggling to get to their
classes on time and snap out of the summer trance. So many amazing things have
happened at this school, and yet, the year
has flown by so fast! Here is a glimpse
into the past -- the highlights of the AMS
2015-16 school year are all here for you,
so read on!
School opened on September 2nd! On
this day, AMS welcomed Dr. Januzzi (our
new principal), Mr. Horlacher (our new assistant principal), and our fifth graders from
Concord Road to the middle school. AMS
also saw the faces of returning students.
November 14, 2015, was a big day for
many string players at AMS. Ambitious
orchestra members at AMS left for Mamaroneck High School to audition for a seat
in the Westchester All-County Orchestra. This year, a handful of students from
all four grades were selected to play in this
orchestra.
On December 17, 2015, the last AMS winter concert took place. The 5th and 6th
grade bands and choruses performed and
wrapped up the series of winter concerts
on a good note. This was a very special
concert, because though it was the LAST
winter concert, it was the FIRST concert
that the 5th grade band and chorus was
experiencing as middle school students. It’s been an amazing collection of
concerts, and we all can’t wait until the
spring concerts come around!
Happy Holidays and New Year! School
officially closed for Holiday Break on December 24, 2015 (Christmas Eve) until
January 2, 2016! To many people, this is
the best time of the year, and it’s a time
worth celebrating. How can it not be? It’s
a new year, after all! We hope AMS has
had a great break. There’s so much to
love about a great snow-filled winter season!
Additionally, on Saturday, November 21,
2015, talented band students from AMS
auditioned for the Westchester All-County
Band. Many talented students from all
kinds of instruments were picked to partici- The second marking quarter came to an
pate.
end on February 1, 2016. We’ve already
Our eighth grade candidates this year
made it halfway through the year -- before
were Hank Carrera, Isha Brahmbhatt, Calwe know it, summer will come
ista Sassalos, Matthew Casey, Santiago
around! Everyone at AMS deserves a
Adams, and Rory Confino-Pinzon. The
round of applause.
votes were tallied up, and a few days later,
it was announced that Hank would be our
From February 15-19, 2016, AMS closed
president.
once more for winter break! Everyone
stayed home to enjoy a week filled with
“Smile!” Picture Day was October 27th,
snow, relaxation, and sleeping in.
2015! Not only did all the students take
individual photos, many of the extraOn February 25, 2016, the members of the
curricular groups got photos taken as
AMS 2015-16 musical debuted Shrek the
well! The groups included performing
On December 3, 2015, the 7th and 8th
Musical! Directed by Mr. Grady and chogroups such as orchestras, bands, and
grade band and chorus concert took
reographed by Mrs. Grady, the cast of
choruses, as well as clubs for kids who
place.
It
was
an
amazing
performance,
Shrek was filled with AMS students, and
have other hobbies outside of school.
and also the very first AMS performing
AMS students only! They put on an amazgroups concert of the year. The band and ing show, and the entire cast was so dedichorus both have worked so hard from the cated -- they rehearsed the entire year for
beginning of the year to put on a great per- this show, and their moment had finally
formance for the audience which is eager arrived!
to hear the band and chorus perform again
at their spring concert!
On October 2nd, 2015, the entire school
voted for their student body president,
based on the speeches that each of the
candidates had given beforehand.
Grades 5-8 held their first orchestra concert of the school year on December 10th,
2015. It was a night of amazing musical
works performed by dedicated middle
On October 30, 2015, the students of AMS school musicians. AMS can’t wait to see
came to school dressed in their Halloween what our orchestras are capable of accomplishing for the spring concert!
costumes. Even some teachers were
dressed up! During lunch periods, awards
for the best Halloween costumes were givAdditionally, a second performance of
en out to the most creative students.
Shrek the Musical was done on February
26, 2016, for those fans who could not
November 13, 2015 (Yes, it was Friday the
T HE C OUGAR
P AGE 4
come to the first performance. Congratulations to the whole of the
Shrek cast!
April 5-7, 2016, were New York State ELA
exam days for all the AMS students. Although they may not be fun, these
exams are something students all around
the state take. Luckily, the first half of state
testing ended on the 7th -- now, there’s just
math to go.
Science and Boston Tea Party Museum, as
well as a Duck Tour (on land and water!)
and a game at Fenway Park. What a fun,
yet educational two days away from school - definitely a trip to remember!
May 4, 2016, split the AMS seventh grade
into three fascinating trips! The seventh
graders were allowed to choose from three
trips to go on: a trip to a Broadway workshop and a Broadway show (Tuck Everlasting), a trip to Becket Chimney Corners in the
Berkshires (Massachusetts) for a day filled
with team building activities, or a day at Philadelphia to visit historical monuments such
as the U.S. Mint, Betsy Ross House, and
Liberty Bell. The trips were extremely exciting and gave the seventh graders the opportunity to participate in events that don’t happen every day.
recognition for their success throughout the
year were invited to this ceremony to receive awards and be praised for all their
work. Congratulations to all of those students! They all deserve this!
Eighth grade Earth Science students took
the Regents Exam on June 17, 2016. It’s a
On June 2nd, 2016, many 7th and 8th grade big day for these students -- they are taking
French students from AMS who participated a ninth grade exam in eighth grade! Good
and ranked high in the National French
luck to all these students -- we’re sure they
Competition
(le
Grand
Concours)
were
recall did amazing.
April 13-15, 2016, were New York State
ognized
for
their
success.
They
were
invitJune 20th, 2016, is a day that many eighth
Math exam days. It may have been a struged
to
Isaac
E.
Young
Middle
School
in
order
graders have been looking forward to for a
gle to get through all the testing that’s been
to
receive
their
medals
and
certificates
of
long time! It may be a day for the graduagoing on, but we all survived, and now, it’s
achievement.
Congratulations
to
all
these
tion concert rehearsal, but it’s also Eighth
over!
students!
Grade Fun Day! Fun-filled activities await
the eighth graders before they say their last
The PTA book fair at the AMS library was in
goodbyes to AMS soon.
full swing from April 27-29, 2016! Students
June 21st, 2016 is the last day of school for
were able to buy amazing books throughout
eighth graders! It’s the day to say goodbye
the days. A board at the side of the library
to AMS, and although it may be sad, we are
even displayed Dr. Januzzi and
sure that they will be amazing at the high
Mr. Horlacher’s favorite books! This is an
school! Congratulations to all of them for an
amazing time at AMS in which kids can get
amazing 4 years in middle school.
books that interest them, and it’s something
we should all be thankful to have.
8th graders at AMS took the New York State At 6:00 p.m. (after school), the eighth grade
Science 8 Performance Exam on June 2
graduation will be taking place. The eighth
and 3, 2016, as a final look back on how
graders will perform for their final concert at
much they’ve learned this year, and how
AMS for their friends and family who have
successful they’ve been in their science
watched them develop and grow through
classes.
their middle school years. Many amazing
On June 6 and 7, 2016, eighth grad- performances will close the year for the
ers took the second part of the exams -- this eighth graders. AMS wishes all the eighth
time, they were written exams.
graders the best!
On June 14, 2016, the sixth graders went on
a trip to Medieval Times! They were able to
experience a “jousting tournament”, in which
they cheered on their team while eating delicious food in the fancy, medieval-like
stands. It was like truly being transported
On April 28 and 29, 2016, our AMS eighth
into the medieval times and everyone had
graders got the thrill of going on their annual so much fun.
trip to Boston! The amazing trip consisted
of several exciting activities that engaged
June 14, 2016, was not only the sixth grade
and motivated everyone. Some included
trip, but also AMS Awards Night! Many very
visits to the Boston Aquarium, Museum of
special AMS students who deserved special
After two consecutive half-days of school,
June 23rd, 2016, is finally here! It’s time for
summer vacation, and on this day, everyone
will be out of school for a fabulous two
months. We hope everyone has an awesome summer, and AMS will see everyone
in the fall!
Mind-Boggling Emoji
Puzzles
By Emma Sudo and Milena Chan
Are you obsessed with using emojis and literally know all of them by
heart? Do you think no one knows emojis like you? If so, think
again! Here are some tricky emoji puzzles using compound words or
common two-word phrases to try and figure out. Some may be harder
than you think, so beware! -Emma Sudo
*answers are on page 10
P AGE 5
T HE C OUGAR
Book Review: The Land of Stories Series
By Milena Chan
Do you enjoy adventurous fantasy books? If so, I’ve got the perfect series for you! The Land of Stories series by Chris Colfer (who
is also an actor who formerly portrayed Kurt Hummel on the TV show Glee) has four books that are filled with suspense and adventure.
The series includes the books The Wishing Spell, The Enchantress Returns, A Grimm Warning and Beyond the Kingdoms.
In these books, twins Alex and Conner Bailey are normal middle-school kids that wind up in the magical Land of Stories. Conner is
a very messy person and has difficulties in school. On the other hand, Alex is neat and takes college-level classes. Their father died a few
years before and they live alone with their mom, so as they grow familiar with it, the Land of Stories becomes an escape from the stress of
reality for them.
In the first novel, The Wishing Spell, the twins try to escape the Land of Stories after entering for the first time ever. They find out
from a mysterious journal that the only way to escape from this land is to find the items to create the Wishing Spell. The two also discover
that a strange man used to have possession of the very journal, and has already used out the spell once. Turns out, the twins are in luck,
because the Wishing Spell grants anybody their wish, but the spell will only work twice. Along the way, they meet many characters and
grow to believe that they will succeed. But eventually, they find that the Evil Queen is after the items, too. Now, the twins aren’t just on a
quest. They are also in a challenging race! Will they win? No one knows but the readers of this book.
The Land of Stories has many magical creatures and fairy-tale characters. These wondrous novels are filled with many emotional
moments, and breathtaking cliff-hangers. It is a great series, and for book lovers, this is a must-read!
Create your own
Harry Potter
Character!
but not in bad shape either.
Background: Her father, Johnson Lloyd,
who is a Muggle, is an author who writes
books for Muggles. Her mother, Molly Lloyd,
a pure-blood witch, is also a writer for the
Daily Prophet. She has two brothers, William
By Lily Farberman
and Samuel, and a sister, Joyce. Her brothers are twins and are two years younger than
Have you ever dreamed of creating your own
her. Joyce is two years older than her and
Harry Potter character? Have you ever wantused to be friends with James Sirius Potter.
ed to be a wizard or witch yourself and soar
Friends with Sarah Solock, a Hufflepuff Girl,
above Hogwarts on a broomstick? If so, I
Phillip Burmingham, and some other
have good news for you: Now, you can creRavenclaws, Hufflepuffs, Slytherins and
ate your own Harry Potter-inspired characGryffindors
ter! There are plenty of websites where you
can copy a format to make your character.
Personality:Elizabeth is a huge bookworm
For example: http://fanfiction.mugglenet.com/
and can’t stop reading a good book. She is
viewpage.php?page=tips_oc
shy as well as energetic and likes playing
Quidditch. She loves to take care of animals,
http://aminoapps.com/page/virtualwhich makes her not very social. Although
space/1090950/harry-potter-oc-template
she loves many animals, spiders are not
among them. She is sweet and kind but can
make rude remarks once in awhile (for examNeed inspiration? Here’s a character I creat- ple, if you interrupt her when she’s reading).
ed myself:
She is very imaginative and curious which
sometimes leads into trouble. She is only reName: Elizabeth Lloyd (Nick: Zizi or Lizzie)
ally close to a few friends. She is also intelligent and loves Charms class. Like her mothHouse: Ravenclaw
er and father she loves to write but she prefers magic. She idolizes Luna Lovegood and
Era: Modern
her patronus is found to be a Hare. (More
about that later.) She is quirky and likes to
Appearance: Light brown hair - almost red, think she is like Luna Lovegood (because
wavy, a little more than shoulder length; big, she kind of is).
light blue eyes with a tint of green; light skin,
barely tan; simple clothing; always wears a
GOAL:One day she hopes to become an
silver Muggle necklace with an L given to her Auror for the Ministry.
by her father (who is a Muggle); Not athletic
Now it’s your turn to make
a character!
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Pentatonix: The A Cappella Group
Is it possible to have a band with no instruments? The answer is yes! An a cappella
group is a group of singers that perform
without instruments or other sound effects -just their voices and the sounds their voices
are able to make. Sometimes, all the people
in an a cappella group sing in unison and,
other times, everyone sings different parts.
Some of the common voice ranges and
parts played in a cappella groups include
Vocal Percussion (beatboxing), Tenor, Baritone, Bass, and Mezzo-Soprano.
Pentatonix is a very famous and popular a
cappella group. They are the Season 3 winners of The Sing-Off, a television program
created for singers. Currently, they are on
their Pentatonix World-Tour, attracting fans
everywhere!
Pentatonix started out as a trio; Scott, Mitch,
and Kirstie met each other in elementary
school and decided to start their own a cappella group. Their music teacher thought
they were so talented that she wanted them
to perform at their school’s spring concert.
When they performed, someone in the audience filmed it and put it on YouTube. Millions of people saw it!
By Mae Hawkins
Then, when Scott went off to college and
joined another a cappella group, he met a
friend named Ben Bram (who currently
works with Pentatonix). He had seen their
high school a cappella video and decided
that they could be a professional a cappella
group. Scott found this idea amazing. However, Ben said that they would
need to find a Bass singer and a Beatboxer.
Luckily, Scott already knew who the Bass
was going to be -- Avi Kaplan, who he knew
he could count on. Then one day, Scott
came across a video of a man beatboxing
and playing cello at the same time, and was
amazed. Turns out, the man was Kevin Olusola. Scott -- as well as the rest of his a cappella group -- decided that they needed to
recruit him immediately.
Today, Pentatonix is a group of five singers. Scott Hoying is the Baritone, Kirstie
Maldonado is the Mezzo-Soprano, Mitch
Grassi is the Tenor, Avi Kaplan is the Bass,
and Kevin Olusola is the Vocal Percussionist
(Beatboxer).
So far, Pentatonix has released six albums
in total: PTX Volumes 1, 2, and 3, That’s
Christmas to Me, PTXmas and finally, their
self-titled album, Pentatonix.
Surprisingly, Pentatonix didn’t rehearse for
The Sing-Off until the day before the audition! But from the first time they all sang together, it sounded like pure magic. The next
day, they auditioned, and they were accepted onto the show. After competing on 11
episodes, on the 11th episode, they
won! After their successful win, Pentatonix
officially became a public a cappella group.
Where does the name Pentatonix come
from? It comes from a particular musical
scale, the pentatonic scale. A pentatonic
scale is a scale with five notes per octave. Because their a cappella group consisted of five members and a pentatonic
scale has five notes, they decided on the
name Pentatonix.
Pentatonix has released many songs and
many albums. The have also won two Grammy Awards already! They are a very talented a cappella group, and they create amazing music that fits just about everyone’s
tastes. So, if you’re ever tired of the boring
music that comes on the radio everyday and
are looking for a change, check out Pentatonix!!!
California!
By Lily Farberman
While Southern California is the land of the stars, fame,
and fortune, Northern California is pretty much the opposite.
California is the large state on the West Coast of the United
States of America. Their state animal is the Grizzly Bear, their
state insect is the Butterfly, and their state flower is the California Poppy. The capital of California is Sacramento.
Northern California stretches from the border of Oregon
to San Luis. Grapes are often grown in Northern California because many people make wine. It is known for its redwood forests and the Pacific Coastline. Some of the biggest cities there
are San Francisco and San Jose. San Francisco, as you may
know, is a hilly city well known for the 1906 San Francisco
earthquake that was a 7.8 - now, that’s a dramatic moment! San
Jose anchors the Silicon Valley technology hub where all the
coolest computer things are happening. Heading further north,
you can find Napa and Sonoma valleys, where most of the vine-
yards are.
Southern California is the place where people go to become famous and train as movie stars. Individuals who succeed
here are sure to succeed anywhere else! Movies and TV shows
are mostly filmed, produced and edited here, as well. It is home
to Los Angeles, San Diego, and of course, Hollywood and its
world-renowned Hollywood sign! Here’s a fun fact: The Hollywood sign used to say Hollywoodland, but the ‘land’ part of the
sign broke off. Hollywood is also home to the big movie and television industry.
California is a great place to visit on vacations. It provides such
a variety of opportunities for both tourists and people that live
there. Next time the break comes around, consider California.
It’s a great place to go!
T HE C OUGAR
P AGE 7
Eulogy to Mrs. Snegroff
By Justin Lu
Author’s note: This was read by me at the 8th grade faculty volleyball game.
It was another day in room 404. As I
threw away the last plant experiment, I
looked around the room. Near the back of
the was the Jeopardy game, a fish tank with
tetras and piles of papers in the recycling
bin. Old Cell towns were piled in the corner,
waiting to be the lucky one to be a model
project next year. And the sun trickled in
from the window, highlighting the drops of
water on the plants and the smile of Martha
Snegroff.
“Come here” she said. As I walked
across the room, I thought about what CAP
would be like next year without Mrs. Snegroff. Every day, I got to help Mrs. Snegroff
clean her room, with some of my fondest
memories during this period. From seeing
the cytoplasm of a Hydra, to throwing a surprise party with the present being a frog, I
would miss this room greatly. I promised
myself that I would come back to visit again
in 6th grade.
As I approached Mrs. Snegroff,
thoughts of her advice popped in my
head. Tips on how to not lose homework. How to survive the 3rd floor hallway. How to be kind to others.
An odd plant was pulled out from the
back of the windowsill. “It’s a Venus Fly-
trap!” I exclaimed. “It’s for you,” replied Mrs.
Snegroff. These are particularly hard to take
care of, and I have trouble catching bugs to
feed this plant.”
“I hope feeding it will be just as fun
as science class!” I answered.
Mrs. Snegroff smiled. There was
something heartwarming about that smile of
hers, only showing the top half of her
teeth. In my memories, Mrs. Snegroff always smiles. She never raised her
voice. She never ran out of energy. She
always kept up with everyone’s curiosity and
wonder of the world.
The music started to play, indicating
it was time to go home. But before I could
run out the door, Mrs. Snegroff yelled, “Wait!
I have something for you.” She hopped
across the room, and climbed up to reach a
cabinet.
The cabinet she tried to get to was
one full of frogs. I never got to learn why
Mrs. Snegroff loved frogs so much, but her
personality reminds me of one. She came
to school with a positive that, like a frog,
lasted all day. Mrs. Snegroff was always out
of her seat, helping everyone she could.
As Mrs. Snegroff climbed down from
her cabinet, she handed me a small keep-
sake of two frogs singing. “Keep this as a
memory for everything that has happened in
my classroom during 5th grade.”
But as I was about to bolt, a thought
crossed my mind. “How are you able to play
in the 8th grade faculty volleyball game? It
must hurt so much just to hit the ball.”
Mrs. Snegroff chuckled and thought
for a second. “I take Advil before every
game. But it’s the cheering from the students that gives me the most pain relief.”
The music stopped, signaling for me
to leave. As I ran out the door, I knew there
was something for me to look forward to in
the future: playing in the 8th grade faculty
volleyball game against Mrs. Snegroff.
Here we are gathered together again
to end another school year. Only this time,
our MVP is missing, gone, resting peacefully. Mts. Snegroff has taught since the beginning of AMS all the way until she couldn’t. But she did more than educate kids
about the difference between mitosis and
meiosis. She taught everyone how to laugh,
how to be kind, how much a small act of
kindness can change an individual. But ultimately, she taught AMS how to be a better,
one student at a time.
The Final Test
By Ms. Licari
It’s about resiliency
It’s about the match of your life...for your life
Toe-to-toe
Boxing gloves donned
Sucker punches flying
Your body bouncing along the ropes
Dropping into the ring
A technical knock-out
But the crowd sees you
Rebounding
Ready for another round
A round that courses through your veins
Weakening your body
But not your spirit
The crowd is stunned into silence
Tearful silence
Reflective silence
Reverent silence
And then
The silence is broken by applause
Continuous applause
Crescending applause
Deafening applause
Because with righteous defiance
Tempered with grace and dignity
You faced your most fierce opponent
And proved victorious...even in defeat
That, the crowd has learned, can never be weakened
Refusing to go down for the count
You stay the course
Continuing the fight
Bobbing and weaving
The crowd rises to its feet
They chant
They cheer you on
All bets placed on victory
But then
Seemingly without warning
The fight ends
Just like that
Living your final round like a
True champion.
T HE C OUGAR
Quotes from the Kids and
Teachers
Mrs. Snegroff was my absolute favorite teacher. My most favorite
memory of her would be at the end of the year. We all had a party
and traded in all our coupons for prizes. I got one of the pieces in her
frog collection. It was the gift of a little glass frog sitting on a rock.
This item is very special to me and I still have it to this day.
I will never forget how much fun it was to be in her class. I miss seeing her walking every day down the hallway, and saying hi to her. I
hope she knows how much she meant to so many people.
We miss you Mrs. Snegroff
-Calista Sassalos
P AGE 8
Advil to keep the pain away. She played every year and if she were
in any pain, she sure didn't show it. I think the roaring cheers from
her loving students was all the pain relief she needed. What an exceptional woman! - Ms. Townsend
Many may not know that before I taught Music I taught 3rd grade at
Concord Road. I started my Ardsley career there. After 4 years I requested a move to the Middle School and was assigned 6th grade
English and Math. Martha was my unofficial, but very authentic mentor. She welcomed me in with such care and expertise, and remained available and supportive throughout the entire year. I
learned a great deal from her. She was truly my teacher in every
sense of the word. I’ve always said that was one of my favorite
years: teaching English to 6th graders in 1995-96, alongside a true
master: Martha - Frank Squillante
I remember seeing Martha the other day and asking her how she
Ms. Snegroff was the type of person who believed in me more than I
was doing. She told me, "The nights are hard, my body aches and
believed in myself. She inspired me to try hard and push myself
most of the time I can't sleep. But I come here and I get up in the
even when I was giving up - Julia Tiernan
morning because these kids are my salvation". Amazing how after
51 years of teaching she was still focused on what was most imMrs. Snegroff always told us that she was here for us. She never
wanted us to worry about her, and loved teaching. Mrs. Snegroff had portant to her - Mr. Carballo
a special connection with us all and will always be with us - Joyce
Lu
Ms. Snegroff was a great teacher who wanted me to be the best I
could be, because she saw potential in me, as she did in everyone
else. Whenever I see a frog, I will remember Ms. Snegroff - Victoria
Berger
She taught me ELA in 6th grade...ELA was my favorite class that
year. Some people are born to teach - that was Mrs. Snegroff - Tom
Caldara
Over the years, Martha and I worked together on so many projects. She was always so willing to implement technology in many of
her lessons. She was one of the first teachers to incorporate podMartha Snegroff was truly the best science teacher I could have ever casts and other movie making techniques. She allowed her students
to be creative and every lesson was so meaningful.
asked for. She helped me through a lot of problems I had during
class! I remember being able to look through a microscope and see Her enthusiasm for teaching, dedication to students and love of
learning was just incredible.
right in front of my eyes what we were studying in class. Rest In
Peace, Ms. Snegroff. You will certainly be remembered as an amaz- I'm certainly going to miss my dear friend and colleague. She will
forever be in my heart - Mrs. Rich
ing teacher - Alexander Fu
Mrs. Snegroff made teaching so special. Even when she was sick,
she never stopped. I never had Mrs. Snegroff, and maybe spoke a
word to her once a month, but the school feels empty to me without
her. She was a hero to me; I miss her everyday - Caley Navins
Martha was one of a kind and I was honored to have worked with
her through the years. One of her famous quotes to me was, “I will
never retire, AMS is my life and I love all my students.” She will be
missed but not forgotten. Thank you for bringing joy to thousands of
students - Dale Longworth
Thanks for being a great mentor, to not just me, but the entire
school. There’s a certain kind of teacher, who, when they leave, is
impossible to forget. You were, and still are, one of those teachers Rishi Raj
She told me how excited she was for her new grandchild. And of
course how much she loved her grandson - Mrs. Grady
It was an honor and privilege to get to know Martha this year. She
Whenever I felt like giving up, Mrs. Snegroff would always say to me, shared her classroom with my 8th grade Italian class, allowing me to
“Don’t give up, you came so far to go back.” She once said that the see first hand how she inspired her students and how loved she
most important thing to her was coming to this school, and teaching was. While we taught different content areas, I've learned so much
her classes. What kept her going was her passion of teaching. She from her and if I ever come close to being half of who she was as a
person in my life, it would be a huge accomplishment - Ms. Genna
would never be afraid to ask for help, and she would never be
ashamed of kids -- especially her students. She would brighten my
Martha met Betsy and me in the hallway one day about three weeks
mood by just saying “good morning,” and I would always feel so
ago before the school day started. She hugged us and told us that
cheery. I’m going to miss her so much - Priscilla Ha
she couldn’t express in words how grateful she was for all of us and
Mrs. Snegroff was a role model for many students and all those she our support. She told us that coming to work every day was what
met. She motivated me to be the best student I could possibly be - was “keeping her going” - Ms. Cohen
Jonah Kurian
Martha’s great joy was being with the kids. She was totally “childcentered” probably because there was always a part of that “kid” inMrs. Snegroff was a great teacher. I always looked forward to her
class because she made science really fun. I wish I was in her class side her. Years and years ago, when Martha taught ELA and would
read Charlotte Doyle to her class; in keeping with the theme, she
longer than a year - Julia Bavaro
would dress up in pirate garb complete with an eye-patch. Later
when assigned to science, she arrived one day with her pet rat on
Even though I’ve never had Mrs. Snegroff she was always kind to
me . She was an inspiration to many teachers and I hope her legacy her shoulders. All day that creature sat around her neck, and unbelievable as it seems, we all began to see that animal lovingly
will live on - Resa Garcia
through “Martha eyes.” She taught for over fifty years, but more than
ELA or science, Martha taught us all how to love to learn, and we
Mrs. Snegroff always told us that she was here for us. She never
wanted us to worry about her, and loved teaching. Mrs. Snegroff had reciprocated by loving her in return! - Ms. Westbrook
a special connection with us all and will always be with us - Joyce
Martha stopped by my room just a few weeks ago to chat. In our
Lu
conversation, she reminded me about how special Ardsley really is
and how we have a wonderful community here at the middle
Mrs. Snegroff was a great teacher. She was always there for us
when we needed help. She spent all her last days with us. She kept school. She cared about her students and she also really cared
doing what she loved even when she was sick. It was teaching that about her colleagues. Thank you for caring Martha, it made all the
kept her going. Even though she’s not here today, she’ll always be in difference - Mrs. Ahn
my heart. And nobody will forget her - Ibrahim Siddiqui
Martha always had a smile on her face. Her positive attitude was
contagious. She was passionate, caring and kind -- not only did the
Whenever I see a mushroom or a weird blobby shape I think of
kids love her but the teachers did, too - Ms. Brindise
amoebas which reminds me of Mrs. Snegroff. I will miss her a lot Michelle Lee
When the fourth floor copier was on the blitz and Mr. Ryan practical“The best volleyball player. Everyone cheered the loudest for her!” - ly camped out next to it to fix it for us, Mrs. Snegroff didn’t let that
kind deed go unnoticed. She rallied us to sign a card of appreciation
Kendall And Cailyn
Before every staff vs. 8th grade volleyball game, she would take an and to surprise him with a gift - Ms. Licari
T HE C OUGAR
P AGE 9
Regionally-Ranking Gymnasts at AMS!
By Elizabeth Chun
Gymnastics is a sport that is enjoyed by
many people around the world. Gymnasts
train and practice all year-round in order to
participate in competitions, meets, and more
thrilling activities. It is even a sport that is
part of the Summer Olympics every four
years.
Many young gymnastics participate in
a competition in which they are compared
with other gymnasts from their area. The
competitions are split into levels that you
must reach. The higher the level, the better.
In order to advance level-wise in the competitions you need to get a certain minimum
score. Here are the essential scores: to proceed to Level 2, a score of 28 must be
reached. To proceed to Levels 3, 4, and 5,
scores of 32 must be reached. To proceed
to Level 6, a score of 32.50 must be
reached. To proceed to Level 7, a score of
33 must be reached. And finally, to proceed
to Levels 8, 9, and 10, scores of 32 must be
reached.
AMS. She began gymnastics when she was
3 years old and is on the Galaxy Gymnastics
team. It is located in Orangeburg, NY, which
is over the Tappan Zee Bridge. She practices 23.5 hours a week, 6 days a week. Two
of those days, she practices twice. On these
45 gymnasts, after the top seven that are recruited for the Super
Team.
Kate and Maddie have been very successful
this year in gymnastics, a hobby that they
have been committed to from a very young
age. They are very talented and show AMS
how exciting the thrill of competing and doing
what you love can be. Congratulations to
both of them for all of their hard work this
year -- it really paid off!
days, one of those practices takes place early in the morning, before school! This year,
Kate made it up to Level 8. There, she
scored a 37.525, placing onto the Super
Team, which selects the top 7 gymnasts
(Kate was the fourth).
Kate Michelini is a seventh grader at
Maddie Wong is also a seventh grader at
AMS. Like Kate. She is on the Galaxy Gymnastics team and crosses the Tappan Zee to
get to Orangeburg, where she and her team
train for meet and competitions. Maddie
practices 18.5 hours a week over the course
A list of all the qualifiers from Level 8
of 6 days. This year at Level 8 gymnastics,
Regionals
for the Super Team and to be an
she received a score of 36.075, placing
All-Star.
23rd. Her placement also made her an AllStar -- this means that she placed in the top
Introducing...Miitomo
By Liam Tannian
for your Mii and dress it up for more excitement. Or, if Mario disguise isn’t the wardrobe for you, you can buy other clothes, as well.
You get coins for these new outfits with money you get after talking
to your Mii. Plus, if you go on your Miitomo daily, you can get rewards like game tickets. Game tickets can be used for a sub-game
called Miitomo Drop, where you can unlock new clothes and other
fascinating features. (You can also just go to the Miitomo shop,
which many people may find way easier.)
Additionally, if you have a Facebook or Twitter account, you can
“friend” other people that have the app and share your interest in
Miitomo. You can also use the face-to-face option. Then, your
friends can see your questions, answers and comment on them.
One of the coolest things is that with a feature called Miifoto, you
can take pictures of your Mii with different poses and facial expressions. You can also use an image from your mobile device as a
background for your profile. Your friends’ Miis can be in the picture,
too! Unfortunately, only five Miis can be put in the picture.
There are over 10 million people that downloaded Miitomo, including me. I think it’s a very fun app. I suggest that, if you are a gamer,
you try it out, too!
Miitomo is Nintendo’s first mobile game that was released not so
long ago. Now, you can get it for iPhone or Android and play it on
the go.
So, what is Miitomo like? And what abilities does it give
you? Miitomo is kind of like a mobile device version of Tomodachi
Life for 3DS. It’s fun, exciting, and keeps you on your toes. Also,
using Miitomo you can talk to your Mii and add more detail to your
world. However, Miitomo takes aspects from Tomodachi Life to the
next level -- your Mii will ask you questions! It’s fun, and makes it
See you on Miitomo!
seem like your Mii is really alive and with you!
If you have a My Nintendo account, you can get a Mario costume
T HE C OUGAR
Why You Can’t
Pause An Online
Game
By Alexander Fu
Whether you’re a parent or a student, the
gaming struggle is real. If you’re a parent,
calling your child to stop playing the game is
Why You Should
Build Your Own
Computer
P AGE 10
an extremely strenuous task, with the usual
response of, “Hold on, 5 more minutes”. If
you’re a student, you know what I’m talking
about. Your parents call you to stop playing
the game, and all you want to do is to finish
that one round so you can get off.
and quitting the game will cause the team to
suffer in the end.
Another topic is pausing in a single player
game. This is a pretty easy idea to grasp. If
your child is playing a single player game (a
game centered around only the player), it’s
Parents, the reason your kid won’t get off the easy to pause the game, as no progress is
computer or phone is because within games, lost. Resuming the game basically is just
there is something called rounds, or match- starting your player where you left off. Although you might think all games are like
es. For example, in Call of Duty, there are
this, it’s simply not true. In multiplayer
multiplayer matches where you compete
with other live online players on score, cap- games, you are actually playing with other
tures, and more. Although it is certainly pos- real people from across the world, connected. All movements are live, so leaving the
sible to leave the game in the middle of a
game while it’s still in progress can be the
match, it should be a last case scenario. In
many games, leaving mid-game on a multi- difference between a team winning or losing.
player match means an automatic loss, and
all the stats accumulated from playing in the I hope you all enjoyed this explanation and
round are lost. Most gamers, including me,
learned a little about how different games
take great pride in our in-game statistics.
work. Happy gaming!
Therefore, leaving mid-game is one of the
easiest ways to ruin player stats. If I am
playing a multiplayer match and I’m on the
top of the leaderboard, it’s really not optimal
to leave mid-game. Teamwork is a very important factor in multiplayer games as well,
that can be easily upgraded with newer parts
instead of going out to buy another computer. This experience is also a very beneficial
one because you can learn about how a
computer works and what parts are in a
computer.
How do you start off? Find a budget. A $700
budget goes very far. A custom built $700
computer is able to run the latest games at
What pops up when getting a new computer? Most likely Apple, Dell, or going to Best high frame rates. Whereas a $700 Dell computer would be capable for internet surfing
Buy. Sadly, you’re getting ripped off. Big
only. But where can you buy the parts?
companies like Dell and Apple overprice
their computers a lot to the point of it becom- There are two ways: buy them in stores or
online. The best way to find parts that will all
ing the price standard. You are limited to
choosing only the models that the company work together is by going to Microcenter.
Microcenter is a chain store (there’s one on
makes. The worst part is that gaming is a
Central Park Avenue in Yonkers) that offers
nightmare on these machines.
professional service where you can buy
parts for very reasonable prices and build
What’s the best solution? Build your own
your own computer in-store.
computer! Choose your own parts and asAll
in all, building a computer is a very fun
semble them yourself. It will save hundreds
and
positive experience. And when you’re
of dollars and you’ll end up running a PC
done, you’ll have the best computer in town.
By Alexander Fu
Summer Word
Unscramble
By Milena Chan
Summer -- the time we have all been
waiting for -- is finally here! What’s
your favorite thing about summer? That feeling of relaxation
when you’re down by the pool? Not
having to worry about wearing a big
coat each time you step outside? Fill out the word scramble to
reveal all the aspects of summer that
are so lovable!
Answers to Emoji Puzzles
(from page 4)
T HE C OUGAR
P AGE 11
Pax Book Review
Novels
Summer
By Charlotte Koenig
By Emma Greenspan
By Octavia Basco
To all the readers out
there:
Do you believe that a
good book is a great
gift in life? Isn’t that
feeling you get when
you see new books on
the library shelves so
pleasing and exciting?
The smells of the
clean, black, ink and
the soft, crisp, creamcolored pages envelope you in a blanket
of happiness. No matter what it is about books you love so much, we can
all agree that books are amazing contributions to
our lives. And if you’re one of these people who
feels the way I do about books, then I’ve got good
news for you. A new book called “Pax” takes reading to the next level!
“I am exactly where I should be, doing exactly what
I should be doing. This is peace”
Coming from the new novel Pax, this quote shows
the real meaning of the story. Pax means “peace”
in Latin. Living in the middle of war, Pax is a fox
who got separated from his loving owner, Peter.
Peter had to go to his grandfather’s home while his
dad was serving in the war. Unfortunately, Pax
was not allowed to come, and was left to survive on
his own.
The blossoming white of the pages
Soft between my fingertips
It evolving through ages
Resisting tears and rips.
Soft between my fingertips
Are the stories we’ve told
Resisting tears and rips
As the wonders unfold.
Are the stories we’ve told
Full of light or dark?
As the wonders unfold
We fall under the curse.
In summer,
Everyone laughs and smiles are
shared
It would be a shame to miss it
For it’s the wildest time!
The most colorful season
With splashes of the pool
Gives the gold from the sun
To the grass and the plants.
Thank You for summer,
the most glorious season.
Full of light or dark?
No one quite knows
We fall under the curse
Of the unfolding stories.
No one quite knows
It evolving through ages
Of the unfolding stories
The white of the pages.
Luckily, Peter realizes at once that he must see his
beloved fox once again. The boy embarks on a
journey to find his fox, abandoning his grandfather
and facing a long and treacherous mission that will
change him forever.
This novel is about two passionate friends who
know that although they are far in distance, they
are close at heart. Along the journey, they learn
more about themselves than anything else. And -along with leaving you with a story you will never
forget -- Pax and Peter will also reveal to you the
true meaning of peace.
A Horse
By Octavia Basco
It is the wind
And the wind is it
It’s spirit will be set free…
It’s spirit will be set free…
Softer than a rose pedal,
But stronger than lion
It is the wind
And the wind is it
Summer Word Search!
By Kohko Kamimura
Summer’s finally here, and there are so many things to love about this amazing
season!
What’s your favorite thing about it? Fill out the word search to find the things the
Newspaper Club and I love the most about summer.
T HE C OUGAR
P AGE 12
Midnight Canoe Ride
By Justin Lu
always die down gracefully, sinking into their
hot grave of coals. As I began to unwind,
someone in the distance shouted, “The canoes are ready!”
My friends stopped talking. Seconds after
hearing the shouts, a horde of teenagers
raced to the lake front, ready to stay up for
another twenty minutes. A short man awaited us, with hair resembling an old werewolf. It was Frank San Marco, the guy who
took us on this trip. “Okay gang, it’s time for
the midnight canoe ride.”
The first thing I noticed was the sky. The
sky was the color of a fresh coffee bean,
with clouds forming a summer maple leaf. In
the middle was the moon, lightly tinted auburn, like Grandma’s pumpkin pie. And the
background was dotted with stars, mingling
with each other. The water slowed as I
stopped paddling to look up. Usually, tilting
my head up was scary because it meant I
was talking to some giant. “Wow,” whispered Jonathan, my best friend who was in
the canoe with me. Everything seemed so
still. My hands reached for the paddles,
wanting to move along. But my eyes stayed
with the sky for a moment as I drifted away.
Author’s Note: This is my personal experience about a midnight canoe ride on the Trip
Reconnection. I won a silver key in the National Scholastic Writing Awards for this
memoir.
Every night I fall asleep yearning to explore
those shadows. They’re shadows with the
power to engulf forests, shadows that get
deeper as day shifts to night. Shadows that
indicate the boundaries of my exploration. I’ve only seen the Adirondack Mountains at day, with its friendly sunshine, clear
water and leaf green foliage. But something
else comes out at night, something that lurks
in the dusk, waiting to be discovered. What
is it? I would go, but the sounds of unknown
croaks, hoots, and howls jump out from the
of trees, telling me to back off. I shivered. Were there more blood-sucking mosquitoes waiting to bite me endlessly? Or lone
wolves hungry for food? Beads of sweat
formed on my forehead as the shadows surrounded me.
Creak, creak. The canoe tilted left and right
as I crossed the lake. With the paddle rubbing against the hull, it sounded like a tired
cow trying to swim. Jonathan laughed: I accidentally said that out loud. But the water
drained his voice and continued to rock the
boat. I expected a quiet ride, but paddling
any speed faster made a loud scrape. So I
had to let the water guide the boat around.
As the current made a wide circle around the
lake, a breeze passed. The air. Usually, the
wind outside irritated my allergies, but not in
the Adirondacks. Here, the air was pure of
the industrial haze of humans. There was
no hint of gasoline or chemicals: just the
smell of pine needles and fire from our
campsite. Maybe in the future, an entrepreneur will realize how true this air is, and use
the Adirondack scent as a substitute for caffeine, energizing zombie teenagers like me.
The canoe started to turn, this time back to
the starting point. I guess it’s Mother Nature’s way of saying the canoe ride is almost
over. But instead of crossing the whole lake,
But I would be safe around primitive man’s
greatest invention: fire. As I turned around, the canoe veered on to a backroad. I tried to
paddle back, but my hand couldn’t find the
my fears were melted by the warmth of the
paddle. It was too late: the water pushed the
campfire. All around me were friends from
home, chatting quietly. Three days ago, we canoe into the mysterious path. Even
waved goodbye to our parents to begin Re- though I could still see the main lake and
connection, a five-day expedition to the Adi- moon, the path would be going into the heart
rondacks. So far, the trip had been enjoya- of the shadows. My pulse beat faster. It
ble, but exhausting. From purifying the lake seems like the shadows only engulfed some
water to dragging huge branches for the fire, of the path, but even a small portion of comcamping in the Adirondacks drained my en- plete darkness was scary. It was like going
ergy. By the end of the day, I could only lie to Six Flags, forced on to a rollercoaster I
didn’t want to ride.
down or sit by the campfire. What was so
great about nature? All I experienced so far But just like the employees who stop the ride
was the humid air, stuffy tents and pesky
for a safety check, the trees waved a final
insects. Why do people put up with these
farewell. A summer green and new furniture
uncomfortable conditions to bond with the
brown blended together to make the colors
wilderness? But the cracks from the flames of the Adirondack trees. They were like basinterrupted my thoughts and my mind went
ketball players: trying to reach their goal, the
back to the fire. Of all the things I hated so
sky. But they also helped the other saplings,
far, the fire was not one of them. I loved the struggling to get any nutrients. As I looked
campfire at night because it was relaxing,
around, I saw the roots intertwined with each
could be used to roast marshmallows, and
other, holding hands tightly like kinderkept away the bugs. And the flames would
gartners on a field trip. They all helped each
other and tried to help me too. Just before I
entered the shadows, an old tree root
stopped the canoe. I took a deep breath:
this reminded me of the uncomfortable jerk
right before a Disney ride to state the
rules. I was so grateful for the trees, allowing me to take a breather. Is this related to
why people go camping? Is this the true essence of nature? Is this why people want
to…
The canoe broke loose of the tree root. The
ride started.
My body was jammed with fear, but my curiosity was jumping for joy. Here I was, on a
safe boat, exploring the shadows that kept
me awake at night. Like a planetarium, the
moonlight began to dim until it was absent. Scary noises were approaching and I
prepared myself for any hungry creatures
ready to feast on me. But instead of crawling into a ball, I sat up straight and listened
to Mother Nature’s symphony warming
up. The crickets were the percussion, chirping a steady beat. Cicadas practiced their
scales and dynamics. Bullfrogs bellowed
low notes like a bassoon, competing to see
who can croak the lowest. Owls hooted a
sweet melody, screeching high occasionally. But most of all was the loon, whistling the
tune of a Native American flute. It was mysterious and powerful. But, there was something that confused me: the sound of snoring. What animal could make that sound?
It was a homo sapien named Jonathan. He
fell asleep during my little adventure with the
shadows. Before the water changed direction, I woke Jonathan, “Let’s head back to
shore.” He nodded, still groggy from his
nap. As we started to canoe back, three
blinks from a flashlight illuminated the area. It was the signal Mr. San Marco established before the canoe ride: three flashes
meant it was time to head back to camp. So
Jonathan and I raced to land, but the sound
of a cannon echoed throughout the area. I
heard some inexplicable shouting and water
being splashed around. “I think it was a beaver!” someone shouted. Giggles spread
throughout the forest, but got muffled, restoring the earlier balance of sound. Later, I
found out that a beaver’s tail whacked the
counselors’ canoe. One of the counselors
got so scared that he almost fell into the
lake. But luckily, I arrived at the campsite
dry and in one piece. All of my friends were
at the campfire, excited to share their experiences. I went there, but sat in the corner
furthest away from everyone.
And then I realized. What’s so great about
nature? It allows us to be free. In modern
society, people are restricted by social, racial
and financial barriers, imprisoning curiosity
and happiness into a jar of no hope. But nature strips humans of prejudice and inequality, leaving only humanity. In this world,
there are no outside influences like social
media altering the way we think. Camping
costs almost nothing and no experience is
needed. Above all, nature allows humans to
experience the world. Maybe that’s what the
shadows were hiding: how to live.