Alpha Eagle - Providence Heights Alpha School

The
Alpha Eagle
Providence
Heights
Alpha School
In This Issue
Editors’ Shout Out
Disney Play
Cooking Column
Girl’s Basketball
Boy’s Basketball
Taylor Swift
Was the Super Bowl
really super without the
Steelers?
The History of
Valentine’s Day
What is PJAS?
Guess the Characters
Catholic Schools’ Week
Chinese New Year
Eagle Staff
Editors
Annie DeArmit 7th
Elizabeth Soller 7th
Morgan Seiff 7th
Gracie Walters 6th
Eiley Kaniecki 6th
Chloe Ditka 6th
Contributors
Elizabeth Goodrich
Leah Colaizzi
Elizabeth Brugger
Malia Fairbrother
Mary McCarthy
Ella Kozel
Jamie Muth
Julie Cordisco
Robert Place
Tiffany Shick
Jimmy Blaszkiewicz
Delaney Viszlay
Hannah Schupansky
Layout
Elizabeth Soller
Annie DeArmit
Morgan Seiff
Mary McCarthy
Elizabeth Goodrich
Faculty Advisor
Mr. Beacham
March 2012
Student Newspaper
EEd
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By Gracie Walters
Is spring really coming? Everyone has
enjoyed the nice, sunny weather, but
now the rainy weather is here. Most
people are wondering: how long until
spring comes? The weather has been
sunny, snowy, sunny, and then back to
snowy again. What is the explanation for
this freaky weather?
Another concern relating to the
weather is global warming. Are the wild
conditions an example of or linked to
global warming? With the weather being
really wacky this year, you need to be
prepared for anything. So, as we ride the
weather roller coaster, consider these
questions:
Is global warming really happening?
Is global warming the explanation for the
wacky weather? Is winter really over, or
has it even started? Will it be snowing in
June?
A Revision of “Little Bo Peep”
By Justin Phrampus
Miniature Bo-Glimpse has distract
her lambs
And cannot tell the location to
detect them.
Decamp them deserted and they’ll
arrive dwelling
And carrying their rears in the
back of them.
Volume 2 Issue 3
Disney Play
By Isabella Mazziotti and Leah Colaizzi
Isabella Mazziotti, a sixth grader
at Alpha, won a radio contest to have a
Disney musical of her choice at her
school. The grand prize was to be able to
produce and direct a Disney musical for
free and have Kenton Duty, Gunther from
the series Shake It Up on Disney
Channel, make a special appearance at the
premier! Bella has decided to do the
musical Alice in Wonderland.
Our staff sponsors for Disney,
Mrs. Farina, Mrs. Litvin, Mrs. Thimons,
Ms. Koss, and Isabella, are all
contributing their time and effort to
make this play special. Many excited
Alpha students from grades three
through eight are participating in the
play through acting, dancing, and singing.
A choreographer from Disney has
periodically come to help us put the show
together.
Again, congratulations to Bella for
winning the contest. This play is going to
be magical. The premier is on the night of
June 1st. Hope to see you there!
The Alpha Eagle
page 2
A big shout out to the Alpha winter sports and
academic teams for their excellent effort and
performance. They have truly embodied the
principles of the school.
Cheer for 5th Grade Girls’ Basketball
By Hannah Schupansky
Girls’ Basketball
JV Girls’: Charge into the Playoff
The 5th grade girls’ basketball team has had a great
season! The team consists of nine players: Hannah
Schupansky, Ashley Norling, Adrianna Amelio,
Christina Patterson, Olivia Neuman, Emily Meinert,
Madelyn Stewart, Maria Pellegrino, and Gabi Sable.
The team is led by Mr. Neuman, Mrs. Neuman, and
Mr. Norling. Their first game was in December. The
players had a lot of fun playing together throughout
the season.
Ashley Norling said she enjoyed the season
and thought that the team worked well together.
The 5th and 6th grade girls’ JV basketball team finished
their regular season record as 10-2. They were in second
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place among their section and participated in their
playoff game on February 24. Unfortunately, the girls
lost to Saint Malachy.
Varsity Boys’
When interviewed, Coach Bileck said, “I love coaching.
It is just like teaching in the classroom.” He added, “I
can not put into words to describe my feelings and
admiration for this team.”
By Jimmy Blaszkiewicz
The Alpha Varsity boys’ basketball team does not
have the best win-loss ratio in the world. After one
win for the entire season, they were in last place in
their section. Although the regular season is over, the
team is in a B team only tournament. In this
tournament they have a 4:0 record as of March 14
and are in the semi-finals.
Coach Colaizzi said, “The boys learned a lot in the
regular season, but they are really gelling and doing a
lot better in the tournament.”
By Julia Cordisco
Ella Kozel, a forward, said, “Basketball is awesome and
I can't wait for the playoffs!"
Instructional Girls’
By Delaney Viszlay
The 3rd and 4th grade girls’ basketball team did an
outstanding job this season.
Lilly Stokes commented, “I thought we had a great team
and did a great job!”
Maggie Storti also added that it was fun all year just
meeting new people and playing.
Third and Fourth Grade Boys’ Developmental
By Matthew Soller
The third and fourth grade developmental boys
basketball season was awesome. All of the boys
played strong throughout the entire season. The boys
entered two tournaments, the St. Bonaventure and
Butler. Their best game was against St. Kilians green
in the Butler tournament. The score was 19 to 17; it
was a nail biter!
“It was a very good season and the coaches were the
best coaches ever. We also went in to two
tournaments that were very fun!” said player
Anthony Warda.
Varsity Girls’: In It to Win It
By Elizabeth Soller
The Varsity girls had a terrific season! They
ended their regular season undefeated. They won two
games in the playoff tournament. Unfortunately, they
were defeated by St. Mary’s in the semi-finals.
Congratulations 7th and 8th grade girls on a great season!
We are very proud of you.
The Alpha Eagle
page 3
Taylor Swift
By Hope Kumpf
Taylor Swift is a very popular singer,
songwriter, and actress. She sings/writes pop country
songs. Taylor was born on December 13, 1989. She is
currently 22 years old and is already one of the most
successful artists of our generation. She has come out
with 3 albums and many singles. Her albums include
Taylor Swift, Fearless, and Speak Now. So far she has
won 4 Grammys, 7 AMAs, 1 MTV Video Music
award, and 6 CMT music awards. She has also
completed 2 major tours. Taylor Swift has sold over 20
million albums worldwide. Not only is Taylor very
successful in her music career, but also she was on CSI
and in a movie titled Valentine’s Day. Swift has also
donated to victims of the 2010 floods in Tennessee, to a
charity helping children in the West Alabama tornado,
and to British charity called Children in Need. Taylor’s
career certainly is not over yet!
Was the Super Bowl Really Super
Without the Steelers?
By Eiley Kaniecki, Ella Kozel and Elizabeth
Goodrich
The Patriots were favored to win over the
Giants in Super Bowl XLVII. They were neck
and neck throughout a great game.
One of the most exciting plays in this Super
Bowl was when the Giants scored a touchdown
and got a safety in the 1st quarter.
Madonna and other artists performed during the
half-time show. During the Super Bowl, people
did not mind watching commercials, because
they were very funny.
In the end, the Giants won 21 to 17.
The History of Valentine’s Day
By Katelyn Niggemyer and Gracie Walters
February has been the month of romance since 270 A.D. There are many legends surrounding the fact of how
Valentine’s Day actually came to be, but do you know how Valentine’s Day really started?
Saint Valentine died in 270 A.D. He was a kind-hearted Roman priest. Claudius, the Roman Emperor, was
recruiting men to become soldiers when he noticed that more married men were resisting to become soldiers. As a
result, he made marriage illegal. While seeing young couples’ hopes of ever getting married disappear, Saint Valentine
thought of a plan. When two lovers thought of marriage, they secretly met Valentine and he joined the two in
matrimony. He did this for many couples. After the Roman Emperor found out, he had Saint Valentine executed.
One of many Valentine’s Day legends is about Cupid. The winged god was sent by his mother, Venus, to
punish a mortal named Psyche. When Cupid found the mortal, he fell deeply in love with her. He took her as his wife,
but she was forbidden to look at him. One day, she looked at him, and as a punishment, Cupid left her. Trying to find
her husband, she stumbled on his mother’s temple. Venus ordered her to go on multiple dangerous tasks. For the last
task, she was sent to the underworld with a box and told to steal the queen of the underworld’s beauty. She was also
told not to open the box. Overcome by temptation, she opened the box. Instead of finding beauty, she fell into a deadly
sleep. When Cupid found his love lifeless on the ground, he and his mother forgave the mortal. Overwhelmed by
Psyche’s love for Cupid, the gods turned Psyche into a goddess.
Now, you may be wondering what Cupid’s arrows are for. According to legend, Cupid shoots arrows to make
people fall in love with each other.
To many, Valentine’s Day is a celebration of love, cards, and candy. However, it is nice to discover the origins
of our holidays.
What is PJAS?
By: Jamie Muth
PJAS stands for the Pennsylvania Junior Academy of
Science. This is a science competition that takes place
throughout ten regions across Pennsylvania. Participants
must complete an experiment in a field of science such as
chemistry, biology or behavioral science (just to name a
few).
A presentation no longer than ten minutes is
prepared by the scientist and delivered in front of a panel
of judges. Candidates are also judged on answers to
questions asked by the judges after the presentation is
completed.
Alpha is part of Region Seven, where on February
4 , 2012, a total of five hundred and thirty-three seventh
and eighth graders competed. The students representing
the Alpha School were eighth graders Angelica Arshoun,
Anna Edwards, Jake Litzau, Marissa Muth and Victoria
Thacker. The seventh graders that participated were
Hannah Baranowski, Alayna Bidlack, Jimmy
Blaszkiewicz, Josh Borosky, Dane Colaizzi, Andy Heiles,
Bryce Herbert, Hope Kumpf, Troy McChesney, Isabella
Possino, and Elizabeth Soller.
th
The results were astounding! Twelve Alpha
students earned a first place award and four students
earned a second place award. First place winners are
eligible to compete at the state level competition held in
May at Penn State University.
Congratulations to all who participated and best of
luck to those first place winners heading to the state
championships in May!
Catholic Schools’ Week
By Elizabeth Soller
During the week of January 30 to
February 3, the Alpha students enjoyed five
eventful days of learning and activities for 2012’s
Catholic Schools’ Week. The entire week was
centered on the community and our heritage.
Students were permitted to dress up differently
each day for certain themes concerning the day’s
activities. The attire of each day went from the
colors of the students’ nationalities to their
favorite myth or fairytale character. At the end
of the week, students wore their Alpha School
uniforms to participate in mass. During mass,
emblems were worn by the students to
recognize their homeroom’s saint or saints.
Seventh grader Hannah Baranowski
commented, “I thought it was a fun experience
and we should do it again.” Fellow classmate,
Troy McChesney added, “It was a very positive
experience, and I learned a lot about the sisters,
my community, and heritage.”
Mr. Bileck emphasized how well the
activities were put together to remind us how
special it is to have God present in our lives. His
favorite part of the week was the door
decorating contest because he learned about the
history and importance of the saints as leaders in
our community. In addition to this, he also really
enjoyed sharing snacks and socializing with the
sisters.
Finally, Catholic Schools’ Week would not
have been brought together without the help of
Ms. Olivo and Mrs. Farina. We all thank you for
such a wonderful and entertaining week.
Varsity Boys Basketball round out a season
with great effort.
The Alpha Eagle
page 5
Guess the Characters
By Tiffany Shick
Read the following dialogue. Can you tell how many characters there are? Can you describe the
characters’ personalities?
“Do you have the water? I’m really thirsty.”
“Yea, here you go. French fries always taste nice with water.”
“Um… ok..? Ah, that’s better. My mouth was parched.”
“Where are we? I think we’re lost!”
“The stars will guide us back home.”
“No, we’re not lost. All we have to do is follow the trail and then we’ll be out of these woods.”
“But it’s so dark! What if we never find our way out of here? Oh, why did you have to bring me
on your expedition?”
“Sometimes things just happen and we don’t know exactly why. To be honest, I am not even
sure why I decided to tag along.”
“Eventually we’ll get back home. I’m sure of that.”
“Be quiet! Let me concentrate and figure out exactly where we are. I have a map, just let me
take it out, okay?”
“Face it, we’re lost.”
“I told you! Even he agrees with me. Now what are we supposed to do? It’s scary!”
“I doubt anything would harm us out here. We’re probably the most intimidating creatures.”
“Yea, I agree. We’re safe out here. As long as we’re lost together, we’ll be probably be safe
together.”
“We are not lost! How many times do I have to repeat myself? I have been in these woods
several times before. Trust me, I’ll bring us all back home safely.”
“Yea, right. I remember the time when I was swimming at the pool and thought I saw a shark. It
turned out to be some kid with a float on.”
“Guys, I think we’re really, really, really lost… what is that noise??!!! Listen…”
“That’s just an owl. Grow up, will you? Wait, I think I know where we are.”
“Yes. Owls are harmless. They hunt mice and other small rodents, not humans.”
“Where? Are we headed the right way? It would be nice to have a cupcake right now, you
know?”
“I agree. As for where we are… I’m sorry, but I can’t find it on the map. Arg! This map is
stupid, it doesn’t help us one bit!”
“I-I w-was afraid of t-that! What do we do? It’s really spooky out here. I want to be home in my
bed.”
“We all do. Now stop complaining.”
“I forgot to bring my iPod with me. Anyone want to sing Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star?”
“No! You have the strangest ideas.”
“They come from my head of course!! And that’s offensive.”
“Well, do you have any brain in there?”
“Without a brain we cannot think, talk, or control any movement. Our brains are essential to our
bodies.”
“He’s unique, not strange.”
“Yea, yea. Whatever.”
“It’s cold!!! Isn’t anyone else freezing? Brrr!!!!”
“Too bad we don’t have a blanket with us.”
Answers on the last page!!
Chinese New Year
By Chloe Ditka, Malia Fairbrother
and Eiley Kaniecki
It’s time to break out the lanterns and the chopsticks!
This year is the year of the Dragon.
The symbol of the Dragon means bravery, adventures,
loyalty, and hardiness. Last year was the year of the
Rabbit.
The Chinese New Year does not follow our calendar.
There are 12 zodiac symbols.
Each symbol is meant to give a person a certain
characteristic. Traditionally, family members give
children red envelopes full of “lucky money.” The red
color symbolizes fire and the Chinese believed that fire
drove away bad luck.
The Chinese New Year brings a lot of joy to people’s
lives.
Cooking column: Smoothies!
By Mary McCarthy
Do you love sweet fruit? Then try a fruit smoothie!
They are very healthy, and they are delicious!
Smoothies come in many different flavors like
blueberry, strawberry, banana, or your other favorite
fruits.
Since spring is nearly upon us, many more fruits are
coming into season. Smoothies are so simple to
make; all you have to do is follow these steps.
(1) Get your favorite fruit (bananas, blueberries,
raspberries, etc), (2) some orange juice or milk, (3) a
little yogurt (any flavor), (4) and then blend it all
together in a blender. So next time you want to try
something new, try a cold smoothie!
This is just one way to make a smoothie, but there
are many other ways to make them, too. Try to make
your own combinations of smoothies. You can also
go to www.smoothieweb.com to find even more
delicious recipes to make at home!
Talk to you next time when we have even more ideas
for fun after school snacks or a late night craving!
JV Boys’ Basketball enjoyed an excellent
season.
Fourth Grade Explodes Into Action
By Hollie Walters
In fourth grade, everyone is erupting with excitement, just like a volcano! Speaking of volcanoes, the fourth graders
were assigned to make them for Mrs. Ott’s science class. Lilly Stokes says, "I think the volcano project is very fun and is
going to be great. I can't wait to see them erupt!" Everyone is very excited about the project. There are so many shapes,
sizes, and colors. Volcanoes can be very dangerous in real life, but they are also very interesting. Wouldn't you like to see a
volcano? I know I would! Gracie Walters said, "I think the fourth graders have done a great job with the volcanoes." She
also added, “There are so many shapes and colors. They also are very artistic." Watch out! The excitement for volcanoes is
erupting everywhere.
The Alpha Eagle
page 7
The way out, explosive
world of Mrs. Ott’s
science classes!
Alpha Basketball had
another strong season!
Can you unscramble the words?
hocltaoce ____________________
mapl nusyad ____________________
skabte ______________________
sjesu __________________________
plisut ______________________
srosc __________________________
steare ______________________
pgirsn _________________________
nubny ______________________
lpaha cholso _____________________
The Alpha Eagle
page 8
Art class at
Alpha!
Catholic Schools
Week!
Mist
By Jamie Muth
Guess the Characters: Answers
Four different people:
1. a bad tempered person with an impatient
personality
2. your average everyday person
3. a person who is a pessimist/worrywart
4. a sensible person
A waterfall tumbles down,
The water churns through the rocks,
When I look down toward the falls,
That is when it hits me,
A cool refreshing breeze of water,
Slowly drifts across my face,
I immediately relax as it washes over me,
A new friend I have discovered,
That I will love forever more.