​Letter from the Principal

 Letter from the Principal ​
Beginnings, Middles and Ends . . . So I’m thinking about what I’m going to wear to the 8th Grade Dance. It feels like I was just thinking about what I was going to wear on the first day of school. Time really does fly. My hopes and dreams for us include that we all learned SOMETHING this year. That we made a friend, that we laughed, that we did something new. Your teachers work so hard to plan meaningful experiences. And whether it was math, or science, or music . . . or whatever­ I hope and dream that somewhere at sometime during this year, you had some moments that you felt like you accomplished something important. Maybe you didn’t love every single class or project, maybe you did. But I hope and dream that you stretched your thinking in some way that opened doors for you. I hope and dream that this school year meant as much to you as it did to me. I want you to know that when I walk down the halls and you all say “Hi Ms. Romanelli,” I’m honored. I want you to know that when I visit classrooms and I see how hard you and your teachers are working, I am proud. I want you to know that even when things didn’t go exactly how we planned, I learned from that, and I hope you did too. Coming soon, lots of time to relax and have fun. And as soon as you walk out the doors on June 22, we’ll start planning for next year. Wherever you go and whatever you do, you always have a helping hand here for you at DeMasi, because you are a part of us. So go! Enjoy! We will too. And we’ll be ready and waiting to do it all again next year. If you’re moving on, we’ll still be here if you need us. Break out the spaghetti straps, flip flops and shorts as short as you like. Summer is coming. Have fun! Staff Spotlight: Ms. Mikolajczyk
By: Jessie Randiek and Tori Desimone Q: Why did you decide to be a teacher?
​
A: It's not a job, it's an adventure. I wanted to be a teacher because every day
was different. Every day brought new faces, new challenges and new adventures with all of my
students. I love working in a field that is constantly changing and in
turn I need to adjust what I know and how I teach to work with my
students.
Q: Would you ever change the grade that you teach?
A: When I started teaching at DeMasi in 2003 I taught 6th grade
for two and a half years, then I found my home in 7th grade. I really
enjoy working with all levels at middle school. I love this age and
working with kids who are starting to think about their future
career plans and aspirations.
Q: Would you ever change the subject that you teach?
A: I taught a split math/science in 6th grade. I really enjoyed the days we set up lab
experiments, created terrariums, and identified different rocks. We had a lot of fun with all
the hands-on work. I love math and the problem solving we do. Those moments when kids “get
it” are so awesome.
Q: Did you always work at DeMasi Middle?
A: I spent one year after college working in northern Virginia at Marsteller Middle School in
Manassas. I still think back to my first year and how nervous I was working with the students.
They were a good bunch of kids and I still have some of the projects we did together.
Q: Did you ever teach elementary?
A: No, and it's a good thing.
Q: What is your favorite movie(s)?
A: I love Pixar movies. I remember watching Nemo for the first time and being amazed with
the color and imagery in the movie. Recently I watched Zootopia and I couldn‛t get over how
some scenes looked as if they were filmed vs. animated.
Q: What do you like to do in your free time?
A: I love spending time with my twins, Kate and Brian. We spend our summers going to the pool,
Sesame Place, and other adventures. I enjoy relaxing with my Kindle and reading when we go to
the beach. I also love TV comedies. I‛ve recently started watching The Goldbergs and I love it!
Q: How long does it take to plan your lessons?
A: It truly depends on the lesson. Some lessons I think about for weeks. Now that the weather
is better I have planned a day to do an “Earth Day” themed lesson in math where the students
will go outside and measure the circumference of particular types of trees to determine their
age.
1 Q: Do you have any pets, if so how many do you have and what is their name(s)?
A: My whole life I have been a “dog person.” Once my kids are older I plan on getting another
dog. However, last fall we were adopted by a cat. Our cat showed up on our back porch and we
tried to find her owners for weeks. She was declawed and not able to fend for herself so we
took her in while we looked for them. Finally, we realized that she was now ours. She is the
friendliest, sweetest cat I have ever been around. She demands to be petted and loves
sleeping beside you. Q: What‛s your favorite time of the day?
A: I‛m not a morning person. I like the evening, after dinner and getting all our errands done
when my family relaxes in the living room. We play games, watch shows together, and end the
night with a book.
Q: If you were not a teacher, what would your occupation be?
A: As much as I love teaching and being in education, I have always wondered what life would
be like in a completely different field. I love the grocery store Wegmans and I always joke
that I would travel around the country and work on quality assurance for them.
Q; If you have one, what is your favorite food?
A: Sushi.
Q: Do u play any sports?
A: I love anything to do with being in the water. Staff Spotlight: Ms. Meile
Q: Why did you decide to be a teacher?
A: I didn‛t always want to be a teacher. I actually wanted to be an architect
until high school. In high school, I participated in a club that
involved visiting the elementary school and helping with the
students. I enjoyed working in the classroom so much that I
decided to study education in college and become a teacher.
Q: Would you ever change the grade that you teach?
A: Yes, I have taught many different grades. I have taught 3rd
Grade, 4th grade and 6th grade. There are things I like about each
of these grades, so I could see myself teaching a different grade
level in the future.
Q: Would you ever change the subject that you teach?
A: Yes, possibly. However, I am lucky because with my job I get to
teach many different subjects. I get to be involved in a little bit of everything.
2 Q: Did you always work at DeMasi Middle?
A: No, since I have moved to New Jersey I have always taught in the Evesham Township School
District, but not always at DeMasi Middle School. I have also taught at Marlton Middle School
and Jaggard Elementary School.
Q: Did you ever teach elementary?
A: Yes, I taught elementary school in the Wilson School District in Reading, PA and I have
taught at Jaggard Elementary School here in Evesham.
Q: What is your favorite movie(s)?
A: I have a lot of favorite movies. Many of them are older movies that love from when I was
growing up that I still love watching. I also love all of the Harry Potter Movies and will watch
them every time they are on television.
Q: What do you like to do in your free time?
A: I have two children, a 2 year old and a 5 year old. Most of my free-time is spent doing
family things with my children, which I love. When I do have time all to myself, I love to read,
run, shop, draw, create Pinterest projects, and just watch television.
Q: How long does it take to plan your lessons?
A: Completing a week‛s worth of lesson plans takes a while, but it depends on the week and what
needs to be taught. Some weeks take longer than others
Q: Do you have any pets, if so how many do you have and what is their name(s)?
A: Yes, I have a dog. Her name is Cooper. She is a boston terrier and beagle mix. This breed is
known as a boggle. She is 11 years old.
Q: What‛s your favorite time of the day?
A: Early morning, I like this time because no one else in my family is awake yet, and I have time
to myself to think, drink a cup of coffee, and get my day in order.
Q: If you were not a teacher, what would your occupation be?
A: I am not sure. However I really enjoy being creative and art. I think I would like a job
where I could be artistic.
Q; If you have one, what is your favorite food?
A: PASTA (any kind) and a good salad.
Q: Do u play any sports?
A: I used to play soccer and run cross country. I still run for stress relief and for exercise.
Staff Spotlight: Ms. Aughenbaugh
3 Q: Why did you decide to be a teacher?
A: I always enjoyed spending time with kids.
Q: Would you ever change the grade that you teach?
A: Yes, I actually have already changed grades. So far in my career I
have taught 8th, 6th, 7th, 5th grades and Kindergarten.
Q: Would you ever change the subject that you teach?
A: Yes, I have also taught Reading and Writing, Math and Science.
Q: Did you always work at DeMasi Middle?
A: No, I have also worked at; St Joan of Arc here in Marlton, Sacred
Heart School and Saint Vincent‛s School both in Hanover, PA and the
Children‛s Discovery Center in Voorhees, NJ.
Q: Did you ever teach elementary?
A: Yes (K and 5th Grade)
Q: What is your favorite movie(s)?
A: All of the Hunger Games...
Q: What do you like to do in your free time?
A: Any activity that involves being at the beach
Q: How long does it take to plan your lessons?
A: This varies from week to week.
Q: Do you have any pets, if so how many do you have and what is their name(s)?
A: I have a Beagle dog named Oliver.
Q: What‛s your favorite time of the day?
A: Early evening
Q: If you were not a teacher, what would your occupation be?
A: A photographer/videographer
Q; If you have one, what is your favorite food?
A: Pizza and cheeseburgers, it is a tie
Q: Do u play any sports?
A: I bicycle, take kickboxing, bootcamp and TRX classes, and even though I do not love it, I
run. 4 P​
e​
r​
s​
o​
n​
a​
l​
i​
ty
​​
​
Q​
u​
i​
z
If you had to create a to-do list, what would it look like?
a)
B)
C)
A)
B)
C)
D)
D)
2. If you suddenly got $1,000,000, what would you do with it?
Buy something obnoxiously expensive you want
Figure out ways to invest it and make the best return
Put off any decision-making until you feel less overwhelmed
Immediately put it into a savings account
3. What is your favorite season?
A) Fall
B) Spring
C) WInter
D) Summer
4. I typically pour ________ on my cereal.
A) Cereal? No way.
B) Whole Milk
C) COKE
D) ORANGE JUICE
5. Which food which you eat?
5 a)
B)
C)
D)
6. What is your dream vacation?
A)
B)
C)
D)
Stay at home and play video games
Go to a private island and do what you like best
Visit a family member
Visit your favorite country
If you got mostly a’s you are wild, and do not follow social rules. You
think differently than most people.
If you got mostly B’S you are a very logical person, and you stay within
society. You make good, thoughtful decisions but are sometimes too
calculating and normal, staying within conformity.
If you got mostly c’s you are slightly uneasy and unsure about your
decisions, but you do make logical humane decisions. Mostly.
If you got mostly d’s you are very average, completing everything but
not going the extra mile. You are not dumb and could be “smart” if you tried
(or maybe you are “smart”). You go with what you know, not stepping over
boundaries. 6 Fun Spring and Summer Recipes for all those Chefs out there! By: Maya Peacock Sweet and Sour Chicken Chicken Ingredients
3­4 boneless skinless chicken breasts 1 cup corn starch 2 eggs, beaten Salt, pepper, garlic powder for seasoning the chicken 1/4 cup vegetable oil (more if needed) 1 green pepper, cut into chunks 1 red or yellow bell pepper, cut into chunks 1 cup pineapple chunks Sauce Ingredients
1 1/2 cups sugar 1/2 cup ketchup 1 cup vinegar 1 1/2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce 2 teaspoons garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon coarse black pepper Directions 1. Pre­heat your oven to 325 degrees. 2. Cut chicken into 1 inch chunks, and season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. 3. Dip each piece of chicken in cornstarch, then in egg. 4. In a skillet, heat vegetable oil to medium­high heat and brown each piece of chicken on both sides. 5. Place browned chicken in a large rimmed baking sheet. Add in pineapple and pepper chunks. 6. In a large bowl whisk together all sauce ingredients and pour over the chicken. 7. Bake in the oven for about an hour, turning the chicken every 15 minutes. Remove the chicken and vegetables from the pan, and pour remaining sauce into a bowl and serve alongside the chicken if you’d like extra sauce. 8. Serve over rice and enjoy! 7 Classic Cheesy Stuffed Sausage Pasta Bake Ingredients ● 1 pound Rigatoni pasta or other small noodle ● 1 pound Italian sausage ● 26 ounce jar pasta sauce ● 15 ounces Ricotta Cheese ● 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese ● 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese ● 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese ● 1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley Directions 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and cook pasta according to package directions. Remove 1 minute before suggested cook time. Drain and set aside. 2. Cook Italian sausage in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in pasta sauce and cooked pasta. Transfer half of mixed pasta to a 9×13 inch baking dish. 3. Place Ricotta, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses into a mixing bowl and stir to combine. Spoon dollops evenly over pasta in baking dish. Spread to cover pasta. Top with remaining pasta then top with additional shredded cheese. Bake for 30 minutes, until cheese is melted. Remove and serve warm. Makes 8 Servings http://communitytable.parade.com/292785/lorilange/10­dinner­recipes­your­family­will­ask­yo
u­to­make­again/#gallery_292785­4 8 By: Renisha Parikh
Choose-a-Fruit Fools!
By: Madison Law
Fruit Popsicles
½ teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 cup whipping cream
1 to 2 tablespoons granulated
sugar
● ½ cups of any fruit you
like(strawberries, raspberries, and
much more)
You basically blend everything in and
add a little bit of fruit to the top.
Pick a few of your favorite fruits and put
them in a cup or mold. Then fill the rest of
the cup or mold with fruit juice. After that,
put the cups or molds in the freezer and
wait until your popsicle is fully frozen.
Take out the freezer and
​ango Strawberry Snow Cones
M
● Ice
● 2 Mangos peeled and sliced
● 1 Pint Strawberries, hulled and
sliced
● 1 Lime juiced, plus wedges for
garnish
Directions:
Fill a food processor with ice.
Process ice until it is very thin, almost
as it is snow.Then add the mangos
and strawberries. Pile the ice that
you crushed into dessert glasses or
any glass or dishes and then
squeeze over the lime juice. Garnish
it with lime wedges; serve this
immediately.
Homemade Ice Cream
Mix buttermilk and regular milk
together. Add in a small amount of
sugar. Then add a little squeeze of
lemon. You can add any other flavors
that you want. Put in the freezer until it
is creamy.
●
●
●
●
ENJOY​
!!
9 Aries It's a great time to initiate a new project at work or school ­­ as long as you choose the right partner for it. Pay close attention to the chemistry between the two of you. Can you keep your mind focused on the task at hand when they're around? Make sure that the two of you make a good combination. Taurus Whether you feel comfortable doing it today or not, you have to start expressing yourself more clearly. Share your feelings! If you are feeling good, let folks know. And if you are feeling grumpy, let them know even sooner! Gemini Thinking on your feet is one of your best skills, and it is one you haven't used in a while ­­ luckily, you will get to use it today when some last minute changes interrupt your carefully laid plans. This is going to be a little bit confusing, but it is also going to be a lot of fun! Cancer Today you will achieve your goal you have been waiting to accomplish. The wait has come to an end. Today you will shine bigger than ever before. Leo Explore a new culture today ­­ it will help you appreciate your own a little bit more. Try some ethnic food you've never had before. Listen to some music from a country you've never been to. These experiences will help you get back in touch with what makes you who you are and what areas you need to develop. Virgo A personal relationship that you've been struggling with will finally start to feel like it's back in balance again today. They had their issues, you had yours ­­ and now it looks like you are both back on the same page again. Try to get together with this person today and just be normal with them again. Libra It's always nice to be flexible and try to get along with people, but today you should stick to your guns about what you want to do. Don't let friends hijack your sense of what is right and what is wrong and don't be afraid to disagree with people. Scorpio You have to loosen up. You can't become too obsessed with every little detail in life. Everything is what it is ­­ some things can be changed, but some things cannot be. You'll be doing yourself a huge favor by understanding the difference between the two, especially in your personal life. Problems could arise in a partnership if you are unwilling to just let things go. Sagittarius Perhaps the most wonderful thing about inviting a new person into your life is that they bring new concepts and new ideas with them. So make some time soon to get together with this person and toss ideas back and forth. Not only will it be immense fun for both of you, but it will be a great way to grow your relationship, then take it to a deeper, more intellectual level. 10 Capricorn You might be the leader of the watercooler squad at work today since you can enjoy wasting time as long as you're having fun. But you are so quick to react now that you could say something that's not meant to be shared. Words slip out of your mouth before you even consider their impact. However, taking several deep breaths before speaking up won't negatively impact your popularity. In fact, pacing your delivery may even save you from an embarrassing blunder. If you can't say something nice, then don't say anything at all. Aquarius You're living out the part of a social butterfly today, flying from one fascinating conversation to the next. However, you don't have to avoid an awkward subject, even if it leads into unfamiliar territory. Although you might choose to circumvent the most passionate discussions for now, you can still clear the air by sharing what's on your mind. Pisces You appear to be putting in maximum effort on anything you take seriously today. However, you could simultaneously get lost in your daydreams, even if your double life isn't noticed by anyone else. Although others can't tell how far from reality your mind is meandering, they can see that your rich imagination adds something special to your practical ideas. Don't hesitate to share your creative point of view now, even if it seems crazy to you at first. By: Christina Mowad and Prachi Lad Fun, Cheap And Easy Things To Do Over The Summer! By Isabel Marshall 1.
2.
3.
4.
Go to the Liberty Bell! Have a water balloon fight with your friends! Go on a road trip! Have a movie party with your friends/family and watch a bunch of movies! 5. Have a picnic in the park! 6. Go swimming! 7. Go for a bike ride! 8. Go to the Jersey Shore! 9. Go for a hike! 10. Stargaze! 11. Have a barbeque! 12. Make a lemonade stand! 13. Go to a museum! 14. Have a campfire! 11 July Horoscopes
Capricorn:​
December 22-January 19
Aquarius:​
January 20-​
February 18
Pisces:​
February 20-​
March 20
Aries:​
March 21-​
April 19
Taurus:​
April 20-​
May 20
Gemini: ​
May 21-​
June 21
Cancer:​
June 22​
-July 23
Leo: ​
July 24​
-August 23
Virgo: ​
August 22​
-September 22
Libra: ​
September 22-​
October 22
Scorpio: ​
October 23​
-November 22
Sagittarius: ​
November 23-​
December 21
Capricorn: ​
You will enjoy life because of one thing, maybe your pet or a hobby that you love.
Anyway, it will make your life amazing even when things go wrong.
Aquarius:​
This month you will learn to cook a food you really love, and you will love it even
​
more by adding a special ingredient that only you will know to put in.
Pisces: ​
You need to break out of the mass some more than you usually do. If you like
something others don’t care for, do it! Express yourself, don’t follow the herd.
Aries:​
You will become a lot closer to someone you are already very good friends with.
​
Taurus: ​
Take this month off, you’ve earned it!
Gemini: ​
Gemini, Gemini. You’re different, and so this month will be not out of the ordinary.
You weren’t expecting that, weren’t you?
Cancer:​
You will find something awesome in a very unexpected place, but have fun with it
while you can because it won’t be there forever.
Leo: ​
The tables have shown your fate, and so this month will bring you happiness! You will
meet a person that will change your life for the better, lighting up your world.
Virgo: ​
You’ll allow yourself to express yourself even more than you do now, showing off your
creativity to the world. Whether it be in academics, art, or sports, you will present true talent.
Libra: ​
You’re special, and so this month will be special for you. You’ll discover a hidden
talent, yet it will come at the cost of another thing you hold near and dear to your heart.
Scorpio: ​
This is your month to stop and smell the roses. Figuratively, of course. It means
that you need to pause and enjoy the small things in life. So do it! You might discover
something incredible by just stopping and living in the present.
Sagittarius: ​
You will get an amazing gift but it will come at a deadly cost.
12 Summer Outfit Ideas
By: Emily Smith
Lazy​
:
❖
A stripy tank top, with comfy shorts, a
nice pair of sneakers, and a braid.
Casual​
:
A flowy light t-shirt, with denim jean
shorts, strappy sandals, sunglasses, and
some bracelets.
❖
Fancy​
:
❖
​nice dress for the day or at night,
A
with a nice pair of heels or flats. You
can even wear a nice pair of shorts or
pants and a top.
Beachy​
:
A bathing suit/bikini, sunglasses, shorts,
sandals, and a flowy top is a perfect outfit for
the beach!
❖
13 Superhero Review
by: Aarushi Gupta
Vixen
Real name: Mari Jiwe McCabe
Abilities: Able to take the traits of animals - flying,
agility
Crimefighter, model, business woman
First Introduced: 1981 Action #521
Origin Story: ​
Born in Zambesi, Mari’s mother was killed by poachers. She was raised by the reverend
of her village, her father, until he was killed by his brother when his brother stole what was to
become the source of Vixen’s power; the Tantu Totem. The totem was a gift granted by Anansi the
Spider to Tantu, the first legendary hero of Africa. The totem was used in defense of the animals that
were being poached to the point of extinction for their pelts. The totem was passed down to the
descendants of Tantu, eventually reaching the McCabes. After becoming orphaned, Mari fled to
America and used her beauty to become a model and travel the world. On one trip to Africa, Mari
steals back the totem. Using that power, she became Vixen. As Mari, she became a strong
animal-rights activist. Over her many years, she takes part in many groups such as the Suicide Squad
and The Justice League of America.
The Bookworm Recommends by: Aarushi Gupta
A Discovery of Witches
By: Deborah Harkness
This book is absolutely stunning. The story begins with an American
scholar named Diana Bishop studying the history of science in
England, but Diana isn’t a normal human. She’s a witch and she shares
the world with other witches, vampires and daemons. Diana is
determined not to use magic in her life. She lives like any other person
until one day when everything changes. She calls up an ancient
alchemical manuscript called the Ashmole 782. The manuscript has
been binded by a curse, but as soon as she places her hand on it, the
curse breaks. Unsettled by the outburst of energy, Diana returns the
book to the stacks, not realizing that she is about to be caught in a
whirlwind of trouble. She meets the handsome and mysterious
vampire, Matthew Clairmont and is forcefully brought into the world
of magic and creatures. This book is part of a trilogy. It will interest
anyone with a taste for romance, contemporary fantasy, adventure or history. 5 stars! 14 Great Summer Books ​
By Isabel Marshall 1. Walk Two Moons​
: ​
Thirteen­year­old Salamanca Tree Hiddle, proud of her country roots and the "Indian­ness in her blood," travels from Ohio to Idaho with her eccentric grandparents. Along the way, she tells them of the story of Phoebe Winterbottom, who received mysterious messages, who met a "potential lunatic," and whose mother disappeared. As Sal entertains her grandparents with Phoebe's outrageous story, her own story begins to unfold­­the story of a thirteen­year­old girl whose only wish is to be reunited with her missing mother. 2. ​
Wonder​
: ​
August Pullman was born with a facial difference that, up until now, has prevented him from going to a mainstream school. Starting 5th grade at Beecher Prep, he wants nothing more than to be treated as an ordinary kid—but his new classmates can’t get past Auggie’s extraordinary face. WONDER, now a #1 ​
New York Times​
bestseller and included on the Texas Bluebonnet Award master list, begins from Auggie’s point of view, but soon switches to include his classmates, his sister, her boyfriend, and others. These perspectives converge in a portrait of one community’s struggle with empathy, compassion, and acceptance. 3. ​
When You Reach Me​
: By sixth grade, Miranda and her best friend, Sal, know how to navigate their New York City neighborhood. They know where it's safe to go, and they know who to avoid. Like the crazy guy on the corner. But things start to unravel. Sal gets punched by a kid on the street for what seems like no reason, and he shuts Miranda out of his life. The apartment key that Miranda's mom keeps hidden for emergencies is stolen. And then a mysterious note arrives, scrawled on a tiny slip of paper. The notes keep coming, and Miranda slowly realizes that whoever is leaving them knows things no one should know. Each message brings her closer to believing that only she can prevent a tragic death. Until the final note makes her think she's too late. 4. ​
To Kill a Mockingbird:​
Compassionate, dramatic, and deeply moving, ​
To Kill A Mockingbird​
takes readers to the roots of human behavior ­ to innocence and experience, kindness and cruelty, love and hatred, humor and pathos. Now with over 18 million copies in print and translated into forty languages, this regional story by a young Alabama woman claims universal appeal. Harper Lee always considered her book to be a simple love story. Today it is regarded as a masterpiece of American literature 5:​
The Firestone Crystal:​
​
Instead of spending six weeks sunning herself on a tropical beach, Thea finds herself unceremoniously packed up and sent off to stay with a grandfather she barely knows for the entire summer! But when he has a strange reunion with a mysterious childhood friend, Thea gets the opportunity to visit a world beyond the stars, and become Earth's first student to enrol in an experimental Interplanetary Education Programme at the Firestone Academy, where lessons in telepathy and astral projection are part of the curriculum. Things, however, are not as straightforward as they seem. Not only is she having increasingly disturbing dreams, one of her fellow students despises her and will stop at nothing to make her leave, and as for that hideously deformed cave­dwelling creature, what can it possibly want with her? 15 6: ​
Heist Society:​
For as long as she can remember, Katarina has been a part of the family business­thieving. When Kat tries to leave "the life" for a normal life, her old friend Hale conspires to bring her back into the fold. Why? A mobster's art collection has been stolen, and Kat's father is the only suspect. Caught between Interpol and a far more deadly enemy, Kat's dad needs her help. 7:​
Jonathan’s Locket: ​
Orphaned Jonathan Palmer is a fifteen year that crashed into the ​
reef on Grand Cayman in 1794. This famous shipwreck was known as the Wreck of the Ten Sails. Jonathan was not lucky enough to survive the wreck along with eight other seamen. Problem was, no one ever knew he was even on board. Two centuries later strange sightings have been reported of ghost ships, screams and eerie lights off the east end of Grand Cayman. Brandon Wallace, a troubled teen seems to acquire a strange affliction and begins to have bizarre encounters from the sea where he befriends a mystical sea turtle who holds the secrets to the mysterious sightings as he plunges into the world of the paranormal . Here he is compelled to embark on a dangerous journey, risking his life to uncover the dark secret of Jonathan’s death. This task proves to be even more dangerous when one of Brandon’s closest friends has other plans for him. This book won a Silver Award from Reader’s Favorite for Young Adult Mystery and is a finalist for the Wind Dancer Film Contest.old stowaway aboard the doomed ship The Convert which was part of the fleet 8: ​
Speak​
: "Speak up for yourself­­we want to know what you have to say." From the first moment of her freshman year at Merryweather High, Melinda knows this is a big fat lie, part of the nonsense of high school. She is friendless, outcast, because she busted an end­of­summer party by​
​
calling the cops, so now nobody will talk to her, let alone listen to her. As time passes, she becomes increasingly isolated and practically stops talking altogether. Only her art class offers any solace, and it is through her work on an art project that she is finally able to face what really happened at that terrible party: she was raped by an upperclassman, a guy who still attends Merryweather and is still a threat to her. Her healing process has just begun when she has another violent encounter with him. But this time Melinda fights back, refuses to be silent, and thereby achieves a measure of vindication. In Laurie Halse Anderson's powerful novel, an utterly believable heroine with a bitterly ironic voice delivers a blow to the hypocritical world of high school. She speaks for many a disenfranchised teenager while demonstrating the importance of speaking up for oneself. 9: ​
Eragon​
: Perfect for fans of Lord of the Rings, the ​
New York Times b
​estselling Inheritance Cycle about the dragon rider Eragon has sold over 35 million copies and is an international fantasy sensation. Fifteen­year­old Eragon believes that he is merely a poor farm boy—until his destiny as a Dragon Rider is revealed. Gifted with only an ancient sword, a loyal dragon, and sage advice from an old storyteller, Eragon is soon swept into a dangerous tapestry of magic, glory, and power. Now his choices could save—or destroy—the Empire. 10: ​
Call it Courage:​
A boy tries to overcome his fear of the sea in this treasured classic and winner of the Newbery Medal. Maftu was afraid of the sea. It had taken his mother when he was a baby, and it seemed to him that the sea gods sought vengeance at having been cheated of Mafatu. So, though he was the son of the Great Chief of Hikueru, a race of Polynesians who worshipped courage, and he was named Stout Heart, he feared and avoided the sea, till everyone branded him a coward. When he could no longer bear their taunts and jibes, he determined to conquer that fear or be conquered­­ so he went off in his canoe, alone except for his little dog and pet albatross. A storm gave him his first challenge. Then days on a desert island found him resourceful beyond his own expectation. This is the story of how his courage grew and how he finally returned home. This is a legend. It happened many years 16 ago, but even today the people of Hikueru sing this story and tell it over their evening fires. What Harry Potter Character are you?
What would you have as a pet?
A. Rat
B. Owl
C. Cat
D. A toad
What would you describe yourself as?
A. Funny
B. Brave
C. Smart
D. Clumsy
When you are throwing a party you would…
A. Start telling jokes
B. Go along with everything and nod and smile
C. Clean up all the messes people make and read
D. Stay in a corner and you don’t speak
In school you…
A. Goof off
B. Get in trouble
C. Listen to every single word the teacher said
D. Are afraid of everything and you don’t raise your hand often
After
A.
B.
C.
D.
school you…
Play chess
Play sports
Read and do homework
Watch sports
You have…
A. Red hair
B. Black hair
C. Brown hair
D. Blonde hair
Your favorite color is…
A. Orange
B. Red
C. Lilac
D. Green
Your eye color is…
A. Blue
B. Green
C. Brown
17 D. Amber
How to Fly a Plane: Instrument Pilot Edition By: Pranav Kuppili Edited by: Zachary Little This is a continuation of our previous articles, the Student Edition and the Private pilot edition. This is part three of the series. 1. Student pilot​
​
­ a pilot that is a student, ready for something more advanced. 2. Sports pilot​
​
­ A pilot who can only fly a plane with two seats at max. 3. Recreational pilot​
­ A pilot who can only have one other passenger, but can have a 4 seat airplane. 4. Private pilot​
­ Can fly at night, get money for PERSONAL business. Can fly a plane with 6 seats. 5. Commercial pilot​
­ Can fly for hire. First need a Private Pilot’s License. 6. ATP (Airline Transport Pilot)​
­ An airline Transport Pilot is the hardest. You need 1,500 hours of experience. You need to have an Instrument Rating.* An ATP­r (ATP restricted) is a pilot who doesn’t have to meet the tough parts, and a little bit easier to get. The highest they could get is being a co­pilot. *
An instrument rating is something extra you could receive that gives you permission to fly through clouds. This means that you could fly using only the instruments on the plane. That lets you fly without needing to see the horizon. An instrument pilot means that you can fly IFR. This means you don’t look out of the windshield. An instrument pilot has an instrument rating. This means you will rely only on the instruments. So it is almost like covering all the windows. The first step is to learn how to do major altitude changes. There are three steps to do this. The first step is to find your goal altitude. You need to radial scan your instruments. You radial scan the instruments like the picture shows. You start at the AI (Attitude Indicator), and go to the Airspeed Indicator, and come back to the AI. Then you continue on. You trim to go onto the climb or descent. Now you need to monitor scan. You can monitor scan by using the picture to the right. If you are going to do a straight climb. You know your primary focus is on the heading indicator, and the airspeed indicator. You use those to aid you to do an altitude change. 18 Lesson 1: In this lesson, you will learn how to land an airplane… in fog! There are many procedures you need to do to land it. First, you need to look at the VOR Approach chart. It would look something like the chart, to the right. The most top part of the sheet shows you the frequencies you will encounter on your landing. Below that is the map that tells you your path, and shows the intersections. If you are coming in a bad angle, you should follow a racetrack course reversal. This is the oval shape near the big circle (VOR) on the map. You can go around on it until you’re at a good angle to land. You could also do the barb course reversal, where you go over the runway, climb while going on the barb turn, and land. Underneath this is the landing heights. As you can see, it shows how you descend. The arrow at the end tells you that is the point that if you cannot see the runway, land at another airport. If you can see the runway, land! Below that is the minima section, which is the lowest altitudes you can go to. Now we can start the procedure. You just follow the VOR (which you put in the plane) and chart, and you land nicely. Lesson 2: ILS approach This approach makes landing in fog or low clouds easier than the VOR approach, because this one tells you glide slope (the perfect height,)and the direction. The chart is basically the same, with the exception of the frequency of the IFR station. The picture on the right shows a picture of the instrument you need when you are conducting an IFR approach. The horizontal bar is the glide slope bar. If it points up, you need to fly higher. If you need to fly lower, it will point down. The vertical bar is the localizer, which basically is the same as a VOR indicator. If you follow this, you are in for a perfect landing. Lesson 3: Holding Pattern A Holding Pattern is a way to park in the sky. So first you have to go towards your VOR to do this. First, you have to put a minute on the clock, and when it is done, turn with a twenty degree bank. Once you did this then you go one minute in the other direction. You repeat this pattern until you have permission to land. There are many ways to enter a holding pattern. For example, you can enter the Teardrop entrance way which is shown to the right. You could also come in on the parallel formation, which you come in straight, and then you turn to the holding pattern. You could also come in on a straight entry. A straight entry is shown at right. So basically, you come towards the VOR, and then you turn to your holding pattern. This is the easiest entry. The teardrop entry is a little more difficult. You use the teardrop entry when you are entering from a difficult angle. The last way you can enter the holding pattern, is when you are also coming in from a difficult angle. You use the methods shown below. ​
So, these are the basics for flying a plane​
. 19 20 Product Review by Sabir Belfquih Ipad Pro 9.7 2016 I will be telling you today about the ipad pro 9.7 which is a smaller version of the ipad pro. I named it the ipad pro mini, very ridiculous I know. Well, the ipad pro 9.7 has the new apple a9x chip powering the ipad which is AWESOME because the is even better than the iphone 6s and 6s plus and will be the fastest ipad in history. It also has a flash under the beatiful 12 megapixel camera it has the same camera as the iphone 6s which is crazy. Who takes pictures with an ipad…. Also, it has a 3 pin connector. You can buy the Apple keyboard that costs $150. It also has a 9.7 inch screen which you might already know and the battery life on this thing is unknown. There is a fingerprint scanner and a pink color again just like the iphone SE. Something awesome about this ipad is that it has 4 loud speaker on each side of the ipad which is the best speaker system on any tablet in the world. It has a 5mp front facing facetime camera. That is all we know right now about the ipad pro 9.7. The price of this beast of an ipad is $599 for the 32 GB, $749 for the 128 GBs, and the cellar version of this is to add $130 dollars to the original price. Iphone SE The iphone SE came out already so people know about it, but you may not. Here are some things you should know about the iphone SE. The “SE” stands for “special edition.” The iphone SE is technically a iphone 6s jammed into a iphone 5s shape and size. It was “specially” made for people that liked the iphone 5s and wanted smaller screens to handle better. It also looks a lot like the iphone 5s. In fact, it uses the same kind of shell and glass and metal that the iphone 5s had which means not very good durability. Also, it does not have 3d touch which would have made it better. There is a pink color for the iphone SE. Here is the awesome part: the iphone 5s was a normal phone but now the iphone SE now has an a9 chip which is awesome. The iphone 5s only had a a7 chip the makes the SE as fast as the iphone 6s. The iphone SE also has 2gb of ram which is not a big upgrade because the iphone 5s has 1gb of ram. If you stack that up to the Samsung phone, most of them of 4 or 3 gbs of ram. There is also a big upgrade on camera. The 5s had a 8 megapixel camera. The SE has a 12 megapixel isight camera which is the same camera. The iphone 6s has a 1642 mah battery which the 5s had an 1560 mah battery but compare that to the samsung galaxy s7 which has a 3000mah battery. It also has the same screen as the 5s which the people will not love because they do want the same size screen but they do want a nonreflective screen. The iphone se it is selling right now for $299, which is very good price. Also the 5s is now cut down price from $399 to $199 which is a better price for people who want the 5s. 21 Ozobots By: Nicholas Passanante Looking for something fun to do? Check out the Ozobot! It is a small robot that scans colors and follows lines. But trust me, it gets better than that. There are different codes that an Ozobot can recognize and read, some of the codes are below… Image from: ​
ecx.images­amazon.com When the Ozobot follows the track that you must draw it turns the same colors as the lines. Now alone this is just a cool color show, but when the colors are together like in the picture above, the Ozobot can perform different tasks. For instance, blue black blue as a code, tells the Ozobot to go fast. After the robot hits the code, it will continue its journey going fast, until it is told otherwise. There are various codes that tell the the Ozobot to do many things such as a tornado spin which it a fast spin. This device can be educational as well. It is used by many teachers in school. This small little robot can help open up many careers in coding. And guess what? This robot works on paper and electronics! There are numerous apps that provide Ozobot tracks. Just place the robot down and ZOOM! The Ozobot can provide hours of entertainment for all ages. Ozobots can be found at Barnes and Nobles, so what are you waiting for? Get an Ozobot today! 22 Finding DoryThis fish comes back, but this time with problems of her own.
With the help of her friends (Nemo and Marlin), she tries to
reunite with her mother and father.
The HuntsmanThis movie is a sequel, and the story revolves around the
character Chris Hemsworth plays.
Alice through the Looking GlassThis movie is another version of Alice in Wonderland. Watch
this movie and it will take you to many adventures.
The BFGAnother version of the movie BFG is coming out. The star of this movie is
Mark Rylance.
23 S
R N W P F A M I L Y S M R I I M U W I O I U P J P O N I A W C T E M Q C L N Y O O O T O N Y E A G R M A H L K Z H C S A C M I E M I U E Z O E P C P K E N S L O O P B S R X L F A T H E R S D Y C N I E H D C E E N X I S M I I A I A N T F H V B A S E B A L L W S W P G B O R B B Y U W L B K A O S O A R R R E N E T N F O A R O I A R R A Y E N M N R S A L S A M H C R I V B V I L C P H W O K P I O H E K A I P S J H F I S H I N G I U L H A S S H K I E N C Z E L S P S L N S G O A U N B E S N T A S P E M I T A L M Y D L C E B I B S I T T S H M U Y T I A A K V A C A T I O N A S A Word Bank:
​
~Summer
~Vacation
~Beach
~Pool
~Baseball
~Camping
~Sunshine
~ Family
~Father’s Day ~Picnic
~Fishing
24 The Void ​
​
By:Maya Peacock Sequel to The Skipping Stone I opened my eyes to what seemed like nothing. Have I died and gone to heaven? Am I in space, doomed to float for all eternity. I couldn’t see anything. It was almost like my thoughts were floating all around me, all dark and dreary. What am I doing here? I took a deep breath to make sure I can breath. “Well, that’s good,” I said a little relieved. But can I move? I moved my arms and legs stretching them out to feel some kind of wall. I was a star fish floating in space. There was no walls, there was no floor. I started to panic, panting heavily. “What do I do?” I yelled. Is it possible to be the opposite of claustrophobic. How do I move? I flapped my arms like a bird. I’m sure I looked silly moving around like a crazy person. I changed my form to a swimming frog. Something my Mother taught me when I was younger. “Mother.” I realized. My family. I stopped moving. I erased them just like the rest of the world. Everyone I care about gone. “What have I done?” I said about to cry. Eliza didn’t even do anything. My sister was the sweetest girl I ever knew. I still wonder how she can stay so cheerful. “Eliza.” I whispered to myself. At that moment I cried. Cried more than I ever cried before. My face in my hands, covering my shame. But what was the point. No one was there to watch me, or comfort me. “Why are you crying?” A mysterious yet sweet voice called to me. I looked up from my misery. It couldn’t be. That almost sounded like…. I turned around. The air around me turned white nearly blinding me. There she was standing not too far from me, still wearing her beautiful smile, looking even prettier than the day I last saw her. “Eliza!” I yelled, not believing my own eyes. “Ernest!” she cried. I swam to her and she tried to run. She started to spin in a circle. When I got to her I stopped her rotation. That same sparkle in her eyes. I hugged her as tight as I could. “I’m so sorry Eliza,” I said with tears in my eyes. “Sorry about what?” she said so innocently. Poor Eliza, she had no idea what really happened. What I have done. I grabbed her hand and swam in the direction I came from. “Where are we going?” Eliza asked. “To find a way out of here.” I had Eliza ride on my back while we moved. It was like we were playing horsey, like back at home. Except I was swimming...in an empty void. I had to stop. My arms were burning more than the sun. “I’m bored.” Eliza said. She laid down in her invisible bed with her eyes barely open. “We have to keep moving Eliza. I’m sure we’re almost there.” I lied. 25 “I don’t want to.” Eliza refused lifting herself to cross her arms. Frustrated, I grabbed her arms. “Come on Eliza.” “No!” she yelled back. “I want Mommy!” I stopped and let go. Eliza started to cry. “Mommy. Mommy!” she cried. I wrapped my arms around her to comfort her. “Shhh, don’t worry Eliza, Mother will find us soon.” I lied again. I’m tired of lying to her. I was tired of lying to myself. She needed Mother, I needed Mother. Eliza stopped her crying fit. “I’m hungry.” she winded. Now that I think of it, I was hungry too. Man, I could really go for Mother’s Apple pie. That pie would satisfy any man or woman. I loved her pie. “Ernest?” I turned to the voice. A woman appeared in my path. She seemed very familiar but different. “Mother!” I finally realized. She was only different because she wasn’t cleaning. She still looked as bright as ever. What made this star soar was the pie she held in her hands. Eliza and I swam to her as fast as we could. I grabbed mother first, giving her the tightest squeeze possible. I believe she nearly popped. Eliza got her hands on the pie and got herself the largest, hand scooped, piece of pie her little hands could muster. “Ernest dear, what is happening?” Mother asked in a bit of a panic. She was a tilted figure, trying to grab hold of the little balance she had. I helped her balance herself. “We are trying to find an end to this place,” I said hoping she would have a better answer. It never came. “So we are just finding an end?” asked Mother a bit befuddled. “Yep, that’s the plan.” I replied, not too sure of the plan. Mother was already over near Eliza cleaning her face. Mother always needs something to clean. Maybe that’s a way she copes with her worries. I wish I had a way to cope with my troubles. We just kept swimming. I knew that everyone thought it was pointless. I knew it was pointless. Mother kept her mouth shut, but her face was drowning in worry and doubt. I had stopped because I knew we all needed to stop. That’s when she let it out. “Ernest honey, I think we need to stop.” “I know, that’s why we’re taking a little break. We can resume once…” “No,” she cut me off. “This is meaningless. We need to stop.” We we’re in silence for a moment. What are we supposed to do? There is ​
literally n
​othing. “Ernest, we need your father,” she said looking at me with solemn eyes. “If we are going to be trapped here we need to be trapped as a family.” She was right but I wanted her to be wrong. I didn’t want father to be here, I didn’t even know how to get people…. Wait. When I thought of my family I thought love. Love may just be the answer, but had no love to give for father. I never wanted to see him again. “We don’t need father,” I said. “We have everything we need right here.” I thought really hard of how I loved Mama’s pie and it appeared. This time with a tray. Eliza swam to it, but accidentally hits her little fingers on the metal tray. She started to cry once again. Mother swam to her the see her fingers. They were red, but they weren’t bleeding. To Eliza, it stung like the dickens. “I want Daddy!” she cried out. It seemed to have echoed through space. That’s when I realized. I may not need to help of father no longer, but that doesn't mean that I should keep him away from my family. I thought of something that might just help. That one time that I can remember when Dad was there for me. I thought real hard. “Ernest?” I didn’t have to turn. I knew who it was. Father swam over to me to give me a hug. I dodged. “Mom and Eliza are the ones who need you not me.” I nearly yelled. “But Ernest I…” I cut him off. “No, just leave me alone!” I turned around. I wanted him to see my face. I wanted him to see how truly upset I was. But what I saw was how truly sorrowful he was. 26 “Ernest, I am so sorry,” He said wiping away the tears. “I know that I wasn’t here for you many times, but you need to understand that the reason I work so much is to make sure you and the family are safe and satisfied.” I looked down at my shoes in embarrassment. I didn’t realize how selfish I was being. “No matter what Ernest, I will take you to the fireworks for now on.” That’s when I looked up. I say that my father was sincere. I cried. I cried my heart out. My dad was finally going to take me to the fireworks, after all these years. I swam to him and he extended his arms. We touched and we connected. It was the first time we’ve connected in a while. Mother and Eliza joined in. We were one big happy family again. This gave a feeling that I haven’t truly had before. Love. Suddenly, things started to violently shake. We held each other tight, unsure of what was about to happen. I shut my eyes. I was scared, I was worried. Worried for my safety, worried for my family. Finally, everything stopped. The only thing that was moving was the thumping of my heart. I slowly opened my eyes, and to my astonishment, we were back in the safety of our home. “Yea!” Eliza cheered as she danced around, happy to be home. I sat there, looking at my parents, looking at Eliza, looking at everything. Were we truly home. Mom and Dad seemed to do the samething. In the corner I saw a pebble. An unharmed pebble. Wait? Was that the same rock I tried to smash. Were we in the rock? No...maybe…. I didn’t really feel like thinking. Dingle dingle dingling. ​
The bells that called to the townsfolk that the firework were about to begin. I looked at dad and he gave a smile and a nod. We all got up and went to the fireworks. They were beautiful. Red, blue, red, blue, purple. We were all in a daze watching the beautiful colors. I moved my eyes away from the beauty to see my dad. He must’ve noticed me and we met eyes. He gave a warm smile and we both continued to watch the sky. There were no words needed. He was glad that he came. So was I.
________________________________________________
_ Darkened​
(continued from January)
A Story By: Annabelle Smith
Crystal and Eric arrived seemingly late, the rest of the teenagers were glaring at them.
“What are all of you looking at?” Eric sneered. Crystal slunk off to stand behind two team
members, both girls. One turned to look at Crystal, and nudged the other so she would turn.
“Who are you? Are you the new member?” The first girl asked. Crystal didn’t move. She was
too busy processing the information.
“Eric, you’re not even part of this,” a boy in the front scoffed, folding his arms. Eric
shrugged, grinning toothily at Crystal. The boy turned to eye Crystal, looking her up and down. He
unfolded his arms.
“What’s your name?” the boy asked, with a different tone than the one he used on Eric.
“Crystal, I think I’m the new-” the boy held up his hand to silence her.
“Our new member. I’m Trent, the leader. These two are Autumn and Gertie,” He waved
towards the two girls who had tried to talk to Crystal. They shifted their feet. Crystal nodded. Eric
coughed and straightened his tie.
“So, you’re all good then Crystal?” He whispered at her. Obviously, he didn’t enjoy hanging
with these people. Crystal felt her heart melt at the sight of his scaredness. Eric wasn’t usually like
this. He had helped Crystal, sort of. She stepped towards him and lightly kissed his cheek.
27 “See you soon?” She asked. Eric nodded and stumbled away. Trent chuckled.
“He your boyfriend? Heh. Stay away from those king followers, you’re better off with us,”
Trent set his hand on Crystal’s back. Crystal shoved it away. He was a jerk to Eric.
“He’s not my boyfriend. And I’ll be friends with whoever I want,” Crystal shot, backing away
from him. Trent’s smile transformed into a forced grin.
“Look, punk,” He pushed his finger at her chest. She stood taller. “You just got here. I’ve
been here for at least six years. You’ve only been here for what, two hours? Don’t act like you own
the place,” Trent spit, storming away into the locker rooms behind them. Crystal threw up her
hands.
“I don’t know why I’m here or what we’re even doing!” She muttered, sitting down on one of
the benches. Autumn and Gertie sat down next to her.
“Don’t listen to Trent, Crystal. He’s a jerk,” Gertie rubbed her back. Autumn nodded.
“Look, this is a team of superheroes. You’re Crystal, one of the lost children,” Autumn
started. Crystal raised her eyebrow.
“Lost children?” Gertie’s face fell at the mention of them.
“Yeah, children that were accidently sent to Earth instead of staying here,” Gertie explained.
“You fly. I can read minds. Gertie can turn invisible. You get the point. All of us have
superpowers,” Autumn finished, dimples showing as she grinned. Crystal nodded, trying to seem
like she understood. Autumn tilted her head.
“You don’t get it.”
“Nope.” The three girls laughed like old friends, all standing.
“Come on Crystal. Let’s go get you suited up.”
~
Crystal felt weird in the suit, unlike her. She sat by herself in the locker room, eyes darting
to take in everything. Crystal pulled her jacket closer, finding herself missing Eric. Suddenly, there
was a knock at the window. She looked up to see Eric’s face. Crystal grinned, running over to pop
the window. Eric fell on top of her, making her giggle.
“Why are you alone?” she asked.
“What are you doing here?” They asked at the same time, standing. Crystal wiped off the
dirt and turned towards Eric.
“They left for pizza. Answer my question,” Crystal winked. Eric’s face flushed.
“I wanted to see you before you have to go,” Eric mumbled. Crystal’s eyebrow raised.
“What? Why do I have to leave?”
“You- you’re going on a mission, and I’ll probably never see you again,” Eric blurted, biting
his lip. Crystal’s mouth fell open.
“Never see you again? But, but, I don’t like the team! And, and...” Crystal stepped closer. “I’ll
miss you.” Crystal felt tears escape, and she collapsed into Eric’s arms.
“I’ll miss you too,” he replied sadly. Crystal’s eyes widened, an idea popping into her brain.
“We could run away! Back to Earth! Pretend to be human,” Crystal excitedly exclaimed,
shaking Eric. He tilted his head, reminding Crystal of Autumn.
“That’s a good idea, but...” Crystal smiled, pulling Eric in close.
“I love you.” He didn’t say anything in response for a few seconds, registering what she had
said.
“But how? I know almost nothing about you!” Eric pleaded. Crystal’s face fell.
“I just, I just thought that-”
“I love you too, you idiot!” Eric grinned. Crystal wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing
her face into his.
“We’ll make this work,” Crystal murmured, eyes gazing out the window. Eric nodded.
28 “Somehow.”
Disney’s Heroes Book 1 of 2: Rise of the Villains By: Hayden Banks and Matthew Weaver (Based off of Disney’s Kingdom Keepers) It was a beautiful day in Florida. “Okay kids time to go to DISNEY WORLD!” said Mr. Brownfield. “YAY!!!!!!!” When the Brownfields got to Disney World’s Magic Kingdom parking lot, the Brownfield’s car was freezing cold. A weird looking woman stared at them. “Hello, nice family. Do you want me to show you around this park?” This witch had a screeching voice like she swallowed an angry cat and her skin was pearly white, much like a polar bear. However, her hands. Her hands were green, with giant scales like a fish. “No thank you, Mrs ­ uh ­ what’s your name?” “Mrs. Meficent.” “Oh, ok. Thank you, Mrs. Meficent.” “See you soon,” Mrs. Meficent mumbled. The weird woman walked away and the car became warm again. “Okay, kids let’s go into the park.” Magic Kingdom was filled with laughter and cheer. It was decorated with a lot of green. After all, it was the time for St. Patrick’s day. “What ride do you guys want to go on first?” “We want to go to Space Mountain.” Space Mountain was the kids favorite ride. It was also the darkest and the easiest place to hide. Space Mountain was the hideout of Maleficent and her companions. Her companions are all the Disney Villains and Animatronics, but she controls them. During the day, they’re programmed to do what they are programmed to do. At night, they come alive. I mean ​
come alive!​
Not like they do in the day where they ​
look​
alive. They come out of their rides and roam the park. When the Brownfields got on the ride, the lights began to flash as they slowly climbed the hill. “Here we go!” said Mrs. Brownfield. Then all of a sudden, the Brownfields became cold. “I TOLD YOU!” There was the scratchy voice. The ride stopped. “What’s happening?” The two kids, John and Sally Brownfield asked. Their voices sounded terrified. Then out of nowhere, Sally vanished. “Where’s Sally?” John asked. “YOU ARE A DISGRACE TO THE DISNEY VILLAINS!” There was the voice. Again. “AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!” “Oh my gosh! That was Sally’s VOICE!” Mrs. Brownfield screamed. “COME AND GET YOUR LITTLE GIRL!” “Okay this voice is getting REALLY annoying.” “HEY! THAT’S MEAN!” Now, Mrs. Brownfield got out of the car but she couldn’t see anything. It was pitch black, but out of nowhere, the lights came on and all the Brownfields sighed with relief. What they saw, however, was not one person, but ​
two​
. One of them was the old lady and one was another witch, probably her daughter. Then, they attacked. Everything went black. The Brownfields were gone! 29 Book 2 of 2: Heroes are Born “AAAHHHHH!” The Brownfields were flying through darkness. It wasn't the kind of fun darkness on Space Mountain, however. It was pitch black darkness that would give you goosebumps. “MOM! DAD! WHATS GOING ON!” screamed John. Suddenly, the Space Mountain car/spaceship rushed into bright neon green light. Then, pitch black. Again. “Oh COME ON!” John is mad. No, ENRAGED! He hates the dark. Especially when it is in the presence of a villain. The most evil villain of ALL TIME! We’re not talking about your average steal an old woman's purse kinda guy. We’re talking, MALEFICENT!!!!! DUN DUN DUN!!! You could hear nothing but silence. A few days later, Sean Lingston was riding his bike back home when he got a text from Larry Howell/Lingston. Hey sean! Uh, you gotta get to magic kingdom RIGHT NOW! Larry is Sean’s best friend and they had plans to go to the magic kingdom that day and ride all of their favorite rides one last time before they move to Colorado together.* *In case you didn’t know, they are step-brothers Sean got another text from Larry. They closed Space Mountain! That meant that Sean HAD to go to the magic kingdom. Space Mountain was his favorite ride and he couldn’t miss out on not riding it for his last day in Orlando. ******** When Sean got to the park, Larry was waiting. “Where have you been?” Larry looked a bit annoyed. “I was going home when you texted me!” “Oh, ok. Anyways, apparently, Maleficent has captured some family and they asked if anyone would like to help fight against her. So? Wanna do it?” Larry LOVED adventures like this. “I guess we should do something before we leave Orlando, so, sure let’s do it!” “Sweet! Meet me at the Starlight Cafė and some guy will give us the things we need.” “Uh, ok!” When Sean got to Starlight Cafė, he saw Larry sitting at a table with a guy in a suit. The guy has a suitcase full of awesome galactic weapons. They were from disney movies and rides. “Can I get that one?” Begged Larry. “Ok but you have to promise that you won’t get carried away and hurt yourself.” “Fine.” Larry didn’t like that idea but he still wanted the big gun so he punched himself. “Ok. Now, I hear that the family is in ​
Space Mountain​
.” Sean proclaimed. “So I think Larry and I should go in. My companion here (His name is classified) will guard the outside. Lets GOOOOOO!” After getting inside Space Mountain, the brothers were immediately creeped out. “What is this place?” Sean asked. “Duh, it’s the greatest ride in history, Space Mountain!” Larry replied. “I don’t think this is in Space Mountain anymore.” Sean said. Sean and Larry were inside what looked like something the devil would live in. The walls were red and there were pictures of 30 Maleficent all around the room. It was Maleficent’s evil lair. Not just your typical evil lair, it is the greatest evil lair anyone has ever seen or heard of! “Uhhhhhh, Sean. There’s something behind you.” The huge hydra from the movie ​
Hercules. “AAAAAHHHHHHHH!” “DUCK!” Larry leaped out of the beast’s path. RRRRRRRHGTGR! It roared in rage. “Remember,” Larry said, “don’t cut off it’s head or it’ll grow two more!” But he was to late. Sean blasted his gun and splattered one head, causing 2 more to grow. “NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!” Then, all of the sudden, the body of the Hydra was blasted into a bunch of little holes, and it crumbled into purple dust. Out came a muscular man named Bill. “Hey guys. Want to fight Maleficent?” Bill asked the two shocked kids. “What do you think we are doing here? Trying to get a date with the most wicked disney villain of all time?!” Sean was known for his humor and sarcasticness. “Cut the sarcasm, cinnamon bun!” Suddenly, ​
SHE ​
appeared! “I will kill you, AND the Brownfields! MUHAHAHAHAH!” Fire shot everywhere. The Brownfields fell from the ceiling, which had suddenly opened up into space. Bill took out a weapon that Larry and Sean couldn’t make out. Bill swung it like a sword but lasers shot out of it like a laser gun. So, Larry and Sean got there own weapons and started swinging them at Maleficent. Sean’s weapon is Luke Skywalker’s lightsaber and Larry’s is the trident from the ​
Little Mermaid. ​
All three of the weapons were very effective and struck Maleficent down. But, it didn't kill her. Then, out of nowhere, Prince Philip jumped into action and struck Maleficent in the heart with the sword of truth. “AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!” Maleficent exploded into thin air. “Thank you Prince Philip” Said the Brownfields. “No problem.” And Everyone lived happily ever after. THE END The Bookworm Recommends by: Aarushi Gupta
The Little Paris Bookshop
By: Nina George
Monsieur Perdu is the well-known owner of the floating bookstore, that has
been docked on the river Seine in Paris for twenty years. He has the rare gift of
being able to heal people’s problems like heartbreaks and boredom with a
book. He can pick a book that will heal you right away, but the only person he
cannot heal is himself. M. Perdu was left heartbroken over the departure of his
lover twenty years ago. She left him with but a letter which he never opened in
his anger at being left. As his neighbor finally convinces him to open the letter,
he discovers a terrible secret and sets off on a journey with his floating
bookstore and bestselling author with writer’s block. He travels to the south of
France, meeting many people along the way and trying to heal himself. This
book will make you laugh and cry, giggle and weep, but will not let you put it
31 down. This book is a love letter to books and can be enjoyed by anyone who thinks that stories can
change lives. 32 Renisha Parikh
Sunday 1
Backwards
Day!
Monday Tuesday 2
Be nice
to Your
Sibling
Day!
3
National
Teacher’s
Day!
8
Mother’s
Day!
9
Eat
What
You
Want
Day1
10
Clean up your
room Day!
15
National
Chocolate
chip Day!
16
Nationa
l Sea
Monkey
Day!
17
Talk in an
Accent Day!
Wednesday Thursday 4
Favorite
Friday Saturday 5
Adele’s
Birthday!
Cinco de
Mayo!
6
No Pants
Day!
7
Pajama
Day!
11
Sabrina
Carpenter’
s Birthday! 12
No socks
Day!
13
Debby
Ryan’s
Birthday!
14
Oreo
Day!
18
Dance like
a Chicken
Day!
19
Lucky
Penny
20
Hug your
pet Day!
21
Stay Up
All
Night
Movie Day!
Day!
Day!
22
Don’t Fry
Day!
23
Nationa
l Taffy
Day!
24
Brother’s
Day!
25
Cookie
Monster’s
Birthday
26
Fitness
Day!
27
Bake
Cookies
Day!
28
Make a
new
friend
day!
29
Chew Gum
Day!
30
Have a
Party
Day!
31
Smile Day!
33 By: Madison Law Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 Marilyn Monroe’s B­Day 2 Republic Day (Italy) 3 Jefferson Davis’ B­Day 4 Angelina Jolie’s B­Day 5 World Environment Day 6 D­Day 7 Allen Iverson’s B­Day 8 Kanye West’s B­Day 9 Johnny Depp’s B­Day 10 National Iced Tea Day 11 Kamehameha Day (Hawaii) 12 George Bush’s B­Day 13 Red Rose Day 14 Donald Trump’s B­Day 15 Ice Cube’s B­Day 16 National Fudge Day 17 Kendrick Lamar’s B­Day 18 Blake Shelton’s B­Day 19 Father’s Day 20 Summer Solstice 21 Prince William’s B­Day 22 National Chocolate Eclair Day 23 National Pink Day 24 25 Saint­Jea
National n­Baptiste Catfish day Day (France) 26 Ariana Grande’s B­Day 27 Helen Keller’s B­Day 28 Soviet Occupation Day (Moldova) 29 30 Veterans Day Mike (Netherlands) Tyson’s B­Day 34 Calendar of Events May 6 School Store 10 Dinner/Dessert Night: Panchero’s & Rita’s Water Ice 16 PTA Meeting ­ 7pm in Library 17­20 Summer Reading Book Fair 17 Incoming 6th Grade Orientation 27
Delayed Opening 30
No School June 7 13 17 22
TBD 1∕2 Day snack sale PTA Meeting ­ 7pm in Library 8th Grade Graduation Dance Last Day of School End of Year Middle School Event 35