Every generation seems to find it’s own way to experiment. In the nineties, smoking was the craze of the nation’s youth. A study from cdc.gov shows that in the nineties, at the peak of its popularity, 36.4 percent of high school students engaged in the act of smoking. Today, we find ourselves looking at the beginning of the next trend, vaping. According to neatoday.org, by the end middle school, 6.6% of students are vaping. By the first two years of high school, this number increases to 13.1%, and then by senior year, at least 16.6% of students are partaking in the act.

JUULs, Flairs, vape sticks, e-cigarettes. This is the new craze of today. Vaping was bound to happen, seeing as the rest of the world is progressing electronically. These devices were originally used as a method to get people off of normal cigarettes as the health issues of those were illuminated in studies and anti- smoking campaigns. Now, they are being used as a replacement to cigarettes, as well as another way to partake in the use of other substances such as marijua-na and wax. Just as cigarettes were perceived as “cool” in the nineties,

vaping has become the “cool” thing to do in your youth.

So what are the benefits and risks of vaping? Well, to start with the questionable benefits, an article from Physician’s Weekly states that 130 former smokers who switched to vaping were successful in quitting tobacco products, but that was only 10% of 1,300 smokers. Another benefit might be that the study found “around one in five smoking customers buying their first e-ciga-rette.. had quit smoking tobacco after six months.” Vaping is also less risky

than cigarettes to those with mild to moderate cases of asthma.

Despite the “benefits” attributed to vaping, there are too many health risks that go along with them to ever consider them safe. One study offered evidence of at least six different pyrazine additives within the e-cigarettes. That means there are chemicals within the flavorings and pods that people have smoked that build up dependence on whatever substance there is within the vapor. If one were to use a pod without any substance, there are still chemicals within the vapor unknown to most who use it. While

Williamstown High SchoolFebruary 2019 Issue

2 Black History Month3 Brave Voices4 Bianca’s Closet5 Financial Literacy

5 Valentine’s Cabaret6 Teacher Feature7 Inside Wrestling8 Clubs

10 Date Night Movies11 TV/Games12 Horoscopes

INSIDE

The Vaping Crazeby Jadyn Beyer

©parentinfo.org

Who’s Vaping?6.6% of Middle Schoolers

13.1% of Freshman & Sophomores

16.6% of Juniors & Seniors

(continued on page 2)

Vaping Craze cont’d.

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many believe that smoking flavored water will not cause health issues, a study shows that some e-cigarettes release formalde-hyde; a respiratory irritant that causes chest pain, shortness of breath, coughing, throat and nose irritations when heated by the device. This chemical has also been known to cause cancer. Another study has shown that along with formaldehyde, diacetyl, a chemical supplemented with food to provide a more buttery taste, has been linked to a respiratory disease known as bronchiolitis obliterans. While diacetyl is safe to ingest while eating food such as microwave popcorn, heating up diacetyl can cause the previously men-tioned disease, which is better known as “popcorn lung.”

In closing, take the time to understand what you are putting into your body through vaping. If you so choose to start or continue with this new and still

uncertain trend, make sure that you understand the risks of doing so. If you choose to vape, be smart and please refrain from vaping on school property. Due to the current and somewhat limited information on this trend, the administrators have labeled JUULS, Flairs, vape-sticks, etc. as drug paraphernalia, which is illegal to carry on school grounds.

February has just about passed, and that means Black History Month has come to a close. Black History Month was first proposed in 1969 by Black United Students at Kent State University, and was first celebrated on the campus at the Kuumba House, which served as their black cultural center. 50 years later, this celebration of African-American history

and culture has taken its own shape at Williamstown High School.

At the beginning of the month, an assembly was held to educate the student body about historical black figures through visual aids and personal stories. Students watched informative videos via WatchMojo describing the history of the civil rights movement in America and a short biography of singer and civil rights icon, Aretha Franklin.

The most memorable part of the assembly in the eyes of many was the harrowing life story of Mr. Garrick, a visual arts teacher at our school. Mr. Garrick was born and raised in the west african nation of Sierra Leone amidst a terribly violent civil war. Among the 50,000 people killed was Mr. Garrick’s

brother. His paintings and work reflect the struggles and oppression of humani-ty that he has witnessed. In 1991, he immigrated from Sierra Leone to the United States. Garrick recently visited his home country, and spent much of his speech detailing its current state and the hope that he sees in our school and our country.

The assembly also included some powerful poetry readings from the acting classes and songs from our Chamber Choir. Overall, the assembly was praised and positively received by all students. After all, Black History Month isn’t only for African-Americans, but for all Americans to learn and appreciate the black contributions to this nation’s history.

Black History Month Recapby Rasaaq Shittu

© vaping360.com/juul/juul-vapor-review/

brave voicesLove is in the air this month

and you’ve got a first date

with that special someone!

You’ve got plenty to think

about like what to wear and

what to talk about, but we

want to know where are you

taking them?

Jayce Goutzouris Sophomore “I’d take them to a fancy dinner, not too cheap, but not too expensive either.”

Mr. McClernan Teacher “I take them to a trampoline house so that we can avoid awkward silences.”

Julianna Roa Sophomore “I would take them to Nifty Fifties.”

Bella Sharp Sophomore “Applebees.”

Gianna Bekeshka Sophomore “I would go to Chik-fil-A because I like Chik-fil-A.”

Zach Clark Junior “I’d take them to Adelphia’s.”

Kylie Baker Senior “Six Flags.”

Taina Ramirez Junior “I’d go ice skating.”

Jayda Burrell Junior “I’d take them painting.”

Bobby Bochenko Junior “I’d go to a horror movie with them.”

Caroline Eng Sophomore “A nice movie, and then dinner afterwards.”

Maggie Stewarti Sophomore “To an art class or cooking class together.”

Angelina Norman Sophomore “Going to the movies, because you don’t have to talk to them for a long time and it lessens the awkwardness.”

Ally Dua Junior “Maybe Dave and Busters.”

Ben McClausland Senior “Out to dinner, or any place where we could sit down and talk.”

Kayleigh Jackstis Junior “Probably the movies, or if it’s summer, the beach.”

Alannah Taylor Senior “Something fun like bowling, ice skating, or an amusement park.

Tori Alexander Sophomore “Panera. It’s not too expensive, it has good food and a chill atmosphere.”

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CLASSROOM news

This year marks a turning point for the Business and Finance Academy in their partnership with Bianca’s Closet. Bian-ca’s Closet is a nonprofit organization that provides formal dresses of a variety of styles. All of the dresses, accessories and shoes provided are donated by small boutiques, Bianca’s Kids and people around town. Every year, an event is held at this high school where anyone can browse through the dresses Bianca’s Closet has in store. Set up like an actual retail store, this year’s event provided both a familiar and welcoming atmo-sphere. This is due to both the layout and the inclusion of music playing in the background. The interesting and most amazing part is that the majority of the event was operated with donations from students, teachers, and family members.

The entire event was managed by the girls from the Business and Finance Academy, with Mrs. Orzo, Abby Alip and Jess Bohanan at the forefront. All of the dresses, accessories and shoes were provided through donations, some clothing racks were loaned by Project Graduation, the mannequins and full-length mirrors were kindly given by students, and the dressing room was generously provided by Mrs. Shoemaker. In prior years, 10-15 girls attended the event and around a little less than half of the attendees took a dress home. This year’s event was met with overwhelming success, as over 55 girls attended and over 45 girls brought dresses home. This is more than double that of prior years and we can only see it growing in the future.

If you are interested in borrowing a dress, a pair of shoes, or any sort of accessory from Bianca’s Closet, see Mrs. Orzo in B209, Abby Alip or Jess Bohan-an and sign up for the Bianca’s Closet Remind by texting @biancacl to 81010. If you would like to donate any of those items, see Mrs. Orzo in B209.

Bianca’s Closetby Sopheap Huot

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Last year I joined DECA and entered the Financial Literacy Promotional Plan Campaign. As a member of the busi-ness-based club, I was tasked with teaching a group of people about financial literacy. Leaning to my back-ground in theatre and acting, I came up with a Beauty and the Beast themed skit to educate my group on financial literacy. Due to the overwhelming positive feedback, I decided to turn the skit into a book in hopes to broaden my cam-paign. This year, I did just that and have been able to go into three of our town’s four elementary schools and teach the skit to third and fourth graders. I have also shared my book with the OTP students at the high school and kids at the town library. When starting this project last year, I reached 17 students. This year I have reached almost 700.

The book is basically a continuation of the original animated Disney film “Beauty and the Beast”. When the movie ended, the curse had been broken and all of the servants were returned to their original human state. In the book I bring up the problem that Belle and the Prince (Beast) no longer have any furniture. Thus, the students have to help Belle, Lumiere and Cogsworth replace it all.

With this idea in place, I decided to create stations in which each character had their own problem to solve. To make the information memorable, I came up with the acronym BLC, which stands for Belle, Lumiere and Cogsworth (the station leaders) as well as Balance, Limit and Choices (which were the three themes of the stations). In the lesson, the students were able to learn about

budgets, balances, debt, breaking even, financial decisions and how all of these things relate to their everyday lives.

Our school’s DECA chapter provides students with community service opportunities and competes in regional and national competitive events against chapters from other schools. If you are interested in creating programs and projects such as this one, please consider joining DECA.

DECA Financial Literacy Programby Brianna Peoples

Mr. Carlin (Choral Director at William-stown) had a wonderful idea of taking the terms “dinner and a show” to the next level. As a fundraiser, the entire choir program at Williamstown High School decided to put together a wonderful showcase of talent. Home-made italian delights filled the stomachs of delighted diners as students per-formed a wide range of wonderful songs. From light-hearted love songs to heartbreaking melodies, the crowd was satisfied with the showcase.

Many parts of the cabaret were student run as the choir’s executive board

listened to auditions for the performers, worked tirelessly creating decorations, and even helped make food for the event. Once again, choir went above and beyond in providing a positive and relaxing atmosphere for performers and audience members alike. The fundraiser was a tremendous success as they managed to raise over $900 to help with future expenses. The constant support from the school and our generous families is what helped make the event such a success. Hopefully this is the first of many and the fundraiser can continue to grow. We hope to see you next year!

Valentine’s Cabaretby Mia Martinez

CLASSROOM news

TEACHER FEATURE

by Anna McMahonTeachers are chosen by the writer assigned to this article each month.

When did you start teaching? What made you want to be a teacher?

I was always influenced by some of my teachers in high school and some of my coaches who I looked up to.

I always loved sports, and I loved working with kids, so I thought: what’s the best way to put these two things together?

That was teaching. I hoped to have some influence on these kids the way my teachers impacted me in high school.

I know that there are many people say that you’re one of their favorite teachers. Did you ever have a favorite teacher?

I would say my favorite teacher was Mrs. Powell, who was my chemistry teacher in high school. The way she handled

her classroom, she was almost a grandmotherly figure. My favorite coach was Mr. Reim, he had a big influence on me.

How has the school changed since you started teaching?

It’s massively different. When I first started in 1986, we were a small, group 3 school. The senior graduating class had

maybe 230 students, where now we’re over 500 in a graduating class. It was also more farmland down here, not as built

up. Our sports programs, and obviously technology were different. There were no cell phones, there were no laptops,

when we did grades we had to bubble them in. Things have changed drastically since that time. But the kids haven’t

changed, the kids are great.

What’s your teaching philosophy?

My teaching philosophy has always been to teach with enthusiasm, to try to make class kind of lighthearted and fun

while also getting the basics across, whatever that may be. Just letting the kids know that I do care and that I enjoy

what I’m doing, and that I’m there if they need me.

Is there anything that you would like your students to know, even if it’s not school related?

My number one thing is no matter what you do after high school, enjoy what you’re doing every day. Try to find a pas-

sion that you enjoy and get involved in that field. I don’t look at it like I’m going to work everyday, I see it as getting

paid to do something I love everyday. If you do that, you’ll have a successful life no matter how much money you make.

What are you looking forward to in your retirement?

I just accepted a part time job with the Phillies, so I’m going to be working all the games and concerts at Citizens Bank

park. I also like to golf, so I’ll have more time to do that. Just starting a new chapter in my life type of thing.

Is there anything else that you would like to add?

I would just to like say that one of the things that was great about working here was working alongside my wife, and

also my sister, Mrs. Manzoni. Being able to work with my wife and sister has been really a lot of fun. Not many people

can say that. Our coaching team, they get along so well, and it’s so much fun coming to work every day. It’s all been great.

MR. HUNT

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INSIDE WRESTLINGby Rasaaq Shittu

update

It’s Senior Night at Eastern Regional High School. The crowd is packed and cheering, excited to send their veterans out on a high note. The game clock reaches :25 seconds, and the official whistles and slams the mat. I’ve been pinned, and ultimately in my worst varsity performance of the season, I get up and walk to the center of the mat to shake my opponents hand, barely bringing myself to look at him. Gliding towards the bench, I greet my coaches and sit down dripping in sweat next to the water cooler trying to process what in the world just happened.

Understanding wrestlers and the sport itself can only be achieved when understanding moments like these. What makes it such a taxing sport is the not the hours of conditioning, miles of running, or even cutting pounds just to make weight. It’s forcing yourself to get up after getting slammed, taken down, or just put to the mat over and over again that pushes many away from the sport and only leaves behind those who love it. When asking freshman Michael Davidson about what challenged him in wrestling, he had this to offer: “There’s a lot of things to be worried about like your weight, getting to practice, getting a crucial win, or bumping up weight classes for your team...it’s a team sport, but on the mat it’s all you.”

Often wrestlers don’t refer to the team as a “team”, but a family. Whether it’s at the end of practice “on three”, or when looking out for each other, wrestling naturally develops a familial rela-tionship quite unlike other sports. Captain Chad Tracy is one of the individuals who strongly believes in this concept. Wrestling since he was 5 years old, he has experienced fulfilling highs and embarrassing lows. Chad is a perfect example of wrestling’s all-consuming nature, something that is comparable to the chase after the runner’s high seen in track athletes. When asked what wrestling means to him, he said, “Wrestling is my life. I devot-ed my life to wrestling. I don’t go out, unless it’s to wrestle or practice or go to a match with my friends. I am genuinely bored when I’m not wrestling.” The devotion of one wrestler doesn’t just remain with him or herself, but it spreads to other people in the wrestling room. Wrestlers demand the best out of each

other, and this is evident not only in practice, but when they are screaming from the bench during dual meets.

In high school wrestling, there are 14 weight classes ranging from 106 to 285 pounds, with the styles and speeds of wrestling differing at each class. This year however, introduced a new set of weight classes for girls. At 136 pounds rests William-stown’s sole girl wrestler, senior Paige Colucci. Already having experience with martial arts such as jiu-jitsu, she was drawn to wrestling after hearing that for the first time the NJSIAA would be sponsoring a state championship tournament for girls. After having various conversations with Mr. DeAngelis, who is a coach for the wrestling team as well as her Photography teacher, she took the step to join the sport. Paige has had to wrestle boys, and then girls from teams that have separate girls squads, and even occasionally designated coaches. Her triumph over opponents with a much larger female support network is defi-nitely worthy of notice. When asked about being the only girl on the team, Paige had this to offer: “Nothing about it was easy. A lot of people thought I was just going to quit at first, no one took me seriously. It took a lot of time to earn their respect, but I came in everyday, worked hard, and just went through the grind like everyone else. After a couple of weeks people started warming up to me, and now(laughing) everyone calls me mom. We’re a family”. Colucci has her eyes set on the Regionals Tournament and States for the postseason, and hopes to retain the skills she’s learned so far and use them in competition. She is currently ranked #6 in her weight class in the entire state.

While I wish I could say wrestling is for everyone, it truly isn’t by nature. While it does not discriminate by race or gender or background, it relentlessly wittles out the mentally weak through its physical demands. However, when one pushes themselves to their limits, the reward is inconceivable. So the next time you see a wrestler, instead of viewing them as those guys who roll around in tights, look past your first impression and see the hardworking and committed athlete that lies beneath.

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SNAPSHOTS at WHS

selected works from photography class

CLUBS what's goin on?

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Poe

try Corner“Identity Crisis”

I never thought at 15I would have an identity crisis.It isn’t the nicest thing to experience.At my high highs, at the rarest of times, I’m the ebony Queen of the purest pedigree; don’t mess with me.At my low lows, though, I’m a washed awayPiece of shattered glass, delicate enoughTo be broken and worthless enough to be Left abandoned like a dead patch of grass.Now, I don’t want you to worry too much,But this situation is a little bit serious becauseYou see, after a while, this cycling roller coasterOf not feeling like you’re enoughMakes you delirious.

And yet, here I am, trying to keep myCrown straight, as well as my smile ofCrooked teeth, forging all of my pain intoThe sharpest sword and hiding it all inMy longest sheath.I live in a void of in-between,Not yet making myself known as theSuccessful entrepreneur activist teen,But still being seen as a lean, meanFighting machine on the cell phone screen.

I don’t know, maybe I’m a little bit too lazyTo go on that long quest to unblur the hazy.Or maybe, just maybe, it’s the world trying toMake me go crazy so that I would be left gaspingFor air and needing someone to save me.

- by Joy Acheampong

Selected works from the WHS Poetry Club

I took this photo in Animal Kingdom in Disney. My mom and I were walking around and I looked up and knew that I had to take a photo. This photo does not do the actual thing justice but, I still think it came out pretty good. I have been taking photos of things that have caught my eye for years. I love taking pictures of things that make me happy so that I know when I am sad I will look back and smile at the memory. Since starting photography class I have learned so much about the different aspects that go into to taking a good photo and the class has helped me see photography in a different way. - Hailey Toy

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Corner“Identity Crisis”

I never thought at 15I would have an identity crisis.It isn’t the nicest thing to experience.At my high highs, at the rarest of times, I’m the ebony Queen of the purest pedigree; don’t mess with me.At my low lows, though, I’m a washed awayPiece of shattered glass, delicate enoughTo be broken and worthless enough to be Left abandoned like a dead patch of grass.Now, I don’t want you to worry too much,But this situation is a little bit serious becauseYou see, after a while, this cycling roller coasterOf not feeling like you’re enoughMakes you delirious.

And yet, here I am, trying to keep myCrown straight, as well as my smile ofCrooked teeth, forging all of my pain intoThe sharpest sword and hiding it all inMy longest sheath.I live in a void of in-between,Not yet making myself known as theSuccessful entrepreneur activist teen,But still being seen as a lean, meanFighting machine on the cell phone screen.

I don’t know, maybe I’m a little bit too lazyTo go on that long quest to unblur the hazy.Or maybe, just maybe, it’s the world trying toMake me go crazy so that I would be left gaspingFor air and needing someone to save me.

- by Joy Acheampong

“Porcelain”I want to be looked at,Not seenI want to be listened to, not heard

My voice is my shield,My pen is my swordBoth valuable defenses,But both are not enough

The walls I build crumble,Yet I am invincibleMy heart has been shattered,Yet I am unbreakable

Pain is the body speaking to you,Communicating to youDenial is you ignoring your body,Destroying your body

But what if the pain is psychological,InternalizedWhat if my scars run deep,Yet are invisible to the naked eye

For I am made of porcelain,And I may look newBut I have cracks and scratches,That I have taped back together

So what is to say,That maybe I am fragileMaybe I could say, That my limbs are indeed breakable

Will acknowledging that help,Or will it make it worseWill realizing my flaws create peace,Or cause a new world of stress

For I am made of porcelain,But I am imperfectMy cracks and scratches define me,And that makes me invulnerable

- by Jadyn Beyer

“Wire For Want”

I try not to stress my handsOr my mind, play becomes studyI do this, sometimes, on demand

I made a schedule to keep track, my planSteady, steady progress, don’t be cruddy!I try not to stress my hands

I bent down to plug it in, then standThe wire, jet black, gives a chance for studyI do this, sometimes, on demand

New tactics arise from the teacher, knowledge spansBut even after all of this, I know it is an understudyI try not to stress my hands

From three o’clock to... whenever I accomplish, that is my planMy fingers cascade across the keys, I unplug, hands down buddy to buddyI do this, sometimes, on demand

But even then I walk on with a sick feeling, I am not a fanThat wasn’t enough, I think, that I am still cruddyA harbinger, perhaps? No, that theory is cannedI’ve always planned on getting rid of this feeling, no schedule for that! Man..

- by Harrison Mann

ENTERTAINMENT

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TO ALL THE BOYS I’VE LOVED BEFORE (2018)

When Lara Jean’s (Lana Candor) secret love letters are exposed, they begin to wreak havoc on her already struggling love life. The always charismatic Noah Centineo delivers a charming performance as Peter Kavinsky. It gives a new face to teen romances and will definitely set the tone for many to come. Lara Jean begins to live outside of her own fantasy world and begins to do things for herself. So although it is your typical teenage rom-com, it also has aspects of a beautiful coming of age story, and is worth the watch.

LOVE, SIMON (2018)

This coming of age story follows Simon Spier (Nick Robinson) as he keeps a huge secret from his family, his friends and all of his classmates: he’s gay. When that secret is threatened, Simon must face everyone and come to terms with his identity. The teenage spirit lives throughout the film and makes it an enjoyable experience for everyone. Nick Robinson shows the vulnerable side of the teenage relationship and how intense first time relationships can be.

SIXTEEN CANDLES (1984)

With the occasion all but overshadowed by her sister’s upcoming wedding, teenage Samantha (Molly Ringwald) faces her 16th birthday with typical adolescent dread. Samantha pines for studly older boy Jake (Michael Schoeffling). Meanwhile, Samantha must constantly rebuff the affections of nerdy Ted (Anthony Michael Hall), the only boy in the school who seems to take an interest in her. Samantha gets her fairy tale ending, but only after a crazy night of teenage partying.

LA LA LAND (2016)

La La Land’s retro to modern aesthetic creates an unfamiliar yet comfortable atmosphere. The film follows an aspiring actress (Mia, played by Emma Stone) as she faces the struggles of becoming known in the film industry. She meets a jazz musician (Sebastian, played by Ryan Gosling) who is stuck in his own world. The film is scored from beginning to end with exciting instrumentals that somehow reflect the emotions of the actors on screen and the audience viewing it. The movie’s casual tap routines and vivid colors help play into the retro to modern unfamiliarity of the whole film, and overall make the bittersweet ending even more enjoyable.

CLUELESS (1995)

The 90’s classic features Alicia Silverstone, who plays the shallow, rich and socially successful “Cher” at the top of her Beverly Hills high school’s pecking order. Seeing herself as a matchmaker, Cher first coaxes two teachers into dating each other. Embold-ened by her success, she decides to give hopelessly klutzy new student Tai (Brittany Murphy) a makeover. When Tai becomes more popular than she is, Cher realizes that her disapproving ex-stepbrother (Paul Rudd) was right about how misguided she was. This film defined the 90’s style of bright colored plaid and exciting teenage girl groups.

date night moviesby Mia Martinez

by Sopheap Huot

SKY CASTLEAfter becoming a hit in South Korea, “SKY Castle” will soon be added to the collection of Korean dramas on Netflix. Highlighting the hyper-compet-itive modern day society, “SKY Castle” is a satirical drama that criticizes the materialistic desires of parents, who vigorously push their children while neglecting their wellbeing. The show follows the lives of four families, all who reside in a development called Sky Castle. Here, only the top 1% of society are allowed to reside and the mothers take on the responsibility of laying out the lives of their children to ensure that they live up to the prestige of their family.

“SKY Castle” focuses on a person’s well-being above all else; be it education, money, or job position. This drama hits close to home and resonates with people who can relate with any of the characters’ upbringings, which is fairly common amongst Asian households with views along the conservative side of the spectrum.

Some elements of the drama are exaggerated, but the parenting ideals are frighteningly accurate. In one instance, one son had been accepted into South Korea’s equivalent of Harvard. However, the response of his parents was not congratulatory. Instead, it was that this sort of accomplishment was expected and that he had a duty to keep it up. This harsh environment is displayed in “SKY Castle” and it unveils how damaging it is to a family.

On January 26, “SKY Castle” broke its own previous record of 22.3 percent and set a new record for the highest viewership ratings in South Korean cable network history. According to Nielsen Korea, the penultimate episode of the drama scored an average rating of 23.2 percent nationwide.

“SKY Castle” gradually garnered a massive audience as the drama progressed through its satirical portrayal of malpractices, corruption, extremely controversial conservative parenting, neglect, and more. The brilliant directing and production, engaging plot, and convincing acting and powerful soundtrack all contribute to its high quality. This drama is very well worth your time, even more so if you can relate to any of the issues it brings up.

televisionby William Covert

BAKUGANMany young people may remember when Bakugan originally launched. It was the craze in the late 2000s. If you’ve never heard of Bakugan before, it’s a game where the players use marbles that have a magnetic piece at the bottom When you roll the marble onto a magnetic card, the magnetic piece would release a mechanism, and the marble would turn into a figure, and then afterwards you could close it. The figure acted like a puzzle, since you had to determine the order of how to fold it back into place. There was another game based off of them, but there was never much substance to it as it was basic and not very interesting. You were only given 6 cards to use total and you often missed the card you had to roll on. The figures were still fun to roll and pop out however. There also was an anime that got 4 seasons before the whole franchise came to an abrupt end.

Recently, Spinmaster, (the company that owns and makes Bakugan) has rebooted the franchise with Bakugan: Battle Planet. This reboot consists of a new show, new Bakugan, and a new game. The new game allows you to use 40 cards in your deck and to place more magnetic pieces, making it easier to land one. The deck also acts as your health, so you have to get your opponent to run out of cards to win. If you are interested, and want to learn more about the rules, there’s an official Bakugan channel on Youtube that has a list of videos explaining all the rules.

games

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Didn’t get your own copy of Smoke Signals? Get it on the school website!

CAPRICORNDec. 22–Jan. 19Make sure that you are giving it your all this month! Be sure to take

credit for the work that you do – but be careful not to fall into a mode of self-pity if you aren’t. It is an excellent time to make plans for your future. Stay on target with your goals and try not to overextend yourself.

SAGITTARIUSNov. 23–Dec. 21Lately, it may have been difficult for you to focus

on an important project – fortunately, you will have extra time this month to catch up. Listening to your favorite music or calling on friends to help will keep you motivated.

SCORPIOOct. 23–Nov. 22You might want to pick up a new skill or hobby this month. Whatever you

decide to go with, others will find that they cannot change your mind. Take comfort in the fact that you know what you want and are unafraid to pursue it.

LIBRASept. 23–Oct. 22You may be in a confused state of mind and aren’t

able to clearly express what you want – taking a step back from a relationship may even be necessary. You can expect to gain a deeper understanding of your-self and the people surrounding you.

VIRGOAug. 23–Sept. 22You will get a strong sense of what your future holds this month. Look at

all the possible ways to attain your goals and let your ambition drive your actions, provided that you don’t hurt anyone in the process.

LEOJuly 23–Aug. 22Although you may not be able to completely solve

someone’s problems, be sure to help them anyway. Listening carefully to the issues of your loved ones could do a lot to help put that person back on track.

CANCERJune 21–July 22Your feelings for some-one will become very

intense this month. At the same time, keep in mind that you do not have to turn to your loved ones for all of the answers; consider things for yourself.

GEMINIMay 21–June 20

You might feel as if you are running in place this month. This may be

frustrating for you, but don’t worry – it will pass in the coming weeks. You may want to take the opportunity to refocus and control your stress. Prioritize.

TAURUSApr. 21–May 20You’ll be so full of energy that it could be hard to slow down, and you may

end up causing some damage if you don’t plan carefully. You can also expect to develop a better understanding of some- thing that you have been struggling with.

ARIESMar. 21–Apr. 20Cooperation with family and friends will be import-ant this month. Enter any

discussion with an open mind – if you listen to others, you will encourage them to speak honestly, and may even learn something unexpected.

PISCESFeb. 20–Mar. 20You will be encouraged to spend more time with your

friends and family. People are likely going to need your insight, and they know that you are the person to go to for advice. Never lose your caring nature – people love you for it!

AQUARIUSJan. 20–Feb. 19Things may not go your way this month – and that’s okay. What matters is how you handle it.

Choose to keep going when you hit an obstacle, and your own strength may surprise you.

NEWSPAPER STAFFAlexandria Bazikos

Olivia BenyolaJadyn Beyer

William CovertStevie HudiakMia Martinez

Anna McMahonBrianna PeaseRasaaq Shittu

Ms. Ferranto ~ Advisor/Designer • Mr. Longo ~ Advisor/Editor

horoscopesby Anna McMahon

ARIES TAURUS LEO

SAGITARIUS

LIBRA

PISCESAQUARIUS

CAPRICORN

GEMINI SCORPIO VIRGO

CANCERARIES TAURUS LEO

SAGITARIUS

LIBRA

PISCESAQUARIUS

CAPRICORN

GEMINI SCORPIO VIRGO

CANCER

ARIES TAURUS LEO

SAGITARIUS

LIBRA

PISCESAQUARIUS

CAPRICORN

GEMINI SCORPIO VIRGO

CANCERARIES TAURUS LEO

SAGITARIUS

LIBRA

PISCESAQUARIUS

CAPRICORN

GEMINI SCORPIO VIRGO

CANCER

ARIES TAURUS LEO

SAGITARIUS

LIBRA

PISCESAQUARIUS

CAPRICORN

GEMINI SCORPIO VIRGO

CANCER

ARIES TAURUS LEO

SAGITARIUS

LIBRA

PISCESAQUARIUS

CAPRICORN

GEMINI SCORPIO VIRGO

CANCERARIES TAURUS LEO

SAGITARIUS

LIBRA

PISCESAQUARIUS

CAPRICORN

GEMINI SCORPIO VIRGO

CANCER

ARIES TAURUS LEO

SAGITARIUS

LIBRA

PISCESAQUARIUS

CAPRICORN

GEMINI SCORPIO VIRGO

CANCER

ARIES TAURUS LEO

SAGITARIUS

LIBRA

PISCESAQUARIUS

CAPRICORN

GEMINI SCORPIO VIRGO

CANCERARIES TAURUS LEO

SAGITARIUS

LIBRA

PISCESAQUARIUS

CAPRICORN

GEMINI SCORPIO VIRGO

CANCER

ARIES TAURUS LEO

SAGITARIUS

LIBRA

PISCESAQUARIUS

CAPRICORN

GEMINI SCORPIO VIRGO

CANCERARIES TAURUS LEO

SAGITARIUS

LIBRA

PISCESAQUARIUS

CAPRICORN

GEMINI SCORPIO VIRGO

CANCER

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students monthof the

FRESHMANGianna Burgio Sean Mejzak

SOPHOMORESAdriana Battistelli

Darryl Hodges

JUNIORSLucia Gerace

Anthony Burgio

SENIORSCourtney WireduTimothy McBrideJanuary