BEACON Lansingburgh High School March/April 2011 Double Issue 4

With St. Patrick‘s Day, a notorious drinking holi-day (right there next to New Year‘s), nestled in-

conspicuously in March and with Prom coming, it

seems like now would be a good time to address drunk driving. In fact

this year, it‘s expected

that 10,839 people will die in drunk driving

crashes, one every 50

minutes, and every minute, one person is

injured from an alco-

hol-related crash. Teen alcohol use alone kills

about 6,000 people

each year. Also, one in five teens binge drink,

though only 1 in 100

parents believe their teen binge drinks, and

car crashes are the

leading cause of death for teens, with one out

of three of those being

alcohol related. Drink-ing also affects school.

High school students

who use alcohol or other substances are

five times more likely

to drop out of school or believe good grades are not important. But because one in three 8th grad-

ers drink, this is a big problem. Since March was national kidney awareness month, let‘s also take a look at how alcohol effects

your kidneys. Researchers have observed alcohol-related changes in the structure and function of the

kidneys that coincided with impairment in their

ability to regulate the volume and composition of fluid and electrolytes

in the body. Chronic

alcoholic patients may experience low blood

concentrations of key

electrolytes as well as potentially severe al-

terations in the body‘s

acid-base balance. Al-cohol can also disrupt

the hormonal control

mechanisms that gov-ern kidney function.

This can lead to im-

paired sodium and flu-id handling, and even

acute kidney failure.

So remember, don‘t

drink and drive. It kills

thousands, injures

more, and can hurt

your kidneys. And

what did your kidneys

ever do to you? You

may have two, but you

shouldn‘t take them for granted. So have some

corned beef and cabbage instead.

Life Destination with Drinking: CRASHED

Kaitlyn Curtin

BACON

Lansingburgh High School

DOUBLE ISSUE

Cover 2

In some parts of the world, there have been reports of what can only be described as ―real Pokemon‖ roaming the

area. When asked about the sightings, Pokemon creator Satoshi Tajiri had this to say: ―Well, with the new game coming up, we wanted to try to improve the graphics by using real life models. So, we

hired some of Japan‘s top scientists to genetically engineer some of my creations in order for us to record how they moved and then stimulate it in the game, and possibly come up with new attack ideas. However, they got a little

enthusiastic with it, and the radiation leak only enhanced the effects to actually give them some of their abilities.

With the chaos following the recent tragedy most, if not all of the creatures, actually managed to escape, and only a

few have been captured.‖

Kind of puts a new meaning to ―Gotta Catch ‗em All,‖ huh?

However, some of these creatures among our natural species and humanity could obviously prove a little danger-

ous, and Satoshi Tajiri has warned the public that, unless caught, some could theoretically breed with similar ani-

mals in our world. So to prevent this, a tentative list of the location of a few of the escaped Pokemon, along with

pictures shot by professional photographers, has been made available:

Pikachu (left): This infamous face of the Pokemon franchise was one of the first

created and, unfortunately, the most common. This is one of those caught, amazing-

ly enough found in a pet shop mistaken as one of the pet mice, but they have been

sighted roaming in urban and forest areas, mainly in Japan, England, Germany, and

the United States. Reports say some have even been sighted in some residents‘ very

houses chewing on wiring.

Rapidash (right): These Pokemon have been

sighted in grasslands and warmer temperatures,

mainly in the Midwest United States, Australia,

the grassier countries of South America and

even some areas of Africa. This is one of the

more elusive Pokemon due to its

wild nature and incredible speed.

Growlithe: This Pokemon has been occasionally mistaken as a house

pet, but this little puppy has been sighted in grasslands and the Sahara

in Africa; the Midwest United States; Osaka, Japan; Australia; and

similar locations.

BREAKING NEWS: You Really do have to ―Catch ‗em All‖!

Back when Knickerbacker Middle School was built, it was built with the best materials possible at the time; that

is why it has marble floors and excellent walls and ceilings. In addition to this, there was also a pool in the pro-

cess of being built in the basement of the building; however, the project was never finished due to short funding.

You may have noticed lately the increased amount of workers in and around school grounds. Well, good news

everyone! Only through the thorough investigation of yours truly, have we uncovered the following confidential

information. The pool is finished and ready for use! The teacher‘s lounge is currently located in the middle

school where the pool is built. Unfortunately for us, the teachers are using it exclusively. As previous investiga-

tions have shown by generations of student reporters, the teachers already have private restaurant-quality snack

bars in the teachers‘ lounges. Now they practically have their own country

club in the middle school. Through only politely asking can the student body

unlock this precious resource for our use; we need to be responsible and well-

behaved to prove ourselves worthy of this privilege!

BREAKING MORE NEWS: The Pool is Finished!

The Twilight Saga will soon have another book!

Stephanie Meyer announced on CNN just yesterday that Breaking Dawn, her fourth book, is getting a sequel! Due

to the amount of fame that the last book got, Meyer decided to take her series in a new direction. Breaking Dawn

ends with Edward and Bella‘s daughter, Renesmee, being proven harmless by Jasper and Alice. Edward, Bella and

Renesmee retreat to their house and live happily ever after…or so it seems. The new book, named Forever Dawn, shows what happens after the events of Breaking Dawn. Meyer said that Bella‘s powers increase to a point

where she could shield many people at once. As well as the development of Bella‘s powers, Renesmee grows

about seven years but her body grows faster. She is physically about 17 in the book. She and Jacob Black begin a

relationship. Her development is fast throughout the novel. This book has gotten amazing reviews from the critics

allowed to read the book prior to its release and the release date is to be announced.

The Continuation of Twilight!?

Happy Belated April

Fools‘ Mini Edition!

Drawing by Kaitlyn Curtin.

Visit her gallery at mikashennon.deviantart.com!

Real Life Reels with Donovan Ryan Addressing the Matters which Matter

Finally, we have intervened in Libya! We imposed a

―no-fly zone‖ and we fired at their anti-aircraft guns

and missiles. Many people think we were the first west-

ern nation in Libya but we really weren‘t. France had

planes in Libyan airspace before we could institute the

―no-fly zone.‖ About a few hours after France had their

planes in Libya, we shot nearly 200 tomahawk missiles

into Libya. After much talk from the media and people

all around him, President Obama pulled most of our

resources away from Libya. Now, as I write, NATO

(North Atlantic Treaty Organization) is taking over the

Libyan revolution management role. The US as a na-

tion should not get into Libya more than it did because

of our intervention in many different Arab nations, not

to mention that a war would cost us millions of tax-

payers‘ dollars. The tomahawk missiles alone cost the

US people and government 68,425,000 dollars.

Libya

Japan Japan is slowly recovering after its earthquake. It was the

strongest earthquake ever recorded. At a 8.9 magnitude, it

was stronger than the Haiti earthquake and stronger than

the 8.8 earthquake in Chile that knocked the earth off its

axis a bit. Japan‘s nuclear plants are failing and their peo-

ple are being exposed to horrible levels of radiation; lev-

els not healthy for anyone alive. The people of Japan are

in peril and need our help. You can help them by texting

REDCROSS to 90999. Or, you can go on your iTunes

and donate your money through there! In the words of

Lady Gaga, ―We pray for Japan.‖

The levels of radiation in Japan near their reactors are

exponentially growing. The radiation level is at the high-

est it can go: a level 7. To put this in perspective, the

Chernobyl disaster in the Ukraine in 1986 was a level 7

as well. After Chernobyl, about 300 thousand people

were evacuated and the cost to the Soviet Russian econo-

my was substantial. There are many risk problems asso-

ciated with the high radiation. For example, birth defects

and radiation poisoning that could cause death and forms

of cancer.

You‘ve all heard the story of how ―the Mayans predict-

ed the end of the world to be 2012.‖ Well, I‘ve done

some research and actually went to Chichen Itza, the

biggest Mayan city. I was brought on a tour and the

tour guide, who was Mayan, told us what was really going on with the whole end of the world nonsense.

She said that the Mayans didn‘t say that the world was

going to end; they simply said that it would be the end

of an age. The Mayan calendar ends on December 21st

2012. However, the Mayan calendar is circular. There-

fore, it could be seen that the calendar and history will

repeat itself. Or, as I was informed by my tour guide,

they believe there will be a grand explosion of better-

ment in people.

2012

It‘s been 150 years since the Civil War started at Fort

Sumter on April 12, 1861. However, a new poll by

CNN has found that people are still divided with their

ideas on the views of the Confederacy and the role that

slavery played in the divide. When people were asked if they thought the reason for the Civil War was slavery

or states‘ rights, nearly 52% of people said that the

leaders of the Confederacy were trying to keep slavery

legal in their state but 42% said that the thought slavery

was not the main reason why the states seceded. When

this is broken down by political party, it was seen that

Democrats sided on the side of slavery being the reason

while Republicans said it was not the main reason at

all. Independents however, were split on the issue.

Civil War Unrest

As all months have a variety of meanings and dedications. April is no exception in this. As well as being Autism

Awareness Month and Poetry Month, April is National Stress Awareness Month. Stress is more than a just some-

thing you accept as a natural occurrence; it greatly influences behavior and can even affect health.

Stress in an empirical application such as Physics is defined as being ‗tension‘. When applied to the human and

mental health, it is similar, for it is the mental or emotional tension of an individual. Not many people like stress but it is a natural response of the person to the internal and external factors of life. Therefore, one must be aware of

how to manage their stress to keep it at a healthy rate and prevent major detrimental side effects of poorly managed

stress.

Managing stress is something which requires effort. Exercise and proper sleep are two monumental steps in doing

so, helping to keep the body in shape. With a healthy body, there is less physical stress on one‘s body and helps

them keep a clear mind. Meditation can also be applied to help manage stress. When on often imagines meditation,

a stereotypical monk chanting often comes to mind; however, that is but one type of meditation. A contemporary

practice in the West is meditation now, derived often from Eastern practices with the spirituality removed. Medita-

tion helps one relax their body and helps clear one‘s mind, with only the need of 20-30 minutes a day. Eliminating

drug use is also essential to keep away stress as almost all recreational drugs, even marijuana which is proclaimed

for its ‗medicinal‘ ways, ultimately cause un-needed anxiety on the mind and the body. Drugs create an addiction;

addiction leads to the user becoming dependent on said substance, and make the user become sensitized to the en-vironment. Also, creating a stable schedule and life is essential as well, for it prevents unexpected issues from aris-

ing.

Unmanaged or poorly managed stress create a plethora of issues in all aspects of a person‘s life. Physically, the

person may become ill with gastrointestinal problems, headaches, muscle tension, sleep disturbances, muscle

aches, and fatigue. Mentally, the person may become anxious, nervousness, a change in eating habits, loss of en-

thusiasm or energy, and even depression and mood swings. Thus it is very important to manage stress in one‘s life,

whether it be through exercise, meditation, or preventing stressors all together through good decision making.

Stress and Stress Management Jamie Abbt

Women‘s Awareness Month

Kaitlyn Curtin

March was National Women‘s History month (it‘s okay, I didn‘t know either), and so let‘s take some time to acknowledge it exists. For starters, how did this happen? When? Why? Well, I‘ll tell you, dear

reader! The public celebration of women's history in this country began in 1978 as "Women's History

Week" in Sonoma County, California. The week of March 8th, which is International Women‘s Day

(it‘s okay, that‘s news to me too). In 1987, Congress expanded the celebration to a month, and March was declared Women's History Month. But this all started because, before 1970, women's history was

rarely the subject of serious study. Two significant factors contributed to the emergence of women's his-

tory. The women's movement of the sixties caused women to question their invisibility in traditional American history texts. The movement also raised the aspirations as well as the opportunities of women,

and produced a growing number of female historians. Therefore, the inspiration was original political.

However, women's history was also part of a larger movement that transformed the study of history in the United States. "History" had traditionally meant political history—a chronicle of the key political

events and of the leaders, primarily men, who influenced them. But by the 1970s "the new social histo-

ry" began replacing the older style. Emphasis shifted to a broader spectrum of American life, including

such topics as the history of urban life, public health, ethnicity, the media, and poverty. Since women rarely held leadership positions and until recently had only a marginal influence on politics, the new his-

tory, with its emphasis on the sociological and the ordinary, was an ideal vehicle for presenting women's

history. It has covered such subjects as the history of women's education, birth control, housework, mar-riage, sexuality, and child rearing. As the field has grown, women's historians realized that their defini-

tion of history needed to expand as well—it focused primarily on white middle-class experience and

neglected the full racial and socio-economic spectrum of women. And thus it was born! Women‘s histo-ry month! Now, let‘s also let the spotlight shine on the women who make this month worthwhile:

Jane Addams (1860-1935) - Social Activist, founder of Hull House, charter member of the NAACP, Nobel Peace Prize winner and labor union organizer.

Clara Barton (1821-1912) - Civil War nurse, founder of the American Red Cross.

Martha Jane "Calamity Jane" Cannary (1852-1903) - A lone woman in the wilds of the Rocky Mountain west

Amelia Earhart (1897-1937) - Aviatrix.

Annie Oakley (1860-1926) - World famous markswoman from Ohio Georgia O'Keeffe (1887-1986) - Famed American artist who defied convention in both her art and

her private life.

Eleanor Anna Roosevelt (1884-1962) - Wife of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, first activist First

Lady Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811-1896) - Author of Uncle Tom's Cabin.

Annie Sullivan (1866-1936) - Helen Keller's teacher.

Sojourner Truth (Isabella Baumfree) (1797-1883) - African-American abolitionist, Civil War nurse, suffragette.

Harriet Tubman (1820?-1913) - Underground Railroad conductor, Army scout, African-American

suffragette. Rosa Parks (1913-2005) - an African-American civil rights activist, whom the U.S. Congress called

"the first lady of civil rights", and "the mother of the freedom movement".

Sacagawea (1788-1812) – Lemhi Shoshone woman who accompanied Lewis and Clark as their

guide Remember women have a pretty cool legacy.

According to the National Kidney Foundation, March is Kidney Month. Your kidneys are very im-portant organs in your body. A person is naturally born with two, though it can survive with but one.

However, without at least one, a person would be depended on a dialysis machine until a transplant

can be found. The kidney has many functions in the body, such as excretion and regulation. The kidney filters the blood in a person‘s body. It uses a complex system of capillaries, lymphatic

structures, and tissues unique to the kidney to filter out old blood cells and wastes in the blood system.

It turns this into urea and sends it to the bladder to be excreted through urine. The kidney also secretes a plethora of hormones to regulate many chemical reactions in the body, such as the absorption of cal-

cium in the bones and stimulates the production of red blood cells in bone marrow. These are only but

a few things it does as well!

People with high blood pressure, diabetes, or a family history

of kidney disease are at risk for chronic kidney disease. There

are steps one can take to help protect their kidneys though

through simple eating choices. To keep one‘s kidneys healthy,

one must also keep oneself healthy. That is, the leading cause

of kidney disease is Diabetes Type 2, which is in turn caused

most commonly by obesity. By being conscious of good por-

tion sizes, eating lots of fruits and vegetables, choosing whole

grain over processed grains, and eating fish two to three times

a week, as well as consuming probiotics found in yogurt and

sauerkraut, one can help keep its kidneys healthy and happy

for years to come.

Love Thy Kidney

Jamie Abbt

Dublin Coddle With St. Patrick‘s Day having only have just passed, a traditional Irish dish seems appropriate to add to our recipe

corner this month. While many people are familiar with dishes like potatoes, cabbage and corned beef, there are

other dishes less popular in America. One such dish is Dublin cobble. Not only is it unique and mentioned by au-

thor James Joyce in many of his works, but it incorporates bacon! Here‘s how you make it:

Ingredients: 1 pound bacon of slices

2 pounds pork sausage links, bacon fat or oil

2 large onions, sliced

2 cloves garlic

4 large potatoes, thickly sliced

2 carrots, thickly sliced

1 large bunch of fresh herbs, tied with string or in a cheesecloth bag

black pepper

apple cider

fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

Preparation:

Lightly fry bacon in skillet until crisp; drain. Crumble the bacon and place in a large pot. Pour off most of the bacon grease. Brown sausage in the skillet. Remove and add to the pot

with bacon. Soften sliced onions and whole garlic cloves in skillet over medium-low heat, then add to pot along

with potatoes and carrots. Bury the bunch or bag of herbs in the middle of the mixture. Sprinkle with pepper. Cov-

er with cider. Cook 1 hours and 30 minutes over medium-low heat; do not boil. Garnish with chopped parsley.

Serves 6.

CritiCs’ Corner

Radiohead - The King of Limbs

Now that Radiohead has established itself as a group of

generous, environmentally conscious rockers, they‘ve

got nobody left to please but

themselves. As one could guess,

that‘s not all that the new songs have accomplished. The band‘s

eighth studio album employs tra-

ditional rock instruments as well

as electronic effects and programs

to create an abnormal, yet very

interesting record. On more up-

tempo, claustrophobic tracks such

as ―Good Morning Mr. Magpie,‖

simple reverb laden vocals and

ambient sounds float and subtly

build over skittering percussion.

Later in the album, tracks such as ―Codex‖ and ―Give Up the Ghost‖

showcase a much more simple Radiohead. Using a pi-

ano or acoustic guitar as a backbone, the astral noises

artfully placed throughout them contribute to the overall

mood of the song. The amount of different sounds on

any given song is impressive, and not one little blip or

handclap seems out of place. Radiohead included a few

of their classic ―chill groove‖ songs to boot, providing a

peaceful, yet interesting break from the layers of percus-

sion. Lyrically, listeners may become easily lost. As on

previous albums, Thom Yorke, the band‘s lone vocalist,

mumbles something terrible. Even listening hard,

Yorke‘s lyrics are at times impos-

sible to comprehend. As it turns

out, the lyrics are all interesting series of metaphors or detached

phrases that take more than a

minute of thought to fully under-

stand. Content varies from letting

go of relationships to reincarna-

tion. Who knew? The album was

made available for download in

two different quality file types on

their website in early February,

and will be released on CD and

two 10‖ vinyl records in late

march. (I highly recommend listening in high quality, to better

experience unadulterated emotion and bass lines.) For

people who are not fans of Radiohead, King Of Limbs

may prove inaccessible as a result of the unorthodox

sounds and incomprehensible vocals. After a couple of

listens, the schizophrenic and psychedelic overtones

could grow on you. I especially found myself digging

the half-drunken babblings of Mr. Yorke. In short, Radi-

ohead is still as fresh as daisies.

Arden Yonkers

I know there are a lot of burger places out there. So this review may seem a bit unnecessary. However, there is one

burger chain that is worth every penny and is shockingly small in the mind of the general public around here...Five

Guys.

Every restaurant in this chain has a similar design scheme. It‘s dominated by white and red checkers, and small

posters shouting their fame in places like Washington and Orlando, with cafeteria-like tables. This oddly 80s de-sign is matched by another eccentricity, peanuts. Peanuts, bought in bulk and ready and waiting for whomever

wants them, are offered as a free appetizer or even meal companion, and are usually somewhere near the counter.

But these aren‘t the only things unique about this burger joint. Their burgers are also customizable, with fifteen

separate, free toppings available to make each burger unique to for its individual customer. In fact, there are

250,000 possible ways to order a Five Guys burger. And the best part is, they‘re very health conscious, in fact they

only use fresh meat and peanut oil for cooking, and their food contains no trans fats.

But say you aren‘t a burger fan. Not a problem! This restaurant also offers three different types

of hot dogs, as well as veggie sandwiches and grilled cheese. Of course, such good food isn‘t as cheap as a place

that just throws food together like McDonald‘s. A cheeseburger costs $5.69, with a hamburger costing 60 cents

less and a bacon cheeseburger 60 cents more, and a drink and fries will add another $4.58. And a hotdog is $3.49.

However, compared to the quality and fullness of the food, I‘d say it‘s worth every penny.

Five Guys Burgers Kaitlyn Curtin

The film Let Me In was released into theaters October 10th, 2010 and was released only last month for purchase. It

is based after a 2008 Swedish film Let the Right One In and the novel of the same name by John Adjvide Lind-

qvist. This romantic horror drama film is rated ―R‖ for violence, gore and adult situations. One would not guess

this based on the twelve year old leading characters, Owen and Abby. Nonetheless, with its repeated use of bloody

gore, a scene with slight nudity, and the large amount of violence throughout the movie, it is most definitely for mature viewers only.

Based in 1983 Los Alamos, New Mexico, the movie follows the lonely, bullied and socially estranged twelve year-

old, Owen and his encounter with a strange new girl to the housing complex. Owen is bullied by vicious boys at

school and is driven away by his over-protective mother and distant father as his family goes through divorce. He

first meets the girl when he is sitting alone on the playground like he does every night. She is silent and initially

tells Owen that they cannot ever be friends. However, as time goes by, the two become closer and Owen eventually

uncovers that his new and sole friend is in fact a vampire who has lived many years more than the twelve she is

frozen at physically. Abby, the vampire girl, must struggle with her need for blood, her want to be with Owen, and

her Guardian‘s means of providing her with blood. Meanwhile, Owen struggles to hide his vampire friend, with his

divided family, and the bullies at school. Both must make a decision of whether to stay strong or run, or both. The

conclusion of the film reveals this decision as well as the possible future.

The title of the movie serves a dual meaning; both that the vampire needs to be invited into Owen‘s home in order

to come in as well as their awkward struggle to finally let a person into their previously isolated lives. This film is

unlike both vampire movies from the past and present.

That is unlike 1992‘s Bram Stroker‘s Dracula, the

vampire is not solely a blood-thirsty monster and vil-

lain, but Abby is rather a complex being who does not

see everyone as a blood buffet. Also with the recent

Twilight series of movies, Let Me In does not depict

vampires as creatures of angst and almost harmless

creatures, concerned about school and dances. Abby, while not evil, also follows the original idea of a vam-

pire: fierce, unable to survive on anything but human

blood, cannot be exposed to sunlight, unable to enter

homes without invitation and uncontrollable. She kills

many people to drink their blood out of instinct and

burns in the sunlight, not sparkle.

Overall, the movie was fairly decent. It is not the pre-

dictable horror vampire flick one is accustomed to,

nor the vampire drama of recent publicity. It is a

unique mixture of these two ideas, creating an entwin-

ing story of two children desperate for companionship and secrets. However, it is one of those movies one

either hates or loves. I liked it due to the interesting

twist on a vampire plot. However, another viewer of

the movie remarked that it moves relatively slow and

the conflicts throughout the movie are not as action-

packed as one could desire. In the end, if you plan on

watching it, renting would probably be the best means

to see which perspective you take before you buy it.

However, it is definitely worth its 116 minutes to see

it at least once.

Let Me In Jamie Abbt

Literary Corner

In honor of April being poetry month, the Lit-

erary Corner has been dedicated to poetry

from students throughout our school! See how

many of your friends contributed!

Father, Friend, and Forgiver Written by Kate Barker

He has many names…

Father, Friend, and Forgiver

If you asked Him

Who are You? …Bam!!

He would say ―I am the I am.‖

I can call Him Father

Because He made me and you

Even if you don‘t believe it

It doesn‘t make it not true.

I can call Him Friend

Because he‘s there ‗til the bitter end. I can depend on him every day,

Because all I have to do is pray.

I can call Him the Forgiver

Because he forgives me even though I‘m a sinner.

Just because you can‘t hear His voice,

Does not mean He did not say ―Rejoice!‖

He has many names,

Father, Friend, and Forgiver.

All these names have one thing Something in common that they bring;

It is hard to see, but if you look up

It will be something that shines from above

If you look close at the three

You will be able to see, it is love.

Troy, My Beautiful Hometown Written by Destiney Woodley

A beautiful city under a dusky film cover, surrounded by

colleges and universities. Streets lines with trees cov-

ered in thick layers of ice or white pollinated flowers,

depending on the season. A politician once said to me,

―It is really beautiful isn‘t it?‖ pointing at the dark sil-

houette of the city against the night sky. Ugly buildings,

ugly cars, ugly personalities, ugly people, yet still oddly

attractive. Troy, my beautiful hometown.

I Once Played Baseball Written by Andrew Oligney

I once played baseball for little league in Troy. I started out on the second stage which was farm. I was nervous

to join the team because none of my friends were on the team, but the coach was able to persuade me to stay. He

said, ―in the presence of adversity, one must jump on the ladder not climb the ladder.‖ At first, I had no clue what

he was talking about but when I stopped to think about this I understood more and more. This man changed the

way I think today all because of great people in the city of Troy.

Breath Upon My Brain Written by Donovan Ryan

Sailing on the seas of old,

Battered by the night and cold.

Dragons roar above my head,

Calling me to meet their dead.

Fire pours itself to me,

Burns as bright as bright can be.

A million years they pretend,

They turn to face the end.

Reign of time and power come,

For the newly crown-ed one.

Only breath still lingers there, In the place where dragons stare.

The hearts of beasts alone,

Can't beat out the hidden drone.

Breath is there upon my brain,

This is my time, my time to reign.

My Bicycle

J-hops, wheelies, tail whips too,

When I ride this is what I do.

Dodge cars, sun in my face,

When I ride my bike my heart begins to race.

Faster and faster my wheels start to turn,

Like coals in a fire my calves begin to burn.

Bang, crack, pow I just fell down,

I look at my arm and it looks a little brown.

Hisssss my bike tire pops.

This is when my journey stops.

Simon

I wake up and do my stretches

Itch myself and clean my patches

Get myself a drink and go to work

Because my work involves going berserk

Hopping, Jumping, running around

Making noise and making sounds

Waking them up, that is my job

Getting them up to do their jobs

Still hopping, jumping and running around

Until I get told to cut it out

Then I go back to bed to lay myself out

Because a cat doesn't need to do much to chill out

Grandpa Dave Written by Casey Lennon

My grandfather is very wise,

He barely ever lies.

We call him Honest Abe,

because of his honesty.

Whenever our family fights,

He always makes things right.

He tells us his stories,

About his old glories.

He always makes us laugh, And we forget about the past.

Whenever I am down,

I know that he's around.

But lately he's been ill,

And he started to write a will.

My family is upset,

And we're confused on where he's at.

He has cancer, stage four,

And he's very, very sore. So we're praying and hoping he'll be okay,

He's getting stronger every day.

I love my grandfather without a doubt

I know we will be able to figure this out.

So keep on praying for us too,

And he may be okay because of you.

Francisco the Poem Written by Joe Patricelli

A pony born to a frog and a dragon. His body, strong as

a post steroid

Barry Bonds, his mind as wise as pre-nuke Einstein.

His name is Francisco.

He is just a child.

His frog mother refuses to let him be educated and let

him see the world

for what it truly is. Her small, underdeveloped brain

hinders her ability to

know how to make her child happy.

Francisco, as his tears splash rain drops on his bed, calls his friends for

some support.

Renaldo, useless.

Teena, a turtle, known Francisco all his life. Goes to

school. Tells

Francisco to be mature, stand up to his mother.

Francisco, as wise as the owl from the Tootsie Pop

commercials, knows

he only need to worry about 3 things.

Tone.

Diction. And poise.

Thinking this, he approaches his mother and musters up

a very phony

British accent and speaks his mind to his mother. She

finally understands.

The world is now Francisco‘s oyster.

Becomes CEO of company known as,

My Little

Pony.

Clearwater Beach: (a prose poem) Written by Noah Cipperly

The sand was as hot as an oven. A girl was holding a

potato chip under her bright, striped umbrella as the

noisy gull swooped down and snatched it from her hand

as she was about to chomp down on it. Power boats

raced and roared across the surf, churning the water int

a bright white foam. The sun was beating down on the

hot, sweating bodies running, sunbathing, swimming in

the surf. With the gulls, the sight of kites flying in the

bright blue sky mixed with the colorful sailboats in the

water. The smell of suntan lotion and salty sea air

mixed to make that ocean beach scent that makes you know you are in Florida. The restaurants along the

beach created those mouth-watering aromas that make

you hungry. My Mom was unaware, happily picking up

and collecting beautiful shells as the surf came in and

out, in and out.

Beauty Sleep Written by Alexandra Patlaw

All around are the stones that commemorate those who

have passed away,

And ensure the memories of them never decay.

Some are large and elegant, others are simple and small.

No matter the size or style, they give personality to one

and all.

In this peaceful atmosphere one may hear,

A sparrow singing a sweet song, from far away or

somewhere near.

On every side trees sway and swish, sometimes loud,

sometimes low,

As the breeze blows them to and fro.

The sun shines down, giving the land a beautiful sheen

And warms the air, so crisp and clean

And the smell to which this places given birth Is fresh and clear, but touched with the smell of green-

ery and earth.

A squirrel sometimes decides to climb the bark,

Of a tree gorgeously colored, brow and dark.

A butterfly often chose to fly,

Its colorful wings rising up into the baby blue sky.

Along each path are big green trees,

That provide shade and beauty, and never cease to

please.

Their branches reach high and stretch so wide, With thousands of leaves surrounding them on every

side.

This is the place in Troy that I admire and love.

It‘s Troy‘s little gift from the white place above.

It is the perfect place to be.

Every smell, every sound, and everything you see.

The wind whispers. a quiet voice

in this silent night.

A dog barks to be let in

somewhere on the next block.

Like me, he understands

no one should be out tonight

when the air quivers

with the knowledge,

"Something's coming".

I turn my head

as the leaves crunch under the heavy

footsteps that are coming up

behind me, trying to

stay silent, but to no

avail. I hear them. How could

I not hear them when

even the air

foretold of them.

It is him, the

man in the black cloak, the one who has

been watching my every move

for even longer than

I've known of his presence.

He holds out his hand to me

and I hesitate

before finally

accepting it.

And then I too

am a whisper

in the wind during silent nights, a feeling in

the air that foretells of

something coming. Something

that makes dogs bark to be let

in, and makes people

anxious, aware,

but still afraid.

A Shadow in the Night Written by Kaitlyn Curtin

Herb James

Jazz Trumpet player

Prefers his old trumpet

Higher IQ

Rarely removes his hat

Smokes a modest pipe

Drinks nothing over 10 proof save for wine on special

occasions

Enjoys Italian food

Submits anonymous articles to newspapers

Lives alone but rarely stays in his house Goes through phases of facial hair

Gets frequent buzz haircuts

Not married, sort of resents he could never settle down

Has a best friend, married with grown kids

Favorite color is green, but hardly

Doesn‘t leave town much

Doesn‘t own a car

Wears plastic or bone frame glasses

Talks to lots of people in jazz clubs

The Ballad of Samuel J. Ferrington in D

minor Written by Arden Yonkers

Have a Happy and Safe Spring Break Everyone

With spring break just around the corner, a lot of people are heading out of town for the

vacation. But what about those of us who are staying home? Well, to those fearless few, I‘d

like to offer some ideas for making the best of the vacation.

1. Sleep in! Most of us are hammered by school work during the year, so why not take this

time to enjoy being able to wake up at noon on a Monday morning?

2. Get moving! The weather‘s been beautiful lately, so why not enjoy it? Even if you aren‘t

going anywhere special for vacation, you should take this opportunity to go out and do

something outdoors-y; like bike riding, hiking, playing a sport for the fun of it, or whatever

else you can think of.

3. Go ―day tripping‖! You never know what‘s going on around you, so check out what‘s going

on nearby. You may find out that somewhere fun is having a special event, or a new place is

opening, or who knows what.

4. Makeshift tournaments! Get a bunch of your friends together and have your own tourna-

ment! It could be a video game challenge, or a board game, or cards, or anything you can

think of. If nothing else you‘ll get bragging rights for a little while.

5. Be creative! You‘re at home anyway, why not use a little bit of creativity? Draw, write,

sing, do something to show your own creativity while taking up some of your time.

6. Plan a day trip or two with your friends! Even if you aren‘t getting out of town for long, you

could at least plan a trip with your friends for the day.

7. Plan a party! What else to do while you‘re stuck at home with nothing to do? Invite some

friends over and have a party, from a small get together to a full on bash!

8. Get money! It may not sound like the most exciting thing, but if you‘ll be home anyway you

might as well add on some extra hours and earn some money.

9. Go to the mall! Even if you‘re poor, there‘s nothing wrong with window shopping.

10. Read something! Educate yourself! It won‘t kill you! There are some really good books out

there, and it can be a great way to unwind.

BONUS

11. Play a new video game! If everything else fails, a new game can break the monotony of a

week long vacation. or revisit an old game you haven‘t played in a while for nostalgia‘s sa-

ke, or just to see how you or the sequels have improved.

Kaitlyn Curtin

Mrs. Jarem would like to thank the Student

Government and the students that sent her

flowers! She truly appreciates it!