by Abigail Matheis and Finn McNamara

These science teachers gave us two truths and one lie about themselves. Can you tell which one is the lie? The answers are at the end of the issue!

by Justin McComb

by Abigail Matheis

Middle school can be stressful sometimes, but tips and tricks to relieve that stress and help you get through the school year really help. Here are some tips that I have learned throughout my years in BMS.

1. Focus on school and try your best in all of your classes.

2. Do homework early and on time and DON’T PROCRASTINATE!

3. Try not to stress during a test and take small brain breaks when needed

4. Have a clean inbox for your email , it makes it easier to find the important information

5. Check your email almost every school day to assure that you have what you need

6. Check the Powerschool Grade Portal and make sure you aren’t missing work and you are aware of your grades.

7. Aim for high grades in all subjects, no subject is more important that another

8. Check your Schoology often, make sure you know what you have to do that night

9. Color-code your Schoology Calendar, it makes it easier to find homework assignments

10. Communicate with your teachers about lessons, missing assignments, etc.

11. Your teachers are always there for you when you need them. Reach out in person or via email if you need to.

12. Get involved in extracurricular activities (sports, clubs etc.).

13. Get good grades.

14. Talk to your parents and keep them informed of what is going on in your life.

15. Find an adult you trust to talk to when you have problems.

16. Choose your friends wisely and make sure they are trustworthy and honest.

17. Have as much fun as possible!

by Jackson Crudele

Introduction

I started playing Berner sports at the first chance I got which was in 7th grade playing football. Personally I thought it was great. It was a lot of fun. I played another sport during the Winter 2 season which was wrestling. I really enjoyed playing this too even though it was my first time wrestling. When it comes to playing sports here at Berner Middle School you don't have to be great at sports to enjoy them there are many other great things about it. There are many reasons why playing sports in Berner Middle School is a great experience whether it’s the coaches, the game itself, or the team.

The Team

For me when playing Berner sports the team is a big part of the enjoyment for me. When playing any sport here you can build friendships with other people on the team and it may not seem like it at first but after a little while the entire team no matter what sport becomes a family. This means that you always look out for each other and when it comes to game time that’s when it’s the best. Everyone always gets hyped up before a game and especially during the game. Winning the game as a team is one of the best feelings ever. Playing team sports is one of my favorite things to do and I don’t think I would rather do anything else than playing a football game on a Thursday or any other day. That's how much I love it. For me playing Berner Sports is the best and the team is one reason why.

The Sports

Berner has plenty of sports to offer over many seasons. Personally my favorites are wrestling and football however, there are many other sports that Berner Middle School offers. For example the Fall sports include sports like Boys and girls soccer, Football, Boys and Girls cross country, and field Hockey. There are 2 different Winter seasons for Berner Middle school. These two seasons are just called Winter 1 and Winter 2. The Winter 1 sports include boys basketball, girls volleyball, boys and girls track, the cheerleading club, and the newly added competitive cheerleading team. In Winter 2 the sports offered are boys volleyball, girls basketball, and boys wrestling. Finally in the Spring the sports offered are boys lacrosse, girls lacrosse, softball, baseball, gymnastics, and boys and girls track. All sports offered have either separate 7th and 8th grade teams or combined 7th and 8th grade teams. If you want to learn more about the teams and the seasons you can go onto your schoology page and go to athletics and intramurals and then go to resources to find the info.

The Coaches

In my opinion the coaches here in Massapequa are the best and I don’t think any other town has better coaches. No matter what sport it is I think our coaches here are great. My coaches from football and Wrestling were all great. These coaches include Coach Labella, Coach Sheedy, Coach Fiorentine for football and Coach Labella, Coach Catalanotto, and Coach Foreman for wrestling. All these coaches try their best to make us the best players they can. Some of these coaches teach or do things around the Massapequa schools. So not only do they coach, some of them also do other things around the Massapequa schools. None of these coaches have to coach but they do this to make us the best players we can and to help us get better. All of the coaches around the Massapequa schools work very hard to help us get better as athletes. Having a good coach can really change the way you view and sport and can really help you enjoy the sport you’re playing more.

The Benefits of Playing Berner Sports

There are plenty of benefits to playing sports in Berner. One of these benefits is that you can make a lot of friends by playing sports. I’ve made a bunch of friends by playing sports like football and Wrestling. You can build great friendships and you might even find your bestfriend when playing sports here. Another benefit of playing sports here at Berner is that if you have a lot of free time it gives you something to do in your free time. Not only that, playing these sports are a ton of fun. So not only is it something to take up your free time, it's something that’s a ton of fun. One other benefit of playing sports at Berner is that you can learn a lot of life lessons. Not only do you learn lessons you learn good life lessons. One of the things they tell us in football is that you may be winning at one point in the game but you have to push yourself even harder during the 4th quarter. I’ve learned so many life lessons from playing sports at Berner. Probably one of the more obvious benefits is that you get a lot of exercise when playing sports and you can keep yourself in very good shape.

Conclusion

Overall in my opinion there are so many cool things about playing sports here at Berner. There are many reasons I like to play sports at Berner like the coaches, the team, or even the sports offered. If you haven’t played sports before maybe you could give it a try. As always though it’s always your choice if you don’t want to play sports that’s fine but if you feel like you have a lot of extra time and maybe wanna try something new I definitely recommend trying out a sport. I hope you enjoyed this article and consider trying out a sport here at Berner!

by Juliana Grasso

Have you ever gotten tired of doing the same thing everyday in the morning on your bus? If so, this article is for you! Here are some tips of what to do while you are on your bus:

1. Finish any unfinished school work

If you have any unfinished school work this is a great time to finish it!

2. Text or call a friend

Call or text your friend to talk about what's on your mind!

3. Tell someone a joke

Have a good joke? Share it with your friends or even your bus driver.

4. Listen to music

Play your favorite tunes by various artists!

5. Read a book

Read a novel that is entertaining or informative!

6. Play Wordle by New York Times

Have a device? If you do, this is a great game to play! All you have to do is search Wordle online and the game will come up. Wordle is a word game where you have to guess the “word of the day”. Each day, a new word is created on the website for you to guess! ( More directions on the website )

7. Make your Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Birthday, Special event, etc. wishlist for gifts

Who doesn’t love presents! This is a great time to make a wish list!

8. Watch a show or movie on your device

by Cassidy Khrinenko

If you have ever stayed after school you know that you can always go to the library, but sometimes 40 minutes might not be enough time for you to finish your homework. However there is a simple solution to this, the Massapequa Public Library.

HOW TO GET THERE:

Now you may be wondering, “well how do I get to the Public Library?” Well first all you have to do is take late bus F home. (Ask your parents first) Once you get on the bus you want to get off at Parkhill and Franklin. From there you want to go straight 2 blocks then take a left and walk until you see a big building that has a sign on top saying “The Massapequa Public Library” you can do homework, study, and read peacefully without worrying about running out of time. Best of all as we know at the school library some kids aren't very quiet, which may make it hard to concentrate, at the public library however it's nice and quiet, and you have all the time you want. (well until you have to go home)

TIPS ABOUT THE AREA:

If you're going to go to a public library there are probably some things you should know. One thing however you should do before going is to take a look at the Maps app on your phone so you know about the area surrounding it, just in case you get lost. For 8th graders, if your parents trust you enough, there are other places near the library such as Dunkin Donuts and a pizza place.

by Ashley Justino

There are so many clubs at Berner Middle School. 32 of them, I know right! I am in 4 of them. I am in Flute Choir, Berner Beacon, Lego Robotics, and Cooking and Crafts Club. The clubs are really fun! They are after school from 3- 3:40. The only club that goes longer is the Berner spring and fall musical. Every year Berner puts on a musical. This Fall we are putting on the play Bye Bye Birdie. The play is a fun place to shine. I am not in it myself so I can't tell you much but I know that it is fun. You can also be a part of the stage crew which controls the lights and sound effects. I think that I might join the stage crew too. Another big club is the Berner Intramurals. They have almost every sport. They just added a spike ball if you are interested. If you are in band or orchestra and you still want to sing there, the early morning risers club is perfect for you! For me it is two early but you will probably have fun. Another club at Berner is the Buddies Club. The Buddies Club is welcome for all students. It is designed to increase the social skills of kids with special needs. It helps them with communicating and their social skills. Everyone there plays games and has a great time. If you want to help the world, join the Environmental Club. They collect the recycling from all the classrooms at Berner. The money collected for bottle returns will be used to purchase items to be raffled off with the proceeds going to a cause decided by the students. The students create fun ways for the whole school to celebrate Earth Day. Berner has so many fun clubs. I hope you will join one of these clubs after reading my article!

by Madison Terlizzi

WOULD YOU RATHER?...

1. Stay cozy at home watching a Christmas movie with Christmas treats?

OR

Go out to watch a Christmas light show?

2. Bake and decorate delicious Christmas cookies?

OR

Decorate your own gingerbread house?

3. Watch the movie Home Alone?

OR

the movie The Grinch?

4. Go Christmas shopping with your friends/family?

OR

Go ice skating with your friends/family?

5. Have a red nose like Rudolph?

OR

Be green like the Grinch?

6.Have a snowball fight?

OR

Build a snowman?

7. Watch Christmas movies?

OR

Listen to Christmas music?

8. Loudly sing "Jingle Bells" every time you walk into a room?

OR

Have to wear a Grinch suit to school everyday?

9. Get many small presents for Christmas?

OR

One big really nice gift for Christmas?

10. Be given $100 to spend on yourself?

OR

Be given $1000 to spend on others?

11. Wear comfy Christmas pjs on Christmas?

OR

Wear a nice fancy Christmas outfit?

12. A fake Christmas tree?

OR

A real Christmas tree?

13. Take a ride in Santa’s sleigh?

OR

Visit Santa’s toyshop?

14. Live in a candy cane house?

OR

Live in a gingerbread house?

15. Have a pet reindeer?

OR

Have a pet penguin?

WOULD YOU RATHER . . .

OR

Get 8 small ones?

2. Give up latkes forever

OR

Give up chocolate forever?

3. Eat 1000 chocolate Hanukkah coins with the wrappers on

OR

Eat just one chocolate coin?

4. Would you rather get a paper cut every time you wrap a Hanukkah present

OR

Get burned every time you light the menorah?

5. Would you rather have to dress up as a dreidel

OR

Dress up as a menorah?

6. Eat your latkes with applesauce

OR

Eat your latkes with sour cream?

7. Spell the holiday H-A-N-U-K-K-A-H

OR

Spell the holiday C-H-A-N-U-K-A-H?

8. Light the candles

OR

make the latkes?

by Jackson Crudele

1. Would you rather go skiing or snowboarding?
2. Would you rather stay in a warm place or play outside in the snow?
3. Would you rather go on vacation somewhere warm or stay in Massapequa during the winter?
4. Would you rather have a nice hot soup or hot chocolate after being outside in the cold?
5. Would you rather dive into a cold pool or the cold ocean water?
6. Would you rather have a snowball fight or make a snowman?
7. Would you rather make an igloo or a snow fort?
8. Would you rather play video games or watch tv on a snowy day?
9. Would you rather do something inside or go outside when it’s snowy?
10. Would you rather go ice skating or go sledding?
11. Would you rather sled down a really steep hill or a sled down a lighter slope?
12. Would you rather just shovel your house or shovel your entire block for $40?
13. Would you rather wear thick layers of snow clothes or thin layers of snow clothes?
14. Would you rather have snow go on your neck or down your back?
15. Would you rather be hit with a snowball in the face or the neck?

I really enjoyed making this and I think a couple of these really need you to think about because of how tough of a decision it is. I had a tough time deciding on which one I would pick on a few of these. I hope you enjoyed this “Would you rather”!

by Joseph RutWheeler

1. Would you rather sled or ski?

2. Would you rather dump snow down your shirt or your pants?

3. Would you rather make a snow fort or stay inside?

4. Would you rather do a snowball fight or a snowball war?

5. Would you rather make the world biggest snowman or world biggest snowball?

6. Would you rather build a snowman or a snow dog?

7. Would you rather get buried in the snow or be a snowman?

8. Would you rather be out in the snow for a day or live in a snow fort for 2 days?

9. Would you rather go to the mountains or stay at home?

10. Would you rather stay inside or play in the snow?

by Sophia LaBella

Skiing

Similar to snowboarding, a fun winter activity is skiing. Skiing is one of the more popular winter sports that many people enjoy. Some popular skiing destinations include Colorado, Vermont, and Michigan. When you go skiing you will need the right equipment such as ski goggles, ski poles, warm clothes, a helmet, and ski boots. One of the most important things you need when you go skiing is obviously the skis. There are two different types of skis, long skis and short skis. Short skis are quicker at turning short and sharp turns and lack stability. Meanwhile, long skis have better stability, float better in snow, and are faster.

Make homemade chocolate

Everyone loves Swiss Miss hot chocolate, but have you ever tried homemade hot chocolate? There's nothing like a nice cup of hot chocolate to warm you up on a cold winter day. With the right recipe your hot chocolate could be tasting better than Swiss Miss hot cocoa. Hot cocoa also has lots of other benefits other than tasting delicious. Hot chocolate can reduce inflammation, lower risk of heart attacks and strokes, and even lower levels of blood pressure.

Snowboard

A great activity to learn this winter is snowboarding. Some of the best snowboarding resorts are in America. Some resorts include Mt. Hood Meadows, OR, Park City Mountain resort, UT, and many more. When learning how to snowboard you could learn some cool tricks as well. One of the first tricks is called an ollie, if you skateboard you’ve probably heard of this trick. An ollie is probably one of the easiest tricks you could learn when you learn to snowboard. To do an ollie you need to gain speed and shift your weight onto your back leg. Then, you need to lift the nose of the board off the ground and then level your weight when you're in the air. Finally, bring your knees in towards your chest when you're highest in the air then slowly straighten your knees before impacting to the ground. Another easy trick is the nollie. A nollie is a basic snowboarding trick that is basically the opposite of the ollie trick. One last snowboarding trick is called the melon which is another easy one. To do the melon trick you need to catch some air and reach down and grab the heel side of the board between your feet

Ice Skating

Ice skating is a very popular and fun winter event enjoyed seasonally. For many, ice skating with family and friends is a valued yearly tradition. Ice skating is also something you can occupy your time with by learning new skills and tricks. There are some popular tricks that are easy for beginners. The easiest trick is called a toe loop, to do a toe loop you take off from the left foot while your right foot travels on the back edge.

Go to a Broadway show

Around the winter season some great Broadway shows come out. Some great shows include A Christmas Carol, Aladdin, and Back To The Future. Broadway shows aren’t just fun to go to but they’re also a great way to experience a live show. When you go to a Broadway show there are cozy theaters, beautiful stages, and amazing talent.

by Eleni Diakoumakis

Teacher: Mrs. Kiley

Q: As a child, did you enjoy winter break? Why or why not?

A: “As a child, absolutely because with the holidays being there you need to enjoy the time with your family.”

Q: Did you go outside or did you stay inside?

A: “Definitely, I went outside if there was snow. My brother and I used to make the craziest forts.”

Q: Have you ever gotten into a snowball fight with your siblings? If so, what was it like?

A: “Absolutely! My brother always won. But it was, you know, very fun to get into snowball fights.”

Q: What do you prefer? Warm milk or hot chocolate? Why?

A: “Hot chocolate because of the chocolaty delicious flavor and you can add marshmallows.”

Q:Are you a snow fort, snow man or a snow angel person?Why?

A: “All three! I’m definitely all three because anytime it was snowing when I was a kid I was out there making snow angels and my brother and I attempted to make snowmen, and I always made huge forts with my brother”

Student: Katelyn Vassil

Q: Do you enjoy winter break? Why?

A: “I do because it gives me time to spend with my family”

Q:Did you go outside or did you stay inside?

A: “I kind of do both, it depends on the day, like, if I have sports.”

Q:Have you ever gotten into a snowball fight?

A:“Yes. It is a fun experience.”

Q: Do you like hot chocolate or warm milk? Why?

A: “I prefer hot chocolate because it is more like a treat to me than milk is.”

Q:Are you a snow fort, snow man or a snow angel person? Why?

A: “Snowman, because it is more exciting to be able to decorate your snowman.”

Thank you to Mrs. Kiley and Katelyn Vassil!

by Mia Cespites

Traditions

Christmas time is the best time to do all your favorite traditions. Especially with family or friends. There are so many fun and exciting traditions. So here are a few:

1. Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony in your hometown. So awesome seeing familiar happy faces.

2. Going Christmas shopping and wrapping all the gifts.

3. Watching your favorite Christmas movies.

There are so many different movies you can watch, but some really good ones are Elf, The Santa Clause 1, 2 and the 3rd, Christmas Vacation, The Grinch, The Christmas Story, Rudolph, Frosty the Snowman, Home Alone, Home alone 2 Lost in New York.

4. Baking: It is so fun to bake. Decorating and doing fun designs. You can also make gingerbread houses and have a contest with your friends or family and see who’s came out the best.

5. Putting up your Christmas tree and decorating.

6. Sleigh riding, if the weather is right! It could be awesome! Gear up. Get your sled and find a snowy hill!! While you're at it, you can build a snowman!!!

7. Making handcrafted gifts from your heart.

8. Pick out an annual ornament!

9. Drive around to see all the beautiful houses decorated.

10. Christmas time is about giving, so show the love and help someone in need. Be jolly and enjoy the holidays !!!

By Joseph Rutwheeler

If it is snowing and you get bored, then here are 10 fun things to do this winter:

1. Snowboard or ski, you could go to your local hill covered in snow or go to the mountainside to do it.

2. Make snowmen, you can make them big or small, and even cover them in leaves. Think about a carrot nose, scarf and hat.

3. Make snow angels, after you make them, you can decorate them with leaves, sticks, and snow.

4. Make a snow mountain, once you finish you can sled or snowboard on it.

5. Read, you can get lost in a world of imagination while reading.

6. Play video games, you can have a lot of fun doing this, just do not play Pokemon Go, you will get bored.

7. Do a science experiment, you can do something like: which salt melts snow the fastest?

8. Make a snow ditch, you can use this to trap your friends.

9. Sleep, a nice nap is always refreshing.

10. Watch your favorite tv shows, binge watch everything you know.

That is all for now, goodbye Berner Middle School!!!

by Joseph RutWheeler

Here are three poems and I hope you like them.

Snow Cone

Snow cones,

Delicious and a weapon outside.

Can be flavored or unflavored.

Snow cones,

Very delicious after all.

Inside

What can you do inside?

A lot of stuff like,

Playing games for hours,

Or doing an imaginary hike,

Maybe just taking a nap.

See, there is a lot to do

Sledding

Sledding, riding down snow.

Sledding, falling fast oh no!

Sledding, having lots of fun.

Sledding is really fun.

by Elena Lopez

In order to grow a raspberry, there are many specific steps. The first step is picking the right spot. You want to pick a spot that can't receive damage from any natural causes. ( snow, rain, winds, etc.). You want to pick a spot for the seed that has rich, well drained soil. If growing more than one bush. You need to soak the soil for an hour or two before planting the raspberries. You should make sure to place the plants three to four feet apart. You want to pick a spot that will receive at least six to eight hours of sunlight per day. You need to make sure that the garden the raspberries are planted in are not the same garden as tomatoes, peppers, or eggplant or any other nightshade fruit or vegetable. These foods cause a disease to spread to your raspberries4, which is verticillium wilt. Raspberries are best when planted during early spring.

Unless you are looking for a lot of fruit, planting too many raspberry bushes is not recommended. This is because one plant can bear a lot of fruit, so planting too many bushes could resort to having too many raspberries.Raspberry bushes need to be watered daily during the summer. Water is a key part to grow raspberries. Make sure to water the top of dry soil well. You also need to make sure to water during the winter, as this could cause rotting of roots.You also need to stake the raspberry plant. This is because it will keep the plant from hitting the ground, and give it more space to grow. It will make sure your plant can be contained in the spot you want it to be in. You also are going to need to remove weeds. You have to be very careful doing this process, because if you are more than one inch down into the ground, you may kill or damage the roots of the raspberries.You also have to make sure that you are removing the different types of dead Cane from the plant that was leftover from summer or winter. You also need to let a thick layer of mulch lie around the plant, as well as making sure that all debris is removed from the raspberry plant. You also need to look for Japanese beetles and spider mites. If left in the ground, a rabbit may eat the raspberries. It is important to keep the plants safe from debris or animals. Most raspberry plants will begin to bear fruit in their second season. It is best to harvest over Summer. You will need to pick berries of the plant every two weeks during the period of time. It is best to harvest on a sunny day, when the berries are dried out. A ripe raspberry will come off the plant easily, as an unripe would take more effort to take off. This makes it important to not tug too hard on the plant, as you may accidentally take an unripe berry off. You should not wash them when they come inside, unless you are planning to eat them immediately. Water can cause raspberries to become moldy and mushy. Raspberries are good for about five days when kept refrigerated, but can last a little longer than that when kept on a cookie sheet in an airtight bag or container.Raspberries usually way around three to five grams, and are made up of around 100 drupelets.

by Chloe Symington

Hello, and happy holidays! Have you ever wondered, while you´re decorating your Christmas tree, what are the origins of ornaments? Well if so, this article is for you! So sit back, relax, and enjoy!

It all started in the 16th century, in Germany. Germany is where people first started using Christmas trees. Instead of the glass ornaments we use today, people in 16th century Germany used fruits. This was to represent the forbidden fruit in the bible, and to celebrate the Winter Solstice. One day, a glass blower, Hans Greiner, couldn’t afford any fruit to hang on his tree. So, he created his own glass fruit. Soon, these ornaments gained popularity. These glass fruits didn’t leave Germany until 1770, however. During the American Revolution, when the Hessians came to America, the ornaments were brought here, too. The ornaments stayed in America, even after the Hessians left.

When it comes to Christmas, ornaments are a huge part of it. Imagine you just picked out the perfect evergreen tree to show off in your house. You get home, and rather than these small, elegant glass spheres in a box labeled “Christmas Decorations,” you see either apples, oranges, or any other fruit, or just nothing. Nothing left for your tree. Now, do you see how important ornaments are? Do you see how special this tradition is to you and your family? Overall, thanks for reading my article! If you scroll down just a little, you will find a fun craft to help you get into the spirit of winter!

Snowflake Ornament Craft

Materials Needed:

1 Foam Ball (Any Size)

Toothpicks

One String of Any Color

Tape

Steps:

1. Take your foam ball and toothpicks

2. Poke a toothpick into the foam ball, but not completely through, or into the foam ball

3. Repeat until you are satisfied with your work

4. Cut any length of the string you want and think is long enough for a Christmas tree branch

3. Tape both ends of the string onto the foam ball

4. Hang it on your Christmas tree, and enjoy!

by John Thomas

Introduction

Christmas Eve is celebrated on the 24th of December and Christmas day the following. Christmas is by far the best time of year. The enjoyment of opening presents on Christmas morning is unmatched, along with all the fun things to do with your family. Christmas traditions vary from family to family, but I find that even the most different families have similar traditions. There are a bunch of traditions that I would like to share with you.

Traditions

The first tradition is ice skating with your family. You could go to Rockefeller Center right by the big tree or just our town rink at Marjorie Post Park. The second tradition is to set up and decorate the Christmas tree. You get to decorate the tree with lots of ornaments, maybe some old, some new. You can always find a way to make them fit. P.S. extra fun to chop one down yourself. A third tradition is to make Christmas breakfast. It can be anything you want, but my family usually goes with eggs, bacon, and English muffins. Another tradition is to take Christmas photos, whether it goes on a card or just a memory book. Taking photos is a great way to spend some time with the family. Nothing beats a good movie night with the family, right? So how about you pick a day or two for the month of December and every day you can watch a different Christmas movie until Christmas comes. Do you remember when you walked down stairs just to see a boatload of presents underneath the Christmas tree. Well, that along with some others are my family's favorite traditions.

My favorite Christmas tradition by far is making cookies. From decorating to making my favorite cookies are chocolate crinkle cookies. Chocolate crinkle cookies have a nice hard outside with a nice moist and soft inside. Chocolate crinkle cookies also have powdered sugar sprinkled on top to give it an even better taste. I decorate Christmas cookies, usually sugar cookies, every year with my siblings and cousins, so why don’t you give it a try.

Setting up the Christmas tree is my favorite thing to do during the Christmas season because it’s just a whole lot of fun when you have your family get together, grab some ornaments and start placing them on the branches. All you have to do is get your tree, maybe fake or even cut down. Put it in the tree stand and start decorating. Ornaments vary from sports teams to cartoon characters, there are really endless ornaments to choose from. My favorite ornament is the grandma from National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation saying the pledge of allegiance.

Summary

That recaps my guide to Christmas traditions. Let me know what your family does to celebrate the holidays. I bet I can read your mind… Ready for it… Your favorite Christmas song is… All I want for Christmas is you by Mariah Carey.

Happy Holidays to you All!

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0d68z5HTwE

by Carter Donnellan

There is no better feeling than when you wake up in the morning and realize that you don't have school because it is a snow day. When you look outside and see a blanket of snow you want to go outside and have a snowball fight, maybe even make a snowman or go sledding with friends. You can even shovel some neighborhood driveways to make some extra money. You know that winter is here.

The winter season might be cold but it is full of the best holidays such as Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and New Years. There is always something to celebrate. Everywhere you look there are Christmas trees and menorahs, and every one is in the holiday spirit!

Winter break is my favorite time of year. There are so many winter activities and sports to enjoy such as ice skating, ice hockey, snow tubing, skiing and snowboarding. However you choose to spend your winter, make it a chance to rest, relax and spend time with family. You can cozy up near the fireplace and enjoy a hot chocolate or spend some time outdoors.

by Vincent Apap

You wake up to a beeping sound and realize it's the first day of school. You get your best clothes on the walk to the stop with your friend. Waiting for the bus you compare schedules., Your bus arrives and the driver asks for your name and you reply softly. Minutes later your bus pulls up to the school you're overwhelmed with feelings but you can't decide what they are yet. The day goes by very quickly and you get on the bus. The whole bus is talking about their classes and teachers. You get home because you wanna tell your parents about your day. You walk in and your mom looks at you and says: ”How was the first day?” and you don't know how to respond. Well... here is what some people would tell her: “ I definitely love Berner. It's a big switch from elementary school. I love changing classes and especially the ones that change in the different semester. I'm loving Berner and can't wait to continue it.” and “I love Berner this year. I get to see a lot of my friends in the hallways. And I love all my teachers. I love all of our spirit days and showing my spirit. I'm loving Berner and can't wait to continue it.” What would you tell your mom if she asks how was your first day? Would you respond positively or negatively?

by John Brzezinski

In Belmont Park, Long Island, one of the newest sport arenas on Long Island was built. The UBS Arena is the home to the New York Islanders. After 2 seasons of holding season tickets, I think it’s time I give it a rating. Here it is:

Food

If I’m being honest, the food at UBS arena is amazing, it tastes great and there are hundreds of different options for you to choose from, bagels, burgers, nachos, chicken, fries, oh how I could go on. The only bad thing I have to say about the food is that it is absurdly expensive. It’s $10 for a water bottle. I mean come on, how could you put such a high price on such good tasting food. I rate the food options of 8/10, minus 2 for the pricing.

Merchandise

Every sports team has merchandise! Of course they do. Therefore in the UBS Arena they of course have a team store. I will say that all of the merchandise they have there is great! Except for the prices, other than that the merchandise is very good quality and there is a huge variety of things you can buy. There is even this thing called the Isles lab where you can customize your own jersey! They allowed you to buy Spiderman jersey to advertise Spiderman: No Way Home. I rate the merchandise a 9/10.

Experience

Sure, I’d say the merchandise is important, especially the food. But what really matters is the experience. The games are really exciting, and the third period keeps you on the edge of your seat, the entire way through. And every time the Islanders score, everyone high fives each other, and becomes really happy. In the parking garage, there is a rule. No Honking. But after a nice Islanders win, no one is going to follow this. Everyone will honk their horns in the rhythm of “Let’s-go-Islanders!” (Dun-Dun-Dun Dun Dun), and one time there was a guy making sure everyone did the Islanders horn honk before they left the parking garage. Overall the experience is really great and if you feel unsafe, they can always help.

Seating Options

Of course, the experience is great no matter what. But you have to decide where to watch the game! The normal seating is the first floor, second floor, and third floor. But there are clubs as well. Let's start: you need to pay for the clubs (usually) but here is the ones that I have information about. The Heineken Club is an outdoor club where you can watch the game on a TV and double as a bar. The Hyundai Club also has a small bar, and you can watch the game. The Amex Club you can get in free if you have an Amex card. It's just a chill club to relax between periods. You unfortunately cannot order food nor watch the game in the club. I went in there and it is more of a chill club in comparison to the Heineken Club. The Dime Club is one of the most expensive clubs. But it is the most luxurious. It allows for you to watch the game and eat food while relaxing in luxury, while your pockets are most likely empty. The suites are beautiful and even have their own food court. The suite is the most expensive option, but I presume it’s worth it.

Parking

Depending if you hold season tickets or not parking is a nightmare. However, if you hold season tickets then you have access to the parking garage. It is much better than the parking lot. It has a light system overhead that shows which spots are vacant and which spots are taken, which is really helpful from a driver's perspective. The parking is a mess getting it in but it’s even worse getting out.

Hopefully this sways your opinion about buying Islanders tickets!

by Justin McComb

In the great multiverse of the MCU (marvel cinematic universe) there is one superhero named Wanda Maximoff. She is my favorite character and in my opinion the most powerful in the MCU. Today I'll be going through her journey in the movies.

The Winter Soldier 2014

The first appearance of Wanda Maximoff is in the end credits of Captain America the winter soldier. She is shown using her telekinesis powers for the first time after them being

activated by the mind stone.

Avengers Age Of Ultron 2015

Wanda Maximoff is now shown in a lab testing out her abilities and then is manipulated by Ultron to help him destroy the world. She fights the avengers by taking over their minds and sending them to bad memories. Even though she didn't know it at that time the love of her life Vision was created. She then realized Ultron was betraying them and fought with the avengers where her brother died in battle. Vision was repurposed and became Wanda's love and she starts training with the avengers.

Captain America Civil War 2016

The movie starts with Wanda and others fighting together against an enemy but one of the enemies lights themselves on fire and they explode. BUT DON'T WORRY Wanda saves the day and contains the explosion! Oh wait … she accidentally sends the fire into a building with many people in it and many die. She's left questioning herself and this starts the Sokovia accords the avengers end up splitting and starting a civil war amongst themselves. She chooses Captain America's side and doesn't sign the accords. She does great in the fight and keeps training her powers are growing rapidly.

Infinity War 2018

Thanos came to earth looking for all of the infinity stones to wipe out half of the universe. Wanda is left guarding vision because he has the mind stone. The Battle of Wakanda starts with Thanos and his army so she is stationed in the Wakandan base. There she and Shuri try to remove the mind stone from Vision. Wanda realizes that she needs to help fight so she leaves Shuri alone. Bad idea! Shuri gets rushed by Thanos's army and they take Vision, Wanda sees this and follows them. She is left having to destroy the mind stone which also means killing vision. Thanos rewinds time and ends up wiping out half the universe including wanda.

ENDGAME 2020

BUT WAIT she gets snapped back by the hulk and she is back and fighting. She then gets to Thanos and says the lines “You took everything from me” referencing to Vision her everything. She ends up breaking Thanos's sword and lifts him in the air, ripping him apart. Thanos then yells RAIN FIRE and his ships shoot lasers throwing wanda across

the battlefield. Thanos then dies along with his army.

WANDAVISON 2021

Wanda Maximoff, broken from the death of her husband Vision, goes to the lot where they would build their house together. She starts crying and falling to the ground. Then BOOM the town of Westview is taken over by red magic. Wanda makes a false reality or a Hex with vision. Her hex is set in the 50s all black and white. Her neighbor Agnes becomes her best friend! For now… Every episode (There are 9) It goes up 10 years. From 50’s to the 2000s. The people on the outside are wondering what's happening inside so they send in drones. These are immediately shot down by Wanda. Vision is starting to get suspicious of something happening. Wanda then has Children (twins) who she names Billy Maximoff and Tommy Maximoff! Tommy has the powers of super speed and Billy has telekinesis. At the end of episode 5 out of nowhere her dead brother Pietro appears. One day Wanda leaves her children with Agnes, her neighbor and she goes to pick them up and she finds out Agnes or Agatha is a witch and is trying to take Wanda's powers. She finds out she is the reason Pietro came to the hex! So Agatha and Wanda go through all of Wanda's worst memories. Her parents death, brothers death, visions death and the creation of the hex. Then in the finale a whole war breaks out between the Maximoff family and Agatha Harkness and at the end Wanda becomes the Scarlet Witch making her extremely powerful. Now she is left with nothing because she had to close the hex and leave her children behind.

DR STRANGE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS 2022

Wanda, broken from losing her children, tries to get her children back with Multiversal Travel traveling to different universes with the Darkhold. A book that takes over the reader but teaches them terrible spells. One problem though she doesn't have the power so she goes to kill America Chavez but Dr. Strange is guarding her. America tries going to other universes but Wanda follows her by Dream Walking or going into the body of yourself in a different dimension. She isn't successful and realizes the Darkhold took over her. She finally sees her children but turns out they want their real mother. She gets extremely sad and decides to kill herself to destroy the Darkhold.

The story doesn't end there though because as you can see at the end of Doctor Strange 2 a red flash happens when Wanda was dying however in a twist she's still alive.

by Max Burns

Stranger Things Season 1

Stranger Things has been one of the top shows on Netflix for months now. It's obvious that something about this show makes people like it so much. Maybe the mystery of the upside down or its horror of the show.

As soon as Episode 1 begins we see a lot of action. We seem to be in a lab of some sort. Within a second there are sirens going off and a man with a lab coat is running as fast as he can. He starts to run into an elevator but before he can escape something seems to grab him and pull him out of the elevator, However, we can’t see what this thing is. We then meet some of the main characters of season 1. Mike, Will, Lucas, and Dustin. The show is set in the 1980s. This is why they are all playing Dungeons and Dragons, a board game that was very popular back in the 1980s. After they’re all done playing, Will, Lucas, and Dustin decide to leave Mike's house and bike home. Once they all separate, Will is biking home in the dark when a giant shadow human-like figure stops him. He then falls over on his bike. Will hears a sound and starts running through the forest. He runs to his shed and grabs a gun to shoot whatever could be threatening him. Then we got our first glimpse at the demogorgon. The scene then cuts and Will goes missing. Will’s mom starts to worry where he is. After a day police are searching for Will everywhere.

The Upside Down

Joyce (Will’s mom) starts to panic. Eventually Joyce gets a phone call and all she hears is breathing. The phone then gets electrically shocked and is broken. Joyce believes the breathing came from Will. This happens twice. Soon after that, Joyce hears screams from her wall. She then tears open the wall paper and sees Will screaming. Will says that it's dark and cold. Something was also roaring behind him and chasing him. We could not make out what this was though. It seems to be the demogorgon but it's not clear. Joyce then tells Jonathan her other son that she saw Will in the wall. Jonathan starts to think that Joyce is going crazy but Joyce knows what she saw. Fast forward a little and Joyce realized that she can communicate with Will through the light. Anything in the upside down releases energy which can make a light go off out of the upside down. Eventually Hopper the chief of police and Joyce find a lab and finally get an explanation as to how Will went missing. There was a portal to the upside that had accidentally been opened. Joyce and Hopper went into the portal. Everyone in the Lab expected them to die. They ended up finding Will in the wall. There was some sort of alien attached to him. Eventually they got him out of the wall and did CPR on him. Eventually he started breathing again. Will then escapes out of the upside down and has a happy dinner with his family. But right as the episode is about to end Will throws up an alien in the sink when no one is looking.

Stranger Things Season 2

At the beginning of Season 2 it's Halloween time and Will and all of his friends have Ghostbusters costumes on. Will and his friends go out except Will starts to get visions and sees things he has never seen before. He kept seeing this storm in his visions until he was eventually woken up by someone. Wills first important vision was while him and all of his friends were trick or treating he had a vision and saw a giant spider looking monster that was so big it touched the clouds. It made a dark smoke and was after Will. He hid behind a wall and the smoke slowly started creepy towards and right before it got him, he got woken up by mike. Will then started going to a therapist to help with these visions. Except Will's mom realized that what he was having were not visions. Conveniently, a picture was taken that night, and if you look closely, the shadowy monster was there. Bob, who is Joyce's boyfriend at the time, tells him not to run from these visions and face his fear. However, That did not help. When Will had his next vision he did not run from the smoke. That was a mistake. The smoke got to him and started to get absorbed by Will. It was entering his body. Eventually he woke up and did not feel good. The next day Will was sick, Except instead of having a fever, his temperature was cold. His mom set up a warm bath but will make it freezing. His mom asked why and then Will said “he likes it cold”. Will and his friends realized that this Smoke creature was called the Mind Flair. It took Will as its host and could now see what Will sees. However Will can now feel what everything else in the upside down feels. Meaning that if the Upside down was ever faced with heat, Will could get severely injured, or even die. The only way to save Will was to somehow get this monster out of him. Joyce and Will's friends set up lots of things with heat. Since the Mind Flair did not like heat, They could use it to scare it out of him. They finally turned on everything and Will started getting hot. They made it even hotter. Will started to scream in pain. Will's friends wanted to turn it off, they could not watch Will be in that much pain. But Joyce wanted this monster out of her son. So she turned it up even more until Will was screaming at the top of his lungs and finally the Mind Flair ran away and flew out the window. Joyce then shut off all the heaters and treated Will with the burns he had. Although it was painful, It was worth it. The episode then ends with Will being alright again. However, Will still feels sort of connected to this monster.

Conclusion

Overall, Stranger Things has a 4.8 star rating and is very much worth watching. Seasons 1 and 2 have a very interesting plot and lots of plot twists. It's worth watching this amazing series.

by Sophia Hannon

Legally Blonde is funny quirky and overall amazing movie.

When Elle Woods (Reese Witherspoon), a bubbly social butterfly, gets dumped by her boyfriend to go to Harvard Law School and find someone less “ditzy” she is furious. She wants to show her boyfriend she is not a dumb blonde and she is so much more than that.

When she gets accepted into Harvard law, she gets accepted into a summer law program for a murder case. Thankfully, her client is someone she knows. When it's time to go to court she uses her hair knowledge (yes, hair knowledge) to solve the case. The alibi said she got a perm, then she said she showered. But, Elle knew you couldn't shower 48 hours after you get a perm. So, she was found guilty, and the people at Harvard saw Elle as “smart” and “witty.”

Throughout time, Vivian (a girl who bullied her) realized how horrible she's been to Elle. (They become friends). Warner, (her ex boyfriend) flunked 3 of his classes and got waitlisted. This movie shows to have faith in yourself and don’t listen to your bullies/people who criticize you. It has a good message and I would rate this movie a 10/10.

by Nicholas Andreski

The highly anticipated DC movie, Black Adam, allowed for many new characters to be introduced. It also introduced Teth Adam, also known as Black Adam, into the DC universe. Black Adam is the arch-nemesis of Shazam, another god with similar power. This is only the introduction to what actually happens. It is most definitely worth seeing in theaters if you like origin stories.

Rise, Teth Adam

The entire intro of the movie is basically Isis, one of the main side characters, trying to revive Black Adam. Isis believed that Adam would free Kahndaq, Adam's home world. Kahndaq was taken over by Asim Muhunnad and had strict laws. After Isis freed Adam, he started to attack the soldiers. That alerted the Justice Society of America to Kahndaq. The JSA brought some loved characters from the comics like Hawkman, Dr. Fate, Cyclone, and Atom Smasher. After a long fight with Adam, they fell back. Adam romed Kahndaq fighting soldiers and killing them. The JSA came and asked for his help. When he refused, they captured him and put him into a sleeping chamber. Then, there was now a greater threat than him…

I’m Not Peaceful, Nor Do I Surrender..

Sabbac is a demon who gains his powers from an ancient crown. The crown gave him his powers and he wanted to destory the world starting with Kahndaq. He fights the JSA. The JSA are the only ones who could stop him. Black Adam escaped the chamber to go and help the JSA. He arrives and almost single-handedly takes him down. But, they all need to help stop Sabbac. After a long fight, Hawkman goes to sacrifice himself in order for Dr. Fate to live. Dr. Fate traps Sabbac in a barrier with him and fights him alone. Sabbac kills Dr. Fate and sends Hawkman into rage. Black Adam and the JSA kill Sabbac and Adam takes an ancient throne. The throne of Kahndaq.

End Credit Scene

The end credit scene was probably the most hyped-up part of the movie. Amanda Waller tells Adam that “Kahndaq is now his prison” and that he isn’t allowed to leave the border of Kahndaq. He says “Nobody on this planet can stop me” and she respondes with “I can call in a favor and have someone from another planet come here”. That’s when Henry Cavil’s Superman shows up, telling Adam he with be here to stop him. This was huge and showed that Henry Cavil is going to be alive in the DCEU.

by Christopher Schuler

Today we will be reviewing Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 after the horrible reviews of the last couple of Call of Duties. Everyone was hoping this one will come up to the hype especially after 2018 modern warfare was a hit also like its original games from the 2000s. I have finally finished the story mode and it is very good with returning characters such as Ghost, Captain Price, Farah, Gaz, General Shepard, Soap, and Laswell. The story made sense and was in chronological order and the story was always suspenseful and also very interesting and fun to play and also a little challenging with new features that will be introduced in warzone two. The multiplayer is fun with new weapons, modes, and operators. Also, warzone 2 has just been released with a new map for players to learn and new items to use. Also so far the reviews are great and I agree with a lot of the reviews for this game. I think it's almost perfect. I think they just have to give this game a couple of fixes. I give this game 8.5/10. It has a good story mode and warzone is pretty good. I just think the multiplayer could be better if you can level up faster and add more game modes.

by Mia Cespites

Serving size: 1 Tree, Servings: 12 trees

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp butter or margarine

• 1 package ( 10 oz, . About 40 ) marshmallows or 5 ½ cups of mini marshmallows

• 6 cups Kellogg’s Holiday Rice Krispies cereal

• Vanilla Frosting

• Red, Pink or White sprinkles

• Colorful sugar sprinkles and/ or mini candy coated milk chocolate pieces

Directions

1. In a large saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Then remove from heat.

2. Add the Rice Krispies cereal. Stir until well coated.

3. Using buttered spatula or wax paper, press mixture into a coated, 13x9x2 inch Pan. Slightly Cool.

4. Use a 4-inch cookie cutter coated with cooking spray. Cut into tree shapes. Cool completely.

5. Place frosting in a plastic sandwich bag. Snip off a small corner of the bag. Pipe frosting onto trees by pressing it through the open corner of the bag.

6. Decorate trees with candy. Enjoy!!

Snickerdoodle milk

Prep time 5 mins Servings 2

Ready in 5 mins

Ingredients

2 cups of Milk

4 pitted dates

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

Step 1: add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth an creamy consistency.

Step 2: Transfer to a sauce pan and warm on the stove over medium heat, until the mixture is gently simmering. Alternatively. You can pour the mixture straight into mugs and heat in the microwave. You can put it in for a minute or so.

Step 3: Serve with an extra sprinkle of cinnamon and Enjoy!!

I hope you enjoyed my article and thank you so much for reading!! Have a wonderful day.

Source: Stop and Shop Magazine

Ingredients:

3 cups flour

¾ teaspoon baking powder

1 cup butter, softened (2 sticks)

1 cup white sugar

1 egg

1 tbsp milk

¼ tsp salt

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, cream together the butter.

2. Add sugar to the mixture

3. Measure flour and sift it into a bowl. Stir.

4. Stir in salt to the mixture.

5. Stir in baking powder to the mixture

6. Crack egg into egg bowl. Add to the mixture.

7. Add milk to the mixture.

8. Stir all of the ingredients together.

*Dough will be crumby first, then will come together

by Eleni Diakoumakis

Ingredients

• 2 c. finely crushed graham crackers

• 8 tbsp. butter, melted

• 1 packet chocolate pudding mix

• 1 c. milk

• 2 cups heavy cream

• 2 tbsp. sugar

• Chocolate shavings, for garnish

Directions:

Step 1: Make crust: In a large bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs with melted butter until fully coated.

Step 2: Make pudding: Mix the chocolate pudding mix with milk and let it set for 5 minutes. (For best results, transfer pudding to a piping bag.)

Step 3: Meanwhile, in a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat heavy cream until the stiff peaks form. Stir in sugar. (For best results, transfer whipped cream to a piping bag.)

Step 4: Among four mason jars, layer graham cracker crust, chocolate pudding, and whipped cream, alternating until you reach the top of the jar.

Step 5: Garnish with chocolate and serve.

ENJOY YOUR WINTER TREAT!

Source: Delish.com

Pizza Roll Ups

Ingredients:

• 1 tube crescent roll dough
• mozzarella cheese
• olive oil
• Parmesan cheese
• Marinara sauce

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat with cooking spray.

3. Separate crescent dough into triangles.

4. Top each triangle with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese.

5. Roll the crescent dough starting with the wider end of the triangle.

6. Place on baking sheet.

7. Brush each crescent roll with oil and sprinkle parmesan cheese.

8. Put baking sheet in the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes.

9. Take out of oven and let cool for 2 minutes

by Ashley Justino

“Little cakes in a microwave”

What you need:

• Microwave
• Cake mix
• A coffee mug
• Butter knife
• Kitchen spoon

Ingredients

• ¼ cup of cake mix (any flavor)
• 2 tablespoons of water

Directions:

1. Put cake mix in a coffee mug

2. Add water to your mixture

3. Stir ingredients

4. Add desired topping that you would like (sprinkles, marshmallows, candy, chocolate syrup, etc)

5. Cook for 45 seconds in the microwave.

6. Take out and cool for two minutes.

7. Enjoy :)

by Frank Sulawa

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar

• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 2 large eggs

• 2 cups Chocolate Chips

• 1 cup chopped nuts (Optional. If you don't add it, add 1 to 2 tbsp of all-purpose flour.)

Steps

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit

• Combine flour baking soda and salt in a small bowl Tip: add twice the salt for better flavor.

• Beat butter, granulated sugar(white sugar), brown sugar, and vanilla extract in a large bowl till creamy

• Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mix from earlier

• Stir in chocolate chips and nuts(optional) if you didn’t add nuts add an extra 1-2 tablespoons of flour.

• Drop on ungreased baking sheets in a rounded tablespoon. If you don't have one just use a spoon.

• Bake for 9-11 minutes until golden brown

• Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes remove on to wire racks to cool completely

For best results use Nestle Toll house semi sweet morsels

Source: www.verybestbaking.com

by Ashley Justino

Ingredients:

4 Russet Potatoes

1 tablespoon Oil

½ teaspoon Salt

½ teaspoon Pepper

½ teaspoon Garlic powder

½ teaspoon Parsley

1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven 425 degrees.

2. Cover baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray.

3. Cut potatoes in half and then into fourths.

4. Add potato wedges to mixing bow.

5. Measure salt, pepper, parsley, garlic and parmesan cheese add to the mixing bowl.

6. Measure oil and add to the mixing bowl.

7. Gently toss the potatoes till covered in seasoning mixture.

8. Spread out potato wedges onto the baking sheet.

9. Put in the oven and bake for 45 minutes, flip over wedges half way.

10. Take out of the oven and let cool for 5 min.

Mr. Scanio’s lie: I caught two foul balls in a Yankee game.

Mrs. Dill’s lie: I’ve gone scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.

Mrs. Harbeck’s Lie: I have knowingly swam with sharks in the ocean.

Mrs. Korenstein’s lie: I am a former spelling bee champion.

Mr. Joyce’s lie: I was once nominated as a Berner Learner.

1. Mrs. Zaffuto

2. Mr. Joyce

3. Mrs. Tseng- Montana