The Paw Print
May Edition
Bulldog Important Dates
4/29 Multicultural Night
5/13 8th grade Dinner Dance
5/18 Early Release
5/23 Choir Concert 7PM
5/24 8th grade trip Great America, Math, STEM Dept Meeting
5/25 Promotion Ceremony, 8th grade dismissal 11:00 AM
5/27 Final Day of School Early Release Schedule - Tentative
***School News***
Teacher Appreciation Week
Ramadan
By Guest Writer Mehreen Khan
We are in the last few days of Ramadan where our students have been working towards being a better version of themselves. Eid al-Fitr (the festival of breaking fast) is the religious holiday and will be celebrated by Muslims worldwide as it marks the end of the month-long dawn-to-sunset fasting of Ramadan. On this day we attend a morning Eid prayer, wear new traditional clothing, and celebrate with our families .Eid -Al- Fitr is predicted to start on Monday, May 2, 2022. Like the start of Ramadan, this is subject to the official sighting of the crescent moon and may vary in different countries. Eid al-Fitr is also a time when presents are given, new clothes are worn, and the graves of relatives are visited. In addition, it’s normal for men to greet other men with a big hug, and women to do the same to other women in a bid to create goodwill between all. Because one of the five pillars of Islam is Zakat – giving to charity – many Muslims will also celebrate by giving to charity and helping others.
In celebration of Ramadan, Mrs. Manzoor along with her 8th grade students have worked together on a festive display which you can check out in front of the BMS office.
Naureen Khan, Hailey Nelson, Leila Ervin, Alejandro Flores, Muhammad Nuriddin, Mehreen Khan & Maryam Abdul-Majeed (not pictured)
School Supplies
Order your child’s school supplies for next school year by visiting
https://www.educationalproducts.com/shoppacks/.
Use code BRO328. Ordering closes on May 30th , so place your order soon!
Each kit is $45.00 and comes with all the materials required for the year, from notebooks and paper, to colored pencils and pens. Once you order, the kits will be available for pick up at Brooks on the first day of school, outside Door 1.
Thank You Brooks Student Teachers!
Student Recognition
Predicting Summer Trends
School’s almost over which means it's the start of summer break. So here’s some of the trends I’m predicting for this year!
Pretty Pastels - Pastels have always been a warm weather staple but it’ll be one especially this year. In 2022, we’ll be seeing pastel colors more commonly like pastel yellow, teal, pink and green! With everyone joining in on this trend, the warm seasons will look so much more cheerful!
Major Era of Midi Skirts - We’ve seen midi skirts come back in style from last year and they’re making a comeback this year once again! Midi skirts are the perfect length, making them one of the most versatile pieces in a wardrobe. You can wear them at both casual AND formal events!
Patterned Flared Pants - Currently, wide legged patterned pants have become popular in the fashion world and we’re not mad about it! Styling it with a neutral top and simple shoes make you look great in an outfit that seems almost effortless yet presentable.
Becoming Bows - I see bows becoming big in a few months. They’re simple, yet make a statement. Adding a couple bows here and there spices up any outfit while also not overdoing it! Bow tops, skirts with bows, or mini bow details elevate any look, making you go from one to one hundred!
I truly hope all these things become trends in a few months as they’re all fun things to add to your wardrobe to later style in these warm seasons. Once school’s out, try and remember this article and see if any of these trends worked out for you. It’s always fun to experiment with new looks and styles and I HIGHLY recommend it!
***Aviation Monthly Section***
No Masks on Planes?
It’s official. On April 18th, 2022, Judge Kathryn Kimball Micelle overturned the mask mandate for public transportation, which includes planes and trains. This is after the “Health Freedom Defense Fund,” a non-profit organization, filed a lawsuit against the mandate because they believed it violated the authority of the CDC.
In the ruling, Judge Micelle stated, “The mask mandate exceeds to CDC’s statutory authority and violates the APA…Because our system does not permit agencies to act unlawfully even in pursuit of desirable ends, the Court declares it unlawful and vacated the mask mandate.”
With this news, many US airlines like Alaska, Delta, American, Southwest, and United all announced that they will be making masks optional on their flights. This is after many heated arguments on wearing the face covering between non compliant passengers and cabin crew. On many aircraft, cheers erupted after the announcement was spoken over the intercom. For many passengers and staff, this is certainly a huge step to normalcy.
But, this decision has certainly not become permanent. In airports like New York LaGuardia and Philadelphia, masks are required in the airports, but not on the planes. And, to complicate matters, the Department of Justice announced that it will appeal the judge’s decision. Otherwise, to many, this is certainly worth a sigh of relief.
***Leisure Section***
All About Sudoku
Do you know what Sudoku is? If not, it's a math game created in Japan by businessman Maki Kaji in the mid-80s where each row of the nine-by-nine square grid has to contain numbers of a certain range to create a sum that all equals forty-five no matter which direction you go. Seems interesting, right? Well, in honor of Asian/Pacific American Heritage month, hereś how some info about the Japanese game, Sudoku!
How To Play -
To play, you need to understand the words used in Sudoku. There's rows which are the numbers going horizontally, columns which go up or down, and sonnets, which go diagonally. This is all you need to know for the vocab of the game. Now the rules. In the game, you use a set of numbers one through nine. In order to successfully win in a Sudoku game, you must make all the numbers in the rows, columns, and sonnets equal to a sum of forty-five but you CANNOT repeat a number twice. To practice your skills, try looking up a free sudoku website or get a book and start going through some pages! Once you get the hang of this, it's a really fun game that you can play in your free time!
More on The Creator -
Born October 8th, 1951 in Sapporo, Japan, Maki got his education from Shakuji High School and later Keio University. Originally started out as a casual worker in a printing company until he founded Japan's first puzzle magazine under his very own company, Nikoli in 1980. That included his custom number game in which he called, "Sudoku," short for "every number must be single" in Japanese. The game completely skyrocketed and had become one of the most popular math games of his time, labeling him as "the father of Sudoku" all the way up until now. Even on his death on August 10th, 2021, his legacy continues to live on.
Recognizing APAHM Artists
We should all honor each other and where we come from. With Asian Pacific American Heritage Month right around the corner, here's some Asian music artists you can read about!
Steve Aoki -
Steve Aoki was born in Miami and started his career by creating a label called Dim Mak, when he was still in college. Later starting with remixes he himself made and worked with a band from Los Angeles as well named Moving Units.
Olivia Rodrigo -
Rodrigo started on Disney Channel playing Paige Olvera on the show called Bizaardvark. After the show ended, she moved to High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. Until then when she had to face some tough obstacles and instead of sitting and whining about it, she created her very first album and showed the public through music how she felt.
Eric Nam -
Atlanta-born Korean singer Eric Nam started as an interviewer for those internationally famous in both the music and acting industry, which is how he gradually acquired fame before actually releasing his own music. He then created his first album called Cloud 9 with the title track Heavenś Door. Later though in 2016, he and his friend, another Korean artist, Kim Youngsun or, "Solar," were a pair on a show acting as if they got married. Solarś fans gravitated towards the content, causing not only Eric, but Solar as well to gain a bigger audience.
Now that you´ve learned a bit about some Asian-American music artists, I encourage you to check them out! Maybe throughout this month, you can try and find some other Asian-Americans who are doing remarkable things and share facts about them! Have a good APAHM!
Cooking Corner
Filipino Taho
As some of you might know, May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, which celebrates those who come from Asian and Pacific Islander roots. One of the many countries that are commemorated during this time of month is the Philippines, which is a tropical country located in Southeast Asia. As a country that lies above the equator, the Philippines is known to be quite hot, therefore, there are many different types of treats to satisfy your taste buds on a hot, sunny day. One of these examples is Taho, a Filipino dessert that consists of soft tofu, brown sugar syrup, and sometimes, sago or tapioca pearls. It is a classic Filipino street food that can be seen sold in vendors across the country, and is a delicious Filipino delicacy. China also has a similar version called Douhua, which is a soybean pudding.
As an Filipino-American and daughter of Filipino immigrants, me and my family enjoy eating Taho, and as it gets warmer, I would like to share with you our recipe for Taho at home.
What you need:
Soft tofu (Specifically, Organic Soon Tofu. It's softer than most tofu and has a pleasing texture in the mouth)
Brown sugar
Sago or tapioca pearls (Optional)
First, get your soft tofu and pour into a microwave safe bowl. Next, get your brown sugar and measure about 2-3 Tablespoons of sugar into the bowl. (You can adjust the amount of sugar to your own personal taste). If you want to add some sago or tapioca pearls, add to your own personal preference as well. Once you've added everything to the bowl, microwave it for 1 minute and 30 seconds. If it's not completely warm by then, microwave for another 30 seconds or for 1 minute. Everyone's microwave is different so you'll have to adjust the time by how strong your microwave is. Finally, you can enjoy your warm Taho. It is a savory, cozy, and sweet treat and is perfect for this summer, so have fun!
Crazy for Crepes
For this recipe you will need…
Sliced & diced apples
Cinnamon
1 cup of all-purpose flour
2 eggs
½ cup milk
½ cup water
¼ teaspoon salt
2 TBSP of melted butter
Peanut butter (optional)
Jelly (optional)
Whipped cream (optional)
Oil (for cooking)
For the crepes batter, add the flour, eggs, milk, water, salt, and butter melted into a medium-sized mixing bowl and stir till smooth. Then, heat a light oiled frying pan over medium heat and pour batter into the pan and tilt it in a circular motion so that the batter coats the surface evenly. Cook the crepe for two minutes, until the bottom is a light golden brown color. Then, flip the crepe over and cook for another two minutes.
As the crepes are almost done, place them on a plate for filling. Put water into a medium-heated pot and add the apples to the water. Please be careful of the splash as the water is super hot. When the apples are soft, take them out of the pot and add them to the crepes. Next, put the cinnamon in or on top of the soft pancakes. If you don’t want apples and cinnamon, that’s fine! Just substitute them for the classic peanut butter and jelly combination.
Sweet Treats to Beat the Summer Heat!
The school year is ending, but when school ends, the heat comes. You can beat that heat with ice cream, popsicles, and more, but there are summer treats that you may not have heard. I am going to list three of those treats.
1. Perfect Peach Crisp
This treat is a mixture of peaches and oats that tastes REALLY GOOD, but you shouldn’t confuse it with peach cobbler or peach crumble. With the addition of the oats, you can eat it with or without the peel on the peach. You can also use frozen peaches but thaw them first! Some treats aren’t unhealthy, some are fruity like this one, but it still tastes amazing!
https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/a27971398/easy-peach-crisp-recipe/
2. Fried Ice Cream
Fried ice cream is not actually fried in a deep fryer or a fryer at all! Fried ice cream is a flavor of ice cream formed into a ball. The creaminess of the ice cream goes perfect with the crunch of the sauteed cinnamon corn flakes. If you want, you could put any topping on your fried ice cream such as chocolate sauce, cherries, caramel sauce, and more! It is an amazing treat to cool down and relax in the summer.
https://www.cookingclassy.com/fried-ice-cream/
3. Banana Split Kabobs
This treat doesn’t have any ice cream, but it’s still just as good! Plus, it will cut off calories without the ice cream. It is very easy to hold as the ingredients are rice crispy treats, bananas, and strawberries with extra toppings. Also, it is both crispy and crunchy at the same time! You could also add other toppings like chocolate sauce, peanuts and caramel sauce. Put all the ingredients on a stick and you’ve got yourself a banana split kabab! Just make sure to not add too many toppings.
https://noblepig.com/2021/06/banana-split-kabobs/
These three treats that I have mentioned are all capable of beating the summer heat. So make sure to get out there in the summer and have some fun!
Gamer's Corner
OvO
Who likes not being able to defeat a game and probably rage quitting 20 times. Well if you do, here is the game for you. OvO is a mobile game that really hates you because it really is one hard game. Take it from me, I cant even make it past level 12. However, this doesn't mean that you can't. You can download this game on mobile, but be aware, that just makes the game even harder. Overall, OvO is a very hard game but maybe you have the skill to complete it.
*** What's in the News Section***
Asian American and Pacific Islander Month; A Time to Celebrate and Remember
Over the years, anti-Asian hate has become a worldwide issue today and has even become normalized during these past two years of the Covid-19 pandemic, as many Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have already experienced racial violence, stereotypes, and assault, many which continue to harm the Asian American and Pacific Islander community.
It is crazy how so many discriminatory acts against the APA community have gained so much attention, yet Asian American and Pacific Islander representation in schools, tv, and news has not. However, times are changing, as many more people of the APA community and even non-members have raised awareness against Asian Hate and have worked to ensure that the APA community is represented. Now, this month is a chance to help encourage APA representation and celebrate those in the APA community who have made a difference, as May is officially Asian Pacific American Heritage Month!
Asian Pacific American Heritage Month celebrates those who come from Chinese, Indian, Japanese, Filipino, Vietnamese, Korean, Hawaiian, and other Asian and Pacific Islander ancestries. During this month, many of these ethnicities and countries are commemorated and honor those who strove for APA representation and equality.
To start off with, Asian Pacific American Heritage was first brought up by Jeanie Jew and Frank Horton, who wanted to find a way to represent Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders by using the first ten days of May. May was suggested because it held significance to two special events, one being the First Transcontinental Railroad, which was built by Chinese workers and finished May 10th, 1869, and May 7th, 1843, which was when the first Japanese immigrant entered the United States. However, it was not until May 1st, 2009, when Barack Obama would sign a Proclamation that May would officially be Asian American and Pacific Islander Month.
Now, APAHM is used to help motivate younger members of the APA community that they can succeed too and to bring awareness to Asian Hate Crimes, acts that targeted members of the APA community and especially escalated during the pandemic. These acts continue to be a issue today, and many still endanger the life of so many elderly and young. Nevertheless, more and more people are continuously working hard to address these crimes and help support the APA community today.
So whether you're part of the APA community or not, let's celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and have fun this last month of school. Bye!
Cinco de Mayo, A More Action-Packed History than You May Think
Cinco de Mayo means the “Fifth of May,” in Spanish, and celebrates the victory in the Franco-Mexican War on May 5th, 1862, at the Battle of Puebla. In 1861, Mexico was in financial ruin and owed money to many different European countries. The country failed to pay these debts and Britain, Spain, and France sent naval vessels to Veracruz and demanded payment. Mexico managed to negotiate with Britain and Spain, which in return, pulled their naval fleet out, but France, who wanted to set up a colony in Mexico, stormed Veracruz with a large naval force. The French were able to land large amounts of troops and forced Mexican President Juárez into retreat. However, under General Ignacio Zaragoza, quickly formed a rag-tag defense and fortified the town of Puebla. Though the French soon stormed the town, the Mexican fighters stood their ground and eventually drove the soldiers out. This success occurred on May 5th, which is why Cinco de Mayo is on May 5th. The war lasted until 1867, when the United States finally helped out Mexico after the end of the Civil War and pressured the French troops to withdraw from Mexico.
***Reading Corner***
Dead Voices
What happens when you’re trapped in a ski lodge that was previously an orphanage? Honestly, this thought would’ve never crossed Ollie, Coco, and Brian’s mind until it happens to them. After escaping scarecrows and a smiling man, they go to a new ski resort with their parents. On their way to the ski resort, an unexpected snow storm occurs, and they barely get to the lodge. As soon as the snow traps them all inside, Ollie begins to get nightmares about girls with frostbite, and Coco is convinced she saw a ghost on the way there. Suddenly, a ghost hunter by the name of Mr. Voland comes to the ski resort in search of answers to the mysterious ghost story that surrounds the old orphanage. Later on, the crew finally figures out that the ski lodge is haunted, but can they really help the ghosts of this puzzling center or will they become trapped in the resort forever? However, can the ghosts confined by the walls of the haunted ski lodge be trusted at all?
This ghost story by Katherine Arden is the sequel to the first book, “Small Spaces,” and has twists and turns in every chapter. This book also has amazingly written descriptions that make you believe you’re also stuck in the resort with the ghosts, yet not a very long book compared to others. So go read “Dead Voices” by Katherine Arden!
While I Was Away
While I Was Away, by Waka T. Brown is about 12 year old Waka who wanted to have a fun summer vacation. But right before school was over, her mom started to suspect she couldn’t understand basic Japanese well enough. As a result, her parents sent her from her home in Kansas to Japan to stay with her grandma for 5 months, for her to live like an ordinary Japanese girl and get thrown into Japan’s language and culture. Then, she got to Japan and struggled a lot and who she had always thought she was wasn’t as clear anymore. Even though Japan is where her parents are from, she felt super out of place. However, despite this internal conflict, she works through all her tribulations and her parents’ plan works. Waka masters the Japanese language more and becomes versed in its culture, just not the way they probably expected. She not only learns more about Japanese culture and the language, but old family memories from her grandma, and about who her grandma is. She also finds who she is again, and learns how she has to be true to herself, however complicated she may be.
My favorite part of the book was watching Waka, the main character, understand why she was sent away to Japan. She learned the Japanese like her parents wanted her too, but she also learned more about the language as well. She also learns why her parents wanted her to learn the language better in the first place and truly began to understand that her parents didn’t send her away to be mean. They sent her away for a bigger purpose. She had to learn the language was a part of her and she couldn’t ignore that.
My rating on this book is a 10 out of 10. It is amazing how author Waka T. Brown was able to write its varying emotions with such grace. How she was able to make it out of moments from her life that happened a long time ago and remember them like they were just yesterday. It is perfectly structured and all its chapters connect together so naturally. I feel like I only have so many ways to describe it because it is so amazing. It’s so amazing it is hard to put it in words.
I only hope my descriptions have done it some justice. I recommend this great book to fans of biographies. Not just to fans of biographies but also to anyone who needs an escape from their own life for a few pages long. Thank you for reading my book brag! I hope you’ve liked my other book reviews if you’ve read them. More importantly I hope you’ve read one of the other books I’ve covered and found something you liked about it (or many things you liked about it, that would be good too)! I also hope everyone has a great summer :). I bet by now you’re thinking I sure do hope a lot but I also hope you don’t ever just read for school, but also you read for you.
Where to find this novel: Our library here at Brooks
Books to definitely read if you loved this novel: Dream, Annie, Dream, Finding Junie Kim, How To Find What You’re Not Looking For, The Shape Of Thunder, Unsettled, It Ain’t So Awful, Falafel, Red, White, And Whole, or The Year I Flew Away
Spring Themed Books
Asian American Inspired Books
Haiku Video
8th Grade 6 Word Memoirs
Drawing Corner
Illustration by Jake Maves
Editor's Note
Welcome to our final and last Brooks Newspaper! May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, so if you know someone or are someone of the APA community, Happy APAHM! This time, we got some new games, books, aviation, and some awesome cooking recipes just for you. This month is also the last month of your 8th grade team here at Brooks before we graduate, so don't forget to congratulate our 8th graders before graduation! It's been a crazy year, and we hope that all of our grades have enjoyed reading our hard work, so happy last month of school and enjoy reading!
Althea Rosal, editor
Meet the Newspaper Team
Noah Lichtfuss-What's in the News
My name is Noah Lichtfuss. I live with my mom, dad, sister, and my cat. I enjoy playing with my Legos and playing video games. My favorite subject is social studies because I like learning about history. One of my special talents is that I can make smaller and more detailed versions of certain things in Lego. If I could be any cereal, I would be Cinnamon Toast Crunch so I could eat myself when I'm hungry.
Jake Maves-Drawing and Cooking Corner
I like to practice on my skateboard and ride my bike. I have a mom, a dad and one brother. I have two mice and three cats. My favorite subject is social studies because I find it fun and enjoyable. When I grow up, I want to be a veterinarian or zoologist. If I was a cereal, I would be Cinnamon Toast Crunch because it’s my favorite cereal.
Jahleel Funches- Cooking and Gamer's Corner
Jayelan Fisher-Gamer's Corner/Cooking Corner
My hobbies are soccer, gaming, swimming, and riding a bike. I have a family of six including me. I have a dad, a mom, a step dad, two step sisters, and a half brother. My favorite subject is reading because I love the characters in a story and the storyline behind it. I'm on a soccer team and my talents are drawing and music. When I grow up, I would want to be a lawyer.
KALANI HANKERSON-TODD-Book Review Critic
Ismael -Drawing Corner
My name is Ismael Izaguirre. My hobbies are to make things out of materials I have at home. I also like to study so when I grow up, I can be a Graphic Designer. My talent is to draw. I have two brothers. My favorite subject is applied tech. A cereal that I would be is Fruit Loops because I use colors to bring my art to life.
Katherine Claire Colacion
My name is Katherine and I’m an eighth grader at Brooks Middle School. I aspire to be a stylist when I’m older as fashion is something I’m most interested in! However, fashion isn’t my only attraction. I also like music! I play the piano, clarinet, and sing. This probably also gives you a hint that band is one of my most favorite classes too! Also, if I could be any cereal I’d most likely be Rice Krispies because I’m loud and tend to make lots of noise.
Mrs. Witek-Bykowski-Sponsor
I love to travel to different places because I like to learn about different cultures and experience new things. I love spending time with my family which consists of a brother, sister, niece, mom and dad. My profession is a teacher because I love to help students achieve their goals and learn new things. My favorite subject is language arts because I love reading new stories and writing short stories and poems that express who I am. I love to play soccer, volleyball, run, and swim. One of my special talents is singing. I love to sing Karaoke and write new songs. If I could be any cereal I would be fruit loops because I love to make things exciting and have a colorful personality.
Althea Rosal-Editor
I love to bake during my spare time because I enjoy creating delicious treats to share with my family and friends. I come from a family that consists of a father, a mother, and one younger sister, all who I love and adore. One of my few hobbies is longboarding. A sport which I learned how to do at the age of nine, and still do today. Besides baking, I like to play racket sports such as ping-pong and badminton with my dad and little sister. I am currently a student in 8th grade and band, and play the bass clarinet and keyboard. If I were to be a type of cereal, I would be cocoa pebbles because I love chocolate and have a sweet personality.
Caiden Cando-Editor and Aviation
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