What's in this read...
Autism isn't a curse it's a blessing
What Should I Watch on Netflix?
Homemade Chocolate
H.E.L.P a local charity in need of you and your family on 2/12/22 By Karina K.
Are you trying to teach your children how to give back and be able to help the community or are you a student who wants to get some volunteer hours? Well, I have a solution for you. I have worked with a charity for about 3 ½ years and now that we're facing tough times, the stuff we do is a demand in schools and families. Our charity is called H.E.L.P and it stands for Homeless Engagement Lift Partnership. We make snack bags for kids at school so they have dinner. These kids are guaranteed Breakfast and Lunch at school but not always guaranteed Dinner, so what we do is we fill a bag with non-peanut food that is healthy. For snack, we give out 2 proteins and 1 sweet. We have done multiple other events such as Christmas drives, Food drives, High school snacks and supplies, and back-to-school supplies. WE NEED YOUR HELP. On February, 12 we have a big event and need your help to help us get these bags done and out to schools. The event will be from 9 am to 12 pm and bring as many people as you can bring. I will put the link to register at the end of the article. Bring your kids, bring your friends, bring multiple people. Kids are a big help because we have a Junior team and they give out the snacks and take the boxes, we also need them to break down recycling and for the stronger people, we need them to fill up the truck. I really would appreciate it if you could help us reach our goal of getting these bags out even if you can just donate. That would be a great help cause then we can cover the costs for the snacks, the bags, and the bins. Thank you so much if you can help us. The link to register is: https://homelessliftpartnership.com/event/021222 There will be a big red button that you can use to Register and you just fill out that form and show up on the day and you'll be set. Thank you, Karina K. H.E.L.P. Junior team member.
National Kazoo Day by Jake M.
January 28 is national kazoo day so to celebrate I will tell you about the history of a kazoo as well as how to make your own kazoo. The kazoo was invented in the 1840s by Alabama Vest in Macon, Georgia, and his partner Thaddeus Von Clegg. The kazoo was introduced into American culture in 1912 by Michael McIntyre and Harry Richardson. These two made “The Original American Kazoo Company” in Eden, New York producing the first metal kazoo. After that, it became what it is today. Now I am going to show you how to make your own kazoo. The materials you need are a cardboard tube, a square of wax paper, a rubber band, a pair of scissors or a pen and something to decorate it. Now let's get into how to make it: 1. Cut a square of wax paper roughly 7.5cm by 7.5cm, 2. Tightly wrap the wax paper around the cardboard tube and secure it with the rubber band. 3. Cut or poke a hole in the cardboard below the wax paper (make sure the wax paper doesn't cover the hole.) 4. Decorate it, this is optional but you can decorate it however you want. Now you have your own kazoo!
Links: history of kazoo (Links to an external site.), DIY kazoo
2022 Playoffs By Garrison B.
The 2022 Wild Card weekend wasn't how I expected them to be. Almost every team got blown out. The only games that were fun to watch were the Bengals vs. Raiders (26-19, Bengals won) and the 49ers vs. Cowboys (23-17, 49ers won). Every other was a blow out, Bills vs. Patriots 47-17, Bills won. Buccaneers vs. Eagles 31- 15, Buccaneers won. Chiefs vs. Steelers 42-21, Chiefs won. This player had an outstanding game during the Super Wildcard Weekend, one of my favorites, Josh Allen. Josh Allen threw 5 touchdown passes against the New England Patriots. He also rushed for 66 yards, this is why I call him a running back. Now, let's move on to the divisional rounds. The games were elite, they had you on the edge of your seat. The first game was Packers vs. 49ers. Packers were leading 7-3 the whole game and then it all ended when a punt got blocked and the 49ers returned it and won the game. Then the Bengals vs. Titans have tied the whole game and then Ryan Tannehill threw an interception, then the Bengals got a game-winning field goal. But the 2 games that had you sweating were Bucs vs. Rams and Bills vs. Chiefs. Let's start with Bucs vs. Rams, Rams were leading the whole second half 20-3 and then in the second half Bucs decided to step it up. Bucs came back 27-27. But, the Bucs gave the Rams 1 minute with 2 timeouts and the rams got to field goal range and won by a field goal. Now last but not least Bills vs. Chiefs. It was tied the whole game and it came down to the final minutes. Chiefs scored a touchdown with 4 minutes left to go up by 4. The Bills returned and got a touchdown to go up by 3 with 13 seconds left and guess what happened, Chiefs got to field goal range and got the field goal and sent them to overtime. The chiefs got the ball for overtime, then got a touchdown to send the Bills home. (They really need to change the overtime rules.) It was a sad day for me and all the Bill Mafia. So that ends the divisional rounds! My prediction for the super bowl is the Bengals are going to beat KC in the AFC Championship by a field goal and I think the Rams are going to beat the 49ers by 2 touchdowns. For the Super Bowl, I think the Rams are going to come back from being 21 points down and will win 28-24.
Pandemic Problem
Paul's height is six feet, he's an assistant at a butcher's shop, and wears size 9 shoes. What does he weigh?
What’s going on with food safety in China? By Sachi A.
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Water pollution
It isn’t even safe to drink tap water. In fact, 70% of China’s bodies of water are unsafe for drinking. Farmers aren’t able to use water near them because nearby companies have been dumping waste. Of course, there are laws, but they haven’t been seen as important.
Many people don’t have access to the quality water that does exist, which is causing some to have digestive cancers.
People there often use bottled water as an alternative to tap water. But some lesser-known companies have been filling tap water into their bottles.
Unhygienic Preparation and Fake Food
74% of Chinese citizens say they don’t trust food safety anymore. Many buy from farmers that have close ties to avoid purchasing from grocery stores.
48% of food companies didn’t meet the standards for sanitation, an alarming number. Most haven’t been educated on hygiene practices. Some instances of this would be a restaurant called Oat Noodle Village. The restaurant has recently received backlash for using unwashed dishes and employees stepping on chopping boards.
A high school’s cafeteria had been serving moldy food, showing that students’ health isn’t spared either.
The Chinese government has tried to improve the quality of food and water, but they haven’t enforced it. Hopefully, we will see a change in the near future for food safety!
Autism isn't a curse, it's a blessing By Peyton P.
There are many UN-treatable disabilities in this world we live in such as Autism. My Cousin has autism and he is amazing. I love him so much no matter how he talks or acts. My aunt Hillary is his mom, And today we have my Aunt Hillary here to answer some of my questions and to bring awareness to Autism. Let's start, First question ¨What is Autism?¨ Aunt Hillary responds ¨Autism is a developmental disorder that impairs the ability to communicate and interact. The range of severity can vary widely. Most common symptoms include difficulty with communication, difficulty with social interaction, obsessive interests, and repetitive behaviors.¨ Wow, that must have been hard for not only you but also for Mason. What was it like for him? ¨Mason struggles with appropriate social interactions and with communication. Mason did not speak again until after the age of 6. He has hours of therapies, 3-5 days per week, and attends an Autism School specialized for kids just like him. Mason is obsessed with electronics and YouTube, and doing any non-preferred task is extremely hard for him. Mason also is very, very bright and does very well in school if we can get him to do the work. He is very funny and sweet and some of the quirky things caused by Autism are our favorite things about him. He is very talented in making cartoons on his computer and hearing his characters speak is amazing because outside of his basic wants and needs Mason really is a boy of few words. His characters in the cartoons he makes have full conversations”.Wow, that is very impressive. I will have to look for his first video game! Is there anything Mason struggles with? Aunt Hillary says “Mason struggles with most daily tasks, communication, and social interactions. He requires a lot of hand-over-hand direction and constant supervision to ensure his safety ¨Some of Mason’s first red flags for us were that he stopped speaking suddenly around 15 months old and started lining his toy trucks and cars up all over the house all day, every day¨. Wow, that must have been hard for you and his father (Uncle David) Next question, "What is it like raising an Autistic Child?¨ Raising a child with Autism is very rewarding and humbling, but also extremely challenging. Mason requires 100% supervision all of the time and he will most likely live at home with us forever. Raising a child like Mason requires patience, grace and devotion of hours, and hours per week in therapies in hopes they can make him a more successful child and adult living with Autism. Mason has speech 2 hours per week to assist with his verbal skills and also has a talking device that he can push buttons on to communicate with us. Mason also has OT (Occupational Therapy) for 1 hour per week to assist with his sensory needs. Mason also has 14 hours of H.A.B. per week where we have goals set in place to assist with things like walking through a grocery store, staying with a caregiver in public, bathing & brushing teeth, sitting in a car nicely, and keeping the seat belt on, tying shoes, etc. All things that most children learn in the first few years of life we really have to continue to work with Mason every day.¨. Is there anything he has been excelling at?”Mason is very smart and does extremely well in school. His teachers tell us they believe he is bored with some of the assignments that are given to him. Mason read at a very young age (around 4) and knew all his letters and numbers around age 2 and was even writing them.He is brilliant on the computer and like I mentioned before he has the amazing ability to make few-minute cartoon movies that are hilarious most of the time. He has a great sense of humor, loves to be tickled, and adores his sisters and brother. He asks for them if they are not home. He is also a great swimmer and loves the water, he is very agile and can do tricks and flips on a trampoline. Some organizations we have worked with are SAARC (Southwest Autism Research & Resources), Autism Speaks, and also Surfers Healing. We have walked for Autism Speaks a few years and just recently Mason was invited to do a research study at SARRC. We haven’t started the study yet but this is in hopes that they can find something to improve children with Autism’s social and communication skills. We have our first meeting with them on January 27th.Mason has attended Surfers Healing two years in a row now and it’s truly amazing. They call it One Perfect Day and it’s a day where surfers take children with Autism out into the Ocean and surf with them¨.Wow, I am sure Mason loves that I do remember being in the pool with mason and my other cousin (Mason's brother) Kade and we would eat Popsicle and grandpa would barbecue and we all loved it! You see Autism is not a curse. If Mason didn't have autism, maybe he wouldn't have the creativity that he already has at such a young age! “We enjoy bringing awareness and offering a glimpse into our lives raising a child with Autism¨. Wow, it sounds like Mason has really taken autism by the horns. GO, MASON! My cousin and his family should show us just how lucky we are and who knows maybe Mason could move on later in life to become the next Astronaut. Wouldn't it be cool to say I am related to an astronaut? If you have a family member or friend with autism check out these websites for more activities and crafts. Maybe you will see Mason too!
SARRC (Links to an external site.)
What's On Netflix? by Rebeka P.
There's No Place Like Mars? By Saelah N.
Fifa Games Throughout the Years by Bill L.
For some of you that probably have never heard of Fifa or for the people that have but don't know what it is, it's a soccer game where you can play with any team that is in the big leagues. My personal favorite is PSG (Paris-Saint Germain), F.C and I like a lot of other teams. There is this one team that you can play as, and the team has a lot of soccer legends on it like Pele, Maradona, Gullit, and many more. But, enough about the teams, let's go back all the way to December 15th, 1993. The first-ever Fifa game was released on December 15th, 1993. It was pretty good for its time, as it used isometric technology, instead of 16-bit style which was very big at the time. The game only included national teams like Argentina, Brazil, Germany, etc., and real player names were not used. This game is only 28 years old and it definitely improved by a lot. The graphics in Fifa 22 (the newest Fifa game) are so beautiful, and if you have a PS4 or any other gaming console, you should try the game.
Homemade Chocolate By Noah M.
Chocolate is a delicious treat made from roasted and ground cacao pods. There is always an abundance of it in stores, however, it tastes much better and pure when made from home. This chocolate is going to be simple, delicious, and pure.
Ingredients:
- A Couple of cacao pods
- Sugar
Also needed:
- Chocolate mold
First, you need to break the cacao pod in half. You can use a hammer, club, or even your hand to crack the shell. Inside, the cacao seeds will be white and slimy. Take out all of the seeds and place them into a bowl. Fully cover the bowl with a small towel or a rag and let the beans ferment for about a week. This fermentation will let the seeds develop the flavors that we know and love in chocolate. Once fermented, they should have an alcoholic smell and have turned a little bit brown. Spread the cacao seeds onto a small sheet tray to form an even layer. Roast the seeds at 300 Fahrenheit for 1 ½ hours or until well brown. Peel away the shells to reveal the bean inside. Crumple up all of the beans to make cacao nibs. Pour the nibs into a blender and add a light sprinkle of sugar. Blend until you get a fine paste. Pour it into a chocolate mold and smooth over. Then Freeze the mold. Take the chocolate out of your mold and enjoy!
