SALK VACCINE FALL 2017 The Official Newspaper of Jonas Salk Middle School In this issue: Fairview 2017 – Pages 2-3 Builders Club – Page 3 Message from the President – Page 4 December Spirit Days/Students of the Month - Page 4 Jonas Salk Girls’ Volleyball/Boys’ Soccer – Page 5 Puerto Rico’s Beauty Devastated – Page 6 Brainteasers – Page 6 Teen Dating – page 7 Sound Off – Page 8 Backpack Problems- Page 8 Student Council Executive Board – Page 9-10 2016-2017 Teacher of the Year – Page 10 Animal Tracker – Page 11 Comic/Student Art– Page 12
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SALK VACCINE FALL 2017 T h e O f f i c i a l N e w s p a p e r o f J o n a s S a l k M i d d l e S c h o o l
In this issue: Fairview 2017 – Pages 2-3
Builders Club – Page 3 Message from the President – Page 4
December Spirit Days/Students of the Month - Page 4 Jonas Salk Girls’ Volleyball/Boys’ Soccer – Page 5
Puerto Rico’s Beauty Devastated – Page 6 Brainteasers – Page 6 Teen Dating – page 7 Sound Off – Page 8
2016-2017 Teacher of the Year – Page 10 Animal Tracker – Page 11
Comic/Student Art– Page 12
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Fairview 2017 By Adriana Ayvaz
This year, the seventh grade went on their annual trip to Fairview. Students experienced
fun in ways they never imagined, along with memories they’ll never forget. I want to thank the staff for making this trip possible every year and helping the seventh graders go beyond their comfort zone.
When the students first arrived at YMCA Fairview Lake, they were astonished by the amazing view presented. Friendly faces greeted each kid and the journey was off. Each homeroom was separated into different team building activities along with their supervisor. The first activity varied for each homeroom, but I’ll begin on the ridge hike. The trail consists of 660 acres worth of hard work and great experiences. Students learned about The Appalachian Trail, The Delaware Water Gap, and the history behind each item in site. It may have been a struggle hiking up, but each and every kid sure loved the overall view they deserved. Once we reached the top of the mountain, everyone pulled out his or her phone to get a picture. Instructors helped the kids test their echo, which was a highlight of the hike. The 2-hour hike will certainty be an everlasting memory for many students.
Other amazing activities enjoyed by students were the swamp tour and the lake history. Along with the information given about each area, students got to take in mesmerizing views at Fairview Lake. The swamp was certainly messy, but after the tour, students know much more about biodiversity and habitats overall. The lake was beautiful to see, but had a much greater impact on people’s experiences when they learned about the background information. We loved to hear about the wildlife living within the water, as well as the water’s history itself. Both places were definitely aspects of the trip to remember.
Next it was time for lunch. Relaxing a bit and sharing conversation about their morning adventures brought excitement to the kids. We were right back into action after the break. Students were jumping in their seats, ready to explore more and wondering about the day ahead.
Another highlight was the ASE or team building activities students participated in. Teamwork was key in all the group work during this time. One activity involved friends doing their best to locate their handkerchief while the rest of the group signaled the speaker. It was a hard but interesting way to get the kids to work together as a group. A lot of listening skills were required for the rest of the day when we had to locate our group members around a forest while they wore a blindfold. Students loved the idea of all the activities and I remember multiple kids wanting it to never end. This opened up
The Builders Club is a fun way to get involved and help others. It's a student run community service organization. They meet 3-4 times per month to plan activities to benefit the community and develop leadership skills. It was founded at the beginning of last year and is run by Mrs. Flynn and Mrs.Dunn. The club has over 40 members and is happy to welcome any newcomers. President Priya Verma said, “I joined the club because I want to help our community and I want to build character in our community through fundraisers and other activities.”
Some of the organizations the Builders Club has raised money for are the Old Bridge Animal Shelter by selling Christmas trees and candy canes, UNICEF by trick-or-treating, the American Heart Association by selling conversation hearts, the National Brain Tumor Society by selling bracelets, and the American Cancer Society by helping out with both the Gold-Out and Pink-Out. In addition to raising money, the club has also sponsored several events throughout the school year. They walked in a Brain Tumor 5K in Asbury Park, visited the Veterans’ Home in Edison, and conducted last year’s Start With Hello program.
Salk Vaccine Staff
Mrs. Flynn - Editor in Chief Amani Abolnour
Hisham Abolnour Adriana Ayvaz
Samantha Balaban Adam Belkacemi
Sierra Larson Angelina McFarland
Ilana Pazzani Suhas Ponnala
Bradford Wallace
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Message from the President
Hello Jonas Salk Middle School! It is President Bradford Wallace here and I am going to tell you the latest news! I spoke with the principal and I am going to announce some things that will happen in the next few months. · In some spots of the school, there will be no more one way hallway. Soon, you will be able to turn left from the 7th grade hallway and in a few other spots. · There are going to be some new school spirit days. Color Day, Jonas Salk Day, and other school spirit days will be announced. If you have an idea for a school spirit day, come up to me and tell me it. It may be one of your next school spirit days. They will happen on a Friday during the month. · You might be able to sit wherever you want during lunch. You have to earn the privileges, though. I hope you all enjoy this school year, and remember to read every issue of the Salk Vaccine to learn more.
December School Spirit Days
December 18 – Pajama Day
(School appropriate, no slippers)
December 19 – Dress Your Best
December 20 – Neon Day
December 21 – Decade Day
December 22 – Holiday/Ugly Sweater Day
Jonas Salk Students of the Month
September – Makenna Heslin 83B
October – Victoria Lobrow 83D
November – Jamie Costeira 82A
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Jonas Salk Girls Volleyball Team By Adam Belkacemi
Volleyball is an astonishing sport created by William G. Morgan from 1895. Jonas Salk’s Girls’ Volleyball team is one of the most animated teams there is. The game depends on strategy and strength. The overall game depends on constant practice, so you can build muscle and learn better strategies. If you didn’t know, volleyball is a sport that can be played by anyone and the main objective is to get the ball to the ground on the opposing team’s side.
“Volleyball is a really fun, and even though I’m short, I can still try and spike the ball,” declared 7th grader Sara Brennan. From what I have observed, they are like a family and were strongly bonded to each other throughout the season. The girls’ final record of 2-5 is a bit disappointing but not an indication of how hard they worked and how successful they were. They look forward to continuing their efforts next year. In conclusion, the team is strongly supportive of one another and very cooperative.
Coach: Mr. Bahun Amaya Hemmings 8th Payton Alcorn 8th Alyssa Santiago 8th Kali Samatos 8th Maddie Ruiz 8th Sam Balaban 8th Serena John 7th Gabby Feely 7th Reese SanAgustin 7th Katie Koenig 7th Sara Brennan 7th Madison Kravitz 6th Abby Jasmin 6th Suhaani Gupta 6th Abigail Persaud 6th
Yammir Yaffar 8th
Danylo Solovodzinsky 7th
Johnathan Moreira 8th Jorge Garcia 7th
Evan Jazmin 7th
Sidharth Mehta 8th Tyler Good 8th Eduard Gapich 8th Matthew Janik 8th Ethan Myers 8th Kyle Morrison 6th
Chris Franzese 8th Nikolai James 8th Christian Moriello 8th Irfan Ahmad 7th Matthew Brana 7th Joe Pacas 7th
Yusef Shehat 7th Rayhan Ahmad 7th Matt Barberio 6thStephen Deak 6th
Jonas Salk Boys’ Soccer Team By Adam Belkacemi
Soccer… Originated about 2000 years ago from ancient China, Greece, Rome, and little fragments of Central America. It is a very amusing and lively sport that is enjoyable to play and watch. The Jonas Salk Boys’ Soccer Team has a wide range of students from grades 6th to 8th. The team members have a very programmed practice, which is supposed to get them stretched out for either their practice or game. The captains are all 8th graders who have proven their incredible leadership skills. They are Aidan Born, Shem Downes, Shad Downes, and Patryk Reczek. Coach Andreacci places each player in a position by what skills he possesses. Although they have lost a few games, they continued to play strong and have fun in what they were doing. The following is a list of the other team members.
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CALLING ALL WRITERS:
Do you like to write? Are you creative? Do you like to take
pictures?
Come to our next meeting to join the
Salk Vaccine!!!!
Puerto Rico’s Beauty Devastated
By: Hisham Abolnour
Less than two months ago when you heard of Puerto Rico, you probably envisioned a great vacation place. Their beautiful beaches and amazing landscapes surely meant paradise. However, this beloved island fell apart. The whole island of Puerto Rico was leveled due to the monstrous Hurricane Maria. This
category four storm left Puerto Rico in ruins. If you were to go and see this island now, the view would be devastating.
Maria laid absolute waste to this beautiful island. Debris such as road signs and pieces of buildings were left in the middle of the streets. Streets were flooded and towns were leveled. However, Maria wasn’t done yet. The devastating hurricane hit Puerto Rico’s power grid and left the island without power. The whole island! Traffic lights were useless creating a high chance for car wrecks. Puerto Rico will be without power for months.
Adding to the devastation, the storm took the lives of 51 unfortunate people making many mourn. It’s been very tough as well for those who had to stay. Imagine staying in your home during the storm. This storm was like no other leaving thousands upon millions of people homeless. A month later and Puerto Rico is still in shambles. Many more people are dying everyday due to water contamination, mold (because houses still flooded), and mosquitos. Puerto Rico has a long road ahead for recovery and desperately needs help. Only time will tell when Puerto Rico will be fully recuperated, but according to Matthew Henry, “After the storm comes a calm,” proving that Puerto Rico is not defeated.
Jonas Salk participated in the recovery for Puerto Rico’s devastation. The Be the Change club organized a relief effort collecting both money and supplies. They raised $175.00, which went directly to the Red Cross. JSMS also gathered lots of water and baby care supplies donating it to a shipping facility in Elizabeth, New Jersey where everything was shipped straight to Puerto Rico. One of our teachers, Ms. Melone, even volunteered in Elizabeth. Our school did a great job in helping Puerto Rico, and I'm certain everyone was very thankful.
Brainteasers By Angelina McFarland 1. There was a man wearing all black driving a black car with no
headlights on. There is no moon out. A woman then crosses thestreet. How do they see each other?
2. How many seconds are in a year?3. Only one color but not one size, stuck at the bottom but easily flies,
present in the sun but not in the day, doing no harm, feeling no pain.What am I?
4. A band has 15 members. It takes them 7 minutes and 30 seconds toplay a song. Six more members join. How long does it take to playa song now?
5. Mary had some cats. All but 2 are black. All but 2 are yellow. Allbut 2 are calico. How many cats does she have?
Teen Dating By: Ilana Pazzani
Dating. What really is a good age to start dating? A lot of people say that a good time to start dating is in the teenage years. The big question is: Is teen dating a good thing or a bad thing? Teen dating shows signs of maturity but it can also leave a teen heartbroken. Many people think teens should be able to date whenever they want. On the other hand, some people think dating at a young age isn’t the best thing.
To begin, some people believe starting to date in middle school is okay. It sets them up for relationships in the future, “Teens who experience a variety of relationships in high school [and middle school] will be more prepared for college and adulthood” (Coyle 8). Relationships can help a person prepare for marriage and keeping a healthy marriage. Also, dating in middle school can boost a person’s self-esteem. Knowing that someone likes and trusts you can make you feel a lot better about yourself.
In addition, there are some negative points about teen dating. Middle school is a popularity competition. Everyone is trying to fit in and be the most popular, but really everyone is just losing. Some teens think that dating is a perfect way to help them fit in. They may be pressured into things that are dangerous, for example, drug abuse, use of tobacco, sexual interaction, and violence. Also, it is harder to maintain a relationship in teenage years. Dating is usually new at this age and for many they have never experienced a relationship. This can lead to breakups early in a relationship. “Teenagers mostly, do not understand the necessity of sustaining a relationship over a period of time” (Dasgupta 4). To add, many teens become isolated in their relationship, and they start to cut out important things in their lives. They can lose close friends, stop doing an activity they love, and lose focus in school. “This makes them reduce a relationship to the concept of possessing a boyfriend or a girlfriend making them lose sight of what is important” (Dasgupta 9-10). Teen dating can result in a lot of negative consequences.
In conclusion, relationships are complicated. “It really depends on who the person is to start dating as a teenager,” Ms. Curry said. Choosing to date or not at a young age is hard because there are two sides to every relationship. Teen dating can boost a person’s confidence and prepare him or her for future relationships. On the other hand, it can lead teens to trying harmful things and getting shut out. People live and learn from all of the experiences they have.
Work Cited Dasgupta, Aditi. “Negative Effects of Teenage Dating.” Onlymyhealth, 6 Nov. 2012, www.onlymyhealth.com/negative-effects-teenage-dating-1307094284. Coyle, Kaitlin. “4 Ways High School Dating Is a Win-Win for Teenagers.” Your Teen Magazine, 22 May 2017, yourteenmag.com/social-life/tips-teen-dating/high-school-dating. 7
What are you doing over the break?
"I'll be at home with the kids enjoying my free time." -
Mr. Mazzella
"I'm going up to Pennsylvania to celebrate New Year's with my aunt." - Dan
Maichin
"I'll be sitting around the fireplace celebrating with my
two younger cousins." - Priya
Verma
"I'm going to Delaware to visit
my family!"
-Mrs. Simon
With Sierra Larson Answers to Brainteasers on p.6
1. It was a bright andsunny day!
2. 12 – January 2nd,February 2nd, March 2nd
……December 2nd 3. A shadow4. 7 minutes and 30
seconds. It doesn’tmatter how manypeople there are!
5. Three cats
BackpackProblemsBy:AmaniAboelnour
My back hurts! This bag is too heavy! I have too many books! Kids tend to complain about the heaviness of their book bags. Even though our school doesn’t allow us to carry our book bags around with us, they still do hurt many kids’ backs when they do carry them. Recent studies show that 65% of students carry a backpack that is heavy and nearly 2,300 people a year go to the emergency room because of injuries related to backpacks or book bags.
To help with that, we have some advice for those of you who struggle to carry your bag. First, a bag should not be more than 10 percent of a child’s weight. The top of the backpack should be in line with the kid’s shoulders and should rest comfortably against the child’s back. Straps should not be too long or too short. The bag should not stretch below the hipbones. For teens, find a strap with a cushion. Heavier items should be closer to the back while the lighter ones should be placed in the front. To pick up a bag, bend and lift from the knees instead of the waist. Hopefully, these tips will ease some of your burden!
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Student Council Executive Board By Adriana Ayvaz
Stephanie Kotropoulos is our new Student Council Treasurer. The following is an excerpt from our interview.
Adriana: What inspired you to run for the treasurer position? Stephanie: Although I am very involved, I wanted to find a way to benefit the school and the position for treasurer helps me do just that! Adriana: What do you plan to do now that you’re on the board? Stephanie: I’m planning to create some fundraisers and “count money” to the best of my ability. Adriana: Do you have any interesting fundraising ideas? Stephanie: I want the student body to come up with ideas and I’ll do my best to carry them out. Adriana: Do you believe you’ll be a successful treasurer at Salk School? Stephanie: I’ll try my best to fulfill the ideas the students give to me as well as keep Salk organized money-wise. Adriana: What made you decide to run this year and not the previous year? Stephanie: Seventh grade was my shy year and as I got older, I knew I wanted to do more for the school. I thought, “Why not run?” Adriana: Was giving your speech to the students as scary as you anticipated? Stephanie: To be honest, I’m not the best public speaker, so the speech was a little scary, but I got more confortable as I went on. Adriana: How did the kids react when they heard “Stephanie Kotropoulos for treasurer?” Stephanie: Some kids were excited while others cheered me on even though I was the only one running. I’d like to believe they all had the idea of voting for me in their head. Thank you for helping me spread my message to Salk School.
Adam Belkacemi is our new Student Council Vice President. He shares his thoughts below.
Adriana: What made you decide to run for vice president? Adam: I wanted to get into more activities at the school and I felt that a group of people like the executive board could lead me in the right direction. Adriana: What was the competition like when you ran? Adam: It was a little challenging, but with my friends’ support I was able to present my speech and become your vice president. Adriana: What is it like when students refer to you as Jonas Salk’s VP? Adam: It’s a great feeling. I’m really excited about it and we’ve already had several meetings after school. The rest of the board and I wrote the script for the “RoadRunners Reconnect” segment the school will view monthly.
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Secretary’s Note By Adriana Ayvaz
I’m Adriana Ayvaz and I am your student council executive board secretary. As secretary I plan to do as much as I can for the students. If anybody has an idea or opinion they can always contact me. I was inspired to run for the secretary position by my teachers encouraging me to run. I wish to make a bunch of fun spirit days for the students to enjoy, and hopefully I can make that a reality with the help of the rest of the board. Many kids ask me if writing the speech, making the posters, and talking to the grades was as hard as people imagine, but in all honesty, it was super fun and helped me get a better idea of “secretary” in general. I’m usually a shy person, but because I’ll be talking to my peers, I think I’ll become a better public speaker. When I first told the kids that I was running for secretary, they were excited and very supportive. The student council board means so much to me and I hope to be
Adriana: Can you explain what the “RoadRunners Reconnect” is? Adam: Of course! It’s a video the student council will be presenting to the school explaining all the activities taking place throughout the month. We’re excited to hear reactions from the student body and we hope they like it. Adriana: Any ideas you have for Salk to share with Mr. Rezes? Adam: Nothing at the moment, but the executive board and I have discussed one event in the meetings that we hope students will love. They’re just going to have to wait to find out. We’re going to have a school spirit week coming up soon, which should be fun. Adriana: I’m sure they’ll be excited. Thank you for sharing your student council experiences.
2016-2017 Teacher of the Year
Jonas Salk’s recipient of the 2016-2017 Teacher of the Year award is Mrs. Karen Dunn. Mrs. Dunn is a 7th grade ELA teacher. She is a kind and caring teacher who gets along well with everyone at Salk. Mrs. Dunn has a great sense of humor and always seems to have a smile on her face. She was pleasantly surprised when she was told she was selected for the honor.
“Salk is an amazing school with topnotch teachers who I am lucky to work with side by side,” noted Mrs. Dunn. In addition, she said the staff and students are like a big family and she looks forward to coming to work each day. She went on to say that for as long as she can remember, she wanted to be a teacher. “Teaching is a very rewarding job and I am proud of all of the positive things that happen at Salk.”
Mrs. Dunn is married and has three sons, all graduates of Old Bridge High School and Penn State University. She returned to teaching 16 years ago after staying home to raise her kids. In her spare time she loves going to the beach, traveling, reading, and rooting for her favorite teams - the Mets, Giants, and Rangers. Some days you may even see her walking Lombardi track or riding her bike through town.
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Animal Tracker By Suhas Ponnala
For this edition I will be reporting on giant pandas, black and white, bear-like mammals. Many people think of these creatures as cute, cuddly, and harmless, but are greatly mistaken. They are cute but are very fierce, so don't let their looks deceive you because they deliver one heck of a bite.
You also have to consider what type of panda you are judging, because there are some major differences between captive and wild giant pandas. Captive giant pandas are clownish, cute, and playful pandas because they are raised by humans and are domesticated. Meanwhile, wild giant pandas are complete opposites of captive ones. Wild giant pandas are striking animals and are very dangerous to be around. Giant pandas have one of the highest bite forces, and you can be seriously injured or even killed if a wild panda bites you. Other than that, giant pandas are innocent creatures and don't purposely attack humans.
Giant pandas are great eaters, and spend half their time collecting, preparing, and eating bamboo. Even though many think giant pandas are herbivores they are actually omnivores. Their diet mainly consists of bamboo shoots, but they occasionally eat roots, other plants, bugs, small animals, and carcasses. Giant pandas were endangered and are constantly threatened by habitat loss and habitat fragments. Many organizations and groups have worked to save the panda population and recently the numbers have risen enough for giant pandas to be classified vulnerable. These awesome creatures are a beautiful part of our planet and will hopefully survive thanks to preservation efforts.
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Word Riddles
1. What 4-letter word can be written forward, backward, or upside down, and can be read from left to right?
2. I am six letters. When you take one away, I am twelve. What am I?
3. Poor people have it, rich people need it, if you eat it you will die. What is it?
4. If you have me, you want to share me. If you share me, you haven’t got me. What am I?
5. Whish word in the dictionary is spelled incorrectly?
6. Forward I am heavy. Backwards I am not. What am I?
Answers to riddles: 1.NOON 2.Dozens 3.Nothing 4.A secret 5.Incorrectly 6.A ton
Happy Holidays and Best Wishes from the Salk Vaccine Staff!!
