The Bulldog
Junior
Island Trees Memorial Middle School
45 Wantagh Avenue
Levittown, NY 11756
Volume 5 Issue 3
April 2008
By Jessica Holt
On March 1, 2008, the Island Trees
School District participated in a fund
raiser called the Polar Plunge for Camp
Sunshine.
A Polar Plunge is when people get
together to jump into the freezing, cold
winter water for a good reason. This
year, the schools plunged to help raise
money for Camp Sunshine. This camp
is located in Maine. It allows children
with cancer and other illnesses to get
away with their families to enjoy a week
of fun activities without worrying about
the illness the child has and to help the
rest of the family deal with the illness of
the child.
Freezin’ for a Reason
Nicole Spero and Samantha Bray came out to support Camp Sunshine and the teachers
and staff of Island Trees as they kept their promise to dive into the icey, cold winter waters
to help raise money for a valuable cause.
The Island Trees Memorial Middle
School reached its goal of $8,000 and
the district combined raised over
$13,000. Most staff members and their
families either participated, came to
support the others at James Caples
Memorial Beach or donated to the
charity.
The staff did a great job of jumping
into the water which was the same
temperature as the air around them, a
chilling 31 degrees Fahrenheit!
The Island Trees School District
raised enough money to send nine
Long Island families to Camp Sunshine.
We really were freezin’ for a reason!
For more pictures,
turn to page 2.
Quizzer Champs ‘08
The
Bulldog
Junior
In This Issue:
Interviews.........................2
Holocaust.........................3
Puzzles.......…………......4
Athletics...........................5
A New Song....................6
S.P.O.T.L.I.G.H.T............7
School Play......................8
I.T.M.M.S.
(516) 520-2157
www.islandtrees.org
R. Bloom, Principal
C. Potorski, A.P.
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Typers
Emily McLaughlin
Rebecca Martin
Alexa Miratello
Carolina Ramirez
Congratulations to Mrs. McNally’s GOAL, the 2008 winners of the annual Quizzer
Tournament! Michelle Saravino helped the class earn top honors. The trophy will be
housed in room 258 until another GOAL tries to win it next year.
*Advisor*
J. Previdi
2
School News
Mr. Haggerty is smiling, it must be before
the plunge!
Mrs. Hatzopoulos and Ms. Means knew
exactly how to keep warm.
Our Own Polar Plungers
Mrs. Alahverdian Mrs. Castellano Mrs. Hatzopoulos Mr. Reineker
Mrs. Anderson
Mrs. Roemer
Mr. Condela
Ms. Klafter
Mrs. Aponte
Mrs. Siniscalchi
Mr. Conklin
Dr. Leone
Ms. Bajohr
Mr. Spuches
Mr. Esposito
Ms. Means
Mr. Bloom
Ms. Toscano
Ms. Fargione
Mr. McNally
Mrs. Brilli
Ms. Travers
Mr. Gonzalez
Ms. Naughton
Mrs. Bunster
Mrs. Villano
Ms. Gottlieb
Mrs. Raccuglia
Mr. Burns
Ms. Gould
Mr. Radcliffe Ms. Wittschiebe
Ms. Busam
Ms. Wurzel
Mr. Haggerty
Mrs. Raskind
Mrs. Hassell
Thank you to all who participated and donated!
The men gathered for a moment to think
about what they got themselves into.
Dr. Leone, Mrs. Castellano, & Ms. Gould
prepared for their first ever chicken dip.
March for Babies Walk-a-Thon
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Sunday, April 27th
8:00am at Eisenhower Park
Faculty, staff, students, family & friends are
encouraged to participate.
If you cannot attend, consider becoming a sponsor!
Make all checks payable to March of Dimes.
See Ms. Pepper in room 205 for more information.
One-on-One With...
Dance!
Some of the school reporters had the opportunity to meet and chat with some of the school’s newest staff members. By Student Council th
On February 15 the Student
Here is a chance to get to know Ms. Bostanian, Ms. Nytriay, and Ms. Flynn a little better.
Council held its first annual 7th & 8th
grade Winter Wonderland DinnerDance.
The GPR was transformed into a
winter scene with sparkling lights,
snowflakes, and a starry night setting!
The professional DJ played music
chosen by students attending the dance.
The school’s new Spanish teacher, Ms. Ms. Nytriay has nothing but positive words Ms. Flynn has added a special spark to the One of the favorite songs had to be
physical education department this year.
Bostanian is enjoying her first year at the to say about I.T.
played twice, Soulja Boy.
middle school.
By Danielle Ventrone
.By Sara Paul
One student was having so much fun
By Alyssa Pascual
Q: How do you like working in the Q: What is your favorite part of teaching that she was quoted saying, “This is one
Q: Who was your inspiration in middle school so far?
physical education?
of the best nights of my life!” The
becoming a teacher?
A: Island Trees is a wonderful place to A: Well, I love sports and I want kids catered buffet dinner was also a hit.
A: I had a very good teacher for 11th work!
to also love sports.
Some of the selections were chicken
grade English, Mr. Lynch. He was my Q: What is different about this school Q: Where did you go to college?
fingers, chicken wings, mozzarella
inspiration.
A: I obtained one degree at sticks, ziti, meatballs & two 6 foot
from another you’ve worked at?
Q: Did you ever think of doing a A: Everyone is so friendly and helpful Manhattanville College and the other at heroes. Tables were set up with
different job?
Adelphi University.
too!
tablecloths and balloon centerpieces to
A: Yes, I love animals so I did consider Q: What subjects do you teach?
Q: What is your favorite sports team? enjoy the dinner.
becoming a vet.
A: I teach 7th grade social studies and A: Duke Blue Devils, that’s a college
A fun time was had by all and
Q: How do you enjoy working with 8th grade English.
team; and The NEW YORK hopefully this will begin a tradition at
kids?
YANKEES!
Q: Which one is your favorite?
ITMMS!
A: I do like it. I always wanted to A: I would say social studies.
Q: What do you think kids should do
make a difference in their lives.
Q: Do you prefer assigning projects or to stay physically fit?
Q: How long have you been teaching? writing assignments?
A: They have to exercise, play lots of
A: Two years.
A: Both. Writing assignments let me sports and eat a healthy diet. I mean,
Q; Do you ever get tired of teaching? know what students are thinking, while I’m not saying to run a mile, but, playing
A: No! Everyday is a new adventure. projects allow kids to show their outside with some friends every day will
Q: What is your favorite subject in creative side.
help.
school?
Q: What is your favorite part of school? Q: Is this middle school different from
A: I like learning new words and A: I like the sense of community which the other schools you’ve taught in?
grammar so English and Spanish were is very evident in ITMMS.
A: Yes, actually, this is the first middle These smiles prove a good time was had at
the first Winter Wonderland Dinner-Dance!
always my favorites.
school I taught with 5th grade.
sor!
on.
Student Life
3
A Historical Reminder
By J. Fargione
The eighth grade students at ITMMS
just finished viewing The Diary of Ann
Frank in Reading and Writing
Workshop and are currently reading
Night by Elie Wiesel in English. They
were fortunate enough to have Mr. and
Mrs. Marcus, both survivors of the
Holocaust, come in and share their
personal stories and answer questions.
Mrs. Marcus discussed the most
difficult aspects of the concentration
camps as well as the moments of hope
and beauty, despite the terror and
cruelty she endured. Mr. Marcus
explained that he went into hiding
during this time, similar to Anne Frank.
He actually went to school in Holland
with Anne Frank’s sister, Margot!
A valuable lesson about how to treat
others was gained by all. The I.T.
family thanks the Marcus family for Mr. and Mrs. Marcus, both Holocaust survivors, spent a day talking with some eighth
taking the time to visit.
graders about the most tragic period in history.
Book Talk
By Alyssa Pascual
On February 13th, four students went
to Oceanside Middle School for a
book talk. The four students were Brian
Pizzo, Douglas Black, Jasmine Parmar
and Alyssa Pascual. Some of the books
read and discussed were Crash and
Burning Up. There were grades six
through eight present.
The first activity was to get with your
assigned group and talk about yourself.
Each individual person in the group
would answer a survey about
themselves and share. People from
many different schools were present,
therefore everybody got to meet new
people and learn something new about
them.
After this, everyone was split up into
the groups they were assigned to talk
Recyclers Cubed
with for the rest of the day. The groups
were assigned by what book was read.
In each group, kids discussed the
book and talked about the racial,
intolerant and bullying issues as well.
In these groups, kids also got to meet
new people, which was surprisingly
easy because they had something to
talk about: the book! Important
passages were read aloud and some
packets were handed out to help better
understand the book and the tolerance
issues in it.
At the very end, everybody was
asked to sign a poster showing that they
participated. It was a very enjoyable
and enlightening experience to meet
new people, discuss the book in depth
and have fun.
By Kelley Marlow, Danielle Medellin, and Nicole Pellegrino
Our science enrichment group, whole school involved. Now that the
Recyclers Cubed, realized that there program has begun, students and staff
was no recycling program at our school. are being asked to throw away their
Recycling in schools is a major problem trash in the proper recepticles. Reycling
and has been a big influence on the includes plastics, cans, and bottles, along
community. We planned on creating a with paper. So get ready because
program that would educate the school. recycling has arrived!
First, we surveyed the teachers to
see who thought recycling was a
problem, and who thought our program
would benefit the school and town. To
our surprise almost all the teachers
loved our idea and were eager to get it
started. To see how the plan would
work, we put bins in 10 classes. At the
end of each week, we collected and
weighed the boxes.
All together the outcome was great! The masterminds behind going green!
We then planned on how to get the
Time to Get Fit
Science!
By Sabrina Ferrigno
Are you involved with Mission Fit?
You should be! It is a great way to be
active and stay healthy. Just start
exercising and you will be on your way
to a healthier you!
The idea is to keep track of your
exercising by emailing the organization.
Five points are awarded when you
exercise by yourself for half hour, but if
By Gabriella Witkowski
On March 15th the whole 5th grade
went to the Hall of Science. All of the
exhibits are hands on which made it an
especially fun trip! No one could get in
trouble for touching anything! The
exhibits were so much fun, especially
the bubbles.
There were a lot of sections to
explore. For example, there was a
sports section where kids could see
how fast they pitch, optical illusions,
planets, cells in your body and more! A
class favorite was the hall of mirrors.
Also, the shadow wall where people
pose in front of a wall and it takes a
picture of your shadow. Then it appears
on the wall.
There were a lot of interesting things
to do! We got to learn and have fun at
the same time. For example, we learned
about the eyeball of a cow eye as it was
dissected in front of us. We also learned
about water vapor by watching an
experiment.
you exercise with friends, you can earn
ten points. There are many ways to
stay active. Sports, Wii, Guitar Hero,
playing an instrument, dancing and
swimming are just a few.
In September, the points will be
calculated and five winners, those who
earned the most points, will win gift
certificates to local stores.
Delayed Openings
By Emily McLaughlin
The library is a place that people
think of as a quite place to concentrate.
When students are taking a test it should
be quiet too. This is so they get better
grades. In order for kids to do well on
the state assessment, the middle school
created delayed openings.
During January and March there
needed to be quiet days so students
could succeed on the ELA and math
assessments. This meant that only kids
taking the exam would come to school
at regular time. The rest of the school
came in after the test was over.
The delayed openings made sure
there were no distractions. Kids in
grade 5 through 8 liked delayed
openings. This allowed kids to sleep
later on the days they did not have the
test. Kids also spent their free time
doing homework, studying or watching
T.V. But most of all, the delayed
openings helped kids to do well on their
exam.
Jazz MaTazz
By Eeman Aaliya
Back in March, the school held an
assembly titled, Jazz MaTazz! It was
full of music and fun and much more!
The idea was introduced in order to
bring music into the lives of the students.
Many were not aware of just how
important music is to learning and our
favorite cartoons!
There were a lot of activities for the
students to participate in, for example,
they was hula hooping and dancing. The
Jazz MaTazz band played too. They
called kids up on stage to participate in
the assembly. Many kids enjoyed it! It
was a great assembly.
Our jazz band strikes up a cool tune.
4
Entertainment
By Sabrain Ferrigno & Emily
McLaughlin
10,000 BC: A Review
By Shawn McCoy
This powerful movie takes movie
goers back into time to a tribe of Indians who come across a girl from another tribe. Like in a romance movie,
a boy glances up at her and instantly
falls in love at first sight. As they grow
up this young child possesses a special
Hanging With Ted
Created & Illustrated by Eric Aguilar
spear. It allowed him to kill a wooly
mammoth.
What else happens to these early,
prehistoric tribes? Check out 10, 000
BC to find out. Movie critics gave it
only one and a half stars, but it definitely deserves more!
Answers to Faculty Facts
1.D 2.B 3.E 4.C 5.A
Sunny days
Pretty flowers blooming
Rain showers
Ices from Ralph’s
New grass growing
Going green
Focus
2008
Order your
yearbook today.
Don’t be left out!
See Mrs. McNally
or Ms. Grasso for
an order form.
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Razzle-Tazzle
By Alexa Miritello and Caroline
Ramirez
Ingredients:
*Ice
*Strawberries
*Fruit punch
*Orange juice
Step 1- Put the ice and 3 strawberries
in a blender.
Step 2- Put 2oz of orange juice and
4oz of fruit punch in the blender.
Step 3- Enjoy Razzle-Tazzle! For extra
enjoyment put a strawberry half sliced
on the side of your glass.
The Razzle-Tazzle creators enjoy a sampling of their own creation!
Faculty Facts
How well do you know the people in the building?
Try your best to match each staff member with their
fascinating fact. Then check the answers above.
1.
1.Mrs. Raccuglia
2.Ms. Lofaso
3.
3.Mr. Guido
4.
4.Mrs. Nieves
5.Mrs. Roemer
S
U
D
O
K
U
A. Recently became a competitive runner
B. Takes ballroom dance lessons
C. Was named after a hurricane that hit NY
D. Before becoming a teacher, was a hair stylist
E . Dressed as a mouse & played the tonette in first
public performance in 1959
Fill in the grid
so that every
row,
every column,
and every 3x3
box
contains the
digits 1
through 9.
Word Search
Try and locate each month.
Baseball
Trivia
NY Baseball
Trivia
1. Who was the last
catcher to lead the AL in
triples?
1. In what year did the Yankees
add lights to Yankee Stadium?
A. 1926
B. 1936
C. 1946
D. 1956
2. Which member of the New
York Yankees was named MVP
of the 1998 World Series?
A. Mariano Rivera
B. Paul O’Neill
C. Scott Brosius
D. Tino Martinez
3. What’s Jeter’s middle name?
A. Charles
B. Conner
C. Sanderson
D. Michael
4. How many MVP Awards did
Babe Ruth win?
5. How many games did the 1986
Mets win in their regular season?
A. 104
B. 106
C. 108
D. 109
6. How many fingers does Mr. Met
have?
7. How many Golden Glove
Awards did Keith Hernandez win
as a member of the NY Mets?
A. 5
B. 6
C. 7
D. 8
8. What title did Tom Seaver,
Dwight Gooden and Darryl
Strawberry all have in common
while playing with the Mets?
3. Which of the following
teams did Billy Martin not
manage to a Division title?
4. Who was the first AL
pitcher to pitch a perfect
game?
Coaches Haggerty and Vinberg have led the seventh and eighth grade boys’ wrestling
team to numerous victories. Go Bulldogs!
5. How many consecutive
seasons did Reggie
Jackson strike out 100
times or more?
6. In how many All-Star
games did Ted Williams
appear?
7. How many double
stitches are there on a
regulation baseball?
8. What pitcher allowed
nine hits in one All-Star
game?
9. What player had seven
seasons in which he hit
more homeruns than
strikeouts?
The seventh grade girls’ basketball team made Coach Flynn proud to be a Bulldog!
Great defense and offense plays kept the team alive.
10. Who was the only
Yankee manager never to
manage the team in Yankee
Stadium?
Answers
1. Carlton Fisk 2.1971 3.
Rangers 4. Cy Young 5.17 6. 18
7. 108 8.Tom Glavine 9. Joe
DiMaggio 10. Bill Virdon
With this being their last year in the middle school, the eighth grade girls’ basketball
team showed that ladies can play ball! Coach Spuches guided the way to victory.
Answers
C
8
B
All won Rookie
of the Year
2. What year saw the first
night World Series game?
5.
6.
7.
8.
Winter II Teams
5
C
C
C
1
h.
Sports
1.
2.
3.
4.
nt
Way to Go!
NBA
By Coach Spuches
The 8th grade girls basketball team
made a tremendous improvement on
their last year’s record through hard
work and determination. This year, the
girls beat perennial powers Seaford,
Grand Avenue, and Wantagh. This
team who won only one game a year
ago, improved to seven wins and 4
losses. Great Job to all players!
You have made the coach proud!
By Donald & Kelly Cembrale
This season, the Houston Rockets began a winning streak of an amazing 22 games on January 19th. Unfortunately on March 18th, Yao Ming was
injured. Tracy McGrady took over.
The Rockets winning streak is the second longest in NBA history. The LA
Lakers holds the first place record.
What an outstanding NBA season!
6
Our School
Singing a New Tune
By E. Roemer
To celebrate their success on their
ELA 5 Assessment, Mrs. Harouche
had a creative idea for Ms. Briscoe’s
and Ms. Bergamino’s students: create
their own lyrics to the tunes of Miley
Cyrus’s hit songs!
With the help of their teachers, these
star students altered the lyrics to
demonstrate their ELA strategies and
positive attitudes toward learning.
Instead of “GNO,” students wrote a
song entitled, “ELA.” Another song was
transformed from “Life’s What You
NYSSMA
By Shawn McCoy
Each year, students involved in the
music department at the middle school,
have the opportunity to perform for a
judge at NYSSMA on Long Island.
This year the competition took place in
Bethpage. Shawn McCoy had the
opportunity to ask a performer, Philip
Sellitto, a few questions about the event.
Q: What is it like at NYSSMA?
A: It was very nerve racking.
Q: How did you feel after performing
at NYSSMA?
A: I was quite proud of myself.
Q: What did you perform there?
A: I had to play the song The Doodler’s
Delight on the drums.
Q: How hard was is to get into
NYSSMA?
A: It took lots of practice!
Q: What was your score?
A: I scored 27 out of 28.
Make It” to “ELA’s What You Make
It,” featuring lyrics such as “With a new
strategy, everything can change.”
Once the lyrics were complete, they
performed with confidence and style for
Mrs. Roemer, who enjoyed the
experience immensely. Mrs. Roemer
exclaimed, “These classes proved that
hard work and persistence can result
in a lot of fun!”
Hopefully, the classes can get
together for another spectacular
brainstorm session! Good job!
Athletes
Unite
By Sabrina Ferrigno
Three times or more a year, high
school students come over to the middle
school and help fifth graders learn how
to make better choices in life.
Sometimes the athletes talk about
sportsmanship and how kids should be
nice to their friends or teammates. One
activity the athletes had students
participate in involved telling fellow
classmates what makes you special and
unique. Hearing positive things about
oneself definitely makes you feel good.
Another time, the athletes talked to
everyone about drugs and the
importance of saying no because they
are bad for you. That is why they tell us
to never use them.
Athletes Helping Athletes is very
valuable in many ways.
These fifth graders perform their new smash hit, ELA to the beat of Miley Cyrus’s hit
song.
A Review
By Jennifer Ragusa
The Island of the Blue Dolphins is
about a young girl named Karana who
lives with her father’s Indian tribe on
the island of the blue dolphins. This is
until the Aleuts came to hunt for sea
otter, but killed Karana’s father! The
new leader’s name was Kimke and he
set off to find new land because of what
happened to Chief Chowig. Kimke
came back with boats to take all the
people to the new land, but Kimke’s
brother Ramo was left behind because
he went back to the village for his
spear. Karana jumped off the boat to
get him, but before they knew it, the
boats were gone and they were
stranded on the island.
The next morning, Ramo was killed
by wild dogs! That left Kimke alone
on the island. She kept herself alive
for many years by gathering food and
building shelter. However, will a boat
finally come back for her and take her
off the island of the blue dolphins?
Read Scott O’Dell’s story to discover
the ending!
Signs of
Spring
By Amna Ahmed
As I wake up from a long, cold
winter, my eyes open and wander
around from flowers to grass and trees
to leaves. Everything changed since I
fell asleep. Flowers bloomed into
bright plants and buds just grew on the
trees that were once brown and lonely.
The bees are buzzing and butterflies
are fluttering. The sky was perfectly
blue, no clouds. My eyes see clearly.
As I hop around, my paws feel
warm and wet dew, almost wondering
if it was licking me. The warm breeze
was slipping through my brown fur. I
noticed the temperature was warmer
and the snow that has melted dripped
on my head and landed on my nose. It
was a cold drop, but I got rid of that!
I could hear birds chirping and
humming birds humming. Baby deer
ran along stepping on twigs and leaves.
The splashes of water remind me of
the beavers that swim there. The little
cubs yawn as they wake up from a
winter’s nap. These sounds repeat.All
the animals have awakened from their
their dreaming, realizing that spring has
approached!
Pizza Time
These high school athletes, with Sabrina Ferrigno, are making a positive impact on the
fifth graders here in Island Trees teaching them life skills that will empower them.
By Emily McLaughlin
Ms. Previdi’s fifth grade class took a
trip to Pizzeria Uno’s on February 15,
2008.
When students arrived, they were
greeted by the pizza dough, cheese, and
sauce which was set up waiting for them
each to create a masterpiece. Then
students got busy making the pizza,
which was a blast!
Next, the pizza was shipped off to
the oven. While it cooked, the kids were
able to work on a mini fun packet that
included mazes and word searches.
Finally, the pizza came back out and
was reunited with its creator. Everyone
agreed it was delicious!
Here is what some people said about
it.
Corinne said, “It was a good trip and
the pizza was good.”
Sabrina replied, “The pizza was great
and it was so much fun going to Unos.”
Our School S.P.O.T.L.I.G.H.T.
7
Students Who Perform Outstanding Tasks Lead Island Trees and are Getting Honored Today!
Teachers and administrators of
the Island Trees Memorial Middle
School were asked to nominate a student whom they felt is outstanding.
Nominators were encouraged to
choose students who help other students, perform well in the classroom,
and show an excitement for learning.
Nomination forms were circulated
and the number of responses received
Paige Fazio: Smiling Student
was overwhelming.
Many exceptional students were
nominated. With the help of Mr.
Bloom, Mrs. Potorski had the difficult task of selecting one student per
grade.
Congratulations to all nominees
and recipients. Teachers and students
should be on the look out for the next
round of nominations.
Crysta Morse: Motivated Member of I.T.
Crysta is an intelligent and motivated
student. She makes the most of every
day. Crysta always has a smile on her
face which warms our classroom. She
respects her teachers and is sure to
thank them each and every day. Crysta
also works will with her peers. Crysta
works hard to raise money for the “Little
Hearts” Charity which she holds close
to her heart. My day is always
brightened by Crysta.
Seeing Paige’s smiling face each
morning is a wonderful way to begin my
day. I appreciate her willingness to lend
a helping hand to those in need and she
is always quick to share a kind word or
a smile with all. Eager to participate in
all aspects of GOAL activities and
contests, she has quickly become a
leader to be admired. I feel lucky in
knowing that I have the privilege of
getting to begin each day with Paige
Fazio until she is an Island Trees
Memorial School graduate.
5th Grade
Nominated by Mrs. Villano
6th Grade
Nominated by Ms. Pepper
Caroline Sutch: Compassionate Character
Emily Cranmer: Upbeat Attitude
Emily Cranmer is one of the most
deserving girls to be featured in
SPOTLIGHT. Emily has been in my
GOAL for four years now and never
have I heard an unpleasant word from
her. Not only is she a top student, she
is also kind, compassionate and always
upbeat. Wherever Emily goes she
brings grace, poise and sweetness. She
is truly a shining star.
Since the first day of school, Caroline
has demonstrated kindness and
compassion toward her peers. Her
bright smile and humor captures all those
who come in contact with her. Most of
all, she is a genuinely caring person who
is always quick to lend a helping hand.
She has been a tremndous help to new
students entering our class. Her help is
appreciated by others and her peers
should be aware that Caroline is a
person who is willing and able to help
people when they need it.
7th Grade
Nominated by Mrs. Siniscalchi
Grade 8
Nominated by Mrs. Kaufman
Behind the Voices
By Colleen Smith
Ever wonder who the students are
on the morning announcements during
GOAL? Well, the wondering is over!
The charismatic voices belong to Dan
Freeda, Casey McCauley, and
Danielle Medellin.
Dan explained how he was chosen
for the job, “It all started in Ms.
Bajohr’s room when I was called down
to the Main Office. Once there, Mr.
Marr told me, Casey, and Danielle that
we were chosen and he offered us the
position. We were chosen because he
believed that we possessed the highest
potential for the job because we follow
through on all of our commitments.”
“My favorite part of the job is getting
to use my own voice with a personal
twist. It also makes me feel important!”
Casey stated. She then added, “To be
a good speaker, one has to speak clearly
and loud. Also, always make sure you
preview what you will be speaking
before you say it.”
When asked about one of the funniest
moments as a morning announcer,
Danielle Medellin said, “There were
many funny times. It’s funny to try and
mess each other up and was especially
funny to listen to Danny sing the
yearbook jingle every morning.” At the
same time, Danielle added, “I felt
important when I learned Ms. Wurzel
had nominated me for the job, but it is
embarrassing when I mess up!”
Looks like these announcers know how to have a good time at work!
Great job guys!
Students In Action
8
Walk the Plank
By Danny Garcia
What happens when a group of
pirates take over a crew of “pansy
men?” Well, hop aboard The Lady
Pirates of Captain Bree to find out!
When a crew gets taken over by a
group of dirty wenches, they’re forced
to work as slaves for them for one
month, but when the British Fleet comes
to capture the pirates and crew, they
are forced to work together to fight off
the army.
The play has dramatic action from
sword fighting to chases and comedy.
It included Samuel dressing as a girl to
avoid being taken over by the barbaric
behaviors of the pirates.
The Lady Pirates of Captain Bree
was a play for the whole family to
enjoy!The actors, stage crew and
teachers spent many hours each week
practicing and perfecting each scene so
that the Island Trees community and
friends could enjoy a night of fun.
Hopefully you had the opportunity to
view the spectacular play. Otherwise,
get ready to walk the plank!
Ahoy! The lead actors in this year’s school play have successfully won our hearts over!
A Library Outing
Talent All Around
By Melanie Cordora & Emily Meyer
On Friday, February 15 th, the was a wide variety in the store. Kids
librarians of the Island Trees School were also allowed to buy books of their
District went on a field trip to the Barnes own. After everyone found their books,
and Noble bookstore. Two students we headed back to school.
were picked from each grade to join The trip was really a great experience
them. Luckily, we were two of the and we got to share our opinions on
students chosen.
what books we would like to read. I
As we entered the big bookstore, kids hope other kids will enjoy the books
were asked to pick out books for their we picked and start checking out more
school libraries. Everyone was looking books in the library. What are you
around for all sorts of books, since there waiting for?
By Kaitiln Livoti
On Friday 15th the school held the
7th and 8th grade talent show. There
were many acts such as dancing, singing
and they even had battle of the bands.
Both bands did great as well as
everyone else!
The mc’s did a great job throughout
the show. Mr. Guido, Mr. Connolly and
Mrs.Vasco also performed. Most
people got emotionally after Katlyn
Desa sang “I miss you” being that it
Here fifth and sixth graders have the chance to purchase new books for the school
library.
Jon Conway, Katie Steinwall, Colleen Sheehy, and James Alesi (missing) received
Honorable Mention for their project in the 2008 Toshiba Exploravision Contest.
And the winner is...calcium! Congratulations Angelo Hristopoulos, Brinda Temburni,
Cassie Paskins, & Victoria Vaughnan on winning the Annual Element Campaign.
Congratulations to this year’s Science Olympiad team! Medals were awarded to B.
Pizzo, D. Black, J. Alesi, C. Rogers, K. Welsh, R. Goepfert, A. Herguth, & E. Rincon.
was dedicated to her dad. Michelle
Barbine and Kristen Ramierez created
a fantastic routine dancing to “Whine
Up.” Michelle Barbine also did another
dance by herself. Felicia Crivello and
Lauren Miller sang, as well as many
other talented students.
Overall, the 7th and 8th grade talent
show was great! Up next is the 5th and
6th grade talent show. Hope their acts
are as entertaining.